Storm Warning

My front room looks like a storm hit it. Blankets are strewn here and there, dining chairs are out of place, and army men are waiting in camouflage to attack any bare feet that wander in. This is a result of fort-making yesterday and my being gone today. I've walked past the room several times and simply turned my head.  I don't want to deal with it.

My mind has had some hurricane force winds blowing around lately, as well.  My thoughts are topsy-turvy, ideas flung hither and yon. Focus is a far-fetched concept. I try to get a hold of some thought, but it's blown out of reach before I can grasp it.

I know what the problem is, but like my front room, I've had blinders on.  I find something else to distract me. facebook. Blogs. Pintrest. More blogs.  Housework, yes, even that.

I think I know what I need to do.  I'm shying away from it like a dentist chair.  It won't be painful to anyone but me. Still, I cringe at the very word.

Break.

Yep. A break.
 From my kids? No, in fact they will soon be much more a part of my life. Another reason a break will be helpful. I have a very small window of time before the tsunami of children waves in and overtakes me.

A break. From this. My blog. Your blogs. (ack! Really? How can I function without reading your amazing, inspiring, humorous words? How will you live without my comments? Seriously, don't you just wait with bated breath for me to comment?)

You can partially blame Deb from Kicking Corners.  She put the idea in my head. We spent the morning together and discussed so much about writing.  (I wish I'd been as smart as her when I was as young as her!) We talked about how we write, do our loved ones 'get it'.  And, we talked about taking breaks, and how we don't get nearly as much done as we'd planned. But, still.

Plus, we had this great writing group and I got some fabulous feedback. I'm rejuvenated.  I want to write. I need to write.  But, I need focus. And, dang it, the Internet pulls my focus like a tornado, spinning it and blowing it up and out and away.

Give me a week. A week to write and get my house in order. Literally. A week to seclude myself before my kids get out of school and start demanding my time and attention.  A week to finish those last 75 pages.  A week to read my entire book aloud.  A week to polish my query letter.  A week to psyche myself out that I'm really ready to do this.

(Because I'm really nervous.)

I hope you'll come back next week. The 31st. You and me, right here. Hopefully I'll have lots of good things to report.  And, I'll bring cookies.