Gaaaah…
*Please note that pics of the actual event were not taken as tension and anxiety was so high!*
Walk to beach with dogs.
Dog finds transparent orange ball like this.
Dog can’t quite get mouth round it and pushes it to waterline.
We all began kayaking about 11 years ago, and in that time have paddled together in many different places up and down our east coast. But over the years we have decreased in number through age and injury and we’re now trying to have one BIG kayak per summer, to add to the little ones we try to have once or twice a week. I’ve not been for many this year because of Mum’s accident and because of windy weather but I wouldn’t miss the BIG one for the world. We augmented our shrinking numbers with two extra ladies this year. A lovely group…
Heat – 35 degrees. So one swims.
Winds – 130 kms. One takes shelter.
A cool change. Winds of 137 kms. One battens down the hatches.
Broken willow – again. How much more can my beloved front willow take?
Currently beside my bed, I have this little pile of books.
I am about to read Ann Swinfen’s new book, Flood, an exciting revelatory novel set in the seventeenth century Fens. She is releasing it next week and kindly send me an early e-copy. Ann has had a laudatory career as a women’s literary fiction writer with an excellent backlist to her credit. Recently she has taken her backlist and re-published through Shakenoak Press and I can tell you, if Flood is anything like her previous books it will be the most perfect read.
Remember a while back, I said my blogs for the moment would be mostly photo essays? Well after writing 3500 words and editing 50,000 over the last two days, I took the day off with my husband!
Went away for the day to a place we call Fourmile (a little beach on Maria Island across the Passage from House, about 9 nautical miles). It was the first day that I have really relaxed since Mum’s accident 6 weeks ago. I mean really relax because we played Robinson Crusoe. In all the years we’ve been going to Fourmile, we have never seen anyone-else there and this was no different.
A photographic essay to show what one simply MUST have by one’s side when one has an April deadline. According to my publisher, I must finish Gisborne: Book of Kings by then so it can proceed to the editor… so, sweet stuff needed.
At last.
After the worst December and early January in my memory with our weather (not to mention Mum’s accident!), we have finally hit pay-dirt. Yesterday was lovely but the water was very cool for swimming as we’ve not had many sunny days. I emerged with skin burning and bones aching.
I originally opened a Pinterest account as an adjunct to my persona as a writer. The general opinion was that it was a perfect way to give one a brand and to give one’s books a visual dimension. So when I set up my account, I gave it a purely medieval focus – looking at many aspects of medieval life.
Sometimes hospitals can be so draining and visiting a loved one every day, just so. So after our visit today we loaded a picnic in the car and drove to the southern beaches area.
We had done part of it before, looking at the fire damage from last January. This time we took another turn-off and did the rest and in the process finding a very beautiful little beach to which I shall be bringing my kayak on the next hot north-easterly day.
This year I’ve been lucky enough to be invited to include pieces in two historical anthologies. One fiction, one very factual. In two of the three pieces for the editions, my forbear, William Owen Millington was the subject and the inspiration.