Going to work nearly full-time after 22 years as a stay-at-home mom has been a huge adjustment. Moreso because my entry into the workforce has come at the same time we are starting a new school year. On top of that, I still have the editing job to finish. (And we're not even going to talk about those unfinished home organization projects.)

The editing job is why I'm at Pahookey Bread* on my night off instead of being at home with my family. As much as I ought to be doing school planning or putting away all those still-homeless clothes (the unfortunate victims, as you may remember, of an impromptu cabinet snatching relocation resulting in yet another of those not-to-be-spoken-of unfinished household organization projects)... anyway, as much as I ought to be home, or at least running errands if I am going to be out, I am instead sitting here at the aforementioned coffee-&-bagel-etc shop. (*Name changed to prevent discovery of this blog by stalkers who actually look at the 373 millionth page of a g**gle search.) Because the editing must be done.

I was going to try editing at home tonight. After all, nearly everyone was gone earlier in the evening, with the lone exception being a 14-year-old boy who would be very happy to play video games downstairs while I worked upstairs. Minimal distractions, right? This could work. So I set up a little table in front of the living room window where I would be free from distractions, grabbed a chair and my laptop, and started to get set up.

Except...

The window was dirty. There was a dead bee on the sill. I could see the planter on the deck with weeds in it and it bothered me, as did the overturned kiddie picnic table that all my kids have long outgrown. There was a book on the sofa. And even though I couldn't see them, I knew the newspapers on the coffee table were messy.

(Funny how those things don't bother me most of the time. I could sit down in my comfy chair to engage in facebook or a good kakuro puzzle and I'd be totally oblivious to all of them.)

Furthermore, the dog was barking. The kid downstairs playing video games probably hadn't set the timer and would go over his alloted time if I didn't interfere. The phone was poised to ring at any second, because it always does as soon as I get involved in something. And as soon as someone walked in the door, even if they went immediately and quietly to another area of the house, my concentration would be shot.

So I'm here at Pahookey Bread.

And I'm not editing. Did you notice that? But I will. I'm good at keeping internet playtime to a minimum when I'm here, if I even engage in it at all. Normally I don't, but I just had to check in with you all.

So I did. Just to let you know I hadn't dropped off the face of the earth or anything.

Now I'm off to fetch my manuscript from its cozy folder. See ya.