Monday Meanderings

One week from today, I hope to have The Book Project on its way to the publishers. Next weekend I shall 'go into labor' and by Monday morning, I hope to have 'pushed out' a book.

Saturday is my last official day to tend to that-which-needs-tending on the book. I could fine tune, add, delete, question and pick this book apart for another year, But I won't. I just can't. 'Saturday' is my last official day of fine tuning the book.

I expect one full day of tinkering with details, formatting, rechecking the page layout and a bazillion (okay, only ten) little items to do and check before it goes. 'Sunday' is my appointed Detailing Day.

I suspect there will be details and troubleshooting and minor (I can only hope) hiccups as I submit my manuscript. 'Monday' is the day I expect everything I was not expecting to happen ... to happen. I am planning for it. I will be ready.

Then I must tend to my columns. 'Tuesday' will be the day I begin the process of choosing another month's worth of articles. Followed by the task of picking them apart, editing, reading, rereading and reading them one or two more times before I send them on their way. They should be ready for departure by 'Wednesday'.

After that, I must tend to our family reunion which will be only five weeks away by that point. There are phone calls to be made, details to tend, emails to send and I cannot even begin to imagine what else. I have been putting off even thinking about this event until The Book Project is complete (although there is a reunion file which is collecting a nice little stack of papers full of notations, currently located under the (shrinking) pile of Book Work).

By Friday of next week, I expect to be living in a whole new world. What will I do?

Can you believe I just spent an exorbitant amount of time (just now) reading up on "The Honest Co." cleaning products? My knees are quite literally going weak at the mere thought of their multi-surface (advanced plant-based formula) cleaner that "tackles dirt, grease, and grime anywhere, anytime! Super versatile and ultra effective - leaving nothing behind but the fresh smell of grapefruit." They had me at 'cleaner'. My senses are going wild at the thought of the fresh, citrus odor it leaves in its wake.

After our home is sufficiently clean and smelling of citrus, I believe I will take up reading again. This morning I stopped and gazed at the unread books sitting on my dresser. In actuality, I was thinking "That's where they are! Why did I start another pile in the spare room then?" But after I was done thinking that thought, I stood for a moment of silence and pictured myself sitting back and reading. I hope I can stay awake.

The thought of reading segued into the snacks I remember having by my side as I used to read. There was the popcorn phase; followed by the chocolate milkshake stage; then a multitude of snacks to fill the void in the years afterwards...

Lately, I haven't been snacking. It has been amazing. I am feeling so fulfilled 'within', that I have not had the urge to fill myself up with mindless chewing. I wonder how much weight I have lost?

I stepped on the scale. I wish I could remember what the number said the last time I stepped on it. I am pretty sure it wasn't higher. It definitely wasn't lower. My weight seems to be stabilized. The weight of the book falling off my shoulders hasn't decreased the number substantially. You can be certain that one of the very first things I will be doing (upon receipt of the completed book) is weighing it. I (sort of) remember the number on the scale this morning. I will see if I lose the 'book weight' after I give birth.

And so are the meanderings of my mind this morning. I am here, there and everywhere (and a few additional places in between). I am so relieved to be 'here'. So close ...

Then I read of the near miss our planet earth had with an asteroid yesterday. I read this article about an asteroid which was heading our way. To think ... I could have been 'this close' to completing the Book Project and it all could have been wiped out by one little asteroid.

It makes you stop and think about the little things we worry about, doesn't it?

Maybe I won't worry about the state of cleanliness of our home after all (yet that lingering scent of grapefruit is still speaking to me).

Here is my tip of the day "When the going gets tough, remember ... it could always be worse. You never know when an 'asteroid' is headed your way."