Wherethejourneytakesme - you made me blush. Thank you for the compliment.
I am taking all the tips on board about emails and organising in general. I need all the help I can get.
2019 has been an odd sort of year. I completely missed so many of my targets for this year, but hit other ones. I passed my driving test, which has opened up a whole range of adventures for me, but the house is still in chaos. I failed a lot of my writing targets, but I've had some acceptances and now the book contract. I had an horrific time with the neighbours, but now they have moved out. I've had great ideas that I've failed to put into practice, but they are still there, and I can still try them.
Bear has had his health issues, but has found a lot of joy starting violin lessons. He's made friends and drifted away from some others. He's had a lot of fun with art and found that he is incredibly colourblind.
Looking back, I was stressed and upset so much of the time, but I have a lot of good things happen which I have allowed to be overshadowed. I have borrowed too much trouble. I need to stop and appreciate the good bits while they are happening.
I was just going to post a short overview, but writing this has made me realise that this year has brought a sea change. I'm not exactly the person I was 365 days ago. Driving has made an incredible difference to my life, and now the writing is starting to be more of a reality than a dream, next year has to be different.
I have had a lot of encouragement through the last year, especially from the lovely people on here. I would like to say a sincere and genuine thank you. Hope all who read this have the most awesome year with health, wealth and happiness. New Year Hugs to all.
Tuesday, 31 December 2019
Monday, 30 December 2019
Mortified Again
Thanks again for the good wishes. I feel incredibly hugged.
Bless - bear is officially a teenager. It's a journey. To be honest, I don't worry too much. Bear will no doubt have a rollercoaster, like all teens, and I'm sure there will be surprises, but I'm (more or less) confident that he'll keep his sensible streak around.
wherethejourneytakesme - I've always gone with getting lots of little bits along with a stack of books, but he's getting too old for the 'little bits' now. This year he asked for sheet music so I got a load from eBay and then split it between Christmas and birthday. I do the same with books - I get a massive order from somewhere like The Book People and then split it between the two. It's getting harder to guess what he would like, though, so I can see him getting money or vouchers with something small to unwrap on the day.
Today our lovely, wonderful piano and violin teacher was stuck standing on our step because I couldn't find my keys. I normally keep them in a fail safe place (between the door and the door curtain, on a rack) but I failed with the safe place and couldn't find them anywhere. I was mortified again.
This year's resolution is to have an ongoing process of becoming more organised and to get on top of my emails and stay on top of them. I have around four thousand in my inboxes. Most of them are just newsletters that I am determined to read, but I lose sight of what is going on and then get swamped.
Hugs to all.
Bless - bear is officially a teenager. It's a journey. To be honest, I don't worry too much. Bear will no doubt have a rollercoaster, like all teens, and I'm sure there will be surprises, but I'm (more or less) confident that he'll keep his sensible streak around.
wherethejourneytakesme - I've always gone with getting lots of little bits along with a stack of books, but he's getting too old for the 'little bits' now. This year he asked for sheet music so I got a load from eBay and then split it between Christmas and birthday. I do the same with books - I get a massive order from somewhere like The Book People and then split it between the two. It's getting harder to guess what he would like, though, so I can see him getting money or vouchers with something small to unwrap on the day.
Today our lovely, wonderful piano and violin teacher was stuck standing on our step because I couldn't find my keys. I normally keep them in a fail safe place (between the door and the door curtain, on a rack) but I failed with the safe place and couldn't find them anywhere. I was mortified again.
This year's resolution is to have an ongoing process of becoming more organised and to get on top of my emails and stay on top of them. I have around four thousand in my inboxes. Most of them are just newsletters that I am determined to read, but I lose sight of what is going on and then get swamped.
Hugs to all.
Sunday, 29 December 2019
Stuffed
Thank you again for all the good wishes. I'm still slightly stunned. Now all I need to do is live up to it!
Today is bear's birthday, and he had a heap of presents. There were classical music CDs (his request), sheet music, books, a few puzzles, lego and an electronic violin tuner, which may or may not be of use. I have now run out of birthday paper. Once bear is back at school, I may have a rummage around some of the marked down stuff, but I am seriously considering reusing the Amazon brown paper as much as possible. It's sturdy, it can be painted or stamped and it's effectively free - in large quantities with some packages.
