Happy New Year!

I’m feeling optimistic, enthusiastic and slightly over excited - which is a complete contrast to last year. Long may it continue…

Over Christmas a neighbour was chucking out a table - always up for a recycle, ‘I’ll have it’ - not thinking where on earth I’d put it. Ta da - my SheShed of course! But that meant everything would need rearranging. As I write I am smugly sat in very comfortable surroundings, my shed housing two tables; one for art and one for wrting! I might try a video to show you - hang on…

Well, that was less complicated that I thought - I did it! First video uploaded to my website. No frustrations and relatively simple. I’m expecting Google to offer me a job now I’m a tech expert! (Life is all about the little wins)

New year new you! Do you subscrible to that nonsense? I don’t. But I do feel energised. I dont know if the menopause has gone for good but I am very happy to report I feel ‘normal’.

With renewed vigour I have a plan. I am going to write a play! I’ve said it now so I’d better do it. I thought it would be interesting to see if I could put together a ‘mens monolgue’ based around the interviews I’ve done so far hoping that it will encourage me to focus.

It takes a long time to interview 100 people and do them justice, so until I’ve got all the material and get the book ready (hopefully in 2021) I thought I’d write a play!

Next weekend I am heading to Holmfith in Yorkshire to visit READ bookshop. They’ve just been featured in the Guardian on how independent books are thriving. READ are hosting an evening with - ME! Louise & James opened their doors almost a year ago and I cant wait to meet them. Both leading busy lives as teachers with three young children but their dream was to open a book shop. Although I haven’t seen it yet, their presence on social media shows the more you put in the more you get out. Their shop is a hub of activity: author events, writing groups, kids events, treasure hunts. It has a real community feel. I’ve booked myself an AirB&B to explore Holmfirth - a perk of the job!

Back to a full week of work: currently typing up ‘Jonathan’ - a retired widower. I interviewed him back in the summer. When I asked him - How do you see yourself? He said ‘As a spirit I am pretty welcoming’. How lovely is that?

I never thought listening to all these interviews would be as interesting the second time round but apart from the typing, it’s a double dose of fabulousness!

Enjoy the days getting lighter, ‘til soon