Eating Pancakes whilst Paperwork Eats Writing Time! SOLC

Happy Shrove Tuesday/ Pancake Day… we have just (I know it is a bit late) made, cooked and eaten the BEST pancakes EVER! And the first Mr G and I have had in our new home together! Awwwww! We have some batter mix left and look forward to an extra treat tomorrow night. We had 2 each but they were cooked in my big pan and proper crepe size!

I used to have pancake parties and invite friends over, create a table of fillings and have massive sugar rushes! We kept it simple this year – just plain sugar and lemon juice, eating standing up in our own lovely kitchen!
It is the little things!

I sold the apartment last week and instructed my solicitors – following several phone calls I received the paperwork over the weekend, I had a quick look, 3 forms and a letter all looked simple enough. We had plans for the weekend (plans which I messed up by sleeping through most of it!) after Friday night and post WORD UP adrenalin I climbed into bed at 2 a.m to be fair I was working on several submissions when I got in and in the end gave up and decided the 1st March deadlines could be met on Saturday! The lesson I carry forward is; ‘DO NOT put off for tomorrow what can be done today.’ NOT that I could have stayed up but I could have written and submitted some pieces weeks before the deadline instead of minutes before!

As it happened we had plans for the afternoon and I slept until 3PM (oppps) showing up several hours late to meet friends and start our Saturday evening…. our first house guests and it was great (we had Amy to stay from Australia, days after we moved in – but of course that was different because we had just landed and the place wasn’t very homely and full of boxes) now there are still boxes but you can see the carpet. It isn’t really ready – but close family and friends come for us not creature comforts and high end style (good job really) – we had a great evening.

I didn’t make the 1st March deadlines. But there will be others.

On Sunday I planned to crack on with the paperwork. Once again my plans were foiled by sleep! I hadn’t had any me time/ down time all weekend – so I did that instead with what was left of late afternoon Sunday and evening.

Yesterday was my only day off this week and I spent the ENTIRE day (almost) completing paperwork for the solicitors. Some of the form filling is straight forward but I have missing paperwork…. it took yesterday afternoon and all of today chasing emails, phone calls and visiting branches of banks personally to collate all the evidence needed for the solicitors.

I need this sale to move swiftly and so far there has been a week between instructing them and completing my 1st batch of paperwork. The good news is things are moving on the other side too. Fingers crossed it will be as smooth and quick as possible!

That is the 2nd week I have lost my writing day – I had the good news of the SALE last Monday and then spent the day checking out legal firms etc.

This week there are a few things in the writing diary – that after my February experience I will NOT ignore. I may have to wait until tomorrow night and Friday to tackle them.

 I have a booked slot (arranged in February) at the Ort on Thursday evening (Open Mic) and then another Poet’s for Passion event in the city on Sunday.

Schools are also celebrating WORLD BOOK DAY, I have an anthology deadline to hit BEFORE the weekend, a cousin’s 30th Birthday Party (a masked ball) at the weekend too. I managed to find a suitable dress and some masks yesterday whilst I was in town at the Bank – what luck!

There are several poetry events I am missing this week – The Poetry Lounge in The Sitting Room are meeting in Ludlow again (I will go back when the night’s are lighter!), The Grizzly Pear is on again this week (but it clashes with the Ort) – I missed last month’s Ort to clashes and have already had my slot booked.

I am also thinking about suitable plots for a short story.

My brain is well and truly full…. will literally be a weight off my mind when I have handed all my documents over to the solicitors.

I was merrily posting this as a SOLC when I realised that last year I discovered TWO WRITING TEACHERS blog from a month long slice challenge – it was March, it IS March and they are all 4 days in… going to play catch up and try it.

Slice of Life Challenge – Another Fortnight of Pie!

This is my entry for Slice of Life Challenge hosted by TwoWritingTeachers – follow the link and savour accounts of weeks from around the world. Take part – add a slice of your own.

Enjoy!

It seems I only have the time to join the slicers every fortnight or so (and I thought going freelance would give me more time) seems – whenever life does this you fill the time with other things!

I do love only having school work 1 night a week – as opposed to every night and all weekend though!

Since the end of the Literature Festival I thought I would have more time and energy but think I am in recovery! Zapped of energy and full of tiredness, I battle on.

I have managed to get a lot of work over these past few weeks and have also managed a few lazy days over the weekends (thanks to bad weather – had it been dry Mr G and I would have been kept busy harvesting the allotment).

We have at least managed to get out into the garden and plant roses and other things for Spring flowers.

Writing wise I have only managed 1 day in the past 16 to write and most of that was filled with admin tasks. I am currently busy putting the finishing touches to INKSPILL – our online writing retreat this weekend, pop over to the blog and find out what it is all about – read the full programme here… INKSPILL

I have attended my 2nd Poetry Stanza meeting and received some constructive feedback to strengthen my work. I have also arranged two open mic spots this week, the first is tomorrow night in Stratford Upon Avon at the Emmapress book launch for their latest anthology of ‘Mildly Erotic Poetry’ and also at the Spoken Word Open Mic event in Birmingham on Thursday evening.

