Neck-deep

I'm neck-deep and struggling to make headway. Here are the main factors:

Me at my editing/writing work-station today.

• David and our eldest son are away at a huge three-day wrestling tournament in Korea. David's been great at shooting me short texts with results. Our son has wrestled six times in the last day and a half. I love the news and crave the news (it's hard not being there), but it's also disrupting my concentration. Oh, and our son hasn't done as well as I'd hoped, so that messes with me too.

• Because David's away I have more responsibilities at home, as usual, so I'm busier than normal. Plus, I've not slept super well (wrestling tournaments seem to do that to me whether I'm there or not).

• In the last week I've had 20 articles submitted for the next issue (Spring) of the magazine I edit. That happens four times a year and always makes me feel time pressured. I've given these writers deadlines, it feels bad if I'm late in dealing with the articles, as if I've pressured the writers unnecessarily. Additionally, the whole process of getting the magazine out is a process, and if I'm late, that has a domino effect on the whole magazine (and team).

• I've got the other two boys home for their "Winter Break". It means we get sleep-ins and can be more flexible about bedtimes, but it complicates my days in terms of getting my editing done.

• The Winter issue is currently with the design team and they keep coming up with questions about editing, good questions...probably things we should have dealt with earlier, but they're intruding into my already dodgy concentration.

• I'm going away to Bangkok on Sunday for a week of training, so I've been trying to make bigger meals to freeze for dinners for the family next week. More cooking than usual and more washing up with no husband to help out.

So, no more blogging (or whinging) for me . . . back to editing land and hoping that I can make a little better progress in what is left of my afternoon.