My biggest deterrant to writing is my almost three year old Labrador retriever, Sabrina. Before she entered my life, I was writing three or four novels a years along with several short stories. Life after Sabrina, has caused a dog block in my writing. Having her around is like having a child who always wants attention. I keep consoling myself with the idea that as she gets older, she'll mellow out. She's a Labrador retriever, fat chance! At three, she has the energy of my three year old grand nephew who spent most of our family reunion last weekend running around the park shelter house and full speed.
My brother keeps comparing her to Marley from Marley & Me. She's not that bad, but she does have her moments like last month when she popped the zipper on one of my sofa cushions. While I was taking my shower, she was ripping the foam rubber out of the cushion. I have sense repaired the cushion by cutting out the chewed up portion and inserting a piece of foam I purchased at a fabric and craft store. To keep Sabrina off the sofa, my guitar now resides on top of the cushions thus leaving her no room to lay down.
No long after she was old enough to jump up on the furniture, she adopted my grandmother's antique chaise as her favored place to lie down. I keep it covered with a sheet to decrease the amount of dirt and dog bone mush I have to clean off the cushion. Prior to giving my guitar residence on the sofa, Sabrina would jump from the chaise to the sofa and back again, repeatedly, until I could tolerate the disruption no more and tossed her outside. Sadly, even with just the chaise to lay on, she still hops up, hops down, hops up, hops down until I get fed up and toss her outside.
There are days I get so frustrated with trying to concentrate on my writing that I consider giving her up for adoption. Then there are days when she lays calmly on the chaise, chews on her bone, and lets me work. As she approaches her third birthday in September, I'm hoping those calmer days will increase. I have several unfinished works in progress and several more novels to edit past their first drafts and second drafts. The continuity of the writing would so much improve if my dog block would end and Sabrna would give me quiet times to let my muse flourish while she chews on her bone.
(c) 2011 Reaona Hemmingway
