This week hasn’t been a particularly successful week with my
writing and I can’t even use the excuse of having been too busy with work! I
had time to write this week, but I didn’t. I just had a week where I felt
massively distracted by everything that wasn’t writing.
So, what have I been doing when I could be writing?
Crafting
After getting a little more adventurous with my crafting
skills over lockdown, I decided I would try and make some of my Christmas gifts
this year- only for my parents, because they have got to love whatever I give
them, no matter how disastrous it looks. I am currently making something that
involves far too much paint, picture frames and polystyrene stars and it has
all been quite messy. I have been trying to couple my messy painting with
soaking up the last of the ‘summer’ sun and have been doing most of my painting
outside, in the garden, with a cup of coffee. It has all been rather peaceful.
Walking
Just to add to trying to make the most of the September sun,
I have been going on walks whenever I can. I am determined to continue walking
this year. I love walking. It is one of my most favourite things to do. I love
the British countryside and there is nothing better than going on a hiking
adventure. However, I tend to only do this from March- August and never seem to
really get my walking boots out over the Autumn and Winter months. I promised
myself over lockdown this year that I will keep on walking and spend time
appreciating some autumnal and wintry walks.
Seeing the family
With having a few vulnerable family members in my immediate
family, I wasn’t able to see them so much over lockdown. I am really family
orientated, usually spending multiple days throughout the week with my parents
and my nan, so this has been really hard for me. Now that I am back at work, I
feel that I need to be especially cautious as I am aware that I could easily catch
things from the students, even with the measures in place, and perhaps not even
realise it. So, when I am able to see my family nowadays it is particularly
special. It is my birthday coming up soon and as the weather was nice on Sunday
we had a socially distanced meal in my parents back garden and watched a
Christmas 2019 video James and I had made. It was so strange watching us
celebrate Christmas not knowing what was to come in just a few months’ time.
Watching Series
It is amazing how much time TV can just drain away. In just
a week, I have watched:
-The second series of The OA: Bizarre and surreal. I
like the acting, the characters and elements of the plot but sometimes it
pushes it way too far. The octopus? What was that about?
-Strike- Lethal White: This was interesting because
this was the first time I had watched a series so close to having finished the
book (I read Lethal White over lockdown). I liked that I could remember so much
more detail but disliked when characters didn’t quite match up to my
expectations- definitely thought a certain character in particular would be
more of a caricature of Boris Johnson, but maybe they wouldn’t quite be able to
get away with that.
-Sharp Objects: I am about halfway through this
series. I love all of Gillian Flynn’s writing. I absolutely love her imperfect
and unreliable protagonists. I had forgotten, however, how dark her writing can
be and can’t watch too many episodes of Sharp Objects in a row or end up feeling
a tad depressed.
Anyway, my point is- far too many hours wasted on
television!
Reading
Usually my reading accompanies my writing. When I am in a
reading mood, I tend to write a lot too and vice versa. I haven’t read as much
as I usually do this past week but I have read some of Jamaica Inn. I had been
meaning to read it for a really long time and I am really enjoying the
description of Cornwall and the atmospheric writing.
Now I have allowed myself to be torn away from my writing
for a while, I guess I should get back to it. I only have about 10 more
chapters of my current WIP to write, so hopefully, I can get my act together
and dedicate some of my next weekend to writing.
