If my fairy godmother bowled up right now and could grant me one wish, well two or three would be nice but I’m not greedy (or unrealistic), I would ask for one whole week to be alone.
ON MY OWN!
That’s right. Just me. In the house. On my own.
Writing.
With NO distractions.
Well, that last part is hard because there is always social media distractions right?
But I’m talking about being allowed to be in my own writerly bubble, with no other human being interrupting me, (I’ll forgive the cats, they’re not too bad,) but I mean no children and no husband.
I did read a really good article on Tara Sparlings’ blog, an interview with Liz Nugent about giving up the day job to write. Really funny, do go and look. But please come back.
Now, I’m not even talking about wanting to give up the day job. I like mine. But sometimes, please. I just want the highly decadent luxury of a whole quiet week to myself.
A long, long time ago, before I took up the daytime job, for about six months, I had five whole school days of uninterrupted ‘me time’ every week.
Every WEEK!!!!!
And did I get any writing done? Umm, probably not, I think I was into gardening then and the garden was immaculate, or maybe it was the house and all my kitchen cupboards, but hey, you get the gist.
When I had the time, lots of it, I didn’t recognise that that was to be my only ‘me time’ for a very long time. I did not treasure it as I should. I gloriously frittered it away with shopping, or gardening, or meeting friends for coffee. Basically, I wasted it my friends. I was a loose woman.
That was the year the youngest started Primary school. She is now picking her GCSE’s. Yup. That was a very long time ago. Ten years in fact. Ten years is a long time to go with no uninterrupted solitude.
Now, I do work in a school, so I do get the lovely long summer holidays etc, but am I ever alone?
No. The kids are always about, and you can bet your bottom dollar that just as I get stuck into a really exciting bit of plot twists etc, someone, always, always says …
“What’s for lunch?” (Insert dinner/snack/food/supper/well anything they can think of actually).
If it’s not about food, and it mainly is, there could be a lingering call for, “Are we doing anything exciting today?”
Um, no. I’m writing. (Picture pouty face. Mine or hers. Doesn’t matter)
And then I feel guilty and end up getting up from my riveting writing, or some days not even getting to it at all, because I know someone will interrupt, so really there was no point starting at all.
Well, anyhow, after all that you get my point. There is always someone at home. Teenagers these days hang out on social media and never, and I mean NEVER do they all decide to all go out at the same time. Never!
There will always be washing up, dirty clothes, shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc. One of the cats always manages to be sick or poop somewhere they shouldn’t. Seriously. 101 distractions that I don’t want or need.
I just want to be alone!!!!!
So please Fairy Godmother, Please! Magically spirit my children and husband away, just for a week. Please. A week isn’t being greedy. Send them on a holiday somewhere nice so they won’t complain and leave me happily behind.
Thank you so much. (In advance)
Susannah Branson 