Dickens

Snow, rubbish Christmas telly and Terry Pratchett’s new book

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Hellooooo! How’s things? Hope you are all well and enjoying the festive season. Have you had a nice time? I hope so. I am currently nursing an upper respiratory infection (a head cold and sore throat in other words) and am feeling a bit bleurgh! Luckily it’s only come on me the last couple of days. Apparently it’s making hubby’s life miserable because I am snoring worse than normal! Hope he doesn’t get this bug. It was the girl who brought it in, I’ve got it, the boy is sneezing and I’m hoping hubby doesn’t get it cos he has his last chemo this week. Hurrah!! If he has a cold it could delay it. The poor soul has been pretty unwell over the past few weeks with the build up of the chemo in his system. He’s been spending a lot of time in bed, it’s a real shame. One more to go plus two weeks of chemo tablets and that will be him. This year has been a bit shit, but I feel we’re coming to the end of it (I hope). Here’s to a better 2016!! Hubby deserves it. Am so thankful he’s still here with us because we nearly lost him a couple of times, but he pulled through. Yup, 2016 should be so much better!!

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In case you are wondering, I’m putting in ‘winter wonderland’ type pics because I feel we should always have snow at Christmas (thanks to Charles Dickens for this!! Apparently when he was a child, we went through a mini ice age and Christmas was always snowy so he wrote about snowy Christmases and now we all feel it should be snowy). Anyway, it’s not snowy here in Scotland. It’s been raining and very windy lately, although the last couple of days have been calm and dry. I am, however, still missing the snow (I feel a bit peeved we don’t have it – feels more Christmassy somehow)…hence the pics.

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Still trying to tot up our Christmas movies. We’ve not been watching a lot of Christmassy tv because basically the tv has been rubbish this year. As hubby quite correctly pointed out – Why are we paying our TV licence to the BBC when all they have mainly been showing is repeats of shows from when we were kids!?! And it’s not just been them! Other channels have been regurgitating tv shows from Christmas past too! And films. Yesterday we watched The Great Escape for instance…how many times has that been on British telly since the 70s??? The only thing new I’ve been watching is Dickensian, which I’ve only seen the first episode of. I love Dickens and this looks promising. I hope it’s good. Also watched the very last Downton Abbey…well I had to find out if Lady Edith got her happy ending. Seems like all the characters did. Hubby thinks Downton is rubbish and that it was all tied up too nicely, but I love a happy ending and I love Downton, so it was thumbs up from me. Even Daisy looks like she’ll finally get some romance. I know it was a cheesy finale, but it made me happy. I now feel all the characters will have a happy ending, which is the Disney-type ending they all needed!

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I’ve been taking it a bit easier these last few days so there’s not much to tell. My mother put on her usual massive spread for Christmas Day – it was great. She did the full thing and there was at least five courses. My favourite was the home-made soup – my mum makes the most amazing soup. I have tried to emulate her, but can’t quite get it right. It’s like ambrosia. I love it. When I was in my early 20s and still living at home, I lived on her soup for a whole winter. She would ask what I wanted for dinner and I always asked for her soup…it’s that good. Thanks mum!! It was a great spread…especially the soup!

Haven’t been doing too much over the last couple of days except try and bring down the mountain of dirty washing that suddenly appeared two days before Christmas (when the kids were told to tidy their rooms…ahem!). Nearly at the end of that. Plus am spending a lot of time reading. Hubby got me the new Terry Pratchett book The Shepherd’s Crown (I love Terry Pratchett), so will start that as soon as I have finished Eat my Globe by Simon Majumdar. He’s a lover of food (aren’t we all?) and decided to travel the world trying out different foods. It’s a great read. He comes a lot of dishes he loves and a few he thinks are disgusting and meets lots of really interesting people along the way. Am nearly at the end of it, but have really enjoyed it.

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We also have a few family board games to play…can’t wait to get into my Terry Pratchett The Witches boardgame!! (she says shivering with excitement!)

