Book News:
I've just finished the second round of edits for gay erotic short story, Dating the Delaneys, which is due out from Amber Allure on Sunday 6 November. My editor, the lovely and extremely wise E.J., is a pure genius and I am very grateful indeed for her suggestions for improvements to the story - thank you! I think, as a result, there are a good couple of books to go in the series, rather than the original one I was intending, well gosh.
Much to my delight, gay thriller, A Dangerous Man, has reached Round Two in the Rainbow Awards Cover Contest 2011, and is even a jury finalist - so many thanks to the judges for that.
Meanwhile, it's all go at my new publisher, Riptide Publishing. For the first time ever, I'm becoming involved in pre-launch marketing, which is fabulous. So far, I've drafted one set of general interview questions and six blog posts for use in a blog tour. It's hugely exciting and I can't wait to see what happens next. And as they open for business on 30 October, it's certainly going to be a fabulous lead up to Christmas. You can find out more at a recent Riptide interview - enjoy the read.
And at Vulpes Libris, I remain in a state of deep disappointment at the standards of Anne O'Brien's Devil's Consort. Sigh. Will nobody rid the reading world of badly-written historical novels? I won't hold my breath, alas ...
Here are some recent meditation poems:
Meditation 580
To build his
beloved temple
great King
Solomon
puts all the
foreigners to work
which proves
beyond doubt
how wisdom is
his
but justice
eludes him.
Meditation 581
Every word we
speak
seeps into our
skin
like water
and covers our
bones
with the oil
of our own
invention.
Our words are a
belt
keeping us
whole
or constraining
us
so we are
clothed
in the variable
colours
of thought.
Meditation 582
In the sacred
temple,
of all the
objects
to name
the two bronze
columns
wouldn’t have
been
my choice
but then again
to great
Solomon’s
greater shame
this
contemporary woman
wouldn’t have
had
a voice.
Life News:
Annoyingly (look away now if you're squeamish - please!...), the cyst on my collarbone that I've had for a little while has decided to make itself more fully known, as it were, so I spent rather too much of last night waking up and going: ow, ow, ow while I tried to find a comfortable position again. It took a couple of Nurofen Plus this morning to beat it back into some kind of normality. I've stuck a plaster on the pesky beast but it's still giving me twinges when I laugh or ... um ... move my arms, dang it. Not a pretty situation all round really. I'd been saving up to have it removed privately with my usual clinic (cosmetic issue, blah, blah - doctor therefore can't refer, blah blah ...) but today I bit the proverbial bullet and booked an operation for next Thursday in the evening. They did offer me tonight, but K and I (well, K and I and Carlos the Cyst) are off to the theatre tonight to see Alan Ayckbourn's Season's Greetings, and Carlos is very keen to go ... Thank God I don't have to buy him his own seat, eh. Though, actually, if I laugh too much, it may well come to that, hey ho (sorry!) ...
Keeping to matters bodily for a while, I'm delighted to know that The Guardian is finally acknowledging the cultural importance of loo-reading. I come from a family of keen loo-readers (though K has never understood it) - heck, on the apple farm we had special loo books which had their own loo shelf. What could be nicer? One should always keep essential reading matter as well as a steady supply of crosswords and pens in both the guest room and the Smallest Room in the house - hospitality is all ...
Moving to higher matters (phew, I bet that's a relief - ha! - for you all), I've been keeping my poinsettia in the dark for 8 hours a day as the Internet advises me and, by gum, some of the leaves are indeed turning red. Will it be fully red by Christmas? I do hope so! Though, really, I'm astonished the plant has survived so long under my less than tender care as I've had it for nearly a year now. It even somehow bounced back when it lost all its leaves during the summer and we were considering throwing it out. How I do admire a hardy spirit.
During the week, I've enjoyed a session of Lectio Divina at the University Chaplaincy, which included a very nice soup and bread lunch. It's a new project for them, and I'm very keen to support it. The more meditations and times of silence there are, the merrier - though I did used to be oh so much better at them. I've also had a great time catching up with A at work over lunch in the Cathedral Refectory - I am hugely envious of her recent holiday in Spain and we really must revisit it one day. It's my favourite country.
Finally, I must sing the praises of James May's Man Lab on TV, and also the wonderful new and very quirky detective series, Death in Paradise. Really, you can't go wrong with Ben Miller. Whatever he does, he's just great, and surprising sexy too. Or is that really just me?... In any case Tuesday nights are television nights for the next few weeks, that's for sure.
Anne Brooke
The Thoughtful Corner
ANNE BROOKE BOOKS: Independent writer of modern fiction
Showing posts with label toilets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label toilets. Show all posts
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Day out with the birds
Spent a lovely day out at the London Wetland Centre in Barnes today - part of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. Not quite as natural as the RSPB centre at Pulborough Brooks - as some of it was rather too "organised" in terms of layout for us - but still very nice. And worth a visit if you're ever that way. Heck of a lot of ruddy coot though. I think they're the pigeons of the water world. Anyway, we saw ring-necked parakeets (which are now breeding in southern Britain and are a glorious shade of green), sedge warblers, grey herons, what we think was a siskin, and what I'm fairly convinced (though I admit it's unusual) was a nightingale. And I do have to say that the Barnes centre has fantastic loos and plenty of them too. Plus handtowels instead of those appallingly uncivilised hand-drying machines (which must have been invented by a man, I'm sure ...), so I'd say that, although we won't join as members, we will go again. Just not as often as to Pulborough Brooks.
Back in the shires, and as of yesterday, the books I sent into Writewords in March(!) have now finally been offered on site for review, after a couple of chases from me - ie A Dangerous Man and A Stranger's Table. But, oh the utter humiliation - nobody has "bitten" yet, so I am reduced to sending round a begging email. Well, as near as. Sigh! I am obviously not Mrs Popular on site at the moment (so no change there then!) - honestly, it's just like being back at primary school (oh God, please no!!!) and being last to be picked for the netball team ... Let's hope some kind writer takes pity on me soon, eh!
Tonight, Lord H and I are having a Chinese and beer. Hurrah! Still no champers, I'm afraid, as still no sign of any Maloney's Law contract yet. Never say a writer's life is one of glamour and parties - more like waiting and hoping, m'dears.
Today's nice things:
1. A day out with the birds
2. Chinese food
3. Beer.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website
Pink Champagne and Apple Juice
Goldenford Publishers
Back in the shires, and as of yesterday, the books I sent into Writewords in March(!) have now finally been offered on site for review, after a couple of chases from me - ie A Dangerous Man and A Stranger's Table. But, oh the utter humiliation - nobody has "bitten" yet, so I am reduced to sending round a begging email. Well, as near as. Sigh! I am obviously not Mrs Popular on site at the moment (so no change there then!) - honestly, it's just like being back at primary school (oh God, please no!!!) and being last to be picked for the netball team ... Let's hope some kind writer takes pity on me soon, eh!
