BronxWench

The older I get, the more I see that my family members are human and flawed. They kinda suck actually  I know exactly what you mean… We live 10 minutes from my grandma and she’s been really sick. She’s in the same situation as me with my grandpa. He sits in his chair all day watching TV while Grandma runs around taking care of of their big house and their hyper dog. So she’s in and out of the hospital now and I’ve been going over to take care of her place. I’m doing shopping for 2 households, cleaning for 2, taking care of my 4 cats and grandma’s dog 3 times a day. I’m not working… So i thought I’d start trying to concentrate on writing… Thank god for google docs on my phone, that’s the only way I’m able to write constantly inbetween the hospital and grandma’s house and my apartment. I’m not sure what your business entails, but when family doesn’t support your ambitions, it’s doubly discouraging. and Oh god… When they guilt you to do things, it’s super annoying! Kudos on you for having mom move in with you. Jesus, I’m so glad to escape Grandpa at the end of the day. He barks orders at me and when I try to respond, I realize he’s not even wearing his hearing aid. I have to scream at him just to get him to understand what I’m trying to say...  I’m sorry I rambled on your status. I’m going away now!!!

Clover, I love you and words!  

A dogsbody is a British term for someone who does menial tasks, the sort of drudgery that you’d ask a junior intern to do.

And most days, my mother starts with a litany of all the things I must do for her, completely disregarding the fact that I have a husband, two kids, a dog, and a business, all in addition to my trying to actually make a name as a writer. It’s been nearly 21 years of this now, and I think I might have reached my limit with her this time. If she can’t handle things on her own, I’ll arrange for an aide to look after her next time I need to travel. I have neither the time nor the temperament to be what she wants me to be.

Oh! See, I was thinking it had something to do with the corgi! I have a pug attached to my ankles 24/7, and right now, quite literally attached to my leg. Dogsbody seems like an appropriate word for that. 

But damn, tending to all that while trying to carve your way through the professional author world sounds so overwhelming. And for so many years! It’s amazing, and I’m in awe, but I hope you get a reprieve or two or twenty.