Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Cakes, diamonds and rain

Feeling terribly blank and somewhat useless today, I must admit, so am taking my double-dose of Vitamin B pills, plus my De-Stress ones and the Evening Primrose Oil. Ye gods, you’d think that would be enough to stop the slide, but who can tell … Must be the shock of having to come into work after a day away. Talking of which, last night’s opera – Gounod’s Romeo & Juliet – was very good. Incredibly lush and romantic and the soprano had a voice to die for. But the set and costumes were all terribly terribly (how very Surrey I’m getting …) black. In fact, everything was black or dark shades of grey. Apart from the big orange balls and the little orange balloons which occasionally appeared. Really I would have liked more colour – certainly at the beginning where everyone’s happy. They are at a party after all. Still, I’m glad we’ve seen it, though it doesn’t have tunes you hum along to on the way home.

Today we’ve got the last meeting of the Mentoring Group, so Carol and I are getting cakes from Starbucks to celebrate our successes. Must remember to go early before the shelves are wiped clean – as it’s Graduation Week this week. And I’m hoping there won’t be too many items to minute, as there shouldn’t be any actions. After all, as we’ve no more meetings, then we won’t be able to follow them up. But hey it’s the University, and anything can happen … UPDATE: something of a cake overload actually. I’d forgotten I’d already ordered cakes via Catering, dammit. Still, the academic contingent can always be relied on to rise to the occasion where food is concerned. We only had four buns left at the end of it all.

I’ve also been researching hotels for a September weekend away, which is cheering me up mightily. Well, it’ll be our fifteenth wedding anniversary on 11 September (sorry, we can’t help the date) and I think that in itself is deserving of a short break. I’ve found a hotel in Hampshire that does La Stone therapy and reflexology – bliss for me but I don’t know if Lord H will be quite so keen … I’ll just have to hope. I also think that this year might well be the year of the eternity ring. I hummed and hahhed (is that right??) about it when Lord H asked if I wanted one when we were ten years old, as back then it just seemed so “old and married” and Next Stop: The Grave. If you see what I mean. As once you have the eternity ring, what other jewellery is there to look forward to?? Lordy, but I know I’m weird. Now, however, I am desperate for diamonds and emeralds in a nice little band. Which will go so well with my nice little diamonds and emerald engagement ring. Hell, perhaps it’s my age, but then again I’ve always been a sucker for emeralds. Sorry, this is getting way too girly, so I will have a lie-down in a darkened room. Someone pass me the smelling salts. And a jewellery brochure.

Tonight, it’s a night in, which I’m glad about, though there’s nothing on TV, dammit. Honestly, sport ruins the schedules so. I’ll have to stare at Hallsfoot’s Battle and see if I can drag anything up from my virtually non-existent pot of inspiration. Mind you, inspiration has only appeared about twice in my writing life, and each time I changed it. I rely a hell of a lot on just typing – at some stage a story of sorts will usually emerge. Blinking and yawning … Hey ho, or then again maybe I’ll just do some sudokus instead.

And I’m not happy with the weather forecast. Yesterday, everything was looking grand for my birthday day out on Saturday – but now it’s all torrential rain and hurricanes till the finale. Curses. No surprises then that I’ve already made inroads into my Emergency Chocolate Supplies. Please send more!... However, it's not all bad: I've finally dragged my way through (kicking and screaming) to the end of Gabriel Garcia Marquez' novel, Of Love and Other Demons. Serious yawn. Who the hell made him a classic writer?? That's several days of my life I won't get back. Still, at least I've actually finished a Marquez novel once in my life. But never again - please!!

Oh, today’s Inner Bitch Calendar tells me that it’s “I’m Good Enough” Day – because your Inner Bitch knows how many days you’ve spent thinking you weren’t … Hell there’s so much ruddy truth in that. Repeat after me (if you’re a girl): I’m good enough; I’m good enough; I’m good enough. There. I suspect I might need a daily dose however.

Today’s nice things:

1. Cakes
2. A night in
3. Looking at hotels – and jewellery!
4. The Inner Bitch calendar advice.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website
Goldenford Publishers

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