Wednesday 30 September 2015

Christmas Is Coming ...

Have been given the opportunity to put a poem I have written on the front of a Christmas card.  This is something I have often thought of doing and never done and this year I grabbed Rudolf by the antlers and decided to go for it!  Having made the decision, I thought - okay - time to write the actual poem now.  Which is when I found myself in the inhospitable desert known as WritersBlocksville.

Some years ago, I was commissioned on a boiling hot June day to write a Christmas story for toddlers in no more than 200 words.  Hello WritersBlocksville!  In the end I closed the curtains on a balmy summer evening, lit the fire, put on Christmas music and - hey presto - along came the story!  Maybe I could try that ruse again?

Where my poem is concerned back here in 2015, I had to set myself a remit.  I didn't want something mushy or treacly or too fantastic.  I didn't want something preachy or too religious either.  I wanted it to appeal right across the age barrier from ages 3 to 103.  After  several false starts I hit on the perfect Cheat - like go through my archive of old poems.  Found half a dozen possibilities and thought - yeah - could maybe re-write it, make a few changes - bring it up to date.  Tried it.  Hello WritersBlocksville. 

Husband Steve said to me the other day  "How's your Christmas poem coming on?"  Mumbled something abut working on it.  He said "Well - don't forget the deadline's coming up ..."  Decided there and then to give it one final crack.  And along came the poem - the most perfect, balanced, Christmassy poem I think I have ever written.

And the moral of this story?  Well ... there isn't one really.  What's that?  You want to see the poem?  Sorry - that will have to wait ...

Sunday 13 September 2015

Soldiering On ...

Had a bit of a sort out here in my study this evening.  I don't know why this room always gets so cluttered!  Everything just gets dumped here and I simply cannot work in such confusion.  A disorganised study leads to a disorganised brain - a wise man said that once - or something similar. Anyway that saying works for me right now.   Our boiler was recently given its annual overhaul.  It is in a cupboard just big enough for the suitcases and a couple of holdalls - so we have to empty it so the engineer can access the boiler.  Where to put the suitcases?  In the study!  With such a big extended family, Steve and I are buying Christmas presents almost all year round.  Where do they end up?  In the study!  We keep saying we're going to do a boot sale (quite ambitious considering we don't have a car and therefore no boot) - where does it all end up in boxes?  Oh dearie me.  In the study!  When I walked in here earlier, I felt hemmed in at every side - by cases, bags, boxes ... I almost felt claustrophobic!  So I had to do something!  How can I ever be a writer when I am working in a storage bin!  After re-distributing things a bit more evenly and throwing the cases and bags back in the boiler's cubby-hole and rearranging everything, I now have a workspace I can use.  And with Bob Marley Buffalo-Soldiering in the background, I thought I'd come straight to my blog.  After all here we are two weeks into September with not so much as an exclamation mark to pass between us (well - to pass from me to you my silent readers who never comment).

The Young Writers had their first session of the new school year last Saturday.  It went soooo well! I had ten children turn up!  Very pleased.  The next one is on the 19th.  Racking my brain on the best way forward.  Have already asked about some guest speakers and am waiting for responses from them.  Also planning to hold at least one competition a quarter.  And arrange a couple more trips out. All these experiences are good for the Young Writers.  But in between various events, I still have to keep them writing or else what is the point?  One thing I am rather pleased about is the fact I finally got round to putting the first newsletter together.  It has only taken me six months but better late than never.  And it isn't half bad either.  If you want to find out what else is happening with the Young Writers, why not look at their blog (addiscombeyoungwriters.blogspot.co.uk).

It is Steve's birthday on Wednesday.  We seem to have developed this tradition over the past few years where we each surprise the other with a trip out somewhere.  My treat for him this year is tickets to see Sunny Afternoon - a show featuring all the Kinks biggest hits from the 60s - which is but definitely his era.  Plus lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe because I know he has never been and will love the vault which is full of music memorabilia and a souvenir shop  I think he'll be happy with that.

What other news do I have?  Uhhm!  Oh -it is almost 11pm.  Better hit the sack then.  Day job tomorrow...