Gardening

Totals...Twitter 7 Tweets ... Facebook...2 status updates ...blog entry...one in progress...actual productive writing of my novel...0(ish) words, Cups of coffee...3 Cupcakes ...0 must try harder tomorrow! 

Music mostly on my itunes this evening; Paramore, The Script, Will Young

Today was a struggle to get out of bed after the long shifts over the weekend and the early shift this morning, I had intended to get up early and write for a bit before work - that didn't happen! But I made it to work on time and finished the shift then drove out to see my parents and nephew who are visiting from down south and staying with my aunt and uncle. As well as being on holiday they have been willing participants in assisting the complete overhaul of my aunt and uncles garden. My nephew who is seven and is ridiculously bright (I'm aware as his auntie I am biased on this topic) was very eager to tell me that as he was helping to dig they came upon a nest of rats and he hit one on the head with a spade (sorry to all rat lovers out there who may be reading this but in fairness it was not me who committed the deed!).
With the garden well under way the last task for the evening was to wait for a delivery of 10 tonnes of topsoil to be placed on the driveway, this was pretty impressive - in fact the most impressive of all was the delivery driver's determination to get the soil from the truck. This included but was not limited to chucking the spade up to loosen soil at the top of the tipped up truck, which not only failed but left said delivery driver climbing up the side of the tipped up truck to retrieve spade and knock down the soil himself...

Almost there, spade is retrieved phew!

And the soil is gone...is now a bad time to admit to a fear of heights?

It's OK, the very nice delivery driver did made it safely down, (he didn't even get scared) and tomorrow the 10 tonnes will start to make their way on the journey into the back garden.

I would like to say I helped today, but I was at my day job and only arrived as things were winding up but I did make tea and coffee so I feel I have served a vital role in the process...or will keep telling myself that so I don't feel guilty.

Pictures to follow once the lovely garden is finished, hopefully in time for the nice weather?

Fire!!

Totals...Twitter 3 Tweets (in my defence I have worked a 13 hour shift!)  Facebook...1 status updates ...blog entry...one in progress...actual productive writing of my novel...0(ish) words, Cups of coffee...2 Cupcakes ...0

Music mostly on my itunes this evening; Muse, Florence & the Machine, Marcus Foster

OK so there isn't an actual fire, but having finished a fairly tiring 13 hour shift, left work and cursing the headlight that decided to give up before I'd left work to drive home - I cooked a very quick stir fry (10 minutes a record for me including chopping, cooking and dishes - not eating!) then settled down to do what we do and multitask so I could fit some productive writing time into my day and realised I'd been a little eager with the chili and the only thing on hand to put out said fire was a nice bottle of red wine. Which as always went down a little too easily, so one and half glasses in (it would be rude not to finish it) now I find myself thinking about writing, making very little sense in a blog entry, feeling ever-so-slightly tipsy and wondering if I will wake up for my 0530hrs alarm call for another epic 13 hour shift!
So perhaps the writing is best left, but the thing is I had set my alarm for 0500hrs in order to put in some time before work but when it came to it I kept hitting the snooze. So I may be in need of some suggestions to make sure I get up when the alarm goes off, because once I'm up it's fine - it's just the getting up part I struggle with because I pretty much feel like this...

...and I'm aware I've used this pic before but I can't help loving it!!!!!
So I'm off for a relatively early night, thinking it's time for a helping of sparkly vampires care of Twilight.
Goodnight.

numb...

Totals...Twitter 8 Tweets Facebook...1 status updates ...blog entry...one in progress...actual productive writing of my novel...1500(ish) words, Cups of coffee...1 Cupcakes ...1

Music mostly on my itunes this evening; James Morrison, Christina Perri

Having had two days off from my day job (I work shifts so I guess this was my weekend!) and due to the incessant rain of yesterday I spent pretty much all day refusing to go anywhere and refusing to get dressed and had a productive writing day instead which was great. This morning the sun was shinning so I went for a walk to my local park and fed the ducks...

Yes, we have clever ducks here, they even have a special crossing!

