Murphy Lives Here

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By Linda Robinson

Lately, my writing journey has been derailed by Murphy. It’s bad enough when my muse takes a vacation. Eventually she returns, and it’s usually when I become self-disciplined and sit down in my computer chair to write-about ten o’clock at night. But I don’t always do that. For good reason.

In August, we decided to update the countertop and get new cabinet doors in our kitchen on the covered patio. The project was scheduled to be finished in September. Again, for good reason. The major events on my calendar for October looked something like this:

10th – MS due to editor
11th -18th Host family reunion
23rd – Colorado friends arriving
31st – Host 3-day Writing Fest for The Four Critter-teers (my critique partners.)

By mid-September, I had emptied all the cabinets, and my husband had removed the old doors and painted the frames. But no new ones arrived. Our phone calls and messages for the cabinet maker went unanswered, and I grew extremely unhappy.

Okay, mad! Who can write when they’re livid? Maybe horror tales with murder and mayhem? Not my genre, but I could have taken a shot at writing a bestseller.

When the installers finally arrived, I learned things can get worse. Murphy was in true form, practicing his law at every opportunity. But I’ll skip the smaller incidents. While inside doctoring a gash the installer had made to his hand, a helper out on the patio lost his balance and fell into the stove with his knee. The glass oven door completely broke into zillions of glass chips and fell everywhere.

Our quick trip to Lowes to get a new stove resulted in “none in stock, order one, and wait five to seven days for it to be delivered.” Murphy is a devil.

Meanwhile, back on the patio, the new countertop backsplash was different than nineteen years ago when we built our house. The electrical outlets needed to be moved higher, but the current wires weren’t long enough.

“Sorry. We don’t do wiring. You need an electrician.” Thanks again, Murphy.

One day before our family arrived in October, the “two-day” kitchen job was finished, including a new stove. I managed to get my manuscript to my editor four days late. My muse is still shattered like the old stove door, but I have a feeling when the holidays are over, she’ll be back.

I can hardly wait to get started on the third novella in my Faith and Family series. I’m planning to kick Murphy to the curb before the rescheduled, inside kitchen remodel project gets underway in January. Then I’ll write while they work.

Busy holidays aside, what usurps your time and keeps you from writing as much as you’d like?

Linda RobinsonLinda Robinson is the author of four published novels. She is a member of her local Writers’ Forum, ACFW, Scribes, Goodreads, and others. Linda also blogs and writes fiction and non-fiction short stories for magazines and contests. Connect with her by visiting her website, Facebook and Twitter.

Comments 0

  1. Linda, I say next time Murphy knocks, slam the door in his face. LOL

    Calamities seem to come in clusters, don’t they? But you dealt with them all and came out victorious.

    Being part of your October 31 write fest was the highlight of my entire year. Let me tell you for the umpteenth time how much I enjoyed your hospitality.

    Renie Onorato

  2. Well goodness, Linda, at least you got a blog out of it. I submit that your muse wasn’t on vacation but was in cahoots with Murphy to provide you with some material. Sorry, I’m just playing the devil’s (or should I say Murphy’s) advocate here.

  3. Pray you can get Murphy kicked to the street or in jail might be better!!!Call Wally and have him picked up, his brother has been at my house a lot lately.
    Pray your remolding goes well nexr year. Thanks for the book, gift certificate and the goodies

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