Wednesday, August 22, 2007

The worst wine-maker ever and lunch with Julia

Still feeling shocked and very flat after yesterday’s news about poor Uncle Leonard. Have sent off a letter to my aunt today, but will try to ring her tonight. Rang Mother from work today though – she hadn’t had a very good night at all, poor thing. Not that I’m surprised. Worse for my aunt of course. Bugger. We did share a wry smile though at the thought of Leonard attempting to convince St Peter at the Pearly Gates to let him take in his home-made wine through. No! No! we cry. That paint-stripper is best in the other place by far …!! Trust us on that one, Uncle Leonard – though, knowing you, you’ve probably left us all a job-lot of the stuff in your will and will force us to drink it. Even from beyond the grave. Double bugger.

Anyway, this morning I’m at work and not feeling as sick as I thought I would. Maybe those supercharged nasal sprays from the doctor are doing some good after all. Thank the Lord. However, I’ve cancelled my chat with Susan in the Counselling Centre about the Mindfulness course – not sure I’m up to personal delving at the moment – I’ve rescheduled it to next week. In the meantime, I’m working away on the web project and attempting to look like a professional.

Oh, and there is some good news – Flame Books will be doing a second edition of A Dangerous Man, hurrah! With review quotes on the cover, more huzzahs. So once it’s out I hope they manage to sell some more copies. Michael will be wearing a new tee-shirt especially for the occasion. Probably bought with Jack’s money, but hey you know him …

Met Julia for lunch as it’s her last week here and I’m not in Thursday or Friday. As usual. Sorry to see you go, Julia, and I’ll miss your input at the University Writers’ Group, but glad you’ve got something nice to go to – and keep writing! Even more important – finish one of those novels, babe: they’re great and you know you want to!

I did have a “warm glow” moment today, when the Dean of Students said that his two older teenage daughters had been reading A Stranger’s Table and emailing their friends with quotes from it. Gosh, that’s nice – unless of course they’re emailing each other examples of how not to write and giggling helplessly. Ah well, eh! – and, heck, just as long as they’re producing better work themselves as a result, then I suppose I really can’t complain! And, whether they hate it or love it, at least they’re not indifferent to it …

Tonight, I’m not doing very much - though I have just spoken to my (nice - yes there is one!) cousin up north. My aunt's sleeping - which can only be a good thing under the circumstances. I sent our love. Apart from that, I'll watch TV and drink Lemsip. Bloody hell, it’s a plan.

Today’s nice things:

1. Chuckling with my Mother over Leonard’s dreadful wine-making - bizarrely
2. Lunch with Julia
3. A second edition of A Dangerous Man.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website

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