This hasn't been the greatest week but I am looking on the bright side. We got our tickets for Europe! After much consideration and many other ideas (plus some hair pulling behavior from bosses), we have roundtrip tickets going to and leaving from Spain with almost three weeks in between. I'm getting pretty excited about it but I'm glad we have over a month before we go.
I was feeling grumpy and not up for going to the write-in Wednesday night. I almost asked Colin to come home so that I could just be with him. But I also knew I wouldn't regret going once I got to the write-in and I needed the boost to keep writing. I had written a grand total of 200 words earlier that day and it felt like real work. And I didn't regret going - the one other person who had been there the week before was happy to see me, even told me she had double checked to make sure I hadn't sent a message saying I wouldn't be there. And two new people showed up! We got two intense writing hours in and then we succumbed to temptation and talked for half an hour before everyone left. Now I'm currently at 26513 words and I have what looks to be a promising writing day today.
Colin left his wallet on the train last night which caused some stress but it's been easily resolved. He asked the conductor this morning and he said it was at the station at the end of the line and I could go pick it up before noon. "Perfect!" I thought. "Great excuse to try out that cafe there." Wallet retrieved I ventured over to the cafe and it was closed. So was the bistro next to it. And a place called "Whistle Stop Cafe" nearby didn't really look like a writer's haven but more one of those artery clogging breakfast places required in rural areas. So I went to a Dunkin Donuts and got a coffee there before heading to the library. On the way to the library, I noticed a bakery that looked promising, but I already had the coffee. Which I couldn't bring into the library anyway. It's interesting to note the variety in library policies regarding food and drink. At Deerfield, they even supply free coffee (along with lids) which you can then wander about with. I suspect that the building being brand new here at Fox Lake Library has something to do with it. Most places I've been ask that you have covered drinks only so I use that as a default expectation unless there's a sign saying otherwise.
When I came back into the library (after seeing the sign turning around and putting my coffee in the car), I noticed an area wasn't blocked off anymore but wasn't quite open. I was peering around the corner at it when a woman came up to me and said "That's the new section, it's not open yet." I said I noticed but I was just looking from where I was. Then she got all excited and gave me a personal tour. She showed me a room where there would be food and drink machines and pointed out a counter made from recycled glass. She also unlocked some doors and revealed the large lecture/meeting room and said that the seating is made from recycled seat belts. On the way out, I asked what was going to be put in the now-just-dirt area in the back and she explained that they'd be putting a wetland plants back there. I was excited because I had read about such things and thought they sounded great. Definitely worth checking out Fox Lake Library if you have the opportunity.
And now here I am, sitting in the quiet reading room alone, planning to do some noveling before hunger kicks in. Oh, and just as a reminder, I will be leaving for San Fran on Sunday. Along with sitting in quirky cafes and being all writer-y, I'll definitely get some sight seeing in. Despite some renovating going on, Alcatraz is my number one spot. There's some other ideas but I don't think I'll regret whatever does and does not happen while I'm there. Tomorrow, Colin has a company soccer game downtown and I just might join in. We'll see how that goes. Bad balance, two left feet, don't completely know all the rules to soccer, haven't been getting much exercise ... oh yes - we'll see. But then it's lunch with Tom and Keegan! With possibly sitting in a cafe and writing, maybe even with other nanowrimoers!
One short note before I sign off: I keep thinking it's nano-wree-mo but apparently it's nano-wry-mo. I kind of want to make a fuss and say that if we're trying to follow correct phonetics, we should be saying nah (like in national) noh (like in novel, not no) wry muh (as in month). But that's hard to say. Perhaps it's that darn Spanish/Italian in my brain protesting that it should be a long i. Either way, carry on.
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