Space-hopper on a pogo stick

Now there's a scary image ... and one provided by the noble Lord H when I asked him last night how he would describe my normal state of mental and emotional balance, and whether he thought I was currently worse than normal. His response to the latter was that as the closest image to me in my 20s had been a rollercoaster on speed, now that I was in my 40s, a space-hopper on a pogo stick was actually more manageable. For us both! So there you have it! I am indeed as spaced out of my head as I suspected, but this may well just be me. And at least Lord H has not complained of boredom - yet.

Anyway, today, you'll be pleased to know, has actually been a better day for us all at work. Double hurrahs all round and crack open a beer! Or two. Though I have still been rushing around with marketing packages across campus until everyone was fed up with me, and attempting to steer people towards our care services event day. Which proved thin on the ground in terms of actual custom, I must say, but I had lovely and pleasingly human chats with Ram, Sally & Marc. So that was grand (as my Grandmother would have said, though in a northern accent and with the word "pet" tucked on at the end ...)

I've even completed one draft of minutes and almost finished another, so my fingers have been flying across the keyboard like gazelles. Oh, and I squeezed in my back class too, which was fun. I really have to fit in more physical exercise into my average day if I can - it does make things better. Ye gods, the health gurus might be right after all then. Hush my mouth and call me a banana. Or bring me one. Either will do. Talking of which (exercise, not bananas), I'm thinking of taking a Scottish Country Dancing class next year if I can and if you don't have to bring a partner for it (Lord H and dancing do not fit - though I think he underplays his talent really ...). I do like dancing, and watching "Strictly" has brought back the urge once more. It could have been me, you know, up there in the spangly dress and the eight inch heels!! Now, there's an image that would have them fleeing to the hills indeed ...

Anyway, tonight, I should have been attending the first of my planned-for Book Festival events, but frankly I'm staying at home. I need to this week, I think. So I suspect I won't be attending any of the events I have tickets for during the next few days - thus making me once more a prime contender in the Non-Attending Book Festival Attendance competition. As always, I have been torn between the requirement to attend (I am a reader, and a writer - I should bloody well be going!) and the desperate need to avoid (a) all those irritatingly successful authors showing us how well they've done, and (b) crowds of people at a time of year I can't handle them. Ah, if only the festival was during the easier spring or summer months, I'm sure I'd actually get to a few of the meetings. That's my excuse anyway ...

So instead I'll be watching "Heroes" and drinking beer. Three cheers for the literary no-hoper, eh!

Today's nice things:

1. Nice chats with nice people
2. Staying in, in spite of all the pressure to be out
3. Lord H.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website