Taking a five-week hiatus from blogging didn't turn out quite like I'd expected, but it was just what I needed.August turned weirdly chaotic, full of those mini-disasters that felt like I was living farcical chick lit or something. Seriously, an earthquake and a hurricane in the same week? In Pennsylvania? What was up with that? Even more fun, the day I dropped off my spouse to live on campus for a week to teach an intensive college-prep class, my daughter got violent stomach flu and was awake until 1:30 AM, unable to keep even water down. She nailed my oriental rug and five rental places had no available carpet shampooers--this two days before a house guest was due to arrive (and she was six hours late!). Spot cleaning and vanilla candles barely held the stench at bay until we could shampoo the rug--a week later. When my hubby came home from his program, he caught a different GI virus that lasted five days, including his birthday. The printer at work went kaput. I can't find my cell phone anywhere. All our pets got fleas, and the dog, a UTI. It won't stop raining and my daughter's schoolbus was 25 minutes late this morning and how come every other recycling can on the block was emptied but ours?
In the midst of this, small windows of writing time were a nice escape. In the back of my mind, I know I need to make some decisions about which writing project will take priority and how or if I'll proceed with the others. But today isn't the day.
Today I need some chocolate. And my cell phone. And something nice to happen for a change.
Have you ever had disasters cluster like this? Tell me your craziest stories!
Image source: Florida Center for Instructional Technology
Categories: disasters, writing life
After a month like that, I would definitely say chocolate is in order. Hopefully things turn around for you.
ReplyDeleteIt has been crazy, hasn't it? I had to pick my daughter up from her first day of school yesterday because her left eye got all puffy. And my older daughter came down with pinworms the night before school started (yuck!).
ReplyDeleteLast night, after the kids went to sleep, I walked into the Silver Diner and ordered hot chocolate. It felt wonderful. Sometimes chocolate is just what you need.
Patti: thanks. I hope the insanity lets up soon, too.
ReplyDeleteAngela: those moments of small pleasures somehow help us catch our breath, it's true. Hope your girls are soon on the mend!
Oh Laurel, I'm sorry it's been so hectic. The weather doesn't make it any easier. But yes...there's always chocolate...
ReplyDeleteOh my! I hope your life becomes less chaotic soon! We're still recovering from the hurricane here in CT... I'm lucky to have power, but many of my neighbors don't.
ReplyDeleteGood luck making your writing decisions, and I'm glad you're back to blogging!
Wow, I hope you are eating a LOT of chocolate. I can't imagine how difficult all of that must have been for you. I think it goes with the saying, "when it rains, it pours." I have weeks where every single thing seems to be going wrong. I hope things get better and am glad that writing is helping!
ReplyDeleteYup, got the earthshake and hurricane though not much damage in my town. And now it's been pouring rain all week. This gloomy weather is making me feel gloomy too :(
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry I'm laughing. It's totally not funny but I absolutley hear you on the nuttiness of a hiatus. You think you're taking time off to relax, well, maybe get "other" things done, and life explodes.
ReplyDeleteMy hiatus was the same way. Bought a pool, pool exploded 1800 gals. of water in the neighbor's brand new replanted garden. Bought new pool, had a problem with the filter. Have a 6 yr. old crying in the 100 degrees she wants to go in the dirty pool. Air conditioning won't reset to any temp higher than 68. Froze to death. Caught colds. On the drive up to RI, 12 hours turned into 15, stopped in PA by torrential rain/floods. In CT got lost. Baby slept on floor on mattress, ended up under the bed, stuck. Sun burn, sun poisoning, unexpected visit from my "friend", fought with my mother on the drive back, got lost in PA on the drive back. 6 hours turned into 9 hours, and once we got back, I missed the school open house because they changed the day from Tuesday to Monday. So I had to go to school at 9am Tuesday morning to register the baby to start on Wednesday.
Yeah, good times.
Melissa: I have to keep telling myself it's really all small stuff, and small stuff will help get me through it. Chocolate, and the kindness of friends like you. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteFaith: It hate to say I was seriously considering not blogging ever again, I was feeling so discouraged, but then I realized that would cut me off from a source of encouragement, so here I am, mess and all.
Saumya: When it rains, it pours was exactly my thought, thus the art I used. :-D Other crummy stuff has happened I didn't mention, but it's all small stuff when put together that feels bigger than it should. I'm thankful writing can be a haven at times like this.
ReplyDeleteLaura: It's amazing how much the weather can effect our ability to deal with stuff. It does seem to add a layer of gloom at the moment.
Anne: :-D See, it IS like a farce when so much goes wrong at once--so bad it's genuinely kind of funny when "life explodes." My mother always says about times like this: "It will make a good story later." I think you've now got some great raw material for a short story. Hope life is starting to look more normal and that your little one has a great experience at school after a tough summer!
holy crap! good grief, Laurel! what a terrible chain of events you're dealing with. I forgot about the earthquake hitting you guys. Insanity!
ReplyDeleteYes, cell, chocolate and rest. Take it easy~ :o)
Sometimes you need a break. I took an 11 day blogging break last month and it helped a lot. I didn't check emails, other blogs or answer my phone. When I started back, I found that I had fresher ideas, more enthusiasm and more determination to succeed. It was like you said, life explodes. I just tell myself that God is trying to get my attention, so I stop and take a listen and wooosah.
ReplyDeleteHope it gets better, it usually does.
P.S. Nice blog. New follower. Found you through Shannon's blog, Book Dreaming.
My plans off never turn out like I excpect; and if they do, I think I get bored :)
ReplyDeleteBut things always turn out fine for me, and it looks like it did for you.
......dhole
Hope things are calmer now!
ReplyDeleteI hope things are back to normal. So sorry to hear the chaos. I know things here spirled out of control. It was like the earth moved off it's axis and everyone took on a different personality.
ReplyDelete