Tonight, Lord H and I are having a Chinese and beer. Hurrah! Still no champers, I'm afraid, as still no sign of any Maloney's Law contract yet. Never say a writer's life is one of glamour and parties - more like waiting and hoping, m'dears.
Today's nice things:
1. A day out with the birds
2. Chinese food
3. Beer.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website
Pink Champagne and Apple Juice
Goldenford Publishers
Thursday, May 03, 2007
DVDs and Detectives
Still slogging away on the Health Centre website today – it’s getting rather more complicated, but I think I’ve managed to work out a new template for it – with the help of our long-suffering IT department. And it works too. Just need a shortcut name now and I can do exciting secretarial things with the leaflet links. Hurrah. Are you keeping up at the back?
The morning was galvanised into further excitement by our first meeting with the Guildford School of Acting who are going to be doing a new Student Care Services DVD for Freshers’ Week in September for us. Goodness me, having an arty, creative type sweep in was like a breath of fresh air in an abandoned room. It was great! We were all bright-eyed and sparky by the end of it all. Which, for me, was helped by the fact that the GSA representative was a nice example of hot male totty. Bliss. More meetings please! Down, girl, down! Hmm, maybe it’s my age?... My obviously pre-menopausal hormones aside, I think they’ll do a good job and it should be zappier than last year’s DVD too. And we can upload it to the website, so that will make us look modern for sure. Double hurrah!
Had a walk round campus at lunchtime and sat in the shade by the lake for a while. Did a bit of thinking, but not much. I don’t want to tire myself out, after all. Not at my age, m’dears. Actually, Andrea and I were talking in the office about our plans for life and what we might want to do when we retire with our respective spouses (so perhaps it’s the month for introspection after all, as everyone’s pausing to think, by the looks of it). Heck, maybe there should be a National Introspection Week and we can all get it over with in one go as we plan our years? – the government should make it mandatory and I will then at last have been responsible for starting a trend. Anyway, we both agreed that joint marital plans are a Good Idea. So it’s official.
And I've made a great and exciting discovery today - the loos in Roots Cafe (which we always have to use as we don't have any of our own) have nice green and red badges linked to the door handles so you can tell whether they're in use or not. How exciting! In three years of working at the university, I'd never noticed that before, so I went round testing them all and giggling. Did check that the loos were empty first though ...
Oh, and Andrea is also this month’s office Superheroine, as she has single-handedly recalculated my bank holiday formulae and worked out that I am giving the University too many days this year after all, as HR’s initial calculations are incorrect. There’s a surprise. Triple hurrahs for Andrea! And it means I can have one more bank holiday without having to fight for it. How we sigh for the days when life was so much less complicated, eh …
Tonight, I have to go and vote in the local elections – so I hope I can remember my own address this time. The time before last, I forgot entirely where I lived (well, it was a bad day, I was tired, etc etc …), pretended to be cleaning my glasses while I thought about the question, and was only saved by recognising my neighbour who was womanning the entrance and was able to wave me in the right direction. Phew. One false move round these parts and the men in white coats will be upon me, I fear …
Later, it’s the glorious “Dangerous Davies” in “The Last Detective” on TV– Lord H and I love this so will be glued. Some nice wit and dogged police work and a little bit of drama – what more could one want of an evening? So like the home life of our own dear Queen. Might also try to ring the friend I’m seeing next Friday again, as I haven’t heard from her yet as to when we’re meeting up (Bryony? Where are you? Hope you’re okay …) so I can rearrange the rest of my day accordingly. I think I’m going to try for an NVQ in Diary Administration, if there is one. I’m sure I’d be a wow.
At home, I've got another rejection from Snow Books (yawn) - in fact maybe Snow Books Yawn should be their new name, as the amount of rejections I get from them is really dull, dahlings. In fact it's so dull their minion couldn't even be arsed to confirm which novel it was - Maloney's Law (which they rejected in January anyway)? Thorn in the Flesh? Who knows! I don't think I'll bother with them again - obviously too much up their own arses to know good literature when it hits them in the face. (And I have to say that when I read one of their novels, it was actually as dull as ditchwater, tee hee, and made me feel very happy that I could write better than that, so I'm probably saved from a fate worse than death, hurrah!).
Oh, and only one more day to the launch of http://www.pinkchampagneandapplejuice.com on Friday (tomorrow!) at 3pm – hope you’ll join me there in a virtual glass!
Today’s nice things:
1. Website tinkering
2. Hot totty from the GSA
3. Andrea salvaging one of my bank holidays – hurrah!
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
The morning was galvanised into further excitement by our first meeting with the Guildford School of Acting who are going to be doing a new Student Care Services DVD for Freshers’ Week in September for us. Goodness me, having an arty, creative type sweep in was like a breath of fresh air in an abandoned room. It was great! We were all bright-eyed and sparky by the end of it all. Which, for me, was helped by the fact that the GSA representative was a nice example of hot male totty. Bliss. More meetings please! Down, girl, down! Hmm, maybe it’s my age?... My obviously pre-menopausal hormones aside, I think they’ll do a good job and it should be zappier than last year’s DVD too. And we can upload it to the website, so that will make us look modern for sure. Double hurrah!
Had a walk round campus at lunchtime and sat in the shade by the lake for a while. Did a bit of thinking, but not much. I don’t want to tire myself out, after all. Not at my age, m’dears. Actually, Andrea and I were talking in the office about our plans for life and what we might want to do when we retire with our respective spouses (so perhaps it’s the month for introspection after all, as everyone’s pausing to think, by the looks of it). Heck, maybe there should be a National Introspection Week and we can all get it over with in one go as we plan our years? – the government should make it mandatory and I will then at last have been responsible for starting a trend. Anyway, we both agreed that joint marital plans are a Good Idea. So it’s official.
And I've made a great and exciting discovery today - the loos in Roots Cafe (which we always have to use as we don't have any of our own) have nice green and red badges linked to the door handles so you can tell whether they're in use or not. How exciting! In three years of working at the university, I'd never noticed that before, so I went round testing them all and giggling. Did check that the loos were empty first though ...
