Four of us neighbors got together to relax and enjoy each other’s company in the evening. Marla had put in a full day of work, and Shawn was tired from a day of hands-on mothering and house-wifering. Connie and I slumped back in our seats, ready for easy, laid-back conversation.

The subjects ranged far afield until we began to talk about our passions. Marla loves being a mechanic for high-end bikes. Repairs that she once would have sent to the manufacturer, she now does in the shop. Connie enjoys creating things that involve sewing, quilting, and handcrafts. She didn’t speak of it that night, but we all benefited from her Pickle Passion last year. As soon as you go near Shawn’s home, you know there is an artist in residence. She is a potter, a painter, and a crafter. I am in awe of these practical talents. I would rather write than sleep, probably making me more sleep-deprived than productive. They kindly pointed out that I put words together to make things. Writers are always in need of supportive friends.

I have no idea how we jumped from appreciating each other’s talents to laughing about our fictional geriatric pirate. Many ideas came from Connie’s corner. Her pirate always paused to change his Depends. Marla was our active model – leaping up to demonstrate how the pirate’s ship would move or how he would make a rescue with a walker. Shawn was drawing the book cover in her head and contributing hilarious dialogue. There was little left for me to do except laugh, which I did with gusto. At the end of the day, our spirits were high, higher than they had been for weeks. No one shot down the idea of our group gathering again to continue the non-writing of our novel. We learned anew that laughter with friends puts air in your lungs and lift in your bones.