George Eliot, Whispers & the Tudors

Pinned up in front of me on the shed wall is a card that my aunt, Gerry gave to me several years ago. On it is a picture like the one here of George Eliot and on it are the rather calming words (for me anyway) "It's never to late to be what you might have been". Whenever I feel thoroughly fed up and miserable that I'm not achieving what I want to with my writing, all I have to do is look up and directly in front of me are those words. They never fail to make me feel much better about myself.

So much for watching what I eat, I simply can't have enough of Whispers and cannot imagine why they will only be in the shops for a limited time. Maybe if they came back for good I could slow down (or maybe that's just me kidding myself!) The woman in the nearby shop told me that once they run out they won't be getting any more. Panic!

I have my stash of Whispers and was all ready to enjoy a cosy night by the fire (once I had added a few hundred or so words to my wip - have to do this before admitting to Lane how I've done this week - not bad actually, phew!) Anyhow, I digress (again) where was I? Oh yes, all ready to settle down in the warm on this horribly stormy night when ds announces that the bus won't be coming in our direction late enough for him and so I will now have to venture forth into the miserable weather and collect him. Honestly, there's always something to interrupt any peace and quiet I may have planned!

Chapters, Connect & Gerry Butler

Chapter five is going pretty well and when I've finished posting & making the supper, I shall press on with it once more. It's nearly friday and I have to admit how many words I've done, so better move myself.

At work they asked if anyone wants to join the Connect league that is being put together for fun. You know how it works, you receive the zillionth email of the morning (I take until at least noon to come alive) and click on either "Yes" or "No" and press "Send". Clever clogs here pressed "Yes", vaguely aware that it would be some fun thing that we were all taking part in. Not at all. Apparently out of 200 staff only 40 agreed to do it and not only is it going to be a proper league thing but the Connect game itself is one where you have to stand up to put the discs into it. I have the attention span of a gnat with a hangover when it comes to games - give me a romantic novel to read or six hours of North and South and I can concentrate with the best of them but games... So, yet again, not stopping to think is no doubt going to cause me abject humiliation whilst entertaining my workmates. Not a clever bunny!

Before I discovered Richard Armitage, my passion was (and I haven't forgotten him) Gerry Butler. I never managed to see '300' when it came out. None of the children would go and see it with me - too embarrassing, damn cheek. So I'm going to buy the dvd for myself and not share it!

Editing, PE kits & being blonde

Usually when I write, I edit as I go along and therefore take months to do a first draft. As I'm attempting to finish this manuscript by Christmas - scarily soon - I don't have the time to do that and feel like I'm flying by the seat of my pants. Onwards & upwards though. I have to keep going and I must admit that I'm thoroughly enjoying myself.

Dd announced - on the way to school - that she needs her PE kit for tomorrow. Not a problem you may think but after work I had the hairdressers to go to - yes, I'm blonde once again - and then by the time the washing machine has done its cycle and then the dryer, I would then have to take it in the car to her father's house (where she stays on a Wednesday night). So, for once, I said an emphatic, "No, I'm not doing it." The kit is in the washing machine as I type but I shall refrain from delivering it to her as I normally would. Maybe next time she'll be more organized...then again, maybe not.

Must dash, shed beckons.

Writing Incentives & Looking Glam

This summer I attended an informative lecture by Alison Baverstock who told us about her writing space and discussed some of the objects that she surrounds herself with. For example a picture that may inspire you, a lovely cup to drink out of, that sort of thing.

I have a favoured mug with red chilli peppers (not the band, the veg). It's not at all pretty or delicate but I love it. In the photo, showing part of the shelf by the window in the shed, you can see a basket holding shells collected from the beaches by various children, a fossil (apart from the one sitting in the chair writing), the obligatory Midget Gems, lavender picked from the garden in a coloured glass wasp catcher (there's also a red and blue one further along) and a flag (it's called something else (is it an ensign?) but dh isn't here to remind me what it is.

Above the shelf hang coloured chinese lanterns and below is another shelf holding reference books, novels etc. On the opposite wall I have photos of family members/the dog etc and paintings by the children, a few crystals and various other bits and pieces that inspire me. It all helps create a very 'me' atmosphere in there.

