Day 2 started off strong.  I was up and sitting in front of my computer by 9 AM, ready to write all day.

That’s when I discovered the batteries in my cordless keyboard were dead.

I should have been prepared.  Murphy is a regular companion, and I used to carry spare batteries with me when I traveled for work, but I didn’t bring them this time.  So I had to make a quick run to a nearby store, which was thankfully only a few minutes away.  I picked up the batteries and a couple other things I needed (ice cream and hot cocoa).

Back to work by 10 AM.

I tried a different writing position, since writing in the hard-backed chair by the dining room table left my back pretty sore.  Thankfully, the Colonyhouse had lots of options to choose from.  I could have written at one of several small desks facing windows overlooking the ocean, but I settled into a wide, padded chair with no arms so I could hold the keyboard right on my lap, with the laptop on a nearby table.  It worked out great and I typed most of the day without significant fatigue.

I typed in 2-3 hour blocks of time, and given that the beach was only about 100 yards away and it was not raining as actively as the other days during the week, I took a couple of breaks walking and jogging on the beach.  What a beautiful setting:  wide, sand beaches, no one else crazy enough to be out there, and lots of shells.  I found half a dozen sand dollars, and saw hundreds more broken ones.  I’ve never seen so many sand dollars anywhere before.

Of course, by nightfall, my legs were really sore from the beach run.  Still, it was well worth it, and I returned to writing each time with renewed focus and enthusiasm.

I completed 13,500 new words before stopping for the night around 10 PM.

I expected to sleep well after such a good day, but did not.  One of the biggest challenges I face when traveling is not sleeping well.  It used to be a huge problem for me when I traveled for work.  And, of course I forgot to bring any sleep aids.  Finally, around 2 AM I got up and wrote another 1800 words, and finally got back to bed around 5 AM.