In any case after my walk I felt inspired to write again and am amazed at my productivity even if I did occasionally get sidetracked by the lure of facebook and twitter - but 1500 words down and I have broken 100,000 words and am almost through with the intially writing phase of this novel which is very different from my last, in that its funny - well I hope it is I tested the first few pages on a friend who spat out her cup of tea (I'm hoping that was a good sign? Who knows!).

Unfortunately I got lost in my own little world and kept typing and finally got up and realised I must have the most uncomfortable chair in the world - OK maybe not world but Norwich at least because my bottom is incredibly numb...so before any further two day writing marathon's I'm seriously going to have to re-think the chair situation. I have an exercise ball which is quite comfy to sit on, unfortunately I wouldn't be able to reach the keyboard. All suggestions gratefully received and yes I know I should have had a break but I was engrossed in what I was doing and didn't want to stop.

I'm a little sad that I won't have so much time to write over the next few days as I am back at my day job (which I love by the way) but it infringes upon writing time!

As well as this a welcome distraction in the form of my parents and seven year old nephew are coming to visit I've not seen them since Christmas so I will allow myself time off the writing for that, because as it stands it looks like I'm going to meet my self imposed deadline!!!

Time to get up out of this chair, that's all for tonight!

Goodnight.

Sugar rush!

Totals...Twitter 10 Tweets  Facebook...1 status updates ...blog entry...one in progress...actual productive writing of my novel...500(ish) words, Cups of coffee...1 Cupcakes ...1 (and I made 10 does that count?)
Music mostly on my itunes this evening; Coldplay but now feeling a bit glum, may need to change it soon!

Got home today feeling exhausted more so than after working a 13 hour shift, so in order to off load baked some cupcakes cakes the result is better than therapy...

Although am feeling slightly concerned that I'd opened a nice bottle of red wine while I cooked and it went down a little too easily and now I'm not hungry...not so sure that is a good thing!

I managed to get a little writing done this morning before the day job which is just as well as I'm not sure I'm good for much now, however two days off now so I have nothing planned and am hoping to be productive and possibly even get somewhere close to finished (that's the aim anyway!) until then I think I'm going to sign off with a short entry this evening in the hope I will feel more productive in the morning!

Goodnight!

Not really feeling it!

Totals...Twitter 7 Facebook...0 status updates ...blog entry...one in progress...actual productive writing of my novel...100 words, Cups of coffee...0 Cupcakes ...0 (perhaps this is the cause of my issues will remedy this immediately with a cup of coffee!!)

Music mostly on my itunes this evening; Marcus Foster - Nameless Path (am a little bit in love with his album it's on repeat at the moment!)

After the lovely sunshine and heat of the past week it was inevitable that it had to end soon, and it did last night as I drove home from work it was raining and snowing and today it has not stopped raining all day. We don't get a huge amount of rain here so I suppose it was needed but does it have to be so wet?
Feeling a bit grey and miserable I decided it was time for a spring clean and as a result re-arranged the study area, my bookcase, did some washing and cleaned the bathroom and then thought about writing. But then I had a cup of tea, read a writing magazine, read a bit of a book, had another cup of tea, checked twitter, thought about going onto facebook, had another cup of tea and then actually wrote 100 words...surfed the Internet and found my new desk chair on ikea website...dreamt about how good my new desk chair would look in room then gave up to blog!
Am hoping that the jiggle around of furniture will inspire me so will keep you posted on that, unfortunately I'm pretty certain I know why I've been lacking focus, I think life got in the way a bit. It's been a tough time at work over the past few days and that has clearly affected my mood. So I have a plan...I'm going to allow myself this evening, then tomorrow I'm going to get up and smile (even if it is still raining) and start over!
Obviously an integral part in the plan is to find a cupcake...I'm having sugar withdrawals I'm sure after being on a health kick for over a week...having had to replenish my fruit bowl twice I fear I may have to re-title the blog, how does Writing...peppermint tea and apples sound? Pants? Yes I thought so too - I shall just have to ensure consumption of said items tomorrow!
...here's some I made earlier!

Off to read in the hope I feel inspired...may be a chick lit evening...

Pets?

