Reviews and DIY delights

Book News:

I'm very happy to say that Tommy's Blind Date gained a lovely 4.5 star review at Jessewave Reviews - so thank you, Wave, for that! It's also been lucky enough to gain two 4 star reviews at Goodreads, one from Ami and the other from Chris - many thanks, both. It's much appreciated.

Determined not to be left behind, Tuluscan Six and the Time Circle also received its first review at Obsidian Bookshelf, which I'm very pleased about. Thank you, Val! I'd been worried nobody liked it at all so nice to know some do.

Meanwhile, I'm continuing the edits for The Prayer Seeker and hope to have finished them by the time we get to Freshers' Week (aarrgghh!!!) at the end of September. I like to have a clear head for battle, don't you know.

Here at the meditations so far this week:

Meditation 425
For everything on earth
there is a price;

the only question is
when you pay it.


Meditation 426
If I’d been king
for only seven days

I too would want to die
in fire and heat and agony

if only so the buggers
remembered me.

Meditation 427
Another year, another king
leads to more disputes,
one new town,
not much action
and no-one’s learnt a thing.


Meditation 428
For the city’s foundation
you lose a son

and for its gates
your youngest dies:

so God’s sacrifice
when it is done

should come to you
as no surprise.


Life News:

Hmmm, ruddy vendors. What can I say? I've really lost interest in them and in their flat myself now, so if that's what they were aiming for, they've certainly succeeded. What's happened most recently? Well, they were fairly unhelpful over the weekend (which is becoming something of a hobby for them really), accusing us of chopping and changing our demands. We responded by saying that may indeed be true, now, but it is after all a skill we have learnt from them. No response to that, yet, hey ho. We have therefore returned the plants we were tending on their behalf to the flat - well, we don't want to be accused of taking them without permission even though that's what they agreed to (vendor memories don't last long, I fear ...)! We have also removed the items of our neighbour that have been in our outer hall cupboard and put them back in his flat (neatly, of course - how could you think otherwise, ho ho?! - and we have at least informed them that's what we've done), and taken the precaution of fixing the cupboard with a padlock and marking it as ours. Just in case of dispute, don't you know. Really, it's been nice to store some of our larger items in it and creates much needed space for us.

Therefore, in the interests of making our flat as purchasable as possible, I have scrubbed the outer hall stairs and window, tidied and dusted the shared hallway, sanded and washed the bathroom door and skirting board, cleaned the fridge, and K and I have washed the kitchen walls. Lordy, we're good! Actually, if the vendors do unexpectedly start playing nice and taking our offer seriously, I'm now at the point where I actually don't want it any more. I think it will be far nicer to move elsewhere, frankly. Their loss. And I do think it's high time K and I moved on.

Today, Liz came round for tea (hello, Liz!) and we had a lovely chat whilst she admired our sparkling new hallway. We then put the world to rights, and the universe is now perfect. Don't blink in case you miss it!

Anne Brooke