A Few Bumps Along the Creative Path

Since returning to writing morning pages, I've been jotting down weekly intention lists as well. I tried to keep the list doable, yet not boring. Getting goals and ideas out of my head and on to the page makes magic happen! Each week I return to my list a time or two, checking off what I accomplished. I don't get stressed if it looks like not everything will get a checkmark beside it. I simply move on and let it go, knowing life took a different turn.

This week I continued to work on my new writing course, actually both the Compel course and The Conscious Booksmith. I devoted a couple hours each day to writing, although today I began to watch a video for CB and ended up taking a catnap instead. 

I pulled out my coconut oil and sugar yesterday and made a few jars of  body sugar scrub. I added an essential oil to three of the jars- tangerine, peppermint and lavender. This time I used 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of coconut oil, softened and a few drops of oil. I'm not certain what I used at Christmas, so here's hoping! 

Not everything went smoothly on the creative front. I cast on for my second knitted sock - about twenty-five times before I got it right. And yesterday my oatmeal bread bombed! That never happened in all the years I've been making it. I got distracted in the middle of the process and had a moment of questioning how much flour I'd actually added. I pulled the yummy looking, although slightly dipping in the middle, loaves from the oven. I sliced hubby a big warm piece, only to discover it wasn't cooked! Back into the oven for an extra fifteen minutes. Even then, the bread looked doughy and smooshed. Hubby said it had a great flavor. Bless his heart.

Tomorrow we head south to see our kids and grandkids and then pick up mom on Monday from my brother's home and head north. Lily came down with the flu last night so we may have to bypass their home. So disappointed! 

As much as I hate leaving home these days, I am looking forward to the break from writing. I could feel myself slipping into a rut.

Update on the Bible Study: Six women said yes! The seven of us begin Restless on April 6. Yay!

Happy weekend!

Rest and Reset

I find myself searching for rhythms of rest. I can't get settled. Over on FearlessLines I talk about that as related to creativity.

The past three days were filled with numerous conversations at a funeral, a hospital, a family's home, a motel and a restaurant, with hours of travel interspersed. Our last major stop was to check on our camper and travel the last leg of our journey, the three-hour trek home. 

As I unpacked this morning, I found myself putting things away in the wrong places. Everything took more concentration than normal. Then there's the  replaying conversations in my head of the past week, feeling like I wish I would have said less and listened more. Groan. I want to hibernate for the remainder of winter.

My entire body hurts from all the hours stuck in the car and sleeping on pillows not my own. 

I read my Kindle app on my iPad a lot while we were on the road. When I got home I opened my Kindle and pressed sync. Oila' the magic of electronics brought me to the exact page where I'd left off.  

I want to press the sync button to my body and spirit, causing everything to go back to the way it was a week ago. 

I'd gotten the hang of stretching each day to help my back, shoulders and hips. I felt better. My creative juices were flowing and I had lots of ideas. 

Today- not so much.

I tried a nap, to no avail and I probably should have avoided blogging as you can see. 

When you push the reset button on your satellite dish, it has to go through a long process of checking and restoring settings and functions. There are days we just have to push the reset button and wait.