jillypoet: mom trying to write

Each day I wish I had invented waterproof sticky notes (for shower inspiration) or pen-friendly diapers to get down all my quirky thoughts that I am sure are relevant and publishable. And so God (actually another writer-mommy) sent me The Blog.

Friday, November 03, 2006

Let them eat cake (not my son's scalp)


Here's proof, dear readers! We really did go for a hike after my last post. And we ate cake! And I wrote more of my novel that night. By no means am I meeting the recommended goal of 1660 words per day, but I have 890 and I'm happy.

Here's the kicker...my son got a tick on our hike! Here I am trying to do a good thing, taking advantage of one of the last warm days of fall. We all had long pants and socks and shoes. No sandals. No flip flops. Our feet were so covered, we left sweat trails in the pine needles. Our long sleeves were trailing behind us like fleecy snakes, we were so decked out in safe hike clothing. But our heads. Ah. Our heads. And the trail. Ah. The trail. Stay on the trail, son. Stay on the trail. Don't roll around in the leaves, son. Stay on the trail. And so, my son came to me with a head ache. Not a headache as in get some aspirin, but a head ache as in, "Mommy, my head hurts. It feels like I have a cut."

Does anyone know about ticks and kids? Or tick precautions (post biting) in general? Our pediatrician said no worries. It wasn't engorged (from the way I described it), so they said, "No. We don't need to see your son or the tick. Watch for a rash. Watch for signs of the flu. It's a slim chance it was infected." Is this correct? Seems kind of laid back to me. No rash, so far, though. Whew!

My novel...I'm having trouble getting to the action. I love description. Love thoughts, images, metaphors. I'm a poet, after all. But I feel like I just can't get the action started. Maybe I'm just not far enough into it. Ugly critic, is that you in my head?

4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jill--Did you check the rest of his head, underneath the hair, behind the ear, etc.? Just be sure that there isn't any other tick bite or rash elsewhere than where you found the tick. It's possible there was a second tick.
Therese

7:50 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jill--Did you check the rest of his head, underneath the hair, behind the ear, etc.? Just be sure that there isn't any other tick bite or rash elsewhere than where you found the tick. It's possible there was a second tick.
Therese

7:51 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi there! Great hike anyway and great effort on nanowrimo. re: the tick. don't know if you know this or not, but hubby is a pediatrician. your doctor is right. when they really really worry about them is they've been attached for a long time and the area gets red and stuff. sounds like you found it within hours. probably fine. you know you can call me anytime day or night and i can put him on the phone. my #'s on the list Marilyn assembled for Beach Writers.

1:54 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oooh ... ticks. And this is why I like being a couch potato.

Good luck with NaNoWriMo. And don't get discouraged--writing something is better than nothing.

Write now, think later.

12:22 PM  

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