Friday Favorties

 

Coming soon!  I absolutely cannot wait to tell you more about this!  

Wednesday on Writing: When You’re stuck

 

It happens to all of us from time to time. Below are my thoughts on what to try when the words won't come. 

Re-read.  Read what you have, and remind yourself of how far you’ve come.  It’s a good rule of thumb to go back and re-read your entire story every 5 chapters.  This refreshes your memory about plot twists and conversations and, if you are a pantser like me, sometimes you will get an “aha!” moment where something that happened early in the book can suddenly work with a twist later down the road. Almost like your muse knew what it was doing all along.
 

Do something mindless.  For some reason driving, being in water (washing dishes or taking a shower), folding laundry, vacuuming or tidying up, starting to paint that room you’ve been putting off—always helps jar something loose.  Maybe we use a different side of our brain for some of these tasks.  But it can help.

 Write the scene you see happening next.  This does not always work for pantsers like me.  The fun is in not knowing what will happen next and if I write a scene that’s farther along in the story than I am, it can spoil the “carrot on the stick” motivation I had going to get to that scene.  But sometimes it’s all you can do.

 Write something else.  Now tread with caution here because this is how we end up with 47 unfinished stories.  But sometimes taking yourself out of one story and into something else will help.  Maybe a blog post, or Facebook rant would work, or, if you do have some unfinished stories, immerse yourself in one of them.  Maybe something you wrote a few years ago and never finished will inspire something for your current WIP. Some writers find it helpful to just start typing random words and phrases on the page, sort of a way to purge the clutter, unclog the drain, and get the right words flowing again.  

 

Refill the well.  A friend of mine used to talk about letting the well fill up again.  Read.  Watch movies.  Bake.  Take a break from the blank page and create elsewhere or just give your mind and body a little break.  Hot cup of something, a cozy blanket and a good book or movie.  Sometimes that empty canvas in our mind is our body’s way of telling us it needs a break.

Til next time, remember...  Stories aren’t written all at once.  They’re written one sentence at a time.  Keep writing!

 

 

 

Monday Morning Musing: Finding peace in the Quiet

 

You know you are getting older when a great weekend means you stayed home and didn’t have to go anywhere. 

 

When you have spent years first as a daily caregiver and then most weekends cleaning out an estate, quiet weekends feel both rare and precious.  No, we are not done with the cleanout, but I think the need to spend every Saturday over there is pretty much over.  After three years.

 

Spending a quiet Saturday morning in the kitchen baking things that smell wonderful and draw your loved ones from their beds is one of my favorite things ever.

 

Getting up first and having the house to yourself for quiet time with prayers, coffee and pets is the best.

I used the word "quiet" a lot today.  I guess that's where I am finding peace these days.  In the quiet.

Until next time… may your coffee stay warm and your heart stay hopeful

 

 

In the Kitchen with Nic: Old Fashioned Lemonade Bundt Cake

 

Well it might not be the exact recipe I was searching for, but it's the closest I could come. 

Apparently the other recipe doesn't exist anywhere in any Betty Crocker cookbook, old or new, so it was either a family recipe, thrown together with ingredients on hand (those are the best!  But not always written down ), or it was in a magazine or on recipe cards.  

Either way, here is what I've come up with, pieced together form other recipes and clues from the cake mentioned in the nostalgic recipes video. 

I'll be making it this weekend! 

Happy Baking!

Til next time, remember... Some recipes aren't just recipes. They're family history, written in cups, teaspoons, and a pinch of love.

OLD-FASHIONED

LEMONADE BUNDT CAKE

A White Butter Cake Soaked in Fresh Lemon Syrup

———  ✦  ———

This cake brings the bright, tart flavor of summer lemonade into a tender white butter cake. The warm lemon syrup soaks deep into the crumb, and a thin crackled glaze finishes it—just as they made it in the old days, long before box mixes.

THE CAKE

2¼ cups  cake flour (or sifted all-purpose flour)

1½ cups  granulated sugar

3½ teaspoons  baking powder

1 teaspoon  salt

½ cup  (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup  whole milk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon  pure vanilla extract

4  large egg whites, at room temperature

LEMON SOAKING SYRUP

¾ cup  granulated sugar

½ cup  fresh lemon juice (from 3–4 lemons)

SIMPLE LEMON GLAZE

1½ cups  powdered sugar, sifted

3–4 tablespoons  fresh lemon juice

Optional:  1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

METHOD

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease and flour a 10- or 12-cup Bundt pan (or use a baking spray that contains flour). Be generous in the crevices so the cake releases cleanly.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined.

