Skating on thin ice

I have to visit the Minor Oral Surgery Unit today. My appointment is at 10.25, but I have to get there for 10.00. I’ll spare gory details, but one of my teeth must come out. It’s the one next to the big one at the top on the right-hand side. When I feel it with my tongue it feels alarmingly near to the front of my mouth but a probing fore-finger reassures my tongue that it’s quite far back really. I did a little test at work the other day … I stuck blu-tac on it and smiled, beamed and laughed in the mirror in the office. Trouble was everyone else smiled, beamed and laughed too!

I had to know, you see. When it had gone, would I look like a toothless old hag?

It’s a slippery slope! It’s important to remain vigilant and ward off the age-gremlins when you’re in your fifties. In the last few weeks I’ve:

• Cooked liver for tea and actually enjoyed it instead of pretending to
• Moaned about the price of fish
• Got in someone’s way in the aisle at Tesco’s
• Obsessed about magpies and silly superstitions
• Indulged in some bad driving
• Been praised for having a miniature sewing kit in my handbag
• Become a granny again

And now I’ve started losing teeth …. oh my gawd!

To keep the grim reaper at bay I’ve decided to take some positive action.

1. I have 101 Housework Songs (as advertised on TV). Oh joy! Will dance naked to the first track on the first CD with a new and handsome domestic appliance
2. I will drink a Jack Daniels and Coke in the pub on Sunday
3. I’ll listen to Radio One and not Radio Two in the car
4. I’ll smile seductively at the first handsome young man I see today
5. I’ll ask Emily if I can borrow an item of her clothing

Do you think that might do it?

Kissing Frogs

I am a masochist. I know I’m not alone because all writers are masochists.

We put ourselves through the hell of rejection but still keep doing it. We are like toddlers trying to stand up under a table – we bang our heads once, but then swiftly forget where we are and do it again, and again and again.

I have heard back from my agent about the publisher who was/is interested in the trilogy. They have suggested further work and have given me some substantial general notes to work with.

My agent says the notes might be worth thinking about (she has e-mailed them to me) but says there are plenty more fish in the sea and ‘we only need to kiss the right frog’. She states she is confident we will get there eventually.

I now have to go through it all again, because she has sent the m/s out to more publishers.

So I’m afraid the news on the writing front is not good news, but it’s not horrendously bad either.

Anyway – the news on a personal front is BRILLIANT!

I have a grand-daughter so the magpies were right the other day. “Three for a girl”. Here she is with her very proud granny.

Her name is Sophie Rose and she was born at 10.00 am on 11th March. She weighed 9lb 8 oz. Her big brother, Tyler, was very pleased to have a little sister because ‘she will have her own girls’ toys, won’t she?’

Mum and baby are doing just fine and she is a little princess. She’s very good and sleeps well. She is absolutely beautiful.

So who cares about a book deal? If it comes, then to say I’ll be happy is a massive understatment, but if it doesn’t then I’ll just write another book and dedicate it to my lovely grandchildren.

And anyway, I’ve just joined the Novel Racers, so that is good news too.