Friday, February 01, 2008

Exhausted of Godalming ...

Ye gods but I haven't stopped today. Played golf with Marian this morning as she's now returned from her trip to New Zealand - which sounds wonderful and I am hugely jealous! Still, it was lovely to be back on the course again, if only we could say the same about our balls (as it were). Lordy, we were rubbish, but heck we laughed a lot.

I also felt quite touched as Marian said she'd been at the hairdresser's and had overheard one of the other customers chatting about my old church, St Peter's. Marian had asked the lady if she knew me, and found out she did. Said lady (unfortunately - or possibly fortunately! - Marian can't remember the name) made the comment that it was a shame I didn't attend any more and that she didn't know what had happened. Marian replied that she actually did know the reasons but, when asked what they were, commented that it wasn't her place to say. Well, good for you, Marian! I can't exactly explain why, but that made me feel really supported. Marian's right though - if Unknown Church Lady was really so interested, she'd have (like Marian) asked me about it herself. Funny how when the chips are down, you can always rely on a non-churchgoer for friendship. At least that's been my experience.

After golf, I dashed back home for soup, and then dashed out again to visit my sick Guildford friend. She was on good form, I'm glad to say, but things aren't looking quite so rosy as they were last week. Bloody hell though, we'll get through it. It'll just take a bit of time. My next port of call was poor Gladys at the hospital. Quite debilitating today, I'm afraid, and I only stayed five minutes. She obviously didn't want me to be there and I was only making things worse - there was a great deal of shouting and shoving me away. Hell, can't say I blame her though - I often do the same myself!

On the way home, I popped into Godalming, which was strangely quiet on the car accident and abandoned baby front this week. Perhaps the townsfolk have performed all their dramas for 2008 early. One can but hope. I also signed up for the Waterstone's card as I was gathering some books into my ever-growing supply, so I am at last a Real Reader. Hurrah!

Oh, and I must say that last night's play with the adorable Felicity Kendal was most strange. Apart from the adorable F.K. of course. I don't think Coward's "The Vortex" is really one of his best offerings. But it would have been a damn sight better if he'd been bothered to write a final act. It didn't end when it ended - if you see what I mean. What it really needed to turn the damn thing around was (a) the husband and wife coming together with an amusing, sophisticated and united front about her infidelities (b) the lesbian best friend getting together with the housekeeper, and (c) the gay son being taken in hand (as it were - again!) by the old very-much-out-for-the-time friend. Then everyone would have been happy and we could all have driven home with joy in our hearts and a song on our lips. That would have been a vintage Coward indeed.

In the midst of all this, I've even managed to structure the next chapter of The Gifting so at least I know who is telling which part of the story. But I'm getting very twitchy that I haven't actually had the time to dive into it - so hope to do some tonight if I can.

And especially for Irene, I'd like to announce that it's ... um ... lettuce leaf, raw carrot and radish night. With maybe a drop or two of tap water to wash it down. Well, I don't want to get over-excited, you know.

Today's nice things:

1. Golf
2. Novel structuring
3. Being at home this evening - hurrah!

Anne Brooke
Anne's website
Goldenford Publishers

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