I Just Blinked

I don't know what happened to today. I just blinked and it's almost bedtime. 

I've just pottered around today with some writing and clearing out some stuff. I've ironed a shirt or two and I've pulled together the Christmas stuff. It's as well I did. I've just been buying a bag of Lebkuchen whenever I've seen them in the shops over the last week or two and I already have half a dozen. They'd been stashed in different corners, so I hadn't realised. Mind you, I'll probably pick up half a dozen more as one of the main treats over the holidays. But at least this way I can keep track. 

Bear auditioned for the House Drama this lunchtime. I've no idea if he will get a part, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for him. They are doing something based on The Addams Family. I will grumble about the school sometimes, but the school has set the kids up so that the pupils themselves will organise, script and perform. Teachers are not involved at all. It's all kept in house, so the parents never get to see it, but I get the feeling that it's a reasonable standard, with music, costume, proper lighting and everything. The bits I have seen have been impressive - and all driven by the students themselves. It's preparing them for being proactive and going out and making things happen. 

Writing stuff - I fitted in some writing as well, and I'm feeling quite pleased. Today's piece is here, and it's an old favourite which I always enjoy. 

I don't know whether it's good news or bad news, but I'm considering stripping out the stories from my fiction blog and putting them in book form. If I do, I'll give plenty of notice and try and make sure that I regularly run free promotions on Amazon. I'm in two minds, because it may generate some pennies, but it seems a little like cheating. On the other hand, I'll have to keep up to the new stuff on my writing blog. 

Hugs and good health to all.

Image from Unsplash, taken by Chirag Nayag

Wonderfully Uneventful

Sarah - bear is starting Year 10, so at the beginning of his fourth year of grammar school. They are taking the GCSEs very seriously, and have a 'Head of Achievement' overseeing the next few years. I think that bear may be supposed to be doing 2-3 hours every night, but he's actually doing a lot less. Also, some is done in the car on the way to school. As he has got positives for his homework, I think he's doing okay. I told him tonight that his homework is between him and his conscience. I am staying out of it to the best of my ability.

DH and I spent this evening watching 'The Addams Family'. Bear is auditioning for a part in the House Drama, which is based on The Addams Family this year.. The houses all put on plays and... I have no idea, but bear is very enthusiastic. 

Writing stuff - I spent today finishing off today's story. I had only planned a quick story, something short and simple. It rather got away from me, and ended up at around 3,000 words. It's here, if you are interested. And I used a pic that I took myself. I'm quite pleased. It isn't as good as the ones I see on unsplash or on some of the amazing blogs linked in the sidebar, but I thought it looked good. Despite the story, it is quite a harmless book, published in 1896 with some rather dull recipes. The only ithing that caught my attention in the actual book is the advert for syrup of phosphorus on the back page. I can't find the book, but I'll take a pic when I find it again.

The flower is some gypsophilia that was part of a bunch that I was throwing out when it reached the end. 

Hugs and good health to all. 

Parents' Evening

It's been a naff raff sort of day. I've been dotting around trying to sort out the absolute havoc in the house while also trying to catch up with writing stuff. It's been a sort of fail all around. 

I also forgot that the delivery was coming between 10 and 11 this morning. I thought it would be later, so I was completely taken by surprise when they drew up. It was Tesco, so no bags and I didn't have bags ready. I ended up stacking everything on the front steps to unload the big trays and then doing a load of trips inside afterwards. I may or may not have bought some Halloween and autumnal decorations.

The house is in such a state that it's impossible to put them up at the moment. I'm taking it as an incentive. And tomorrow I really need to do something in the very tiny front patch which is entirely out of control.

On the bright side, I'm sort of ready for Christmas. I mean, there could be power cuts, and there could be stuff happening that means that we use stuff up early without being able to replace it. However, all being well, and risking saying anything because we all know what happens when I plan but in the freezer is a frozen ham roast with glaze type thing, a bag of sprouts and a bag of roast potatoes. In the cupboard is a box of gluten free stuffing and a tub of gluten free gravy browning. I've got some bits for bear and DH, and it will be mostly money anyway. If nothing happens to these things, and stuff happens here a lot, then we will be fine for Christmas if we can't get the stuff nearer the time. All we really need here is the company. 

There was a sort of Parents' Evening tonight, where the school explained about the new system of rewards and incentives. It seems pretty tough. One thing horrified me - pupils are expected to do two to three hours homework per night and some parents apparently complain that it's not enough. I'm not sure about that. I've been staying away from bear's homework for years. I'm fairly certain that he isn't spending that amount of time, although today's ration included twenty minutes in the car on the way to school, but we're not getting any complaints. 

Writing stuff - today's piece is here, another little story about Kane. And Tales from the White Hart and More Tales from the White Hart should be getting to places other than Amazon soon. 

Hugs and good health to all. 

The Start of Another Week

I got bear to school in clean uniform today. That is a win.

I had planned to go to Haworth on Saturday, to the steampunk fair there, and talked with bear and DH about it. I was psyching myself up (new people and no costume), when I got a call. I need a lot of dental work doing, and last time I went to the dentist my throat went into a spasm and so they really want to do the work under sedation. The consultation, which I can't really switch, is this Saturday. 

I am never mentioning a plan again.

Speaking of steampunk, if I ever get into instagram (which I really should), I have a prop. 

