M.J. Fredrick's Blog, page 29

Goals the Week Before Easter

We had our monthly game night last night, SO much fun, but I have a teeny wine hangover this AM. It was a really good pinot noir, though. We played Cranium and laughed so much!

This week isn’t as busy, thank goodness. I think we have a meeting after school one day, but it’s our annual Easter egg hunt. Yes, they hide a bunch of plastic eggs on the PE field and we go look for them. They put numbers in them and if you get a number, you get a chocolate bunny or maybe a gift card or a free jean day (I’d rather have that than the bunny!)

Also, I’m doing in-depth writing with 4th grade, preparing them for the test the following week.

And Josh is coming home for the weekend on Friday!

So this week:

1) Revisions on Cowboy’s Courtship

2) Work on post-apoc

3) meet with sprinkler repairman

4) sew something

5) Keep up house

See? Not too bad.

Spring Break Highlights

So, back to work in just an hour, but I had to blog about the highlights of last week.

1) Spending all day Monday at home, getting LOTS done. Also, lunch at McD’s, my special treat when I’m home alone.

2) Trip to the nursery in Seguin with Mom, and buying LOTS of beautiful plants.

3) Being with Mom when Fred texted there was white smoke.

4) Trip to Fredericksburg with Mom and BB, though, dang, was tired!

5) Trying out new drinks almost every night and enjoying them on the patio.

6) The weather!

7) Finishing the dress.

8) Getting everything done yesterday early enough that I could write.

9) Finishing the novella revisions.

10) A quick trip to JoAnn’s to get fabric to fix a mistake–and fabric for another skirt!

11) “Meet a policeman” day.

12) Second trip to Fredericksburg to buy something I didn’t get the first time, this one with Fred.

13) Making more money than I spent!

Wish I had time for a third trip to Fredericksburg, lol!

Goals for the Week AFTER Spring Break

Eleven more Mondays, 9 more Fridays, a billionty tests in between. And here’s the thing. I don’t like having appointments during Spring Break, so I made two for this week. DUMB.

1) Dentist appt Monday

2) Tree guys coming Tuesday

3) Faculty meeting Wednesday

4) LASIK appt Thursday (not long though)

5) Work on post-apoc.

6) Cook more! I cooked two nights on Spring Break because of all the hootin’ and scootin’ I did. I had some good recipes, too.

It Is Clear–I Do Not Know How To Relax

Spring Break is over (just the weekend to go) and I had one good nap. Maybe two.

Last Friday night we went to our favorite restaurant and I fell and sprained my ankle even BEFORE I had anything to drink. So Saturday we did NOTHING so I could stay on the couch and feel my foot throb. Turns out I’m not really good at sitting on the couch. There’s always something else I want to be doing, like cleaning the closet (no, really!) Anyway, I may have had a good nap that day but I don’t actually remember.

Sunday we did our usual errands, but way later than usual. Maybe I had a good nap. That’s the day I cut out my dress and skirt while waiting for Fred to wake up.

Monday I stayed home, except for a quick trip to Goodwill and McD’s. I finished my novella that day, made a good dinner, dessert and a strawberry lemonade. I had a good nap that day but when I woke up, Trish had called to tell me her mom had died. There’s nothing like having your best friend in another state and being perfectly helpless when that happens.

Tuesday I stayed home, too, but wasn’t as productive as Monday, rereading my post-apoc so I could jump in with the revisions, and couldn’t relax to take my nap. I knew Trish was waiting for her sister, was driving to Kentucky, was dreading going into her mom’s apartment. Couldn’t relax. Finished my dress, though.

Wednesday Mom and I went to Seguin and didn’t get back until 3, and me with a ton of plants. So I assigned them pots and tried to take a nap, but too late. I finished my skirt, though.

Thursday Mom, BB and I went to Fredericksburg and got home at almost 5! No nap, but I did take a mojito out on the back porch and vegged for a long time.

Friday was meant to be a relaxing day. Except the neighbors had tree trimmers, and I had the brilliant idea of getting them to come by here after they were done. That was at 10:30. At 3, they drove out of the alley, which is where the trees I wanted trimmed were, so I figured they forgot, and went to take a nap and of course I couldn’t relax. He came by around 5:30 for an estimate and will be back Tuesday. But I wasted my whole last day of Spring Break waiting for him. I wrote, too, of course, and cut out another dress, but it wasn’t the relaxing day I envisioned.

