My weekends sometimes feel like super-condensed versions of my week. Chores, shopping, yard work, laundry, quality time with family, trips back to the store to purchase forgotten items, furniture moving, and cleaning up my finished project mess, all encroach on my very real need for sleep. The rest of my list will still be there in the morning. Oh, and there is the 9 to 5 to schedule into the mix. That promises to be a cakewalk in comparison. I am eagerly looking forward to the coming four-day weekend and a nice long nap.

Even with the hustle and bustle, I didn’t forget my number one priority. My habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 251 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Rainy Saturday mornings provide an excellent excuse to lie in bed a little longer than usual and cancel my daily walk. The torrential downpour flooded the streets and created a lake in the backyard as the storm sewers struggled to handle the massive amount of water. Yesterday’s total measurement reached 2.9 inches of rain, so I also canceled all outdoor projects. Sadly, it also meant scuttling plans for the precious one-year-old’s birthday party at a neighborhood park, and we held a much smaller celebration indoors. It worked out great because it meant more cake for me. Yum.

More good news arrived with the UPS truck. The replacement stringer for my 10th chair showed up on my doorstep. I couldn’t wait to attach it and complete the last chair of the set. Yippee. Now I can officially move that project to the Ta-Done column. Since I was looking for indoor activities, I spent quality time at my desk working on my Q3 planning. Yes, I can’t believe we are moving into the last half of the year already. I am sorry to admit that I am not where I planned to be. We are where we are, and I make my plans from this point forward without judging myself too harshly for not having gotten further.

Even with the hustle and bustle, I didn’t forget my number one priority. My habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 223 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday marked the end of a grueling week. The 9 to 5 always presents challenges, frustrations, and a promised paycheck for my herculean efforts. It guarantees funds for my expeditions to various stores for forgotten supplies for my home improvement projects. Armed with a fresh tube of caulk, I began work on the cabinets I cleaned and prepared the day before. They say thorough prep work is half of the job, and I finished caulking all eight cabinets in less than two hours. A few well-applied beads of caulk changed okay cabinets into something spectacular. And there is a bonus. I have enough caulk remaining to perform some touch-up magic on the bathroom vanity.

Friday is the day my class meets, and I scrambled to finish the assigned homework and submit it before class began. Mission accomplished. Refinishing work on the nine interior doors continues, and I am in awe of their transformation. The nicked, banged, scuffed, dented, dinged, sharpie marked, paint-splattered, and generally abused doors could be mistaken for brand new. Amazing. Friday night is also Date Night and an opportunity to celebrate even tiny wins.

Even with the hustle and bustle, I didn’t forget my number one priority. My habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 219 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday devolved into a long line of derailed attempts to complete a half dozen different tasks. After a soul-crushing day at the 9 to 5, the hits didn’t stop. I prepared my supplies and cleaned a set of cabinets so I could apply a bead of much-needed caulk. But when I cut into the tube of caulk, it was all dried out.

Undaunted, I moved outside to spray-paint my rusty hose caddy. I scraped the rust and began setting up my makeshift cardboard spray booth when black clouds scuttled overhead and rained on my parade. I retreated indoors, thinking I would sand the wood floor vents and get them ready for staining. I collected the eleven vents and set up my work area, only to discover that I didn’t have the correct sandpaper grit. I now have an unexpected shopping list.

The third sealer coat on the stairs looks beautiful, but it needs to cure for 24 hours before we move to the next step. Work advances slowly and steadily on refinishing the nine interior doors. Every day I celebrate even the smallest win.

Even with the hustle and bustle, I didn’t forget my number one priority. My habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 210 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday I encountered an enormous disappointment. I only finished assembling nine of the ten new dining room chairs. My brain pumped me up, filling me with motivation as I looked forward to crossing this task off my list. Five, four, three, two, Uh-oh. The last stretcher rail on the final chair was incorrect. The box included two front stretcher rails instead of a front stretcher and a right-side stretcher rail. You can’t imagine my dismay. I dug through the paperwork, found the 800 number, and punched my way through the “Press One for Sales” automated jungle. Eventually, the operator connected to “Marsha,” who confirmed that the part was in stock and would ship today. With luck, it will arrive next Tuesday, and I can finally put this project to bed.

The second sealer coat on the stairs required a rough sanding before applying the third, and hopefully, the final finish sealer coat. Time will tell. After a rain delay, work resumed on refinishing the nine interior doors. Every day I celebrate the small wins.