3.  Add the softened butter, milk, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes until the batter is smooth and creamy.

4.  In a clean bowl with clean beaters, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the batter in two additions, taking care not to deflate them. The batter will be light and airy.

5.  Spoon the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a long wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. The top should be lightly golden.

6.  Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 12 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the syrup: combine the sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Do not boil hard. Remove from heat.

7.  Carefully invert the warm cake onto a serving plate or cooling rack. While the cake is still warm, poke holes all over the top and down into the ridges with a thin skewer or fork. Slowly spoon or brush the warm lemon syrup over the cake, letting it soak in thoroughly. Allow the cake to rest 20–30 minutes so the syrup can penetrate.

8.  For the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice together until smooth and pourable (add a little more juice or sugar to reach a good consistency). Drizzle the glaze generously over the cake so it runs down the ridges in thin streams. Let the glaze dry until it forms a delicate, crackled shell.

Note from the kitchen

This cake was made to stand up to July heat. The lemon syrup keeps it moist for days, and the thin glaze does not melt the way buttercream would at a picnic. Bake it the night before, glaze it in the morning, and it will still taste bright and lively by afternoon.

 

—  Enjoy with a cold glass of real lemonade  —

Friday Favorites

 

Well the week is drawing to a close, so rather than talking about writing, I'd like to share a few favorite finds with you today.  

1. Vintage recipes.  I tumbled head first down a  rabbit hole not long ago, in search of a vintage Betty Crocker Old Fashioned Lemonade cake recipe.  Still haven't found "the one", I am not looking for a cake mix recipe, this is a recipe from the 50s or 60s that pre-dates boxed mixes.  I'll share when I find it, but this search, and the amazing recipes I've turned up along the way, has reminded me all over again how much I love cooking from scratch--the joy of creating something from what you have on hand, rather than opening a box.  You simply cannot beat the peace of mind that comes from knowing exactly what's in the food you prepared. 

2. Shauna Kay's Book Club on YouTube.  In my downtime, I love juicy biographies, and I have a real soft spot for stories about the royal family.  Especially vintage biographies about the royal family, which are often out of print.  I guess I am a spoiler alert person, but it's kind of fun to read them from a modern day perspective knowing how things already worked out (who would have ever guessed Camilla would be wearing the crown and our beloved Diana would be gone-- and don't get me started on Harry!)  But finding the time to read them all let alone sifting through the thousands of books to choose from is a bit overwhelming.  Both Shauna Kay's Book Club and her Vintage Read Show YouTube channels are great to listen to if you love those books as much as I do.  Her book choices are always spot on and her commentary and perspective are entertaining and thought provoking.  If I have a lot of work to do, a long drive ahead or just need some distraction, I love to browse through her playlists and choose something to listen to. She never disappoints.  (Her Substack is great, too!)  

3. Redecorating my blog.  After years of neglect, my blog needed a good spring cleaning.  So it was out with the old, outdated background and in with one that feels fresh, new and more like me. Some custom images to use for new posts make it feel even cozier. Wish redecorating my house was this quick and easy!!

That's it for this week! 

Wishing you a weekend filled with good books, good coffee... and maybe a cookie or two.

Wednesday on Writing: Gifting Yourself the Time

 

We've talked a lot here over the years about motivation, determination and the results of the very simple "butt in chair" philosophy.

Todays thoughts on writing are about the basics.  Gift yourself the time.  As a friend of mine once said "it's the only thing we get to do for ourselves."

Don't let work drama, family drama, financial worries, or other people's problems in right now.  Just go breathe life into those characters who are waiting to tell you their story. Whether you can give yourself an hour or just fifteen minutes, this is your time.  Make the most of it. 

Gift yourself the time.  🎁

Until next time, remember:  Stories aren’t written all at once.  They’re written one sentence at a time.  Keep writing! 

Monday Morning Musing

 

Random thoughts on this Monday morning, largely fueled by a stressful weekend and the push/pull of cleaning out my IL's estate over my husband's objections...

