I try to keep things simple. When my sons were young, they used to complain that I didn't pay enough attention to them. "You were always thinking about writing," grumbled Alan, the oldest. He was right--I didn't help with homework ("Aren't you supposed to do that yourself?"), didn't take them to hockey practice ("Just find something to do you can walk to"), didn't bake cookies for the neighborhood kids ("We're out of milk? Drink some water.") What I did was write books.
So the boys are long grown up and gone with careers and families of their own, and I haven't changed much. I still don't want to spend time on things that don't interest me, and my goal is to keep things simple. Simple but good. Take breakfast, for instance. Here's my hot-weather recipe.
Part 1: throw a couple of big handfuls of thick-rolled oatmeal in a bowl with a few craisins and some chopped dried apricots and dump enough milk on it to cover it. Part 2: go for a 3-mi walk and think about what I'm writing, shower, and dress (tee shirt, pants, sandals).
Part 3: stir chopped apple, cutup orange, whatever, and a big blob of plain yogurt into the oatmeal. Serve with banana, nuts, cinnamon, milk.
This will feed 2 people a terrific breakfast for 3 days. Yes, boxed cereal would be simpler, but it's not delicious. Did I mention that food should be delicious, especially breakfast? Especially if I'm going to be at my desk all day?
And then I make my first cup of tea for the day and write books.
So the boys are long grown up and gone with careers and families of their own, and I haven't changed much. I still don't want to spend time on things that don't interest me, and my goal is to keep things simple. Simple but good. Take breakfast, for instance. Here's my hot-weather recipe.
Part 1: throw a couple of big handfuls of thick-rolled oatmeal in a bowl with a few craisins and some chopped dried apricots and dump enough milk on it to cover it. Part 2: go for a 3-mi walk and think about what I'm writing, shower, and dress (tee shirt, pants, sandals).
Part 3: stir chopped apple, cutup orange, whatever, and a big blob of plain yogurt into the oatmeal. Serve with banana, nuts, cinnamon, milk.
This will feed 2 people a terrific breakfast for 3 days. Yes, boxed cereal would be simpler, but it's not delicious. Did I mention that food should be delicious, especially breakfast? Especially if I'm going to be at my desk all day?
And then I make my first cup of tea for the day and write books.