A room of her own

I haven't had an official "writing room" for more than a year now. It's been okay--I'm a very portable writer, with my WIP, laptop, and a few key reference books usually stashed in my messenger bag--but I confess I miss having my own space. The desk I use now doubles as a craft/school project/homework area, so I can't leave things spread out quite as much as I used to do.

On the flip side, this works because my kids are both in school (tres weird--I used to write while homeschooling two high-energy boys) and I don't need a private writing spot as often as when there were always other people in the house.

But...this past weekend, we attacked the basement to make a space for a little exercise area: weights , a weight bench, a mat, and a foam roller. I'm so psyched!

Officially, this basement is only a crawl space. The beams supporting the floor above are only about six feet high, and ductwork is suspended below that. You have to duck to get through the miniature door, balance your way down a steep set of skinny stairs, and duck to keep from hitting your head on the ductwork. The floor is dirt covered by an ancient piece of carpet.

But past the ductwork is a spot about five foot square where I can set up my weight stuff, and beside that there's just room for a little table and my writing files--previously relegated to an inaccessible corner even deeper in the dungeon. I scrubbed down the shelves and brought my writing materials out where they're actually usable.

I feel kind of like a kid creating a private clubhouse. It's not beautiful, not brightly lit or particularly warm, but it's mine. Hee-hee. So if you don't hear from me for a while, I'm hiding in my basement....

:) Cheryl