I wrote this blog on a notepad at lunchtime, sitting outside a cafe in downtown Roswell, Georgia, and enjoying one of the many perks of my career as a high-priced prostitute fiction writer.

Today is a day like Heaven, at least in metro Atlanta. It’s a sunny mid-70’s, and the greenish-yellow pollen that has coated everything for weeks is slowly beginning to wash away. My kids are back in school after more than a week off for Passover break. The hustle and bustle of Passover, preparing to officiate a friend’s wedding, and keeping two preschool boys from killing one another is waning as life gets back to semi-normal.

Meanwhile, a doctor’s appointment this morning leaves me both hopeful and a little wary. It’s possible, doc thinks, that my chronic chest pains may not be the world’s longest heart attack, but rather an “atypical presentation of silent gastrointestinal reflux.” I know what you’re thinking.  That is. So hot. Not exactly the conclusive diagnosis I was hoping for, but it’s encouraging to hear it could be something so simple, and I always enjoy being atypical.

All that said, worrying about your health will usually make you painfully aware of your mortality. And some recent events in our life and community — one exceedingly happy marriage and one horribly sad death — have put me in mind of sunshine and lunchtime cocktails and taking deep breaths. Maybe if I work hard enough, I can channel a bit of Austin, Texas 2004 into Roswell, Georgia, 2014. There was drama and loss in my life then, too, but somehow back then it came with far less responsibility and far more daydreaming in the sunshine.

I’m making notes at the lunch table, enjoying an amazing quinoa salad and some kind of freakishly good drink called a Ginger Sidecar. As the waitress comes to check on me and glances at my notebook, I wonder if she thinks I’m a food critic. This naturally gets me thinking: could I ever be a food critic? My goodness, I do love food. But maybe critiquing food would rob the joy from it.

Remember that scene in Mystic Pizza where the guy takes one bite of the heavenly pizza and walks out? Yeah, I could not do that. I’m not sure I’ve ever taken one bite of anything. You could give me a brownie laced with arsenic, tell me it was poisoned after the first bite, and I’d probably shrug and keep eating… figuring at least it was death by chocolate. Plus I don’t eat seafood, and I’m sure that would be a major handicap to that particular career.

So, okay, I’m not cut out to be a food critic. But it’s nice to be sitting here with my pen and fork, the way I used to do in my pre-kid, pre-insanely-busy lunch hours. I can’t remember the last time I had a drink at lunch, or a drink alone, or lunch alone… You know, this could go on for a while, so I’ll stop there.

This past week was crazy hectic, sad, and joyous by turns; and it took me away from all forms of writing (including the blog – sorry, gang). I have to say, however, that the many changes of scenery and the emotional ups and downs forced me to step back and allow time for laughing and crying. I got some extra time with my kiddos, holiday celebrations with our immediate and extended family, plus the wedding festivities with old friends and new. By the end of it all, my sides ached from laughing, my feet were sore from dancing, and my heart swelled with appreciation for the life I have, however limited my time on earth may be. While I am working hard to better myself every day — diet, exercise, writing skills — I am also trying to build in a little self-forgiveness and mandatory relaxation.

With life pressing in at all sides, it’s hard to maintain an attitude like that – almost as hard as holding on to a perfect day. Still, I enjoyed my time in the sun today and hope you did, too, wherever you are and whatever the weather.

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I’m M.J. (Manda) Pullen, an author and mom in the Atlanta, Georgia area. I write fiction at the lunch table, and blog about publishing, parenthood, life and the many lessons I’ve learned the hard way.

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My current roster of books includes The Marriage Pact series, a trilogy of Contemporary Romance/Women’s Fiction novels. You can find them for all eBook formats and in paperback here.

MJ Pullen

M.J. Pullen is a distracted writer and the mom of two boys in Roswell, Georgia, where she is absolutely late for something important right now. Her books include quirky romantic comedies and playful women's fiction. She blogs erratically with writing advice, random observations, and reflections on raising very loud kids and dogs. Join her Distracted Readers newsletter list for updates, free content, giveaways and more.