I have written no new words this week, nor have I edited any. None. Nil. Zilch. There are many reasons for this drought but none are permanent and so I dismiss the fact and await the rains.
With the very unlikely thought that friend from forever/editor and her partner may visit this weekend (his request, she and I thought it unlikely however. . .) I put on a super effort to finish sorting my workroom/spare bedroom. It is now a marvel of tidiness! I stand in the doorway for no reason but to admire the empty expanse of floor:)It has never looked so good. Three days I laboured with the temps flying upwards. It was one hour work, one hour sleep, ‘tis done’
They never came, my sister and I knew in our hearts we would not see him again, the heat of this summer is taking its toll on his failing health and now he sleeps most of his hours away. I also stand in my garden this week and notice all the work he has done over the years to help me create this haven of peace and beauty. A lasting memory to a kind man. I don’t know how long he has now but I believe only weeks, if that.
The Children’s Tale seems a little unnecessary at the moment.
Instead of writing I continued with my de-cluttering. I read a couple of really good books and bought a few more:) I also cancelled August. Not the month as such but all the groups I run and attend. Decided I needed some time off, this hot weather has made me very tired, so instead of alternate writing/reading weeks I now have a whole month of doing what I chose – the feeling of freedom is quite heady. September brings back the real world with the groups, dental appointments and cancer check ups so this month is for me.
De-cluttering has some good points – I mentioned, last week I think, that I had found old, old, tokens and bought some books with them. This week I found a box of floppy disks – some of you may too young to remember floppy disks:) These not only, apparently have notes and research for my Masters, the very first draft of a novel called Blue Moons. Yup. The same Blue Moons that I am in the process of re-writing. I have kept that first novel in my heart since the 80s – two years ago during NaNo I resurrected the characters and the main plot, re-located them into the modern day, into this country and changed all their employments and began again. Somewhere in my clutter I have a gadget which enabled me to run floppy disks on my old computer – I think it was the computer before this latest old one. It’s attached by USB so am hopeful I can read these floppies – remind myself of what I wrote all those decades ago – interesting if I can. A different world ago.
What else I wonder will I find as I progress through the past muddle of my life?
ROW80: This week
Writing: None
Editing: None
Blogs: None
Reading: I read Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock – he wrote this in 1984. I wasn’t sure it appealed but read high praise of it on one of Goodreads groups so I ventured into the wood – amazing book, full of complexities and needing a firm grip to follow but enjoyed it very much. Then I followed it with Lud-in-the- Mist by Hope Mirrlees pub in 1926 because Neil Gaiman ( a new discovery of mine)recomended it – I think I enjoyed this even more than the wood.
Other: I spent many hours manipulating pictures and music for the trailers and can see my way to finishing them both this month.
I have posted part two of The Storyteller’s Tale
Next Week: Who knows – this month I wish to finish writing and editing The Children’s Tale ( I know it will not be able to be published, probably, until next year but I want it finished. Also this month I wish to finish the two trailers.
Apart from that, blogs would be desirable, more books to be read would be good and a de-cluttered house would be amazing (house! That won’t happen:)
I hope everyone has had a good week and are looking forward to next week.
albereta ross writes 
Hugs to you.
AH that felt good – thanks:)
I always feel so much better when I clear the clutter from around me. I’ve been doing a lot of that lately and have a bunch of stuff to take to a local consignment shop to see if I can get something for it. Even if I don’t, at least it will be out of my house! :D
Thanks for stopping by my blog. And as for a domain-that was the easy part. I did some research on which was best for me (and got a recommendation from a fellow ROW80-er) and customer service walked me through it (they were so nice and patient, LOL).
Have a great week.
Just put 3 large bags out for charity collection this week and two weeks ago 2 more – the decluttering is only noticable in one room so far – working space – well I guess the ‘clutter’ is mainly books and I’m not ready to part with them yet!:)
It seems to me a great many people are sending attachments and the like in code – rather than in word – is this the result of having websites rather than blog or just the fashion now I wonder:) What was the process for transfering old stuff over like and what happened to your followers – that is a concern of mine – can they get transfered over?
Sometimes we need to set aside the goals and just clear away the clutter – then it’s so much easier to focus on the priorities! “Cancelling” a month sounds so nice – enjoy your time to do what you need, and get back to the writing when you’re refreshed!
I am hoping to do some writing on my month off – am doing it the other way round – taking time off from life (social life) so that all days are free. However it started back on Sunday and I haven’t actually written anything yet!! read a few books tho’:) have begun to enjoy the de-cluttering and I think it may have benifit on my outlook and creativity (always thought that was rot whenever I heard it before) even this old dog can learn:)
If you’re at all like me, Alberta, I find decluttering very strenuous. I recently found the story I wrote when I was fifteen–scary!
Take care of yourself, enjoy your month and decluttered office. I’m soo envious! :)
it’s not the office bit that’s done yet – my craft room – I did and still do when wrists allow various crafts some have had to go with age but the stash overflows:) have started on the office bit this week – having moved a couple of bits of furniture here which might help on the overflow of paper! what ever happened to the paperless office? it is strenuous I agree especially the shifting around of books -why so many books? am I totally mad:?
Sometimes you just have to do that declutter thing. I’ve been working on a huge decluttering project at my house which has taken me most of July. I have to be done next weekend and it’s kind of stressing me out.
Cancelling a month sounds like a lovely idea! Maybe I’ll do that with September.
Ah floppy disks! I have a box of them on my desk at work that I found in my decluttering process. We have one of those plug in drives at work that will read them, so soon I’ll be devoting a lunch hour or two to making sure I’ve got all the important stuff saved to my laptop.
Going to look for my drive tomorrow – have got to the drawers where it may be lurking:) – then I will see what my writing was like 25 years ago!
all the best and enjoy September:)
We don’t have a cluttered house, but I’d love a clean and tidy one. I clean, the dog sheds, the sand floats in, suddenly the floor is filthy again, as is every other surface. Most days I say, bleh! :)
I lose soooo much time on creating covers/trailers/etc it’s rediculous. But I enjoy it. :)
Best of luck for next week, Alberta.
Shah X
http://bit.ly/1b4K6ZU
Dog hairs – the bane of my life – this new guide dog is proving to be the hairest of them all – I have had to go buy a hoover – sweeping doesn’t hack it any more:( I hate hoovers:)
It’s very relaxing playing with pictures and music – time flies swiftly:)
Sometimes you need a drought and declutter, especially if your mind is on othet things. So cool that you found a first draft of your book too. I always keep mine as they remind me of the story I wanted to write, and that keeps me focused when it comes to the later revisions. Good luck next week.
I vaguely knew I had typed a lot of it out – maybe in the attic now – on print paper which came with holes down one side! but had forgotten the back ups on disk. It will be fun to see whether I kept any of it when I began rewriting:)
I am waaaaaaaaaay behind too Alberta. Glad you are still decluttering though. I am olympic napping in the name of pain avoidance (and housework avoidance, but don’t tell anyone about that one!)
Shh won’t tell a soul – but hey why do you think I need to de-clutter I too can win gold medals in the name of (illness) and of course pathalogical hatred of all things houseworky – I knew you were a lady after the same heart as moi:) You look after yourself and get better:)
Working on it. :-)
Good girl:)