My life right now could be a Dr. Seuss rhyme. If so, it would go like this:

I write books here,
I write books there,
Now I write books everywhere!

I could go on about foxes and boxes, in a house and with a mouse, but you get the idea.

With the house full of hammering, drilling, plaster-ripping worker guys – who are making fabulous progress, btw – it’s impossible to think straight in my office, which is right across the hall from the busy zone. But I have deadlines and can’t just stop working for a month. I’ve been looking for options and have discovered a few. One is that with the stereo turned up loud enough, I can ignore a great deal. (Sing it, Fred.) I’ve also learned that I can write not just at the library, but also at the laundromat. (The washer and dryer were early casualties of this renovation. I don’t miss those old beasts but it will be a few weeks before we have a place to hook up their replacements.)

I’ve also spent a lot of time in the kitchen, keeping the Queen Bee with me. She’s not just curious but has a talent for sprawling in the least-convenient spot. I’m sure she does it on purpose, to better monitor the situation. It’s easier for everyone if she and I stay in the kitchen. It’s also proven to be a good place to write and think – it’s one comparatively quiet spot in the house. So, I’ve not just been writing there but cooking more, too. This week, we’re going to try a number of recipes from Madhur Jaffrey’s book, which is already one of my favorites.

Sometimes it’s good to have your world shaken up a bit. I’d become sure that I could only write in my office, and while it’s still the best place for me to write, it’s good to know that there are effective options.

How about you? Have you challenged any of your own assumptions lately?