Oh, and Andrea is also this month’s office Superheroine, as she has single-handedly recalculated my bank holiday formulae and worked out that I am giving the University too many days this year after all, as HR’s initial calculations are incorrect. There’s a surprise. Triple hurrahs for Andrea! And it means I can have one more bank holiday without having to fight for it. How we sigh for the days when life was so much less complicated, eh …
Tonight, I have to go and vote in the local elections – so I hope I can remember my own address this time. The time before last, I forgot entirely where I lived (well, it was a bad day, I was tired, etc etc …), pretended to be cleaning my glasses while I thought about the question, and was only saved by recognising my neighbour who was womanning the entrance and was able to wave me in the right direction. Phew. One false move round these parts and the men in white coats will be upon me, I fear …
Later, it’s the glorious “Dangerous Davies” in “The Last Detective” on TV– Lord H and I love this so will be glued. Some nice wit and dogged police work and a little bit of drama – what more could one want of an evening? So like the home life of our own dear Queen. Might also try to ring the friend I’m seeing next Friday again, as I haven’t heard from her yet as to when we’re meeting up (Bryony? Where are you? Hope you’re okay …) so I can rearrange the rest of my day accordingly. I think I’m going to try for an NVQ in Diary Administration, if there is one. I’m sure I’d be a wow.
At home, I've got another rejection from Snow Books (yawn) - in fact maybe Snow Books Yawn should be their new name, as the amount of rejections I get from them is really dull, dahlings. In fact it's so dull their minion couldn't even be arsed to confirm which novel it was - Maloney's Law (which they rejected in January anyway)? Thorn in the Flesh? Who knows! I don't think I'll bother with them again - obviously too much up their own arses to know good literature when it hits them in the face. (And I have to say that when I read one of their novels, it was actually as dull as ditchwater, tee hee, and made me feel very happy that I could write better than that, so I'm probably saved from a fate worse than death, hurrah!).
Oh, and only one more day to the launch of http://www.pinkchampagneandapplejuice.com on Friday (tomorrow!) at 3pm – hope you’ll join me there in a virtual glass!
Today’s nice things:
1. Website tinkering
2. Hot totty from the GSA
3. Andrea salvaging one of my bank holidays – hurrah!
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Sunday, April 29, 2007
More spring cleaning, event nerves and a good book
No church today. In any form. But, on the grounds that cleanliness is next to godliness, I have done my bit for the Great Hereafter and vacuumed the car. Yes, astonishing, isn't it? In the middle of yesterday's clear-out, Lord H found the car vacuum, recharged it (my, how thoughtful ...) and so today I have used it. But, ye gods, it doesn't last long, does it? Or maybe it's the amount of mess in my car that did for it. Hard to say, really. Anyway, we are recharging it again, in case I get the urge in another ten years' time. Ho ho. Even more astonishingly, I have actually dusted and polished the inside of the car as well. Which just proves, twice, that the age of miracles is not dead. Yet.
Apart from that, I've done some writing, and now have Simon through the first of his four final tests. And I think I'll put a sex scene in the next one (or rather an almost sex scene) as, hell, it's about time I wrote one. And I deserve it. If nothing else, it'll take my mind off my growing horror at tomorrow's book circle event for A Dangerous Man (http://www.flamebooks.com), which I am now dreading on the grounds that (a) nobody will turn up, and (b) if they do, they won't have read the book so the discussion options will be zilch, and (c) somehow they will be able to tell that I've only sold about 50 copies so am not worthy of their time. Hell, I might even get that tattooed on my forehead before I go in - it'll save all those accusations ... God, how I hate this part of it - yes, I know it's great that I've been invited and I am pleased - it's just that my nerves will be shot to pieces by the time I get there, resulting in me gabbling like an idiot, going as red as a stressed tomato and looking like a klutz. Hmm, so no changes there then. Nobody will notice the difference. I will have to remember to take my calming pills, my Rescue Remedy spray and ask where the nearest loo is. Last time I had to do a public book event, I had to go to the loo five times. In the last ten minutes before it started. Ah well ... I think I might leave my kidneys to Science when I'm dead. I'm sure they'll find them fascinating.
Sorry, sorry, I'm blabbering, I know. There's just not enough TV on tonight to keep my mind off it. Sorry ... Even "Ugly Betty" has ended on a sad note, though was as classy as ever.
Anyway, the good and sad news is that I've just finished Stef Penney's The Tenderness of Wolves. It's bloody marvellous. I'll say it again, in case somebody missed that at the back: it's bloody effing marvellous. Read it. You won't regret it. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. My only problem was (a) reaching the end and feeling devastated that I'd done so, and (b) even though the end was great and perfectly judged, I felt there was something I'd missed in Mrs Ross's name. I didn't get what it was. I desperately wanted it to be Amy (for reasons that will be apparent if you've read it), but I am not sure. And I desperately want to know. So if there's anyone out there who can put me out of my misery, please email me via my website (see below) so as to not spoil the surprise for anyone else. Thank you.
Still have to ring Mother tonight - suspect it's safer to go light on our current church difficulties and be nice, happy daughter. I think that will be the easier option all round really. And of course there's Stephen Fry's "Kingdom" - but I thought last week's episode was really too bland (though Lord H enjoyed it), so I'm hoping for more wit and sharpness this week. We'll see.
This week's haiku (well, it's not a haiku - more of a short poem, but it is what it is, I think):
Journey:
My walk a little less steady now.
Birds fly through broken clouds
and all the land is water.
Today's nice things:
1. Vacuuming the car
2. Writing
3. Stef Penney's book.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Apart from that, I've done some writing, and now have Simon through the first of his four final tests. And I think I'll put a sex scene in the next one (or rather an almost sex scene) as, hell, it's about time I wrote one. And I deserve it. If nothing else, it'll take my mind off my growing horror at tomorrow's book circle event for A Dangerous Man (http://www.flamebooks.com), which I am now dreading on the grounds that (a) nobody will turn up, and (b) if they do, they won't have read the book so the discussion options will be zilch, and (c) somehow they will be able to tell that I've only sold about 50 copies so am not worthy of their time. Hell, I might even get that tattooed on my forehead before I go in - it'll save all those accusations ... God, how I hate this part of it - yes, I know it's great that I've been invited and I am pleased - it's just that my nerves will be shot to pieces by the time I get there, resulting in me gabbling like an idiot, going as red as a stressed tomato and looking like a klutz. Hmm, so no changes there then. Nobody will notice the difference. I will have to remember to take my calming pills, my Rescue Remedy spray and ask where the nearest loo is. Last time I had to do a public book event, I had to go to the loo five times. In the last ten minutes before it started. Ah well ... I think I might leave my kidneys to Science when I'm dead. I'm sure they'll find them fascinating.
Sorry, sorry, I'm blabbering, I know. There's just not enough TV on tonight to keep my mind off it. Sorry ... Even "Ugly Betty" has ended on a sad note, though was as classy as ever.
