Wednesday, 2 July 2008

The Unbearable Postponement of Pleasure

So here I was, sitting half-submerged in work, wondering how many more pages I would have time to scribble all over in red pen before I had to go off on the school pick-up, which will be followed by early tea for one, taking SD#3 to ballet and tap, going to the post, walking the dog, picking up SD#3 from ballet and tap, preparing supper for everyone else, making the last of the jam (gooseberry & elderflower - yum!), putting SD#3 to bed (incl. school reading book, bath, story, etc) and then getting back to work for a couple of hours so I can scribble on a few more pages . . .

It was 2 o'clock, and I was thinking, 'help!' there's only an hour left to go and I won't be able to get back to this impenetrable manuscript until at least 9 this evening but, thank goodness, when I've done a couple of hours I shall be able to reward myself by finishing the last few chapters of Island by Jane Rogers, which is quite extraordinarily good . . . when there was a knock on the door and it was the postman, who delivered my copy of this:



. . . . oh no, oh no, oh no! How am I supposed to do any work now? Who will pick my daughter up from school and give her tea and take her to ballet? Whatever shall I do about finishing Island?

Help! Any suggestions?

6 comments:

Juxtabook said...

Put book somewhere prominent as a prize for being good - for when you've finished. Then reward yourself with a scone and a short tea break, and then back to that grindstone Miss! Your jam looks fab by the way (just the thing for scones!). I make jars and jars of chutney for the family but I don't eat it myself, and I'd like to try jam making as I love home made jam but all the setting point malarkey puts me off. Still trying to get my nerve up.

Greg Dunn said...

To borrow a David Bowie lyric, 'if the homework gets you down, then we'll throw it on the fire and take the car downtown!'

Having said that, I've just come back to start my three day backlog of stuff, so it's midnight oil all round.

Anonymous said...

Well, J, there is the theory and practice of deferred gratification. About which, I am afraid, I know nothing. (In fact, I am writing this when I should be, er, doing something else.) But maybe one or other of your readers could enlighten us.

Anonymous said...

Oh you lucky lucky woman! Personally, when I get the chance to catch up with Bertie and co, any other reading will have to wait. And as for WORK!

Susie Vereker said...

I was just about to go to bed when I got tangled up in your blog. Loved the sheds and then laughed aloud at Alexander McCall Smith's new title which I hadn't seen before. Made my day. Reminds me slightly of Fillets of Plaice by Gerald Durrell.

Juliet said...

Catherine - the slightly hilarious thing is that I picked it up last night and put it down somewhere and I CAN'T FIND IT!! We're opposites - I make tons of jam and find it really easy but have always been completely intimidated by the idea of making chutney (which I love eating!)

Greg - good luck with the catching up but don't forget to post the photos!

D - deferred gratification - nope, I know nothing about that, either!

Sarah - you see my problem? (good thing I've lost it!)

Susie - isn't it just the most fantastic title? I thought his 'Friends, Lovers, Chocolate' was pretty good, but this is bordering on divine inspiration!