Bear's pal came around so I very much left them to it, and I went and dropped bear's blazer at the dry cleaners, who promised that it would be ready by the start of next term. They all had steak, which went down very well (DH cooked it as I can't cook steak) and, what with all the snacks I've eaten today, I can barely move. After bear's pal left, bear settled down to a new computer game. I was seriously in the way, so I have an excellent opportunity to get on with the writing.
Hugs to all.
Today is bear's birthday, and he had a heap of presents. There were classical music CDs (his request), sheet music, books, a few puzzles, lego and an electronic violin tuner, which may or may not be of use. I have now run out of birthday paper. Once bear is back at school, I may have a rummage around some of the marked down stuff, but I am seriously considering reusing the Amazon brown paper as much as possible. It's sturdy, it can be painted or stamped and it's effectively free - in large quantities with some packages.
Bear's pal came around so I very much left them to it, and I went and dropped bear's blazer at the dry cleaners, who promised that it would be ready by the start of next term. They all had steak, which went down very well (DH cooked it as I can't cook steak) and, what with all the snacks I've eaten today, I can barely move. After bear's pal left, bear settled down to a new computer game. I was seriously in the way, so I have an excellent opportunity to get on with the writing.
Hugs to all.
Saturday, 28 December 2019
Rubbish with Pics
Thank you for all the encouraging comments. I can't tell you how much they mean. I feel hugged and supported to go for this with gusto! Thank you.
Today I called in for five minutes to a park, where I took a very bad pic of a varicoloured squirrel.
It was the sort of build of a grey squirrel, and moved a little like one. It may have looked odd to me because it was extremely tubby, which is appropriate for the time of year. What was remarkable was the tawny stripe down its back and over its head. I've seen black squirrels, and while this was definitely not a red squirrel, I wonder if it was a ginger squirrel. It was stuffing itself with some seeds or nuts in the car park.
Today has been quiet, I had a quick dash arount Tesco to pick up something for bear's birthday meal tomorrow (forgot the potatoes) and we watched the Lego Batman movie. It was brilliant. Then we had soup for dinner.
It was a new recipe, at least, new to me, but out of a cookbook I bought around 1990. You cook carrots, onion, celery, potato and an ounce of All Bran (I used Tesco Gluten free bran flakes) in veg stock, flavoured with caraway seeds and parsley. We are definitely having it again, but I'll add garlic next time. I quite like caraway seeds, and always add it to cabbage, but I have still not recovered from the time I tried to make seed cake, and misread tablespoons instead of teaspoons and added three times too much to an already strongly flavoured cake. It was like eating posh soap.
Hugs to all x
Today I called in for five minutes to a park, where I took a very bad pic of a varicoloured squirrel.
It was the sort of build of a grey squirrel, and moved a little like one. It may have looked odd to me because it was extremely tubby, which is appropriate for the time of year. What was remarkable was the tawny stripe down its back and over its head. I've seen black squirrels, and while this was definitely not a red squirrel, I wonder if it was a ginger squirrel. It was stuffing itself with some seeds or nuts in the car park.
Today has been quiet, I had a quick dash arount Tesco to pick up something for bear's birthday meal tomorrow (forgot the potatoes) and we watched the Lego Batman movie. It was brilliant. Then we had soup for dinner.
It was a new recipe, at least, new to me, but out of a cookbook I bought around 1990. You cook carrots, onion, celery, potato and an ounce of All Bran (I used Tesco Gluten free bran flakes) in veg stock, flavoured with caraway seeds and parsley. We are definitely having it again, but I'll add garlic next time. I quite like caraway seeds, and always add it to cabbage, but I have still not recovered from the time I tried to make seed cake, and misread tablespoons instead of teaspoons and added three times too much to an already strongly flavoured cake. It was like eating posh soap.
Hugs to all x
Friday, 27 December 2019
Writing Stuff
It's a big step for me. An indie publisher, Three Furies Press, have agreed a deal for a novel I'm writing, Out of the London Mist, a steampunk novel. If all goes well, it comes out next July. Today I signed a contract. I feel a little odd about it all. It feels very dreamlike, and I keep wondering if it's a mistake and I'll get an email explaining that actually the contract was meant for someone else.
