Hello All,

What a scorcher of a day and I had the pleasure of spending the day out there, reading up on how to “Become a successful Indie Author.” by Craig Martelle. Will be spending my morning’s learning from the best, and my afternoons writing. This afternoon I finished the first draft of Illicit Love, so now begins the process of smoothing out the rough edges.

Other than a bit more pottering inside and outside the house that’s my day in a nutshell.

So stay safe and catch up tomorrow.

Hello All,

Each Thursday I go food shopping for my parents and I ride a motorbike so storage to bring the items back is limited, which resulted in two trips last week which you may have read last Thursday. I also offered to do the shopping for my friend’s Dad as she isn’t local to be able to help. This offer was accepted, which could have led to three trips there today, except my friend, Emma Yates, came up with a great idea. I do all the food shopping in one trip, I ring her Dad, who lives 2 minutes drive from my parents house, five from the supermarket and he doesn’t get out of the car but pops the boot, I place all the shopping in. After that he follows me to my parent’s house, pops the boot and I take out my mum and dad’s shopping and he drives off. We tried it today and it worked well. I just hope the items were right, always hard to pick for someone else even with their list.

Tesco’s have been doing an amazing job at organising access to the store and access inside the store to ensure they adhere to the social distancing rule, however, people are still clustering in aisles and reaching over each other to grab what they want. It makes me furious!

Today we stood outside and clapped for all the key-workers again and down my road it’s always the same people who come out and the same people who stay in.

My day ended with some quality writing time, I’m so close to the end of the first draft and I expect to finish it by the end of tomorrow. #excited.

I’m going to say goodnight and stay safe.

Hello all,

Headed out early today to do my own food shopping in Lidl in Feltham. It was nice and quiet although I was disturbed to see the two tills which were open were both together. I spoke to someone who worked in the shop, starting with “I know you guys are doing an amazing job, however…” I told him that they should be both open together as there was no way that it was 2 meters separating the customers. He made a feeble excuse but then went on to say that on Saturday the customers insisted on having all six open rather than forming a large queue. This shocked me, this was not observing social distancing, and when do the customers get to make this decision? Don’t get me wrong I completely get that it can’t be easy, I’ve worked in customer service all my life and I know what people can be like (why do you think I love being in lockdown!) and I’m equally sure right now they are even more obnoxious. That doesn’t mean I don’t like people, more like I don’t like the ugly side that people show to people who serve them in whatever customer-facing role. Lidl I think you need to sort this out.

Came back and after putting my shopping away, had a zoom conference with my colleagues. It was great to see everyone and see what they’re all up to, although there were so many of us that it was hard to hear everyone.

The rest of the day was spent writing, marketing and pottering in the garden.

I’m heading off now, so stay safe and catch up with you tomorrow.

Hello all,

Stayed in again all day today, with the exception of working on my book and marketing in the garden as the sun beat down on me. I could get seriously used to this. Might need to do the lottery and win in order I can keep up this lifestyle.

The threads are tying together on Illicit Love and it shouldn’t be long before the book is finished, or at least the first draft. Getting quite excited about it as it all comes together.

Minimal housework and work in the garden, slowly seeing results.

Spoke to one of my colleagues today who is still currently working, it was nice to catch up. Had a call from the director of the branch I work at also, and they’re planning a quiz on zoom or something similar one evening in the week so we can all stay connected which is cool.

Saddened as always as I see the daily death toll and still see people from my window not taking on board social distancing. Even my son who has a learning disability who popped into a shop today in Lincolnshire where he lives reassured me that he observed the 2 metres distancing. If he can get it, why can’t people who don’t have his challenges. What will it take?

Going to leave you with this apt quote:

“Sometimes it’s time to get away from it all and experience things in a completely different way.” Kim Mance.

Stay safe.

Hey all,

Once the rain had cleared it left quite a nice day, maybe not as hot as yesterday but good enough to sit outside and write and have started to tie up all the loose ends in this current book so hope to finish by the end of this week.

Felt quite sluggish at the beginning of the day so haven’t achieved a huge amount today, a bit of pottering in the garden and house mainly.

Spent a bit of time this morning reading through some of the marketing ideas for my books and will start to look at how I can implement them, but it has to be something that is sustainable when I go back to work as all too often I start things and realise a few months in that I can’t continue with my long work days.

