Good Morning Dear Friends!
Welcome to the study at Myrtle House once again; it's Tuesday morning, fast approaching mid March and Spring is thrubbing and throbbing in rootstocks and wee small creatures alike - although the sky without looks grey and overcast, still you can't have everything, can you . . .
So another week lurches slowly into being and with it the interminable round of paperwork and forms that seem to bedevil every attempt at creating a slightly better world for us all; grant applications, corporation tax (ha!) and the like sit on my desk, vague memories of the beautiful trees they once were and hooded spectres representing the land-fill they surely will become - unless I use them as bedding for the chickens first, that is!
So what does this week ahead offer us? Well, today would have been my father's 89th birthday had he not shuffled off this particular mortal coil half-way through his 56th year; I was a mere stripling of 19 years at the time, very strange to think that relatively soon I will catch up with his allotted span and hopefully pass it with flying colours . . . and with the foremost colour in my mind being green I intend to ensure that our new business venture is firmly in that camp; to this end I am researching the world of folding bicycles . . .
As one grows older one tends to presume that the world holds little in the form of surprises; well, my friends, may I suggest that, if you are not already familiar with this particular form of transport, you spend an idle moment or two trawling through the world of compact velocipedes; it is undoubtedly one of the most confusing and bewildering I have yet to happen upon. Not least is the wild variation in price - from as little as £89 to (so far) £6,500 - can you imagine how any bike could ever cost that much? Anyhow, the seed is sown and I shall let you know how it transpires . . . the reason for folding by the by is that since my dear Claud Butler was filched with the subsequent loss in faith in human nature, I intend to ensure it never leaves my side!
So what has occurred since last we met? Friday evening was spent in the company of a certain Mr Derren Brown and an amazing time was had by all; sadly the said gentleman asks that details of his show are kept secret so I am unable to reveal the marvels I witnessed - besides, it would spoil an amazing experience should you ever go to see it. The tickets for the show formed a goodly percentage of my Birthday Treat for, as those of you with little else to trouble the millpond of your life will recall, my 52nd one is fast approaching and it had long been an ambition to see himself in person. The rest of the weekend was spent in a somewhat somnambulant posture, with much relaxing evident and needed although, as today has already shown, pettifogging bureaucracy is always waiting to ensnare the unaware . . . oh hum!
On Tuesday I met with the Sisters as planned and a cake-fest did indeed ensue; I did my very best to enjoy the Carrot Cake but it was not at all to my liking - I shall have to have words ! We were once again looked after wonderfully in Sharon's absence by the very giddy-kipper Vicky and long-suffering Liam who both ensured that we were treated magnificently...
The rest of the week went by in its usual usualness - another meet up with Sister Cate on Thursday and another cake-related incident, this time a much more palatable Lemon which I preceded with a goats cheese and onion chutney panini - delicious!
Then came Friday and the weekend and, whilst travelling back from Deer Crossing on Saturday evening, I decided to actually do some work and sketched out the opening paragraphs of a new story which I have now completed.
I intend to submit a trilogy of these short stories for the "Dying Matters" competition; this is aimed at raising awareness of dying which is not as bizarre as it may at first seem. I had already written one called The Empress which I thought I had already told you about - although scrolling quickly through past posts it seems that this may be not the case ! - and this one, which came to me rather quickly and was finished yesterday, called Shippea Hill. Then, in a burst of creativity yesterday I did indeed finish the trilogy with a piece entitled Albert and I of which I am rather proud . . . They all deal with " ... the author’s feelings and thoughts about the end of life " and, I think, deal with it in an unusual and thought provoking way . . . hmmm, we shall see ! As I continually say ad nauseam in these pages, all these stories will be available on the Myrtle House website (which I see to my shame hasn't been updated since August last year!) as soon as it becomes humanly possible for me to do so.
In a rather bizarre quirk and turn of fate I have also submitted a few of my stories to an organsiation in the USA called Sips; the idea being that when you order a coffee in a store participating in the scheme you get a card which contains a QR-code, you then use your smartphone to read the code and, hey presto, the story is there for you to read whilst you sip your coffee - rather neat, eh! You can read more about the scheme here should you so desire and, if you are planning a trip to the colonies this summer, please keep an eye out for work by yours truly.
And that, dear friends, appears to be that; I must away and begin the day in earnest (a lovely chap, I know) which later on consists of more business-like behaviour and web-site creation, in the meantime Sal and I are off to see the Sizzle Sisters to partake of treats and tea amid the splendours of their boutique de temps perdu . . . I hope your week is Springy and Blossomy and all in all rather lovely!
'til next time
Be Seeing You !
ॐ
*Every spring is the only spring - a perpetual astonishment. Ellis Peters
I intend to submit a trilogy of these short stories for the "Dying Matters" competition; this is aimed at raising awareness of dying which is not as bizarre as it may at first seem. I had already written one called The Empress which I thought I had already told you about - although scrolling quickly through past posts it seems that this may be not the case ! - and this one, which came to me rather quickly and was finished yesterday, called Shippea Hill. Then, in a burst of creativity yesterday I did indeed finish the trilogy with a piece entitled Albert and I of which I am rather proud . . . They all deal with " ... the author’s feelings and thoughts about the end of life " and, I think, deal with it in an unusual and thought provoking way . . . hmmm, we shall see ! As I continually say ad nauseam in these pages, all these stories will be available on the Myrtle House website (which I see to my shame hasn't been updated since August last year!) as soon as it becomes humanly possible for me to do so.
In a rather bizarre quirk and turn of fate I have also submitted a few of my stories to an organsiation in the USA called Sips; the idea being that when you order a coffee in a store participating in the scheme you get a card which contains a QR-code, you then use your smartphone to read the code and, hey presto, the story is there for you to read whilst you sip your coffee - rather neat, eh! You can read more about the scheme here should you so desire and, if you are planning a trip to the colonies this summer, please keep an eye out for work by yours truly.
And that, dear friends, appears to be that; I must away and begin the day in earnest (a lovely chap, I know) which later on consists of more business-like behaviour and web-site creation, in the meantime Sal and I are off to see the Sizzle Sisters to partake of treats and tea amid the splendours of their boutique de temps perdu . . . I hope your week is Springy and Blossomy and all in all rather lovely!
'til next time
Be Seeing You !
ॐ
*Every spring is the only spring - a perpetual astonishment. Ellis Peters
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