I had a moment of horror earlier when I realized that next Friday (7th) is my company's Christmas Party. This doesn't leave me with the necessary time to lose the stone and a half that I had intended! After a brief panic and rather a lot of angst I have decided to go the Gok Wan way (tonight Ch4 8pm) be happy with the curves that I possess and enjoy myself anyway.

Solitary Poppy, Midget Gems & WIP

Look what I found yesterday in the garden, a beautiful solitary poppy. I can't believe that there is still one left this late in the year, mind you we did have a late summer I suppose. Anyhow I had to take a photo of it. Sorry about the photography, obviously not a skill I possess.

After the usual Sunday morning doing the dreaded ironing, which actually didn't take that long, but seemed to take forever. I enjoyed an exhiliarating walk on St Ouen's beach with dh, dd and Grumpy. We strolled along watching the surfers and enjoying the fresh air as he raced back and forth attacking the odd bit of seaweed.

Then it was back to the shed and onwards with the wip. I ate so many Midget Gems that I felt rather sick but at least I managed to push on with the novel and naturally had no problem polishing off a tasty roast chicken supper prepared by dh who is only too grateful to have the house to himself whilst I'm in the shed.

The company I work for moved into a new building today. There are now 200 hundred staff over four floors whereas before we were in four buildings. It was all very strange, however, at each desk was a mug with our names on. Quite a thoughtful touch I thought and immediately found the kitchen and filled mine with hot chocolate!

Sir Guy of Gisbourne & Plotting Novels

Yes - he survived his bath. I just about did too.

What is wrong with Lady Marion? She has this perfection of maleness, all 6ft 2ins of him head to toe in leather and she kisses him (quick fantasy of self in her place...) then she turns round and tells the poor adoring soul that she's made a mistake and races back off to that damp wood with it's distinct lack of facilities. She then dresses (for want of a better word) in the worst pair of trousers that I personally have ever seen and I've had a few horrors sitting in my wardrobe I can tell you. Sorry, but I've been very restrained in the Richard Armitage devotion stakes for the last couple of weeks. I needed a fix.

I'm working on Reading Paige in between sending ds off to buy various items for a school camping trip in the next couple of weeks. I know, who the hell would want to go camping for three days in December. It is some sort of survival thing in a forest. What is it with forests?

My wip is coming along - was going to say "swimmingly" - but I'm confusing myself plot-wise and need to sit down and try and figure this out a bit. I've typed out a Synopsis, which I usually do and the story is taking off in different directions to what I had originally thought. Again, this is the usual state of affairs, but I've reached a bit of a wall, hence taking a break to watch Robin Hood and now blogging for a bit. I shall go back now and work through it.

Word counts, wrestling & creased jeans

Well, I'm nearly blind but have managed to raise that pathetic word count from 6,000 to 11,213. Please excuse me posting the exact number of words, but each of them matter a great deal to me. The more the merrier, that's what I say. I'm only grateful that it's the weekend tomorrow and so the only computer screen I will have to look at is the one on my laptop and not the one at work.

Naturally, this doesn't mean that I can recline in front of the television just yet. I still have to wrestle Grumpy into the bath. I've been meaning to do this for a few days but have used first the cold as an excuse, then dropping off and picking up children, but now that dh has seen fit to feed him spagetti bolognaise, he is now sporting a not too fetching orange beard (the dog that is, dh doesn't have a beard) and so I have no option but to take my life in my hands and bath him. I'm sure this was a cunning plan devised by dh and one that has worked!

Can anyone enlighten me as to how an academically bright chap can manage to study for five 'A' levels, but not be able to work out how to pick up a pair of jeans from the bedroom floor once he has stepped out of them? Drives me crazy.

Oh well, enough of the delay tactics. It's off to the bathroom I go, with a distinctly reluctant schnauzer and several large towels to dry both of us off afterwards.

The Finishers, word counts & tea sets

I'm so excited. The good news is that I'm now a "Finisher" and therefore have to finish (or do my level best) my wip by Christmas. The bad news is that I only have 33 days in which to do it and having only achieved 6,600 words so far, feel I'm probably being a trifle ambitious. However, watch this space because as I've stated before, I'm a tenacious little devil (okay, so not so much of the little) and fully intend to do it.

