Merry Writing to All and to All a Goodnight

Woo-hoo! The last bus of the year arrived at our house just under an hour ago. Winter break has officially started. From now through January 3rd, we're free.

No need to keep E on task in the morning so she and her scooter are ready in time to meet the bus at the end of the drive. No need to enforce bedtime so E gets the sleep she needs in order to make it through the day. No need to time meds just right so E gets her last am dose before getting on the bus.

The break's not a total break. Therapy is still on. But, there is a plus side. Since Easter Seals is closed the Mondays following Christmas and New Year's, we only need to make the 30-minute trek across town once each week during the holidays instead of twice.

On the writing front, the next 13 days could be a bust or a creative treasure trove. I'm hoping for the later. Some of the tactics I've used in the past to leverage uninterrupted time while my kids are on break:

1. Treks to the library followed by reading and video fests.

2. Bribing of my oldest daughter to "keep watch" while I lock myself away in the office.

3. Hiring of a church youth as a mother's helper if my oldest daughter is unavailable.

4. Kid swapping with a friend. (I'll watch yours if you watch mine.)

5. Writing before anyone else wakes up. (I learned this technique from Jane Resh Thomas. I find it very useful, especially when I need to get unstuck.)

6. Writing after the girls go to bed. (Though I rarely use this tactic unless I'm on deadline because my most productive writing rarely occurs during this time of the day.)

7. Writing while the girls entertain friends elsewhere in the house. With Elena home sick so often, I've learned to write with the TV or stereo going in the other room. Doesn't always work because of the inevitable interruptions for drinks and snacks and ushering E up and down the stairs.

*Raises glass of sparkling grape juice.* Merry writing to all and to all a goodnight.

Edited to add:

Appetite for writing--Hearty.

Now all I need to find is an Alice to help me finish up Christmas, cook and clean, and entertain the girls so I can curl up with my laptop and indulge my appetite. Sigh. Highly unlikely in this universe, but it's fun to fantasize.