peacocks, squirrels and sunglasses

Current work: nonfic; MH duo book 2
Listening to: Manic Street Preachers
Reading: The Bride Hunter, Amy Appleton (enjoying so far)

Yesterday was a really nice day. Went to see Dad, who was pretty chirpy. The road to the nursing home is single track, so I’m getting quite used to having to stop for tractors and horses. But yesterday was a little different. In the village just before I turned off down said single-track road, I had to stop to let a peacock cross the road.

Yes, a peacock. I have no idea what it was doing in the middle of a little village. But we waited for it to strut across the road.

On the way back, we had to stop for a squirrel. And then I noticed how many berries are in the hedgerows, and the fact that some of the leaves are already starting to turn. Bearing in mind that yesterday morning was one of those ‘seasons of mist’ moments, I think autumn’s definitely here. There’s that scent in the air I always associate with the new term. Autumn’s my favourite season. Walks with the dog, crunching through the leaves and picking up the occasional shiny conker, when the air’s crisp and you can see your breath...

Came home to a very nice letter from the vice-chancellor of my old university about the RNA Romance Prize. And to some excellent news from a friend that I’m keeping to myself for the moment, but the second she announces it publicly there will be a link here so you can go and say congratulations. I’m so pleased for her. (If anyone else has good news, please come and tell me here and I’ll raise a cheer for you. I want September to be Good News Month, to make up for the August From Hell.)

Managed to sneak in some more work. Then into town – Madam and I went shopping for birthday cards while DH and son were at their respective osteo appointments. That’s another crisis in progress of being sorted… and I am much relieved there. One more worry off my shoulders. So that’s two being sorted (patience, Grasshopper), one sorted and hopefully not resurrecting at least until my dentist is back from maternity leave, one waiting on a panel decision (more patience, Grasshopper), and one that isn’t fixable so it’s a matter of moving on and trying to avoid the, um, difficult bits. It does rather dovetail with my current hero’s views...

I had intended to be a bit naughty – but I checked online first, and surprisingly I’m not tempted by the new Radley signature bag. Thing is, it doesn’t make me drool, the way the racing car one did. (And the hot air balloon one. And the teatime one with the little dinky cups. Oh, all right - and the lovely, lovely, ‘could be a Norfolk beach’ one I’m currently using.)

I haven’t talked myself into the très expensive ice cream maker, either. Given that my car service is due next week, I really need to behave; and DH also made me do a cost-benefit analysis and admit that it would take between two and three years for it to start saving us money, so it’s probably not worth it.

And then I discovered that Radley has a new range of sunglasses. Something I’ve been wishing for them to produce, ever since they started doing scarves last year. OK, so they’re… well, Radley-priced. But they’re marginally cheaper than replacing the RayBans that Kleptodog chewed… and oh, they’re pretty. If you want to look, they’re here – I like the black ones. Even more than I like these ones, which are the same as the ones Kleptodog chomped a year or so back. DH just sighed and said he’d sub me for the Radley ones for Christmas. However, a) I don’t want to wait that long (asking someone with ADHD to wait is pretty pointless; we can’t do it), and b) I have other ideas for my Christmas pressie. I’d like a linkabord kit with a book on growing my own veg, and some packets of seeds. And maybe a strawberry barrel. DH is not going to give in on the greenhouse issue, but I’m fairly sure he agreed to a raised bed, earlier in the summer. (Though that was before the sticky brown stuff hit the fan. He may need re-persuasion.)

Plans for today: both children start their new schools, so I need to take pics as promised for grandparents, godparents and aunties. Am sure the kids will be fine and will be all bubbly when I pick them up, but I’m also pretty sure that I’m going to spend most of the day having anxious Mummy moments and hoping they’ve settled.

I also have a lot of work to do on the book, so have arranged to skip guitar this week. Hoping that my characters behave and do what I ask... But in the meantime am trying a new way of working. Writing it in note form, then going back to format it properly, fill in the gaps and polish. So far, I quite like it.