November is here. Which means the end of the year will be upon us in no time. What better time to start a new challenge. A writing challenge. As I was ironing upstairs this morning, I thought about the National Novel Writing Month I first discovered last Autumn. Although I would not be taking part in this writing project this year either, I did happen to come across another writing challenge this morning from Writer's Digest. The Poem-A-Day Challenge. I attempted the April PAD this year, but less than a week into it found myself forcing the words and overthinking ideas.

I've enjoyed writing ever since I could remember. My first "book" was a collection of interesting stories written when I was a few years older than Saffron. With the various moves from one coast to the other and along the West Coast, those writings were lost. I did, however, manage to find other writings from long ago - including poems.

Writing is a powerful escape. As is reading. It makes you think, question, and wonder.

The younger two were home today. Still recovering, they managed to sleep most of the day.

Or at least rest on the couch by the window, next to the fireplace.

This gave me a chance to snap a quick photo of a few new items coming to the shop this month.

Dinner was simple. It's always simple when my husband is away on a trip. The girls wanted spaghetti with feta. Not spaghetti with sauce and feta. Plain spaghetti with crumbled Greek feta. I passed on that and on dinner. Perhaps this weekend I'll get to catch up on some sleep and make something a little more exciting to eat. Sometimes I wish we didn't have to eat so often. With kids, it's unavoidable. They need to eat. As a parent, you need to make something even though you might want to pass on dinner that evening - like tonight.

I'm looking forward to the extra hour of sleep over the weekend. I'm sure the kids will be happy about that too.