Monday 29 April 2013

I am not mad (my opinion) so please do not send for them to take me away.



Dialogue with self:


Q:  So why are you on here so early when you should be painting/decorating/writing the novel even? 
A:  It's too cold.
Q:  Doing something, any activity is warming.
A:  Actually it's Catch 22 surely?
Q:  I ask the questions.
A:  Be my guest.
Q:  Writer's in the past didn't have the luxury of central heating.
A:  Tell me something I don't know.  Wait, are you saying I'm a namby-pamby wimp? 
Q:  Well - er - actually...
A:  What, the cap fits?  Don't worry, it's true.  And this bit of writing?  It's a warm up. From this I'm going on to making a cup of tea and then settle down for real to work on the novel.  I've reached a difficult point in it and am not sure how to proceed.
Q:  You need help?
A:  Who doesn't!  Sorry about the exclamation mark, I try and keep a strict limit on them.
Q:  You're digressing.
A:  True.
Q:  Which novel are you struggling with and why?
A:  Goods By Hand (GBH).  It's finished but I'm changing the plot slightly. Trying to go back to the original idea for it.
Q:  Sounds simple enough.
A:  If only.  I want to avoid a complete rewrite, want to make it gel with what I've done on it so far.  And the seam keeps showing.
Q:  Aah, I see.  Can I help?
A:  Hope so.
Q:  Are you ready to start yet?
A:  Reckon so.  Thanks. 

Sunday 28 April 2013

PROJECT D.I.Y.

Well, it's certainly been a while since the last blog.  I'm a writer so coming up with excuses is no problem.  There are more than a dozen, trust me, but as I'm strapped for time I shall get straight down to it and see if I can write about a subject currently close to my heart.  Fingers crossed I don't get distracted (easily done for me) as I am addicted to multi-tasking.

Apologies in advance for typos....




Youngest child going to university.  Single mother has to sell up and move to a smaller place.  Irony:  House will be made beautiful again in order to sell it.  What exactly needs doing?  The list is so long that at least quarter of the ink in a biro would be used up.  How does it make the reluctant do it yourselfer (is there such a word?) feel?  Tired.

Week before Day 1 (below).  Contact a builder to come and do the jobs outside of the house that can't be done by a single mum with a dodgy back. Once the builder has been, done the work and been paid because he was a genuinely very nice man, then spend a few days admiring the fact that the outside work that has been waiting for sooooooo long has finally been done.  When the admiration is over, think about what shade the concrete/cement mix is and whether it is ready to be given its first coat of paint.  The undercoat.

Feel very relieved that the weather is slightly on the cold side and the work is drying slowly (the best way apparently otherwise it could crack).  Try not to panic that such a huge amount of painting (times two) awaits once its dried.  Check for paint brushes.  Throw away the old dried out ones. Go shopping for new ones as necessary.  Add the jobs to the list in great detail because when the 'ticking off' begins, the feeling of satisfaction will help improve the bad temper and tiredness.

Day before Day 1 (below).  Put the list onto the fridge door instead of carrying it around the house in a 'woe' is me kind of way.  Decide where to begin.  Drown the feeling of panic with a huge drink.

Day 1.
Decision made.  Starting work on the porch.  It's the overcrowded small entrance to the house.  The one the prospective buyers see after they have seen the driveway.  Try not to panic about the pigeon-pooped brickwork as someone withe a jet wash will be able to get that sorted and cleaned up.  I would love to send the bill to the pigeons but as that is impossible, perhaps send it to God because that is the person who created them?  A topic for another day.

Get the step ladder. Paint. Roller and tray. Paint brushes. Tub for rubbish. Mini stool for sitting on for when doing the low work. Find a long stick for mixing the paint.  Not a screw driver, they are not long enough. Rags.  Plenty of rags and two types of tissues.  Wiping up spillages and nose blowing (for the dust allergy).

Find the music, loads of music, as that helps calm this savage beast and find the extension leads to be able to play the music from a reasonable location so that it can be heard at higher than normal decibels.

Empty the porch of all the shoes. And then more shoes.  And some more. And don't forget the ankle boots. Oh and the knee high boots. The outside boots, and trainers, and then of course there's the various oddments of slippers that are worn and not so worn. Finally the floor is visible.
Hoover, dust, wipe and wash where possible.

Time for tea.  Day 1 start can be my next blog.  It is good for a writer to stop writing when he/she is in the flow.  I am certainly that.

Must ask my friend Milton about pictures for my blog: a ladder, paint pots and other paraphenalia, will add to help me get through this huge project.