Monday, January 18, 2010

january rain

Let me tell you what my home is right now- first, the light. The light is blue, grey, dove, but clear, clean, not muddled. The light is still. It does not move over the objects but has penetrated them, so that every blade of grass carries exactly the same illumination as Hagrid, our large striped grey cat, moving over those grass blades toward Bellatrix, our minxy grey cat. Then, without warning, the light dims, just a shade, and the wind picks up in the may trees around my home, the ones that despite living in San Diego since 3 years old, I cannot spell- uca-lip-tus. The trees are tall and stalk like in trunk, and the leaves smallish, and right now the wind is moving and shaking them all toward the east, and they are making a loud rushing brushing hushing sound, like this:

hurshhhhhshhhchhsshhhh

The sound fills me and I am lifted beyond my emotional state and suddenly clear of it, like a bird- forgive the tired metaphor but it is so right!- just like a bird, lifted by the wind underneath my wings and into the sky and far beyond the exctractions, demands and concerns of the life still rooted firmly to this planet. Just now the rain started! It is pouring on the rooftop like a tapdancer, like this:

rrrttttttrattatrattatrattatratrattttrrr

at a speed only a jazz scatter or tapper like Sammy Davis Jr. could keep up. Mr. Weasley, our large, almost adult orange cat, is curled up next to me with Karate Chop, one of our two adolescent kitties, who is a fantastic coloring of grey stripes with orange/brown cheetah like stripes. Mr. Weasley licked her fur round the nose, eyes and mouth until she fell asleep. Doesn't that sound wonderful? I think I will ask Mr. Curry to do that for me.

I am in the sunroom, where the computer is, and there are only windows here on all walls, so that I am looking directly out at all times to our backyard, which has sprung up with the most deliciously crisp shade of green, thick grass. The rain is having a ball on our roof! The trees are still swaying but I can't hear them as well now. Lola is laying on the floor on her large red heartshaped pillow that she bought at Target with a gift certificate. Dakota is recovering from the stomach flu and lying wrapped in blankets on the couch. I lit a log in the fireplace, and they are watching the first Harry Potter. Mr. Curry is reading. Probably Robert Parker. I gave him two shelves and organized them for him, and you know what those two shelves hold? Robert Parker novels. He has scrounged through and re-read them so many times that the books are in dissaray and piles and that makes me happy every time I look at it, so that I smile. It makes me happy that I married a man who reads books so many times they are a mess. Even though I have bought him 4 books that I know he would love over the last few months and they sit, unread, because he is obsessed with two series: Robert Parker Spencer novels, and Harry Potter novels. The last two holidays we bought him a copy of a hardback HP because we only had paperback and with all of our entire family reading them, they are literally falling apart. The first one has no cover, I believe, and the second is beginning to miss pages and come apart at the binding. Mr. Curry is reading Lola the first one, at night, in bed. She struggles a bit with reading so he reads them to her.

The rain is pouring. I wrote 2 pages on my novel yesterday and it is coming along really well now. My writing has gained authority and I keep going back and editing from the beginning to make the book have that cohesive, authorative voice. I began submitting yesterday, inspired by Collin Kelley's post that he also began for 2010. Poems, that is. ( swimming pools, movie stars ) I just finished reading Philip Roth's Patrimony and wrote a short review on Goodreads. I highly recommend it. It's wonderful. Here are links to bloggers who have books that I recommend:

Collin Kelley, Conquering Venus

Vicky Forman, This Lovely Life

Rachel King, Magpie Hall

xo
Jessica AKA Falling Glitter said...

First time visiting your blog, I could tell right off the bat you are a great writer.

Hope you make it thru the rain.

justmakingourway said...

I love that your cat is named Mr. Weasley! Too perfect.

Ms. Moon said...

Rain is sacred. It creates curtains which close around us in our homes as it brings the promise of green to the outside. We feel cozier, safer, and sleepier in our rooms as it falls down on our roofs. We want to lie down and read a book. We want to cuddle up and loved. Or licked.

Elizabeth said...

Maggie, you sound so organized right now, in this moment in which you write. Organized and productive and lazily content. Can one be all those things at once? The descriptions of our southern California light and rain are beautiful.

Tiffany Kadani said...

Love reading about your life as a writer. Thank you for always sharing.

Unknown said...

Not a cat person... though I believe that decision has been made more on the cat's behalf than mine. With six angry pygmies running around with weapons improvised from legos and matchbox car tracks I would fear for the sanity of a cat. Instead, we have large dogs, who seem to have the temperament to deal with such heathens. Keep writing!

magnoliaamber said...

a home full of Harry potter lovers can't be better. noone will call you freak because you like Harry potter! That's very nice...

Johanna said...

Wow, your home sounds so calm and comfortable that I may be hypnotized to the brink of sleep. It's like a hot rag on my face. I want nothing more than to curl up on the couch and watch Harry Potter now!

Mia said...

Your blog is so beautiful, I visited it for the first time and I really like it!

Phoenix said...

I adore your writing style so much - your descriptions send chills down my spine.

As I write this, it's pouring outside in LA and the claps of thunder are getting louder. It's perfect.

I'm glad that your novel is coming along. Sometimes all it takes to feel a little unstuck is some rain, some fire, and some family that loves you.

Jaye Ramsey Sutter said...

Robert Parker died this morning. How sad. He wrote a good mystery and enjoyed his life.

Unknown said...

even though I am severely allergic to cats, that was as perfect a vision of home as any. relaxed lovely loved family

Petit fleur said...

Sounds like home to me.

I hope Dakota is feeling much better soon. (Harley has sprung to life in the last 12 hours... it's amazing!)

CONGRATULATIONS on you writing momentum!! That is so fabulous! It must feel so grand to be in the movement of it.
Yay Maggie May!
xo pf

Anonymous said...

Did you know that Robert Parker had died when you wrote this- never a more fitting requiem....
This sounds like such a coziness and contentment that I am swept away and inspired. Well deserved. Of course I can't wait for the novel.

Lola Sharp said...

Hi Maggie,
I know your husband loves Robert ...but I am sad to tell you , he passed away from a heart attack earlier this week.


I hope Dakota is feeling better/doing better.

Hugs,
lola @sharp pen

Mystic Thistle said...

You can be just exquisite. I love the part about the cat liking the other's face.

The Girl said...

You are lovely, Miss Maggie. Just lovely.

Unknown said...

Its uplifting to read of someone in SoCal with a completely positive outlook on the rain. Some of my bloggy friends and others who I've met in the real world are unhappy its raining. The green grass needs a big old drink every once in a while & it sounds like yours is loving it!

Kudos on getting the book going, keep up the great writing fellow novelist!

Maggie May said...

I had no idea he had died when I wrote this. I feel quite sad that he died. :(

Annie said...

Hi Maggie, Thank you for sharing these moments. I'm glad your novel is coming along, and you are submitting your poems. I'd love to buy a published volume!

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