Back to School

All my kids are now in school.

Gone are Child #1's thumping footsteps as he clomps around the house, a guitar slung over a shoulder.

Gone are the tip-tapping of Child #2's texting fingers and the tinkling cell phone bell that signals an incoming message.

Gone are Child #3's wild shrieks as he jumps out from behind doors and chairs to frighten me.

Gone is the lilting musical voice of Child #4 who sings for everything these days from snack requests to tattling on Child #3 to calling for Dorothy the Dog.


I've walked back down the hill to my quiet house. Well, except for the chug-chug of the washing machine. And the clicking of the Kreepy Krawler as it slurps up eucalyptus leaves from the bottom of the pool. And the whistling of the kettle.

I make a second cup of tea, sink into my large comfortable chair, sighing the sigh of mothers everywhere on that first day back to school.

I drag the heavy envelope from Random House across my coffee table and pull out the copy-edits for I So Don't Do Spooky. For a second, I close my eyes and just breathe.

Realizing how very very ready for this I was.