Being Practical....The Staycation.....

Just having the week off from work, commuting, $35 a day gas bills, doggie daycare, not setting the alarm for 5:00AM, not returning at 8:00 PM to rush though lunch prep for the next day, dinner and a quick shower before turning in makes for a great staycation.

9 GLORIOUS DAYS !!!!

The week did not include any destination but home.

HOME, HOME, HOME !!

I have to admit to being just a little jealous seeing others vacation destinations.

Or the envy of at least having transportation reliable enough to take me somewhere or anywhere.  I sweat out the daily commute never mind adding extra miles to an already old vehicle.

This is not self pity

It is honesty.

The week was not without it's  positives.

A few trips to the pool.

A couple of dinners out.

One at a local kind of dive.  BUT dinner is a hot dog, cheeseburger, scoop of potato salad and a serving of baked beans all for $4. The drinks cost more than dinner.

The Fillin Station

Here is the catch, the view is great from the back porch.  The river, the boats and more are all worth the price of admission.

Another evening was a dinner with friends.  Casual, shared memories and laughter all made for a pleasant evening.  I planned on staying for 2 hours and ended up leaving after close to 5 hours. I drove home during a great heat lightening storm.

Group selfie:

Sine I had spent so much time relaxing, I was up and at it early on Saturday. Oil change, pedicure, stop at Publix and the bagel shop all before 11:00AM.

I had a conference call with my Editor. It lasted about 90 minutes.Her feedback and suggestions will surely enhance my story.  Oh it is now a MANUSCRIPT ( manuscript = the original copy of a book or article before it is printed) !! I have so much to do before it is a finished product.  What I am learning is fabulous.  Some entries, I hit right on the head.  And others, it is clear where I need to add more info, dialog and color so the reader can see, feel and touch what I am expressing. While I am still trying to remembering to type the numerical value of numbers from 1 through 10 and the rest are written out, I no longer use ellipsis (oh how I miss them), I am trying to feel comfortable with dialog, reading out loud what I have written to get the flow and sound just right.  I still need to figure out where to use a semi-colon versus a comma.  I know this was covering in 8th grade along with diagramming sentences but somehow it has faded in my memory bank.  Oh and when did the rule about spacing after periods change?  When I took typing class (yes, typing class) back in high school, it was always 2 spaces after a period.  This is not the case any more. now it is 1 space.  Reminding myself of this is almost harder to stop doing than the ellipsis. I am learning so much and relearning more.

As I read my draft to my editor, I actually had to stop for a moment as I started to cry.  The memory I had written about was so strong and powerful.

Now it is time to rework, revise and add to my draft.

The process is fascinating to me.  I had no idea what it took for this all to come together when I started.  I read once that Margaret Mitchell wrote the first chapter of Gone With The Wind and the last chapter next.  She then wrote other chapters and had them laid out around her house until she had connected the beginning and the end.  I am working in a similar manner.  As a memory of thought comes to me, I add it to my notes list on my phone.  When the mood hits me, I will write out my thoughts into what I hope is a cohesive entry.

Today, I had 2 entries that needed little to no revision.  I was able to put down the words in a manner that a reader would be transported to that place and time.

While my staycation is winding down, I am looking toward my next days off which are not too far away.

One of the benefits of this break is feeling the stress leave me and being able to wake up and think "what do I want to do today?'

I have a job and a long career in the mortgage industry.

More importantly, I have a life.  I know now it cannot take 2nd place to anything.

Feeling so in control is a blessing and eye opening.

Time to figure out my priorities.

I am not saying I won't do my job to the best of my abilities but when the day is over it is over.  End of sentence. End of work day.

In 10 years or when I am old sitting in my rocking chair, what will matter more?  What I  did from 9-5 ot what I did on my off hours.  I am sure it will be the latter.

After this week of self examination, except for my family and friends,

IT'S ALL ABOUT

See you next week.......