Progressing with thawed words in a flawed world

Taking matters into my own hands and giving myself a very firm kick up the thankfully now defrosted butt, I purchase The Writers' & Artists' Yearbook 2016 as recommended by Penguin publishers. It's got all the answers and advice I really need to continue pursuing my dream. However, imagine reading the Yellow Pages on a Kindle and that's the initial frustration I had fast forwarding through the first 13% of contact details for newspapers and magazines in the whole of the UK. Phew! Eventually, I made it to Books, How to get published. Please tell me everything, my flicking finger is fatigued.

Reading voraciously like a desperate, knowledge craving mad woman, I try to absorb all the things that need to be done. The main thing being to write a good story then edit, review, revise, and edit it. Don't give up Susie you can do this. Keep persevering.

I have had fun attempting to write a brief summary and longer synopsis of the novel (brief being the hard bit for me). It's really helped to clarify what my story is about, what genre it is and the audience I am targeting. Further research tells me that as a first-time author I should try to identify an agent who will work on both our behalfs. This is really going to challenge my integrity as the literary world, just like most of the world, revolves around making money. Greed is one of the key themes in my novel. Yikes, I just told you some Top Secret information. Erase and rewind.
Anyway, some small steps of progress are being made. Thanks for the encouragement.
Susie, keep reading, writing, singing and dancing.

Mum and Dad have been here again on one of their biannual visits.Time always whizzes by so fast. They came armed with all sorts of stuff: Yorkshire tea bags, a new top and swimsuit for me, salad cream and perfectly painted school Honours Boards for Romeo, sweets, protective phone cover and iTunes voucher for Kid A, sweets and a new watch for kid b, birthday and Christmas gifts for us in advance. Did they bring any clothes with them apart from the ones on their backs?

For two weeks every day I received at least two super strengthening hugs from dad, kisses and constant fun chats with mum, including free marriage guidance counselling sessions (she is well qualified after 47 years of wedded bliss?!). I also got a fairly explicit summary of whichever novel she had just read. Most seem to be pensioners erotic fiction from what I surmise! Given a chance, I would like to take The French Gardener to bed with me but mum has whisked him back to Yorkshire. Quelle dommage.

Knowing full well that I would be stared at by everyone as I set off to meet Mini-Me from a football tournament one Saturday, I dressed accordingly in a white T.shirt with the bold, black plea WORLD PEACE printed on it. My shorts were respectfully below the knee, rucksack on back, sunhat and sunglasses in place. Copious amounts of deodorant were clogging both armpits yet failed to stem the flow of sweat from pouring forth.

It took twenty minutes to get to the school pushing two bikes, one in each hand, balancing a bag and cycling helmet on each set of handlebars. Not wanting to take over the whole right-hand lane of the road I pushed one bike on top of the pavement going up and down the dips. Sing-songing a cheery hello to all the gardeners staring, smiling and laughing at me, I felt slightly frustrated that I couldn't wave as well.

Romeo had taken dirtbag to training so my only other option was to phone a friend. I'm very determined and strong-willed remember. We began cycling down to a beach club party a few minutes after Mini-Me had disembarked from the football bus. Feeling very much like the mule in Buckaroo, when would I kick my back wheel in the air, fling all the bags, water bottles, football, birthday gift and swim stuff  into the air and call it a day?

You will be pleased to know that the fire engine is back in business. It's like driving a tank compared to that nippy Mitsubishi. It looks so much better after being hosed down on the outside too.
Dirtbag flew off to Dubai for a few hours with her friends from Doha Athletics to run the 800m in a competition. I left her in good hands at the airport wishing her all the luck in the world. As there weren't enough girls in her age bracket (U15) she ran in the under 17's, coming third out of ten girls. Letting her go was both weird and wonderful. Of course, I thought about her all day long and especially when she ran her race. Well done Supergirl!

Mini-Me and I enjoyed watching Hoodwinked (2005) together. We both loved it. Red and I should swap places, She wants to leave the woods and have adventures. I want to return to them and cycle merrily around. The Happily Ever After Agency in the film sounds alluring to me but life's not a fairytale is it?
It can be full of joy, peace, contentment and hope, though.

Keep looking for adventures and seeking surprises in the everyday ordinary things around you.
Open your eyes. Or do you prefer to stay blind?

All is going well with the childminding. Three siblings appear every afternoon at various times for snacks, homework club and rest. I'm trying to strike a healthy balance between Mary Poppins and Nanny McPhee without using any magical powers. Fortunately, they are well behaved.
Sadly, The Famous Five had to go back to the library and now we have the scintillating Go Ahead, Secret Seven to devour. Imagine my delight when I discover that chapter one is entitled 'Susie is most annoying.'

''Enid Blyton why don't you tell it like it is? Why don't you tell it like it really is?.....''
(sung to the tune of Mr.Writer by the Stereophonics.)

Thanks for continuing to read my blog, it means a lot to me. The overview states that I had 263 page views last month. I'm sure my eleven faithful followers won't read it more than once and I don't track my own page views. Would it be blasphemous to recruit a twelfth follower?

With Love xx



Erase/Rewind by The Cardigans (1999)

Kid A album by Radiohead (2000)

Open Your Eyes by Snow Patrol (2007) from their album Eyes Open (2006).

Fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the ride.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk1Q9y6VVy0

Supermoon and a super man

The moon rose exactly in the east as the sun began to set exactly opposite in the west. Both big glowing balls hovered above the monoliths already stretching out their shadows, tentatively touching, 'casting out their sweet line with abandonment and hope?' It felt special. The supermoon preparing to be transformed into a bloodied one with the help of the always super sun. Everything aligning. Why did almost everyone rush away? Were they afraid of the dark or the red tears that may drip drop from the sky's eyes? We left one family contentedly behind, kindly keeping Mini-Me with them for a while longer.
Darkness had descended and we struggled to find the tracks back. Still no fear or worry from me.
'Just head for the lights,' I said.
'It's not as easy as that,' replied Romeo.

Flashback to Le road trip 2015, with a 2005 map of France and no satellite navigation system.

'Haste not now beautiful wife which road do we need?'
'Oh deary me all the road numbers appear to be different my love.'
'Worry not sweetheart, I'll stop the carriage forthwith and check the map.'
'How wonderful! Forgive me for thinking that it would be so much better if you allowed me to drive and tell me where to go beloved one?'
'Do not frown so or you may further wrinkle your brow my heart's desire. I have it all under control.'

Delirious encore moi? Oh la la et Mon Dieu! Back to the desert.

Coming to an abrupt stop, stress levels spiked high, I spy a baby owl perched on a rock right beside us. He stared at me, blinked, then flew away and we found our route back.

'What language is this written in?' Mini-Me asks whilst reading Five Go Adventuring Again by Enid Blyton.
'Old English,' I smile back at him on the bottom bunk together.
''George! Make Tim sit down. He's wagging my hat off!'' I read aloud in my posh Yorkshire accent.
'Is that a figure of speech?' Asks my boy.
I have to say Aunt Fanny quickly trying not to snigger, but he openly chuckles when I stumble across Dick! This is going to be brilliant bedtime reading. Good job it's Uncle Quentin and not Uncle Nobby.

I treated the kids to an all singing, dancing, pyrotechnic, trapeze flying production of Peter Pan. It was amazing. My eyeballs were ping-ponging all over the place trying to keep up with Tinkerbell and the non-stop action. The fire engine had burnt up inside with it's broken down air conditioning forcing a quick change of vehicle, a very patient, Hoyle tolerant friend and off we went. I was so happy we could go to the show and as if by magic we ended up sat in some comfy VIP seats too.

We are currently long-term borrowing a Mitsubishi thanks to kind neighbours. Would you lend your car, van, bike to someone in need? It's an amazing thing to do in my book. Speaking of books I'm still editing the novel and am in limbo, panicking over the next step of possible publishing and how to go about it? Have humbly, gratefully received some positive feedback.

All things are possible.

High on the adrenaline rush from Neverland I slump back down to earth, landing on the cushion of sorrow upon hearing the news that my dear friend, Arthur, had died that morning aged 98. I am fortunate to have enjoyed his friendship for 23 years. He has blessed many, many other lives as well as mine. We shared some quality time together again in the summer. He was on good form and we talked about the important things; life, death, love, friendship. And we laughed and cried. After I had washed his cup and plate, then shut the kitchen door gently behind me having already hugged and kissed our earthly goodbyes, did we both realise it would be the last time? I think so. I take great comfort in knowing he is now at peace, soaring high above with some super strong wings until we meet again.

''Do you realize that you have the most beautiful face, 
 Do you realize we're floating in space, 
 Do you realize that happiness makes you cry, 
 Do you realize that everyone you know someday will die? 

And instead of saying all of your goodbyes, let them know
You realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last, 
You realize the sun doesn't go down 
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round.''

It has been a difficult week to crawl through with some sadness, apathy, family conflict, chronic back and buttock pain. Giving in again, I go to the Medical Centre. Another Doc this time, not the sore throat soother from my last visit.

''Hellooo my darling what is the matter?'' Instantly I feel a bit better.

The physiotherapist gives me some exercises which work wonders. One lovely friend recommends heat while another a cooling gel. Open to anything that may help I gently smear the Biofreeze onto my lower back and (do I have to tell you this?) both buttocks. Now I truly know how the land felt during the last ice-age.Wow! Talk about comfortably numb. Sing it louder Pink Floyd. The thing is how did this injury occur? Was I conscious when it happened or did it strain in a gymnastic dream? More likely it was a squat that went horribly wrong in a circuit training session. Why do I bother? Because I'm worth it and so are you.

I consider performing open heart surgery on myself and slathering Biofreeze over the life-giving organ within when things deeply hurt me. My brain tells me to carefully reconsider, not to numb the pain as then it will never truly heal, but face it boldly and deal with it. Besides the warning on the tube clearly states: 'For external use only.'


Lyrics from Fisherman's Blues (slightly altered) by The Waterboy's (1988)
and  Do You Realize?? by The Flaming Lips (2002)

Reading: I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

Listening and absorbing every lyric to: Keep The Village Alive (2015) and Graffiti onThe Train (2013) by the Stereophonics in stunned surprise that I will be seeing them live in Doha next month!

Singing to: Hopes and Fears (2004) by Keane

Injury permitting I'm dancing to: Back Where I Belong by Jack Savoretti and Can't Feel My Face by The Weeknd. Do they use Biofreeze too?

Photograph of a photograph: Arthur aged 93, Susie aged 38. Taken in 2010 in our kitchen the year before we came to Qatar.