 

 

It is hard to move forward with someone who is stuck in the past.  People, especially husbands, really don’t like it when you try to push them forward.

 

Fearing technology is silly.  Learn it, embrace it and ask yourself what you have to learn here.  If nothing, move on.  But we all need to stay curious and be open to new ways of doing things.

 

Sometimes a chat with a friend, even when you aren’t sure you are up for it, is all you need to break out of a sulky mood

 

Counting your blessings is a lot harder to remember than focusing on the things that make you unhappy.  It’s good to remind ourselves, even on hard days, that the life you are living now is the one you once prayed for.

 Stay tuned....

The Struggle is Real Week 8: When Life Hits Back

 

It’s been nearly two weeks since my last post. Did anyone notice I was missing?

 

But I have good news/bad news.  The good news. I wrote.  Finally.  The scene that had been in my head for well over a week.  It poured onto the page and it felt really good to get it out there. 

 

The bad news? Well pretty much everything since than has been downhill. First I was under the weather—not a bad bug, but enough to make me tired and run down and cranky.  And  enough to know I needed to rest when and where I could.  I don’t know about you, but since hitting my –ahem—"over 50s”, I have found if I don’t rest when I am sick it takes a lot longer to get well.  Gone are the glory days of my 20s and 30s where I could just down some Ibuprofen, chug some coffee and keep up the same pace, knowing I’d feel better in a day or two.  That ended some time in my 40s.

 

Then at the beginning of this week, just days after I was starting to feel better, FIL had a heart attack.  If you are regular readers, you probably know I am one of his caregivers.  But suddenly some things that were only in the “idea” stages had to happen –and fast.  We’d talked about setting up a downstairs bedroom for him, but it was still in the "just talking" stages.  And then suddenly it had to happen now.  We weren’t sure when they would send him home, but since hospital stays these days are pretty brief, we assumed it needed to be ASAP.  With the help of good friends and everyone pitching in, it got done in an afternoon.  We are still in the process of moving his clothes and toiletries etc downstairs and figuring out where everything will go, but the hard part is done at least.

 

So not a lot of time to write since that one lovely afternoon of writing bliss. 

 

But like I always say, I have not given up yet. 

Saturday Thoughts: The Joy of Reading

 

 

As I mentioned in last weeks “The Struggle is Real” post, I have been trying to find ways to refill the creative well within that has gone dry.

 

One of the ways I’ve been doing that is to make time to read again.  It may sound counterproductive, reading instead of writing.  But it was a lifelong love of reading that made me want to be a writer in the first place.  I think most of us get so caught up in reading things on our phone these days, we forget to sit down with a good old fashioned book.  And that is something I need to work on.

We had a rare 65 degree February day here recently, and when I went to bed with my book in hand that night it was still pretty nice outside.  I couldn’t resist the urge to crack my bedroom window open and allow the fresh night air in.  As I sat there reading, the distant sounds of people outside enjoying the weather, the odd car going past as people arrived home brought back a lot of memories of reading near an open window late into the night as a kid.

 

The more I thought on it, the more I realized how many happy memories of mine involve the joy of reading.  So I thought I’d blog a bit today about some of the books that have stayed with me over the years and put me on the path to writing.  All of these authors played a role in that journey, and I am grateful to each of them.

 

Author Carolyn Haywood passed away in 1990, but I wish there was a way to thank her for the many hours of enjoyment I had reading her Betsy series when I was young.  Our local library was just down the street, so at least once a week my mom, sister and I would walk there and lug home entire bags full of books.  I read, and frequently re-read, every Betsy book available.  For some reason, this one stuck with me as a favorite of the series.  And I have vivid memories of sitting up late on a warm summer night, my window fan rattling away as I happily devoured page after page until I could no longer keep my eyes open. 

 

Depending on when you were born, you were introduced to Nancy Drew and her friends with a different cover for this book.  But I still remember the Christmas when this one first appeared under the tree, along with volumes 2, 3, and 4.  I recall diving into this story—probably Christmas night—and not emerging until quite some time later.  And the panic that set in when I was nearly finished with the fourth volume and would soon be out of Nancy Drew books—I needed more!  Imagine my surprise years later to learn Carolyn Keene was actually several different people LOL. Well I owe them all a huge thank you, as well.  Nancy kept me company through the flu, cold winter weekends, sleepless nights and countless summer afternoons. 

