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Waiting and Hoping


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!
The painting is Cilgerran Castle by Tom Tomos

Comments

Un Peu Loufoque said…
It really is no good trying to get your characters to do what they don't want is it/ Muppets is a great way of desribing them.

I am not surprised you feel jaded not a fresh veggie and sight and all that travelling!
I really enjoy this format for your blogs-I do find your writing style so easy on the eye. I am dying to hear about the book...it must be a drag all this waiting for you.

Now, no more migraines and stressing, try and chill...what is meant to be, will be...

warm wishes
x
Suffolkmum said…
Lovely picture. I really like this tyle of blog too. Keep the faith re the novel! And a rock star stepson, how exciting!
Suffolkmum said…
Forgot to say, I missed your post about your uncle, and therefore the broadcast, what a shame, but how lovely that he had his moment of fame.
Milla said…
felt exhausted for you and wince at the teenage waiting game. Bet the phone ringing and the thud of the post on the mat sends that old heart a pounding!
Inthemud said…
The waiting must be unbearable, hope they get in touch soon.
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
bodran... said…
you've been busy, and yikes the waiting game...x
Inthemud said…
I remember that block mascara that you spat on , my mum used that too, I used to love watching her make up, she was so glamourous, specially when she was going to a Dinner /Dance in a Long maxi dress!
muddyboots said…
you have been busy! what you must do now is chill!
Woozle1967 said…
Great to catch up with you - I so love reading your blogs like this. And I know what you mean about the "I'm home safe" calls and/or texts - BIG trouble if I ever forget 'cos I'm too tired!xx
Sally Townsend said…
I'm so sorry I couldn't watch the programme with your Uncle Sid, so hope you get the news you are hoping for, isn't it unbearable waiting ? And teenagers..........
Golly, you do have some talented people in your family!!

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.
Rose1278 said…
VIP tickets all round for the clocks gig i feel! chop chop! still got fingers crossed for you ma mere, im sure despite the wait (o dear!) it'll all be worth it! (o good!)Any chance u recorded siddly diddly on tv as sadly it wasn't shown down here! :( xx
Exmoorjane said…
Oh, how typical is that! I hate publishers. But the book race sounds great - how funny, familiar names there and Adrian used to work with Dave Hill (and he had connections with City limits too, that I used to work for). Small world eh?
fingers crossed still...jxx
fingers crossed for you and the book. saw the interview - how cool is that? great stories, lovely man. have you heard about the residential centre on the Lleyn peninsula for intensive Welsh courses? Sounds far away and beautiful and fabulous. don't think I will manage it over this summer but maybe in the autumn or even next spring. Would you fancy it?
Pondside said…
Shortly means - when they're good and ready...and that could be tomorrow, or this afternoon - but it will happen. I certainly feel for you with the waiting and hoping.
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!
countrymousie said…
Rather late in reading your dairy/blog - am very excited for you with rockstar son - also missed your uncle on TV. Been a bit of a trying week here, so am all ar.. about face this weekend. Its raining and shouldnt be according to the weather man so am catching up on blogs. On a rock star note, my Road Stewart tickets arrived today for his concert in
Ipswich in July. love mousie
Rose1278 said…
hello?! can u see me? hehe have fun with lily (but not too much fun!) xxx
Fennie said…
Lot's of luck with the book. At least you should have a bit of peace over the bank holiday. The message will get through. Pob hwyl!
Zinnia Cyclamen said…
I hope 'very shortly' means this week... the waiting is agonising, isn't it? Tues 22nd was a good day, great news about Novel 2, Uncle Sid AND Glastonbury!
Zinnia Cyclamen said…
And what I meant to say was: you're on my sidebar at long last! Sorry it took so long.
Posie said…
Good to catch up, fantastic that your son is playing at Glastonbury, wow real rock star, get those shorts and wellies out!! Sad carvery meal made me feel better I used to go for those when I was in my teens and misss them sometimes until I read your blog and thought that standards in food have slipped so much. Your novel writing sounds so exciting, must be a lovely feeling when it all comes together, a biot like a jigsaw puzzle I imagine.
jackofall said…
Having just finished Angus Thongs & Full Frontal Snogging I imagine 'very shortly' is like 'see you later' - does it mean 'very shortly' or does it mean 'very shortly'? At least if they're saying they're going to look at it it means they haven't rejected it out of hand, have they? You don't look at something you're not interested in.

Fingers crossed.

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