Procrastination, Flash Cards & Hideous Photos

Did you know that on this day in 1952 it was announced that tea rationing would be stopped. Tea had been rationed for twelve long years. I can't imagine not being able to consume the copious amounts that I get through each day. Also on this day, but in 1959, postcodes were introduced in Britain. Right, that's enough procrastination for me for the time being. I've put off writing for long enough and need to get on with it.

Today, I need to finally sub a short story that I've been working on and faffing about with rather a lot, then I have to finish my fifth assignment that I intended sending out last Saturday. After all that I need to go through HH&S and write up a flash card for each chapter in order to figure out exactly what I need to rework. This little project has been on my mind for the past couple of weeks and although I've made notes and thought about it many times, I haven't actually sat my bum down on the chair and DONE anything about it.

I've been an entire week without crisps and Midget Gems (replaced by almonds, not quite the same, but healthier). I've only had the odd cube of Bourneville chocolate to stop any sweet craving for the milkier sort that passes my lips far too often and I'm building a good relationship with Ryvita Muesli crispbreads.

All this virtuous eating is thanks to my mother and sister who recently sent me hideous photos of me that they'd taken this summer, well photos that they took with me looking pretty hideous in them, they didn't intentionally take ghastly ones of me, it just couldn't be helped. Now unless the camera puts on several stones in a photo and ages your face, then I'm looking pretty shocking. So it was definately time to take action.

Much as I love my husband (and I do, he's wonderful) it doesn't help being married to someone who thinks you're 'gorgeous' despite the fact that I weigh ???? stones more than when we first dated nine years ago. Well ???? stones, less the three pounds that I've lost this week.

I Like My Postman

I phoned R from work today (anything to stop bookkeeping for a moment) and asked if the postman had been.
"Yeeeessss," he said.
"Was there anything for me?"
"Yeeesss."
"Ooh, what?"
"Guess."

Well, I knew that it couldn't be a DVD, as Mamma Mia isn't due out yet, so it had to be a book. It was my copy of Cafe Au Lait, Liane Spicer's gorgeous looking book, for more info please go to her site here. I've had a quick peek, as I do, and it looks a great read. I can't wait to get started.

I arrived home to J & S having a row (honestly, teenagers, they always have enough energy for arguing) about bringing the bin in. It is ONE bin, that needs to be pulled up the drive ONCE a week and it has wheels for heaven's sake. How hard can that be?

S is in a bad mood as she has a badly grazed knee (father's Rhodesian Ridgeback pulled her over yesterday), mind you, it hasn't stopped her being chosen for the school football team to play tomorrow after school. She's delighted, I'm not quite so thrilled as it'll mean driving through the school traffic and then the later rush hour to go and collect her.

It's my brother's 40th birthday tomorrow, so Happy Birthday, Jx

Sunflowers, Crazy Daisy & DVDs

Yesterday afternoon, I was feeling rather miserable with this damn head cold, when my sister arrived with my little neice, G (yes, she of the tree climbing drama).

"Look what I got you," shouted G as she made her way carefully around a bouncing, yapping miniature schnauzer.

As luck would have it, R had just arrived home with a Crazy Daisy for G and her brother, and she was delighted to be given the water squirting flower.


I love flowers and particularly adore Sunflowers. They cheered me up so much that as soon as they'd left I went to the shed and increased my wip by 1,185 words.

Today, the postman bought me my copy of Lost in Austen. Unfortunately, R got to the letterbox before me and when I ripped the envelope open and he saw the DVD inside, he said, "You've taped every episode, why do you need the DVD too?"

Honestly, what a question?

Before, After & Release Dates

This was my fir tree yesterday morning - I promise I shall shut up ranting on about my trees (or lack of) after this post. I have to say that the garden looks rather strange with all the work that was done yesterday, by two men who must have worked like demons. R kept them hydrated with copious amount of coffee (he did offer juice etc, but was only too happy to keep them in constant supply as they were doing so well).

This is my fir tree after they'd done their 'thing'. Logs. I shall be brave and now do as promised and shut the hell up about it.

The very lovely Christina Phillips has a digital release date of 24 October for her paranormal Scarlet Rosette from The Wild Rose Press, Foretaste of Forever, a dark erotic romance between a beautiful witch and her deeply tortured lover. You can read an adult rated excerpt on her blog.

S is feeling much better but thanks to her and sitting in an office with approximately 80 other people, half of whom have spent the week sneezing, coughing and no doubt breathing the same recycled air as me, I now have an onslaught of the dreaded lurgy (sp?). Nevermind, I didn't have too much planned for the weekend anyway and will be only too happy for an excuse to wrap up, dose up, lock self away in the shed and boost that flagging word count.

Miraculous Recoveries, More Books & the Tree Man

S went to bed last night with a stinking headcold and woke in a foul mood this morning. After much contemplation I agreed that she could have a day in bed. I phoned at 9.45 to see if she was coping. (R was at home but asleep as he'd worked until late last night and needed to catch up). "Yes, I'm fine thanks," she replied. "Well, you're obviously downstairs and not in bed," said I. "Yup, and I've made out my birthday and Christmas present lists too," she said, obviously forgetting who she was talking to and that she was supposed to be in a state of near collapse. Guess who'll be back at school first thing tomorrow?

