This is what Happens

When you have too many irons in the fire, so to speak.

I sat comfortably this morning, confident I had a post scheduled for today--only to finally check in and realize that I don't.

So...

Thursday was a day I set aside just to write. I planned it, announced it, and got all ready to go. My mind was swirling with ideas. I have a short story to edit, and wanted to get it done or mostly done Thursday.

That was the plan. The reality? Not so much.

At 3am my husband woke up to find we had no power AT ALL in the house. He checked the breakers and everything was fine, just no electricity. At 5:30 we both got up, partly because we were overly warm and uncomfortable in bed and partly because it was time to get my oldest up for seminary. Which he does online since we live 30 miles from the church. Ya, that wasn't about to happen. We got all the kids up for school and got ready by flashlight/candlelight. Hubby called the power company. A truck showed up around 7. Hubby went to work, the kids caught the bus to school, and the puppy and I waited. I finally returned to bed with a headache and listened to the power company truck in the alley.

Suddenly, the ceiling fan came on. The bathroom light. Yes! Power is restored. I waited a few more minutes to see if the guy would come to the door and tell us what had happened. Nothing. Not a peep from the dog, who barks incessantly if someone comes to our door. My headache and I drift off to sleep.

The next thing I know it's 11am. We have power, but I feel rotten. Bad sleep will do that to you. So I take some time to wake up and get going. Announce to FB that I'm signing off for the day to get some writing done. Sure, the kids will be home from school soon (it's now about 1pm) but I can still work. I can shut myself in the office while they do chores and stuff and get some done. I can even write later while they are in bed. My schedule is not completely derailed.

Then I get a call. Can I come in at 2pm for a meeting to discuss my benefits? Yes, because I need to. But I'd rather not. Sigh. I get ready to leave.

I'm sitting in the waiting room and my boss calls my cell phone. Can I come in to work at 3pm? Forget that I have a meeting. Forget that I have dough rising at home for cinnamon rolls (which, by the way, did not survive). Forget that I have edits to do. I have to spend the evening at work.

Rush through my meeting. Hurry home. Throw my work clothes in the dryer and put together dinner for the kids for later. Leave them a note begging apology and also begging them to get along.

In all of that, I did write a couple of heart wrenching scenes for The Lost Princess. So I guess the day wasn't an epic fail. Sometimes I feel like that's what I get for making writing plans. It's almost like going to the temple. I've got to keep it a secret, sneak up on it, if I want to actually accomplish anything.

Mama said there'd be days like this.