Saturday, May 30th, 2009 | Author:
Julia
Another WriteOnsite entry – 30 minutes to write a story. Three themes given when the 30 minutes started – I went with: ‘Chaz’s 1970’s polo-neck cardigan.’ Absolutely thrilled with Penny Legg’s kind reference on her blog.
So, please – do take a read…
I like sitting on my Dad’s lap because he wears trousers which are soft and don’t scratch the backs of my legs. It’s best in winter on Saturdays because in the morning we go to the library together and Dad lets me choose books from the grown ups section. I like it because Dad lets me be on my own with no-one to tell me to put my legs together when I sit or not to wipe my nose on the back of my hand. Sometimes he lets me stay for more than one hour before he comes back for me. He says he likes to spend time on his own choosing his books but not to tell Mum as how we spend our Saturdays is our business and ours alone. I like that.
Best of all I like it when we go home and Mum cooks us Spam fritters and we have nice puddings like Arctic Roll. Dad is always happy then but sometimes Mum is not and she says:
‘Charlie where have you been all this time with her?’
And Dad says:
‘Leave it Maureen – the kid’s happy in the library,’ and smiles at me and I smile back.
In the afternoon Dad likes to watch Grandstand and I get to sit on his lap. When it’s cold he wears this cardigan I love. It’s pale brown with curly knitting down the front – like bits of knitted rope. The best bit is the buttons which are like flat footballs – all brown and shiny and smooth with stitching on them. I like to rub my fingers across them because they are hard and flat like Dad’s fingernails. Dad says this is our special time and I like it because I can look at one of the library books while he watches TV.
Sometimes Mum comes in and says:
‘Come on Charlie – help me with this or that or something.’
Dad says:
‘Later on love,’ and she goes out of the room.
The worst day was when she came in one Saturday and she looked like she had been crying and I was scared. She said that her friend Mavis had seen me in the library that morning but he wasn’t there. She said that Mavis saw him down the road in the Wimpey with another lady. He said this was not true and not to talk about it in front of me.
That Saturday I remember it was raining outside and he had his cardigan done up to his chin with all the football buttons showing in a line down the front like the chocolate buttons Mum puts on trifles at Christmas. I asked Dad who the lady was and he said no-one and said everything was OK. But I knew it was not OK because after the Basil Brush Show, Mum came in and said if he wanted to walk in smelling of perfume he could but not in her house and then she said she was going to stay at Mavis’s. Even though Mum has gone I still sit on Dad’s lap on Saturdays while he watches TV but I don’t like his cardigan now as it makes me think of Mum and of her not being here and most of all of how Dad wants to wear perfume but isn’t allowed to.
Friday, May 29th, 2009 | Author:
Julia
Went running last night after a long ‘rest’ period. Not an attractive sight. I did the three mile route but ended up having to jog/walk which was humiliating in the extreme. In fact I was going so slowly I could have eaten my sandwiches on the way round and sent some pretty accurate texts. My only high point was the knowledge that Mrs. Q could not see me huffing and puffing like a giant pink pig snuffling about. To be fair it was incredibly hot and humid – the latter making the whole experience unsavoury. So, in summary, I was not impressed with said perfromance and will give it another go tonight – hopefully as it rained last night it will not be too sticky out there. I will report back…
Thursday, May 28th, 2009 | Author:
Julia
First off – in contrast to all the news about North Korea, rising levels of child diabetes and yet more job losses, I thought I would post a wonderfully uplifting story which caught my eye. Anybody heard of a lady called Margaret Allan ? No? Well, to be honest neither had I until I scrolled down the news items on the BBC News website this morning. It looked a fairly innocuous report slipped in between tales of Taliban attrocities and the economic downturn but proved worth a look. Margaret Allan was clearly one lady in a million and her story must surely warm even the hardest of hearts. This lady lived in a Welsh village called Solva and following her death, her will revealed that she had left her estate to her friends and carers in the village. Sounds fairly commonplace but read her story and I guarantee it will boost you up for the day and re-fuel any doubts you might have in the milk of human kindness. What struck me most however was her picture – probably taken during the war – and revealing a pretty, fashionable, fresh-faced young woman packed with vitality and warmth. And here’s the message – the elderly members of our community were our age once and still carry within them the essence of what they were when they were younger. Look past the lines, wrinkles and crowsfeet – smooth them away – and there you have it. The young person within. Let’s not judge or treat them differently to the more youthful members of our society – they are those same people – just been around a lot longer and learnt a lot more. I’ve pasted in the photo of Mrs Allan below…
So, having delivered my thought for the day, I’ll move on to more mundane issues. The garden. It’s looking good with just two trays of bedding plants to put in and a couple of trailing petunias to plant in the new wall-mounted thingy. The cat has blessed us by not squatting on the lawn which Ian has mowed to perfection. Chilli plants are doing well and I can’t believe how much the herbs are growing now I have given their pot a spring clean and got rid of the dead bits. I think we’ll have it cracked this week-end allowing Ian to go on his next trip with an easy mind.
