A (Laundry) Day in the Life

Saturday, December 13, 2025, Orlando, Florida

Time flies faster than a rollercoaster at Universal Studios—or so it seems. Can you believe we’re already skidding into mid-December, with just twelve days left on the countdown to Christmas 2025? I’m still trying to wrap my head around that one, and my coffee hasn’t quite caught up yet.

As you’d expect, Florida’s weather is living its best life. This Saturday morning in Bithlo—the Orlando suburb I now call home—dawns bright and sunny, with the thermometer sitting at a cozy 73°F (23°C). Thanks to the ever-persistent humidity, though, it feels more like a sultry 86°F (30°C). The forecast says we’ll top out at a pleasant 77°F (25°C), which I imagine will delight the throngs of tourists lining up for their dose of theme park magic (and maybe a sunburned selfie or two).

Still, I’m a bit gobsmacked at how the past two years have zipped by. One day I was waving farewell to Tampa Bay, trudging through the snow in rural New Hampshire; the next, I was trading snow boots for flip-flops during an unexpectedly brief stint in Miami. Now, after what can only be described as a whirlwind tour of the Eastern Seaboard (with a detour through moving truck purgatory), I landed here in Bithlo on August 31. None of this was on my bingo card, but I won’t bore you with the details today. Suffice it to say, the pace of change has left my head spinning—and at my age, I’d much prefer a gentle carousel ride to the emotional tilt-a-whirl.

As for the week since my Miami exit, it’s been about as exciting as watching laundry tumble (which, incidentally, is on today’s agenda). I did manage to reunite with most of my belongings, courtesy of my South Florida host. A good chunk of my stuff is still boxed up—safe, but not quite ready for prime time. I brought a sliver of my beloved home media collection (Blu-rays, DVDs, and music CDs) with me, but the rest? Well, let’s just say I’ll need a treasure map to find a suitable hiding spot. That, however, is a quest for another day; Laundry Day always wins.

I’d also hoped to make some headway on the omnibus edition of The Jim Garraty Chronicles, which would generously gather up Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, and Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen, tucking them under one literary roof. Unfortunately, my recent Miami marathon sapped my energy, and, as I’ve lamented before, I already missed my own Winter 2025 publishing deadline. With sales for the individual titles colder than a New Hampshire January, I’m not exactly itching to wrestle with Kindle Create or pen new front matter for the omnibus. But hey—there’s always next week, right? (Famous last words!)