… oh boy, we’re way behind aren’t we?! Don’t worry, more posts are coming …
(April 13 – 19)
Another welcome milestone with the novel this week. I finished the current chapter and started a new one. I’m now on the final stretch of the novel—the last three chapters—which feels good, having wrapped up the first draft of a potentially challenging set of chapters.I have a pretty good feeling that I’m going to finish this novel without any great stress or delays (unlike my previous attempts) and I’m already looking forward to going back through it for the edit/rewrite.
One good thing
This week my partner and her two children have temporarily moved in, so we can share the load while in what semi-lockdown this is over here. This biggest bonuses of this are that we can support each other a lot more easily (two parents, one household) and the Kinderbeast now has two people to play with all day, which he is absolutely loving. The Elderbeast is more or less living in his room, shacking up with the PS4, but that’s no major change. Overall it’s been working out super-well and is at least something positive that’s come out of this pandemic.
One bad thing
Ironically, far from having my hands full with twice the number of kids in the house, I’ve found myself sitting on my hands a lot of the time. I’ve arranged to work half-days for the next month or two, mostly to enable my partner to disappear and focus entirely on her studied for the other half of the day. However, we allow the kids to have screen time in the afternoons (when I’m not working) and they’ve kept themselves entirely occupied building (and occasionally destroying) worlds in Minecraft.
As a result I’ve had more time on my hands the last few days than I’ve had in years. And, naturally, I have no idea what to do with it. I’ve kept myself busy revisiting Half Life 2 (having discovered I can play it on the big TV), but I’m finding it’s more of a diversion than a fulfilling use of my time.
Consequently, I’ve decided I need to use this time for reading, or for practising guitar, or even for watching things. Anything, basically, that engages my brain a little more than I am presently.