hazeldixon

Boo!

Just thought I'd write something.

Just to prove I can.

Our Brownies went to West Kirby beach on Thursday and had a glorious time. Two buses and two trains each way and all for £6.60 each [child's price]. High tide was at 11.15hrs so when we got there about 30 minutes later it was well on the turn but we got to paddle. Technically we didn't go beyond the point where the water was over our knees, as Girlguidinguk class that as swimming, but the girls managed to get absolutely sopping wet by lying, rolling and crawling in the sea.
Then it was picnic time followed by an afternoon of digging and building sandcastles. By home-time everyone had dried out though they were rather sandy and their uniforms weren't quite as pristine as they'd started out. We didn't get a single complaint on the way home even when they had to stand for part of the journey out of Liverpool as the train, a later one than we've caught before, was so packed.
We had no problems on that very steep escalator going from Lime street Station down to the Wirral line. However, some of the girls were a little concerned that the water would come into the train [on the Wirral line] because the windows were open and if they'd be able to hold their breath for long enough as we went under the river. Yes the ones who'd come with us last year were teasing the first timers just like we'd teased them last year and, no doubt, they will tease the new ones next year just the same.
We had a couple of girls who hadn't been to the seaside before with us; they were amazed to find the sand was wet, that the water [sea] moved and that if you dug a deep enough hole water miraculously appeared at the bottom of it.

Yesterday was Brownie time. We went to Italy. Well ok we didn't really go anywhere but we did have an Italian night, with a spaghetti 'baby bird' feeding game - much mess but hard floor and sweeping brush soon fixed that - trying to speak Italian, a hunt the ingredients for an Italian meal game, to finding all sorts of things Italian from the leaning tower of pisa and the colosseum to pasta, pizza, feraris, etc., and colouring the Italian flag in the correct colours to tasting Italian food products - olive oil, ciabatta, plum tomatoes, bread sticks and cheese.
The girls seemed to enjoy it. their only complaint ... we ran out of tomatoes!

Shinobi [cat] has been sitting in the sunshine, guarding the footpath which is a very important job, she is now black at the front and turning ginger in the rear.

One nice person has decided she has volunteered on the play scheme. However the first thing I knew about it was 09.30ish this morning when she came round and demanded three places on the trip to Camelot theme park. She saw me on the bus this afternoon and had a go at me because no one she had already harangued would say she could go; one, the Treasurer, had even asked this person if she'd volunteered her services to me ['cos she knew she hadn't].
She expressed her disappointment at my turning her down by lots of loud protestations across the bus without bothering to let me say anything, so I didn't bother.
If she had I would have explained that:
a, we have too many adult volunteers already and have had to decline the services of some who did volunteer months ago. That is before they knew there was any trips planned and not two days after her grandchildren had booked onto the trip but no other activities I hasten to add.
b, Camelot only allow one free adult for so many children into the park when booked in as a party. I refer you to the above.
c, she wants to bring her hubby with her. He is a diabetic who, if she is to be believed, can't be left for the day in case he has one of his frequent episodes that require medical intervention. Because of this, this man cannot be counted in the child/adult ratios, so for child protection and insurance purposes has no reason to be there. He is not CRB'd so would have to be fully supervised. If he is as ill as she claims, she would be there as his carer; carers cannot be counted in child/adult ratios. So she would have no reason for being there.
d, the criteria for deciding which volunteers get to go on the trip this year was based on the number of play scheme sessions the volunteer attended last summer. There were no trips out last year so she didn't volunteer to help at a single session. Some of the people whose services I have had to decline were at 99% of the sessions.

This lady does volunteer at a lunch club, not that the lunch club has anything to do with the play scheme they are two separate entities, but this lady and her husband are always on those trips.
She can scream and shout. She's not going unless she pays £5.00 per coach seat and for their entry into the theme park. She won't, she wants a freebie. And, should she decide her grandchildren aren't going, their places had to be paid for on booking on a non returnable basis. And that was in plain black print in the parents information sheet that was attached to the booking form.

Ok I'll stop muttering now

The first 'Meet the Authors' event took place in West Kirby library this afternoon, the author/organiser Adele Cosgrove-Bray and her aides had put a lot of work into it and for a first time event the turnout was reasonable. 5 authors, all linked by having work published in Hadley Rille anthologies, read either extracts of work in progress or shorts and even a couple of poems followed by a short Q&A session then the chance to purchase books and have them signed by the authors.
Both the organiser and host hope to make this an annual event, this afternoon was a good start.

So Ok I've got this far, I've read the messages, comments etc. Now I haven't a clue what to write that I've not written elsewhere ...
My computer doesn't like this hot weather - its gone on a go slow. My brain has come out in sympathy.

