How was your weekend? Did you have a good one?
Friday I was busy all day and the first thing I did once I hit my desk, after playing with the dogs in the rain (again!), was move things along – again. I have a lot due in this week…well, 2 short stories. And I wanted to get a book back to a proofreading client by close of play on Friday.
Plus, I had a hair appointment I’d forgotten to cancel, and if I didn’t attend, then (a) he’d be a client down for the day, and (b) he’s the kind of person who might charge me anyway if I don’t let him know I’m not going in good time. Which is fair enough, my bad. But I could have done without it on Friday. It was definitely going to be my last time with him anyway. Aside from his prices rocketing in recent years, he won’t be my closest hairdresser by the time my next hair cut is due…
The things that got moved along were the workshops. These are pre-recorded and I don’t have any deadlines to get the assignments in, although there are a couple I would like to send in anyway. But I can generally do them any time. I was just trying to be disciplined with my own personal development.
With my diary sorted for the next couple of weeks, the next job I did was Friday’s blog post. I started today’s. And then I cracked on with the first of those 2 short stories. It was supposed to be just 1,250 words, but when I’d already written more than 400 for just the opening, I knew it was going to be the first part of a longer story. I finished with 1,343 words after only an hour and ended it with a ‘to be continued…’ and 97 words to cut before this Wednesday.
It was time for breakfast by then, so I broke and made us both something to eat and a drink, and had some relaxation time. After breakfast I did my weekly finances and a weekly backup before getting back to work proper. Starting with that client proofread.
I carried on working right up to about 15 minutes before my hair appointment, when I got ready, grabbed my shampoo (can’t use salon shampoo), and headed off. He tried to talk me into staying with him, and I said I might if my old hairdresser has gone. He said he might be moving house too and that he could drive all that way still and go to the salon, so why couldn’t I? I reminded him that that was his career/life choice, and that I’d be paying for the privilege whereas he’d be earning from it. Nope, that one won’t wash with me.
He also revealed that he’s thinking of moving anyway, leaving that business where it is so he can earn rental income but maybe rent a chair to quite close to where we’re hoping to be moving to. I said if he did that, then I might follow him there. But by then I’ll have found a new hairdresser, said she hopefully.
When I got back, I finished the proofreading job and got it sent off. He acknowledged safe receipt the following morning and confirmed he’d released the money for it. He also sent back the first proofreading job for a 2nd pass.
We popped out to do the shopping and nipped in to see the mother-in-law too, but she was already expecting visitors so we didn’t stay long. On Sunday we went out to jump-start the campervan and take it for a 2-hour run.
And that was the weekend, in a nutshell. We didn’t do anything else, we didn’t go anywhere, and we didn’t do any baking.
On Monday morning the poet was off on his jollies…erm…travels again, this time across the Pennines (‘ovver th’ill’) to Cheshire for a couple of days.
The dogs went out to play in the garden and stayed there for about 2 hours. I left them to it, as I can see them from the office window, and they spent much of that time rolling around in the mud they’ve churned the lawn into.
I checked the proofreading job against my corrected hard copy and noted he’d added in some new words, and replaced an entire chapter. It’s still very short, though. I printed it off so I could give the whole thing another pass.
I created the graphic for yesterday’s book review post, only to discover I’d already made it! I wrote up the review and posted it everywhere. And I updated the card on Trello.
Finally, I completed today’s blog post and uploaded it to schedule, having already chosen the image.
It’s World Bartenders’ Day today, apparently. So if you know any, give ‘em a cheer.
This post appears on Words Worth Writing, Medium and Patreon.
Busy time! I thought you might be planning a move! Best wishes on it.
I have a feeling I’ll be digging out from the blizzard for the next few days.