Thursday 17 May: The Meaning of ‘Very Shortly’
After a little prompt I hear that my book will be looked at ‘very shortly’. In other words I have been suffering migraines, sleepless nights and mood swings wondering what’s been happening to my baby when the answer, in a word, is nothing. But enough, I must dismiss that train of thought because the latest one arriving at the station is ‘what does ‘very shortly’ mean? It’s like being a teenager again, waiting for HIM, to ring. Do I position myself between ‘phone and computer waiting for a message to come through or do I abandon the house in the certainty that someone is bound to try to get hold of me when I’m not there? In the end I settle for not doing very much except to quietly mad(der).
Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 May: Down the M4 and Back
Tom has six paintings to deliver to the Apple Gallery in Godalming (http://applegallery.co.uk) so we decide to see the folks back home whilst we’re down that way.
Our itinerary ends up like this: -
Saturday
Leave Wales at crack of doom.
Arrive for morning tea with my Mum.
En route to collect Stepson 2 we happen to run into Tom’s cousin Geoff, his wife Maureen, another cousin, Liz, her daughter, Amy and Liz’s Dad, Ron.
Collect Stepson 2, head to restaurant to meet Stepson 1, Mil and Dil.
Lunch.
Take Stepson 2 to bike shop to buy new pushbike with rock star proceeds.
Collect bike one hour later. Drive Stepson 2 to within cycling distance of home and watch him cycle off looking very pleased with himself.
Drive to see Bil who is about to have a tricky operation. Arrive at Bil and family just as football finishes. Good timing.
Leave Bil’s house and drive to best friend and partner’s house for evening meal and bed for night.
Sunday
Collect Mum and view the maisonette she is hoping to buy.
Return to Mum’s for pizza with sister, bro-in-law and nieces (who, incidentally have always called me KitKat – Chris – Kit –KitKat).
Set off for Wales.
Stop at Cardiff to see my daughter Lily.
Return home 8pm and then have to ring everyone to let them know we’re back in one piece.
Over the weekend I realise I have eaten:-
1 bowl muesli,
1 carvery meal comprising sad turkey and sadder vegetables,
Lamb tagine and coucous followed by strawberries and cream,
Two Bendick mints,
White toast and honey,
Greasy and wildly overspiced pizza followed by more strawberries and cream,
A piece of highly coloured and completely artificial looking angel cake.
Is it any wonder that I feel completely jaded and worn out!!
Monday 21 May
Our Welsh teacher springs a test - or as she prefers to call it – a task on us. Sneaky.
Tuesday 22 May: Characters, Cutty Sark and Clocks
Hurray, I am up and running with ‘Make, Do and Mend’ (Novel 2) at last! On the journey to the south a living breathing character suddenly came to me. It’s typical that she turned up 150 miles down the motorway when all I had to write on was my scruffy notebook (don’t worry – Tom was driving). Thankfully I could decipher my notes and get her into my typescript. This is going to sound very pretentious but I’ve found that if one fully formed character turns up the others stop behaving like Muppets and become more credible.
One of the characters in ‘Fighting the Tide’ owed more than a little to my uncle Sid who served on the Cutty Sark for three years from the age of thirteen. The media picked this up and I nearly burst with pride and love watching him on the television this evening. From the shots of him and my auntie Joanie tending their very impressive garden and his eloquent witty interview there was little to show how ill this man is or how bravely he has served his country. I did note, though, that his description of cleaning the voluptuous figurehead was a little less earthy on the six o’clock news than the version I know!
Whilst I am dabbing the tears from my eyes I get a text from Stepson 2. I’ve always said, half jokingly that if he ever gets to play Glastonbury I want to be jetted in like Kate Moss (only older, fatter and poorer!). Well, b*gger me, they’ve only gone and done it - Clocks are playing at Glastonbury this year! Now, where are my shorts and wellies?
Hwyl fawr!
After a little prompt I hear that my book will be looked at ‘very shortly’. In other words I have been suffering migraines, sleepless nights and mood swings wondering what’s been happening to my baby when the answer, in a word, is nothing. But enough, I must dismiss that train of thought because the latest one arriving at the station is ‘what does ‘very shortly’ mean? It’s like being a teenager again, waiting for HIM, to ring. Do I position myself between ‘phone and computer waiting for a message to come through or do I abandon the house in the certainty that someone is bound to try to get hold of me when I’m not there? In the end I settle for not doing very much except to quietly mad(der).
Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 May: Down the M4 and Back
Tom has six paintings to deliver to the Apple Gallery in Godalming (http://applegallery.co.uk) so we decide to see the folks back home whilst we’re down that way.
Our itinerary ends up like this: -
Saturday
Leave Wales at crack of doom.
Arrive for morning tea with my Mum.
En route to collect Stepson 2 we happen to run into Tom’s cousin Geoff, his wife Maureen, another cousin, Liz, her daughter, Amy and Liz’s Dad, Ron.
Collect Stepson 2, head to restaurant to meet Stepson 1, Mil and Dil.
Lunch.
Take Stepson 2 to bike shop to buy new pushbike with rock star proceeds.
Collect bike one hour later. Drive Stepson 2 to within cycling distance of home and watch him cycle off looking very pleased with himself.
Drive to see Bil who is about to have a tricky operation. Arrive at Bil and family just as football finishes. Good timing.
Leave Bil’s house and drive to best friend and partner’s house for evening meal and bed for night.
Sunday
Collect Mum and view the maisonette she is hoping to buy.
Return to Mum’s for pizza with sister, bro-in-law and nieces (who, incidentally have always called me KitKat – Chris – Kit –KitKat).
Set off for Wales.
Stop at Cardiff to see my daughter Lily.
Return home 8pm and then have to ring everyone to let them know we’re back in one piece.
Over the weekend I realise I have eaten:-
1 bowl muesli,
1 carvery meal comprising sad turkey and sadder vegetables,
Lamb tagine and coucous followed by strawberries and cream,
Two Bendick mints,
White toast and honey,
Greasy and wildly overspiced pizza followed by more strawberries and cream,
A piece of highly coloured and completely artificial looking angel cake.
Is it any wonder that I feel completely jaded and worn out!!
Monday 21 May
Our Welsh teacher springs a test - or as she prefers to call it – a task on us. Sneaky.
Tuesday 22 May: Characters, Cutty Sark and Clocks
Hurray, I am up and running with ‘Make, Do and Mend’ (Novel 2) at last! On the journey to the south a living breathing character suddenly came to me. It’s typical that she turned up 150 miles down the motorway when all I had to write on was my scruffy notebook (don’t worry – Tom was driving). Thankfully I could decipher my notes and get her into my typescript. This is going to sound very pretentious but I’ve found that if one fully formed character turns up the others stop behaving like Muppets and become more credible.
One of the characters in ‘Fighting the Tide’ owed more than a little to my uncle Sid who served on the Cutty Sark for three years from the age of thirteen. The media picked this up and I nearly burst with pride and love watching him on the television this evening. From the shots of him and my auntie Joanie tending their very impressive garden and his eloquent witty interview there was little to show how ill this man is or how bravely he has served his country. I did note, though, that his description of cleaning the voluptuous figurehead was a little less earthy on the six o’clock news than the version I know!
Whilst I am dabbing the tears from my eyes I get a text from Stepson 2. I’ve always said, half jokingly that if he ever gets to play Glastonbury I want to be jetted in like Kate Moss (only older, fatter and poorer!). Well, b*gger me, they’ve only gone and done it - Clocks are playing at Glastonbury this year! Now, where are my shorts and wellies?
Hwyl fawr!
The painting is Cilgerran Castle by Tom Tomos
Comments
I am not surprised you feel jaded not a fresh veggie and sight and all that travelling!
Now, no more migraines and stressing, try and chill...what is meant to be, will be...
warm wishes
x
Interesting how characters cvome to you, must always have plenty of paper and pens handy whereever you are!
I do enjoy hearing about your week
Warmest wishes until next time
Elaine
I'm really interested to hear how novel #2 is forming. I'm finding the hardest thing is knowing where to start (although that probably sounds daft!) I guess one fully fleshed out character gives you something to work around. Good luck with it all.
fingers crossed still...jxx
Your weekend must have been exhausting. You must have amassed huge daughter-points, mother-points and step-mum points, as well as friend-points. Sadly, you amassed NO nutrition-points!
I look forward to your next week's blog - I really enjoy your format!
Ipswich in July. love mousie
Fingers crossed.