So it’s August… anyone else feeling completely deflated?
This time of year I’ve normally just been to spend a few days with family, had a night or two away just my daughter and I, had several fun and interesting days out, and would be in the middle of packing for our annual camping trip to Wales.
Instead, I find myself locked at home in another local tightening of rules that prevents me from seeing any family. While the campsite that we stay on is open, we don’t feel comfortable going there and using the shared facilities, and the same goes for attractions. Many shops and museums, etc, are open around us but, unless it’s an outdoor activity, we aren’t willing to risk it.
It’s made me feel really horrible as a mom. My daughter’s summer holiday is passing by at the speed of light, and she’s not been able to enjoy any of it. I know I’m not alone in my thinking, and there are plenty of people in a much worse situation than us, but it doesn’t ease my sadness and, if I’m honest, anger that by the time this is over she can pretty much wipe a year from her life. Our life.
We’ve been robbed and cheated. It’s not to say that this year would have been super amazing. For all we know things could have conspired against us and we would have had to cancel plans anyway, but that would have been on us.
I don’t want to be one of those people going on about missed education. Yeah it’s important, and yes homeschooling was a nightmare, but it goes beyond not knowing their times tables and the difference between to, two and too. It’s all the other things that go along with it, like school trips, building relationships and, in our case, my daughters first overnight residential.
I hope that if you are experiencing something similar, by speaking up I’ve somehow helped and, that you know you aren’t alone. If you do need someone to talk to, I’m always around (Mostly on Instagram.).
With all of that being said, it will come as no surprise that I didn’t push myself too hard during Camp NaNoWriMo. I set myself a goal of 7,000 words towards my mafia series and somehow managed to smash that with a total of 14,108 words.
As I concentrated on my writing, unfortunately I wasn’t able to keep up with reading. In fact, I didn’t even pick up a book during July! But, as I searched for activities to entertain the little one, I did dip my paintbrushes into some watercolours, something I haven’t done in a very long time. Perhaps I might bring them out again, when I have that golden egg called time.
I had intended for this post to come out right at the start of the month but, just like everything else at the moment, it seemed to pass me by. It wouldn’t be a monthly catch-up without my goals, so here they are:
In August I aim to write 1,000 words per day on Sorceress of Flame. I’m hoping that will bring me much closer to ‘the end’ and I’ll finally have that elusive first draft. To date I have managed around 10,000 words, so I’m not too far off achieving that.
My second and final goal is to have fun. I want to try and enjoy what time we do have left as a family before school restarts, even if it is just going for a few walks and eating garden picnics.
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Right! Time for me to do some housework and stop the living room from looking like a bomb has hit it.
Stay healthy. Stay safe.
Speak soon, Jodie xxx