I've just returned from work where I've been packing up my desk. How the hell I managed to fit so much junk into three draws I cannot fathom. Mind you, when you take out the various notepads -thousands of them. What is it about me and notepads; lipsticks - various shades of pink; mugs - will only use my own; paperclips - again 1,000s; crispbreads for those days when I insist I'm going to lose a stone; money - I find that I'm £1.45 better off than I thought and as I only had 57 pence in my purse today (tomorrow is pay day thank the Lord) it was most welcome and meant that I could buy a Whisper on the way home as well as a Jersey Evening Post.

Have just come back from my neice's second birthday party. I had bought her a pink case with a china tea set inside and a pink gingham (what makes you think I like the colour pink) cloth to place it all on. I wasn't sure if she would like it and was thrilled that she did. In fact, when her mother insisted that she sit at the table for her supper, she (neice, not mother) took some tomato sauce from the side of her plate, poured it into one of the tiny cups and to her mother's horror drank it and looked most pleased with her accomplishment. Bless!

Right, enough chat. I'm now off to build up that word count.

Writing Tips, Interviewing & Warmth (at last)

Being a determined little devil, I have various "How To" books to help me in my quest to learn this craft (writing, not blogging). My most recent purchase is the helpful, inspiring and fun book written by the talented Jane Wenham-Jones. As soon as I received "Wannabe A Writer?" I raced to the shed, stuffed a few midget gems in my mouth, locked the door and read and read and didn't come out until I'd finished. I simply couldn't put it down. I intend to put my newly acquired knowledge to work and keep going until one of two things happen, I either manage to get one of my novels published or I drop dead from exhaustion (well, maybe not that but old age hopefully).

I have to go now and put together some intelligent questions to ask a very generous lady who has kindly agreed to let me interview her as research for one of my WIPs. I'm a tad nervous as I don't want to waste the opportunity and forget to ask something that I may later need to know. We've never met and I hope I don't come across as some barmy bird. It must be so much easier doing this sort of thing when you've at least been published.

Oh and at last the boilerman has been. He did find a slight leak in the new boiler and I'm sure you can imagine my reaction to this news when dh dared to phone me at work and let me know the latest on our ongoing saga. He, the boilerman, has now sorted the problem and fired it all up and heavenly bliss, we now have a warm (nearly) house. Hurrah and double hurrah.

Celebrities, Chocolate & fillings at the dentist

As we only had heat - pathetic though it was - in one room of the house, I relented and watched "I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here" with my daughter (a voracious viewer of reality tv programmes) for the first time last night. I thought it would be interesting to see what all the fuss was about - I was wrong! I appear to be in the distinct minority amongst my colleagues at work when it comes to not watching these programmes. Well, all I can say is, a) Good for Lynne Franks (I think that was her name) for putting her hand, nay, entire body through all that goop, scorpions and various other unmentionables and, b) why on earth don't these celebrities (though why they are termed as such when I have no idea who half of them are) seek out the best hypnotherapist they can find and rid themselves of all their phobias before descending into the jungle?

Poor dd had to go to the dentist after school today for her first filling. It was such a titchy one that it was barely visible, anyhow I digress. We waited for a bit and then I went to the lavatory (boredom/cold what more can I say?) and when I came out she had been shown through to the consulting room. I followed and arrived in the room to hear the dentist say, "I shall just leave you for a moment to let that injection work." Shame, poor thing, dd not the dentist, it never occurred to me that she would need an injection. Thankfully, she is made of stern stuff and isn't bothered by dentists and was perfectly happily sitting there.

The only bad effect of her trip is that her face is slightly out of line as her mouth is numb and she is unable to eat her bar of Fairtrade crunchy chocolate. To be honest, I think the reason she keeps glaring at me is that I have so far eaten half. I promise to stop now and let her have the rest later, when she has got all feeling back in her face.

Cranford, Philip Glenister & Frostbite

I was so pleased to see that Philip Glenister has won Royal Variety Club Award's TV Performance of the Year for Life on Mars. Its about time he received some recognition for that brilliantly portrayed role. Good for him. Enjoyed watching him in Cranford last night too. Great stuff. Perfect Sunday night viewing especially when one is tucked up with grumbling Miniature Schnauzer who can't get comfortable, a mug of hot tea, bed socks and tracksuit top over the old pyjamas.

