Why I Can't Write

When I first lost my job, I had a fabulous morning routine that meant I had time to write, time to clean, time to read, and best of all, time to myself.

We'd be up at 5:30; M would leave for the gym at 6:00, and I would head into the office for a few hours of writing before taking Pupper for a 9am walk and then heading to the gym. Afternoons, I would clean and/or read. This worked great for a week until M realized that without me going to the gym at 6am, she didn't have the motivation to do it herself, so two hours of morning solitude/writing time went out the window. She leaves for school at 8, so I am left with only 1 hour instead of the 3 I had been luxuriating in. Until I can figure out a new schedule, I'll be stealing writing time. Perhaps I just have to disappear into the office or work room at 6:00 anyway. Who knows. I have noticed that since she stopped going to the gym in the morning, so have I because I am looking for a way to regain the "lost" time I'm spending with her rather than "working".

Don't get me wrong. I love my wife, and I love spending time with her in the morning. I just need to re-schedule my time. The whole thing is complicated even more, as well, by visits from our dog walker -- who no longer really has a job since I've been fired but misses our dog and needs the motivation to exercise. She is lonely, and most days she plops herself on the sofa and stays here chatting for a couple of hours in the afternoon. She is a great person, and I enjoy spending time with her, but I also need to get stuff done. M says I need to be blunt and tell her that I have things to do; I have a hard time doing that.

I will get better at this, I know I will. But until then, I may not have as much time to write as I wish.

Of course, this past week has been even "worse" since between sick days (that stomach thing) and snow days, M has been to school one day. And next week is February vacation, on top of that. I hadn't realized how much I enjoyed my solitude until I lost it completely. Boy, I really AM an introvert, ain't I?

Now, I'm off to listen to "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" -- the absolute greatest game show ever.

But I leave you with this:

It's the penguin sweater to go with the Jelli Beenz Socks I made my niece. I forgot to photo the thing before we wrapped and gifted it. Mom sent this pic a couple weeks ago.

Pattern: Plymouth D025 - Penguin Sweater
Yarn: Cleckheaton Country 8-Ply #2277 (4 balls), #2167 (1 ball), #6 (2 balls), #1805 (1 ball)
Needles: Brittany walnut 10" #4 and 6
Mods: Picked up way more stitches around the neck than the pattern called for as the child in question doesn't like stuff at all tight around her neck.