Mid-Week Insomnia

I have a friend who often battles with insomnia (hi Anna!).  Me, I wake up in the middle of the night around 2 am and then can't go back to sleep for an hour or two.  But last night, I couldn't go to sleep at all and then when I finally dozed off around 1, I woke up at my normal 2 and was awake until 4:30.   So I got maybe 2 hours of sleep last night.  I partly blame the diet Coke I drank after lunch, forgetting that any caffinated beverage after two will haunt me. 

So anyway, I'm groggy and achy this morning.  I walked this morning, but not my usual mile or two with the dogs, just laps around the swimming pool area.  I woke up craving protein, so I cooked eggs instead of my usual oatmeal.

And I'm running late on everything, despite getting up at my normal 6 am. 

But this morning was 58 degrees when I got up - lovely!  I know the weather people say we will hit 90 again before the First Day of Autumn (which should be a holiday in my book), but I'm hoping we're finally, truly done with heat and summer.  I'm ready.  (Photos is from a prior year!)

Tuesday

Yesterday I didn't get much work done.  We had a bit of a set back with my mom's health and I couldn't concentrate, so I didn't write much.   I also had to take one of my dogs to the vet.  Today has been a flurry of family phone calls so thus far, nada, zero, zip on the writing front.  As a matter of fact, I'm writing this while on the phone. 

I will leave you with a picture of my two dogs.  I have three, but these are the two Boxers at the lake this past weekend. 

Monday Again

Cooler weather is FINALLY coming and we spent last weekend (and Friday, at the lake.  The temps were lovely and the rain held off until we left.  I got a lot of writing done on my Alphasmart (2,000 words).  Unfortunately, I don't have Wi-Fi there, only my cell phone, so I'm still playing catch up here with email and blogs and stuff. 

I am ready for autumn.  More than ready. 

Today is the day my online short Pack story goes live at EHarlequin.com.  It's under Extras and they post one chapter per week for eight weeks.  This is to celebrate my October Nocturne called The Wolf Princess, which comes out soon.  I've been guest blogging all over the place too.  Plus tweeting and Facebooking etc.

So I'm frazzled and tired and ready to sink myself into my writing.  Here I go.

Writing Stats

I just looked at my writing stats for last month.  In the month of August, I wrote 31,792 words.   That's just book words, on The Millionaire Cowboy's Secret.  It doesn't includes blogs or emails.

On September 1-4, I wrote 5,027 (redoing what I lost on the above book).  I turned in that book on September 4.

Wow!  No wonder I feel like I need a vacation.  Sheesh.

Then, on September 5, I started the next one The Broken Wolf.  As of Tuesday September 7th, I'd written 6,309 words on it.    I try to take weekends off (except at the end when a deadline is looming).  I have a minimum word goal of 1500 a day, so there you are. 

Now I don't feel so bad.  That was a bit of self-motivation for me. Because I am SO having a problem getting started on this next book.  Now I see why.  Sheesh.

On the exercise front, I have been making my 10,000 steps a day goal pretty regularly.  The exceptions were a couple of days when I hurt my stupid ankle, so had to not walk.    And then yesterday we had company all day, so I didn't make my steps.

Every day is a new day.  Onward.

Never Forget

It's been eleven years now, but I still remember that day like it was yesterday.  The shock, the horror, the tears, the terror.  How the earth seemed to come to a complete halt, while everyone panicked and tried not to.  Skyscrapers in Dallas were emptied, because there were rumors of more planes.  My daughter was at college at Texas A&M and my dad was still working at the Hardware store.  I called them after the third plane hit the Pentagon and told him we were at war.  He didn't know - he freaked out and said he had to call his wife.  I tried to call my mother but got her machine (and she doesn't turn her cell phone on).

We were at work and the normally busy phones stopped ringing.  I remember I had one guy call for a quote and I thought it was weird, but I got him one. 

That night, stunned, heartsore, and frightened, we watched the news coverage replay the twin towers over and over and over.  I wept.

That day, something broke inside me.  Something broke inside a lot of people.  Time does heal all wounds, but I still tear up when I remember that day.  My voice breaks when I try to talk about it. 

Never forget.  Ever.

Starting Out Right

For as long as I can remember, I had this plan of how my days would be once I was a full time writer.  Of course, I thought my husband would still be working - I had no idea it would take until he was retired for me to be able to have my dream.  But it's good, it's all good.  I just wish the publishers paid a bit more promptly, but it's been over a year and so far everything has worked out fine.  I'm truly blessed.

This morning I got up and took the dogs for a morning walk.  Lonnie took Mac Macadoo and I took Liberty Belle.  We walked one mile instead of our usual two, and then I came back and got Mitchell Thomas (the Mini-Schnauzer) and walked a bit more.  The weather is fabulous  and I feel absolutely wonderful!

Yes, I'm very late sitting down at the computer, but what a way to start my day.  That way, if I get busy and can't make the gym, I know I got my exercise (plus I can lift weights here if need be.)

Now I'm off to check email and get back to the business of writing.  I have a word count to make!

Finally Friday

I love Fridays.  Adore them.  Maybe it's a hold over from when I worked outside the home, but Fridays are the gateway to the weekend.  We always eat dinner out on Friday night (date night!) 

This week was a short one, due to Labor Day.  Though not for me, as I worked most of last weekend and Monday.

I'm writing away on the next Nocturne and really loving the story.  So that's good. 

This month (the 22nd) has the first day of Autumn.  I wish we'd get some Autumn like weather, that's for sure.

So, I have nothing to say really.  And I do have work to do.