Well-made plans

Sometimes I think the world conspires against writers. For a start, the Melbourne Writers' Festival is on and I haven't got there yet. I love going to sessions and hearing writers speak. Usually, the festival clashes with Sir Talkalot's birthday, which is problematic, but now it's marginally later, which means it overlaps Fathers' Day. In neither case can I attend sessions because I have family duties, and while I would like at times to put my writing first, the reality is that I am part of a family, and I have to do my bit. The Gadget Man is very supportive of my writing: he let me go off to Clarion for six weeks a few years ago, he doesn't mind if I go on the odd writers' weekend away, nor if I go to sessions and leave him home with the kids. He was a dab hand at nappy changing when they were young. In fact, if I said I wanted to go on Fathers' Day, he would say go. He always lets me do what I want, but this leaves me feeling selfish, because he doesn't have activities outside the household. Feeling selfish is my problem, I know, not his. What I don't love about the MWF is the parking around the Malthouse -- am I ever looking forward to the festival shifting to Federation Square next year, so I can catch the train in. This year, the sessions I wanted to attend most were either at times I couldn't make, or not near any other sessions I wanted to see, which did dampen my enthusiasm a bit. Plus the finances were sooooooo stretched, I kept thinking that I really, really, really couldn't afford to go.

So, anyway, I had my week all planned out: one vet visit for vaccinations on Friday, but other than that Thursday and Friday were writing days (though part of this was going to be working on the online unit for work), so what happens: one kid's home sick on Thursday and being rather demanding, and the other's home on a curriculum day Friday. Of course I knew about the curriculum day, but Gadget Man was supposed to have the day off and do something with her, and then he couldn't. She was tired because she'd be on in at Nunawading filming for a TV show (it's embargoed so I can't talk about it yet) with the Victorian State Singers.

Anyway, got to dash out for a writer's party, leaving poor Gadget Man home with the kids, yet again.