It’s a question we ask ourselves and our friends often these days. For me, it can be difficult. It’s a full house. Writing is not easy with a constant hum of four dogs, house projects, the neighbors’ yard work, and a house full of teens. 

Homemade TikToks. Creative tie dye designs and art canvases. Cans of paint and tools astray. Streaming everything on every channel on every device. Another fast food run to Chik-fil-A and Starbucks.   

This summer, my sweet picket fence has me feeling trapped. We’re not getting out and about as much. The blur of activity is contained to four walls, and our home bursts with energy. 

As I write this, two puppies scuffle across my kitchen floor. I face a pile of dishes in the sink from the teenagers who stayed up late the night before. To think, I woke early to write in silent peace. 

Are any other writers finding their quiet work more challenging? And not just writers, everyone who is trying to work from home? Especially with kids and puppies and spouses and neighbors? What challenges do you face as you try to work and achieve?  

I know you’re out there because we’re all in this together.

At least, I’m home more. Past summers, we were never here. Days were filled with appointments, sports, and socializing. I gave myself freely to this whim and became a child myself many summers. We’d head out to a summer cabin, do an annual vacation, and road trip every direction.   

Now that I am home more and the kids are older, I should have more time. I do, yet I still find I need to make that time. I wake early, I hide in my bedroom late, I sit outside midday, and I listen to a podcast in the shower. I’m determined to accomplish something this pandemic summer. 

In 2020, I was determined to accomplish something bigger with my writing career. Great timing, right? I wait to hear from queries and writing projects, as if I sent them to a black hole. Does anyone else experience that in their writing endeavors? This can be common in pandemic times and all the time.   

I finally get the puppies to stop wrestling. They retreat quietly to their corners. Oh no, a squirrel in the yard! What do you think the pups are doing now? I’m going to pour myself another cup of coffee. 

My husband warns me that I will miss this. I know he’s right. So you too, remember, you’re going to miss all this one day, whatever your “this” is. 😏 Now go get some work done. 😳