Red Pens, Apple Sponge & Sore Toes

I've finished working through RP and tomorrow I'm going to print it off and go through it with a red pen and then after the final check, hopefully have it in the post early next week to the RNA New Writer's Scheme.

S has brought home a gorgeous sponge cake with apple, which we're going to have with hot cups of tea in peace and quiet until J arrives home from his forth round of injections needed for his Cambodia/Thailand trek.

Talking of J (rolls eyes in exasperation) I noticed that he had a swollen toe that had gone purple and despite the irritated request for me to 'chill' I phoned the doctor from work the following morning and booked him an appointment. After at least thirty-seven phone calls to both the house phone and his mobile (well, it felt like that many) with me whispering into the answer phone getting more furious by the minute, he eventually woke up enough to answer the phone. I told him to make sure that the doctor knew that he would be trekking in a humid climate for a month and to let me know what happened.

J phoned me back and said that he had been given some 'red stuff' to wash his toe with but I was surprised when he assured me that the Doctor hadn't given him antibiotics of any sort. Arriving home after work, I noticed a piece of paper on the kitchen table and called J over.

Me: J I thought you said the doctor didn't give you a prescription.
J: What? No, he didnt.
Me (pointing to piece of paper): Well what's that then?
J: Dunno
D (taking a deep breath): It's a prescription.
J: Well how was I to know.
D: Because someone who has taken Alevel English should be able to read the word 'prescription' on the top of the page.
J: Oh

Needless to say, he was immediately sent off with 20 minutes to spare before the chemist closed. Since then S and I have had to remind him practically every time he is supposed to take a damn pill - and I'm letting him go travelling for a month! Thankfully he has a leader (a young girl who the boys were thrilled to meet), a teacher from school and there are ten boys altogether, all of whom appear to be as switched off as my son. I shall not panic. I shall not panic. I shall not panic.

War Child - You're Not The Only One

I'm so excited because I've found out that my contribution has been included in this book, You're Not The Only One with all profits going to the charity War Child, an international charity that works with children affected by war.

Did you know that one child dies as a result of war every three minutes? Neither did I. That's 480 children per day and over 175,000 per year.

You can buy You're Not The Only One here and you'll also be able to preview the front and back cover, the contents, the introduction and even the first story.

If you want to read more about the book or see a list of the contributors then why not pop over to Sarah Peach's blog (she's the clever one who compiled and edited the book).

Race For Life & the Skin Tight T-Shirt

Best of luck to everyone taking part in this years Race for Life. Our local one is this morning at 11.30 after the men's Run For Moore in memory of the late great Bobby Moore, which is at 10am.

There are 26 women taking part in the run from my office and although we've raised our own sponsorship the company paid for us all to be registered into the race and also supplied us with t-shirts. Naturally these tops are pink and have our company name emblazoned on the front and back.

On Thursday I was given my t-shirt. Now as I am not exactly flat-chested in the boob department and because I prefer a slightly baggier top I ordered an XL just to be safe. I tried this on when I got home and horror of horrors looked like a plump Jordan (I'm being kind to myself here). It's positively obscene. They are also fairly see-through. R's eyes were out on stalks and that's all well and good but not exactly what I would choose to wear to run (okay, walk as quickly as I can).

So I have a dilemma. Do I wear this teeny tiny tee or do I prepare myself for the wrath of the company and wear the baggy one I had for last year's Cancer Research event that I entered in October? After all, both events are to raise money for the same thing. I have a sneaking suspicion that the baggy top will win.

Have a great day.

Scenery, Socializing & Solace

This was my view one year ago today, Vesuvius from my balcony in Sorrento, ahh bliss. Today my view will be of the inside of the shed staring at an eclectic mix of photos/pictures/strange artifacts whilst I ponder changes to my book. (I'm determined to finish my edit this weekend).

However, it could be worse. How you may ask? Read on and I shall tell you. I've just returned from being made blonde again by my talented and very lovely hairdresser and whilst I sat amidst foils (although they aren't foils any more but plastic things) I listened to the various clients. There were the older ladies coming in for their weekly wash and set and one younger woman who was jetting off somewhere. Then there were various others who, it seemed were all going to the same luncheon party being held at one of the more costly restaurants in the island.

One woman with glorious dark tresses half way down her back, wearing the most exquisite LBD, perfect tan, nail extensions and enviable emerald cut diamond arrived simply to have her already dried hair blow dried once more whilst she sipped a latte. Another had the full works and as I left one of the mothers from school was parking her Aston Martin and about to follow suit.

My hairdresser said wistfully, "Don't you wish you were joining them too?" I nodded as I felt that was what she had expected me to do but in all honesty, between you, me and the gatepost, I couldn't think of anything worse and was thrilled to be coming home for an afternoon in the shed with just me, my laptop and the dog, oh and of course a jar of Midget Gems.

I think I must be getting old or something, either way they've given me inspiration for a character I was mentally developing for my next book. Mental note to self: Get on and finish this one first and stop getting ahead of yourself.

You're Fired

This morning after being woken at 4.15 by the dog being sick, breaking one of my shoes, finding that my best black jacket (well, my only one if I'm honest) was lying in a heap on the floor of the car due to S knocking it down there with her cookery basket last night, S missed the bus. This meant that I had to take her to school and sat for what seemed like days in the immobile traffic.