Anyway, the good and sad news is that I've just finished Stef Penney's The Tenderness of Wolves. It's bloody marvellous. I'll say it again, in case somebody missed that at the back: it's bloody effing marvellous. Read it. You won't regret it. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. My only problem was (a) reaching the end and feeling devastated that I'd done so, and (b) even though the end was great and perfectly judged, I felt there was something I'd missed in Mrs Ross's name. I didn't get what it was. I desperately wanted it to be Amy (for reasons that will be apparent if you've read it), but I am not sure. And I desperately want to know. So if there's anyone out there who can put me out of my misery, please email me via my website (see below) so as to not spoil the surprise for anyone else. Thank you.
Still have to ring Mother tonight - suspect it's safer to go light on our current church difficulties and be nice, happy daughter. I think that will be the easier option all round really. And of course there's Stephen Fry's "Kingdom" - but I thought last week's episode was really too bland (though Lord H enjoyed it), so I'm hoping for more wit and sharpness this week. We'll see.
This week's haiku (well, it's not a haiku - more of a short poem, but it is what it is, I think):
Journey:
My walk a little less steady now.
Birds fly through broken clouds
and all the land is water.
Today's nice things:
1. Vacuuming the car
2. Writing
3. Stef Penney's book.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Frocks, friends and Philippes
We had a great time at Robin & Gavin's last night - as I thought, Liz and John were there too, and the six of us had a really good time. I think it's the best time I've had out at someone's house socially since Christmas - so thanks for making that possible, Robin! Whilst there, we were chatting about Liz's son, Rob, who's an up-and-coming actor and also very hot-looking too (down, girl, down!) - and so I've asked Sue (http://www.teafriendsandchocolate.com/sue/) to add his link to our list of Philippes on the new Pink Champagne and Apple Juice website (http://www.pinkchampagneandapplejuice.com). But you'll have to wait till the beginning of May (date tbc) to get a look at the gorgeous Rob, I'm afraid, but it will be worth it, I promise! And I must say what a marvellous job Sue and Frank are doing on the new Champers website - it looks fabulous. I'm sure you'll love it when it's here!
This morning, Lord H and I went for a stroll round Guildford, attempting to buy me a new frock. I desperately need one for Glyndebourne (http://www.glyndebourne.com) this year, as we're off to the opera four times over the summer; we go each year and over the years I've made friends with the lovely woman who looks after the ladies' loos. Well, a couple of years ago, I walked in, joined the queue, she looked up and said (one second before clapping her hand over her mouth and blushing bright pink), 'Oh hello, how lovely to see you? Isn't that last year's dress?' The two of us just started laughing, but the rest of the (rather posh) queue were not amused ... And, yes, it was last year's frock. And, um, the one from the year before that, and the previous few years also. So time for a new frock indeed. Which normally takes me months and months to discover, but today, Lord H and I walked straight into Viyella and there it was: a simple blue thing which looks fine on and is roomy enough to sit down in without fear, and not too bad a price either. Hurrah! Mission accomplished.
Oh, and we had a brief dip into our eternal quest for a pair of bedside cabinets, with inconclusive results. It strikes me that this has been our ongoing marital quest since our honeymoon, so if we do ever get any cabinets, we won't know what to do with them and, anyway, what the hell is our next quest going to be? It's a mystery, really. And I met Angela, one of my old poetry group people, in Heal's, so we had a nice, if brief, catch-up conversation. My my, I'm being so sociable this weekend - and enjoying it too - that I really can no longer recognise myself. Must be the Britebox working, not to mention the return of sunlight to our darkened and gloomy shores.
We were also attempting to look for a new watch for Lord H, as his current one is hanging by a thread and, I suspect, will not be long for this world. The trouble is, he wants one with a digital screen somewhere on it (even if it has a normal face too) which lights up so he can check the time in the middle of the night, and with an alarm also. Strangely, there doesn't seem to be any of these around, which aren't the same type as he's currently got, and he does want a change. So if anyone out there knows anything about watches and can tell us where to look, please do shout! Meanwhile, Lord H will have to start telling the time by the position of the sun. Which isn't so good for the night-times really ...
After our M&S lunch (really, I don't think there's as much filling in their wraps as there used to be, you know ... Good God, I'm turning into my Grandma - someone help me, please!), I did some more to The Gifting, and I think I'm now at the end of my penultimate chapter. Though the last one will be long. I'm wondering whether to go for a wham-bam or a subtle finish at the moment, but suspect I'll have to wait and see which way the pen turns. Ye gods, sometimes I think I have no control at all.
Tonight, Lord H is watching something on the Reformation on TV, as theology class starts on Monday and it's Church History this term. Which really has to be better and meatier than the boring old Ethics of last term. Which he didn't really enjoy, to be honest. And it's "Dr Who" also later, so that can't be bad. Not to mention our usual weekly fare of pizza, garlic bread, ice cream and wine which we've had to hold over from yesterday of course. Never say we're not creatures of routine ... Hell, we may be sad, but we're happy with it. If you see what I mean ...
Today's nice things:
1. Working out the Pink Champagne website launch date
2. Buying a frock!
3. Dr Who.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
This morning, Lord H and I went for a stroll round Guildford, attempting to buy me a new frock. I desperately need one for Glyndebourne (http://www.glyndebourne.com) this year, as we're off to the opera four times over the summer; we go each year and over the years I've made friends with the lovely woman who looks after the ladies' loos. Well, a couple of years ago, I walked in, joined the queue, she looked up and said (one second before clapping her hand over her mouth and blushing bright pink), 'Oh hello, how lovely to see you? Isn't that last year's dress?' The two of us just started laughing, but the rest of the (rather posh) queue were not amused ... And, yes, it was last year's frock. And, um, the one from the year before that, and the previous few years also. So time for a new frock indeed. Which normally takes me months and months to discover, but today, Lord H and I walked straight into Viyella and there it was: a simple blue thing which looks fine on and is roomy enough to sit down in without fear, and not too bad a price either. Hurrah! Mission accomplished.
Oh, and we had a brief dip into our eternal quest for a pair of bedside cabinets, with inconclusive results. It strikes me that this has been our ongoing marital quest since our honeymoon, so if we do ever get any cabinets, we won't know what to do with them and, anyway, what the hell is our next quest going to be? It's a mystery, really. And I met Angela, one of my old poetry group people, in Heal's, so we had a nice, if brief, catch-up conversation. My my, I'm being so sociable this weekend - and enjoying it too - that I really can no longer recognise myself. Must be the Britebox working, not to mention the return of sunlight to our darkened and gloomy shores.
