Signs the summer is almost over:
- I did so much laundry today, the pump on my well shut off. (My youngest daughter is home from camp. Her clothes look like she's been working in a coal mine.)
- I am driving my son to daily soccer practices as he prepares to try out for his high school varsity team on Wed.
- I am shopping for my oldest daughter as she prepares to get ready to leave for college. (At the end of September.) (Oh, and I am trying to devise ways to spend every possible minute with her!)
- I received my childrens' school bus schedules. (My son's bus will be coming at 6:04 a.m.)
- I am once again receiving daily e-mails from the schools.
- I see signs for back to school sales everywhere I go.
- I am starting to stress over how busy the next few months will be.
I had big plans for my summer, lots I wanted to accomplish. My youngest daughter attended sleep away camp for two months this year, plenty of time for me to finish my revisions, plant the flowerbeds, clean her room, go through all the junk mail on the kitchen table, hire a painter to stain the deck, bring in a landscaper to pull out the overgrown, half-dead bushes around the front of my house, power wash the siding, spray the weeds, and paint the entryway from the garage, right?
WRONG !
Yet I've busy most every day, and not doing enjoyable summer stuff.
Where did all the time go? I'll sum it up in one word: REVISIONS. As my writer friends know, the process is torturous, and yet I've learned so much and feel my manuscript is so much better as a result. Will five + months (and counting) of revisions pay off in the long run? I've decided, yes. Whether my present work in progress is published, or the next one is. So after a weekend spent reading....I mean researching how published writers successfully convey emotion and motivation, and re-grouping after a mini-meltdown fraught with insecurity over whether I'll ever get it right, I am back to work tomorrow.
So how did you spend your summer? Did you get all your planned projects completed? Did you finish your manuscript? Your revisions? If not, don't despair. Technically, there are still a few weeks left!
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Summer unofficially ends for me today. My son goes back to school. Not only is it the first day of school, it's the first day of high school.
ReplyDeleteHe's been hanging around the school enough for band camp the past few weeks so I'm not too worried.
But my baby's starting HIGH SCHOOL! How's that for making one feel old? :)
Yeah, we're getting signs that summer's over here too. Namely chillier weather. It's getting cooler out already. School starts for us in about two weeks. Good luck with the revisions.
ReplyDeleteMy kids went back to school on 18 August and my back garden looks as though as tornado has shot around it! Yes, it was revisions joy in this household too.
ReplyDeleteHope your revisions are magical, sprinkling you with some fairy dust so you get good news!
Hi Jen!
ReplyDeleteHigh school is a big deal! Hope your son handled his first day well. And we're not old, we're experienced, seasoned, aged to perfection....
Hi Joanne!
Thanks for the luck, I need it. And I welcome the cooler weather. I love change of season!
Hi Susan!
Hope the fairy dust works. I haven't tried that before. Thanks!!!
What timing, my summer ends this week. It's bittersweet. I guess I'm ready for a change, but I enjoyed the time off. I've still got loads to do with my current MS, but at least I finished it and did one round of revisions. Next thing on my list: writing a synopsis. Ugh!
ReplyDeleteThose were the days. I am so glad getting children ready for school is in my past. Sunner isn't officially over until September 21st the equinox so we have nearly a month to do summer things. I did a lot of writing, selling and little summer stuff. It was too hot.
ReplyDeleteHi Shelley!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your synopsis!
Hi Janet!
Congrats on a successful summer!
I'm all about making the most of the last month. Determined to focus on the writing tasks as some of the house stuff can wait. It's waited this long right? Off to FL this weekend to see grandma and I'm planning to make use of the flight and semi-downtime. Good Luck on getting your list done!
ReplyDeleteGod, Wendy, did you say the bus comes at 6:00am for your child? You have so much going on - you know, I think mothers of young children think that when they are older things get easier. NOT! College and high school and hormones and shopping when they actually care what is bought! Bottom line: forget the house. That is always my solution. Unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteHey, Wendy!
ReplyDeleteI still remember the days when I had to catch the bus at 6am. My hair freezing in the cold weather . . .
Did you finish the revisions? I'm sure you did a bang-up job. And I know we all get that 'can I do this feeling.' You can. It's hard, I know.
I finally decided which mss to move forward on next. Outlining first, then writing.
And fairy dust is a very good thing.
Let me know how everything goes.
Abbi :-)
Hi Yolanda and welcome!
ReplyDeleteIt's always the house stuff that can wait isn't it? Have a great trip!
Hi Jen!
A neighbor who used to babysit my children when they were little once told me, "Little kids, little problems. Bit kids, big problems." I find I need to be around more for my children now that they are older. (Not that they need or want me around...but they have more responsibilities and need to be more places.)
Hi Abbi!
When my son misses the bus and I have to drive him, I see plenty of kids with wet hair walking into school. What's up with that? I specifically do not let my children shower in the morning for that reason! I have not finished my revisions. Still plugging away. Good luck with your next manuscript. I'm happy to share my fairy dust!