I am very excited and even treated myself to a new stage outfit (in the Sales) … when I popped out to buy us lunch, milk and bread on Saturday lunch time and came home late afternoon after several hours trying on clothes, our lunch, no milk (ironically it was too heavy) and 4 bags of frozen food to stock up our new chest freezer (delivered on Thursday)!

I am lucky I can still type after giving my arms such a weighty workout!

Next week is half term *a week off to WRITE< WRITE>WRITE – yeahhaaa… It is also my Great Aunt’s birthday, celebrations this weekend and Halloween of course – gutted that the only fancy dress party we were invited to we cannot attend – due to double booking – we are off to see Mark Lanegan – for the second time! Last time was a tiny venue and we were front row – it was truly amazing- so when we heard he was playing again, we jumped on tickets!

That’s about all for this slice, I hope to find time over the next week to read yours – enjoy your own slices of pie.

SOLC – Slice of Life Challenge – The Beginning of a New Chapter

Today has been such a busy day – I would get yourself a drink (and a biscuit) before you start to read this.

 

 

Last Friday I started to sort work life out and as with most people – this involves a whole paper trail when starting somewhere new. Over the weekend CV’s and emails were all sent efficiently and fast via technology, then last night I received the ‘what I need to take’ with me today and I started the paperwork treasure hunt. We moved house and I still have a few (understatement) boxes to unpack and most paperwork from the past few months was not so much filed as stuffed into a few folders.

So this morning I got up early and continued the search followed by more work online. I also phoned my old place of work – they were all back there today and it felt really strange to speak to them and not see them. I sent an email.

I also received a parcel (I love getting post and it is one thing I miss from pre- e-mail days) to be fair I placed a book order on Amazon whilst completing some writing research, I was taken in by an advert banner and a 1p book! I hadn’t expected to receive any until the 6th at the earliest so it was a nice surprise! I hadn’t got time to open it as I was getting ready as it arrived.

This afternoon I had an interview, after which I went to check my apartment (which is on the market) and collect lots of post. I also found some unwanted guests of the arachnid variety. I went to the Estate Agents to find out the latest on marketing of my property and discussed this week’s viewings (of which there is only 1).

Then I called a friend – who moved to my old town just as I moved out and we met for a soft drink in the sun! Then I went for a walk in the park en route to my Gran, who I had called earlier from the flat. She has one of those spider removing gadgets (it doesn’t harm them) and as I have no ladders or feather dusters in the apartment anymore and all the spiders were in the corners of the ceiling I needed some help. I saw some other members of my family who were over with my Gran and after catching the spiders, I (eventually) came home!

I had missed most of the sun in the garden as it was near 7pm when I got home. Mr G and I went up to the garden anyway to peel potatoes and top and tail home-grown French beans. The sky was amazing, a beautiful sunset and pink clouds.

Yesterday I made my first ever crumble (which I thoroughly enjoyed doing) – I knew where my kitchen apron was, I don’t know where important certificates and my passport is, both of which I use more regularly than a kitchen apron, in fact I bought it 3 years ago and have worn it 3 times and one of those was on a food tech course! Our neighbours are lovely and in exchange for some of our cucumbers, we have had cooking apples, blackberries and yellow plums. The apples and blackberries made a wonderfully tasty crumble, which took three days to get around to cooking. Tonight I had the pleasure of Mr G cooking tea with all our allotment ingredients – beautiful, I love this new, simple life!

I am also busy writing a short story and this has inspired me to create some HOW TO posts which have been linked on many other blogs, which is flattering. A big thank you to all who posted related article links or commented on how useful these posts were.

Tonight I am catching up in Blogland and hope to read some slices!

A Slice of Life Near the end of July #2

This is only the 2nd week this month I have managed to write a slice. I want this day remembered for several reasons;

• the storm
• leaving work
• visiting friends
• a Royal Baby

The Perfect Storm

Firstly the storm – so exciting after 3 weeks of constant heat and sun – hotter than Hawaii and totally unusual and a sure sign of Global warming for this Island! And now the rain to help the allotment, garden and plants Mr G bought me to brighten up the front doorstep that needed to be watered. The best is – IT IS NOT COLD – the temperature has rocketed up and there are many lulls in between monsoon downpours. I am loving it right now as I am dry inside and looking at the magnificence through a huge window – we will see if I like it the same when I am out in going to work or trying to calm down a class full of freaked out small children!

The 1st thing I wrote this morning was a poem – read it here

The end of an Era

Speaking of which it is the last but one day. I handed my notice in in May and plan to freelance and work for Local Authorities and Agencies come September. The 60-80 hour weeks were making me ill and a decision had to be made. I am very indecisive but fortunately some actions have made the decision for me really. It is strange but because of the medication I feel neither happiness nor sadness at this life changing event. 8 years in the same place and 13 years into my career I would expect to feel something. Maybe that feeling stopped long ago – or I am staying strong and suppressing the tidal wave of emotions.

Across the Oceans – Au Revoir!