I'm now contractually bound to promote the novel, so I will no doubt be posting a lot about it. I'll keep it to a minimum on this page, as much as possible, and just link to posts on my writing blog. There will be exceptions, of course, as I hope to attend steampunk events next year, and I'll be writing about those. Bear will be in attendance if I go there, of course, and hopefully DH as well, depending on the schedule. When writing fills up an entire day, like the big step that happened today or when I hopefully get to go see the wonderful world of steampunk, or perhaps even a book signing (though that may be over-reaching a little), writing will leak over to here.
Hopefully I will make a little more sense tomorrow. Hugs to all.
I'm now contractually bound to promote the novel, so I will no doubt be posting a lot about it. I'll keep it to a minimum on this page, as much as possible, and just link to posts on my writing blog. There will be exceptions, of course, as I hope to attend steampunk events next year, and I'll be writing about those. Bear will be in attendance if I go there, of course, and hopefully DH as well, depending on the schedule. When writing fills up an entire day, like the big step that happened today or when I hopefully get to go see the wonderful world of steampunk, or perhaps even a book signing (though that may be over-reaching a little), writing will leak over to here.
Hopefully I will make a little more sense tomorrow. Hugs to all.
Thursday, 26 December 2019
Probably Not Fairies
Whenever something confusing or odd happens, that isn't immediately necessary to correctly understand and has no money involved, I think it is important to go for the explanation that is most fun and interesting. Logic has it's place, but it isn't necessarily important in understanding the world of humans.
Last night DH put his glasses on the bookcase next to him, heard them slip off and immediately went to look for them. He couldn't find them. He checked next to the bookcase, behind the bookcase, pulled out the bookcase and looked around corners, shook out the duvet covers, moved the mattress and eventually found the glasses had travelled from the top of the bookcase to the floor and then around and at an angle behind a heavy under the bed storage box. DH decided that it was fairies.
I am not entirely convinced. Last week I lost a set of DH's gym kit. I would swear that I had left the kit in the tumble dryer until I had washed his towel, but it wasn't there. I can't find it for love nor money. Fortunately DH has another set, but I'm going to have to pick the house apart to find this kit. I can't imagine where it has gone because I took it out of the washer, and it's only a few steps to the dryer but somewhere on the journey it disappeared. There is also the issue of the small drinking glasses. Over the years we have collected a lot of the small nutella jar/glasses that are awesome. They are a great size and are incredibly robust. We used to have dozens of them in the cupboard, but when I did a mental count, I think I could lay my hands on around four. I dragged out the spare bag of glasses (we got through a lot of nutella at one time) but it still begs the question - where did the other drinking glasses go? And where are all the forks. There should be around a dozen, but I only seem to have five. This is why I don't think it's fairies. Fairies may be the most interesting explanation, rather than chaotic housekeeping, but they don't touch iron.
I wonder what brownies can touch? They would be appalled at the state of the house, so it may be their way of insisting we get our act together. Or perhaps I could put down a saucer of milk, except we only have rice milk these days and I'm not sure an old fashioned brownie would approve.
I think I will still have a look on eBay for some horseshoes.
Hugs to all.
Last night DH put his glasses on the bookcase next to him, heard them slip off and immediately went to look for them. He couldn't find them. He checked next to the bookcase, behind the bookcase, pulled out the bookcase and looked around corners, shook out the duvet covers, moved the mattress and eventually found the glasses had travelled from the top of the bookcase to the floor and then around and at an angle behind a heavy under the bed storage box. DH decided that it was fairies.
I am not entirely convinced. Last week I lost a set of DH's gym kit. I would swear that I had left the kit in the tumble dryer until I had washed his towel, but it wasn't there. I can't find it for love nor money. Fortunately DH has another set, but I'm going to have to pick the house apart to find this kit. I can't imagine where it has gone because I took it out of the washer, and it's only a few steps to the dryer but somewhere on the journey it disappeared. There is also the issue of the small drinking glasses. Over the years we have collected a lot of the small nutella jar/glasses that are awesome. They are a great size and are incredibly robust. We used to have dozens of them in the cupboard, but when I did a mental count, I think I could lay my hands on around four. I dragged out the spare bag of glasses (we got through a lot of nutella at one time) but it still begs the question - where did the other drinking glasses go? And where are all the forks. There should be around a dozen, but I only seem to have five. This is why I don't think it's fairies. Fairies may be the most interesting explanation, rather than chaotic housekeeping, but they don't touch iron.
