Are the voices in my head too loud for you?

Getting There

Today is my son's birthday. He's at school having his presents and treats. No idea what he finally settled on - but it will be fun and cool etc...  We sent a large box of goodies including a fart machine, a t-shirt with "Robot disguised as a human" on it and the usual computer game.  I found a brilliant poster too.  He is mad about soft drinks and this is a poster of nothing but cans of drink.  I probably should have got him a poster of John Barrowman in retrospect.

 

Now feel well rested and restored after a smashing residential creative writing experience. All of us (apart from the tutors) are living with mental health issues - so it was a powerful mix of vulnerability, insightfulness and courageous writing. Over supper a few of us decided we couuld replace the Psychic Channel on the TV with Psychotics Channel and we went to town seeing who could cap whom with their experiences of psychosis. There are only so many dinner parties you can go to where that is a topic which animates the whole table.

 

Yesterday I would equate with a day which feels as important as my wedding day. It was the day I finally heard my vocation as a writer validated and I accepted it as my future. I had spent the course lapping up the creative writing exercises, and the affirmation, particularly from the tutors, both of whom are established authors. During the tutorials I was encouraged to see myself as a professional author - and to not hide behind my self doubt and anonymity.  They were excited by the small sample of work I had submitted and I came away feeling my mind had been blown.

 

Even in my wildest daydreams I had only anticipated an 'above average' response to my submissions - and the comment that the first pages of the novel were going OK.  I was ready for the catch all that "Obviously it would need lots more work..."  Instead I came away under their careful tutilage understanding that I have a talent which is formed and that I must jolly well get on with my writing.  Hang self doubt.  I am fired up - just like the first flushes of love.  I decided to leave the course last night in order to come home and get going.  Going I have got.

 

 

Bubble Wrap

Paintings are now completely finished and I am feeling peculiarly virtuous! Once the final varnishing has hardened off I will bubble-wrap for Monday and their transition to Leamington and the Guide Dog Centre. New Newfie - Jacob has settled beautifully into the dead centre of the existing pack which is very pleasing. I now need to book him in for an obedience course, Cleo is growing rapidly and is now settled into a routine of afternoon and evening growing naps. She will be off to puppy party tonight - let's hope the other dogs are a bit livelier - she could hardly keep awake last time!

 

Now moving into a period of writing - some in preparation for a writing residential at the end of the week - and some beyond. First though I need to clear my desk of the rather more mundane paperwork. I have to say it's an absolute joy working in The Sanctuary - no wonder visitors loved it. The place - particularly the view is healing and inspirational. We are busy exploring ways to avoid signing up for another contract with LPG for our heating. It has become ridiculously expensive and it isn't the most ecologically sound way of heating in the long term. 

 

We have always planned to go towards Solar panelling at some point - but our first greener move will, I think, be to get some multifuel stoves.  When we are here without visitors we tend to live in the kitchen and The Sanctuary - so this makes sense.  We also have a lot of wood available to us particularly the bits and bobs that wash up on the shore.

 

So back to Bank Satements...  ugh.