ROW80 – Page 10 – Linda Nelson

Original image via Bing Creative Commons, courtesy of laughingsquid.com

“If winter came every ten years, then half of my life would be filled with nonstop gardening.”

Cold… Winter is always too cold for me. This must be a sign of ageing. I remember when I was a kid I would spend hour after hour outside in the cold, it didn’t matter whether or not the temperature had dropped below zero. I still loved being outside, sledding and what not. I can’t help but think about how things seem to change the older one gets.

I’m counting down to the spring. Next month is maple sugaring time. March is the month of the seed catalogue. April – I live for April. That is the month where we set our seeds into the ground. Of course, I am guilty of planting too early.

I need a vacation to somewhere the warmth presides. Or, an indoor pool so I can at least pretend I’m there. Come May, I think a couple of trips to workshops and conferences may do the trick.

The RWA conference that is in TX this year would be an ultimate goal, but that won’t be happening for me. I think for starters, I will be staying close to home.

Deb Dixon will be at the Sheraton Tara in Nashua for our NHRWA Workshop. I’m absolutely going to that one. My spot has already been bought and paid for. All I need to do is rent a room for the weekend. My other half will accompany me to the hotel and see me off. I will supply him with my laptop and kindle while I am away learning how to write better.

During that same month, I hear that the New England RWA Chapter is also having an event. I have decided to attend that one too. And, once again my other half will accompany me on this trip of Vacation & Work. He has been extremely supportive of me ever since I began writing.

We haven’t had a true – stay at a hotel – vacation in almost 6 years. I can’t wait.

ROW80 Check In:

I didn’t actually do any work on my word count this week except for the blog posts. The block is still in place. It is plotting time. The plots have been too weak, and I seriously do need to do some world building, being exceptionally careful not to find myself in the world of the Game of Thrones – the next book series I honestly – absolutely need to read. It must hold a clue or some sort. I hear Martin writes in Multiple POV, which is a favorite style of mine. Anne McCaffery wrote Dragonrider’s of Pern in Multiple POV. I never noticed this when I read the series way back in the ’80s.

So, until further notice, I will be plotting and building.

Snow!

That’s what we found when we woke up this morning – more snow. Just when I thought maybe, just maybe our winter was going to turn out to be a bit milder than in the past years the snow came back. Now we are looking toward the cold returning too.

I don’t know why all of a sudden the weather forecasters have to keep calling the cold as the Polar Vortex. Have they been watching the sci-fi channel too much? Just call it what it is – cold weather. Why not, isn’t it winter?

One thing about living in New England, if you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute, and it will change. New Englanders learn at an early age to dress in layers due to this fact.

I know I shouldn’t complain. At least we didn’t get the cold that they saw in North Dakota. That would have been downright miserable.

It’s just that, I’m waiting impatiently for February, maple syrup season. After that comes spring with the blossoms on the Apple trees and the planting of the garden. We will also be welcoming a new flock of chicks.

There were a few casualties to our laying flock this past fall. Chickens tend to have a short life span especially when they are expected to be layers. Surprisingly we still have one original hen. She must be going on six years.

Now I will be thinking about Spring for the next four months.

– I should have made a Snow man today –

This was last year’s Snowman. He did come out kind of cute.

ROW80 Check In:

It has been a slow week. I don’t think I worked on the wip since Wednesday. My focus is off, and I don’t want to force the story. It will come in due time as one of those ah ha moments.

Have you ever had an ah ha moment?

I think they are pretty cool, especially when you realize what they are when they happen.

I had one of those when I was writing Along Came Neil. I still can’t believe I wrote that book.

How’s your writing week going?

Are you staying warm this winter?