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Right, on that note, I’m off to make some lunch. Got a pork pie in the fridge that has my name on it. Til next time!

Dawn xxx

PS If someone was to ask me what the theme song for this Christmas was I would have to say the Dr Who theme tune. The boy is obsessed with Dr Who and got more Dr Who stuff for Christmas. If we don’t hear the theme tune from one of the many toys, he’s humming it or singing it or him and his friend from across the road are yelling it at the tops of their voices. Sigh. On that note, thought the Dr Who Christmas special this year was rather weak…the series is not as good as it used to be even with the excellent Peter Capaldi in the lead role. The storylines are often way to complicated for kids (the boy will now only watch a maximum of 15 minutes of an episode, but sits through hours of previous series – he’s a big fan of the Matt Smith storylines, but also loves the earlier seasons). However, I can’t say that for the Christmas Day version. I will continue watching, however, because I love Dr Who too!

Confessions of a writer, Elizabeth Hunter and the Hedgehog Who Froze

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Autumn a

I cannot believe it’s only four weeks until Christmas! Where did this year go? My parents were right: life does speed up the older you get! Just goes to show you should enjoy every minute if you can.

Anyway, how are you all today? What’s been happening in your world?

Autumn c

I’ve been busy getting things ready for Christmas. I am almost there with my preparations…just got Christmas cards to write and a couple of wee things to buy and that’s me. I hate Christmas shopping, there’s nothing pleasurable in it so I like to get food etc in well before the big day so that I only have to drop round to my local shop to pick up the necessities (bread, milk, veggies etc).

I have a confession: having signed up to Nanowrimo, I have been unable to keep up with it. I simply have too much on and am too tired at night when I have any free time. I’ve decided that I’ll just write on the days I’m not at work…it’s the best I can do I’m afraid. I feel a bit guilty, like I’ve let myself down, but I have to be realistic about what I can do. I’m not superwoman after all. I’ve written around 30,000 words, so that’s still an achievement.

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Does anyone know anything about the winter habits of blackbirds? We have a mating pair in the garden and normally I’d still see or hear them around at this time of year (especially as I’ve been putting seed out on the bird table), but I’ve not see a single feather of them. I am worried one of the cats that live around here have got them. They’ve been with us for years (well the family has, not sure how long they live for). I am hoping they turn up again. Maybe they’ve just moved to warmer climes. Hmmm.

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Talking of winter visitors, the squirrels and crows (can’t say that word without thinking of Ygrit in Game of Thrones!) still raid the bird table. I also saw a hedgehog taking an evening stroll down the middle of the road the other night. I was out walking with friends when I spotted the little creature frozen in the road. My friends thought it was dead, but I’ve seen them do this before…if threatened, hedgehogs seem to freeze and pretend they are not really there in the hope that you go away and leave them alone. It barely moved a muscle apart from the almost imperceptible twitch of its nose. We left it there worried it would be squished by a car, but we didn’t want to terrify it any more. Hopefully it got home safely.

I love hedgehogs.

What else have I been doing? Knitting socks as Christmas presents. Have also a started a new book called A Hidden Fire by Elzabeth Hunter. She’s a self published, this is the first of four books and is really good. It’s supernatural, mystery and romance all rolled into one book. I am really enjoying it. Recommend it if you like a well written romantic adventure with vampires. It was my mum who put me on to her (I’ve borrowed all four books from her), so thanks mum. This book comes hot on the heels of Bleak House by Charles Dickens, which I loved. In saying that, I have loved nearly all of the books of his I’ve read (I haven’t yet read them all): the Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, Great Expectations. The ones I didn’t enjoy as much were Little Dorrit (I found Little Dorrit too insipid for my tastes) and Hard Times. Don’t get me wrong, I still liked the books, I just didn’t like them as much as the others. Still have a fair few to read, but I will.

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Right, I suppose I’d better be off and do my housework. I am procrastinating, hoping the housework fairies will come and do it for me. Sigh. Still, I’ll just put on some good tunes and have a dance and a singalong while I do it.

Til next time.

