A Week to Test my Patience

Some weeks stand out more than others, whether the reasons are good or bad.  This has definitely been a week designed to test my patience…

First, the late posting this week is due to the fact that I’ve been ill.  I hate being sick; it cuts into the time I need to spend on more important things.  When I get sick, it causes me to have to slow way down…which is not a speed I’m used to.  I’ve been fighting what I thought was a cold for over a month.  Actually, I’m sure it just started out as a cold but eventually my immune system was reduced so that the cold morphed into an unexpected illness.  I finally went to see the doctor the other day and when he entered the waiting room, do you know what his first words were? 

He said, “You must really be a patient woman!”

Obviously, he doesn’t know me very well.

Actually, he really doesn’t.  My doctor retired last year and I’m still looking for a good replacement.  So when the doctor made that statement to me, which really didn’t make any sense considering he hadn’t made me wait in the little room as long as I thought he might, I could only look at him with curiosity as I asked him “why?”  His reply was that he couldn’t believe I’d been sick for over a month and was just now coming in to see him.

While I did fight the urge to see the doctor, because I was sure I had only a cold, I’m very glad I finally went in.  The diagnosis actually surprised me and it turns out this was not a condition I would have been able to make go away on my own. 

Another setback this week involved my vehicle.  I guess the health of my vehicle wasn’t much better than my own because the darn thing decided it did not want to parade me around any longer.  The only good thing about this was that it decided to die basically on the door step of an auto shop owned by someone we know.  The bonus is that we avoided a tow bill; the not-so-good news is that the vehicle needed some TLC badly.  What can be worse than your vehicle breaking down?  The cost of getting it to run well again.  Ouch.

And that’s on top of having to take time off without pay while I’m sick because I have run out of leave.  Double ouch.

Are you ready to ask me if I’d like some cheese with my whine?  Well, my patience may have been tested in one way with regard to the worries about my health, money and the condition of my vehicle but the fact that I am actually able to find patience has also brought about good prospects with regard to my writing: 

Just this week I entered No Mother of Mine into a breakthrough novel contest after spending many patient hours working on the submissions required for the contest.  However, the true test to my patience will occur as I wait for the results.

As I have from the beginning and will continue each week from now until I know it all (which will be never) I will continue to learn and improve my knowledge in marketing and publishing techniques.  This is only possible as I patiently research and read what works or doesn’t work for others. 

I’ve made promising relationships with local business owners, which takes time and patience as I get them to believe in my capabilities.  This week I am preparing for and looking forward to another book signing I have scheduled at one of those very businesses the end of this month.  If you are interested, come by the Scatter Creek Winery in Tenino on January 26th between 2p and 6p.  It is a charming wine tasting room and gift shop with owners who will make you feel at home while you taste their homemade wines. 

As this week and many like it have shown me, my patience may be tested but I’ve also proven what I’m capable of when I test my patience.  I’m sure there will be many more weeks lining up to give me the opportunity to prove myself and as always, I look forward to the challenge.