All very quiet at work today – due to holidays, conferences, non-working days and a variety of illnesses, the only one in the office apart from the Dean is … um … me. Goodness but it’s quiet. I do think the Dean should perform some kind of song-and-dance routine to entertain the troops accordingly. Or, rather, troop. Mind you, I don’t feel so good myself actually, if you’re asking, so maybe that’s not such a clever idea. Though I did nip into Tesco on the way in this morning to stock up with the necessary medicine, so am surely already on the up. One hopes.

So, I’m taking the opportunity of arranging the whole academic year’s supply of Steering Group meetings for next year. My, everyone’s in-boxes will be bursting. It’s good to have some kind of power, you know. Even if only of the email kind. It’s such a great feeling to have the gang all sorted out up to July 2009 and, yes, I know I’m sad, but I’m nothing if not an obsessive planner. Isn’t that what the University pays me for?...


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Well, they can't take it back now, now I am up and officially a Salt Author. Wow. Big picture. Lovely cover picture, lovely. Great early birthday present! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Wow. That was a blast.

Today was really cool, my local library had arranged for two poets to visit. And as it's where I run my merry writing group I decided that we should take full advantage. And we did.

First up, this afternoon, was Cheshire's Poet Laureate from 2005, the lovely Joy Winkler, who read, and chatted about, The Language of Flowers. She also read from her two collections, Morag's Garden and On The Edge (the latter I'll be reading very soon). And it was great fun and informative and, I know, brought back a lot of memories for the group. It's funny how we associate different things with different things; the different things Joy was talking about were flowers. Marvellous

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Managed to sort out the first draft of yesterday’s Steering Group meeting and some of what I said even made sense. Possibly. On top of that, I managed at last to circulate the minutes of the month before, which have been on hold as the poor boss is snowed under and scarcely able to breathe. They like to work us hard here at the educational coal-face. Anyway, the big complaint about the previous minutes was that apparently I’d changed fonts half-way through and hadn’t noticed. Well, I like to be creative, you know – but maybe it’s time for another sight test? Really, a Secretary is utterly past it when she can’t tell the difference between Arial and Times New Roman …


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Have been running around this morning trying to sort out our approach to our Steering Group lunchtime meeting now that none of my key people seem to be coming, sigh. Is it something I said? Ah well, we’ll struggle on regardless, and hey at least we’ll have lots of university sandwiches to eat up. Hmm, maybe that’s not such a good thing after all. Time will tell. At least it’ll take my mind off the fact that I actually have to say something during the meeting – groan, moan. How I hate doing that! Frankly, m’dears, I have no opinions and certainly none worth saying. So, this afternoon, I struggled to put the pages of notes I took during the meeting into order and tried to drum up enthusiasm for the task. Ye gods, I think I am experiencing my mid-month lull already, double sigh – so am constitutionally unable to get to grips with anything. Same old, then ...


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I am no longer a Site Host on the marvellous writers' site WriteWords. Stepping down from the role is something I've been thinking about, off and on, for a while, and this latest illness kind of made my mind up for me. The truth is that although I loved the job, loved helping people and all that it entailed, what I really needed (and need) to do was concentrate on my writing and workshops and on getting better.

So, I want to say a big Thank You to David, Anna, Richard and the rest of the team - I really appreciated the opportunity and loved doing what I did as a Host. Of course there were frustrating times, times when I think I got more flak than I deserved etc, but that's par for the course. On the whole, I am thoroughly glad I did what I did.

Which brings me onto writing websites in general (in part because there's been a discussion on their worth earlier today).

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Lord H and I have spent a lovely day today at Hayling Island, wandering around and attempting to look at birds. Not many about, Carruthers, though we did manage to spot a kestrel, a collared dove, some black-headed gulls and (hurrah!) some black-tailed godwits in summer plumage. Very pleasant indeed and the rain held off. On the journey down, however, I was dozing away to the background lull of Classic FM when Lord H suddenly gave a triumphant snort and said: Ha! I beat that then. On enquiring what on earth he was on about, I was told that we'd passed a big sign telling us that Hindhead was 8 minutes drive away, but Lord H had put a spurt on and done it in 6 minutes. Hmm, I fear that these "helpful hint" road-signs might not be having quite the effect they're supposed to have on the male boy-racer population ...


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I just received my copy of SouthWord, in which I have two short short stories (alongside wonderful fellow writers including Vanessa Gebbie, Chelsey Flood and Joel Willans), and together with it was a cheque for 61 pounds (80 euros). This, for two flash stories. Seems like a lot.

But why not? ...

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Up as early as possible today so that Lord H and I could go into town and stare in adoration at the eternity ring I fell in love with at Cry for the Moon. Result - he loves it too! So he's bought it and I am now the proud owner of an utterly gorgeous piece of jewellery, hurrah! Or I would be if my actual anniversary wasn't until September, so I suspect I may have to wait to get the thing on my finger. But I'm hoping I'll be allowed to gaze at it occasionally between now and then, mmmm ....

I've then spent some time updating my website with the Maloney's Law (see full post for links) details. Each time I look at the cover, I like it more, so that's a good thing for sure. And I've also edited another chapter of The Bones of Summer - slowly, slowly - so am now on Chapter 18. We're getting there, captain ...


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I think Americans call it Dumpster Diving, this habit we've developed lately of helping ourselves to unwanted items left outside houses.

The block of flats where we live stands on the corner of two roads of expensive houses leading up to Blackheath. They're always changing hands, so subject to constant renovation or restoration, and the skips are a good source of furniture.



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