Dawn xxx

 

 

 

 

Sonic Screwdriver, Bleak House and Book Week Scotland

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Well, the boy turned seven this week and was Dr Who-tastic! We bought him lots of Dr Who stuff (he’s a major fan) including the Dr’s sonic screwdriver which he has been driving everybody nuts with by pointing at us and turning it on. Never thought I’d say it, but the sonic screwdriver is driving me nuts! He loves it though.

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I made him a chocolate cake for his birthday which he requested and we’ve been enjoying it immensely. It’s a recipe from Jane Brocket’s Cherry Cake and Ginger Beer. It’s one of my fave books, all about the food you find in old children’s books and the recipes. It’s a fab book and a fab recipe. I would recommend both.

Anyway, am afraid I’ve been lagging behind with the Nanowrimo writing. I am just too exhausted or too busy some days to do it. I don’t know how others do it. Instead of feeling like a failure, however, I’ve accepted I am not super woman and will do what I can do. It’s keeping me planning and writing, so that’s something at least.

Am still reading Bleak House by Charles Dickens. Am trying to take my time reading it because I am really bad for speed reading and missing bits. Then I have to go back and re-read the passage. The book is good. Am near the end, there’s been a murder and I am wondering if Esther gets her man. If you like Dickens, you will love this one.

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Oh before I forget, next week is Book Week Scotland 2014. There’s lots going on, just click here to find out about events in your area. If you can’t get along to an event, just dig out your favourite book and get lost in a fantastic story.

Right, on that note, I am away to do some writing. Yes, I said writing. Am away to do it now before I get side-tracked by the television or something else.

Til next time.

Dawn xxxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Writing, Dickens and Onion Goggles

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I have discovered a great new thing that makes my cooking life so much easier…onion goggles. Yes, they do exist and they have made cooking main meals (many of which include onions) so much better for me. No longer are my eyes streaming, my make-up sliding down my face and the nipping blindness that comes from cutting up onions. I can cut them with abandon…I look daft, but I can cut onions now. Mine look a bit like this but are all black…the kids think they are hysterical. These are RSVP International goggles…onion goggles

Anyhoo, how have you been? Hope you are all well? What have you been up to? What’s the gossip? I have nothing. Nada. It’s been a quieter week, thank goodness, but has left me bereft of anything interesting to say…except the aforementioned onion goggles. I have been working, doing housework and cooking (with the goggles). Oh my God! Talking of cooking, I’ve been working my way through the Hairy Bikers’ Eat for Life Book…this week I have made Chorizo Cod (I forget it’s correct name), their Chicken Tikka Masala (which was fab) and, best of all, their Doner Kebab…fantastic! Recommend all three.

This weekend I’ve deliberately kept free because even though I didn’t have much on last weekend, because hubby and I went out on Friday, my entire week was thrown out and I spent the weekend catching up and running after the kids. This weekend I am going to put my feet up more so I can get back in the zone for writing…I think I’ve stopped writing because I don’t have time to daydream and think.

Anyway, that’s me for this week. Am away, I have a list of things to do before I sit down tonight.

Til next time!

Dawn xx

 

 

 

 

 

 

Car kaput and Charles Dickens

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old car 1I love my little car. It’s a Nissan Note and normally it runs smoothly. Over the past seven years, it’s started first time every time, it’s only had to have tyres and the odd wee thing replaced when they wore out and it’s generally been really reliable.

(above and below, gratuitous pictures of vintage cars)

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAUntil yesterday. Yesterday my daughter had an appointment in a nearby town, so I went to pick her up from her school and the car died on me…right outside the school. I went and got my girl and we had to get a bus to her appointment. We were late, but we made it. We got a taxi back to the school and after waving her goodbye (she was out the taxi like a greyhound on a racetrack – I couldn’t even catch her for a kiss!), I paid the taxi (the driver turned out to be the hubby of someone we know) and tried to get my car to run again. I slipped the key in the ignition turned it and…NOTHING!

I was forced to call out the RAC. They arrived pretty quickly and the two guys couldn’t have been nicer.