We were also attempting to look for a new watch for Lord H, as his current one is hanging by a thread and, I suspect, will not be long for this world. The trouble is, he wants one with a digital screen somewhere on it (even if it has a normal face too) which lights up so he can check the time in the middle of the night, and with an alarm also. Strangely, there doesn't seem to be any of these around, which aren't the same type as he's currently got, and he does want a change. So if anyone out there knows anything about watches and can tell us where to look, please do shout! Meanwhile, Lord H will have to start telling the time by the position of the sun. Which isn't so good for the night-times really ...
After our M&S lunch (really, I don't think there's as much filling in their wraps as there used to be, you know ... Good God, I'm turning into my Grandma - someone help me, please!), I did some more to The Gifting, and I think I'm now at the end of my penultimate chapter. Though the last one will be long. I'm wondering whether to go for a wham-bam or a subtle finish at the moment, but suspect I'll have to wait and see which way the pen turns. Ye gods, sometimes I think I have no control at all.
Tonight, Lord H is watching something on the Reformation on TV, as theology class starts on Monday and it's Church History this term. Which really has to be better and meatier than the boring old Ethics of last term. Which he didn't really enjoy, to be honest. And it's "Dr Who" also later, so that can't be bad. Not to mention our usual weekly fare of pizza, garlic bread, ice cream and wine which we've had to hold over from yesterday of course. Never say we're not creatures of routine ... Hell, we may be sad, but we're happy with it. If you see what I mean ...
Today's nice things:
1. Working out the Pink Champagne website launch date
2. Buying a frock!
3. Dr Who.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Reflexology, more reviews and the curse of the Japanese toilet
Was thrilled last night when Roger Morris (http://rogersplog.blogspot.com/), author of the marvellous Taking Comfort and the mysterious and much-praised A Gentle Axe, emailed me with a few comments on A Dangerous Man (http://www.flamebooks.com) which can be found here: http://therapsheet.blogspot.com/2007/04/looking-to-future.html under the entry for 16 April, half way down, or as below:
“Another small publisher with an interesting list, and an original approach, is Flame Books. It’s the publisher of the novel I’m reading at the moment, a crime work called A Dangerous Man, by Anne Brooke. A Dangerous Man has garnered praise from no less a writer than Andrew Taylor, who described it as “a dark and chilling parable about art, love and murder.” What’s remarkable about Anne Brooke’s work is her ability to enter convincingly and with extraordinary empathy into the milieus of her protagonists, which I imagine are very different from her own. I don’t know for sure, but I don’t believe she has that much direct experience of male homosexual prostitutes, which makes this a bold and brave book for her to write. I’m all for brave, bold books.”
Gosh, thanks, Roger. Much appreciated. I’m not sure that Michael and I ever feel either brave or bold actually, but there you go …! But, heck, both of us are really pleased you’re liking the book.
At work, it’s been slow but steady, and I’m still ploughing my way through my conference notes. Groan. I was however both cheered and brought back to reality again (as he didn’t like the ending, which is fair enough, and, for the purposes of being honest about my reviews, I’m reproducing as much as I can without spoiling the plot) by an email from Jay Mandal, author of A Different Kind of Love and Slubberdegullion amongst other work (http://www.bewrite.net), who has just finished ADM and says the following:
“I always knew you could write, and this was very, very good. I thoroughly enjoyed it … You’ve found ‘your voice’ (I hate that expression, too). Stick with it. It was taut, edgy, gripping, exciting, a page turner, and I read it slowly because I didn’t want to finish it. It was powerful and passionate, and I wished I’d written it myself. I was really on Michael’s side … The ending was the only thing where I felt let down. I don’t mean sad … I mean I thought it might have been better if it had ended differently. Obviously this is just a personal opinion … Not only did it seem too bleak, but also too out of character.”
Thanks, Jay, for all the comments. They’re much appreciated also. It’s good to get a different view but I must say that, speaking as someone who’s had Michael in her head for years, both he and I honestly feel I couldn’t have ended it any other way. It was the part of the book where his voice and mine gelled the most. Writing it that way felt fantastic and just seemed so fitting. But I do understand that people will find it difficult.
Anyway, all this excitement got me through to lunchtime, when I had a blissful reflexology session and just chilled. I think I might try some Reiki next time, as Emily (http://www.optimum-fitness.co.uk) always adds a couple of minutes of Reiki (at foot level, strange to say!) after my session and I really love it. I certainly need to get my energy levels in some kind of balance, but heck I’ve always known that.
Oh, and Lord H has told me there is apparently some kind of excitement over the curse of the Japanese toilet on the news. It appears that the new craze in Japan is to have electronically heated toilets/bidets (gross thought in itself!) which do virtually everything for you bar the washing-up (though maybe that’s not a good phrase to use in the same sentence as “bidet” …). Unfortunately, the electronics has gone wrong so some of them burst into flame without warning. Scary!! So just when you thought that all you had was a nice warm bottom, beware … Nobody’s been injured yet (thank goodness! Though how could you ever tell anyone!?...), so thank God for small mercies, eh …
Tonight, I might do a bit of scribbling but we’ll see. I’m also aiming to watch “Sea of Souls” on TV, which is probably too scary for my delicate constitution, but I do enjoy the classy pap of it.
And finally, on a more serious note and bearing in mind my part-time paid occupation, I’d like to extend sympathies and a terrified kind of understanding to the staff and students of Virginia Tech University. Dear God, it could happen to any of us institutions here in the Higher Education world, as it’s already happened in too many schools. But why oh why didn’t they at least try to shut the whole darn thing down after the first incident?? I know it’s a virtually impossible task in something the size and structure of a normal campus, but you would have thought something could have been done. I hope we’ll all learn lessons from this, in every way. Please God.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
“Another small publisher with an interesting list, and an original approach, is Flame Books. It’s the publisher of the novel I’m reading at the moment, a crime work called A Dangerous Man, by Anne Brooke. A Dangerous Man has garnered praise from no less a writer than Andrew Taylor, who described it as “a dark and chilling parable about art, love and murder.” What’s remarkable about Anne Brooke’s work is her ability to enter convincingly and with extraordinary empathy into the milieus of her protagonists, which I imagine are very different from her own. I don’t know for sure, but I don’t believe she has that much direct experience of male homosexual prostitutes, which makes this a bold and brave book for her to write. I’m all for brave, bold books.”
Gosh, thanks, Roger. Much appreciated. I’m not sure that Michael and I ever feel either brave or bold actually, but there you go …! But, heck, both of us are really pleased you’re liking the book.
