Missing My Manuscript

After I finished the first draft of my manuscript, I wanted to take a break from it, get some distance before I started revisions. That didn't happen. My brain had too many ideas swirling around, so I allowed myself to dive in. But with my trip to Scotland approaching, I found myself becoming immersed in travel plans. And why not? That's part of the fun of traveling! So it's been a few weeks since I've really worked on the novel, and that's okay.

With about two weeks left before my trip, I've wrapped up my shopping and other planning, so now I'm casting about for something to do. Dive back into the novel only to be interrupted again in two weeks with my trip? Read a bunch of books? Both? 

One thing is for sure: I'm really missing my manuscript. I feel like I've left my characters in the lurch, and they're sitting around, waiting for me to return. But without me really meaning to, I've gained the distance I needed from the novel, and now perhaps feel more objective in my revisions.

All of this only solidifies something for me that I've always known: I'm a writer. I can't go for long without  putting words on the page. Oh, I write emails and social media posts and the occasional blog post, but nothing compares to writing fiction. 

So. I'll probably wade back into the revision waters, and even though I will be interrupted by my vacation, that's fine. I will undoubtedly come up with some pretty amazing story ideas while in Scotland!

In Other News...

Since autumn temps keep teasing us, the summer depression is finally beginning to lift. We still have a week of temps in the high 80s coming up, but I'll take those over the brutal 100 degree days we had a few weeks ago. That means wearing yoga pants and long-sleeved shirts! I love being comfy!

I've been working on losing weight and my god is it ever HARD when you are a post-menopausal woman with hypothyroidism and PCOS and other chronic illnesses which makes shedding the pounds about as easy as resisting a freshly-baked, warm chocolate chip cookie (THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE!). Still, I am trying to do this for my health - diabetes runs in my family, so I'd like to stave off that disease for as long as I possibly can - hopefully forever. 

Unfortunately, thanks to the weight gain, none of the jeans I own fit. Okay, I take that back. They fit, but not comfortably, and I wanted to avoid buying a new pair for my trip. What's odd is that a size 8 in one brand almost fits me while a size 14 in another doesn't at all. Why is this??? Why do manufacturers vary so widely in their sizing? I don't know, but it's frustrating as hell. I went shopping last week and couldn't find a pair of pants that fit to save my life. The problem is my stomach. I have pelvic adhesions, which makes wearing a hard waistband like jeans nearly impossible, and I have to go up in a size to accommodate my tummy, which means the rest of the jeans are bulky and don't fit right. ARGH. It is SO MADDENING. So I've decided that, in the name of comfort, I am going to wear leggings during my entire Scotland trip. I have adorable long sweaters and tunics plus boots and some snazzy sneakers to wear  with them so I will look cute, but I really wish I could wear a pair of jeans without pain. Oh well. The goal is to be comfortable, right? Right!

This week we bought two hummingbird feeders, and yesterday, I sat outside for nearly two hours waiting to take a photo of these gorgeous little birds. Just as I was about to head inside, this female ruby-throated hummingbird (the females do not have the telltale ruby color on their throats - just the males) showed up. I was so excited! I eagerly snapped her photo. I love them so much!