Whilst in London last week we visited the National Gallery. I could have happily wandered from room to room for days and thought how lucky the small gatherings of children that were there with teachers were, to be able to go on such a fabulous outing. Mind you, I probably would have rather gone to a petting zoo when I was ten years old. I bought a book about Klimt. It's only a small one but filled with glorious paintings.

I also bought this book (not from the National Gallery. I don't know the author but I think it's going to be a good read. She's also written two other novels that also look interesting.

I've just received a phone call from the tree man. He seems very nice and sounds like an over excited puppy, but unfortunately he'll be coming tomorrow to cut down the leaning fir tree, and my poor cherry tree that's half dead with some sort of honeyfungus disease - gulp, sob. They're the biggest trees in my garden and have obviously been here years. I'll hate coming home from work tomorrow and seeing two large gaps where they once stood. R is rather philosophical and said that at least we'll have enough logs for the winter. You know, sometimes we really see things quite differently.

Displacement Activities & Half Way Mark

Whilst at Gatwick the other day, I popped in to WH Smith and bought this fab book, Strictly Love, by Julia Williams. I've had a sneak peak inside and it looks wonderful, so now I can't wait to get reading. I'm also intending watching Strictly Come Dancing from the beginning this year, as usually I don't bother until near the end of the series.

I'm now seriously addicted to the Black Box Widget and have registered to take part in Slingink, thanks to Calistro posting about it. I've also found this delightful scene on You Tube for any of you that may wish to see Elliot Cowan as Darcy with his wet shirt on (sigh). I was so surprised (and not a little delighted) when this happened and thought it very clever of them (writer/director/producer?) to put it in to the series. Apparently the poor chap filmed this scene in November.

However, despite spending so much time on all these displacement activities, I've now managed to reach the half way mark on my present WIP. What I haven't done is get on with Assignment Five of my course, and shall now go, armed with a packet of Midget Gems to the peace and quiet of the shed, far, far away (well, down the path) from the distraction of the internet.

I'm Back, Tired But Happy

I'm sorry about the pic, but I just couldn't help myself. I arrived home yesterday afternoon and eventually managed to catch up with Lost in Austen and laughed (in delight and surprise) at the Darcy water scene (bliss). Sorry, I shall now engage my brain and get on with my post.

Essentially I popped over to London to attend the RNA talk given by Penny Vincenzi, although I also made the most of the time by meeting up with my good friend Andrea. I haven't seen her for a while, so we spent an exhausting day shopping, chatting (sis and Ma were there too) in a lovely little pub and then Rach (sis), Ma and I bade fairwell once more to our pal and we tootled off for an evening of merriment at my step-brother Alan's new house, where my step-father was waiting for us to return (probably enjoying a bit of peace, I should think). Great fun, but I'm still getting over it all.

What a lovely person Penny Vincenzi is. She entertained us all for an hour telling us anecdotes on how each book was written. Basically, Penny doesn't plot in detail but starts every book with a 'what if' in her mind. For example, what if someone came into a huge amount of money, what would happen and how would they deal with it. In 'Windfall', she tells the story of a doctor's wife and the repercussions of this happening to her.

In her present book, An Absolute Scandal, she writes about 'what if' you lost everything. This book, which I've started and am loving, is about the Lloyds scandal in the 1980s, the devastation it caused when people involved lost their fortune.

Most of us find that at some point in writing our books, we get to a part where the story seems to stop and doesn't somehow work. Penny was asked if this ever happens to her and if so, what does she do in this situation. She answered that she doesn't stop writing and go shopping, what she does do is go back to where the story was working, delete the part that didn't and then go forward again. She once deleted 20,000 words and although it was painful, at least she knew what didn't work and then continued with what did.

She said that her characters tell her what they will and won't do and at times they surprise her. She describes how she killed off one character and although she hadn't expected to do so, knew that it had to happen. Mind you, she did receive hate mail when the book was read as the character was loved by so many.

Someone asked how she edited her work and she said that she starts by reading what she'd written the previous day and edits this as she goes through it and then when she reaches the end, she keeps writing.

Penny was also asked if she sets out to write a certain word count each day. She said that she didn't, but does write for a certain amount of time each day and has even written as many as 7,000 words in one day. It takes her one year to write each book, and given that her present book is 881 pages long, I think that's pretty good going.

At the end of the talk, she was kind enough to sign my book. I thoroughly enjoyed her talk and found it not only interesting to learn how she works but also enjoyed her anecdotes. More than anything I learned that despite having written (I believe) fourteen wonderful books, she is very disciplined and doesn't use a difficult days writing as an excuse to take a break from her work. She sits down and works through it and keeps going until it's finished.

Oh no, I've just realized that the dog is due to be clipped in 25 minutes and I'm not dressed yet. Opps.