At work, it’s been slow but steady, and I’m still ploughing my way through my conference notes. Groan. I was however both cheered and brought back to reality again (as he didn’t like the ending, which is fair enough, and, for the purposes of being honest about my reviews, I’m reproducing as much as I can without spoiling the plot) by an email from Jay Mandal, author of A Different Kind of Love and Slubberdegullion amongst other work (http://www.bewrite.net), who has just finished ADM and says the following:
“I always knew you could write, and this was very, very good. I thoroughly enjoyed it … You’ve found ‘your voice’ (I hate that expression, too). Stick with it. It was taut, edgy, gripping, exciting, a page turner, and I read it slowly because I didn’t want to finish it. It was powerful and passionate, and I wished I’d written it myself. I was really on Michael’s side … The ending was the only thing where I felt let down. I don’t mean sad … I mean I thought it might have been better if it had ended differently. Obviously this is just a personal opinion … Not only did it seem too bleak, but also too out of character.”
Thanks, Jay, for all the comments. They’re much appreciated also. It’s good to get a different view but I must say that, speaking as someone who’s had Michael in her head for years, both he and I honestly feel I couldn’t have ended it any other way. It was the part of the book where his voice and mine gelled the most. Writing it that way felt fantastic and just seemed so fitting. But I do understand that people will find it difficult.
Anyway, all this excitement got me through to lunchtime, when I had a blissful reflexology session and just chilled. I think I might try some Reiki next time, as Emily (http://www.optimum-fitness.co.uk) always adds a couple of minutes of Reiki (at foot level, strange to say!) after my session and I really love it. I certainly need to get my energy levels in some kind of balance, but heck I’ve always known that.
Oh, and Lord H has told me there is apparently some kind of excitement over the curse of the Japanese toilet on the news. It appears that the new craze in Japan is to have electronically heated toilets/bidets (gross thought in itself!) which do virtually everything for you bar the washing-up (though maybe that’s not a good phrase to use in the same sentence as “bidet” …). Unfortunately, the electronics has gone wrong so some of them burst into flame without warning. Scary!! So just when you thought that all you had was a nice warm bottom, beware … Nobody’s been injured yet (thank goodness! Though how could you ever tell anyone!?...), so thank God for small mercies, eh …
Tonight, I might do a bit of scribbling but we’ll see. I’m also aiming to watch “Sea of Souls” on TV, which is probably too scary for my delicate constitution, but I do enjoy the classy pap of it.
And finally, on a more serious note and bearing in mind my part-time paid occupation, I’d like to extend sympathies and a terrified kind of understanding to the staff and students of Virginia Tech University. Dear God, it could happen to any of us institutions here in the Higher Education world, as it’s already happened in too many schools. But why oh why didn’t they at least try to shut the whole darn thing down after the first incident?? I know it’s a virtually impossible task in something the size and structure of a normal campus, but you would have thought something could have been done. I hope we’ll all learn lessons from this, in every way. Please God.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Space for me and my men
Bloody hell, but that was a valuable weekend. I'd been dreading it beforehand thinking: should I go? should I stay at home? can I get to Bristol (and back) in one piece? But I'm glad I made the effort. And yes I made it through the wind and rain and lorries, and I'm back now. With my usual post-travel headache, but feeling something's changed inside. Which can only be a good thing.
So, Enneagram 2 - me and my relationships was the focus. On the technical side, as a Moody Romantic 4 (the Enneagram circle has nine numbers which you have greater or lesser leanings towards - I'm a 4), I've found out about how I can use my Loner neighbour (5 - the number which I do think Lord H is, by the way, but it's up to each person to work it out for themselves, so it's only my opinion!) and my Movie Star neighbour (3) in circumstances where that will be helpful, and also how my strongest links in times of stress & security are to the Perfectionist 1 and the Helper 2. And thinking about it, I do love so much to be at home (like a 5) so I can recharge, and I also do perform in public (like a 3), probably as a defence mechanism. Also, I think that when I'm stressed, I get obsessive about why things aren't perfect in some circumstances, and on flattering people so they don't attack me in others. Both of which actions are like the 1 and the 2 on the circle. Same with the security points really - when I'm feeling safe, I like the feeling of being in control (like a 1) and I also feel better able to help others (like a 2). Ye gods, Sherlock, it's all beginning to make sense. To me anyway.
Oh, and being a 4, I do love talking about myself, which explains the last paragraph - welcome to Anne's ego trip. Enjoy the ride ...
But far and away the best part of the weekend was what I feel I got out of the meditation/body work sessions (they focus on the combination of the physical and the spiritual at Emmaus House, which is something I appreciate). During the two meditations, we were asked to focus on our inner self and to hold that self with love and care. Not something I do very often, if I'm honest. For a while, I didn't really know what I was supposed to be doing, but then it came to me that it wasn't just me in that space. It was Michael too. And someone else. Which (in my tradition and understanding) I'd probably call God, but other people might call something else. The question I was asking, and which Michael was asking too, was: did I do okay? is it enough? And the answer was: yeah, you did good. It's enough. And then an overwhelming feeling of acceptance. No. More than that. Affirmation. Sounds simple, I know, but always the big question hanging over me in everything I do has been: is it good enough? am I good enough? And after five years of struggle with the book, the question becomes too huge to lose even on publication, believe me. To have it answered at least in terms of "A Dangerous Man" (http://www.flamebooks.com) and Michael in a way that means something to me and on a deep level is frankly revolutionary.
It also, I think, has freed something up in me in the way I've tried to ignore Michael and the Michael parts of me in my attempts to relate to God. After this weekend, I feel more that God might actually see the whole picture and not be as surprised or afraid of it as I am. Maybe (just maybe, mind ...) when that great supreme being in the sky looks at me, he already sees Michael, and Paul, and Simon, and ... whoever, as well and is even pleased that I've begun to acknowledge them too. Maybe even they can be part of the plan. Bloody hell, eh?...
Well. Phew. A lot to be pondering on, as you can see. But there were some lighter moments along the way - including having an ensuite room which had a toilet with only one wall between it and the window. And, um no other cover, not even a door. So, as Lord H said on the phone, more of an "en" than a "suite". I had to be jolly careful not to lean forward after getting off the throne (as it were) or everyone on the Bristol highway had a prime view of my unmentionables. Which may explain the amount of shrieking that appeared to go on at 2am on Saturday morning. Perhaps the Bristol youth were letting off steam at the horror of it all ...
Back home, I have yet to face the unpacking, but Lord H has done some cleaning (what a superhero - he now has huge numbers of Husband Points), so I'll leave it till next week. What a slut I am indeed. And tonight, it's "Lewis" on TV, so a slob-out opportunity. Hurrah.
