Our tiny town has tested positive for mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus…an illness that can result in severe or fatal sickness in a small percentage of cases It was the headline in yesterday’s paper, and as a result, I bolted out of bed at the whine of a mosquito in my ear early this morning.
Now that I no longer have to make lunches or school breakfasts, I’ve been sleeping in this summer. Not late, just an extra half-hour or so…but the disruption in my routine has brought about a lapse in writing output. The buzz of the mosquito was timely though, in that I had a writing/work-related phone call scheduled for 7:45. So there I was at 7:30, all showered and breakfasted. A piping hot cup of coffee sat at the ready as I gathered my pen and pad of paper, checked email and cleared off my desk the way, previous to this summer, I had for the last two years at home and for so many years before that in a professional office.
When the phone rang exactly on time, I conducted an hour long phone interview. After that, things seemed to revert to a comfort-zone that’s been gone for the last two months. Once I hung up the receiver, I sat at the desktop and constructed a resume for this morning’s client, staying with it until just before noon, after which I began drafting a South Shore Living blog piece. I got a good chunk of that written before giving myself permission to stop.
Those hours of dedicated and fruitful writing made it possible to suggest a guilt-free shopping expedition to my daughter and off we went, for a late lunch (writing-research related since we ate at the scene covered in the above SSL Blog post draft) and then a perusal through the off-price department store. It’s just past 5:00 p.m. now and here I am back at the computer, wonder of wonders, completing a Middle Passages post.
What a magnificent day. After this, my reward— a seat on the couch by the open window, listening to the drone of a distant lawnmower, as I immerse myself in Solomon’s Oak, a novel by Jo-Anne Mapson which I already love and is the best way I know how to treat myself after a day of good and disciplined work.
9 comments:
What a great way to find balance between work & play. It seems that you are slipping nicely into a new normal now that will help to prepare you as your daughter moves on with her next steps in life as well. Those darn mosquitoes can be real 'buggers'. Hope you don't get anything more than a nice wake-up call from them.
Good stuff! Long stretches of time to work are hard to come by sometimes. Sucks about the virus though. I'd have a thousand citronella candles out.
Nice reward indeed! Watch those mosquitoes. I'm so paranoid of getting bitten this summer!
How beautifully satisfying. Mozzies aren't nice to have around. Keep healthy won't you.
Sounds like you had a great day, except for the mosquito, of course. I hate mosquitoes. Get one of those Off wearable fan thingies. I wear one when I'm in the garage on the elliptical trainer. Wish I could wear it to bed. The occasional stray mosquito in the house drives me nuts.
Wow Liza, this sounds like it was such a wonderful and productive day! Sure wish I could say the same for mine!! :-)
Heard on the news today about West Nile virus detected in an area near us. Fortunately we rarely see mosquitoes in our community so they don't bother us. One of the things I don't miss about not being back east is the mosquitoes.
Lee
Tossing It Out
sounds like a great day
except for the mosquito stuff!
Ah, its always satisfying when you accomplish something during the day. Glad you got a reward! And boo for the pesky mossies. I run a mile from those insects, they seem to love my blood.
Happy writing!
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