I bought it from Asda. Initially I bought it online to come in the same package as two duvet covers and a set of chopping boards. It came in the same box as them but without any packing at all. There was no bubble wrap or foam or even crumpled brown paper. The bulb was in the smallest fragments, which is why I had to go to Asda on Saturday, to take it back and get a replacement. I think it looks sort of cool.

I need to get into the garden, but I'm not looking forward to it. The pack of sparrows is getting very boisterous. They were having some sort of fight in the fuchsia when we got home. Mind you, I wasn't paying much attention as I was exhausted. A water main had burst on one of the routes home and the diversions were causing havoc. I was barely home in time to make DH's dinner before he took bear to climbing.

Writing stuff - Today's snippet is here. I thought it was a while since I wrote about Kane, and as he works with ghosts, it's a suitable topic for October. 

There will be further updates as October moves on. October Frights Blog Hop is on 10-15th October. I'll have all the links in my writing blog when it starts. There will be pieces from over a dozen authors, and what Anita Stewart, the amazing organiser, is calling a book fair. This is links to books by the participants (including Out of the London Mist by yours truly) so if you like the style of one of the participants, you can perhaps follow up with one of their books. There is also a giveaway on Story Origin. I'm not part of that (as I can't work out how to use the dratted site) but if you are interested then you could perhaps get some more reading there. 

Hugs and good health to all. 

Getting Rid

Karen - I had a quick look, and it's gluten free as well! So many soups aren't. I'll give it a go.

Sharon - My grandmother was relentless when it came to shopping. She could have won an Olympic medal. And the jewellery bits are a lot of broken jewellery that I bought from eBay. It's wonderful sorting through them. I think you would make better use of it as I know you make lovely things, but we plan to have fun.

Jean - when all else fails, turn to Dad jokes. I'm glad it made you smile. 

Today has been better. Yesterday I couldn't put weight on my left foot and my right knee kept giving way. I don't think that there's anything particular going on. It just sometimes gets like that. I also binned the shawl I had been knitting, along with all the yarn. I think it hadn't been properly wound into balls, because the yarn was three strands, and one strand was much longer than the others and sort of loose, so the loop of excess yarn grew longer and more tangled as I knitted. It was almost tempting to hang on to the rest of it, but I tried re-winding the dratted stuff and it wasn't working, and I couldn't see an immediate use, so I decided to get rid. I started again with some different yarn. Yesterday and today, while watching a film with DH and watching Strictly, I managed this.

The yarn is not particularly wonderful. I bought it at an extremely good price but it's more like the leather cord than yarn, but a fabric. The pattern recommends blocking the finished shawl, but there's no give in the yarn, so I probably won't bother. Any left over will be used where I would use the leather cord, or similar. 

DH took the old microwave to the tip today, along with an old iron, a broken hand mixer and the toaster. I can't remember the last time the toaster was used. We rarely bother with bread, and when we do, it's usually the uncut loaves that need to be sliced and are better under the grill. The kitchen is even more chaotic than usual as I have bits everywhere after shuffling things around for the new microwave, but it's an improvement.

Writing stuff - today's offering is here. And I'm feeling confident that the piece that has been fighting back for a fortnight will submit in time to be read tomorrow. 

Hugs and good health to all. 

Meanwhile...

I've not had a brilliant day, so I thought I would share this...

How do you kill a blue elephant? With a blue elephant gun, obviously.

How do you kill a red elephant? You choke it until it turns blue, then use a blue elephant gun.

How do you kill a green elephant? You tickle it until it turns red, then choke until it turns blue, then use a blue elephant gun. 

How do you kill a purple elephant? There's no such thing as purple elephants, silly.

How many elephants will fit in a Volkswagen? Four - two inn the front and two in the back.

How do you know if there's an elephant in your fridge? Elephant tracks in the butter.

How do you know if there's two elephants in your fridge? There are two sets of tracks.

How do you know if there are three elephants in your fridge? The door won't close.

How do you know if there are four elephants in your fridge? There's a Volkswagen parked outside. 

Writing stuff - today's snippet is here.

Hugs and good health to all.

Finally Friday

Heather - thank you! My grandmother talked to everyone and anyone, often without pause. Our little family seems to have the same sort of fussiness. DH only likes Heinz baked beans and I only like Heinz tomato soup. Bear, well, his preferences change with the wind, but while they are here, they are strong. I sometimes take the attitude of 'challenge accepted' and sometimes I just enjoy the fun of shopping around. 

Today has been a funny sort of day. I feel shattered, and I'm blaming the weather. I also have eye strain, so I think I ought to keep this short.

I had a few deliveries today, including some colour changing powders and some papers for craft. I hope they are colour changing powders (to add to acrylic paint) because I have no idea what to do with them if they're not.

I also got a bundle of broken jewellery from eBay. I suspect I will be able to play with it for hours.

The fuchsia is as long as my car again. I don't want to prune it back too much this time, though. Today as I pulled up with bear after pick up, half a dozen sparrows shot out of it at high speed, followed by another group of maybe three, then another group of perhaps four, all squabbling. It was like watching clowns getting out of a clown car.

Writing stuff - October is here. The big story I was trying to write didn't work. So I've moved the stories up and I hope to have something new for you to enjoy soon. As it is, today's story is here.

Hugs and good health to all.