 

It’s been so many years since I read this book for the first time, I can no longer  recall where I found it (probably the attic, there were loads of books in my parents attic), but I seem to recall the book looked like this--old and worn, with that wonderful old book smell.   A good sized bench swing graced the front porch of the house I grew up in, and on hot summer days, the roll up blinds that kept the sun off the front of the house were lowered.  It was a peaceful, cozy place to sit and read.  (If you are getting the sense that I was not an athlete, or someone who played sports or ran around in the heat of the day, you would be correct, no summer tan ever graced this book worm’s skin).  It’s sad that this story has come under so much fire in recent years.  It is a work of fiction, after all, nothing more. But those of us with a passion for history are grateful to Margaret Mitchell for taking stories she grew up hearing —along with her own wonderful imagination—and giving us a glimpse of a time and place that no longer exists.  Politics aside, it's a great story about survival, determination and courage. You both love Scarlett and despise her, sometimes at the same time, throughout the book—but you can’t stop reading. Each time I re-read it, a different character emerges as my favorite so in many ways, it’s new to me every time.  I am definitely overdue to re-read this. Shout out to BFF and super talented western author Kim Turner, who gets pestered with all my questions related to Georgia, Atlanta and GWTW.    

This one may seem like an odd entry, but this was the book that introduced me to romance novels and I've never forgotten the unique title.  Only my copy didn’t have a cover.  My mom worked in a department store and when they closed out their book department, all the covers had to be torn off and returned to the publisher as proof the books had been destroyed.  But my mother knew her daughters loved to read and she—and many of the other employees—took home the books rather than see them tossed in a dumpster.  I am glad she did.  What I liked best about these books was they were the perfect size to fit inside my textbooks at school LOL.  In most classes. we were seated alphabetically and since my last name began with an M, I usually sat toward the back of the room--often with the textbook propped open and a Harlequin romance tucked inside.  This explains a lot about my algebra grade LOL. 

 

My introduction to the world of historical romance came some years later when I found this in the attic.  Not sure why my mom and Grandma were hiding that box of romance novels (though I am sure we can guess why) but one summer afternoon when I was looking for something to read, I stumbled across it—and pulled this one out.  I had always been a history buff, but this story made me fall in love with the combination of history and romance.  And no one puts words on the page quite like LaVyrle Spencer.  I was hooked.

 

This was my first introduction to native American historical romance, an era I still love to this day.  I devoured this entire series –and then read them all again.  There are aspects of these early romance novels that are no longer politically correct, including depictions of rape –but back then, I didn’t care. I was caught up in the love story of Alicia and Gray Eagle.  I’ve never forgotten them.

 

I still have my very dog eared copies of all of Pamela Morsi’s original historical romances and re-read them from time to time.  I vividly remember finding this one in the bookstore, and the skitter of excitement at finding a story that was “different.”  And different it was.  The humor, the imperfect hero and heroine, the poor mountain folk as characters pulled me right in and made me rethink what a historical romance "had" to be.  Pamela Morsi taught me it was possible to combine history, romance and humor. 

 

There have been thousands of books over the years whose characters have kept me company long into the night.  But if you love to read there is nothing quite like that experience of traveling to another place and time and being absorbed into another world--all from the comfort of your favorite reading spot.  It is one of life’s little pleasures,  and the very thing that made me want to be a writer.   

I realize this was lengthy, so whether you scrolled or read through—thank you for stopping by.  I hope you’ll leave a comment, either here or on FB, telling me about some of your favorite reading experiences and the stories that touched your heart and made you want to be a writer.

 

 

The Struggle is Real Week 7: Refilling the Well

 

 

“Nicole, why didn’t you put your toys away when I asked you to?”

“I meant to, Grandma, but…”

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions, young lady.”

 

I had a lot of conversations like that with my Grandma growing up.  If you were raised Catholic or had an Irish grandma, you may have heard similar phrases.  The sky was always falling.  Everything was doom and gloom.  Everything led to hell and everyone, it seemed, was headed there “in a handbasket”.

Even those of us who failed to put away our toys. 

I never fully understood that phrase, but the words did leave me with the lasting image of a foggy night and a dark winding road leading up to towering iron gates where a flashing neon sign featured a character that looked suspiciously like the creature on the Underwood Potted Meat label. 

