Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related: Still moving forward on Mississippi's story. I was able to get quite a bit written this past weekend. I'm still behind, but I feel like I'm getting closer to getting back on track.

Motivational Quote: "Inspiration is highly overrated. If you sit around and wait for the clouds to part, it's not liable to ever happen." ~ Chuck Close

What I'm Reading: I started reading Criminal by Karin Slaughter over the weekend. This is the 6th book in the Will Trent series. I'm not sure I'll like this book because it flashes back and then forward in time. I'm not generally a fan of those types of books.

Random Things: It's been spring like in my area the last few days. Warmer than usual for this time of year and more rainy than usual. I'll take the rain over snow any day.

Random Photo:

                                  Crocus starting to bloom in the yard already.
 

 

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related: Another good writing week last week. I feel like I'm actually making some forward momentum in Mississippi's story. 

Motivational Quote: "Find your voice. Find your process & passion. Find your community. Find the things that bring out the best in you that get you up out of bed every day, excited to create & share. Without them, it's a bigger struggle." ~ Bryan Thao Worra

What I'm Reading: I started reading Fallen by Karin Slaughter last Thursday. This is the 5th book in the Will Trent series. I haven't had a lot of leisure time to read in the last few days so I'm less than a hundred pages into the story.

Random Things: My mom's post-op appointment went well Monday. Everything looks good. She was given some gentle finger exercises to keep them limber. She can't put pressure on her finger or palm or pick up anything with that hand that is heavier than a coffee cup until her next appointment in early April. My employer is allowing me to work from home during her recovery period since she's very limited in what she can do. 

Random Photo:

               My neighborhood after the snow storm moved through this past weekend.
 

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related: I wrote more last week on Mississippi's story than I did the entire month of February. I had last week off to help my mom recover from her hand surgery so I had a lot more time than I usually have to write. I tried doing 25 minute writing sprints but they didn't work for me because I felt like I was just starting to get into the flow and the timer would go off. I did discover that 45 minute sprints work really well though so I'm going to try to incorporate them into my writing sessions on a regular basis.

Motivational Quote: "It's better to go slow in the right direction than to go fast in the wrong direction." ~ Simon Sinek

What I'm Reading: I started reading Steeped in Secrets by Lauren Elliott yesterday. It's the first book in her Crystals and CuriosiTEAS cozy mystery series. 

Random Things: My mom is recovering well from her hand surgery. She can't use her left hand right now. Her post-op appointment is this afternoon to have her stitches removed. We'll find out then what the next steps will be. She's hoping she'll be able to use her hand a least a little.

Random Photo:

                                   More muffins I made while stress baking

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related: I actually managed to get 20 pages of new material written last week for Mississippi's story. Not a lot by most standards, but more than I've been able to get accomplished the prior couple of weeks. It should be a quiet week this week so I'm planning on getting a significant amount written.

Motivational Quote: "The most profound question I believe we must ask when walking through a storm, which we all do, whether we are president or a street sweeper, is: 'What have you come to teach me? What is this situation pushing me to change in my life?' " ~ Susan Taylor

What I'm Reading: I started reading Broken by Karin Slaughter late yesterday. It's the fourth book in the Will Trent series. 

Random Things: My mom had hand surgery last Friday. I've been dealing with the stress of her injury and related pain and now surgery by baking. I've made two kinds of cookies, three different kinds of muffins, and two loaves of cinnamon swirl bread in the last week.

Random Photo:

                        Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies I made early last week.
 

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related: Not much writing accomplished last week either. My mom injured her hand so we spent three afternoons seeing her primary care doctor, having x-rays done, and seeing a hand specialist. I had an eye appointment in between those days as well. I'm really hoping to get writing accomplished this week.

Motivational Quote: Considering how February is going so far, I thought this quote was appropriate:

• "Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths." ~ Etty Hillesum

What I'm Reading: I started Apple Cider Slaying by Julie Anne Lindsey yesterday afternoon. It's the first book in the Cider Shop Mystery series.

Random Things: It was 55 degrees last Tuesday, then 65 degrees last Wednesday, then 50 degrees last Thursday before dropping back to the low 30's. The flowers in my garden are so confused. A few of them are poking up through the soil already.

Random Photo:

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related: I accomplished so little writing wise last week that I really want to say I accomplished nothing. I had a couple of life issues come up that killed any writing time last week. 

Motivational Quote: Due to things that occurred last week I felt these two quotes were appropriate:   

1.)  "Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced." ~ James Baldwin  

2.)  "I am not hopeless nor have I lost my motivation. We cannot stop trying." ~ Narges Mohammadi

What I'm Reading: I'm currently reading Spare by Prince Harry. 

Random Things: It was negative 15 degrees last weekend so I squeezed out enough time to make gingerbread cookies. I hate to admit it, but homemade cookies always make me feel better. I guess you could say they're my comfort food. 

Random Photo:

                                                The gingerbread cookies