My writing day 2

So, this follows on from yesterday’s blog about my writing day.

Some or all of the following will take place.

Reading blogs and blogging. Both the family laptops are in almost constant use by the UFF and the B in the evenings so blogging doesn’t get a look in the weeks they’re here. [They divide their time equally between our house and their Dad’s on the other side of town, on a week-on, week-off basis.] Reading blogs is the first thing I do each morning, like touching base with friends, and I peck away at my own at various points in the day. If a paragraph isn’t coming right in the book, I’ll have a quick go at the blog. If I’ve just done a chunk I’m really pleased with, I’ll do a few more sentences on the blog.. you get the picture.

Washing, ironing, tidying, vacuuming, cooking supper… well I have to justify all this time at home somehow…

Making and drinking industrial quantities of tea. At least I’m taking up green tea as well which is supposed to be better. But better than what? Black tea? Not consuming liquids? Alcohol? Poking yourself with a propelling pencil? Strangling the cat?

Writing and answering emails. A gratifying number of these are starting to be about writing. For instance, heard today that the local newspaper where I grew up is interested in doing a piece about Testament. Hooray. But there are equally likely to be frustrating emails from eg car insurers or somebody with an unlikely name offering to sell me drugs to improve bits of anatomy I don’t have.

Going for a walk. I try to do this every day. I used to run (that makes it sound like I’ve spent 40 of my 45 years at it – but no, I’ve had brief spates of running throughout my adult life, the last of which ended last year with a bad back) but I’ve discovered that walking frees my mind more to think about things other than pain and getting sufficient air into my lungs. It also saves time – don’t need to change clothes before you go and don’t need a shower when you get in. Oh, and you can take in Tesco’s en route and pick up more tinned tomatoes (or whatever) as needed. Today’s walk was v. beautiful as the rain has gone away and it has been one of those crisp, clear autumn days we all long for. Even saw a bullfinch which you don’t get many of round here.

Picking bits of fluff and cat hairs out of my laptop keyboard. I don’t know why but this seems to occupy a ridiculous amount of my writing time. I should have the cleanest keyboard in the Northern Hemisphere but there always seem to be cat hairs in there. Do we have an abnormally moulty cat? She’s not bald so unless she grows hair at an alarming rate that can’t be it, surely?

Sneak reading whatever book I have on the go. I try not to do this because two minutes spent reading easily turns into three-quarters of an hour but some books are just too compulsive… I’m looking at you, David Baldacci and you, Minette Walters.

I’m sure I’ll think of dozens of other things which occupy my writing day once I’ve posted this but those are a few. Now, how am I going to condense all this verbiage down for Matt?