Different route

I went home a slightly different route yesterday because traffic was heavy and I saw a motorcyclist who had been knocked off his bike and was in a very bad way. It deeply affected me – I’m still upset now. I wanted to stop and help but he was surrounded by people helping him (but thankfully not trying to move him) and several people were on the phone to ambulances. There was a lot of blood around his head and coming out of his helmet and his bike was completely wrecked. I didn’t see the accident, just the aftermath. I just keep hoping he is alright. I am a good driver but something like that really brings home how vulnerable cyclists and motorcyclists are and that even when you think you’ve checked before pulling out, you should always check again. Take an extra few seconds or cause an accident? I would have thought it was a bit of a no-brainer really.

It might not have been a car that caused the accident, it could have been anything but generally speaking a car vs. a motorbike means there’s generally only ever one winner…

Next stop; very early retirement...

Like buses, I'm giving you three blog entries all at once, but I need to rant. I've just updated my Facebook status and I quote, "it's official, my job title has been changed to Senior 'state the fucking obvious to the terminally bloody stupid' officer". And it's true! I was working on a document this morning and thought to myself, now there's three hours I won't ever get back. I added a comments box to the table, because some of the things that were suggested were so old the dust made me sneeze. So I was writing things like, we have tried this and it didn't work or I have been trying to do this for months so please don't suggest it like you've just come up with the idea. Or worse, this is already being done! (Resisting the urge to add, how could you not know that!?)

But actually, I'm coming to the conclusion that it's me. They're not stupid, I am. It's either a big elaborate hoax or I'm expecting too much. What do you think? Answers on a letter of resignation...

Oh good grief...

I've just found myself looking at wallpaper...

(Note to self: you need to buy the house before you start decorating it.)

Just do it

So... we’re going for it…

We decided that to miss out on a great house because it’s 2 or 3 months before we wanted to move is just stupid. We now have to raise a shed load of money in a short space of time because the money we were planning to use to buy a house is not available yet. Oh, we do love a challenge!

Our mortgage broker is calling us today with options and we have discussed putting an offer in (quite a bit over the guide price) to avoid the stress of going to auction. Before that, we need to organise a survey. Pressure? What pressure?!

Last night we saw Kate Rusby in concert and she was nothing short of amazing – not just a fantastic and very talented singer (and her band also) but charming and funny as well. It was a lovely stress-free way of ending the weekend and we came away feeling refreshed and believing that anything is possible. And so it is.

To buy or not to buy?

Well it’s good to be home with my straw, grit, pellets and other chicken essentials. Even though I make it sound like I’ve been away for weeks – a lot has happened in two days! (And I took the opportunity of being in Cornwall to stock up on chicken supplies without paying a premium like you might in a London garden centre).

I drove down to Plymouth on Friday, traffic was kind (yes, you heard right) and I made really good time. I stopped at Bridgewater services (Somerset) - what a dump that place is. (But if you gotta go, you gotta go!) I got an over-priced under-tasty burger and then headed off. I saw a 4x4 pulling a Kukri trailer. It caught my eye because it was a big promotional show-type trailer and Kukri do rugby stuff. As I went past written in big white letters on the side of the trailer were the words, this trailer is alarmed when unattended. Does that mean someone has to stay with it all the time? Bless. In the trailer’s defence I’d be a bit alarmed if I was left in a car park on my own all night... but you don’t think of vehicles having anxiety separation...

I was staying with friends in Plymouth whom I have learnt are regular readers of my blog. So thank you for your fantastic hospitality, it was lovely to see you, and A I hope you’re feeling better ;0)

Despite a night of red wine and beer I was up at sparrow fart the next morning, eager to start the day and after bacon rolls that’s exactly what I did. I headed first to the village where the house is up for auction to take some photos and walk around – it’s very pretty and friendly. Then I stopped off at St Kew farm shop to get ‘essentials’ like Cornish brie, nettle beer, veg and scones! And then to Bude where I sat on the beach for an hour on the phone to my partner. Then it was time to go and see the house!

I might as well cut to the chase, its lovely! It’s everything we want. But is it at the right time? And this is why I’m up at sparrow fart again today despite 7 hours of driving yesterday, because I can’t sleep. It needs a lot of work, but a lot of that work is cosmetic and could be done whilst you’re living there. The biggest job is the roof needs re-doing. The garden is fantastic but massively overgrown, but with the one of the Plymouth friend’s (a professional gardener) offering time, expertise and equipment, we could have it whipped into shape in no time. I’m not sure what the pheasants that live there would make of that...

There’s been lots of interest and the agent is fairly sure that whilst we could make an offer, the owners do want it to go to auction. She also thinks it will go above the guide price and I think she’s right. The two bedrooms are big, and the living room is too, and it looks out onto the garden. It really is a special place. Will we be buying it? I honestly don’t know, but I can’t tell you that if we can do it, we will.

I drove home very thoughtful, glad to be going home to see my partner (and the menagerie), but sad to be leaving a place that makes me so happy. I saw a car with a bumper sticker that said; yes I’m a witch, deal with it! That made me laugh.