Tomorrow I’m going back to Fredericksburg to pick up a picture I wanted but didn’t buy because I didn’t want to carry it around with me. CRAZY.

Do you know how to relax? Because I don’t think I’ll have another shot until May!

Goals for the Week of SPRING BREAK

I’m posting these early this week because I want to take advantage of every minute of this break. I have a lot I want to do.

1) Sew a dress and cut out a skirt.

2) Finish revisions on NaNo book. No, I haven’t finished revisions on the Cowboy Christmas story, but I think the post-apoc needs to get done first.

3) Write a short story.

4) Two days with Mom. We’re going plant shopping one day, and to Fredericksburg with Baby Brother another.

5) Clean out my closet.

I’m going to be an absolute hermit. Josh isn’t coming home, so my days will be my own. I plan to take full advantage!

Goals for the Week Before Spring Break

I can do this, right? I got the short story done on time, made progress on that blasted novella…and this week should not be as crazy. I feel better prepared for my teaching this week, and it helps knowing in 5 days, I can be a hermit. BUT Fred is on vacation this week, and that may throw a hitch in things. On the plus side, he can cook

1) Finish novella. No kidding this time. I need to finish my post-apoc over Spring Break and get back on schedule. This novella was not supposed to be written yet.

2) an after-school meeting on Monday. There may be more, but I’ve not seen the calendar for the week yet.

3) Make a couple of appointments.

That’s it. I’m not pushing too hard, except on the novella! I finished my Rita reading last week, too, so no pressure from there.

Audible–What to Buy Next?

I put my Audible account on hold a couple of months ago because I was kinda backlogged on listening. I still kinda am–I’m listening to one of Jill Shalvis’s Lucky Harbor books, I have her Animal Magnetism, and Toni Anderson’s Dangerous Waters still to listen to, and Pride and Prejudice and another book I got for free.

The account started back up again this week and I got a new credit, and I’m not sure what to do with it.

Nora has a new book next month, but I’ll get another credit next month.

I could get the next Lucky Harbor book.

I could get the next Virgin River book (I’m so so so so so far behind in that one!)

I could get Raylan, the Elmore Leonard book that came out last year. The reason I haven’t yet is because both Boyd and Arlo are dead in the books, and they’re my favorite characters.

I could get SEP’s latest, something I’ve hesitated to do since I didn’t enjoy the connected book.

I could get the next Sookie Stackhouse book.

Or I could try something new. What would you do?

The Movie I’m Telling Everyone To Watch

Last summer or fall, I don’t remember when, my son came home from the movies raving about the writing, the acting and the soundtrack “Best use of ‘Heroes’ in a movie, ever.”

So when the movie came out on DVD last week I watched it. And watched it again.

The tension! The acting! The story! Oh, yes, and the music! My text to the boy: “Best use of ‘Come On, Eileen’ in a movie, ever.”

The movie? Perks of Being a Wallflower. It was absolutely wonderful, the story of a freshman who goes to school but finds himself isolated from everyone because of something that happened the previous year. He takes a chance and finds a wonderful friendship with two seniors, naturally falling in love with Emma Watson (who was terrific).

I texted Josh because it was hard to place the time period based on the music and fashion. It’s not set today. He said early 90s, but it seemed like an 80s setting. You tell me what you think.

There’s language and situations, so it’s not for everyone, but I watched it twice and loved it even better the second time. And bought the soundtrack.

Have you seen it? What did you think?

Goals for the Week of Company Coming

I survived last week–barely. Not one day was NOT stressful. Inservice, faculty meeting, board meeting, luncheon, testing…all while waiting for my aunt and uncle to arrive from California. Josh came home yesterday for a bit, my aunt and uncle are arriving this afternoon, and I have a deadline Friday.

Two more weeks until Spring Break.

I have not cooked much, nor do I plan to this week. I haven’t been on Pinterest, or Tumbler, and I’ve been using Mac Freedom to write.

So, this week:

1) Entertain company

2) FINISH NOVELLA.

3) Write a short story for the deadline. It only needs to be 5K, but with my schedule…

That’s it. That’s all I can handle.

New Cover Reveal!

Yes, I AM writing a Christmas story in February. It didn’t start out to be. Anyway, it’s a novella, and should be ready to go by Spring Break. I’m so backwards!