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Whirlwind week


Friday 16 April
a.m. Up at crack of doom to go to hairdressers for Big Night Out in Cardiff. On return, have quick sitting with Stepson Two and Gorgeous Girlf, for a round of possible PR photos. Stepson Two takes photographs while Gorgeous Girlf smiles encouragingly just behind him. Ask Stepson Two if he can take out all bags, wrinkles and blemishes. ‘Yes,’ he says, ‘but what would be the point?’.

Midday. Drive Stepson Two and Gorgeous Girlf to Carmarthen to catch their train. A series of diversions mean we make the station with two minutes to spare. The best part of is it that they have booked this train so they can drive to Heathrow to collect GG’s parents... except that GG’s parents are now stuck in Egypt due to Volcanogate.

p.m. It’s too early for us to meet Lily in Cardiff so we head for Penarth which is fabbity-fab-fab. We sit in glorious sunshine on the lovely old pier enjoying two cups of tea and three Welsh cakes for a truly bargainous £2.50. Perfick! Ring Lily at work to make her jealous.

Off to Cardiff Bay. Lovely Lily and Russ are taking us out for a meal to celebrate Lily’s promotion (yay!) and as an entirely undeserved thank you for the very little we have done for them. A very good time had by all. Thank you so much, Lily and Russ.

Saturday 17 April
Up and out for bracing walk along Cardiff Bay to the Barrage and back. Have lovely time spotting dogs and babies. Yummy sushi for lunch. Tom and I walk into town where Tom has an OU lecture. I decide to walk round the shops. By the time I meet Tom and we walk back to the bay my feet are almost on fire.

Sunday 18 April
Give house a thorough tidy for house buyers viewing at 3pm. They do not show up. Total berludy waste of a day... but at least the house is tidy.

Monday 19 April
Kate Harrison, super-talented author of six novels, has been reading Turning the Tide for me. Receive really lovely email from her saying all kinds of nice things about it. Happiness levels soar.

Tuesday 20 April
Workworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkworkwork.
Wednesday 21 April
More visitors, the last for a little while, but this is for a very special occasion. Ma, MiL and DiL are coming down for Tom’s graduation on Saturday. Prepare for much bursting with pride in Cardiff that day!

And over at Choc Lit we’re blogging about the joys of publishing today with each of us writing about what stage we’re at.

Painting is one I’ve posted before. ‘Silence Katyn’ by Tom Tomos

Comments

Flowerpot said…
That really is a whirlwind week Chris - I'm exhausted on your behalf! I laughed at the comment about what's the point of removing a few wrinkles. Every point!!! You could tell that was a bloke talking...
Leigh Russell said…
Love the photo. Funnily enough, the wrinkles comment struck me too. I have an issue with the adage 'The camera never lies'. You know how the camera is supposed to love some people? It hates me! No way am I as ugly as I look in photos. That's not me!! Of course I'm not so trivial as to care (yeah, right...)
Hi Chris - what a week! Great to get some (I'm sure well-deserved) positive feedback from another writer, have some lovely family time AND enjoy bargain-basement Welsh cakes in lovely Penarth - you must let me have address of that cafe, it's sounds just up my street.


And whaddyamean 'bags, wrinkles and blemishes'? Darned if I can see any.
xx
Elizabethd said…
You must be exhausted after that sort of week!
Pondside said…
I need to lie down after that! Whew!
You know how to pack a week with activity. Now I must go and google Welsh cakes........
Milla said…
more prideosity stuff coming up.
Like Flowerpot, I'm tired on your behalf.
Wanna tidy my house??
And, don't get this "event" business to do with your novel on f/b - is it like a p/c party or something or what??
Frances said…
Chris, whirlwind weeks really do show us what can be done! And make us appreciate the quieter times that also filter into our lives.

It's grand to see Tom's painting again. It is a beauty. Congrats on the graduation!

I am sure that your photographs will be fine. As I type this, there is a slight book to my side, Talking About Detective Fiction, with a color photo of its author, P.D. James on the back dust cover. I have seen this lady close us ... maybe 15 or 20 years ago, and can attest that this recent photo does capture the same lady. I don't think it's a glamorous photo, but rather a true one. It's interesting to see her hands close up.

And I, like Pondside, must go research Welsh cakes.

xo
Busy week is an under statement Chris! Packed full of good stuff. Penarth sounds lovely ... Welsh cakes, walks, sunshine, sushi, - so glad you had a good, if busy, week.

Have a great time on Saturday!

Jeanne
x
Maggie Christie said…
Catching up on the last two blogs here. Crikey what a week and more to come by the sounds of things. Good luck to both of you. Enjoy!
What a week! Must have been great to get that feedback on your novel. Pleased to see the picture again. I love it!
bradan said…
How do you manage all that in one week?! Drooled at the Welsh cakes, ages since I had those. Brilliant that you had such positive feedback on your novel and many congratulations to Tom on his graduation, enjoy the day!
Crikey, I thought my week was busy.

I know what you mean about photos and wish I could not only have airbrushed photos, but walk around airbrushed all the time.

Have fun at the graduation on Saturday.
Anonymous said…
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Chris Stovell said…
Fp, I know! I suppose it stops dropped jaws when folks meet me.

Leigh - I can only see a warm-looking attractive woman in your photo! Just goes to show how uncomfortable most of us feel about how we're portrayed.

LBD - Penarth is totallly brilliant - if I could afford it I'd move there like a shot and sit on the pier every sunny day... except I think it gets really busy which would cheese me off. Sigh.

Elizabethd - this one's even more hectic. Looking forwards to a quieter time!

Pondside - I think you know the feeling.

Milla - don't ask me. Gorgeous Girlf - a Young Person who knows about these things - did it for me!

Frances, I'm a P D James fan - saw her at a book event some time ago and she was funny and razor-sharp.

Jeanne, lots of family time at the moment. Good to catch up with them but, gosh, I enjoyed my trip to Penarth!

Mags, thanks very much. Looking forward to a less hectic pace though!

Elizabethm - yes, was over the moon with lovely feedback. Very nervewracking handing your work over to a Famous Author!

Debs, yes you certainly know how to pack it in!

Bradan, thanks for the good wishes - feel vair proud of Tom. (And they were excellent Welsh cakes!)
Karen said…
Sounds like a very productive week, and I love that painting :o)
Sally Townsend said…
All you need now is for the house to sell, which it will !
Chris Stovell said…
Karen, thank you!

Sally - thanks - still a bit worried that if it does we'll have nowhere to go!
Nishant said…
You must be exhausted after that sort of week!
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