'Those Summer Days'

Annual Holidays, whether we are staying at home or going abroad, are always something we look forward to. This year we are doing the 'Staycation'. Days here and there. Doing something if we want to or not as the mood takes us.

On saying that we are very nearly at the end of our holidays. So far we have been to see the Stars and their Cars exhibition (my husband's choice) at Alexandria, a town near Balloch and Loch Lomond. It was an exhibit of about twelve cars from programmes such as the Saint and Only Fools and Horses to movies such as Back to the Future, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Batman and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. We then headed further on into Balloch. Well actually it was the other side of Balloch where we went to Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre. A place we have been before. It has moved premises and is looking absolutely fabulous. It was great. The tour round was great as we got to see the owls, falcons, hawks, buzzards, and eagles. Orla the golden eagle managing to steal the show at every opportunity. It was great.

Thursday saw us roll out of bed at 7am. By 8.20 we were heading to Northumberland and Alnwich Castle to be more precise. This is the kind of Castle that, as youngsters, we dream of having and being a knight in some big adventure. And it has been in umpteen adventures through various television series and movies. It is surrounded by gorgeous gardens and farm land. It is such an easy place to fall in love with. There was plenty of things for all ages. For the older Knights and Ladies not able to keep up with their younger counterparts a wander round the Castles interior was awe-inspiring. Whilst outside there was archery for those 11 years old and older, being able to dress up as a knight (or a lady) before practising the finer points of swordship. On the particular day we were there Hagrid and Dumbledore from the Harry Potter series were there to help amuse youngsters of all ages. The gardens were spectacular and we even went into the Poison Gardens. A part of the garden where we were not allowed to wander willy nilly and could only go in twenty at a time with a guide and the gates were unlocked to let the group in and locked behind us once on our entrance and after we left. It was a great day out and we didn't even see all of it. We will need to return other day to see the rest of it.

This week we have spread our wings towards Stirling and headed for the Bo'ness section of Stars and their Cars before heading to Bannockburn and the National Trust Property which tells us about Robert the Bruce's fight at Bannockburn. This is a place which we could readily go back again and again and to admire the views as well as learn a little Scottish history.

The weather has been great and even though we have seen the occasional rain. We have seen a great deal of sunshine also. It has been great to see.

'The End'

I have, for sometime now, been working on a novel. When I say some time I mean exactly that. The idea came to me about nine years but due to other commitments at the time I did absolutely nothing about it. It was not until about three and a bit years ago that things changed. After the death of my mother I decided it was time to actually get myself into gear and start to do something about this idea that had been persistently floating about in my head. So I joined the Writers Bureau, a correspondence course to improve my writing skills. Which were pretty non existent really. I loved it. It has been difficult but I loved it. But that idea was getting more and more persistent. It had changed a little over the intervening times but now it was time to get to grips with it. I tried it out as part of a couple of my assignments and got some really good feedback along with the constructive critisms. It was just what I needed, and so the novel has been worked upon. Don't get me wrong. It is nowhere near completion and I have a lot of work to do but I have managed to get it typed up with those two little words telling my that I had managed to get through a written first draft and a typed second draft. I had edited it and cut alot of waffle out. Yes if you haven't already gathered from my blogs yes I can waffle with the best of them. Good Gold medal potential for waffling at the next Olympic Games. What are those two little words? Sorry didn't I say. They are those immortal words that come at the end of a book or movie. They are of course, 'The End'.

Never in a million years did I ever think that I would ever get to this stage. And not so long ago I would never have dreamed of actually doing something like this. But that idea had to persistently bang against the inside of my head so I just couldn't ignore it any more. So here I am. I have a second draft all typed up with those very nice two little words. The idea is now down on paper and a look at the Writers and Artists Yearbook has been studied. But unfortunately no matter how much I want to concentrate on this my first novel a sequel idea is now battering around inside my head. One would have been enough but this idea seemed to lend itself to a second. No matter how excited the writer in me is I have to use the logical grown up head and get down to working on the first and making it as good as I can before running off to do a second. One thing at a time.

Royal Highland Show

Sunday was an early start for us as we went to the Royal Highland Show at Ingleston. Us being my husband and me for a day out.





