A quiet hour and the return of the wanderer!

A leisurely start to the day, followed by a quiet hour in the Godalming Quakers service. Sometimes it's lovely to relax into silence and have a definite period of thinking/meditation. Words can be such a barrier on occasions. And it's nice to sit while the silence flows by. It's funny but it does have different colours and stages. Like a river. Sometimes it's stretched thin and you can barely see it, and sometimes, it's like a great flood of gold, and there's no rhyme nor reason as to which it might be at any given time. Very strange. Anyway, before I get too carried away with it all, I must say that I do wish they'd make the benches more comfortable. Next time (and now I suspect there probably will be a next time, sometime) I'll sit at the back where the wall is. And maybe take a cushion. I also played it cleverly in that I didn't order a coffee afterwards so I could slip away without talking to too many people. Aha! I am indeed a sociopath.

This afternoon, I've watched my video of "My Name is Earl" and scribbled a bit more to The Bones of Summer. I've left it halfway through a scene that I actually know something about (there's a rarity ...) so when I come back to it I'll know roughly what's going on. That's the plan anyway. I'm also beginning to like the minor character that appears in said scene. I might have him come in earlier in the rewrite maybe - we'll see. Just as long as he doesn't take over the whole story. And, dammit but Pedro (yes, he's definitely a Pedro - Piss-Artist Pedro to his employees, a name used to convey terror and respect in equal measure) is the sort to do just that. I shall have to watch him.

And Lord H is back!!! Hurrah!!! He's had a really good time at his course, but it's always nice to be home. Hurrah again! As a special treat, I've bought Hot Cross Buns and fresh butter for tea, as it's his favourite - thus (a) gaining yet more essential Wife Points, and (b) revealing beyond doubt my northern pre-feminist roots. Sigh.

Anyway, tonight I'm planning to watch "Foyle's War" (ah, Foyle, don't go away for long, we can't bear it without you ...) and video "The Wedding Date", as I love Debra Messing who can Do No Wrong and hey I'm in a romantic comedy mood. Or I will be when I watch it.

And I've read Nick Hornby's latest novel, Slam. Always a writer to rush out and buy, in my opinion, and vastly underrated - but I have to admit it wasn't as good as his last book which was fabulous (I think it was called A Long Way Down). I struggled as this one focused on (a) children and (b) pregnancy. Neither of which are my preferred reading topics. Still, he's a bloody good writer and Sam, his main character, is very well realised. But the women characters are like ghosts that drift in and out of the night - they didn't really seem like characters at all. The men were much better written - I particularly loved Sam's no-hoper yet utterly charming and real father. I longed for there to be more of him. That said, it's a superbly clever plot and I liked the unexpected - and very brave - time shifts, though in my opinion he wimped out of explaining the doctor's visit one the second time round. Shame on you, Mr Hornby - you could have done that if you'd put your mind to it, for sure! Still, as it's Hornby, I'll be buying the next of course.

This week's haiku:

April imitates
November; I look forward
to my winter tan.


Today's nice things:

1. The Quaker hour
2. Lord H's return - hurrah!
3. TV.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website
Goldenford Publishers