I've got the Fever...

I've got it. And bad. What am I talking about? That annual affliction known as Spring Fever that grabs hold of me in late March and early April and for which the only known antidote is lots and lots of time outdoors.

Spring came early this year. Consequently, so did the fever. And the timing couldn't be more inconvenient. I've got a project finished and on an editor's desk (the wonderful waiting game again), I'm in the middle of my next Calamity Jayne Mystery, I'm polishing two other completed manuscripts, and brainstorming two new series. The last thing I need is Mr. Sun peeking into my windows and luring me away from my computer and into the beguiling outdoors.

But that's just what happened on my days off. I had four off in a row. I had big plans to immerse myself in my writing. And then the temperature soared into the 80s and my writing productivity tanked.

Saturday I took a walk, raked and bagged leaves, pulled weeds, and played outdoors. Sunday I took another long walk, cut the grass, prepared my garden plots, and played outdoors some more. Monday I had a doctor's appointment but vowed I would come home and hit the computer hard. I ended up spreading ten 40 pound bags of top soil and fertilizer and sprayed the yard for weeds. And I played outdoors. Tuesday I gave myself a stern talk. I vowed no matter how nice the weather was outside my window, I was NOT going to spend the day outdoors. And I didn't. I only spent HALF the day outdoors. The other half I spent shopping. Now my days off are over and it's back to work and I'm way behind on my writing projects.

But at least I'm ahead on my yard work...

What are some irresistible temptations that pull you away from your projects? How do you manage to keep from surrendering to the lure of life outside your window and keep your nose to the grindstone?

I've got several days off coming up and I really need to get the word count up.

I'm hoping for rain.

~Kat