Going to Catch Up

I have been so sadly slacking on posting here that I don’t even know where to begin. I guess you will have to check my other blog, The Dino Chronicles, to catch up. Or click here.

On that other blog, I make it pretty well known that I am a Christian and believe that I have a loving Father in Heaven who has got things covered. Even when everything in my world is unraveling. God keeps me from falling into the abyss at those times.

So I share some of those instances on The Dino Chronicles, as well as in my other writing, but I try to keep this blog focused on what my writing goals are and not necessarily the content.

On January 29, I emailed back to my editor my first round of edits on my novel “Where the Sky Meets the Sand”. Even with everything going on in my life the last few weeks, I’ve been thinking I should email my editor to see where things are at. As if I would have had time to look at the latest update to the manuscript. But I really want to get the ball rolling and get the novel published.

But God was like, “it’s gonna happen in My time and not yours.” So I continued waiting patiently. Lo and behold, Friday afternoon as I was thinking that I really need to check on this, I got an email from my editor with the updated manuscript.

I don’t know why I think I always have to be in charge. I need to remember to trust in God’s timing. Anyway, so what about my goals for the next week.

     1)    Start reading through that manuscript again. I actually think it is a good thing that there is the lag time there is, so every time I read it my eyes are little bit more fresh to it.

     2)    Clean off my dining room table, which looks like an episode of Hoarders.

     3)    Get back on track blogging on The Dino Chronicles, as well as here.

     4)      Hem my daughter’s curtains. She has finally finished remodeling her upstairs and only needs the final touches.

     5)  Set up a time table for my trip to Kenya in 31 days!

     6)    The other thing I need to do to get ready for that trip is get in shape. I don’t know if I can do it in a month, but I have to give it my best shot. 

Since I haven’t written in nearly a month, have only exercised sporadically, and can’t seem to remember what day of the week it is, these are some power house goals. Wish me luck. 

I don't usually like roses, because they die so quickly. 

But this one is still beautiful almost a week later. 

what is going on?

Last week was a continuation of the stressfulness which began the week before. It’s been pretty unrelenting. And though it has been some major stuff, it is the little things which plow a person right under.

When I went to pick up my glasses a few weeks ago, the prescription wasn’t right. I couldn’t see small print at all - like a font size 10. They told me that it was because I had asked for a prescription to use while on the computer, but if I can’t see print in a book, how can I see print the same size on the computer. I kind of let it go, coz I didn’t want to deal with it.

I finally called back on Friday and they were like, we can get you bifocals. I already have three pair of bifocals, I need something to read with. But you wanted something to read with on the computer and that’s what we gave you. But I can’t see with them. But you can see the computer with them. I didn’t try the computer with them. Then how do you know they wouldn’t work? Are you telling me I need three pair of glasses – bifocals for driving and being out and about, reading glasses for reading, and computer glasses for computer work. Yes, that’s what we are telling you. That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard, cancel the glasses I ordered and refund my deposit. Argh! That kind of stuff makes me go out of my skull.

I thought I would find something relaxing to take my mind off things, so I looked up the state parks in Michigan on line, in anticipation of going camping this summer. Apparently, the park we always stay at has been washed into Lake Superior. Or at least enough of it has that they can’t guarantee services to the remaining sites, whatever that means. But it doesn’t sound good.

Let me try one more thing. After a friend of mine died unexpectedly last spring, I wrote up a list of friends I have lost contact with, planning to try to track them down. I thought I would do another internet search for one of them.

Yup, you got it. I haven't seen Mary since 1993, but I finally found her. In North Carolina. Where she died in 2015.

I know! Right! What is going on???

Anyway, I did take a break from the mess called My Life and watched my deer in my yard for a while Friday afternoon. Last summer and all fall, I only ever saw one doe and her yearling and occasionally a little six point buck.  Eleven of them came in yesterday. So pretty.  

So with all this nuttiness going on, here is what I accomplished, with green highlights meaning a success, yellow highlights at least worked on and red print a total fail.

1)    Write a chapter in the new novel, “The Big House” and think about a real name for it. Nope, nothing.

2)    Send that first round of edits on “Where the Sky Meets the Sand” to my editor. I sent it out on Monday morning. Now it’s time to wait again.  

3)    Post to The Dino Chronicles three times. Yes, I believe I did.

4)    Raise the final thousand dollars for our trip to Kenya. I am working hard on this. I’ve sent out 41 personal emails and three private Facebook messages. Will probably send a few more Facebook messages tomorrow. I also started an event page on the Tumaini Volunteers Facebook page to countdown how many days before we leave. I also have one thing packed! My Baby Wipes!

5)    Get on track with the Foundation Training exercises. Did the exercises four times this week and started working in a few aerobics. I haven’t gained back the five pounds I lost due to not having time for any meals the week before, so that’s good, especially since I have found time during the last week to eat most meals.

6)    Put away the Christmas decorations! Yeah! Yes and cleaned the entire house.

7)    Bonus Points! The poem I submitted to the online journal Voices on the Wind was accepted and published on line the end of the week. Find it here.

I don’t think I’m going make any promises for next week, or the week after. On February 14, work switches over to the new electronic medical record at work, so the rest of the month is not looking good either.

I just have to keep telling myself, Kenya March 29, Kenya March 29.