I wonder what brownies can touch? They would be appalled at the state of the house, so it may be their way of insisting we get our act together. Or perhaps I could put down a saucer of milk, except we only have rice milk these days and I'm not sure an old fashioned brownie would approve.
I think I will still have a look on eBay for some horseshoes.
Hugs to all.
Wednesday, 25 December 2019
HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!!
Happy Christmas, Festivus, Yule, and whatever warm glow in this dark time of year that you follow. Know that you are awesome and I am wishing any and all readers the best possible break.
Aileen - I'm glad I'm not entirely alone. I've actually got a reasonable sense of direction (honest!) and I'm gradually building up a map of all the side roads and by roads between home and bear's school, along with Tesco and other stores. Apart from minor issues in car parks (getting lost could happen to anyone, as I had to be told it was one way by another driver, as there were no signs where I had parked and when I left), I have two issues. One issue is that I can't judge 300 yards. My sat nav will say, 'in 300 yards turn left' and I inevitably take either the left before or the left after. I am getting really good at three point turns as I turn around and go back the way I came, and I've been along some very interesting routes. The other issue is that I have a talent for being in the wrong lane. Leeds is full of multi-lane one way systems, as is Dewsbury, and I have been around Huddersfield several times. Like you, I allow lots of time to get to appointments and otherwise just enjoy the journey. You never know what you may find. I agree, though, I can remember written directions much better than processing audio, and usually do much better spending time on Google maps before I set out somewhere new. Bear thinks it's hilarious, but is becoming a good navigator when we are out. I suspect he will do a lot better than me.
Wherethejourneytakesme - I can't help looking for stories. I'm not sure if it's a blessing or a syndrome. Either way, it's fun. Hugs.
Yesterday I went out to see if there were any yellow stickers in the stores. Actually, I just wanted to enjoy a drive. Between the Aldi in Batley and the huge Tesco, there is a small Asda and an even smaller Iceland. Aldi and Iceland were closed but Asda was open and for the first time I called in. It didn't seem to have any of the Christmas stuff at all, let alone anything marked down, but it did have some gluten free crumpets that I hadn't been able to get hold of in either Tesco or Morrisons. Tesco did have a few empty shelves, and there were a number of 'buy one get one' or 'Half Price' but there was nothing in the stuff that I actually wanted. I did find a variety of stuffing that we had had last year, had decided it was the absolute best of the stuffing, and which had been relentlessly out of stock until yesterday. I got an armful, even though it was full price.
I may go out for a drive tomorrow and use the excuse to see if there is any good wrapping paper marked down. The fifty rolls I found in summer 2015 are now whittled down to three or four left, and all Christmas patterned. I want to see if there are any plain gold or silver paper, or some neutral patterned stuff that could also be used for birthday or occasions. Mind you, the best score I got was, I think, 2013 when we went to the cinema on Boxing Day. I called into Morrisons for potato salad on the way back and spotted a box of wrapping paper at 10p per roll. I got as much as I could carry, as I had only got a small basket. It was thin stuff, and Christmas printed, but it wasn't bad and I was still wrapping up novelty pencil sharpeners and similar for bear and went through rolls and rolls of the stuff. It was perfect.
Bear was a happy bear when he opened his presents. He had books, a thingy that fit on his smart phone to make it a microscope, some more books, silly putty, notebooks (plural at his request), an amazing jacket from one of DH's friends, more books, sheet music and a box of chocolates. I've got roughly the same set aside for his birthday except we forgot about an order from The Book People and there is another box with books in stashed upstairs. All the sheet music was second hand, and some of the books, and I looked for bargains and deals all the way through. It still added up to a sizeable amount, but I can't begrudge him. He genuinely lit up and enjoyed it all. He has already had a go at some of the music. I am so proud of him.
