Lovely Lily, aka the new Mrs J is staying with us for the weekend while Mr J is away. We have a fine old time replaying her wedding day and looking at photos, but a bitter wind and heavy downpours put us off going for a walk to the beach.
‘Never mind,’ says Tom, ‘we’ll drive up to the tea hut at Aberaeron instead.’ A sense that the man in the tea hut is not, perhaps, as delighted to have any customers at all on such a miserable day as we would hope is offset by the fact that his tea is served in decent mugs. The sea is silvery green with impressive rolling waves and we park ourselves on a bench in a painted concrete shelter to watch it.
‘Tea time, is it then?’ says a man sitting on the adjoining bench to offer a biscuit to his scruffy little scrap of a dog. The little dog crunches delicately. ‘Sweet,’ Lily and I say to each other and, ‘oh look, it’s coming say hello!’ whereupon the little dog lifts its leg and does an almighty wee in front of us instead. I’m not sure what kind of hello that is, but we decided not to wait for ‘goodbye’ and head back to the car.
Tuesday 6 November
‘Third time lucky?’ says the courier who’s been following my efforts to buy a dress that goes over my rib cage without flapping round my hips. But no, having found a brand that seems to fit me, I’ve spotted a bargain in the clearance sale. Even better, it fits! Happy days!
My good mood gets even better when we nip out to the nearest shop to buy the celebrity magazine, Star. I’ve been told there’s a chance Move Over Darling’s going to be reviewed in it – if I haven’t been bumped out by books by Proper Slebs such as Cheryl Cole, Rod Stewart or any of the other biographies doing the rounds for Christmas. I’m over the moon to see I’ve made it! My second novel reviewed in a national magazine – amazing!
Then, just when I think it doesn’t get any better, my neighbour arrives with a parcel that she’s taken in while we’ve been out. It’s the painting that I was incredibly fortunate to win in a hotly contested prize draw! ‘Watching Joe’ by talented artist, (and incredibly funny blogger, damn her, inventor of Writing Pants) Lane Mathias, is a beautiful, happy painting in acrylic and collage on canvas,which is now rubbing shoulders with Tom’s work in my study where it will always remind me of a very special day. Thank you, Lane.
Painting is ‘Watching Joe’ by Lane Mathias
Comments
I am happy and relieved with the President's re-election, and also think that there are some very good new Senators headed for Washington.
You've made me laugh with your tale of tea by the sea with pee! Congratulations on the magazine mention...I'm sure you'll be getting more and more readers. Could we have a photo of you in the new dress? Your prize pictures is delightful.
xo