Sunday Snippet: The Procrastinor’s Oh, Hell, What Day Is It Edition

I’ve been procrastinating…okay, no big news, right? I am a world-class procrastinator. I passed amateur status years ago and have gone into full-time professional procrastination. Nobody wastes time as well as I do. And honestly, it doesn’t even have to be time spent scrolling around the Web. I can put off doing anything that needs to be done with something as basic as folding laundry—oh, excuse me for a minute, I do have to get some stuff out of the dryer… brb…

Fifteen minutes later…I’m back, clothes folded and put away, next load is in the washing machine, and while I was in there, I sorted the recycling, which I prefer to think of as multi-tasking as opposed to procrastination. However, I am procrastinating today about writing…

Liz and I have a thing–we call it “Going all Muriel,” which basically is finding all the Freudian or psychological reasons why something is or is not happening. (Named after my mom, who was Joe Psychologist and examined everything with a critical Freudian eye) If Liz were here with me now, she’d be going all Muriel on my ass because we both know that the reason I’m procrastinating about writing is because the last book had to be revised more than usual. I mean, it was a pretty rough draft when I sent it to my awesome editor (AE). I knew it, and AE figured it out immediately.

This week, I did the revision work–it took time and effort and sweat and tears–but I did it and turned it back to my editor this week. The book, Made to Love You is the last book in the Walkers of River’s Edge series, and I ended up loving it, but man, it sucked everything out of me. But AE loved the revisions and the book is off to copy editing and production. YAY!

So  now, I’m… I dunno… nervous about starting Beth Dykeman’s story. It’s the first one in the new series, and it’s a little something different for me. The story is in my head, I’ve made copious notes, done all kinds of research about dude ranches, rodeos, bronc riding, orchards, and well.. lots of new-to-me things. (You’re intrigued, right?) But I need to just sit down and start writing, even if all I start with is Once upon a time… Hmmmm…

And, hey, speaking of procrastination… This  might have nothing to do with it, but I swear to you I never ever know what day it is. Since Husband’s been retired, seriously, I don’t. Most of the time I couldn’t tell you whether it was Sunday or Thursday. It’s worse at the lake because every day at the lake feels like Saturday, even though we’re more often there on weekdays. Weird phenomenon, but it’s true. The only way I can keep track of anything happening during the summer is to consult my trusty Google calendar.

So here’s the thing. Husband loves the freedom of not caring what day of the week it is. Heck, he loves not even knowing what time it is! He took his watch off the day he retired and he hasn’t worn it since. But I still have a job. I work at home–on a deadline, granted, it’s a nebulous this book is due back to the publisher on a date two or three weeks out kind of deadline. So, although I have to know my deadline date, I don’t need to know specifically what day today is, but I should know. Right? It can be a conundrum.

So talk to me. Two things: Are you a procrastinator and do you always know what day it is? Do you care even care what day it is? Husband says retirement means not having to care, but there’s also a certain amount of security in knowing that today is Monday… oh, no, crap. Today is Sunday. Sigh.

Gratitude for This Week: Swimming in the lake with Mo; all the fabulous Harris and Walz stuff on FB and Instagram–I am so grateful for this ticket; revisions are done and approved by awesome editor; got some much-needed weeding and deadheading done thanks to neighbor Mary; my morning glories are glorious. 

Stay well,  stay safe out there, Covid is heating back up, so wash your hands often and keep a mask handy, be kind–kind is always the best choice, and most of all, mes amis, stay grateful!