Totals...Twitter 5 tweets...Facebook...1 status updates ...blog entry...one in progress...actual productive writing of my novel...0 words, Cups of coffee...0 Cupcakes ...0 (13 hour shift ate into my writing time...added to the fact I overslept big time!
Music mostly on my itunes this evening; nothing, watching Celebrity Juice and getting way too side-tracked.

So today after a couple of interesting and trying days personally and professionally it got me thinking that perhaps it's time to get a new pet but to be honest I'm a bit stumped and open to suggestions.
I had a great pet until May last year and he kept me company when I wrote;

This was Marvin, as you can see he was a bit daft and none too clever when looking for a place to sleep. Fairly often I would get an enforced break from writing when he would lay across the keyboard of my laptop and normally fart. So he was a bit of a character and I am unable to have another cat at present so I am exploring other options...

 In an ideal world I think I'd probably like a penguin, these ones are so clever they can even use a zebra crossing! Although they are a little stinky!

Another possibility is a pygmy hedgehog, very cute am already a little bit in love with this picture (its probably the ears!) but I'm not so sure about the idea of a hedgehog that lives indoors...not sure that's right. Fish are out of the question I tried that once and it got to the embarrassing stage when I almost once a week I had to go and buy replacements,  I'm still not even sure what I did wrong. But it turned out to be pretty expensive. A hamster is another option I've had lots in the past they are easy to look after and quite entertaining and then I saw this...



 Not sure it would make a pet and added to that dormice are protected so I'd more than likely get into a lot of trouble but it's probably the cutest video I've seen for a while! So back to the drawing board...

Very nearly squished!

Totals from 1st March having been too traumatised to blog, more of which later!...Twitter (14 Tweets) Facebook...3 status updates ...blog entry...one in progress...actual productive writing of my novel...500 words, Cups of coffee...2 Cupcakes ...1 (if a lemons an poppy seed muffin counts?)

Music mostly on my itunes this evening; nothing, too traumatised watching mindless scary films and drinking red wine with a friend instead!

So today started out pretty nicely, the sun was shining, got a good amount of writing done and met my Aunt for lunch - it's a shame the same couldn't be said for the afternoon. After collecting car and having the sinking feeling in my stomach when something didn't feel right I called on the assistance of my local AA man for help; feeling a little embarrassed owing to the fact I was currently parked in a multi-story car park in a shopping mall.
After a very quick call back I was told he was fifteen minutes away so I headed back to the car to meet him. Feeling very foolish when I threatened all sorts of things to the car if it was going to cost the earth to repai,r including having it squished and afterwards having never really felt much love for said car I actually relished the idea a bit about seeing it squished...perhaps I could even have a little dance on top of it afterwards?
After the very nice AA man looked at it and told me that my brakes had seized we drove very carefully down to his truck in the bowels of the mall to the loading bay car park, where he investigated and pulled off the first wheel. Made a few clucking sounds and then told me it perhaps wouldn't be as bad as I thought to fix. (I have to admit I was a little let down having worked out my dance moves ready for dancing onto of the squished metal block that I had imagined!) Leaving me he went to get the required items and left me alone and jacked up.
Of course a lorry arrived (why wouldn't it?) and wanted to pull into the bay alongside of me which was currently inhabited by a member of staff. Things happened a bit quickly from there, one minute I saw the drivers mate talking to the car driver who had returned to move his car. Then looked down into my bag to find something and it was like things happened in slow motion. I looked up and saw the car reversing and the lorry reversing and before I could get out of the car to shout or do anything the lorry had just about pinned the car against the concrete pillar and made a fair mess of the side and back of the car while I stood resembling a goldfish. The very nice AA man returned to find this after it had only just happened and to find me pretty shocked to the point I threw up. I think I was more embarrassed. Luckily no-one was hurt, apart from the poor car.
Still somewhat shocked I collected a friend who was staying the night and she force fed me red wine!
She is an excellent friend! Obviously red wine cures everything!!!
I suppose if anything good were to come from this it would be an excellent incident to include in a book! Who knows.
Phew what a long post hope I didn't lose you somewhere along the way.