Good mood

Really looking forward to heading down to Devon tonight and Cornwall tomorrow. And maybe it's because of my very, very good mood, but I was just thinking how lovely it was that the sun was shining and our garden is filled with birdsong and the gentle clucking of contented chickens... bliss...

All three have settled in really well and now the pecking order has been sorted out, the bullying seems to have stopped and I've now found a use for old dog bowls as well. Oh, and we have another egg!

Have a lovely weekend!

No more pocket money for you...

We had a lovely chat with our neighbour last night who was impressed that our chickens were already so tame (tame enough for Tabitha to dump on my leg anyway). We let them stretch their legs in the garden and fed them some more pellets and greens (which they love) whilst I noticed all the bits I’d missed when I painted the hen house. It was so mild that we were out chatting for about 40 minutes in just shorts and t-shirts and it felt lovely. Today of course it’s quite literally thunder and lightning, but that’s what we’ve come to expect with our weather: the unexpected!

I’m really excited about going down to Cornwall tomorrow. I’ve got to do some work tonight as well as tomorrow, so I can knock off early and still get everything done. It feels like a timely escape what with work continuing to try and win the Oscar for ‘general crappiness’. Another consultant has been brought it. I don’t know if this one’s any good because I’m not having any dealings with him, but I’m prepared to hazard a guess...

One of our senior managers has announced she is leaving, and everyone else is secretly checking out job websites and Wednesday’s Guardian in the hope that they too can jump ship.

I’ve spent too much money again this month and I’m a bit pissed off with myself. I wouldn’t say I was a compulsive spender but I do seem to buy a lot of things including clothes. As regular readers will know, mine (and society’s) continual need to buy more and more stuff is one that vexes me. I like to think that I am above all that and then I go and buy another pair of trainers… why?! Well, because I can is the bald truth of it, but what sort of attitude is that? My whole life and lifestyle is leading toward being more sustainable and treading evermore lightly on the earth and I will not achieve that if I’m forever buying more this, that and far too much of the other.

Of course part of me does think that it might be a final hurrah. Soon with a mortgage and a family, my desire for Firetrap jeans will have to go for a burton. It won’t exactly be sack cloth and ashes, but my frivolous needs will have to come pretty far down the list. So maybe stocking up now is a good thing! (Did anyone else see that tenuous justification coming?! Good, it wasn’t just me then…)

And you are...?

I tried telling Martha off when she was picking on Tabitha but she just looked at me like I was a bit of an idiot. And to be fair, she's probably right. No eggs tonight. They're already in bed and just occasionally you can hear a contented cluck and a ruffle of feathers. Bless their chickeny socks.

I've done lots of housework this evening and have rewarded myself with a huge glass of wine and a spot of mindless telly. All is well at 88...

Fox alert

I’m off to see the house on Saturday. I’m picking up the keys to view the property in the afternoon. (Hmmm, that has a nice ring to it, maybe we’ll be “picking up the keys” for good soon?!) I’m very excited. But also realise I may get there and it really, really may not be what we’re looking for… I also can’t deny being thrilled at the thought of going back to Cornwall…

We’re at war with a fox. Dramatic I know but true nonetheless. The little bastard was in the garden watching and sniffing the chickens THREE times this morning. Myself and my partner can’t seem to scare him off (which is amazing because I can look particularly scary when I’ve just woken up) but when we go our there waving our arms and spitting out invectives (not too loud, there’s the neighbours to think about) he quite literally saunters off. The dog is far more effective as a deterrent, flinging himself as he does at the foxy intruder barking and slavering. The fox moves then with a speed rarely seen in anything with less than a V8 engine.

We think Tabitha (who laid a little egg for us!) is being bullied by Martha. Its true Martha has what Jewish folk would call chutzpah, but I don’t like to think of her picking on poor Tabitha who is the youngest of the trio. We’re keeping a close eye and taking a zero-tolerance approach to bullying... although how you discipline a chicken is anyone's guess...

I finished my job application - wish me luck!

Eggactly!

Tabitha laid an egg!!!

Monday philosophy

I’d rather be at home today with the dog and the chickens! I also have a job application to do but I haven’t yet sunk so low that I would actually do it on work time when I have other things, you know, things they actually pay me for, to do…

My partner left for work late this morning and was keeping one eye on the chooks for scuffles and divaesque behaviour but they all seem happy. But they can really pack away the food! They’re on layers pellets and kitchen scraps and well, anything else they can get their tiny little beaks on. We think two are about to lay and that might explain the huge appetites. I think I’d snack between meals if I was shooting tomorrow’s breakfast out of my arse.

It was grey and wet and cold this morning, it was a Monday and my partner and I were both tired. If it was a blind date, you’d feel cheated such was the potential unattractiveness of the day. Yet despite this, I felt quite content this morning walking the dog and thinking about the weekend just gone. We are also going to see this house in Cornwall that I’ve found and that makes me happy as well.

Strange thing I saw on my way to work this morning: a squirrel running across the road using a zebra crossing. Even squirrels know the safest way to cross the road… (But why did the squirrel cross the road, was it to visit our chickens?!)