Turns out the fuses had gone. How? No-one knows. Anyway, they got the car started and I managed to drive it down to one of our local garages. The guy there managed to get the part and fix it this afternoon but between yesterday and today, this is how I’ve viewed my little car…

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Anyway, that was yesterday’s trauma. You know, for days I felt yesterday wouldn’t be good and it wasn’t. Weird that.

This week has been pretty busy and I feel I’ve barely sat down. It’s just been one of those weeks. Am really hoping things will quieten down so that I can get back to writing…I’ve done nothing for weeks. I need to get back.

Talking of writing and therefore,  books, I’ve finished The Lonely Life and moved on to Bleak House by Dickens. Am going through a Dickens phase right now and enjoying every minute of it. Sometimes I can’t be bothered with him, his portrayal of women – the weak simpering kind – put me off (am thinking Little Dorrit here – I felt like slapping some sense into her by the end of the book she was far too good to be true) and I leave him for a while. Then the notion hits and I am right back to reading him. I just love his books.

charles dickens sans beard charles dickens the old grizzled bearAbove: Dickens clean shaven and (below) Dickens beardy. I think Dickens looked better without the beard. I believe he grew it originally for a part he was acting and kept it. Personally I think the clean shaven look was nicer, but then again I like men to be clean shaven not beardy.

Anyway, I digress. Currently watching Hemlock Grove on Netflix. I can’t decide if I like it or not, but I feel compelled to watch it. What are Roman and his mother? What goes on in the white tower? And who is the creature murdering those girls? Damnit, I’m hooked to yet another American show.

On that note, I shall love you and leave you. Got to get ready for a health walk I’m doing with some friends. I’ve already walked for miles today, so am not looking forward to going out. However, once I’m out (and blethering) I’ll be fine!

Til next time.

Dawn xxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring has certainly not sprung!

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tulip march 2013 1

Well it’s supposed to be spring, but the way the weather has been this week, you’d think it was mid winter. Thank goodness for central heating and warm clothes!! As I write this, it’s snowing outside. Brrrrrrr!

Not much has been going on this week chez moi. Still editing DarkIsle 3, but am hoping that it will be finished soon so that I can get on with my books for adults.  Hubby came home with a huge bouquet of tulips the other day. It was our wedding anniversary and, while we don’t really buy each other anything, he bought me those because he knows how much I love tulips. They were – and still are – gorgeous!!

Received a lovely message from young Erin Fitzsimmons from Houston, Texas whose grandfather Roy created the dragon on Irvine Beach which is the inspiration for DarkIsle. So, just wanted to say a big hello to Erin, her family and her friends across the Pond and thank you for your lovely words about the book!!

Talking of books, I have finally finished Little Dorrit! I must admit, it was a little bit of a slog at times and Little Dorrit was just a bit too compliant and meek for my liking, but I loved it anyway and am glad of the ending!! I’ll not say anything else in case you want to read it some day!

Right am going to leave you with a pretty picture of a crocus and go and tackle the list of things I have to do today. Til next time…hopefully I’ll have more to tell you!

Dawn xx

crocus march 2013 1

No gluing, peace and quiet, St Andrew’s and Sam

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There’s not been much crafting going on here lately. Been too busy being a mum, wife, worker, laundress, taxi driver, chef and all the other jobs I have to do. Not that I’m complaining. It keeps me busy, but I would like a little bit more time to stick stuff and paint stuff and knit stuff and sew stuff. Maybe me and the kids will do it at the weekend.

Last Sunday – Mother’s Day – my kids made me breakfast in bed (well, their dad made it). The girl made me four cards, the boy one and I also got a commercially made card from them each. My mother’s day pressies included a mini greenhouse (which I’m going to start using once the icy weather clears), a DVD and some Lindor chocs, which are my favourite. I had a lovely day. The kids were very excited about everything, especially as a friend of ours who has two children the same age invited them round in the afternoon for a play. They were away for three hours and it was blissfully quiet here. Hubby and I didn’t know what to do with ourselves! We could watch the telly without someone dancing in front of it or declaring loudly that they required a drink. We could sit and talk without someone butting in with their opinion on the matter. And we had a lovely time just being without having to run after our two.