This past week those words have echoed in my brain.  Good intentions. Road to hell.  

Well I don’t think not hitting my writing goals for the fourth straight week in a row will lead to hell (Grandma, I’m sure, would disagree).  But when I realized that my own thinking was becoming clouded with doom and gloom and negativity I wondered if those things weren’t impacting my writing.  The words are there, but the most important part—the butt in chair part—was not. 

I actually had a scene come at me—as they tend to do when we least expect it—full force a week or so back that I could not wait to sit down and write.  Yet I still haven’t done it.  No reason why other than me just not taking the time.  Yes I am still as busy as ever.  Yes I am still focusing on work.  But why didn’t I do it? 

Then I remembered a phrase a dear friend used to use.  “Fill that well up again”.  She was talking about writing and trying to write when “the well has run dry.” Sometimes, she would say, we need to do non writing things --watch movies, read, take a walk--to motivate ourselves to want to write again.

 Could that be it?  All the issues I’ve had these past few weeks, could it just be that in spite of the muse being alive and well and tossing ideas at me, the writing well needs a bit of ... water?

So I have been doing a lot of reading.  Not on my phone, the old fashioned kind of reading with an actual book. Not just to inspire my muse, but to inspire me to want to write again.  Last night’s rare balmy February temperatures found me tucked into bed with the window cracked open, happily reading by the glow of a booklight like I did when I was a kid.  And today I am feeling much closer to my characters and more motivated.  

And even though Mother Nature has taken away the warm breezes and sent us reminders (by way of damp, chilly rain) that it’s still winter, I am really looking forward to reading again tonight. 

If you are still with me this far in, I appreciate your time.  And I apologize for the late blog.  I just couldn’t find a way to say—yet again—that I failed to meet my goals. 

But on the outside chance you are struggling, too, here I am to remind you that it’s not just you, and it’s not just me.  Making the time and finding the time are two different things.  And sometimes we sabotage ourselves.  And sometimes we fall short of the goals we set for ourselves time and time gain.  

The Struggle is Real Week 6: Oops, I Did it Again

 

Did you ever play Dodge Ball?  I won’t say I have fond memories of it. I was pretty good at the “dodging” aspect but throwing and actually hitting something wasn’t in my skill set.  So yep, I was one of those always chosen last.

Anyway, some weeks it feels like I am back there in Miss Teeboone’s gym class at Virgil I Grissom elementary school dodging those flying balls.  Some weeks life flings stuff your way with all the aggression of a pre-pubescent boy who is still angry you beat him in last week’s spelling bee.  

Yes, that’s where I have been.  Dodging all sorts of missiles, or so it seems.  Bills-still sorting out the issue with FILs electricity bill. Caregiving--some weeks are just "those" weeks.  Family--always something, let's just leave it at that.  Puppy training, aka exhausting myself so hyper puppy will be less hyper LOL.  And work.  Lots and lots of work.  As I have said before, some weeks ya gotta go where the money is.  So that, unfortunately, has had to be my main focus.  

I did manage to eek in a few piddly writing moments, just to touch base with my characters once or twice.  But once again I did not meet the daily goal I had set for myself, even though it was fairly small. 

Is it just me, or did 2023 come in like a tidal wave?  It just hasn’t let up even once.  And it has yet to allow me to come up for air. 

I guess if it was easy we wouldn’t call it “pushing yourself”.  But I am not giving up.  Writing has been my balm, my comfort, my therapy for far too many years for me to let life keep pushing it out of my reach.  

But, my friends, the struggle is real.  

And it continues.  

Leave me a comment either here or on FB to let me know how you did this week.

 

The Struggle is Real week 5: A Day Late and a Dollar Short

 

Well, I am a day late posting this.  And not a lot has changed since last week.

 

Life still continues to hammer away at my writing time with the intensity of a nor’easter in mid-winter. 

 

Once again, I won’t bore you with details. Basically a “same stuff/different day” scenario.  But despite my best efforts to get back on track this week, I fell somewhat short of my goal.  Well more like a few miles, give or take a hundred.  😏

 

I did get in a couple of good afternoons of writing, and I thoroughly enjoyed the time with my characters.  So the issue is really not writer’s block or not making time.  It’s just other things getting in the way. 

 

It helps, to a certain extent, to look back at the week and realize it is not entirely me, there is a lot of demand on my free time and some days, that “me” time comes at an hour that’s just too late –my muse is not a night owl, after all. 

