Of Men and Sheds

Did I really hear on a news programme yesterday that sheds are good for men's health? Sad, if so, for we (I use the term figuratively) have demolished our shed which embellished the turning circle at the front of our house. Pictures will follow in a few days, when I've taken them out of the camera. After the scrap dealer came, last week, M took the shed apart and when I returned from the Guildford Institute on Tuesday, there it was - a pile of timber - awaiting the bonfire next week. What a superb bonfire that will be.

But men are funny creatures aren't they. Although I thought The Amateur Marriage a bit disappointing, Anne Tyler is so good at summing people up. Take this extract (American spelling):

Hearing Anna remark last night upon the draft from the dining-room window, he had felt a quickening of enthusiasm. ... And later: There was something so reassuring about hardware stores. We can help you deal with anything ...

Yes, I could so imagine M, his face lighting up, as a problem arose that required his skills. A nice practical problem that doesn't require emotion. As it was, today, a customer rang at lunch time, with a plumbing problem, and he raced out of the house, stopping only to seize a sandwich.

I have been playing catch-up today. There was so much paperwork on my desk. I had nearly left the house contents insurance unpaid - it had got buried under the pile. And there was a statement to be checked and a few other bills to sort out. I will take them to the post shortly. And the washing is behind again too. After the weekend away, Monday with our daughter, Tuesday and Wednesday at the Guildford Institute and lunch with local friends yesterday, I've hardly had a chance to do anything this week. I'm still reading through Tainted Tree and I've agreed a cover design with Jan (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=139620510&MyToken=a1a3b3ca-9c1c-4f3c-8dd5-772ccf983a3b) - isn't there some way I can make that smaller?) though there is still a little work on it to be done. However, that's a big step towards publication next year. The lunch times spent selling at Guildford Institute were mixed, but I for one, enjoyed my stints there. I talked to quite a few people and had a few sales. These events at the Institute, the Farmers' Market, etc., have left me feeling quite bullish about Goldenford (www.goldenford.co.uk).

We - The Golden Girls - held a meeting this week, and we have four books in the pipeline for 2008 - Anne Brooke's (www.myspace.com/annebrooke) next - Thorn in the Flesh - and me after that. Exciting stuff.