Tis the Season to Amuse the Muse, and Fill the Idea Well

No need to work overtime to amuse the muse and fill the Idea Well this holiday season. I've found that plenty of opportunities lurk amidst the hustle bustle of the season's festivities and preparations, if I slow down long enough to look.

Take this past weekend, for example. E, S and I attended two Christmas parties. The first was for the local chapter of Little People of America. Nearly 60 people attended, more than half of them little people. E was in her element, S and I in the minority. Seeing E surrounded by kids and adults her size (and grinning nonstop) was worth the hassle of packing up the dog and equipment and traveling to the boondocks. Traveling with E is never easy, but I'm always glad after the fact. Events like the LPA party tip my world sideways, and fill my Idea Well in surprising and unexpected ways.

The other weekend party we attended was for E's Morris Service Dog program. Festivities began with awards for program graduates, and ended with an open mic for those who wanted to says a few words. Many of the stories recounted the unexpected benefits the dogs had brought to their new owners. One of the most touching tales was from a woman whose service dog saved her life not once, but multiple times during the last year. How could my well not be filled after hearing this and other stories?

Current read: Divine Evil by Nora Roberts. Well done, suspenseful page-turner. One of the rare few this year that's had me staying up well past bedtime to read.