Saturday 22 August 2009

One Thing and Another

Well if you’ve been on your toes you’ll have your Christmas stories written and submitted and be well into the New Year if not Valentine’s Day by now.

Okay that’s the writing bit out of the way.

In other news . . .

Himself put his back out trying to assemble the bargain child’s gazebo I bought and I gave myself (thank you Me) a thumping headache trying to blow up the inflatable pirate ship (and that was using a pump).

To add insult to his injury I told him I didn’t want the gazebo out anyway and dismantled it again. He’s been eyeing up the patio – I think he’s planning where he’s going to bury me.

We’ve had the paddling pool out and the water pistols. We’ve walked in the woods and over the fields. It’s been a nice, but busy week.

We went to Bressingham Steam and Gardens in Norfolk on Thursday – quite a long drive, but worth it if only for the rides on the Gallopers!

The kids really liked riding on the trains too – but weren’t so keen on the Dad’s Army exhibits (why would they be? Much as I love Dad’s Army, we only went in there because it was cool and out of the sun). Imogen said the exhibits were scary! Well she is only two!

The gardens looked gorgeous all lush and colourful, but small kids and gardens . . . they spotted a big yellow hose and decided it was a giant snake and they’d like to pick it up . . . so we ventured in and ventured out again pretty quickly.

There is something special about places like that – they’ve got a certain charm, perhaps it’s the people who work there who are so friendly and unhurried and willing to ruffle a little boy’s hair and wave to a happy little girl.

The visitors were a friendly bunch. Smiling faces everywhere! No push and shove. Even the wasps were friendly. I kid you not. They didn’t keep dive bombing us once they knew they weren’t welcome (I think it was me running round in circles flapping my hands in the air and screaming that gave them the hint) but just flew off without so much as an angry buzz.



The farmer has finished harvesting so the fields are all scratchy stubble. Indy loves it. Here’s a picture of him rolling about – not in anything dead, just enjoying the scratchiness of the stubble – and I swear he’s laughing.

12 comments:

  1. Don't you just love how dogs get pleasure in the simplest of things whereas we make life so complicated for ourselves?

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  2. Oooh, not the wasps again! I batted one out of the utility room this morning whilst screaming "Get out,get out!" at the thing. I'm sure my neighbours think I'm mad - and possibly throwing the husband out and not a wasp!! He was at work so was spared my hysteria over a wasp that is, apparently, 'much more scared of me than I am of it.' I don't think so!

    Awwh cute doggy. He's having a wonderful time isn't he! Sounds like you had a good day out too.

    Unfortunately I am well behind with the christmas stories and the ones I wrote last year ready to edit last month to send out this year are still in their box folder. So I guess I'll have to wait for next year now!

    Julie xx

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  3. Ooooh, Valentine's - I'll have to get moving on that.

    Sounds like you've been busy - and another lovely photo.

    X

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  4. We could learn a thing or two from them couldn't we, Juliet!

    Wasps aren't scared of anything, Julie!
    It may not be too late to send out those Christmas stories (except to My Weekly)

    Valentine's, then Easter, then we'll be back to summer holidays again, Suzanne - I love writing about summer in the depths of our dark winters!

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  5. What a perfect day Teresa - I got half way down the lovely blog post before I realised there were any children involved; up until then I had a wonderful image of you and himself firing water pistols at each other from the pirate ship!

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  6. We-ell actually, Helen . . . no, we didn't really - well maybe just a little!! But not in the pirate ship - I now have visions of myself sitting in the pirate ship and looking rather like an elephant sitting in a bucket!!!

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  7. Yes, I sent out two Christmas stories last week - or was it the week before? - not trying to sound smug, just losing track of time!! Wanted to get up to date with everything before this grandchild of mine arrives ... due date is this Wednesday ... sure I won't want to do anything much for a while afterwards!

    Don't talk to me about wasps! I hate them with a vengeance, and can flap for England. My husband gets very annoyed with me - 'Just leave them alone!' he sighs. 'And they'll fly away.' Not without stinging me, they won't. I just know it! x

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  8. I can take thewasps; it's frogs I can't stand. I know they won't hurt me but it doesn't matter, I hate them. Any suggestions about how to rid my garden of them will be gratefully received. On Christmas stories, I don't usually write them since Christmas isn't my favourite time. However, got an idea so have sent one off this year. Sent one off last year too, but when it got to December and I hadn't heard, I sort of knew it wasn't going to make it...

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  9. Wednesday, Olivia, you must be on edge the whole time waiting for the phone to ring! Can't wait to hear your news when it comes.
    I don't know how anyone can stay calm with wasps buzzing about!

    My mum hated frogs too Marian - she used to catch the ones in her friend's pond in one of those long nets and put them over the fence into the next door garden - but they always came back!!
    Good luck with the Christmas story.

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  10. I've already had two Christmas stories rejected!! Olivia, I went through the same thing in July. Got a text message at two in the morning with a photo attached of my ten-minute old Granddaughter. Is it your first one too?

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  11. Talking of My Weekly, Teresa, they never seem to ask for Christmas stories - I've been wondering if they only accept them from authors they've already bought from?

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  12. Congratulations, Kath! It's just great how we can see pictures of them now so soon after they arrive. I bet you treasure that first photo!

    I think MW haven't asked for any Christmas stories in their guidelines because they've got a lot in stock to use up - that's my theory anyway.

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