No kids and no husband today. Or tomorrow. So weird.
With all of our recent traveling, I ended up rather sick (again - my body hates me) this week, and rather than infect everyone around me and drag out my misery more by pushing my body beyond what it could take, I let Carl and the girls go to MA for the planned family get-together without me. I realized yesterday afternoon, as I waved them off and then faced the utterly silent house, that I haven't had more than a few hours to myself (and that rarely) ever since Joy was born. Which was almost five years ago.
So I am very much enjoying my time to rest and recharge my batteries. And the fact that I can clean my living room without having it instantly trashed as soon as I finish.
With all this wide-open space and time before me, I am gleefully planning on getting as much writing as possible done. Maybe finish the first draft of that spy novelette (or novella - I'm trying to be as concise in my writing as possible, but even so, it might stretch out for another few thousand words). Maybe work some more on my Celtic YA fantasy. Maybe even start copy-editing Magic and Mayhem (trusty copy of Line by Line by my side, naturally). Maybe work some more on that detailed outline for the MG fantasy that popped into my head the other day. I'm not letting myself write that story until I've actually finished some of my other projects (my biggest failing as a writer is starting projects and then never finishing them), but if I can get a nice, detailed outline written (my outlines are usually sparse at best), it will be a much easier task when I do allow myself to write the story.
And maybe, halfway through the day, if the rain holds off, I'll sit outside with a library book and glass of lemonade, and just read without feeling guilty about all the other things I should be doing.
I'm loving this little mini-vacation from responsibility. I should send Carl and the girls away more than once every five years, don't you think?
When was the last time you had a break from all your responsibilities, and what did you do with your time?
Look at all the possibilities! I love the sound of all of your projects... a spy novella? A Celtic YA fantasy? How cool is that? Enjoy your break! My last break was when I left my old job back in mid-December... I had two weeks of Christmas/New Year's fun before the new job began and I got so much writing/reading done!
ReplyDeleteBefore the baby was born, Bart would be gone a lot, but I would still have the dogs, the house, and then work to contend with. I was almost always too tired to do anything different or special. Now when he's gone I have to take care of the baby, the house, the dogs, all of it alone. When someone is a little bigger, I may have to send the two of them off to his parents or something for a day some time.
ReplyDeleteI try to take a short break every night and just play my guitar. As for a long break, I think I need one.
ReplyDeleteHappy writing!
I've had bits of time, but tend to waste them. I hope you're not checking this, actually. The Internet is always a big time-suck for me, when I find myself with no other responsibilities, and then suddenly those few hours are gone...
ReplyDeleteI like to play the piano when there's no one else home. Because it's something I love to do, and yet something that only brings misery to people in the same room. :D
I glad to hear that you're getting some rest and refreshment! Enjoy getting healthy!
ReplyDeleteMarch when I went to visit my mom in FL - although I did help her out with a lot of her responsibilities while I was there so...maybe the real answer is a couple of years ago when i went to Sanibel Island. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteThank you, everyone! Rather to my surprise, I found myself doing more quilting/Doctor Who watching than actually writing ... but I'm not complaining too much. Got me way ahead on a project that was starting to feel like it'd never get finished, plus I got to hang with the Tenth Doctor and Donna for a couple days. FUN.
ReplyDeleteAnd I did get some writing in, too.
Family got back this morning, so we are back in the full throes of real life. Carl's off on a business trip later this week, so I'll get to make up for my alone time by having to be single mummy for a few days. Yikes!
Tuesdays my girls are in school all day (as opposed to days where I go and get them for lunch, because in France we do both) and the hubs is at work. So I have a blissfully empty house for about five hours. I excersise, write, and catch up on blogging if I can:)
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