Writing-wise, I submitted my competition entries to the Winchester Writers Conference. Fingers crossed but competition is so stiff for this one with thousands of entries. I’ll be grateful if they just open my envelopes! It’s good to have them finished and submitted. Next pressing issue is the writeinvite night at Rosies this coming Monday. Promised to submit and read back a new story. Only problem is I haven’t written one yet which is suitable so need to get down to this today. Have an idea in my head and the twist planned out – just need to fill the rest of it in. I’m also getting slightly anxious re the progression of my book. I’ve completed 35 000 words but so much more to write. I’d like to be able to get a chapter down over the next couple of days and break a few more thousand words. Lets see how it goes: the weather is beautiful, I’ve just started a new novel, the patio is calling and I have cheese, olives and fresh bread in the fridge. None of this bodes well in terms of productivity. Hey – woman – leave that cheese alone…
Sunday, May 24th, 2009 | Author:
Julia
Spent to-day down at Mum and Dad’s with Mr and Mrs Q. Lunch followed by an afternoon taking the micky out of Ian’s pilates ( Namaste ) and then tea. It was such gorgeous weather we were able to spend the whole day in the garden from 1pm until 7pm. Staggered at the amount and variety of food Mum was able to produce and have now returned home completely over-fed but contented. Mrs Q is looking well and is now 6.5 months gone but glowing like Sellafield having burnt her arms this afternoon. She now has glazed chipolata arms as opposed to my white sticks which haven’t seen the sun in years. And that’s how I like to keep it. So, thanks Mum and Dad for a really lovely day – love you both. Oh and see below – loving Mr Ibiza club-mix DJ in his Kevin and Perry hat…mix dem notes Mr Soundz…
Saturday, May 23rd, 2009 | Author:
Julia
Well, I said I would report back on the newly launched Writing Buddies which enjoyed its inaugral meeting on Friday in Borders. Nine writers ( professional and what has kindly been described as aspiring ) sat around the table with coffee chewing the literary cud. Plan is to meet every two weeks with marketing and commercial issues and the ‘loneliness of the long distance writer’ being two key themes for future debate. Definitely worth a visit and will trot along to the next session in two weeks.
I’ve also joined a new writing circle called The Blue Room which meets in Highfield every Saturday morning. Set up is similar to the Wednesday night meetings at Tauntons – a great opportunity to share work and critique it in a supportive yet objective environment. So thats where I am writing-wise. Next week I have to complete and submit my entries for the Winchester Writers Conference. Stakes are high and I’m determined to give it my best shot.
So after all that literary news, I have to say that this afternoon was spent undertaking one of my most loathed tasks – gardening. How Mrs Q gets any pleasure out of this filthy hobby I cannot understand. I planted what felt like an entire nursery’s stock of plants which Dad had very kindly grown for us. Ian mowed the lawn and put down a membrane for the pea shingle path in an effort to prevent weeds growing through – no doubt they will find a way. All in all it looks pretty impressive and we even have some yellow roses out over the pergola. Gooseberries are also looking good this year as is the damson tree after last year’s shock crop of around seven. Very much hope to be making gooseberry and damson jams in September.
Thursday, May 21st, 2009 | Author:
Julia
Oh this is pure gold…in fact it is worthy of The Thick of It or Yes Minister. You really didn’t believe you could hear anything more tragic than the last few week’s worth of expenses revelations when this little beauty comes along. Yes dear reader – please do take a look at the video clip from the BBC website showing an interview with Mr B. Wiggins MP. It is staggering: 8060801.stm.
He completed the expenses form incorrectly. For nearly two years. Easily done.