I hadn't realised just how dependent on that black box of wires and things I had become until it once again fried itself. Yep I've been computerless for 3 weeks. 3 weeks? Yep the service guy on the other end of the phone decided I needed a graphics card even though I only have the one that's integral to the installed systems board and could only plug the monitor in in one place. His name was Tony. I'm beginning to think there's something in that name...
Anyway when I phoned up again a guy called Stewart couldn't figure out why a graphics card had been ordered, or why a particular one that was conveniently out of stock ... anyway new systems board installed. an hour on the phone to someone susipioucly sounding very unenglish while they figured out they couldn't help with my modem, only to give me another telephone number ... five minutes later modem could once again find my e-mails and the internet, etc., yippeee. Son now happy as he'd just had one week of his XBox live gold when the 'puter cooked itself. He's now making up for lost time!

Writing: one of my publishers seems to have vanished into wherever publishers go when they cease to exist. I’ve still got a couple of deadlines for submissions to hit, so I’ll see what happens. I was invited to go record some of my stuff for a radio show but that was on the weekend I could hardly move let alone catch two trains and busses in each direction.
Anyway Michael Patrick O’Leary is coming along quite nicely. That one’s writing quite easily, which could mean that it’s either woffle or just flowing. The later I hope. At least it seems to appeal to my proof reader.
My moon story, is progressing slower, I have to concentrate more on that one, get the sciency bits right etc, which isn’t easy when my brain is distracted. At least nowadays I don’t have to go very far to get information on any subject. Sometimes the great WWWnes is just great!
I’ve put another story, still not got a title for it, away for now, so I can get some distance between the writing of it and the weeding. Doing that seems to help, for me anyway.

Oh that advice: don’t pull the same muscle I have. I think it’s called an abductor, or something like that, anyway it runs through your hip from pelvis to outer thigh and does a lot of work when you’re walking. Trust me it hurts!!! You can’t sit, stand, lie … for long. It’s the sort of pain where you want to be able to unscrew the offending bit and put it in a corner to let it get on with it.
How did I do it? If I knew that I wouldn’t have done it!

I've just been told XH588 is flying again,as in was in the air at Farnborough. I know that won't mean much to many!

Well so far this week Shinobi, the nice shiny black cat, has found a nice shiny black place to sleep, my quilt, or perhaps for now her quilt ‘cos she will not be moved. Black cat, black quilt, dark bedroom … guess what happens next. Oh and could someone please tell her that I do not get up at 08.00 hrs on a Sunday, Monday yes, Sunday no.
On the writing front, I’ve done some, sort of. To tell the truth its editing and tweaking more than really writing, but it’s a start.
As for work; I have, however, collected yet more minutes to write up and what a monthly Board meeting that was. One lady in tears, one walking out and one complaining the other was rude. I am not sure what started it all off as I'd gone out of the room to get some information from the office. My mother always said 'don't join a committee as you'll end up making cups of tea.' How wrong can she get 'cos I want a tin hat for the next one.

And as it is now officially summer; can someone please tell it to stop raining!!

It's been two weeks since I last updated! Where have I been? Lost in a sea of paper. I thought computers were supposed to usher in the age of the paper free office, instead I seem to be drowning in it.
Anyway the Play scheme letters have gone out to the two local schools and a few spares to the community centre, the minutes for the residents association have been dealt with, and some more have materialised as they have a habit of doing!
Parents consent forms for two events are nearly sorted for the Brownies, certificates printed, badges sorted, Brownie records and my CV updated, job application filled in and sent ... I've even phoned my mum and got told the story of the shelves yet again! Must be the fourth time now. So have I had time to write as in fiction?
I'm not Superwoman!
In fact I got 'the lecture' about not having a job as there's one near her, just a couple of hours a day. Err mum it's two bus rides each way to get to your end of town and each one costs the best part of £2.00. Some of us have to pay for our bus rides. She forgets that when her bus fares became free, mine went up to compensate, then when the pilot scheme went national mine went up again.
And if I hear the story of the shelves again.... Aggrh!
Then could I get on the WWW over the weekend? Nope. Checked the wires, twiddled this and that, poked the plugs, pulled the tower out to check behind that, poked more wires, put it all back, ran don't know how many diagnostics...
On Monday I switched on and Hey Presto! without twiddling with a thing. That's when I get the e-mail from my server to say the service would be down from friday night. Actually the e was sent out on Thursday but I don't have time to read E's on a Thursday, not having a Time Turner or mastered being in two places at once, and, of course, by the time I tried to read the things on Friday night the service was down for upgrade and maintenance.

Somewhere in between dealing with minutes of meetings, play scheme letters and nursing a Uk online centre I have updated and expanded a story to fit the requirements for 'Return to Luna.'
It was a piece written for Uni, the tutor didn't like it because she doesn't like machines and sci-fi. It was only 2002 words long, so it had to grow. I really want to get some new writing done but don't seem to be getting round to it right now, everything else gets in the way.
That and I've been transferring writing stored on disc to my new 'puter which, naturally, doesn't read floppies. The old one refuses to recognise USB pens ... mind you I don't want to go back to the old days of the manual typewriter. All that having to retype whole pages each time I change my mind or make a change.
Write the story out in long hand first? No thanks. I write in hieroglyphs anyway and not the sort devised by Mr Pitman! I know some writers do a longhand version first but I prefer straight to screen. And the person who invented the spell check should be cannonised! Apart from when it changes the word I want into one it thinks I meant.

