Friday 20 June 2008

New personal best

It's been a record breaking week, sadly only for my commute to work. My 40 minute drive has been extended to:

Tuesday - drive home 1 hour 45
Thursday - drive to work - 2 hours 40
Friday - drive home - 2 hours

Has everyone forgotten how to drive this week? OK, so maybe the diesel tanker that caught fire can't be blamed on anyone, but the rest were crashes blocking the road. Either that or fate is laughing at me after I asked if I could work from home two days a week. This request seems to have sent the powers that be into a tizzy and an answer is unlikely to be forthcoming any month soon. I feel a trawl of the job agency websites coming on...

I did finally manage to enter Waterstone's "What's your story?" competition, a whole day before it ended, although not according to the shop assistant. She took my card as a favour, saying it had finished the day before, despite the closing date on the card. I didn't like to argue, she's probably one of the store judges! I tried to summon up a winning smile instead, no pun intended! There are so many online entries I thought I might have more luck entering instore, and seeing my card in the corner of their shop window would be good!

Friday 13 June 2008

Lazy blogger

I wonder if there's a lazy blogger award? I must surely be in the running by now. Every time I think of a good topic I never quite seem to get around to writing it. I blame my camera. Lots of these unborn posts require a picture and it's usually too dark in these rainy days (camera takes rubbish pictures in artificial light). Or there's my usual excuse - I ought to be doing some novel writing. I'm beginning to wonder if I only work in extremes. Most things are falling foul of this at the moment, to the extent that tidying up is beginning to feel like a bit of a luxury! Sadly I neither enjoy tidying up or living in a messy house. S remains oblivious to all this, as he'd happily live in chaos. It does mean I'm making progress towards finally finishing "Fickers" but surely there's some balance to be had!

Tuesday was a wonderful oasis in all of this. I can highly recommend a five hour lunch, in the sunshine, with eleven lovely writing friends. I don't think any of us paused the conversation for more than a mouthful of food, or sip of wine the whole afternoon! It's days like that, that stay with you forever and make me realise that writing and getting caught up in other people's triumphs and setbacks is one of the best things I do.

So it's two weeks to my self-imposed deadline for finishing. Nearly there!

Wednesday 4 June 2008

The beautiful, pollenated, outside world

Finally a sunny day! The desperate need for some exercise (well, knowing it rather than wanting it) and the sunshine tempted me out for a cycle this evening. Unfortunately my friend pollen was also out and about and the hayfever tablets have been overwhelmed. I now have a box of tissues and a glass of wine for company. It's medicinal, clears the throat, well sort of.

Blogging has been edged out for the last week by my new toy. I know I really don't need the distraction but brain/sight/word training on my Nintendo DS is good fun! It only takes a few minutes on each and it wakes up my brain for some writing, or a few games of Sudoku... I was threatened with battery confiscation at the weekend due to my Tuesday deadline. I did manage to send in my Winchester conference stuff though so I'm feeling smug/terrified.

Right, I hear the call of the sofa, and maybe some of those ultra balm tissues.