Writing, reading and not splashing in puddles

After the last couple of wasted weeks, I felt much more productive yesterday.

Having taken M to the station, I made up my mind I would go for a walk, as I had done the previous day, to try to shake off some of the pounds. I put on my wellies because my usual route is very muddy, but I didn't splash in puddles. I never did it as a child, and I still don't; it probably gives enormous insight into my character and mis-spent youth. The child who couldn't skip or play ball games, do handstands, ride a bicycle and what's more didn't splash in puddles. Anyhow, enough of that; suffice to say, I walked for 25 minutes. Today is too miserable, but it looks better tomorrow, so that may be on the agenda.

Having the house to myself, yesterday, I decided to pick up my copy of Writers' News and apply myself to whatever story was in their competition. The subject was 'Marriage Guidance Counsellor' - it wasn't one I would have chosen, but I applied myself for the next hour or so, and managed to produce a first draft of 1,400 approx. This is the first short story I've written for some time, but I have more work to do to it, in terms of tidying up and padding out.

I've been checking to see if the copies of Goldenford books ordered by East Horsley Library have arrived yet - it's some time since we gave our talk. I was pleased to see yesterday, that a copy of Tainted Tree has arrived at Godalming Library. What's more, it was borrowed, as soon as it arrived and the copy at Woking is on loan too. Will I earn tuppence from Public Lending Right? - that's the question. Unfortunately, your book has to be in the right library to get its loans included, but one can but hope. So keep borrowing, people of Godalming and Woking.

In the evening, I went to Guildford Writers - the first time this year, having missed one session because of my cold. We were a select group of only five this time, but with more leisure to discuss each other's work. My story went down quite well, I'm pleased to say, and I got ideas on what to do to improve it.

And talking of fiction, I've just received a copy of the next Reading Circle book - A Kind of Loving - a novel from the sixties. It will be interesting to see how it stands the test of time. We will be discussing that and The Catcher in the Rye, which, as I think I mentioned, didn't really grab me.

I'll have to practise going to bed early tonight, as on Friday, an engineer is coming to change our electricity meter, and we are warned that he could be with us any time between 7 am and 3.00 p.m. Don't you just love that sort of information - if we get up prompt, chances are they'll be with us at midday. But it we dare to hover in bed that morning, they'll no doubt be banging on the bedroom window at dawn.