On the advice of a friend, who has been before, we left early and arrived at twenty to nine and got a parking space near to the gate (this was a good move for later on when we were leaving). We didn't have far to walk to the gate. At £22 pounds for each of us it was, I thought, a little expensive to get in. As we wandered round there was the smell of food getting cooked at regular intervals. We brought our own lunch (another piece of valuable advice from that seasoned friend) the food was expensive too. So before us lay walkways of stalls and arena's waiting for the events to start. Thank goodness for the map telling us where everything was and the book telling us what times various events were on at. It saved a lot of time and energy trying to look for stuff. I was also surprised at the amount of people who were there that we knew.

The weather was glorious and thankfully I put on sun cream; I burn really easily you see and that was the last thing I wanted to happen. Past experience has taught me that.







There were loads of things to see but much to the amusement of my husband I found the Birds of Prey. If there are birds of prey to be found at an event we are at then I will find them. We watched the first of two displays they were putting on that day. Here are the Harris Hawks that they used as part of their display. It was fun to watch. My husband is really patient over this. I like owls you see so I stood a stared for a while. He left me to it and had a seat until I was ready to move on.


I have to admit by the time we had seen everything that we wanted too it was about twenty to three and I was ready for going home. So we headed back. It was when I got back out into the carpark I was glad we had arrived early. We were met by a mass of vehicles all shapes and sizes. My poor legs wouldn't have taken the trek back to the car if it had been further away from the entrance.

It has, however, taken me two days to recover from my walking marathon but I have to admit I can't wait for next year to come around to see what else we can find.

Best go; dinner is on the table.

'The Owl and the Pussycat'

I had a laugh during the week. For those who don't know me well I have a love for owls. Don't ask me why as the answer is I don't know but I do. It was the photograph that actually caught my attention. It was a tiger (if I remember correctly) and lying in it's enclosure and at it's front paws was a little bundle of fluff which was, in truth, a baby Tawny Owl which, as the article went onto explain, had fallen out of the nest and landed in the tiger enclosure. Once it was able to fly it managed to get out of the enclosure but it had to spend a few days with the tiger before it's wings were strong enough to get it out of harms way. Not that it seemed to be an any great danger as the tiger didn't seem to bothered by it in any way, shape or form. But I have to admit it was just a wonderful picture. I would have loved to have seen the initial reaction of the tiger. A nice feel good piece for a change.

Catch up

Ok so I haven't done a post for a while but I haven't been having the best of times just lately. All I can say is that I have bad days and less bad days. It is the only way I really know how to put it. It may not may sense to you but it is the only way I know how to put it.

Today, however, I had one of those moments that I felt anywhere near normal (whatever normal may be). The sun was shining, the temperature was in the mid 20's (warm for this part of Scotland) it smelt like a proper summer day I could have been anywhere in the world. It makes me think of 'The Darling Buds of May' now there is something with the feel good factor.

In fact it reminds me of those childhood holidays abroad and in Britain where so many memories where made that I have to look back on. What would I do without them.

With all of these memories I just wish I knew how to put them to good use. Once I have written the fantasy I am working on then maybe I could put something together. But that is not for now that is for later. Way in the future later. Here's hoping.

Easter finally comes for me

Sorry for the wait but this good weather we have been having recently has taken me away from the every day things which I should have been doing. But I had some excitment this week.

You see at the beginning of April my husband (the dear) preordered the Feral Companions book. Two novellas one by Simon Maginn and the other by Gary Fry. Over one month and two phone calls (at least) later and we get a phone call to say that it has come into store for me to pick up. So yesterday we enjoyed the weather and went to pick up my Easter Present. Needless to say my husband ate his easter present long since.

Now I have the pleasure of getting to read works by my tutor. I get to see how it is suppose to be done. Well here's hoping, with all this good weather I might even get to sit in the garden with a drink of my choice and read it. Will let you know.

Competition Time

I have written the short story; left it for a week; re-read it; changed gramatical errors; have done front page. I hav double checked everything right down to the fact that I had filled in the entry form correctly and got my husband to double check everything right down to me having filled the in entry form correctly.

My short story is winging its way to Woman&Home Magazine for this year's short story competition if it hasn't already arrived that is. I now hold my breath. May 21st is the closing date and so I turn purple in the face whilst I await the results. This is the part I dislike the most. The having to wait to see if I get a reply. The things we put ourselves through for doing something that we love so much. Just keep thinking of all those before and all those who follow that have been and will go through this too. It doesn't help with now though. Only another couple of weeks or so until closing date.

Can't time go just a little quicker, just this once?