Today I escaped the village for a few hours and went to see a French matinee in Stamford. Call it research; there are French people in Dancing the Maypole. (Not that I need an excuse to watch a French movie). It turned out whoever wrote it couldn’t decide whether to make a farcial comedy or a sob story so they made it both which didn’t really work. I won’t be ordering a DVD of it for my French movie collection, but at least I could understand what they were saying a goodly part of the time and that made me feel smug. As I watched the credits I thought, “My brain hasn’t gone to rot yet. Those four years of French in High school (many moons ago) weren’t a complete waste!”
So there I was feeling clever as I pulled my brand new phone out of my bag. It’s so new I haven’t had to call anyone on it yet. I was supposed to call the Goblin to tell him the movie was over…then he’d drive in and meet me at the Grocery store. Did I read the instructions? No. Could I remember the Goblin showing me how to use it? No. I stood there on the sidewalk, my eyes still wet from watching a funeral scene, and I couldn’t unlock my blasted phone. I tried pushing odd buttons…but in vain. I had to call the Goblin, but I don’t know my new number…it’s on the phone. I had to go ask help. The people at the ticket office tried to help, but they couldn’t figure it out either so they sent me off to the phone store (Carphone warehouse) which was thankfully still open. The girl in the shop was very nice and unlocked my phone with ease even though they don’t sell my phone. I felt SOOO stupid. So much for feeling intelligent. I should remember to savour those rare moments…they seem to come sandwhiched between cringe-worthy scenarios where I come out looking tres dumb!
At least my computer is finally installed on my new white table-desk in my white work room. It feels really good to be able to shut a door. I was in the living room on an old dining table while I found a new desk…that wasn’t helping my writing. Hopefully now that I’m tucked away in my own space I’ll be able to relax and finish these two book. I opened up Once Upon a Wager and had a look. I’m a bit stuck. I’d deleted 10,000 words, but now I have them back and I’m tempted to delete some of them again. It’s so annoying because I’m so close to being done. I wish I could call up my characters and ask them what the problem is, but even if I did have a inter-dimensional phone…I probably wouldn’t be able to figure out how to use it. The story of my life! Tomorrow…I shall come shut myself away and see if I can write that next chapter of Dancing the Maypole.
A new room, a new desk and a door you can shut…a writer’s dreams come true 🙂 Enjoy.
Hey Sister!
How’s your stories coming?
@Teresa Thomas Bohannon
Thanks Teresa! The walls are still waiting for my posters and pictures, but it is lovely to have somewhere to shut the door. At least I’m starting to get some work done. Being down in the living room with the t.v. didn’t help my productivity. I’d sit down to watch tv while I ate my lunch and then find myself still sitting there three hours later. Bad! Thankfully one of the shows I was enjoying (Monarch of the Glen) has now passed the point where I enjoyed it. That should help keep me from losing a chunk of the day. I might even finish a book this side of forever. I feel so frustrated with myself, but I’m trying not to get stressed out. If I can just relax and stop trying to tell my characters what to do I’d spend less time deleting and more time laughing. I hope your characters are being cooperative!!!
@sarah
Hello Sarah, I’m working at a snails pace, but Saturday night I did manage to clear a brick wall and put the story back on track. I’m hoping to get lots of writing done in the next few weeks as Becky’s coming for a visit. She’s coming for two whole weeks! As we now live in the middle of nowhere I keep having panic attacks she’s going to end up bored to death and feeling like she’s wasted a fortune to come see me. “No, please, not another walk in the countryside…Cari, you’ve already showed me all your favorite hemlock plants three times! Someone get me out of here…my sister is boring me to deeeaaaaaaaaath.” Hopefully not! She suggested hiring a car. I mentioned gas was about $10 a gallon, but I don’t know if she heard me. I think it would be cheaper to take the train somewhere and just stay over night a few days. Either way you know I’ll be taking my camera and she’ll be required to pose near every tourist attraction of visual interest.
I’ve been thinking a lot about you. I hope life and your new husband are being kind. Even kind husbands have grumpy days…like today the Goblin came home from work, went out to bring in the rubbish bin and found someone had let their dog poo all over the side walk in front of our drive. (It looked like he’d driven over it). He came back up and barked at me that he needed my help cleaning up the dog poo…or in other words he needed me to clean it up while he mowed the grass in the front lawn. We have this small strip of grass in the front near the sidewalk that some unknown person or people seem to think of as their dog’s personal toilet. He decided today (after it rained all day yesterday) that he needed to mow that piece of lawn and I needed to pick up all the dog poo. I think he must be fighting off a cold. When I pointed out that mowing the lawn would only encourage the dogs to poop on the grass he insisted it wouldn’t. We’ll see!
@Cari
She is coming to see you? WOW?! That sounds fun! We are doing really well. I get annoyed at things but I tell him what is bothering me. When husbands have colds they are more grumpy…Trenton was sick and had teeth problems for two weeks and that was really hard.I was really tested on my patients with being married and having a husband. I have also learned that lectures don’t go over very well…lol. He becomes a mute. But other then that… life is going well. This coming weekend we are going to an author meet greet in Utah. I am so excited… she is one of my favorites! 🙂 This last week we went fishing with his Grandparents and cousin, so that was his weekend of fun…lol. I hope you are able to focus and get a good amount of writing done before Becky comes and that the characters approve of it. 🙂 Love you!