DH made Christmas dinner, which was awesome, stress free and largely cooked from frozen. Stuffing featured heavily. Now I am sitting back, having watched our DVD of Muppet Christmas Carol, and I'm feeling at peace with the world. I hope to remember to take some pics tomorrow, especially of the wonderful pictures from KJSutcliffe. I am now off to snooze, hang out with the family and play the game of seeing how many 'unwanted gifts' turn up on eBay.
Festive hugs of all belief systems to everyone.
Aileen - I'm glad I'm not entirely alone. I've actually got a reasonable sense of direction (honest!) and I'm gradually building up a map of all the side roads and by roads between home and bear's school, along with Tesco and other stores. Apart from minor issues in car parks (getting lost could happen to anyone, as I had to be told it was one way by another driver, as there were no signs where I had parked and when I left), I have two issues. One issue is that I can't judge 300 yards. My sat nav will say, 'in 300 yards turn left' and I inevitably take either the left before or the left after. I am getting really good at three point turns as I turn around and go back the way I came, and I've been along some very interesting routes. The other issue is that I have a talent for being in the wrong lane. Leeds is full of multi-lane one way systems, as is Dewsbury, and I have been around Huddersfield several times. Like you, I allow lots of time to get to appointments and otherwise just enjoy the journey. You never know what you may find. I agree, though, I can remember written directions much better than processing audio, and usually do much better spending time on Google maps before I set out somewhere new. Bear thinks it's hilarious, but is becoming a good navigator when we are out. I suspect he will do a lot better than me.
Wherethejourneytakesme - I can't help looking for stories. I'm not sure if it's a blessing or a syndrome. Either way, it's fun. Hugs.
Yesterday I went out to see if there were any yellow stickers in the stores. Actually, I just wanted to enjoy a drive. Between the Aldi in Batley and the huge Tesco, there is a small Asda and an even smaller Iceland. Aldi and Iceland were closed but Asda was open and for the first time I called in. It didn't seem to have any of the Christmas stuff at all, let alone anything marked down, but it did have some gluten free crumpets that I hadn't been able to get hold of in either Tesco or Morrisons. Tesco did have a few empty shelves, and there were a number of 'buy one get one' or 'Half Price' but there was nothing in the stuff that I actually wanted. I did find a variety of stuffing that we had had last year, had decided it was the absolute best of the stuffing, and which had been relentlessly out of stock until yesterday. I got an armful, even though it was full price.
I may go out for a drive tomorrow and use the excuse to see if there is any good wrapping paper marked down. The fifty rolls I found in summer 2015 are now whittled down to three or four left, and all Christmas patterned. I want to see if there are any plain gold or silver paper, or some neutral patterned stuff that could also be used for birthday or occasions. Mind you, the best score I got was, I think, 2013 when we went to the cinema on Boxing Day. I called into Morrisons for potato salad on the way back and spotted a box of wrapping paper at 10p per roll. I got as much as I could carry, as I had only got a small basket. It was thin stuff, and Christmas printed, but it wasn't bad and I was still wrapping up novelty pencil sharpeners and similar for bear and went through rolls and rolls of the stuff. It was perfect.
Bear was a happy bear when he opened his presents. He had books, a thingy that fit on his smart phone to make it a microscope, some more books, silly putty, notebooks (plural at his request), an amazing jacket from one of DH's friends, more books, sheet music and a box of chocolates. I've got roughly the same set aside for his birthday except we forgot about an order from The Book People and there is another box with books in stashed upstairs. All the sheet music was second hand, and some of the books, and I looked for bargains and deals all the way through. It still added up to a sizeable amount, but I can't begrudge him. He genuinely lit up and enjoyed it all. He has already had a go at some of the music. I am so proud of him.
DH made Christmas dinner, which was awesome, stress free and largely cooked from frozen. Stuffing featured heavily. Now I am sitting back, having watched our DVD of Muppet Christmas Carol, and I'm feeling at peace with the world. I hope to remember to take some pics tomorrow, especially of the wonderful pictures from KJSutcliffe. I am now off to snooze, hang out with the family and play the game of seeing how many 'unwanted gifts' turn up on eBay.
Festive hugs of all belief systems to everyone.
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