We missed them though and were glad to get them back!

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There’s not much to report chez moi. The weather has been a bit hit and miss lately. Last weekend we had snow blizzards, this week it’s been a mixed bag of sunny weather (yay!) and overcast skies (booh!). Sunny weather always cheers me up, so I love it.

St Andrew's in the Square
Was at a really beautiful place for work the other day. St Andrew’s in the Square is an old church in the centre of St Andrew’s Square in Glasgow. It’s no longer used for worship, but has a cafe downstairs (Cafe Source) in the basement and the upper part (where folk used to worship) is a venue for events. The church/events part is really beautiful and if you ever get the chance to go to it, go and have a look and be prepared to be wowed. It’s lovely.

Sam (2)

Above – couldn’t help but take this photo of Sam, he’s so nosey. What a stare he has! He’s daring me to put my hand in his cage and get him. Of the two, Sam is the quickest and hardest to catch. I put this down to the fact that Darcy is fat and lazy and a bit more laid back. They are both lovely creatures though and very docile.

Anyway, enough of me wittering on about our pets. I have things to do, so I will sign off now. Til next time.

Dawn xx

PS Am still reading Little Dorrit…I am close to the end. It doesn’t usually take me this long to read a book, but LD is a long book and I’ve often been too tired to read it at night. I’m still enjoying it. I love Dickens’ books. He’s one of my writing heroes.

A walk into the past

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Kilmahew 1

It was such a nice day last Sunday (apology about the picture quality), we made the decision to go for a family walk to a local ruin that myself and the kids had never been to before…that’s despite living here for more than a decade! Anyway, the boy wanted a picnic, so a picnic was duly created (it wasn’t anything fancy…just some sandwiches, cakes and bananas with some juice) and we set off for Kilmahew Castle near Cardross.

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The castle is a bit of a walk away from the village and you need to cut through the local golf course (via the right of way, of course…there was no scuttling across the green dodging golfballs for us!) and then you are in the woods. It’s not a difficult walk or climb and we reached the castle quite easily.

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I don’t know the history of the castle – I should have looked it up before writing this – but it’s a lovely ruin and a great place for a quick early spring picnic.

Kilmahew Castle

Kilmahew Castle

The kids loved exploring the old building and the tall tales their dad was telling them of how the castle only appeared to fair princesses and handsome princes (our kids). They totally believed it. They were all wide-eyed and full of questions as he spoke. It was lovely.

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We ate our picnic on some logs someone had cut up and left (I am assuming it was the someone who keeps the path to the castle clear) and we took some photos.

Kilmahew 8

It was a lovely, if cold, day and we had a great time. We left only when we started to feel the cold and the wee fella was getting tired and moany. Then he fell and the moaning increased tenfold! It didn’t put us off though.  I will definitely go back, it’s a lovely place. Very inspirational. Got the old creative juices flowing!

Other News

Not got a lot to tell this week. We started a wee diet club at work, so am hoping that I’ll be able to stick to cutting down and lose something (I love my food too much to be skinny!). If I can lose a stone I’ll be happy. Recieved my mini greenhouse and seeds. The kids are giving me the greenhouse for Mother’s Day, so am quite excited to get things started. I’ve begun chitting my potatoes, but it’s too cold to start seedlings outside. I may have to do it inside and leave them in my room downstairs, which is a nuisance as that’s where I sew and everything else is in there too (ie the laundry, the Guinea Pigs, anything anyone wants to dump in the house). Sigh. Still it’s not forever and will give the veg patch a wee start.

I’ve not done any writing so far this week, been too busy, but will get back on to that today. I’ve not been doing any sewing and knitting either, which is not like me. I have, however, printed off a pattern for wide-legged trousers that I have the perfect navy material for. Watch this space and I might just have them sewn by Christimas at the rate I’m going at!!