 

So as I continue to move forward and try to wrangle some time for me (are we, as moms, wives and caregivers even allowed to think about me time?  Sometimes I think not!) I will keep myself accountable and keep you updated.

 

How did you do with your writing goals this week? Did you meet them? Or did you fall short, or like me, miss them by a mile or more?

 

I’ll be back next week with another update!

The Struggle is Real - Week 4: Identifying Your Procrastination Triggers

 

Have you ever started to sit down to write and found yourself distracted by half a dozen little tasks that you absolutely must do right now?  Even if you’ve been neglecting them forever?

 

The sudden need to clean off your desk, clean out your email inbox, straighten the throw pillows on the living room sofa, sort the mismatched socks. Yep I am guilty of all of those this week.

 

For some reason we allow these things to suddenly become more important than the thing we want to do the most.  Procrastination: it isn't just for breakfast anymore LOL (okay some of you will get that but I am definitely dating myself).  

I struggled again this past week. Some of it was life induced, some of it was brought on by too many ponies on the carousel going round and round.  

But a lot of it was just me ... sabotaging ...me!   

I can kind of understand putting off a task that you are dreading or that you feel will take a long time—cleaning the bathroom, changing the kitty litter—But I am not sure why we do it when presented with time to do something we love. 

What are we afraid of? Failure? Success?  Doing something for ourselves?? 

So this week I tried to take stock of and identify my triggers, those things that stop me in my tracks, including the thought that I will write “after” I do whatever that one task is that suddenly cannot wait another moment. 

If this sounds familiar, then take a moment when you are in the midst of struggling to ignore those pesky tasks and take note of what they are.  The goal is to get on top of those at a different time of day, maybe before bed at night, or after dinner--whatever time is not your ideal writing time.  Getting those triggers out of the way ahead of time will save you stress and struggle down the road.  At least that is what I plan to try for the next seven days. 

Meanwhile keep in mind that some say a cluttered desk is the sign of creative mind.  Well, let’s allow our desks to be cluttered. Let’s allow our minds to be creative.  The mess can wait, and yes when we come up for air, chances are there will be more of a mess than what was there before.  

There will always be a mess somewhere.  

But there is not always time to write. 

Seize the moment and just do it.

 

 

Wednesday on Writing

 

The Struggle is Real Week 3: Crash. Burn.

 

Well, this past week saw me crash and burn with regard to touching base with my story every day.

 

What happened?

 

Life.

 

First an unexpected appointment.  Nothing serious, just something I had not planned my schedule around that day.  

The next day it was arguing with the power company over a $900 utility bill my FIL got in the mail.  The man has one TV and a couple of lamps he uses for a few hours each day.  He is old school Italian and will turn a light off in a room while you are still in it.  I don’t think he uses that much electricity in a year, let alone a month.  Turns out I was right, but it still took a full day and a half and 12—I kid you not—12 phone calls to get it all sorted out.  Such is the life of a caregiver. 

 

Weather.  I’m a migraine sufferer.  Not the whiny kind who uses the word “migraine” as an excuse to take to her bed and retreat from life.  The kind that powers through no matter how bad they are, but on the really bad days, knows when it is time to quit.  Well by the time I was able to quit, it was bedtime and I was not about to go sit at my desk and write.  Nope.  Just not happenin’.  Thank God by the next morning things were better but the roller coaster temperatures of this mild winter have not been kind to my head.

 

Then came the day when I just plain forgot!  Yep.  Got busy and forgot all about it.  I have been working a couple of hours in the evening each week to try to stay on top of my daily work and just as I was gratefully switching off the bedside lamp to go to sleep –oopsie.  I forgot to write today.

So I definitely sat at my desk and made up all this missed time over the weekend, right?  

Right???

Nope.  I worked a lot and by the time I was done for the day writing was not on the radar.  I hate that I let myself--and my characters--down but it is what it is.  Sometimes you just have to do what will pay the bills.  

And while it's true I veered off course this week, I am not done yet.  I am going to right the ship, turn this bus around, get myself back on track, place the gerbil back on the wheel etc and do better over the next seven days.  Stay tuned.

 

So how was your week? Did you hit your writing goals?  Or like me, did Live have other ideas?

