I didn’t write an update last Wednesday. I’m debating whether to link up this week since it’s almost midnight already. I think I do need to participate, not just to encourage others, but to keep myself on the right track.
Last Tuesday my hubby had gastric sleeve surgery. It has been a long road of preparation (planning for years, then the last few months have been more intense preparation) and I knew that life would be topsy turvey for a while. The friend I’m editing for graciously understood I’d take a break for a while. My other goals were mostly on hold.

Write 2k each week:

I came pretty close to this number even with the chaos. Of course, it’s a ridiculously low number (I can almost do 2k in an hour) so I made that just with a couple of miscellaneous flash/fun sessions.

Help another author:

I haven’t edited in a week. I like to think I’m helpful in small ways here and there, but there’s been nothing of note this week.

Re-Organize:

I’ve been adding to the database, but I’m afraid the bigger task still looms over me. I need to redo how I organize my computer files. I’m pretty good at this, but my needs have changed and the old system is no longer efficient. But switching over to something new isn’t easy.

Now I Get to Ramble and Vent…

I knew that hubby’s surgery would create some temporary chaos. (He’s doing great by the way; tired and in pain as expected, but the only complication was a heart thing the doctors are actively treating.) What I didn’t realize was just how much I would feel derailed when things finally got back into the swing. I have stories I feel slipping out of my brain because I haven’t written, outlined, or even taken a few notes. I have lots of projects that need to be finished, and I don’t quite feel up to tackling them yet.

I am not too surprised at the derailment, now that I think about it. Last week was the surgery, this week was follow-up appointments and my parents flew back home to North Carolina (I live in Vermont. They came up to help with the kids during the surgery.) This week school started for hubby and I (We work at a college. Well…he’s on a three week medical leave, and I only teach in the Spring, but we’re taking a class together for fun this semester.) This weekend, the big fair starts (a mile from the house.) Next week, the kids start school. My little one starts Kindergarten, which is wonderful and exciting. My teenager has special needs, so I have meetings regarding the arrangements and accommodations she’ll use this year.

I am very glad that I’ve signed up to do the 3 Day Novel Contest over Labor Day weekend. The price is a bit steep, and I suppose I could just say I’m planning to write a novella over the weekend, but there is something useful about sharing this experience with other writers. It lends legitimacy. I have no notions of “winning,” I just want to be able to bust out the book in three days.

The timing is good. The kids will have just returned to school, and hubby will be on the tail end of his three week recovery. I have a place arranged that’s away from home and close to a tiny kitchen so I can reheat a frozen dinner whenever I’m ready. It’s the perfect segue into having regular writing time instead of stealing what I can on nights and weekends.

When is this Round of Words up, anyway? Does anyone know?