Almost A Month With No Writing

I wrote like a crazy woman in November and December, not because of word counts, but because, for the first time that I can remember, I decided to take a break from novels and novellas while my grandsons were here and when company came to stay with us for my husband’s surprise birthday/retirement party.  The boys stayed here for three weeks, from December 14 to January 7, and John’s brother and our daughter and son-in-law flew in on January 10 to 14.  I wanted to focus on people and enjoy them with no time out at my computer.  Did I like it?  Yes.  Do I want to do it again?  No.  Why?  I love friends and family, but I missed my writing.

I’m not saying that I have to do my usual routine–writing off and on for most of the day until it’s time to start supper–but if I would have squeezed in just one or two hours a day while the boys were here, it would have eased some of the itch of withdrawal.   I missed my keyboard, my make-believe worlds, and my characters.   It’s not like the boys need, or even want, to see me every waking minute, but people were in and out of the house, my husband was home, and I usually ditch everyone for my writing room, but this time I wanted to make the effort to bake cookies, cook their favorite meals, and enjoy them.  It was a mixed bag for all of us.  The truth?  I enjoy being a writer, and THEY enjoy having me escape and do my thing for a few hours a day.  (Okay, so maybe they want to get rid of me for a minute or two–hmmm).  So next year?  Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas, and they can live without me for a couple hours a day.  It makes us all happy.