I planned all along for a quiet day at
home today. I talked to the Lord about it and asked his forgiveness for not
going to church. I needed a day without challenges, a day when I could sit and
my desk and work, not feeding people, not having to meet deadlines or the end
of the school day or be somewhere at a certain time. A day when I could be me.
But even with that comforting plan in mind I was surprised at my lack of energy this morning. I told myself I’d water the plants later—it’s 9 p.m. and I haven’t done it yet. I did go out and get the Sunday paper—which no longer takes a satisfying hour to read. After the paper, Facebook and email, I planned to dig into the novel I have halfway written. I suddenly can see the overall arc of the story and some stunning (well, I think they are!) scenes to add.
Bt my day didn’t quite work out that way. Morning household chores took longer than I thought—though now I can’t even recall what they were except watering house plants and folding the cleaning rags I’d washed. Back at my desk, I finished uploading the formatted manuscript for Murder at Peacock Mansion to Amazon’s CreateSpace—the print division. That was a major accomplishment. Yesterday I’d spent too many hours on it, only to find out that CreateSpace doesn’t like Explorer and I had to do it in Google Chrome.
Then a friend asked if she could send me her manuscript to read for tense changes. I at first put her off because I couldn’t meet her deadline—this Friday. She stretched it a bit, and I said sure. She sent it immediately, and there went my day. I was absolutely hooked. I should say this is a writer with a major reputation for both cozy mysteries and historical fiction—I can’t tell you the project, because it is too far yet from publication, but I will when appropriate because I am absolutely engaged. I am also learning from her about the process of self-publishing like the big guys. I fear I have a long way to go, but in my defense I will say she has an agent and she doesn’t upload her own manuscripts—the agent does that for her.
Took time out during the day—in bits and spurts—to make potato salad for ten for tomorrow night’s potluck cookout with my neighbors. It will be here, of course, so I’m doubly grateful that Jordan is back from Alaska and will help me. I did get out plastic plates and flatware and napkins but other than the potato salad (which was a big chore) I have done nothing to prepare. Not sure what else I need to do.
A word about the potato salad—it’s the County Line recipe (all over the internet). I first tasted it at a relative’s wedding celebration and truthfully, I made a pig of myself I ate so many helpings. It has a ton of dill pickle relish in it, which I would tell you I don’t like, but it is so addictive. Look it up online. For an expected ten people, I made half a batch.
So that was my day—a pleasant one, my energy and enthusiasm returned, and I expect to be, as a good friend says, “back at myself” tomorrow. But it sure was a nice day—with good leftovers in the fridge for my lunch and supper.
But even with that comforting plan in mind I was surprised at my lack of energy this morning. I told myself I’d water the plants later—it’s 9 p.m. and I haven’t done it yet. I did go out and get the Sunday paper—which no longer takes a satisfying hour to read. After the paper, Facebook and email, I planned to dig into the novel I have halfway written. I suddenly can see the overall arc of the story and some stunning (well, I think they are!) scenes to add.
Bt my day didn’t quite work out that way. Morning household chores took longer than I thought—though now I can’t even recall what they were except watering house plants and folding the cleaning rags I’d washed. Back at my desk, I finished uploading the formatted manuscript for Murder at Peacock Mansion to Amazon’s CreateSpace—the print division. That was a major accomplishment. Yesterday I’d spent too many hours on it, only to find out that CreateSpace doesn’t like Explorer and I had to do it in Google Chrome.
Then a friend asked if she could send me her manuscript to read for tense changes. I at first put her off because I couldn’t meet her deadline—this Friday. She stretched it a bit, and I said sure. She sent it immediately, and there went my day. I was absolutely hooked. I should say this is a writer with a major reputation for both cozy mysteries and historical fiction—I can’t tell you the project, because it is too far yet from publication, but I will when appropriate because I am absolutely engaged. I am also learning from her about the process of self-publishing like the big guys. I fear I have a long way to go, but in my defense I will say she has an agent and she doesn’t upload her own manuscripts—the agent does that for her.
Took time out during the day—in bits and spurts—to make potato salad for ten for tomorrow night’s potluck cookout with my neighbors. It will be here, of course, so I’m doubly grateful that Jordan is back from Alaska and will help me. I did get out plastic plates and flatware and napkins but other than the potato salad (which was a big chore) I have done nothing to prepare. Not sure what else I need to do.
A word about the potato salad—it’s the County Line recipe (all over the internet). I first tasted it at a relative’s wedding celebration and truthfully, I made a pig of myself I ate so many helpings. It has a ton of dill pickle relish in it, which I would tell you I don’t like, but it is so addictive. Look it up online. For an expected ten people, I made half a batch.
So that was my day—a pleasant one, my energy and enthusiasm returned, and I expect to be, as a good friend says, “back at myself” tomorrow. But it sure was a nice day—with good leftovers in the fridge for my lunch and supper.
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