Where was I?

… I can hear you shout. I’m sure I’ve been missed, but I’m back for a brief resume. And talking of backs, this has been a bad session. I’m better than I was a week ago, but had to carry on taking aspirins (reduces inflammation as well as pain) all the week. Now I’m down to 2 a day – first thing in the morning, when it still feels rather frail. Then it improves during the day, so that I feel quite normal. And the broken teeth are fixed – no extraction, so fingers crossed. But the dentist is so fed up with me that he didn’t want to look at the problem tooth on the other side, and said that replacing the filling might do more harm than good. So I have to put up with it, unless it gets dramatically worse.

During this week, I’ve been catching up with the things I didn’t do last week – so lots of exciting washing and ironing and hanging things out and taking them in. How time consuming such things are – and pretty boring too.

And having finished the Goldenford (www.goldenford.co.uk) accounts, I’m now on the home grown ones. M was out on Wednesday night, at the bakery again, arriving home at about 1.00 a.m. You might ask if I don’t suspect he has a lover, but those who know him will doubt that. It would have to be someone who wanted to get covered in oil from heating systems in pursuit of their love. Oh well, whatever turns you on … Anyway, while he was out I watched The Apprentice in peace. The highlights were when Paul offered to sell pork sausages to a hallal butcher (who I thought was very restrained). Later he (Paul) actually said ‘..he was almost tempted.’ The other one was creating a DIY cooker that failed to work, with tons of sausages to cook. I couldn’t believe that someone would do such a daft thing, with such a lot to play for. Needless to say, he’s out.

And The Archers is going well too. At last Ed and Fallon are getting together. I’ve been waiting for this for years. Only platonically at the moment, but it’s like When Harry met Sally, isn’t it? Mark my words.

We had a full weekend and have another busy one ahead, with the Young Master and his tribe arriving tomorrow. The highlight of last week was visiting a cousin near Uckfield. Lots of bits of family met up, including some strangers, who we are only in contact with via our giant family tree. They (brother and sister and their partners) were the great, great grand children of my grandfather and his first wife. We had a buffet lunch and sat out in the sunshine. Another elderly cousin will be celebrating a diamond wedding in a few weeks. We all had to keep quiet about the surprise party that is to take place. He asked me how the writing was going. I tried to explain about self-publishing but knew he didn’t understand the concept when he asked if I got royalties. I had at that moment, completely forgotten the royalties I received from my self help book, which was a pity, because it’s amazing how relatives can knock your self-confidence. It was only afterwards that I realised I could have mentioned my book sales of 6,000 copies, with accompanying royalties.

I have warned Goldenford (www.goldenford.co.uk) that Tainted Tree will not be ready for a while. I need to work on the early chapters. But as Irene’s Sold to the Lady with the Lime-Green Laptop about E-Bay sales is to come out next, it doesn’t matter too much. http://www.thisthatfromireneblack.blogspot.com/ In addition to that The Gawain Quest by Jay Margrave will soon be launched, and we will have some accompanying events. And in addition to that, Anne’s new website which will sell on-line copies of Pink Champagne and Apple Juice (http://www.pinkchampagneandapplejuice.com/), created by Sue at (http://www.teafriendsandchocolate.com/sue/) has been launched. All exciting stuff.

I’ve been cooking today, for the weekend, and have to turn my attention to beds, next. I did my Sainsbury shop yesterday, and went to the hairdresser on the previous day, since I’d been able to cancel my dentist’s appointment. It does make you wonder some time, how do other people fit everything in. If anyone has any ideas, I’d be glad to hear. Answers on a post card please.