This morning I have to confess I had set aside to write, but because hubby has been watching the footie all week (which is fine with me cos I go upstairs and read) I had not managed to watch the recording of Mr Selfridge and I’m afraid that won this morning in the battle of ‘What should I do first?’. Then I had an appointment with my dental hygienist. I hate getting a scale and polish, but such is life. Learned an interesting fact recently, apparently there’s evidence that women who do not look after their teeth before and during pregnancy have a greater chance of having small babies who will go on to have problems with their teeth. Who would have thought your teeth would have such a big impact on life? In saying that, years ago I spoke to a senior dentist and he told me that your mouth and your teeth health is all linked to your overall health and problems you may be experiencing with another part of your body could stem from poor oral health. Mad or what?

Anyway, enough of my musings. I’m away to do something useful, but boring (clean the kitchen). Til  next time!

Dawn xxx

Appliance disaster, a gaggle of joggers and tea at Rose and Grants

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It’s been one of those weeks where I felt I just wanted to stay in bed with my head under the covers. Last weekend was a total disaster for a number of appliances that just decided to give up and die on us. First to go was the washing machine. Thanks to the underwire part of an underwire bra, the inside seal was shredded with resultant burning rubber smell and ‘infected’ clothing that had to be washed again. Hubby took a look at it, looked up the part online, found out its price and between us we decided not to bother trying to fix it because it would cost as much as buying a new washing machine. The old machine is currently acting as an island unit in my kitchen. It’s in the way, but hubby will take it to the dump at the weekend.

Second to go was one of the knobs on my lovely cooker. I took all the knobs off to give the cooker a good clean. I dropped two: one survived after bouncing, the other ended up with bits smashed off it. Sigh.

Third to go was the garage door that refused point blankly to close and sat at a disturbing angle whilst hubby and I wrestled it closed. Hubby – being really handy – has fixed this.

Finally, our lovely vacuum cleaner just died as the wee fella was hoovering the living room (NB I am not a Dickensian slave driver who makes her child of five do housework, he asked to do it). He had just switched it on when the cleaner revved a couple of times and also passed away. I took it to a local appliance repair shop and am hoping it can be repaired.

So, here I am with a mountain of washing to do, no hoover and a cooker knob that now doesn’t tell me what temperature the small oven is at. Last week, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. This week I am more resigned to the fact that it was just a bad week and it’s passed now. NB the heating doesn’t appear to be working properly either, but after the weeks of it not working (sometimes at all) before Christmas, we’re ignoring this problem until the weather heats up and maybe then we’ll get it sorted. The heating goes on, it’s just a bit weird about heating water now. Sigh.

Apart from that, I have the pleasure of knowing I’ll get my pearl earrings back this week. A local jeweller is fixing the guinea pig chewed one and I hope to get it back tomorrow. I’ve missed those earrings. Hubby bought them for my 30th birthday and I’ve been wearing them ever since.

Other good news is that the weather here has been lovely, which has really lifted everyone’s spirits and there seems to be more folk out and about enjoying it. Last night as I was returning home from work, I drove along the Broomielaw and saw a gaggle of joggers all bunched together at a junction. I briefly wondered if there was some kind of charity event going on there was so many of them, but I just think it was the sun that encouraged them out. There were also more cyclists, which is great. I think the more folk cycle, the safer cycling in the town should become as car drivers get more used to seeing them on the streets. Of course, not all cyclists and car drivers act in the safest manner when they come across each other (cyclists – you should stop at red lights and not cross the road when there’s no traffic! Car drivers – please give cyclists a wider berth and stop being so impatient around them), but generally there seems to be no problems. I’d love to cycle to work, but as I live around 17 miles away from my office, it’s just not possible. I’d only be getting there before it would be time to go home! Plus I don’t fancy it in the cold and wet…brrrrr! It’s chilly enough going from a warm house to a still-to-heat-up car without having to cycle as well! Am such a woose!!

