The Early Bird Drinks More Tea

I was up freakishly early this morning -- to the point I was at my desk at about 7:30. On the up side, that allowed me to look out my office window and see when the city bus really does come by (the published schedule is confusing because it seems to be based on the time the bus is supposed to pass certain points rather than the times the bus is at particular stops). So now I know when I need to leave the house Wednesday morning to catch the bus to the airport. I figure it'll also help me get accustomed to the time zone I'll be in for much of the week.

Now I'm down to the wire in travel preparation, but now it's just those last-minute things, like the final loads of laundry and starting to actually put stuff in bags.

I joked last week when I put my sweatshirts in the Space Bags that people could thank me if there was a freak cold front. Well, there's a polar vortex hitting this week. I don't think it'll quite be sweatshirt weather here, but there's a chance of highs only in the upper 70s for a couple of days. In Texas. In July. It'll be much cooler where I'm going, and it's all coming to an end and going back to normal about the time I get home, for an even bigger shock to my system.

I actually spent most of yesterday's first 100-degree day of the year outdoors, since I was at a pool party. Being in the swimming pool most of that time made it a lot more bearable. I guess that means it really is summer. Until Wednesday.

In addition to the packing, cleaning, etc. today, I hope to take another look at the end of the book to fix a few spots. Then when I get back from Detroit I can deal with the heavy part of the steampunk copyedits and maybe get one book to my agent and the other back to my editor and then have all my major projects temporarily off my plate. Then I'll need to start researching and brainstorming the next thing I need to write, which will probably be a sequel to the steampunk book. I want to take some time off in August for organizing/cleaning and maybe a mini break, but I want to get enough work done to have some actual free time in the fall for travel and/or just relaxing and enjoying the season.

But first I have to get through the next couple of weeks and figure out what to do with the rest of my morning, since I'm done with my usual morning routine before 10. My bed's even made, complete with pillow shams.