Poetry, books and champagne

I’m very happy to say that Thirty First Bird Review magazine have accepted five of my meditation poems for online publication and will also consider them for their print journal later. So thank you, Edward, for that! In the meantime, here’s another:

Meditation 196

Hills, rich river valleys,
the eastern slopes

and all the barren
dry country

of the south

are weighed
in the balance

with a crown
of briars

and one purple cloak.


I attempted to get to grips with typing up the second of yesterday’s meetings, but only half-heartedly, I must admit – as the main excitement of the day has been our office boat trip which we arranged as a surprise party for the outgoing Dean. Well done to Ruth for organising it all, and a sad final farewell to Colin (sob!) – we’ll miss you. We all set out at 11am and spent a lovely day meandering down the River Wey, drinking champagne (sensibly of course – hic!) and taking a long lunch at a nearby hostelry. Much like a normal Tuesday here at the educational front line then, ho ho. We even got presents (thanks, Colin!) - mine was an enormous pink quill pen. Perfect for writing my next novel with indeed! Our present to Colin was a framed photograph of us, complete with limericks about him which we all thought up. All works of genius of course.

And, naturally I always like to face any boat trip properly dressed, so I’ve been wearing my Hawaiian-style shirt, my straw boater, my eye-patch (briefly, and yes, I do have one, sadly …) and a toy puffin – which is the nearest thing we have at home to a parrot. Oo-arr, Jim Lad … I also brought my Factor 40 sun-cream (with my hair colouring, I never travel without it), my dark glasses, my binoculars and a camera. So I fear we might all be captured for posterity somewhere. Lucky posterity.

This afternoon, we were supposed to have yesterday’s rescheduled meeting about the plans for Freshers’ Week. But really by the time we got back to the office, we just weren't in the mood, so it's been put off till next week. Phew! I'm never at my best at decision-making after champagne. Then again, who is?

At home, the author's copy of Disasters and Miracles has arrived, and looks lovely, I have to say. I'm so looking forward to publication date this Thursday, hurrah!

Meanwhile, I suspect my piece of supernatural flash fiction which I began to work on again last night is becoming rather more erotic than supernatural and is likely to be short story than flash. As it were. The plot thickens, Carruthers. And talking of plots, it’s Desperate Romantics again on TV tonight, double hurrah! I can’t wait.

Today’s nice things:

1. Five poems being accepted for publication
2. Poetry
3. Boat trips
4. Champagne
5. Disasters and Miracles
6. Working on my erotic short story
7. TV.

Anne Brooke – dressed to impress, of course
Vulpes Libris – where two heads really are better than one