When I've got nothing but my aching soul

I am hella-crappy at taking breaks, just so you know. After hitting that Draft Zero marker on Maplecroft, I firmly resolved to take some time off - just a week or two - and not do any writing on anything, even though I have two other projects on deck (due before February of next year).

Maplecroft is the biggest of the three, from a scope and length standpoint; it's a full-length adult novel, and the other two are shorter projects, one young adult and one novella, respectively. So that's one big-ass hurdle out of my way. But it's also very, very different in tone and structure from these other two books, and I need a good palate cleanser before I just leap into the next thing.

Except ... I am no good at palate cleansers. I don't do a lot of short material, and I don't have any proposals or fiddly-things on tap, so I've basically just been going stir-crazy. I've done a lot of yardwork. Some shopping. Some reading. And a lot of pacing around the house, hunting for the next idea to develop ... not the next thing I might work on, but a Next Thing to kick around in the background.

So far, I've got nothing. That'll change, I know - but for now, it's a source of aggravation. I've started poking the young adult project with a stick, knowing that it's best if I let it lie for a while ... and I'll probably start writing on it again by the end of the week.

Or maybe not. Because ... I have guests coming this weekend! Or a guest, anyway - and I'll leave that guest's identity off the table for the moment, unless he/she feels compelled to out him/herself. Then, after that guest has returned home on Sunday, my dad and stepmom are coming to visit! And they're bringing their new family additions - the pair of Great Danes they picked up from a rescue in northern Tennessee a month or so ago.

Greyson doesn't know yet it, but he is hella pumped for all the visitors. And so am I, obviously.

Besides the fact that it's nice to see the guest in question, never mind the 'rents - and it'll be cool to meet the dogs ... we're always happy for Big G to have larger, older dogs around to teach him social etiquette. At his size he doesn't get bossed around much, which sometimes makes him bratty - and besides, he's shaken off some of his early anxiety behaviors by watching other dogs behave normally. We're hoping the Danes can help him overcome some of his horror with regards to riding in cars. God knows nothing else is working.

Anyway. Except for the impending guest arrivals there's not much going on over here. Aside from anticipating the extra folks ... I predict that this week I'll do some more reading and yardwork, and some more swearing, and yet further wandering around the house. If things really get wild, we might paint the restored trim around the garage doors (main and rear entrance).

It's a thrill-a-minute over here, you guys. Don't let anyone tell you different.