Are you there Blog? It's me, Jessica.

This is truly that point in the year when time becomes that elusive, evasive, coveted thing. I have worked every single one of the last seven days and by the end of yesterday, I was definitely feeling it. Exhaustion was present from my tongue to the core of my bones. Muscles ached, cheery holiday songs were belted out at the top of my lungs and all my eyes wanted to do was close themselves, perchance to dream.

All week long I've been wanting to write, to edit. All week long, ideas have been free flowing, tossing themselves in the air in front of me, frolicking, taunting...either not knowing or not caring that if I do get a chance to sit down, I'll likely fall asleep.

It has felt very much like that last week in October, that week where the build up towards NaNoWriMo has gotten so great that I don't think I can stand it another day until November begins. Only this time, it's January I'm waiting for. I can't wait to pull out the past 13 months of writing work and spread it out before me, piecing it together, making it better. I want to get reacquainted with every sentence, every word.

I'll confess that I did take a few found hours last week to read through the first 50 pages of the 2011 manuscript. While there is a lot of work to be done on those pages, there were a few delightful surprises I found in there as well. It was like dipping your finger in the batter. It only made me want to finish the project even more.

Today is the only day I have to call my own between now and December 30th. (Technically, I am off on Christmas Day, but it's hardly a day I can call my own.) I slept in (remember the days when getting up at 7am was called getting up early?) and made a small breakfast and some coffee and found myself here in the library. (In a side note, later this week my dad is going to install the crown molding around my bookcases!) My husband has also taken today off and in a few more hours he'll be up and we'll begin the days adventures, hopefully involving a trip to see the Zoo Lights, but mostly involving no trips to any stores and general relaxation.

This is a day I hope to savor, taking small sips and deep breaths...

"Movin' right along in search of good times and good news, with good friends you can't lose, this could become a habit! Opportunity knocks once let's reach out and grab it (yeah!). Together we'll nab it, we'll hitchhike, bus or yellow cab it! (Cab it?)"

          from Movin' Right Along by The Muppets

Zelda looks as excited as I feel.