I tell you this heating can't come on quick enough. I have to check emails, blog etc on the house computer as the shed isn't connected to the internet. I daren't have it connected either as I would never get any writing done and so the shed has to be strictly for that. My typing is getting slower and slower as I sit here as my fingers descend into what I feel sure must be frostbite. Okay, I know I'm being a tad of a drama queen but hey I simply don't 'do' cold. Like I don't 'do' Mondays, or early mornings.

Right, now I have to dash as Nigella is on television. I adore her, probably as she makes me feel better about my rather fuller figure and I do like someone who is not scared to eat.

Survival, spiders & Grumpy's fight for chocolate

I have survived the party/sleepover and energy that only 13 year olds can muster. Dd had a ball at the party thankfully, so that's that for another 12 months. The "sleepover girls" had been warned about the lack of heating and once duvets had been distributed - they danced and then slept in the lounge where a pathetic fire had been allowed to die down by her older brother who was supposed to keep an eye on it whilst we were partying. The next morning it looked like a bomb site but was soon cleared up.

Yesterday a massive spider ran across my bedroom carpet - probably looking for heat, like me. Thankfully it wasn't like the one in my pic. I took this recently of Dan and his dad (my dh) in London just outside the Tate Modern. Cant wait to go again!

This morning, tired and cold, I decided to treat myself to a lie-in... No such luck. Dh took Grumpy for his morning constitutional and once finished the little swine - that's Grumpy not dh - raced back up to the bedroom and lept onto the bed. Unfortunately as it is pouring with rain he was soaking wet. Once dried off - both him and me - I returned back under my duvet only to hear what could only be sweet papers rustling. Yes, the little devil had been into dd's bedroom, rifled through her bag and stolen a bar of chocolate that he was forcing as quickly as if it were an olympian sport down his throat. Ignoring my orders to drop the offending article, I then had to get out of my bed - again - and wrestle with him to retrive it from the back of his throat. Now you would think that a dog who is only 14 inches tall would have no chance battling a determined adult female...think again! I won, of course, I am after all both determined and female but hell it was one mighty power struggle.

I did manage over 2,000 words in my shed yesterday though, the only warm place I could find. Heavenly, and peaceful.

Chicken Pies, Horrid Books & Richard Armitage

I never thought my shed could possibly be warmer than the house in November but without heating this house is nothing more than a concrete ice block and the temperature is supposed to drop to 2 degrees tonight! SO out I shall trot and lock myself in with Grumpy and leave the children and dh to the remote control and dd's delicious chicken pie that she cleverly made at school today. Most tasty.

I have to say that having been out to lunch I didn't relish the thought of cooking tonight and cheered up dramatically when I spotted her with her basket after school. Needless to say, despite working my way through three courses at lunch time and being sure that I was far too full to either want or need further nourishment, as soon as I smelt the flavours wafting from the pie I managed to force myself to eat not one but two slices... I had better not whine about not fitting into my chosen dress for the office Christmas party in three weeks!!! I shall, of course!

Some of the books they choose for the children to read at school are ghastly. At the moment dd is working her way through "White Fang" about an indian wolf dog who is beaten by his owner "Beauty Smith" and made to fight other dogs. Thankfully after all his trials and tribulations, White Fang is rescued by a mining engineer who takes him into his home. Sounds horrible. Not my cup of tea at all.

Right, I'm going to make the most of a peaceful evening before the hoards of teenage girls descend and take myself off to the shed with its walls covered with photos of Richard Armitage, Gerry Butler and that doctor bloke from Grey's Anatomy who's name escapes me as I shiver at this keyboard.

Burst Boilers & Bodyguards

My dd is now officially a teenager - gulp! She excitedly got up (without having to be called twenty times (a miracle in itself!) and began ripping open carefully wrapped presents and producing notes from generous family members when I noticed water on the floor in the utility room.

That was at 6.15 am and I have -at this moment in time - been mopping and squeezing seven old towels for 6 1/2 hours! My hands look like wrinkled old prunes and still the tiny pipe keeps leaking. Where the hell does all this water come from? Apparently the plumber is on his way............! To be honest he is a good chap and usually very quick but had an even worse catastrophy to deal with first. Ho Hum! I shall just have to keep mopping. Have moved Grumpy's bed - he is not happy!

