You're kidding me

As I sit here psyching myself up for another day of work and looking at the calendar I realize tomorrow is my oldest son's birthday. He will be 33 tomorrow. His birthday is the easiest to remember because he was born on Veteran's Day. Then it hits me: Veteran's Day. That's a holiday. The company I work for pays for this holiday but it's not until tomorrow. Time for Google. The federal government observes today as the holiday which means the post office is closed and all federal bureaucratic wheels stop grinding (although they're slow at the best of times when no holidays are involved). Could it be? Is it possible I have the day off? I fired off an email to the office manager just as I realized if this is a holiday she won't respond. What do I do? If I work and it's a holiday I will get paid the usual holiday rate and add quite a few more pages to the total making this a good day, not to mention that I won't have to fight for work since everyone else will be taking the time off. Or do I stay in bed cuddled up with my laptop (preferably with the heater on or clothes) and write more on my NaNoWriMo novel. Then the responsible me starts nagging me.

What about the dishes in the sink (all five of them) and the laundry that needs to be done (point taken)? What about finishing up a couple more review books and posting the reviews? What about the piece you have to write for the breast cancer anthology (for pay)? What about a walk in the park and running errands? What about...??

Shut up already! Jeez. You'd think I had an unlimited amount of time today. It's just a day, a day without work where I get paid for not having to sit and look out the window at mountains, a day where I can go to the mountains with a sketch pad and some pencils, a snack and some water and just breathe. A day when I can write to my heart's content (and the characters' needs) without having to worry about the time I'm taking from work. This is a free day and I'm going to take it.

Okay, it's decided. I'm going to turn on the heater, put on a sweater and climb back into bed with a bowl of hot oatmeal and frozen mango and write. Y'all come back now, ya hear?

That is all. Disperse.