But then – what have we here? Read further and we find a £1,645 claim for construction of a ‘duck island’. Yes ! You did read correctly – a duck island ! The unfortunate Tory MP concerned has taken an immediate decision to ‘retire.’ Well you would wouldn’t you ? I mean you’d want to get your money’s worth spending your days watching mallards strutting around your duck island. Shame he didn’t have a moat – he could have got that cleaned out on expenses while he was at it. And here am I being scrupulously honest and worrying myself about filling out my tax return properly. The penalties for error are quite considerable. Unlike those for MPs who suffer at the mercy of a ’shambolic expenses system’ and simply ‘follow the rules.’ Poor old things.
Wednesday, May 20th, 2009 | Author:
Julia
Oh dear. Oh dear oh dear oh dear… what can I say ? I was only half way through the film when I began to ponder – is this a ‘best we can do’ adaption of a poor book or an utterly awful rendition of a pacy, best-selling page turner. I don’t think anyone would call Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons a work of literary genius but easy to read, exciting and imaginative it certainly is. Unlike the film. Tom Hanks appears again as Robert Langdon, the beleagured symbologist, and wanders the streets of Rome sporting his English academic-abroad look – just a hint of C&A sports casual. His face remains either a) impassive or b) tortured for the majority of the film which trudges its weary way through its constantly twisting plot. Except of course, the producers decide not to follow the book and develop their own version. And why not ? Just because a book is a number one best seller – who says you can’t make it even better with Ewan McGregor parachuting from the skies with just a few cuts and bruises to show for his fall from a fire-consumed helicopter.
This film really is poor – and while I could sit and be reasonably entertained for a couple of hours, it is disappointing that so much cash had been thrown at a movie which made me want to laugh in all the wrong places. And it wasn’t a comedy. So, if you enjoy a ’symbol-infused’ chase across Rome ( more pentagons and harrowed looking angels than I could eat ) and a Disneyesque spiritual ending, this film may well be for you. If, however, you are a cynical old bird like me then, enjoy your ice cream, take the film for what it is and try not to laugh when Ewan chutes into the Vatican Square.
Monday, May 18th, 2009 | Author:
Julia
This Friday 22nd May heralds the first meeting of Writing Buddies – a new informal writing group for professinal and amateur writers in the local area. Form seems to be to turn up at Borders in Southampton, grab a coffee and meet and chat with other writers. What is especially good is that it is to start at 2pm and is being held at the end of the week – a great chance to mix with other writing sorts and talk through the week’s trials and tribulations, personal ‘writing issues’ and generally socialize. Just having the opportunity to talk with other freelancers in a literary setting and generally goss over a coffee is sounding very appealing. I will report back after the first meeting this Friday.
Sunday, May 17th, 2009 | Author:
Julia
Unashamedly I’ve been indulging in Kath and Kim this week-end – my all time favourite TV show. I discovered this hilarious Aussie TV series some time ago while cruising some obscure cable channels. A mixture of The Office and Gavin and Stacey, Kath and Kim follows the lives of a suburban Melbourne household. A world of vinyl slip-ons, Kenny Loggins and grilled chicken’s feet, Kath and Kim is the funniest show in town – a gripping insight into the world of Kath Day Knight and Kel ( Purveyor of Fine Meats ) – your ultimate second-time-around mid-life loved up couple. They never fail to amuse.
Well, that does seem to indicate that I have been mis-using my time and not writing quite as prolifically as I should be, however, I decided I needed a few days break just to try and give the right hand side of my brain a boost. So I am looking forward to a prolific week starting prompto 9am tomorrow morning. I still have my entries for the Winchester Writers’ Conference to complete and need to crack on with the book.
Ian comes back from Washington this morning and will be able to walk into an industrially-deep cleaned abode – even the skirting boards are gleaming, the cat looks half decent ( i.e. alive ) and I’ve straightened my hair with Mrs Q’s cast-off straighteners. What more could he want ? Maybe a decent meal on the table…some sweet words of welcome…a calm and relaxing atmosphere ? Yeah well – there’s only so far I go. So in the words of Kath Day Knight: ‘Thank you for noticing – I like to go to trouble. I’m high maintenance – but you’ve gotta be.’
Saturday, May 16th, 2009 | Author:
Julia
The pictures below illustrate just some of the injuries sustained during the last go-kart crash on Tuesday evening. Little I can say except ‘ouch.’
