trains, planes and shattered dreams

Two things went on this week – one which took me off one train and put me on a different one, and one which completely threw me off another train and left me in a ditch.

First the chance to switch trains. Since I recently found the inspiration for my next book, I was all set to jump into it, when Jenny, Ole, Paul and the rest of the wonderful characters in my first novel said, “um, excuse us.” So I decided to pay them their dues. I organized their 39 chapters, printed them out and gave it to a friend to read. I also found three friends who were willing to look at it if I emailed it to them. If there are any other takers reading this blog, get a hold of me.

The blurb for the novel right now is:

          “A lost boy living on the African plain doesn’t fit in.

          A woman from America with a dark secret.

          When they meet, which one of them gains the most.”

In case that piques your interest. The genre would be Christian women’s fiction. 

Ok, so what threw my off the train, off the bus, off the plane, where I rolled into a ravine, covered in mud and scratches, too far down for anyone to hear my plaintive pleas for help? I have gone lame. Even my husband said that if I was a horse, they would put me down. Thanks, honey, an appropriate analogy after they euthanized a horse at Belmont this weekend.  

Since I started running outside this spring, my left Achilles heel has been killing me, but I have been powering through it. It doesn’t hurt when I run on it, I just can’t hardly walk on it when I get up in the morning and aches throughout the day, but I could deal with it.

Then Thursday morning, my right hip went out on me. I don’t know if it was from favoring my left ankle, or if I am just an old cripple. I have been hobbling around as best I can, trying to keep moving to keep it loose, but I just don’t know how I will be able to run again. This really, really bums me out. Even with the one tragedy at Belmont Saturday, in another race, American Pharoah won the Triple Crown. It sparks my competitive spirit. Sigh. Guess I should concentrate on competing in writing contests, huh?

Oh, and since I do work in the medical field, I know what to do with this hip – rest for starters, ice and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen). I will have my doctor give me a steroid injection if it doesn’t settle down in a week or so. It might be okay in a couple weeks, but I just don’t see how I will be ready for the 5K that I wanted to run in on July 4. And one last thought, this could be Lyme’s as I have had a few tick bites this spring, have other aches and pains, and fatigue.

Enough of my whining. What else went on this week?

•          Post to this blog twice, post to my other blog three times. DONE

•          Read six blog posts, commenting on three of them.  DONE

•          Write four entries in “Early Ministry”. Wrote three, that’s pretty close.

•          Run three times, at least one time for three miles.  Ran three times, somehow or other before my body completely fell apart.

•          Promote my writing on social media two times. DONE

•          Promote our nonprofit on social media two times. DONE

•          Submit a piece somewhere. Nope

•          NEW goal – write up bios of the four people who want to be in my new novel. Nope, but that’s what happens when you get other crazy ideas as already mentioned.

An okay week. Can I do better next?

•          Post to this blog twice, post to my other blog three times.

•          Read eight blog posts, commenting on four of them. (I’m upping the ante here.)

•          Write four entries in “Early Ministry”. I did not think I could make it, but I think this goal is becoming attainable.

•          Promote my writing on social media two times.

•          Promote our nonprofit on social media two times.

     ·         Begin work on the new novel 1) write bios for four of the main characters 2) start researching the time period (mid-1970s), the place (northeast Wisconsin), the culture (Menominee Indians).

Finally, my Goals for the Round:

·         Finish writing “The Early Ministry of Jesus in 40 Days” Have written 31 entries, which leaves nine left. In the single digits! Can I make it?   

·         Edit seven chapters of “Hope Through God’s Redemption” Have edited four chapters and haven’t gotten any more from the author, but she says she is working on it.

·         Submit four items for publication Have submitted three items.

·         Have worked up to running a full 5K My heart breaks to type this, but as I already lamented, I may have to hang this one up.

Have you had any shattered goals break your heart?