 

Wednesday on Writing: Things I wish I'd said

 

The Struggle is Real - Week 2: Purging Procrastination and Ditching Distractions

 

So this week I will share some of the small steps I am taking to keep myself on track and adding writing back to my daily routine. I am following along with author Kim Turner’s blog and her Time to Write series.  If you have not already seen her posts, mosey on over and check it out!

 

Right now I don’t have the hour to give that she recommends, but even I can do 15-30 minutes. 

 

This past week I refreshed myself on the story and wrote a few lines each day, just to sort of jump start the ol’ muse. I had some days where I wrote a lot, and days where I wrote somewhat less than "a lot".  But I made up the time to myself and only had one day where lifus interruptus got in the way of me finding time to work on my story.  

 

I have shut off notifications on email, IM etc and my phone during this time.

 

I’ve also gone through my email and unsubscribed to a bunch of marketing emails—I don’t know about you, but when my procrastination hits, I will dive down those rabbit holes and get lost for hours. Do I really need to browse sales in stores that I don't ever intend to shop in?  And I certainly don’t need the temptation of clearance sales!  And who needs a cluttered inbox anyway?

 

One other thing that is beneficial in more than one way is walking a puppy.  In November we adopted a 4-month-old German shepherd mix puppy.  He is a busy boy, and as a rescue, he comes with a bit of baggage and needs lots of reassurance—and lots of walks.  A tired puppy is a good puppy, after all!  And I am really enjoying those daily walks.  Because I am still training him, I don’t use my phone while I am out walking him, my focus is entirely on him and what we are doing. That somewhat mindless activity gives my muse time to come along and start … well, musing!  I find this is really helpful in sorting out plot issues and has even allowed a new character or two to come into my head.

 

And all that walking certainly isn’t hurting my health or stress level any...

 

So in a nut shell—

• avoiding distractions
•  taking care of my health and stress levels 
• scheduling time to write. 

Small steps in the progress this week, but all steps in the “write” direction!

Wednesday on Writing: Introvert Humor

 

The Struggle is Real

 

Have you been struggling to write recently?  Well, you are not alone.  Sometimes it’s lifus interruptus, sometimes you just cannot get your head in the game, and sometimes the character you most want to talk to you just doesn’t have anything to say.

 

Yep, that’s me.

 

Like so many of you, my life changed in 2020.  I am blessed in that we did not lose any loved ones but my life still changed drastically.  In late February of that year we were looking into having my FIL placed in a nursing home.  He could no longer care for himself, and it wasn’t safe for him to be alone.

 

Well, we all know what happened just a few short weeks later.  But that did not change the fact that my FIL still could not be left alone.  Which meant we had to change our lives around in order to take care of him 24/7.  My house is not big enough to fit one more person, and there was neither time nor money to build an in-law apartment on.  So we had to make the decision to divide our time, with the help of a couple of family friends, and care for him there.

 

I never imagined that three years later we would still be doing this.  But life has changed, financial pictures have changed, and we have not yet found a way to get my FIL the full time long term care he needs.  So we struggle and juggle.

 

That struggle has taken a toll on my life considerably.  Now along with working two jobs I care for my FIL in the mornings. 

 

Add to that the usual worries about the cost of groceries and gas and the heating bills, my FIL’s merry go round of doctor appointments, lab work and other needs and life isn’t just busy it’s scary busy.  And if you’ve ever been a caregiver you know there are no days off, no sick days, no rest, no end to the endless stress and worry. And if I am honest, resentment.  This is not a man who was kind to me when I first joined his family and while most days I can separate the man I care for now, who has dementia, from the one who was so nasty to me in the past.  Most days.

 

And he has a daughter and grandson who could be helping but offer nothing but excuses as to how busy they are and then don’t hesitate to tell us what we should be doing.  So my husband and two sons and I carry the load along with one remaining family friend.

 

Where to find the time to write in the midst of all this chaos?

 

Join me here each Monday—hopefully—for an update on my progress as I fight to reclaim the very thing I have spent my life wanting to do, my therapy during sad or hard times, the thing that brings me joy and fulfillment.  

 

Currently there are at least a dozen characters pushing, shoving and elbowing one another out of the way to be next in line to tell their story.

 

Will I make it and get back on track with writing?  Or will I fail miserably?  Only time will tell.

 

The struggle is real.