By some powers of fate and destiny, and maybe some mis-aligned planets or something, I find myself at home this week.
Completely alone.
The in-laws offered to take my girls with them to Brittany to visit family there. I would have gone with them except they’re leaving for two weeks and I didn’t want to leave my hubs here (who just started a new job and can’t get away) or the dog (who has dependency issues) for all that time alone. So we compromised. I’ll stay here for a week with the hubs and then go join my girls and in-laws in Brittany next week.
Except the hubs is still working long hours and doesn’t have a day off till Friday. Which gives me the house, basically to myself, for one whole frickin’ week.
Imagine the possibilities!
I could write a whole novel in a week of un-interrupted Kate time! I could do non-stop exercise and finally tone this flappy nearly-thirty figure back into it’s pre-child form. I could (re)learn how to play guitar! Sing at the top of my lungs! Dance around my house butt-naked!
Hey- I could do all three at the same time!
And yet. Here I am, mid-morning, sitting on the couch in my pyjamas and eyeing my tae-bo video like it might jump up and bite me. I don’t even remember how to accord a guitar. I have a whole manuscript that needs revising and no new flashy ideas so the manuscript-in-a-week project is out. The idea of getting naked for no good reason makes me cold just thinking about it. *shiver* The weather here sucks right now so no tanning in the backyard. *sigh*
I’ll probably spend the next week editing my MS, getting through every single book on my nightstand, watching whatever the hell I want. Oh!- and eating whatever the hell I want when I want to, enjoying the fact that I don’t have to make meals and clean up after five people for once. I should probably deep clean my house and re-organize our closets now that there are no little hands to tear the place apart. (*sniff* Though I must admit I miss those grubby little hands quite a bit right now.) And yes, maybe some exercise in between couch potato sessions would be a good idea too so I’ll probably take our helpless dog for a run in the mornings.
What would you do if you had a whole week to yourself?
23 comments:
The same thing. Writing, revising, reading, organizing, maybe a run. Ahh just the thought of being by myself for a whole week makes my mind wander.
Good luck and enjoy.
It's great when a week to yourself lines up with starting a new wip or knowing what to do with revision but it's harder when you're in a lull. I have a bit more time in August when my kids are at soccer camp all day and I'm trying now to make sure I have something to do so I'll be productive! Best of luck.
Sleep, write, edit, read, all the above.
Oh, heaven. But you're right--the timing is everything. I'm thrilled if I'm in the midst of WIP love and ready to make serious progress, but not so thrilled if I've just finished something and don't have the energy to immerse myself in something else. At that point, I think I'd just read. Have fun!
It happens occasionally, when my hubby travels for work. I read, write, and do things he'd normally freak out over, like going to the mall on a Friday night by myself. (Yes, he's a protective weirdo like that... our future kids are screwed.)
Oh, and I avoid cooking at all costs. Enjoy!
I'd spend the whole week dreaming, much like you are. There are so many possibilities now that my week is full but the minute it is wide open for me to do as I please things never go as planned.
As for the naked part - I'm in agreement. I'm cold just thinking about it.
I'd do the same thing I normally do: run, work on WIP or SNI (depending on what I'm doing at the time), read, ignore the fact that my house needs cleaning. The usual. No nude dancing though.
The only thing that would change is that I would put zero effort at making dinner, other than slapping some stuff together and calling it a meal.
Enjoy your week of freedom. :D
Sleep! LOL!
Awwwww I hope you get to see your beautiful girls soon and that the doggy will be ok! OH and hubs too!!
Enjoy your week - it'll go quickly - they always do!! Take care
x
Two years ago, my husband took my daughters to the beach for two days and left me behind, because I was working on my first draft of the WHTD screenplay. It was heaven! I realized it was my first time entirely alone in 12 years! Twelve! That is way too long to wait for 48 hours of solitude.
Last year, he did it again, and I had another two wonderful days of writing (Caged Graves and the final draft of the screenplay)and watching whatever movies I wanted.
This year, he's offered to do it again, but I'm feeling kind of low (you know why)and I think I might go to the beach with them.
Enjoy your childless week -- naked, TV watching, while glued to your computer!
Probably the same thing you're doing. Smiles to you!
Do you even need to ASK what my recommendation is? Get naked and WRITE, and when you get cold, get up and sing and dance, then sit to WRITE again!!!
A few weeks back I too found myself home alone. I made big plans but ended up watching way too much television and eating too much processed food. I loved it then I am regretting it now. Enjoy your time!
Oh man, I had a whole week to myself at the start of summer - it was AWESOME. I got more revising done on my WIP in that week than I have in months!!
enjoy your free time!!
I have exactly that coming up in August - a week away in a writer/artist retreat in Ireland. Can't wait. Plan on writing, writing, writing! Only problem is, they have internet access. Oh dear! Down, bad Twitter, down :-)
There would be no cleaning or organising, just reading and writing.
The best things about time alone is eating and sleeping when you want. If I want to wake up at 5pm and have my lunch at 3am, who's going to tell me it's wrong? :)
That sounds like exactly what I'd do if I had a whole week to myself. Well, the last paragraph, not the working out or dancing around the house naked. ;) Have fun and enjoy your time to yourself! Happy editing!
Freedom is lovely isn't she?
Hmm with a whole week to myself, I'd probably watch marathon Grey's Anatomy, pig out, read great books, and get a little writing done.
So jealous! I want to be you!! Please can we trade places? Okay 'nuff whining. My kids go to camp grandma in a couple of weeks and then I will write and write and write some more and still feel like I accomplished very little ;)
I think I would buy a whole lot of chocolate because there would be nobody to pinch any of it. Then I'd get a pile of favourite movies and decide on favourite meals (that nobody else likes such as stir fry or chicken pie and gravy) for the week. After that, it would be watching movies, eating and (of course!) writing.
Does the fact that my main joy in people being away means I get to eat nice things say a bit too much about me? ;)
WOW! Just the thought of being alone makes me giddy. I would also miss those grubby little hands - BUT...imagine the possibilities. My plans would pretty much match yours - Write, read, eat, organize - yup, all of those things could get done - if I was able to get out of the "WOW, I'm alone" stage.
Enjoy your time!
most of the time I do have the house to myself. Altho I technically share the space with my adult son he is caretaking on an island (poor thing) for the summer: 10 days on 4 days off. Which means my house is quiet AND stays clean for 10 days. And I pretty much do what I always do, write.
hope you enjoy your alone time :)
Hahaha! And me: jealous a bit.
I'd finally get through revisions! And then plot a new book! And clean out closets! Heck, I'd clean everything!
And then I'd take some time to wonder why in the world I thought I could get that much done in a single week.
If I had a whole week to myself, I'd make sure the refrigerator and freezer were both well stocked so that I never had to step foot out of the house.
I'd make to get in one chick flick everyday. I like to watch movies that make me cry. Weird, right?
I'd write everyday, read blog posts, emails, stuff I do now.
I'd make sure I got a nap in everyday.
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