My Pearl Anniversary

Thirty years ago
A Stag and Hen side by side
With love said I do

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No photographer
Needed capturing back then
memories of hearts

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Four children later
Celebrating family
Giving thanks each day

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23-09-1983 / 23-09-2013

Writing in the Gaps :)

It’s in all the writing magazines, blog-posts and author pages. What is? I hear you ask. Making time to write, that’s what I’m talking about. Sounds easy, just a tab of discipline needed, so ‘they’ say. Well, when you have housework, children, work and life in the mix, finding time to write is a luxury. I’ve burnt the bacon, boiled the eggs dry, wore my jumper on inside out and don’t ask what happened with the cabbage. But the neighbours smelled it for a week later and all because I was writing in my head. Clenching thoughts and ideas in my brain cells, until I get a pen in my hand and allow them to escape along the page. Excitement rising.

Making time to write is about keeping a notebook nearby, I feel. Grabbing every opportunity that presents itself, this is why this post is being written at the hairdressers, while my luscious locks are being attended to. Honest? Okay the greys are being covered.

Light-hearted aside I do make time to scribble each day. It may be thirty minutes, it may be ten and when life allows, a trip to my local library for a few hours. The dust collects, the laundry gathers, the vegetables go soft regardless of the crisp salad box they’re in, yet I sneak a few notes down, an idea here and there. So they get written, a short story, a blog-post, an entry for a competition and inspirations for other projects.

But to have a clear run of the day to write is a dream for many. Imagine having full days where the cup of tea is handed to you and dinner prepared. Oh bliss! we all deserve this time, why? Because we are worth it as they say on a certain hair product. So if the opportunity arises where a full day is gifted to you for writing, grab it and enjoy. If not, use your notebook.

 

Holiday Scribbles

Having had a lovely trip to Bochum, Germany in August, it was time I got back to my daily writing duties. While on holiday, I read a fair bit, (writing magazines, cover to cover and The Soul Catcher by Alex Kava) and decided to give myself a break from scribbling. But the pen is a mighty weapon and sure enough, a few days into the holiday, I was out the door and down to the shops to buy yet another new notebook. Then I found a comfortable spot near the balcony in the evening sun and took a deep breath. I was off. I wrote two short stories, titled When Love’s not Enough and Welcome Home. Below are just random feelings I had when I stopped to pause and take in my surroundings.

Inside the apartment, early evening

Air clammy, heat oppressive
Headache settling, eyes tired
Talk ceasing, silence heavy
Clock ticking, no other sound

Outside the apartment, same time

Trees rustling their leaves
Cars rumbling by,
People mumbling, sun shining hides behind the clouds
Washing blows, drying slowly.

Too quickly my holiday was over and while at the airport waiting to board a late evening flight I got out my trusty new notebook and again my thoughts were put to paper. Not quite Haikiu but yet it recorded my feelings and that’s all that counts.

(1)Pale blue skies cloudy
     Near the end of the day now
     Aeroplane waiting.

(2)Lure of foreign words
     Large advertising boards
     Promising new sights

(3)Children laugh and chat
     Parents weary yet watchful
     Waiting area their park.

My collection of notebooks is growing all the time. I should make it easier and just bring one every time I go away. But the thrill of choosing a notebook and filling the blank pages is a buzz I love so who am I to stop my enjoyment of shopping. Happy writing.