Maybe I'm Murphy Brown

So, last week it was painters.  This morning it's the crew installing the new heating system, and here I am.  Surprise!


I'm trying to stay out of the way, but still be at hand should anything happen that needs my attention.  I was using the same philosophy last week when the painters were here.  What to do when large portions of you house are unavailable to you? Well, I write.


I'm reminded of the old Murphy Brown show.  For those of you unfamiliar with the show, Murphy, played by Candice Bergen, was a journalist and news anchor.  Episodes usually focused on her work, but the scenes that took place in her home often featured Eldin Bernecky. Eldin was Murphy's house painter...for six years.  


Though I'm glad it didn't take the guys six years to paint my living room, I was pleased to have the opportunity to write with no other tasks looming. Not that there's not plenty on my to-do list. I just couldn't work on any of those items and stay out of the way.  It was quite freeing, yet I still felt like I was accomplishing something.  I'm not quite at the point where I could sit on the sofa with a novel and a box of bon-bons while other people are working.  Maybe some day.


I'm experiencing the same feelings this morning. Though it makes me anxious having other people in the house (that's another story), I'm still appreciating having this little chunk of time to do nothing but write.  I do have to go to work eventually, but in the mean time I'm out of the way while doing something I find meaningful.


According to Virginia Woolf, "a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction." In my case, I just need to be trapped in a shared room in order to sit down at the keyboard. Of course, having money helps too.  On that note, I'm off to work!