Last Monday (another reason there was no slice last week) my friend travelled back from Australia! She has been gone 4 years, although now we have reunited it doesn’t seem that long! She has been staying with Mr G and I – I am embarrassed because the house is so far from straight, her room is filled with boxes and every night we all worry about a mountain of cardboard falling down!

She has managed to get out and see lots of people and now she is one night off the next leg of her journey to France.

Having to tear myself away from possibilities of fun and adventure to go to work and not being able to play because I have to redecorate the flat frustrates me. I will be on holiday when she makes it back. It has been lovely having her here and she doesn’t know it but she has inspired a  story or two!

Royal Blue *

And this slice wouldn’t be a true slice if this wasn’t mentioned…

Unlike the rest of the world I was busy last night and not glued to media filling time before the birth of the Royal Baby. However I do have Facebook and the wall was full of messages about the baby, so before I went to bed I knew Kate had given birth to a baby boy!

It kind of takes the shine off waking up and finding out by watching breakfast news (as I would have done today – especially as I was woken up early by the storm!)

Royal Baby BBC

A formal bulletin confirming the birth was displayed at Buckingham Palace

BBC © 2013

* very pleased with my thunder bolt inspired title

And in other parts of my fractious life I am ruled by TO DO lists and clock watching!

• Flat decorate and sell
• Applications & agency sign ups
• Finishing work
• Sorting new home
• NaNoWriMo
• Picture Book Group

I cannot believe this but I STILL have to finish the flat – we only live 7 miles away but after work it is hard to have the energy for the tasks ahead. TONIGHT I am going over and finishing the jobs! Also (fingers crossed) showing someone around.

I need to sign up with agencies for September and complete the LA application form – and post them by the end of the day – have not found time in the past 4 weeks to deal with this!

NaNoWriMo – I am struggling with this as the short story I was writing turned into a novella. I have overcome the writing block by starting another story and hope to find time to edit and submit both manuscripts over the summer!

The Picture Book Group had to postpone our weekend meeting due to riots in the city, we are meeting tomorrow night instead, tonight after work and the flat I have to critique 5 manuscripts.

And my friend thought her flight was today – it is tomorrow so all the busy-ness I planned means I won’t get to see much of her.

Happy Summer!

Slice of Life Challenge 25/31 – Monday, Monday

I am excited that the sun is shining despite the minus temperatures, it will help melt the snow and ice on my car ready to get to work later on today. I had another late writing night managing my schedule. The proposal is sent, it is in the lap of the Gods right now, despite this it was my waking thought.

I have all my paperwork complete for this short 4 day week at work (Easter weekend) so I am enjoying a non-stressful freelance morning. I am reading and posting on SOLC (Slice of Life Challenge) at the moment. I will then work on writing the 2nd part of the monologue and treat my tummy to some Brunch.

Then I am off to work. This evening I will carry on the writing schedule with some poetry as well as working on the performance writing. I had a hair appointment but after the stress and fast pace of last week, I have already re-scheduled for April. I need to make some business calls before work and get off the internet and into my writing!

Not the most interesting slice but there you have it, a slice nevertheless.

 

I happened upon ‘Two Writing Teachers’ blog a week ago and discovered their Slice of Life Tuesday posts, for March they challenged everybody to a month of slices. People have joined in late (like me), I hope next time to catch it in time and supply a whole month of slices.

https://awritersfountain.wordpress.com/2013/03/21/just-a-slice/

https://awritersfountain.wordpress.com/2013/03/24/slice-of-life-challenge-24-of-31-a-lazy-sunday-solc/

 

Slice of Life Challenge 24 of 31 – A Lazy Sunday SOLC

Today has been a wonderful day, the sort of productive, positive day you don’t mind sharing on your blog. I got up early (for a Sunday and considering I had a late writing night Saturday) and worked on my book proposal. Then Mr G. and I drove into the City to go to the Electric Cinema – a lovely old place complete with sofas and waited service. It was a very snowy drive, fortunately most of the main roads had a least one lane clear.

We watched ‘Cloud Atlas’ an amazing film. I can’t wait to read the book. I left the cinema full of inspiration and the kind of deep thought good films encourage to escape. We were going to pick up a late lunch on the way home, we decided to save that part of the treat for later in the week.

I got home and sat down to finish my book proposal and … I broke the laptop – not literally I’m on it now. Earlier it wouldn’t switch on at all. I fell asleep waiting, having had 6 hours sleep.

I woke up very confused at 8pm thinking it was tomorrow morning. I finally started to finish my book proposal at 9:30pm, 1.5hrs later I have finished my sample chapter and just need to format and edit the package. I am excited and hopeful.

I will email that before bed. I am in my PJ’s ready!

Hope you all had a good weekend.

 

Here’s a link to my other slice 21st March – I missed posting the link as 21/31 was closed

https://awritersfountain.wordpress.com/2013/03/21/just-a-slice/

I happened upon ‘Two Writing Teachers’ blog a week ago and discovered their Slice of Life Tuesday posts, for March they challenged everybody to a month of slices. People have joined in late (like me), I hope next time to catch it in time and supply a whole month of slices.