I arrived late at my parking space, which just happens to be near to a shop where practically every working man stops for his morning bacon roll/coffee/paper and this morning the lorry that had been there prior to my arrival had dropped a bag of cement off the back and left it there in all its split glory. Someone had called 'the slowest man in the entire sodding universe' who parked his cleaning vehicle (???) part way across my space and leant against his broom and a spade and stared at the mess.

When I dared to ask how long he may be (to clear up what I could have shifted in mere moments and would have done if I wasn't wearing black and having to attend a meeting at 10.30) he scratched his head and said, "Listen, I don't need this in the morning (as if I did?). I've no idea how long it will take. I need to find boxes." With that he disappeared around the corner of the building for about five minutes. I phoned R (in mid hissy fit) who told me that someone was on his way to help. I said, "If its the man in the blue van, he's just gone into the shop."

Eventually, man from shop noticed hysterical, mad woman with steam emanating from both ears and said. "Want some help?" to the slowest man in the universe and thanks to him I only had to wait 30 minutes before being able to park my damn car. I work on flexi-time, so what with the school run and cement incident I now have to make up about an hour at work.

Face like thunder, I raced into the office and one coffee later and an email from a colleague telling us that it was her birthday and that cakes were awaiting attention in the kitchen, I managed to cheer up. The rest of the day passed in a frenzied blurr but I arrived home to salmon fillets and new potatoes from the garden thanks to R.

I am now calm. Long may it last. Tonight I'm watching Sir Alan Sugar firing people.

So, how was your day?

First Prize, Meetings & Slip Ups

Judging by the picture, I'm sure you'll guess, I'm a little confused. Or maybe I just can't spell. Anyhow, I digress. R phoned me at work today to tell me that my hairdresser had phoned and said that I'd won a tv. Now I don't know about you but I go the hairdressers to be made blonde (ok so sometimes nature needs a little persuasion when it comes to hair colour). I do not usually go to take part in raffles. I'd forgotten all about it and so phoned my hairdresser to check that R hadn't had too much soya milk this morning on his disgustingly healthy cereal. It turns out that I had bought a few tickets (my hairdresser does a lot to raise money for Jersey Hospice) and guess what, I won first prize.

I excitedly asked the receptionist what it was and typed in the name I thought she said (hence the picture). I also asked if I would be able to carry my prize or would I need help and I'm sure I detected a snigger when she replied, "Don't worry I think you'll be okay. A 15" tv doesn't weigh that much." Cheek. R was a little disappointed as I think he was hoping for a 52" one. R isn't so full of himself now that he's seen my little gem. It may be fairly small but sits beautifully on my dressing table and gives me far more room than before for more 'bits and pieces'.

Work was okay. Let's face it, it could have been far worse. I have meetings every day this week and probably will need to go to London in July sometime for the day to meet a lovely client who will be visiting from distant shores. I survived, so until tomorrow...

Talking of tv's (oh, did you think I'd moved on?) well, I was sitting in the lounge watching Sky and as I flicked through the movie channels, I stumbled on something that looked interesting and pressed in the PIN number. Mere seconds later, a heard of baby elephants (well, S) came rampaging down the stairs. "Hah," she shouted, happier than I've seen her for weeks. "So you DO know the PIN number after all." Bugger! I'd forgotten that I had told her and J that only R knew it (this is because I'm a pushover and he isn't when it comes to keeping secrets). "Tell me what it is, pleeeaaaaseee," she said looking as adorable as possible. However, R will be proud when I tell him that I've stood my ground and refused point blank to tell her. (I know Andrea is reading this and thinking, I wonder how many minutes this will last).

Lightbulb Moments & Back to the Grindstone

Thanks to Tom Foolery for this great picture.

Well I've had a wonderful ten days off work and spent a satisfying amount of hours in the shed in my own little world as well as being relatively sociable with a house full of teenagers.

The boys have now returned home to the more northern parts of England and I'm preparing myself mentally to the thought of having to dress in my work clothes (yuck), wear makeup (double yuck) and sit in an office for far too many hours a day (yuck, yuck and thrice yuck). Not thrilled but at least it should take a fair bit of time tomorrow morning to get through the mountain of emails whilst bringing myself to some sort of consciousness with copious cups of coffee. Urgh.

(Have given self a mental slap and am determined not to think about work until I simply have no choice, ie tomorrow morning.)

I was coming round from a lousy nights sleep yesterday morning when I had one of those lightbulb moments and realized what RP was missing. I say 'realized' I could be completely wrong of course, either way I spent several hours having to go through my book and amend it accordingly and now I think it reads far better, or a part of it that I felt lacking does anyway.

We've spent most of today working in the garden, even planting hedging and it's looking far better than of late. I do sometimes wish though that I was married to a man who knew how to sit down for more than two minutes at a time and enjoyed reading as much as I do. Mind you, I suppose the fact that I can't sit and watch him work without feeling like I should be helping, at least for a bit, can only be a good thing for someone who likes nothing better than sitting on her bottom for hours at a time.