It's Sunday night here, and tomorrow is my mom's 80th birthday, and the much-dreaded election is the day after that (and I'm too sick over that to even think about it.) I moved a lot of furniture last week to get my carpets cleaned for the holidays, and then put it all back on Saturday. My guy, our daughter and one of my daughter's friends helped, for which I am beyond grateful (Ryder, you are the best!) I have two big quilting projects to finish this month, and two more projects for the clients to write by the twenty-third. Thanksgiving looms on the horizon in the shape of the Godzilla turkey I might have to make this year.
I used to handle my life without even thinking about it, but I'm not a youngster anymore. I'm old. I'm tired. Everything seems a little impossible tonight.
I'm still a rabid planner, but sometimes don't go according to plan. And there is so much to do; so much that seems impossible to accomplish in three short weeks. I seriously need to mop the floors. The laundry, like the election, we will not discuss. The dogs need a bath. I also need to go shopping because the fridge is basically empty. Did I mention I need to clean the fridge out, too? Which reminds me, I need to know who is coming here for Thanksgiving so I can buy the right-size turkey, but no one wants to commit. Probably because they don't have to do the cooking, the ingrates.
Then there's Mom. I made a quilt for my mom and sent her that and flowers for her birthday, but this is the first year she didn't call me to let me know they arrived. I don't think she realizes I sent them; her dementia is advancing pretty fast. So I'll call her tomorrow and remind her of who I am, and make sure she knows she's loved and missed because that's what you do.
As for the other thing? To my surprise I wrote about 27K since last Monday. I'm going to write another 3K tonight if I can. This while I'm feeling a bit blue about Mom, my bad shoulder hurts from moving furniture, and I have absolutely no idea how many people I'm feeding for Thanksgiving. Doesn't matter. Baby, I kicked writing ass this week.
There are three weeks left in National Novel Writing Month. Three weeks to sit your butt in that chair and attack that keyboard and put your story on the page. This is your novel and your time. It's impossible, I know. Your lives are as busy or even busier than mine. You can't do it, right?
Only you can. Don't plan, don't worry, don't feel blue. Find some time. Set the rest aside, and do what you love. Kick writing ass with me this week, people!
I'm so sorry about your mom, Lynn. I didn't realize it was advancing that quick. :( And you know, you can only do so much. If people can't commit and there isn't enough when they show up, so be it. I bought a 17 pound turkey. There will be 8 of us, so far, and I happen to like leftovers. As to the laundry and everything else I have to do, one thing at a time, I keep plugging away, if it gets done, it does. If not, I'm not going to worry about it. I spent 8 hours yesterday making pierogis. I can hardly move today from standing in one spot that long. (I don't know how cashiers do it!) I am making no headway on my Nano and Satan's Spawn called me just now to tell me her bunny died this morning :(
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry about your mom. I know how difficult it is to see a loved one slip away. My dad was the one with dementia. It was the cancer that got him in the end though.
ReplyDeletere: Thanksgiving
Thankfully, someone invited us for Thanksgiving dinner. :) All I have to bring is a side dish. Do you do the whole meal yourself? Do your guests bring side dishes? Sides or no, it's still a lot of work. Your house reminds me of my mother's house at Thanksgiving. The hordes descended from all parts. It was a madhouse.
re: election
I voted. There's nothing else I can do. I can't even fathom how these two made it to the primaries, but this is what happens when we're fed a steady diet of sound bites. We'll suffer them like we've suffered all the others.
I been there... I'm so sorry to hear about your mom.
ReplyDeleteI just decided that for most things, if I can't change the outcome of the issue, I was not going to worry about it (there are exceptions of course, like family issues). Even the election. I know how I'm going to vote, the rest is out of my control. I'm just not going to worry about it. I'll try to only worry and deal with those things that I can control. I wonder why it took me 50 plus years to learn to do that???
In the early afternoon, I try to set 30-60 minutes to just unwind with a coffee, (sometimes tea). Both the mind and body need rest. (I set an alarm just in case I fall asleep). Since I have now joined the Medicare club (65), I seem to do much better during the day with a short break. My mind still thinks I can do all those things that I did at 25, but the body says heck no! Your mileage may vary.
As for laundry...It seems that it only gets done when we run out of clean clothes. Grocery shopping when the cupboard is bare. Etc...for other chores.
Every Thanksgiving, I cook a 20lb turkey on my weber grill. The turkey, stuffed, takes 5 hours and no intervention until done. If company shows up, I have enough. If not, we use all of it for different meals, finishing with homemade turkey soup. Every one who has had Thanksgiving with us, likes the turkey so much, they will ask me to do one for them too. Maybe I should get several weber grills and go into business. LOL!!!
Seriously, pace yourself, take a short break now and then, and you will prevail. Let us know how you are doing.
Hugs to you and your mom. My dad is walking along beside her. I see him fairly frequently, but he often isn't sure who I am.
ReplyDeleteHurray for getting so much work done!
Don't worry about the election. We survived the last forty-four; we'll survive the next one too, whoever it turns out to be.
So sorry about your mom, been there, done that. And have allowed this election to add to my gray hairs--crazy.
ReplyDeleteMaybe sometimes the busy-ness is what keeps us going.
{Hugs} & high^fives.
So sorry about your mom. My aunt is like that. My grandmother was too. I just had one question on here. I have just recently found your Darkyn series and have read them through to Stay the night. Please tell me if you have done Alex's brother, John's story yet. If you haven't will you please do this one. I am unable to move on to your other series till this one is ended. I have read all the Kyndred ones already. I read a lot. Thank you and may the holidays bring you peace.
ReplyDeleteVickie taylor
raven.taylor1972@yahoo.com