Ooh, and for the first time, I've won the Writewords (http://www.writewords.org.uk) Flash Fiction II weekly competition with my "Another Time, Another Place" story, so that's a nice feeling for sure. And it means I have to set next week's competition - aha! the power! the power! My Enneagram 4 ego is loving it, dahlings!
This week's haiku:
Gravel and water,
sunlight, birdsong, a cool wind:
time and space to breathe.
This weekend's nice things:
1. Having space with Michael and God
2. The unexpected sense of peace
3. Laughing at the toilet arrangements.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
So, Enneagram 2 - me and my relationships was the focus. On the technical side, as a Moody Romantic 4 (the Enneagram circle has nine numbers which you have greater or lesser leanings towards - I'm a 4), I've found out about how I can use my Loner neighbour (5 - the number which I do think Lord H is, by the way, but it's up to each person to work it out for themselves, so it's only my opinion!) and my Movie Star neighbour (3) in circumstances where that will be helpful, and also how my strongest links in times of stress & security are to the Perfectionist 1 and the Helper 2. And thinking about it, I do love so much to be at home (like a 5) so I can recharge, and I also do perform in public (like a 3), probably as a defence mechanism. Also, I think that when I'm stressed, I get obsessive about why things aren't perfect in some circumstances, and on flattering people so they don't attack me in others. Both of which actions are like the 1 and the 2 on the circle. Same with the security points really - when I'm feeling safe, I like the feeling of being in control (like a 1) and I also feel better able to help others (like a 2). Ye gods, Sherlock, it's all beginning to make sense. To me anyway.
Oh, and being a 4, I do love talking about myself, which explains the last paragraph - welcome to Anne's ego trip. Enjoy the ride ...
But far and away the best part of the weekend was what I feel I got out of the meditation/body work sessions (they focus on the combination of the physical and the spiritual at Emmaus House, which is something I appreciate). During the two meditations, we were asked to focus on our inner self and to hold that self with love and care. Not something I do very often, if I'm honest. For a while, I didn't really know what I was supposed to be doing, but then it came to me that it wasn't just me in that space. It was Michael too. And someone else. Which (in my tradition and understanding) I'd probably call God, but other people might call something else. The question I was asking, and which Michael was asking too, was: did I do okay? is it enough? And the answer was: yeah, you did good. It's enough. And then an overwhelming feeling of acceptance. No. More than that. Affirmation. Sounds simple, I know, but always the big question hanging over me in everything I do has been: is it good enough? am I good enough? And after five years of struggle with the book, the question becomes too huge to lose even on publication, believe me. To have it answered at least in terms of "A Dangerous Man" (http://www.flamebooks.com) and Michael in a way that means something to me and on a deep level is frankly revolutionary.
It also, I think, has freed something up in me in the way I've tried to ignore Michael and the Michael parts of me in my attempts to relate to God. After this weekend, I feel more that God might actually see the whole picture and not be as surprised or afraid of it as I am. Maybe (just maybe, mind ...) when that great supreme being in the sky looks at me, he already sees Michael, and Paul, and Simon, and ... whoever, as well and is even pleased that I've begun to acknowledge them too. Maybe even they can be part of the plan. Bloody hell, eh?...
Well. Phew. A lot to be pondering on, as you can see. But there were some lighter moments along the way - including having an ensuite room which had a toilet with only one wall between it and the window. And, um no other cover, not even a door. So, as Lord H said on the phone, more of an "en" than a "suite". I had to be jolly careful not to lean forward after getting off the throne (as it were) or everyone on the Bristol highway had a prime view of my unmentionables. Which may explain the amount of shrieking that appeared to go on at 2am on Saturday morning. Perhaps the Bristol youth were letting off steam at the horror of it all ...
Back home, I have yet to face the unpacking, but Lord H has done some cleaning (what a superhero - he now has huge numbers of Husband Points), so I'll leave it till next week. What a slut I am indeed. And tonight, it's "Lewis" on TV, so a slob-out opportunity. Hurrah.
Ooh, and for the first time, I've won the Writewords (http://www.writewords.org.uk) Flash Fiction II weekly competition with my "Another Time, Another Place" story, so that's a nice feeling for sure. And it means I have to set next week's competition - aha! the power! the power! My Enneagram 4 ego is loving it, dahlings!
This week's haiku:
Gravel and water,
sunlight, birdsong, a cool wind:
time and space to breathe.
This weekend's nice things:
1. Having space with Michael and God
2. The unexpected sense of peace
3. Laughing at the toilet arrangements.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Toilets and talking
What a hive of activity today has been. Had my usual counselling session with Kunu this morning - we talked a lot about my family and early childhood memories, and how I did - or more accurately - didn't fit in to the family format. It was actually quite liberating to talk about all this stuff that I hardly give a second's thought to at any other time but which is obviously a big driving force even now. And I think I've got a lot to mull over during the week, though no homework this time - suspect we ran out of time, as I was on something of a roll. No surprises there then.
Afterwards, I did a spot of shopping (Lord H's birthday coming up fast over the horizon now ...) and then went and did some writing in the Library. Real writing - with a pen, ye gods! Just like the old days. Thoroughly enjoyed it too, and felt I was getting somewhere important with Simon and Johan in "The Gifting". Will have to type it up tomorrow and see how it looks. But maybe I'll do that more often. There's something about holding a pen and making actual contact with the paper that makes it far more exciting. Lord knows why.
Which took me up to the belated work Christmas lunch which we had in Cambio's in Guildford. Bloody hell, what a long lunch it was indeed (and on my own time as well - though I'm definitely not complaining!) - and very nice too. The joy of Cambio's is they have the best loos in the known universe (or at least in Guildford) - lots of wonderful matt black tiles, vast expanses of mirror, rounded raised wash basins, gorgeous soap and (the crowning glory) individual hand towels to use and put in the linen basket. Bliss indeed. Can't wait till next year when I can use them all over again. I set a lot of store over what a place's toilets are like. Like my grandmother used to say, it's important to be comfortable ... In Cambio's, I went twice.
Tonight, Keith W and I are off dancing again. Am sooo looking forward to it, though I don't know what we'll be learning. I'm hoping for the Cha Cha, but will have to see.
Today's nice things:
1. Counselling
2. Writing
3. Cambio's toilets
4. Ye gods - it must have been a good day: Dancing.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Afterwards, I did a spot of shopping (Lord H's birthday coming up fast over the horizon now ...) and then went and did some writing in the Library. Real writing - with a pen, ye gods! Just like the old days. Thoroughly enjoyed it too, and felt I was getting somewhere important with Simon and Johan in "The Gifting". Will have to type it up tomorrow and see how it looks. But maybe I'll do that more often. There's something about holding a pen and making actual contact with the paper that makes it far more exciting. Lord knows why.
Which took me up to the belated work Christmas lunch which we had in Cambio's in Guildford. Bloody hell, what a long lunch it was indeed (and on my own time as well - though I'm definitely not complaining!) - and very nice too. The joy of Cambio's is they have the best loos in the known universe (or at least in Guildford) - lots of wonderful matt black tiles, vast expanses of mirror, rounded raised wash basins, gorgeous soap and (the crowning glory) individual hand towels to use and put in the linen basket. Bliss indeed. Can't wait till next year when I can use them all over again. I set a lot of store over what a place's toilets are like. Like my grandmother used to say, it's important to be comfortable ... In Cambio's, I went twice.
Tonight, Keith W and I are off dancing again. Am sooo looking forward to it, though I don't know what we'll be learning. I'm hoping for the Cha Cha, but will have to see.
Today's nice things:
1. Counselling
2. Writing
3. Cambio's toilets
4. Ye gods - it must have been a good day: Dancing.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Counselling and Clarins
Got to town early today to avoid the mad rush for spaces, but weirdly the car-park that's never full was full, and the one that's always full was empty. Will the excitement of the year never end? So I managed to rush round town like a dervish and get suitable gifts for Lord H before going to my counselling appointment. This was really good this week - I feel I'm getting to a deeper level with stuff than I was able to do with Zoe, partly because I was new at the game then and partly because there was so much other crap going on that I couldn't concentrate on the core stuff. Bloody hell, but Kunu the counsellor (which sounds suspiciously like Vlad the Impaler, but she smiles more) is good. She made me think seriously about having a real conversation with Michael (the man who's always in my head and whom the non-funny books I write are always, always about in some way or other - hey somebody pass me the strait-jacket, won't you?...) so we can see what he actually has to say. Scary but interesting. I think I'll do it - next time maybe - but I also think I'll do some free association writing on it and see what comes up. After all, writing it as a first pass through might make it easier. But hey - counselling homework. Who'd have thought it?
I spent the next two hours post-counselling in the Library writing out the Christmas cards and inserting our sad couple's Christmas letter in the cards of those people I actually want to communicate with. Hmm, says it all really. I was also shocked to discover that Guildford Library has no loo. Honestly, what a rubbish (I would prefer to say "crap" here but the pun is too much even for me) place! It hardly has any books either - just staff who look as if they've been there for 150 years, died and never been buried.
Then, it was another two glorious hours in the hands of my Clarins therapist. Ah, the bliss of a facial and massage combined. Almost makes me feel female. Now, there's a novelty. What would Michael think? Oh sorry, I'm not supposed to be doing my homework yet. Bugger.
Today's nice things:
1. Counselling
2. Clarins treatments
3. Coming home and realising I don't have to speak to anyone else but Lord H for a whole evening - hurrah!
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
I spent the next two hours post-counselling in the Library writing out the Christmas cards and inserting our sad couple's Christmas letter in the cards of those people I actually want to communicate with. Hmm, says it all really. I was also shocked to discover that Guildford Library has no loo. Honestly, what a rubbish (I would prefer to say "crap" here but the pun is too much even for me) place! It hardly has any books either - just staff who look as if they've been there for 150 years, died and never been buried.
Then, it was another two glorious hours in the hands of my Clarins therapist. Ah, the bliss of a facial and massage combined. Almost makes me feel female. Now, there's a novelty. What would Michael think? Oh sorry, I'm not supposed to be doing my homework yet. Bugger.
Today's nice things:
1. Counselling
2. Clarins treatments
3. Coming home and realising I don't have to speak to anyone else but Lord H for a whole evening - hurrah!
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Toilets and holidays
A crap morning followed by a slightly better afternoon/evening is the summary of today. Was really fed up with life due to (a) the toilet still being broken - it's been broken since the weekend and we've been unable to flush and having to use buckets of water instead. Shades of the war years ... and (b) still being without anywhere to stay next week when our holidays beckon.
However, the day slowly brightened - Lord H rang me to say the toilet had been mended though the plumber charged us £70!! £70, I ask you - hell, I'm in the wrong bloody job!! Hope we were given gold-lined pipes for that - but actually the bliss of having it back in full working order is probably beyond price. Also, we've finally managed to book a holiday - in the end we went for the Peak District in a hotel which has a beauty salon too. Roll on more massages and Indian head treatments for me, I hope! It's such an incredible relief to get it sorted, as it's really been worrying me. Hurrah!
And so tonight, it's Torchwood and - please God, as I'm shattered - an early night. Or a relatively early one.
Today's nice things:
1. A mended toilet
2. Getting our holiday hotel.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
However, the day slowly brightened - Lord H rang me to say the toilet had been mended though the plumber charged us £70!! £70, I ask you - hell, I'm in the wrong bloody job!! Hope we were given gold-lined pipes for that - but actually the bliss of having it back in full working order is probably beyond price. Also, we've finally managed to book a holiday - in the end we went for the Peak District in a hotel which has a beauty salon too. Roll on more massages and Indian head treatments for me, I hope! It's such an incredible relief to get it sorted, as it's really been worrying me. Hurrah!
And so tonight, it's Torchwood and - please God, as I'm shattered - an early night. Or a relatively early one.
Today's nice things:
1. A mended toilet
2. Getting our holiday hotel.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Enneagram weekend
Just come back from an Enneagram: My Personality weekend at Emmaus House in Bristol. Missed Lord H like crazy, but it was a good weekend. Well worth it. I think it's made a lot of things clearer. I'm definitely in the Type 4 (The Romantic) zone, and it resonated with me to be there - which means (surprise, surprise), I'm very up and down, feel things intently, look for connections, and am always thinking things will be better in the future (or they were better in the past). My proposed development work includes looking for balance and giving myself room to be me. Suits me, sir. And I also liked the fact they included some of the Alexander Technique in the sessions, so had a "whole person" view, which is something I'm realising is more and more important.
Anyway, there's a lot to take in, and I suspect it will take several weeks to digest it all. But I'd definitely like to go on the Enneagram 2 weekend next March. I think it's important.
But poor Lord H - he's got a terrible back now after trying to look at sorting the loo out. This week's tasks - call a doctor and a plumber. I'm worried about him.
This weekend's nice things:
1. Finding out about my Enneagram zone.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Anyway, there's a lot to take in, and I suspect it will take several weeks to digest it all. But I'd definitely like to go on the Enneagram 2 weekend next March. I think it's important.
But poor Lord H - he's got a terrible back now after trying to look at sorting the loo out. This week's tasks - call a doctor and a plumber. I'm worried about him.
This weekend's nice things:
1. Finding out about my Enneagram zone.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
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