Strawberries

I sent off my entry for Writing Magazine’s Adult Fairy Story competition, then checked back through my stock of stories hoping to find one that I could tweak and send to Take A Break. Fortunately I found one. While I’m not writing much new, it helps to keep the submissions going as if I want to sell four stories a month, I really need to be writing at least eight (which I’m definitely NOT doing at the moment). What I want to do right now, is go to sleep. The trouble is I’m not sure if that’s the depression talking or if it’s the simple result of not getting enough sleep thanks to Louis the Labrador.

This sounds daft, but I guess it must be a bit like having a small child. They lose you sleep, make all kinds of mess, but you can forgive them anything because you love them. After Milo, I wondered whether I’d be able to make a connection with another dog so soon, but I have. I won’t miss Louis as much because another dog’s coming to stay with me straight after him, but I will certainly look forward to his next stay. His owners are going to Florida in October for two weeks – hooray!

Two people I gave free feedback to send me their revised stories for further comment today. I always like to help if I can, but there have been times lately when I’ve regretted offering to do this. I had no idea I would get so many takers. Sadly, from now on, unless they’re friends, I’m going to have to say no, unless I get paid. I’m not doing enough new writing as it is.

I made a lovely mess with chalk pastels at the art group this afternoon, working from a Monet painting of water lilies. It’s less than two hours so fits in with my work, take a break, work routine.

I have all kinds of art materials upstairs, including water based oils, most of which have never been touched. I don’t allow myself the time for art at home which is crazy as I enjoy it and it relaxes me so much. I always think I should be doing something else.

I’ve just eaten a handful of wild strawberries from the garden. Really tasty. I’m actively encouraging the plants to take over as much of the garden as they want to. My first cultivated strawberry started to turn red yesterday, but this morning when I did the rounds, I found a bird had already eaten most of it, so I brought the remains indoors, trimmed and washed it, and ate it, even though it was still mostly white. I’ve put a net up now, but I expect the birds will find a way. I don’t mind. I have hundreds of strawberries coming, I just wish they’d let me have that first one.