Summer must be around the corner - my front window has acquired several splodges of squashed moth juice. Thanks Kitty! Meanwhile Shinobi has decided the best place to sleep is curled up in front of the loo, right where humans want to put their feet when using the thing and will she move? Don't be daft!
The Buttercups and Brambles are growing well. I have nice fat tadpoles in my pond, at least the cats have given up trying to drink it dry!
I have filled the green wheelie bin up but the jungle is still trying to take over the 'garden'. there is one advantage to this warmer weather - I no longer have to act as cat door person as I can leave it open! And yes I've actually managed to do some writing and put a submission in. Now I just need to do some more! When I'm not quite sure as this weekend I've been busy printing letters off for the play scheme, I've still got some of those to go. I sent some out and have even got one back, at least one child will be coming!
And yes, I've even managed to post a blog entry!

Why is it that when I have nothing do to the IT suite is empty then when I have loads to do and a deadline to hit I am invaded by pestering kids?
Consequently I have given up trying to finish this piece of writing, at least I have managed to get some printing done. Soon I will usher them all to the door 'cos there's a meeting on in the community centre tomorrow and I need to get 80 cups etc ready! Can't help wondering if 80 people will actually turn up.


It's hot in here, well you sit in a room with 10 computers on pumping out heat and these little acers pump out some heat! One lad was complaining his 'puter was running slow, so I closed 13 www. windows. That sped it up!
Two others a busy killing blue gnomes or whatever on runscape, well at least they don't keep mithering me!

I really must get some more writing done! There is a deadline coming up and I'm pretty sure I've got something I can use for it but it will need checking over first. Perhaps using something I've previously done is not proper writing but as it's not been published before why waste it? Especially if it fits? Although I'm not too sure if its long enough, so I could end up doing some 'proper' writing after all.
Then I think I'm going to have to sit down and write, build up a library of shorts that I can pick from as and when I need to. At least nowadays I won't be told my stories are too genre'd.




This is me this March when I visited the World Museum Liverpool with my Brownie Guides. I'm dressed up as an Iron Aged person or what they say Iron Aged people wore, I wouldn't know I'm not that old! They want to go back as we didn't get to see all the museum. This trip was the first time some of the girls had been on a train. They also want to go to the beach, that will mean going on two trains!
We've also been hula dancing, but I can't show you those photos in case you recognise one of the girls (Child Protection and all that). It's a shame really because they worked really hard learning the dance and performed it by themselves in a competition. We didn't win.

Sorry folks if you've missed me, the Internet here (work) has been going up and down faster than a yoyo then I go and get a new computer at home and only reconnected to the WWW there yesterday.
So what's new, or not so new 'cos I've been gone that long!

I've been published!


which I do believe should be available on Amazon by now
http://www.amazon.com/Desolate-Places-Eric-T-Reynolds/dp/0978514874/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204081776&sr=1-1.

and then there's a couple of shorter stoies here: http://www.secretattic.com/booklets.htm
in January and February's booklets

So i didn't completely vanish - just in case someone really did miss me!

So it's 2008! Where did 2007 go?
I've got a sulky cat. She is missing her two-legged sister whom has gone back to uni. She was happy for a while though, Treenie got her Christmas wish, a big chicken. She finally relented and let us have some of the turkey too, but she spent all week guarding the fridge then the oven. She knew what was in there!
C@ had a permanent furry attachment while she was at home, Treenie wouldn't let go of her especially after having a fit on C@'s knee. C@ caught Treenie to stop her falling off her knee unfortunately Treenie tends to bite things in mid fit and C@'s wrist got in the way. Treenie did say 'sorry' afterward, hence her refusal to leave C@ alone. Poor C@, she had cat on knee, cat round neck, cat on/in bed, cat on shoulder...
So I'm gonna say 'sorry' to Adele, 'cos I've now got two cats with age related epilepsy and she's got a cat that is sister to Treenie and daughter to Shinobi as it is quite possible that she could have inherited it too.
oh BTW! old 'One Fang' Shinobi gave the big chicken a good mauling evidenced by much licking of lips, washing, purring and sleeping 'cos what else do you do when you are full of chicken and it's cold outside?

Hey what's this? I've actualy put some of my work up on WritersCafe.org!!!

Well I've been a good/busy girl and actually writen a story and submitted it. What is more it has actually been accepted!

Well I've finally started rereading/editing the story I started work on pre MA ... nothing major needing changing but then I tend to edit as I write by reading over the stuff I wrote the day before type thing.... so there's not all that much work needing doing but I've got 2 chapter 17's!!!

I started writing this story in January 2 years ago, I might get round to finishing it some time this year. This is a record for me, it usually only takes about a year until I reach the point where I'm editing for twiddling's sake.

The house is a bit quieter now - two-legged C@ has moved into her halls of residence and the tall lanky one (AKA Alex) has started his Army Preparation course. He is not too keen on it at the moment, the first day there they did a bleep test and yesterday they did running! But then that's the army for you...