IWSG: A Month in the Life of a Non-Writing Writer

Last month I decided to take a break from blogging to concentrate on my writing. I missed you all but I have to say, the results of my hiatus are pretty astounding. I got A LOT done--all except for one thing--writing. But you know what? I'm ok with the non-writing thing because I feel great. For a whole month I lived life instead of trying to write about it. And I slept, at least 8 hours each night! I love sleep. I didn't feel the benefits right away, but after 2 weeks of sleeping properly and spending more time outside, I can honestly say I feel great both mind and body.

So, what did this non-writing writer actually do during my hiatus?
Well, here's a quick run down:


First, I took pictures of my dog.

Photography? Ha! -- nailed it.   :P

Then, I did some gardening. I had seen the following example of vertical planting on the internet and thought it looked great. Naturally, I figured I'd give it a try. 
Can't be that hard, right?
Anyway, this is what I was going for:

Aaaaannnd.... this is what I got:






Gardening? Ha! -- nailed it.

Okay, so experimental gardening may not be my thing so, I talked to my neighbors to get some pointers. 

Socializing? Ha!-- nailed it.






So, with all this extra time on my hands I decided I should do some shopping. This was an exploit for me because I hate shopping. With a passion. And rightfully so:

Me thinks I need to pay better attention to what kind of t-shirts I buy the kids....

Shopping? Ha! --nailed it.







Okay, so after a few difficult attempts at being normal, Easter rolled around and I was able to distract myself by eating all the chocolate eggs hiding the Easter eggs for the kids.
*insert evil laugh*

Camouflage tactics? Ha! --nailed it.


And speaking of my kiddos, they're on vacation. That means I've got to keep them occupied. Not a simple task. Luckily for me, I discovered watercolor pencils!

Mikey picture? Cowabunga!--nailed it.

But one of the highlights was when the kids and I got to see one of the most renowned bird shows in the world.  At the end of the show, hundreds of raptors, (over 80 different species including falcons, hawks, eagles, vultures, etc.) flew only a few inches over the spectator’s heads. You would have loved it Golden Eagle. It was an amazing show right up until one of the birds dropped their "treats" thrown up to them by the falconers. The treat landed right in front of me and my kids with a thud--a dead chick.

Magic broken? --- Uggg, nailed it.

But despite it raining dead baby birds, it was still a fantastic show.


Video not suitable for those who suffer from ornithophobia.
Seriously, birds all over the place in this video. :D

April was also exciting because I got to help build a treehouse in the backyard. It's still a work in process but damn, I can't help but think what a fantastic/ideal place this is going to be for my writing when it's done!!!!! And yes, that does warrant 5 exclamation points!

But one of the most therapeutic moments for me was taking long walks to clear my head and fill my lungs with allergenic pollen. It was rejuvenating. 

*aachoo, cough, cough*

And everywhere I went, my camera followed. I took pictures of flowers...

and of my futures...

Future grapes.

Future strawberries.

Future pesto!

 Future housing development for smurfs.

Overall, April was a month of rest and getting back to the simple things that are important to me: family time and the outdoors. And I now realize to what extent I needed this time off. It's difficult and sometimes impossible to juggle writing and life. So, I put my writing aside and for the first time in years, I just took care of myself and my family. And I'm not ashamed to say, it was one of the best decisions I've made in a long time. But the best part is, I feel refreshed and have a mind filled with new and shiny plot ideas itching to come out. Now, I can't wait to get back to writing, and blogging, and that my friend, is a great feeling.

I hope those of you who participated in A-Z had a great time and don't feel too exhausted. I can't wait to catch up with everyone!  

******

Many thanks to Alex Cavanaugh our IWSG super-host and his awesome co-hosts this month. If you'd like to know more about the IWSG monthly bloghop, feel free to click the IWSG button on my side bar.