I’m going to keep this brief today and finish off with another quote:

“You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to loss sight of the shore.” Christopher Columbus

Stay safe.

Hey all,

What a gorgeously sunny day, feeling very blessed and chilled. Jet-washed out the front of the house, might have splattered myself in mud, dress, face and legs. It looks a lot cleaner out the front though, also discovered the bricks are red, who knew!

This afternoon I spent a glorious few hours writing in the garden, sat on my new garden furniture – the old furniture which is rotten is being cut up by my electric saw, bit by bit and put into rubbish bags. I’ve now finished typing up the parts which have already been written and I’m concentrating on fresh words now and looking at how I can bring the story to a close.

I started sorting through some of my books in a cupboard to rearrange to utilise the space better and found a book that was given to me in 2014 by a client at the private swimming pool I used to work at. It was a story she wrote of how she adopted her children. I had put it aside, a million and one other books to read and all that, you know how it is. I picked it up today and curious read the first paragraph and then the next and now I have gone through a good few pages and put a bookmark in, this needs to be read. Clearly, this was jumping out to me for a reason. I’ll let you know how I get on, the book is called Mexican Takeaway and the author’s name is Francesca Polini.

Thought I might leave these daily posts with an inspirational quote:

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” Henry Miller.

Stay safe.

Hi all,

It’s the weekend! This is normally cause for celebration but in these strange times one day blends into another, week and weekend. I decided last weekend that I would spend more time at the weekends doing housework and only pottering around during the week to give my week some structure. So I did a whole bunch of housework this morning and gardening this afternoon. I put together my new garden table and starting sawing the old table and chairs into small pieces which will make them easier to dispose of.

I also did my weights this morning but not the treadmill as I have certainly done my fill of walking whilst doing the housework. The weight loss is going well and I’m down 4lbs since the beginning of this week.

I didn’t get any writing done today and I’m okay with that, feeling really chilled. I was also chuffed to bits to find an earring in the garden that I had thought lost for over a year.

There’s not much more to say, going to head off and watch the second part of The Red Tent, which I’ve seen before and loved.

Stay safe, catch up with you tomorrow.

Hello again,

I can happily say I didn’t have to go anywhere today and don’t anticipate leaving the house again until the middle of next week and that is frankly a huge relief. The death rate is growing and it is becoming more frightening, I just hope people take notice and stay in over the warm weather that we are about to get. I know it’s easy for me to say having a garden to get out into but the threat is real and the only way we will beat this is to stay home and stay safe.

I went for a walk, on my treadmill today and started lifting weights again, I am genuine about getting back to the peak of witness levels. Just over another thousand words to type up and then I will be continuing on with Illicit Love to reach it’s climax.

Had a call from my director today, to touch base and see if I’m coping okay with the isolation and feeling well, the company will be setting up weekly group chats each week so no one feels isolated. It’s a nice idea and very much appreciated, although probably I’m doing way to well as I’m in my element.

Pottered around the house again doing bits and bobs and more weeding in the garden. I’m only doing this a bit at a time as my back and knees don’t like the positions I have to take! I’m also blasting through my photo sort out, can’t wait to finish that as it will feel like a real achievement.

A friend of mine mentioned on Facebook that she has been signing up for free open university courses and I’ve decided to do the same. Started with a very basic course and I’ll see how I get on.

I cooked one of my favourite meal, Kedgeree. I’m loving having the time to do this instead of getting home just before 7pm and feeling too exhausted to cook.

I think that’s it for the day. Stay safe and stay appreciative.

The thing that strikes me during a crisis is how the general public react to each other, the good, the bad and the ugly. Neighbours rallying around to ensure their elderly or vulnerable neighbours are supported, that’s good. Standing outside and taking part in the national cheer for the NHS staff and all the other key-workers – is good, society getting together to celebrate the amazing work of those people who are keeping our country going.

But the cynic in me, thinks that’s easy, easy to show your neighbours what a caring person you are as you clap your hands, but does that extend beyond the obvious gestures. I’m sure for many the answer is yes, because I think we are predominantly good.

But then you find that some of those people clapping are the same people who are sitting in judgement on things they have no idea about and quick to be vocal, which leads me into my day.

Went out to do food shopping at Tesco for my parents who are isolating being in their 80’s and having underlying health issues. I had their shopping list on my mobile phone notes and I had a quick look at them to see what else I needed as I waited in the fresh produce aisle whilst a man was picking up his vegetable from where I needed to be. I waited patiently, giving him space. I’ll give the lady in question the name of Gobby as I don’t know her name. Gobby came up, breaching the social distancing and said “Can I just reach in and get…” The item I’d been waiting for. I mentioned social distancing, I also explained to her that I had been waiting for the man in front to finish so I could pick up said item (said item because I can’t remember what it was, maybe spring onions.) To which Gobby replied, “You were on your phone!” In an aggressive tone. “Yes, looking at my shopping list whilst I waited patiently.” “You were on your mobile phone.” As you can see Gobby doesn’t have a wide vocabulary. I turned the phone around to let her see that I wasn’t doing anything more than being a little less of a dinosaur than her by using a phone rather than pen and paper.

I went on my way and then had to queue behind Gobby and her husband for eggs, I waited patiently again at the appropriate distance, hubby turned and saw me and looked slightly abashed. Clearly he has the measure of Gobby, poor thing is isolated with her. (Meow!) We met on a few aisles and she threw me daggers. Now I had to give up my shopping, as I ride a motorbike so storage is limited, I’d been prepared for two trips to get all my parents needed to see them through the week. After doorstop dropping I turned around and went back, approximately 15 minutes later I was back in the carpark. Grabbing a trolley I spied Gobby and her husband in a van next to the trolley park and she shouted out the window as they sped off “Back again!” Of course, she’s probably accusing me of stockpiling. She couldn’t be further from the truth. (I mean you try it with one small bike box, a normal sized rucksack and a half-filled bag attached with bungee straps to the back of the seat.) But that is an example of bad, this god-given right people think they have to pass judgement. And, yes you’re right I’m being less than kind in this post but I try to do the right thing and when that fails, well… you’ve read the above. My claws come out.

The ugly, people abusing shop workers because they have to queue, or can’t get the items they want. I mean really! Is this the fault of the staff in the shop that people are buying more than they need, and then throwing it out when it goes off. Then I read recently about a fellow author who had published her new book, a huge thing for a writer. You’ve poured blood, sweat and tears into this book, you’ve paid money £ $ to make the cover look good and to get it edited and some people pay for formatters. She went onto a group I’m on and said that one person had criticised her for not giving it away making her doubt herself. Sorry jumped up entitled person, at what point does someone have to give away their product for free. it’s a business, we don’t do it to lose money although many of us do just that. If authors want to give away their books now or at any other time then that’s up to them, a decision they make and a generous one at that. When was the last time you went into a coffee shop and demanded a free coffee. Let’s get some perspective back into this world and start to show appreciation instead of expecting to get our own way.

Now other than getting on my soap box I did manage to type up some more of my book, but the three hour round trip for shopping today took up a fair chunk of my day. Just to put it into perspective, my parents live around 15 minutes ride from me and Tesco’s in on route.

Anyway, off I trot – stay safe and be nice – and not just for show. BE NICE!

My first day leaving the house since Friday, the motorbike didn’t want to start, it’s feeling unloved but we got there in the end. Lidl in Feltham for food shopping, they allow 70 people in apparently but I saw no sign of how this was being managed, frankly I felt this was too many for such a small store. People clustered around in aisles, blocking aisles as they chatted (a couple) ergh excuse I want to get past without getting up close and personal! No, I didn’t say that but I wanted to.

Shopping done, time to head home and I’ve managed to crack on with typing up a significant amount of Illicit Love, which had previously been written in notebooks. This is something I do when I’m on holiday as I prefer to lug around a notebook than a laptop. Downside is I have to type it all up, upside I get to do a bit of an edit as I go along.

Didn’t go the treadmill today but on course to hit my 10,000 steps again. I also received my blood pressure machine which informed me my BP is high ranging between the normal high and mild hypertension range. Why do you think I’m sorting my eating out? Apart from becoming porkier by the minute.

Today seems to have disappeared at a rate of knots, how come work days don’t go so fast?

I’ll leave it there, stay safe and catch up tomorrow for the next thrilling episode in my isolation journey.