Anne Brooke Books

Had a fantastic time with Jane W in London yesterday - soooo good to talk with her and feel normal again. Or what passes for normal in my head. And the Indian food was wonderful too. Have never had chicken momo before - it was ace. Must have it again.

Spent most of the day at Farnham Maltings helping Irene with the Goldenford bookstall. Mind you, I was in a bit of a rush to get there, it being one of those days where it takes me years to get ready. I think when I'm old and fragile, I might not bother to get up on some days at all, as the effort isn't worth the benefit really. Anyway, I couldn't find anywhere to park in the Maltings car park and then the one near the river was full too, so I had to park miles away in virtually another county - well the other side of town - and hump my big box of books all the way back. Groan! However, with my new muscly arms, I can now shot-putt for Russia. Should they choose to ask me ...

To be honest, it wasn't really the best day to have an indoor stall - not with the sun shining, Wimbledon, a local show in the next town and the bike race stuff going on. Even the other stallholders said it was the slowest they've known it be for a while. That said, I managed to sell two copies of A Dangerous Man (thanks, Pip, and kind-hearted stallholder next door!) And we also shifted other Goldenford books so we almost broke even, which was (almost) nice.

Irene and I did get the giggles in the afternoon though - 90% of the minimal amounts of people who came through the door seemed to whizz past the stalls at such rates of speed that we christened them the "fly pasts" - much like a lesser version of a Red Arrows display, but not as high up. My theory is that in fact there were hundreds of people milling around, but they were moving so fast that it was impossible to see them with the naked eye. My other theory was that our stall was somehow in a temporal anomaly zone so that we weren't ourselves actually visible to browsing customers in this historical period. Unless they were truly determined of course. Ah well, eh - better luck next time!

Tonight I'm going to attempt to do some of the cleaning and then chill. The neighbour has very sweetly attempted to invite us to supper, but I made an excuse as I really can't deal with any more people today. I am socialised out.

Oh, and I've just finished the latest edition of Mslexia - which wasn't actually as irritatingly 1970s as it usually is. Must be the new editor or something. I was pleasantly relieved. Still wish they'd update that so old-fashioned layout though. Sigh.

But tonight all manner of thing shall be well, as it's our delayed pizza, ice cream and wine night - hurrah!

And here's a poem:

Zoo

Sometimes
when I stare at the tiger's
knowing eyes,
I wonder if in fact
it's the animals
who are free

and we who are
in cages.


Today's nice things:

1. Selling two copies of ADM
2. Giggling at the lack of business
3. Dinner!

Anne Brooke
Anne's website
Pink Champagne and Apple Juice
Goldenford Publishers