It could be worse, at least I'm at home and can intermittently pop off to the shed to write in between the mopping up. Have reached a sticky point with the novel and not sure which way to veer so think I shall just push on and hope for the best.

A dear friend of mine is dating the most divine bodyguard and all though it's early days yet, Andrea and I are most excited and champing at the bit to go shopping for hats. However, we have been told to calm down...here's hoping!!!

Sorrento and the Queen...

Today has been cold. Very little sun interspersed with driving rain, so I thought I would put a picture of where I would love to be right now - Sorrento. Mmmmm, one can dream!!! Had a glorious holiday there with dh earlier in the year and can't wait to go back again - though I'm not exactly sure when.

It's my daughter's 13th birthday tomorrow and like the Queen, she will be celebrating throughout Wednesday, Thursday and enjoying a party for 18 on Friday culminating in a sleepover for several of her invitees. She can't wait...I can't wait until Saturday morning! Is that mean? Or simply honest? No doubt my son will barracade himself in his room. Hoards of noisy thirteen year olds are not the best fun in the world when you are a sixteen year old boy!

Grumpy and I will bear it as best we can....

Lists, lists and yet more damn lists!

For those who have read this blog for a while you will know that Mondays are not my best days. My children have just returned from a trip to the UK with their father and where I thought I was busy before, I am now drowing in lists. Booking flights for various school trips (in a few weeks that no one thought to mention before), then the lists for the equipment needed, lists of ingredients for cookery, lists of injections needed for a trip next year (the list has to be cleared with the doctor as some of the illnesses I've never heard of before), lists of requirements for a party/sleepover at the end of the week, and on it goes... I also need a list to make sure that I have dealt with all the aforemention lists!!!

Never mind, it will soon be the weekend.

I did make great progress on Friday with my WIP but very little on Saturday and even less on Sunday and that always drives me mad. I start with great intentions and then get bogged down with the day-to-day job of dealing with everything else first.

Never mind, I shall now leave them all to homework/tv/phone calls and hasten to the sanctity of the shed with a mug of tea and Grumpy in tow!

Lest we forget

I don't think I can add any words today to convey the feelings of remembrance more vividly than a picture of Flanders Poppies.

Saturdayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Feeling a bit blurgh this morning but at least its Saturday. Spent several productive hours in the shed last night - hurrah - until the creaking and strange noises wound their way into my consciousness and spooked me (there you see, Spooks again) and Grumpy and I returned to the solid walls of the house and settled down for The Tudors - great stuff. All that testosterone flying about - arm wrestling between Jonathan Rhys Meyers and the divine Henry Cavill (who comes from dear old Jersey), feminine wiles and thundering around on magnificent horses. Marvellous.

Today, I'm about to take a large mug of Earl Grey tea and meander (even though it's a straight path but feeling slightly dizzy - yes more so than normal) to the Shed and get on with the latest WIP. One of these days I shall write something that someone else wants to read but until that time I shall keep plodding away and at least I enjoy writing it.

Where's that tea?

Grumpy & The Tudors

Here's Grumpy sitting on his chair in the shed. This is where he dozes as I'm plodding away on my laptop for hours at an end. Occasionally he'll bark - just the once - to let me know that he needs to visit a tree or whatever but generally he snoozes away blissfully, only too thrilled that the children aren't in the shed trying to cuddle him or play with him. He's so anti-social...probably why we get along so well!

The photo directory at work has now gone live and although you can tell that something is amiss, by my confused expression (all Bob's fault) I don't look as ghastly as I thought I would. Needless to say some of us had a good giggle at the pics before remembering where we were and then settling down once more to get on with our work!

Right, I have to produce 1,000+ words before 9pm and sitting here blogging isn't the way to go about it. SO, the shed beckons once more... Have a great Friday night. Have to press on other wise I'm going to miss The Tudors and I can't possibly do that.

Sir Guy of Gisbourne & The Hard Drive

Drama of dramas!!! I'm out on Saturday night and have to meet the girls at 7.30. Quelle horreur! Not another Saturday when I shall miss my dearly beloved in his full black leather finery sorting out the peasants! Record it, I hear you say. Well obviously, I reply in haste...if I could. In our house I'm the one to do the recording of programmes - usually because I'm the sad fool who can't bear to miss certain programmes. The rest of the family have no idea how to even switch on the hard drive and couldn't care less about the video recorder. So I shall be left with no alternative but to start the recording and bribe dh to remember to turn it off at the end (otherwise the hard drive will be too full to record next weeks episode).

