Best Laid Plans….

I meant to have the first draft of POSED IN DEATH finished by the end of June. I knew June was going to be a busy month, but I didn’t realize quite how busy it was going to get. There’s no way I’m going to meet my goal.

HH’s brother and his significant other came to stay with us for a few days for a visit. They live in California,, so we don’t get to see them often. We had a wonderful time, but no writing. I love having guests, so cooked things ahead for them, and we took them to different places for walks and hikes (their favorite thing to do). Our daughter, a traveling nurse, is still coming to stay with us on the days she works in town; and it’s wonderful getting to see her, so I shave off time for that. On a sadder note, my cousin who lives with my sister is having more health issues, and Mary had appointments she had to keep, so I sat with Jenny more than usual lately. She’s having more mild seizures lately and having more trouble walking, so Mary and I are starting to look at nursing centers.

Some people shake their heads at that, but after HH’s dad died, his mother was a lot happier when I found a good nursing home for her. She hated being alone, didn’t enjoy cooking, and kept forgetting to take her medicine. The home she stayed in had an activity every afternoon and usually another one each night. I went to take her out for lunch and for long rides every Thursday for twelve years until she told me that she couldn’t work me into her schedule anymore. I loved it. My writer friend, Ann–one of my favorite people–went to a nursing home after her husband died, too, and her daughter visited her every day. She was in my writers’ club, so I went to visit her occasionally and so did other members of our group, and she got happier and happier the longer she was there. I think Jenny will be the same. She loves being around people and doing crafts. Right now, she watches a lot of TV and can’t get out much. Mary and I will visit her if we can find a good home for her. So will my daughter. But finding that good place for her takes time.

I don’t have any deadlines I have to meet, and that’s a good thing right now, but I’m getting a little antsy to get this done. Sometimes, life happens, though, and this time, I’m doomed. I’ve been writing whenever I can, and I can smell the end of the first draft. Only five more chapters to go. I’ll get to them when I can. There’s no use fussing about it. It is what it is, and I did the best I could. So I’ll just keep chugging along. At least, for now, I’m happy with what I have, and I’m writing this ahead to schedule it, so who knows? Maybe I’ll have written The End by the time you read this.

How’s your summer going? Do you lose writing time once warm weather rolls around? I always think of the lazy days of summer, but the truth is, I’m busier once the heat cranks up. I have the yard to take care of besides the house. And we’re more social in warm weather and go out more. We play more. Do you still meet writing goals? Fingers crossed you do.