Thursday, January 14, 2010

Finding time to write.

The fervor of the holidays is a but a memory, so where is my writing time?

I do have a stolen moment here and there but life has been really getting in my way.
Just put my butt in the chair? Well that works until my three year old granddaughter, known in cyberland as 'The Pixie Princess' links her arm around the arm of my office chair and starts to swing.

"Good morning Grandma!" Morning hugs ensue, and then we decide what she's going to do until her mom gets up.  Okay, it's quiet now. Yes!  I can ignore the yell-along-with-Dora going on in the next room.

A wail raises from the basement. The baby is awake. He's my Tiger Prince and not quite three months old. My daughter trudges up the stairs, sleep in her blood shot eyes. "Not a good night. Could you take him while I (fill in the blank)?" I take the little man and much commiserating and shushing begins. Just as I get him to settle down, his mother comes to collect him.

Yes! It's quiet. There is a trill whine and banging at the back door. Hang my head, no one remembered to feed the dogs. My daughter's English Brittany Spaniel is very good at reminding us about feeding time. My dogs, appreciate his efforts and calmly wait while he gets my attention.

I'm feeding the dogs and notice the cat's (6) dish is empty and they need water. Scoop food into their dish before filling the dog bowls. Oh and they need water too. My alpha cat glares at me from the empty water bowl. I apologize to Miss Kitty and get her water, while calling reassurance to the Springer that breakfast is indeed coming.

I collapse into my chair and pull up a puzzle game to focus my thoughts.  A hum of energy mounts the stairs. My daughter's future husband. He's getting ready for work and we all have to hear about it. Not that he's talking to me, he's just very animated. Okay, there he goes out the door.

Slump over keyboard to finish game and hope it will focus me.

Pixie Princess swings from the arm of my chair. "I miss you Grandma."
Me: "Really?"
PP: "Yes."
Me: "Aren't you watching Dora?"
PP: "Naw, are you done?"
Me: "Almost. Are you hungry?"
PP: "Yes."
Me: "Where's your mom?"
PP: "Feedin' Averick."

Okay, so off in search of breakfast. Sliced bananas and hot chocolate is her all time favorite morning treat. I notice, now that I'm awake, the dishes need to be done. I feed the child and quick do the dishes.

I round the corner and daughter is at my computer. Blank stare. She explains she can hear Kylei from my computer better than hers.

Hang my head. I start a load of laundry and kick my dear, darling, daughter off of my computer, and it's nap time, for the kids.

I settle into my chair, check my social sites. And then realize I'm too tired to write. Gee I can't imagine how I don't find time to write.

They promise this living arrangement is only temporary. Oh heavens what did I sign up for? Big smile.

What keeps your butt out of the chair?

5 comments:

  1. OMG, I read about your life and I have NO excuse. No grandchildren. A hubs who has his own office at the opposite end of the house, and, bless him, uses headphones to listen to all his radio and TV shows. And yet, I'm so easily distracted. Blogs, games, chat groups (I belong to at least 6 or 7 now!), social media...I simply need to shut off the internet.

    If you can write amidst these chaos, so can I. What an inspiration!

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  2. I wish I had your reasons! It would make sense that I get so little writing done. Too often I just find my concentration scattered like a fifth-grader trying to settle down to a huge homework assignment. My mind goes off on tangents and then when I'm settling down to sleep all these delicious words for wonderful scenes come tumbling through my mind.

    Somehow I need to get those two activities switched.... or have the kids move in so I can have some solid reasons for my unproductiveness.

    Great blog! Hang in there.

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  3. Wendy? You need to tell DD that this is your job. And she needs to deal with Pixie Princess. You did it when you were a young mom, right?

    As for the dishes, meh. They'll get done when someone wants to eat.

    Oh, and get a water bottle-fountain contraption for the animals. The water lasts my brood a week so they're never out. About $20 at Walmart.

    And get thy butt in thy chair, woman! We need more stories!

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  4. I like how we all lament with you and Judi, Ms. Utterly Efficient and Practical comes up with 3 ways for you to-do-it.

    You're right focus. I am finding that making a writing goal of so many words gives me impetus and allows me to stop and not feel guilty after I meet the day/week goal. That is a big plus. I tend to feel like I should always do more than I do which makes me want to commit to less.

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  5. Judi, a woman after my own heart. hehe. Looking for the solution.

    Most days aren't so exciting. The cats have a two liter bottle water dish, and a gravity feed dish for the food. They still run out, and I notice at the most inopportune times.

    When you are a grandma, you will understand. DD does the lion's share with the kids. Those little brown eyes look at me adoringly and I'm sunk. Toast. Completely taken. It's pitiful. And the baby? Oh don't get me started. I do, however, give him back more than I keep him.

    Okay I told Pixie Princess she had to be quiet so I should go forth and write.

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