By the way, I loved A Room With a View but found the ending rather sad nevertheless.

Have become completely addicted to blogging and love reading them, but there are so many out there, you could lose hours and I certainly have. Unfortunately, I've been so busy being nosy that my word count this week has fallen dramatically so I shall have to give myself a talking to and try and catch up.

Apart from my writing lapse, novel No 4 is coming along rather well and I'm certainly enjoying writing it. So I shall now sign off and get on with it.

Persuasion & Pulling Faces

Sorry, I know that I've only posted a pic of the lovely Rupert very recently but needs must, as they say (this one is for Andrea!) How magnificent he looks striding along in his breeches!

Today I had the distressing trauma of having my photo taken at work for the database - they need to know who we are or something... I am usually the one behind the camera shouting "Cheese" or "Leeks" or other variations to get the poor soul that I have focused my lens on to smile appropriately. However, today was my turn and was it a good day? Was it hell! You know how it is, some days you feel remotely acceptable to be seen without a paper bag over the head, this naturally was not one of those days! The operation was hindered by my colleague Bob who insisted on pulling faces at me as I did my best to hide my worst features (difficult when one is having one's face and shoulders photographed). I ended up having to have several pics taken and although I could have had a look at the end result, I decided against it. Too depressing. I just know that I shall end up looking as if I have some infliction to my mouth'

So I shall have to just wait and see when we "go live" how ghastly I look on my photo. EUGH!

Why can't we simply wear name tags/badges? Why a photo on the company site where nearly two hundred people can laugh at it? Why? Why? and yet another Why?????

Room With A View/Lindt Bunnies

As I have already seen tonight's episode of Spooks and because I couldn't bear not to see the gorgeous Rupert Penry-Jones in Joe's Palace on Sunday - still dreaming about him - I shall sit in front of the fire tonight and watch the Andrew Davies adaptation of A Room With A View.

I can't see how the 1985 version with the divine Julian Sands (see pic borrowed courtesy of IMDB.com) as George Emerson can possibly be improved or indeed equalled although I shall give it a fair viewing. Was I the only one last night who felt let down by the ending in Doc Martin?

My daughter has just arrived home and announced that she is going to work really hard at school to gain as many credits as possible and hopefully be awarded a Lindt chocolate bunny! My son found this amusing and said, "Only you could be encouraged to work harder with the thought of chocolate". Now here I have to disagree. How clever her teacher is. This is surely why I was so lacking in drive whilst at school - no one thought to entice me with chocolate!

Bonfires & Fireworks

Tonight of course is Bonfire Night and I have to admit I do enjoy a good firework display. Last night I watched fantastic bursts of colour from one of our upstairs windows and tonight there is a huge bonfire and display arranged just down the road from us.

A fabulous read involving fireworks is Christina Jones' Heaven Sent. I've sadly just finished the book and wholly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a thoroughly entertaining story with vibrant characters that will make you completely forget any problems you may have.

Of course, the only member of the family who simply hates this time of the year is poor Grumpy who barks incessantly and stresses dreadfully over all the loud bangs. So I shall be staying at home with him and making the most of the final episode of the brilliant Doc Martin and keep the volume turned up to cover most of the noise outside. Scarily I found a rocket just near the shed on Sunday morning...wood & fireworks simply don't mix so I shall have to keep an eye on my 'writing place'.

Happy Bonfire Night.

Phew, What A Week That Was!

Well, I'm so glad that last week is over! I received so much depressing news that I wished I could lock myself in the shed and not come out until it was all well and truly over. The trouble is that with all that has been going on I have not been in the best mood to write, though thankfully have pulled myself together and am back on track once more with the greatest of vim and vigor.

Poor Grumpy is exhausted by all the comings and goings of this past week and has taken to his bed more than usual - the one in the picture is not in fact his - and for a dog that seems to spend so much of his time in a relaxed state, this was extreme even for him.

So with thoughts and mindset positive I shall take myself off once more to the shed and plough on with my new wip. I shall keep you posted as to progress but so far so good. Here's to a great week ahead.