Even with the hustle and bustle, I didn’t forget my number one priority. My habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 243 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

At the beginning of April, I created a massive To-Do list. I felt anxious, stressed, and I found it difficult to sleep because I couldn’t stop my brain from running in a never-ending circle. When I dreamed, it was a nightmare of failures because I forgot something important. To end the madness, I opened an Excel spreadsheet and performed a brain dump. The exercise yielded a list of 208 items. No wonder I was a basket case. I then created categories and due dates, set up filters, and assigned color codes. I love Excel. That night I finally slept well.

The Brain-dump list became my lifeline, and each week I update the file. It has grown larger but nothing crazy. There are now 231 line items, with 51 items forever moved into the completed column. This week I am juggling 74 In-process tasks. By Friday, I hope to transfer another 12 items to the TA-Done column. Yesterday I finished assembling five of the ten new dining room chairs. The stairs received two finish sealer coats, and work began on refinishing all nine interior doors. I even finished the book on my daily reading list and started on the next one. Every day I celebrate the small wins.

Even with the hustle and bustle, I didn’t forget my number one priority. My habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 195 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Monday hit me with a sledgehammer. The 9 to 5 bled every ounce of patience from my being as I sat in an endless string of meetings. I pushed agendas forward, keep participants on topic, fostered problem-solving on the fly, supported alternate solutions to problems, cut off long-winded tangents, redirected the group’s focus towards reaching our goal, and encouraged everyone. Hoorah. Then I started my actual work.

Work progresses on the house project list. The boards, cleats, and trim pieces for the linen closet have been cut to size and sport a white primer coat. The contractor refinishing the stairs reached the stage where he stained the risers and treads and achieved a phenomenal match to the original spindles and banister. I have windows and doors open and fans running to dispel the fumes and hasten drying times. My bed is calling my name and reminding me I need a good night’s sleep before I can tackle tomorrow’s schedule.

Even with the hustle and bustle, I didn’t forget my number one priority. My habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 208 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday we welcomed the first day of Summer and celebrated Father’s Day. The year is spinning past in a flurry of activity. They delivered my new dining table and chairs yesterday, after failing to keep their promise of a Saturday arrival date. In starts and fits, maximizing pockets of time between other commitments, I assembled the table, and it looks fabulous in the new room. I’m confident I can put the ten matching chairs together before the end of the week. I have plenty of “spare” time. Not.

Work continues with setting up my new office. The two eight-foot bookcases stand dust-free, polished, and ready to be loaded with my extensive collection. I hauled the first two heavy book boxes from storage and began lining the shelves. Not all my books will remain in the office. I have plans for other bookcases in other rooms of the house. But until I place those units, my office is the primary staging and sorting area for every bound volume I discover as I unpack.

Even with the hustle and bustle, I didn’t forget my number one priority. My habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 149 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday was another busy day spent running errands, planning to build new shelves for the linen closet, weeding the garden, watering plants, and moving furniture into my new office. There are still an untold number of boxes to unpack and sort through. The box’s contents get sorted into three piles, find the item a new home in the remodeled house, throw it away, or donate it. There is one more option. Close the lid on the box and deal with the items in it some other day. It’s time to end the decision-making exercise when every box I open joins the Deal-With-It-Later group. Exhausted and running out of time, I know I have one more promise I must keep.

My secret weapon is writing a little each day. It is a habit I am ready to reinstall in my life. Yesterday I wrote 183 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

June evenings last forever. The sun doesn’t set until 8:30, it doesn’t get dark until after 9:00 pm, and the list of evening activities is endless. Everyone loves dinner cooked on the grill and eaten at the patio table. Making S’mores around the fire pit is a great way to slow down and have meaningful conversations with your nearest and dearest as you watch the sunset.

The newest addition to our backyard retreat is a Glow-in-the-Dark, Ring Toss Game. The tournament lasts until a swarm of blood-sucking mosquitos forces us to quit for the night. Friday night, movie night is no longer relegated to the oversized comfy couch as we opt for our local Drive-in venue. Even if the movie is dull, the countless stars in the sky offer their own stories. With all the late-night options, it’s easy to forget the more serious business of honoring our scheduled writing sessions.

The secret is remembering to write a little each day. And it is a habit I am ready to reinstall in my life. Yesterday I wrote 155 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer