Wednesday, April 23, 2008

an unusual visitor

Current work: messing about with a new outline (nonfic)
Listening to: Lifehouse
Reading: Louise Allen, The Dangerous Mr Ryder (loved this – great characterisation and Louise writes such sexy heroes! Good plot, too. And I learned stuff from it: I know Louise and she's meticulous about research)

Happy St George’s Day. And guess who’s on the Waldies this week, too? Happy bunny, here. Thank you to the readers who put me there - I do hope you enjoy Giovanni!

Yesterday, we had a rather unusual visitor at the bottom of the garden (this is by the shed and under the trees). Amazingly, dog didn’t notice him – or perhaps they were just ignoring each other. Isn’t he beautiful? (What a pheasant is doing in our back garden… probably came from the field over the back, but it’s still not that common. We had herons around, the summer before last, and they looked like pterodactyls when they were flying over. Or maybe that’s my novelist’s head again.)

Today: I really ought to do my accounts. However, I’m messing about with an outline or two. (Jan’s right, sadly. I do consider this a treat…)

And no, I haven’t tidied my office yet. Yesterday, my modem was playing up (or maybe my ISP was having some outages as, touch wood, seems OK today) so I spent much of my time fiddling with it and resetting and... (sigh). I was discussing with son what we’re going to do tomorrow when his school’s on strike. He was out of ideas, mainly because he knew his sister would be upset if we did a museum, cinema or seaside trip without her – and also I think I’d shocked him by saying I’d take the day off – so I came up with, ‘Well, you can tidy my office.’ Littlest one pipes up: ‘I LOVE tidying.’ (Ha. Doesn’t take after her mother, then.) ‘I’ll tidy your office for you.’


Now, she offered. She likes doing this sort of thing. So could I be Bad Mummy enough to accept?

7 comments:

Jan Jones said...

Accept! How can you be a bad mother for letting her do something useful that she wants to do???

Also, it'll make her feel part of your work, which is a Good Thing.

Oh - and it is the season for pheasants-visiting-gardens. I've had one strolling in from the field at the back for the last fortnight or so.

Ray-Anne said...

What is it about the wildlife at the moment?
I was entertained last evening by two hedgehogs in amorous mood only the girly was not interested, despite eating most of the cat crunchies. LOL.
Brilliant news about the US sales - you deserve a day off, especially if the weather holds.
:-)

Unknown said...

Definitely accept. And then send her up here. :o)

Liz Fielding said...

We have a pheasant -- Phil -- who regularly drops by for the bird food, Kate. And they're a lot less common in Wales than in Norfolk!

Amy Andrews said...

Go on, Kate. You know you want to .......

Melissa Amateis said...

Absolutely! Accept! My daughter loves to dust. I let her. :-)

Diane said...

She'll grow out of the tidying. My favourite chore when I was a kid was ironing. Ahem. Say no more.