rose and grants

Anyway, that’s been my week. The other good thing that happened last week was that I met up with some friends I hadn’t seen for a while at Rose & Grant’s cafe on Argyle Street (near the Tron). It’s a lovely wee cafe. They don’t play loud music and you can chat away to each other to your heart’s content. The staff there are lovely; there are a couple of staff members who are not British, I don’t know where they are from but their accents are lovely. I think they may be Polish. Am not sure. Anyway, I love the cafe and we had a lovely time chatting and eating cake and blethering to the staff. Would recommend the cafe. They do really nice sandwiches and cakes. What I also like about it is that it’s housed in an old building that’s really long, so the back of the cafe houses the offices of a little business. You can see the people there when you go and order at the till. I don’t know why that amuses me, but it just does.

This weekend I have no plans other than domestic ones. Oh and plus I’ll be getting back to what I hope is my last draft of DarkIsle 3. I’ve just not had the time or energy to do it the last couple of weeks. I’ve had so much on. This weekend I will crack on with it.

Right am away to reload our new washing machine and empty the dishwasher. Ah, the life of a writer – so glamorous! Not! Hee hee.

Dawn xxxx

PS countdown is on til the next series of Game of Thrones is on Sky Atlantic. Can’t wait. I think it starts on April 1. Woohoo!

Glasgow in the sunshine

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Templeton Carpet Factory, Glasgow Green by James Morrison

It’s amazing what a little bit of sunshine does to the residents of Glasgow. Myself and a colleague went for a walk at lunchtime around Glasgow Green (pic above is the old Templeton Carpet Factory which looks on to the Green – it’s based on the Doge’s Palace in Venice and is quite lovely) and the park was full of people enjoying the sunny weather. It was even a little warm despite the very cold start to the day (frost on everything). It was a lovely morning anyway…for the first time in weeks it was actually starting to get light when we left the house  and the birds were singing their little hearts out. Made me feel all spring-like…well until I had to scrape the car!

Anyway, I’ve not blogged much over the last couple of weeks because it’s been really busy Chez Nelson. I had a weekend of Mindfulness followed by an extremely busy week of work and people dropping in to see us. My stepson turned 21 last week – can’t believe he’s that old already, I’ve known him since he was seven – and my girl turned eight. We went out, had lunch to celebrate my stepson’s birthday. Next day we took our two, my neice and three of the girl’s friends to the pictures to see Wreck it Ralph (which is great – who wouldn’t want to explore Sugar Rush world?), followed by pizza at Frankie & Benny’s. We went for the early showing (10am) and didn’t get home til the back of 2. I was exhausted, but my girl had a good day and that’s what mattered.

Doulton_Fountain_-_Glasgow_Green by Michael Gallacher

Pictured: Doulton Fountain with the People’s Palace behind (at Glasgow Green)

Because of all the things going on last week I’ve not had any time to do anything…except continue reading my latest book. I noticed that the last book I spoke about was To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. I thought I liked it at the beginning, but as the story dragged on I found there wasn’t really much of a tale to enjoy. The book only seemed to be about time – ie the passage of: slow and languid at first and then zipping ahead – and loss, and the characters’ desire to get to the lighthouse. Am not sure what the lighthouse signifies – death? An ending? Nothing much else seemed to happen and I must admit I got bored towards the end. I doubt I’ll read it again despite it being so nicely written. My current book is different. Am loving Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens. At least there’s a good storyline and there’s a good pace to the story. I don’t feel like I’m jumping all over the place to different viewpoints, although the book has many narrators. Next book in the queue is The Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, which I read a number of years ago and really enjoyed. Although, I need to ask the question – why do Scots in books always have to have red hair? It’s such a cliche. Not that there’s anything wrong with red hair, but there are more folk here with brown, blond or black (and sometimes other colours) than red. In my mind, Jamie Fraser is more dark-haired and brooding. More Mr Darcy in a kilt. Mmmm. Ahem…anyway, must go. It’s getting late, the kids need to be put to bed and I fancy another cup of tea (am such a Tea Jenny!).

Til next time!

Dawn x