Home Thoughts Weekly

My OU work is really stacking up now with two assignments and the crucial end-of-course assessment to complete in less than ten weeks. I suppose the reason I’m feeling under pressure is because I want to do well. I’ve worked far harder at this than I ever did during my BA (the usual distractions) and I’ve been really chuffed with my results. Since I’d established some writing credentials before embarking on this course, a few people looked at me askance when I told them I was studying for a Diploma in Creative Writing, but I wanted to try new areas and push myself outside my comfort zone and that’s exactly what I’ve done. The poetry section was especially rewarding and even if my poetry never sees the light of day, I know it’s something I’ll continue with. As for writing outside my comfort zone , well, the current module, life writing, certainly takes care of that. The furore over Julie Myerson’s, ‘The Lost Child’, which blew up just as I started the module, was a timely reminder ...

It’s five o’clock in the morning and I’m good to go. Notoriously grumpy outside my core hours, I’m making a big effort to be cheerful – and with good reason; we’re off on our hols! The only slight problem is that something is tickling my neck and further investigation reveals that I’ve put my jumper on back-to-front. Oh, and my Ugg-alike slippers are on the wrong feet. Well, maybe it is a bit early for me. Since the cars ate our cash, the budget for our city break is even tighter. We shouldn’t be going at all but, sheesh, ten years of marriage has got to be worth celebrating, and Edinburgh’s been on our list of places to visit for ages. We’re going to make the most of our precious time away, hence the early start. The meander through Wales is slow but the scenery is so beautiful we don’t care and by lunchtime we’re drinking tea in a service station in Gretna in brilliant sunshine. Craigmoss Bed and Breakfast provides us with the perfect base (and the perfect Scottish breakfas...

Well, what didn’t the Llanelli half marathon throw at us? A severe weather warning, rain, freezing cold, hailstones and wind. By the six mile mark I was soaking wet and being pelted with hail and by the ten mile mark I felt as if I was running with someone else on my back. Then the sun came out and, for a moment, I thought it might be a fairly benign jog to the finish except that the wind picked up even more dramatically. A huge gust pushed me sideways off the track and sand, blowing up from the beach, scoured my face. By mile twelve I was finding it hard enough to stand up, let alone run. At this point a nasty little hill spikes the mix even further. I felt dizzy, disorientated and had visions of walking the rest of the course... and then I saw the finish! Now, in my mind I’m flying at this point, although video footage shows Mrs Clumpy-clumpison hobbling towards the line. Anyway, I managed to find something in the tank and clocked up a chip time of 2:17:05, a personal best, (...

Well, it’s not every woman who can say she got crabs from the man across the road for her anniversary. And straight out the sea at that! Mr Across-the-Road turned up at the weekend with a basket of freshly-caught crabs as a thank you for a couple of small favours we’d been happy to do. There was a worrying moment when Tom and I looked at the crabs in our sink and they looked up at us and waved little crabby claws and I thought we might have to keep them as pets before we overcame our unease and dispatched them with great respect. And, I have to say they were absolutely sublime with Tom’s homemade aïoli and some chilled white wine. On our anniversary, St David’s Day, Tom brought me a cup of tea in bed and a bunch of daffs for every year of our marriage – how lovely was that? Only four days to go now before the Llanelli half-marathon so I’m getting nervous. My training’s gone well but not without event. Honestly, you’d think that here on the west Wales coast I’d be able to run ...