Birthday Weekend

Thursday I ran away from home and escaped for the weekend.  Really Ken loaded up my car and drove to Indiana to spend time with my middle daughter.  Friday her and I ran her errands and went to Joann’s.  While she shopped in other stores, I sat in the car crocheting.  I finished off a fleece throw for her.

For the weekend, I finished a fleece throw and poncho, two hats, two scarves, two sets of wristers, and a clutch purse.  I also finished off a beret I’d experimented with and needed to make sure would fit her.  It was laid back and relaxed when it came to crafting.  I created a new pattern and finished another one for publishing.  I may think about creating a pattern for one of the sets I made – I haven’t decided yet.

We watched the Good Witch movies, The Expendables, season six of Downton Abbey, and the two How to Train Your Dragon movies.  There were a couple of Penguin / zoo movies too.  We also checked out the Good Witch series.

It was calm, fun, relaxing.  We played Word Chaos on our phones together.  This meant she would start a game and when she got stuck she would pass it to me – or vice versa.  We are both now addicted to the game.

We stayed up late, slept late, and tortured the cats.  Saturday we went to Michael’s and a couple of other stores.  Sunday she baked cookies, I helped by putting them on the cookie sheet.  By evening my car was packed up (mostly) and all we had to do in the morning was put the last couple things in.
Monday she went off to work and I came back to Wisconsin.  The drive was fine, traffic was good and road conditions were excellent.  By the time I got home, all I wanted was a nap so I took one.  I expected to not sleep last night but I did.

While I spent my birthday driving, the weekend before was fun, relaxing, and enjoyable.  I stayed long enough to annoy her without staying too long.  I got about a third of a container emptied so progress was made on the LARGE pile of yarn I’ve got for her.

It was a nice little retreat for me.  I hope it was for her as well.  We laughed, talked, spent time together crafting, and just being together.  It was a nice weekend and a nice break for me.

A Return to Normal?

I hesitate to use the word normal because I don’t consider myself normal but I guess I could qualify it as normal for me.

This week has been busy with work and writing.  I’m neck deep in a manuscript (Wayfarer 7) and working towards finishing it.  I’m also attempting to get some editing done which thinking of all the aspects of all the novels related to whatever I’m editing.  Since one is a prequel to Wayfarer, this means I have to keep in mind all the things that have happened in the books since and how they relate to the prequel.  I’ve also got a murder mystery novel to edit and the first edits (search and replace) for the sixth Wayfarer novel. 

Edits inevitably lead to the need for a cover.  I have the prequel one done and will be doing an event to share the cover.  I worked with TJ Jahns to get the cover going on the murder mystery.  I’m hoping she will come back with a cover for me to use.  It still leaves me with a cover to make for Wayfarer 6 which I still don’t have a title for yet but I’m working on it.  I have one in my head, I just have to think it over and decide if I like it.

I started one of the crochet projects I need to get done.  I’ve got the new JD Robb book Obsession in Death to listen to so I may take a break (once I’m done with 7) and listen to that while I work on the crochet project. 

This weekend I’m working on taxes for people and helping my uncle with some paperwork.  It promises to be busy and possibly frustrating.  I was going to work on my own taxes but then I got notified that two or three of the forms I got were wrong.  I believe I will get the corrected forms next week – I hope so at least.

To do list – marketing of Wayfarer (on sale)
                   finish writing Wayfarer 7
                   Editing three manuscripts
                   Crochet gifts – student workers, wedding, baby, Virginia’s afghan
                   Read new JD Robb
                   Taxes for people and paperwork for my uncle.

These are just the things I need to do by Saturday or Sunday.  I hope I can get them all done.  Ken’s back home so I’m less productive though he is very understanding and gives me lots of time and space to do what I need to.  Still I sort of like spending time with my husband.  Seems like if he’s around and in the house, I could maybe spend some time with him. 

Oh and I have season 5 of Downton Abbey.  I wanted to watch it this next weekend but I don’t think that’s going to happen.  If I get all of my to do list done maybe I can do it next weekend.  I can work on crocheting while I watch.