Here in South Carolina, the kids are already back in school. Personally, I think going back to school before Labor Day is an abomination and simply un-American. That may be why I simply can’t get myself motivated to sit down and finish the book I’m writing, even though I’m within spitting distance of the finale.

I get up every day with the intention of writing at least two hundred words — my bare minimum goal as per John Grisham’s advice — but I just don’t feel like it. Yesterday I received my weekly Inspiration for the Week from Cathleen O’Connor (cathleenoconnor.com). If you don’t subscribe to her emails, I highly recommend you do. This week’s message  was entitled “You Deserve a Break Today”. I felt as if she wrote it just for me. Thank you, Cathleen.

She began with a quote from writer Anne Lamott:

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes…including you.”

I love that. Of course, I’ve been pretty much unplugged since I got back from my vacation at the end of July. You think I’d be re-booted by now.

I do have at least one legitimate reason for not writing the last two weeks. Each Monday when I sat down to type, my computer ground down to the slowest speed imaginable. On my own I was able to go to the settings  and determine that my 465 GB’s of storage were completely filled up. I knew that was impossible.  I managed to clear out the inordinate amount of temporary files that somehow downloaded themselves to my computer, not once, but twice.

When these phantom files were back again last week, I decided I needed professional help, so I  called my trusty IT guy, Peter Manse, out in Colorado. Guess what? He was in California for a brief vacation. Nevertheless, he managed to get me back up Wednesday. Somehow, starting something on a Wednesday just never feels right to me. Still, I managed to get one chapter completed last week.

And then there’s the new puppy. If you’re friends with me on Facebook, you already know I’ve adopted a new dog — Trixie.  She’s a sweetheart, but she’s only about six months old, so she needs lots of attention and exercise.  I still miss Lucky, my dog of 12 years, whom I lost in February, but I confess it’s so nice to have a little buddy once again. I mean, really. Is there anything more endearing than seeing that little tail wag when you walk in the room? Second only to a baby smiling at you. Really.

So, today, I’ve decided to take Cathleen’s advice and embrace Anne LaMott’s message and heed Cathleen’s own words:

“Just take some deep breaths. Ask yourself what you need to feel rested and restored . . . and then give that to yourself. “

Maybe next week — after Labor Day — I’ll start writing again in earnest. In the meantime, it’s a rainy day here in Mauldin this morning, so it won’t be at all difficult to go over to the couch, curl up with Trixie and finish that cozy mystery I’m reading — One Taste Too Many by Debra Goldstein.

Ah, yes. I think I’ll just release all guilt and totally indulge in what’s left of the remaining dog days of summer! Happy Labor Day, Y’all.