Groundhog Week 2, Day 1. The sun is shining, there are bullfinches in my garden and the clocks have gone forward, meaning an extra hour of evening light. I am safe and comfortable. I've had more phonecalls from family and friends than I've had for years and have even learned about Zoom. I have a supply of food, books and good neighbours and family around should we need anything. I have a husband who is good company. I have nothing to complain about.
But the world shut down so fast and so frighteningly. I daren't let myself think about the danger to family and friends; I just need to take each day as it comes and be glad that the only problem is extreme dullness. We actually had a discussion this morning about whether we should go for our allocated half-hour walk in the morning or save it so we could look forward to the excitement of having it in the afternoon.
In fact,the pattern of each day isn't a lot different from an ordinary day, with working at my desk, cooking and cleaning, reading, watching a bit of TV. I have more time available for writing than usual since I'm not out shopping, cooking doesn't take so long when we're not planning supper parties and hours I'd normally spend meeting up with friends are freed up for uninterrupted creativity.
Somehow it's not working like that. I'm sitting in the same room, at the same desk, but when I try to concentrate on the new book, it feels as if I'm standing in a desert, barren and colourless, with only the odd bit of tumbleweed blowing across it.
I would have said that when I am writing I'm escaping into another world, the world of my characters. But reflecting, I now wonder whether the constant flow of chat and gossip and exchange of news that forms the background for daily living is also what gives my characters life? Have I now put their world into lockdown, too? It's an uncomfortable thought.
So I have lots of positive resolutions for this week. I'm not going to make myself do dreary things, like tidying cupboards and shredding all the bumph cluttering up my filing cabinet. I'm going to work out little treats that don't involve getting closer than 2m to a stranger. I shall cook nice things to eat – I may even make tablet, a wicked sort of Scottish fudge that can add two inches to your hip measurement if you so much as open the tin. And if the worst comes to the worst I might even read Georgette Heyer's The Grand Sophy while I eat it.
11 comments:
Just to say hello quickly, Aline, since we won't be seeing each other in Torquay. I am finding it hard to settle to writing too.
Oh, excellent, Aline. The Grandy Sophy, for sure. I just recalled I have the audoiobook, so I can link into that once I've finished streaming Jane Eyre, made available free from Audiobooks.
Yeah, the writing... The writer's dream time. All the time in the world to write, with few interruptions. But sadly, our minds just can't seem to conjure up on a virus-free world. The past (last month) is another country; the present is shifting hour by hour, and the future.... well.
As for tablet, or anything other sugary treats...I'm already feeling the added girth. Just not enough of getting out and about, and too much comfort food.
Stay well.
I noticed a tweet from Kate Ellis today saying she was finding the same. Perhaps it's natural. Hope you have nice nice treats planned! So sad about the CWA conference, though. It's along time to next April!
Sue, you are so right. I was forced to shop today (no delivery for ten days) and going out it was like the scene in the disaster movie where everything is eerily quiet and all that birdsong is just sinister. But a wise friend said to me, 'You cannot sustain crisis' so I'm trusting that after a little longer all the alarm bells that keep disturbing our thinking will dial down. I've always found before that it works.
Keep safe.
Your mention of tablet is the second reference to it I've seen in the past few weeks. First time I'd heard of it was in a Jenny Colgan novel, and it does sound sinful. But well-deserved in present times. If you'd like to share your recipe, I'm sure many of us would love to have it.
My neighborhood is quiet when no one is mowing or leaf-blowing, and I'm very much enjoying the birdsong!
Wishing health and happiness for you and your family,
Tanya
Life hasn't changed a huge amount for me, since I don't go out much anyway. There's still construction going on across the street. Sigh. But when I do go out, everything's very quiet. I saw some pictures of the Las Vegas Strip...so empty. I was there about a month ago and it was very busy. So strange. The beaches and bike paths here are all closed.
I am having trouble writing too. Partly because of the "times", partly because my publisher canceled my series recently. Anyway, I shall forge ahead.
I have gotten some painting projects done, so that's a plus.
It seems I'm far from the only person struggling to write just now. There's a great article by Antony Johnson on thecra.co.uk just now. Sybil, I know how you're feeling. That once happened to me and it was a terrible blow, but what I wrote afterwards was much more successful and I'm sure you'll find that too. Good luck!
Tanya - Scottish tablet recipe - my granny's! (UK quantities I'm afraid but I guess there's a conversion table) 2lbs sugar, 1/4 lb butter, 1/2 cup milk, 1 tin (sweetened) condensed milk, 2 teasp. vanilla extract. Stir sugar, milk and butter together in a heavy-bottomed pan over a moderate heat until sugar TOTALLY dissolved.(vital!) Add condensed milk, raise heat and boil, stirring all the time until 116 (or 240), or test teaspoonful in water to see if it makes a soft ball. Take off heat, add vanilla and beat until thick and grainy. Pour into well-greased tin and cut into squares before fully set. ENJOY!
So sorry to hear that, Sybil. The way publishers work these days is sometimes incomprehensible. I'm sure you'll come up with something new and sign another deal because you're too good a writer not to have books coming out. Or you can forge ahead and find a new home for your series.
These days it's not the quality of the writing, it's how many of the books go out the door. When you get almost no promotion, you're sort of stuck in a Catch-22 -- unless you have a brazilian friends!
We believe in you!
Thanks, Rick and Aline. It wasn't completely unexpected and I wasn't the only series they published cancelled, but still.. I do have ideas for a couple other series and some short stories so that's good.
Oh, my gosh, Sybil. Well, keep writing. Like Rick said, you're too good a writer not to write.
Thanks Donis. Appreciated.
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