TWITL – weeks 45, 46, 47, 48 aka TMITL November 2018

National Novel Writing Month is over! I’d say sorry for not writing each week but I’m not sorry I kept focused on my novel, which hit the 50,000 word count on November 25, 2018. The novel ended with 53,319 words and will needs LOTS of editing. I think I lost a little creative juice towards the end but I plowed through and managed to actually end the story. I might want to re-work the ending. We shall see.

National Novel Writing Month stats

So what happened the month of November?

  • Elections – Let’s see how it all shakes out. I voted (early and by mail, glorious!) and that’s all I really want to say about that.
  • California fires – The fires up north and the fires down south were utterly devastating. Most of the focus here in the Bay Area was on the fires up north because the smoke from those fires drifted down our way and affected our air quality in a huge way. On the Friday before Thanksgiving, our school district and the surrounding school districts all closed because of the air quality. We saw relief during Thanksgiving week by way of a most welcomed storm that cleaned the air and brought us much needed water.
  • I continued my daily walk to the library during my lunch break. I used the time there to write my NaNoWriMo. It’s a lovely way to get away from the office during the work day.
  • I drank too much wine at the Wine Stroll the Saturday after Thanksgiving. But hey, I tasted some damn good wine. Oh, and we made the local (online) paper!
  • I bought another 1888 Design piece and I LOVE IT! It was on sale and whenever 1888 Design has a sale, I’m always tempted to buy something.

The best part of November was my sister and her family visiting for Thanksgiving week! It had been three years since their last visit. It’s always a treat seeing them and my nieces have gotten so big! My nieces and my cousins’ kids took another picture with Santa at the mall and looking at it made me realize that this would probably be the last time we’d see all the girls together as “little girls.” Two of the girls are ten now so wow, time FLIES. (My nieces are nine and four.)

Highlights of Thanksgiving week included:

  • Hanging out with my sister and cousins and their families at our cousin’s house. We ate, watched sports, and chatted. Always love hanging out at my cousin’s house!
  • Breakfast with more family! We had breakfast at Elio’s in San Leandro with my dad, our cousins, our aunt and uncle. We were a big and lively group. The food was delicious and the company even better. We wandered over to my aunt and uncle’s house to visit a little and meet the new baby (granddaughter of my cousin).
  • Pictures with Santa at the mall. I don’t know how parents do it but just walking the mall with six girls is a little exhausting. But they had fun and we had fun and that’s the important thing. Oh, and pictures!
  • Thanksgiving Day with family. I love when we can spend a holiday with family. We went to our cousin’s house in Pleasanton and she made a fantastic meal. I am so grateful to have such a loving family who share their days with us.

Thanksgiving highlights
Thanksgiving highlights

I love when my sister and her family visit. I love seeing my nieces and watching them and talking with them and just giving them big hugs. I’m glad that we stay in touch with technology and such. Thank goodness my sister actually posts on FB and Instagram with updates on her girls.

sisters
sisters

Our weather went from warm/almost hot to super chilly/sometimes rainy. I do not mind it much. I like when it’s hoodie weather and if it even gets cold enough for an actual coat, all the better!

First Street
the day of the wine stroll was cool & cloudy…

I always never feel ready for the holidays. November has become my favorite month because I seem to focus well enough to write a novel. When December rolls around, I’m almost disappointed because I’m no longer in that writing frenzy. Since we don’t decorate at home, this time of year usually just means it’s getting colder and I could possibly have time off at the end of the month, which is pretty awesome.

the library at night
the library the other night

I have other things I could recount here but sometimes certain things in life need not a public airing. So here’s to getting back to writing weekly posts!