Chickens x 3!

Well it’s a been a weekend and a half! We made the hen house yesterday; painted it (bright blue!) today and picked up the girls; Artha and Martha this afternoon. That should be the end of the story, except we now have another chicken – whom we have named Tabitha. Our neighbour who gave us the chickens also bought some more for himself, except that one of them is being overly dominant and attacking the others. He called about an hour after we picked up the others and asked whether we would like another one! We agreed straight away. We are keeping them under observation at the moment to check there is no... fowl play (sorry!)

The rain is now coming down pretty hard so it will soon be time to put them to bed for the night, order some pizza and put our feet up – more wine might be nice as well!

Cornwall

We've seen another house... and this one we are going to see. I may be going on my own the first time and then if it's as good as we think it is, we'll both go down. It's totally the wrong time for us, but what if this is the one? Sometimes you should put bravery before logic and hope and pray that the universe is on your side...

Cornwall or bust

Not that I’m obsessed but I was planning a trip down to Cornwall this weekend; very much a spur of the moment thing. We saw another property down near the Lizard Peninsula and were quite taken with it – me especially. Anyway, as I’ve said before, it’s not the right time for us to move and I know this intellectually but emotionally I’m desperate to buy a house and start our new life…

I was going to jump into the car on Friday stay with friends half way, and then go and see the house on Saturday, head home and report to the missus either it’s not worth our time or, you need to come and see it!

We talked about it and we just can’t do it at the moment (for several reasons) so I stuck my bottom lip out but accepted the inevitable. Instead our weekend will be gardening, dinner with friends on Saturday, and friends over for lunch on Sunday. But no Cornwall, not this weekend anyway ;0)

Ironically a great job has just come up in Falmouth! I’ll be doing the application over the weekend but it will interesting to see if (a) I get offered the job and (b) what this will mean in terms of when we move down.

I saw several strange things on the way to work (or at least I thought they were strange and/or interesting) a woman chain-smoking in a car with a no-smoking air freshener and no-smoking window sticker. An old man with mobility problems drinking a can of well-known energy drink (it doesn’t really give you wings!) and for a split second this morning I thought someone was stealing my car! I pulled up at the garage to get some food because I was uber early for my morning meeting. As I came out of the garage, I saw my car being driven away. I literally did a double take with my head snapping back and forth like a flag in a stiff wind… it took a minute but then I saw that my car was exactly where I parked in. Someone had parked an identical car right next to mine: same make and model, same colour, same year!

Ok so they weren’t the most interesting things in the world, but you have to remember my commute is pretty boring…

Blind panic

It’s a wonderful day – although it had a bumpy start and I now know why the expression “blind panic” exists…

When I gel my hair (this is fascinating stuff…) I take off my engagement ring but otherwise I never take it off. This morning, I did my hair and was fairly convinced that I had put the ring back on. I got to the park and was walking round with a another dog walker friend when I realised that I hadn’t got my ring on – but then seeing as I didn’t have my watch on either, I assumed I had left both at home. I went straight to bathroom when I got back but no ring. That’s pretty much when I started to panic…

Where was it? If I lost it in the park, it would be really difficult to find and someone else might pick it up. How much of a reward should I offer on the posters I was drafting in my mind? We searched the car and the kitchen and the bathroom and we were getting ready to go back to the park to search together when my partner suddenly pointed at my right hand. To my complete and utter bewilderment, there was my ring, on the ring finger of the right hand! I have never put my ring on that finger, and how could I not have seen it? I’m still baffled – but also delighted of course. It’s now back where it belongs on my left hand. Clearly as I wasn’t expecting to see it on my hand, my brain didn’t register that it was there. I felt a bit of an idiot though.

I’ve almost made up my mind not to look for another job. As I mentioned previously on this here blog, I’m pretty fed-up with work, and don’t like what is being done to the organisation as a whole. My response was to look for another job and I even got as far as getting an interview but at the back of my mind I was always questioning how sensible it is – when I plan to move by the end of the year – to jump into another job, barely get settled and then have to leave that. Not just was it sensible, but was it fair to another employer to not tell them of my plans and then leave almost as soon as I had begun? So I think I’m going to hang on in there. I can’t quite commit to saying for definite that I will stay because that makes me feel really miserable and trapped! But I can be quite a level-headed, practical soul and I know it would look better on my CV to leave the job because I am moving to another part of the country; rather than saying I left because I thought the ratio of idiots to normal hard working people was way too high…

My pay has also gone up again and I have to be honest, in a year of big changes, every penny helps!

Our hen house should be here by Thursday. It’s a small Cornish company that are making the house and run and they make each one individually. When my partner called to enquire when it might arrive, she could practically here them banging the nails in there and then. Sadly, one of the chickens was eaten by a fox, but our neighbour is buying us another one to replace her! We did say that it wasn’t necessary but he’s a lovely man and was very insistent. We already planned to take a couple of bottles of wine round, but also, when the chooks start laying, to bake him a big cake to say thank you.

LGBT support for Ken!

Here's a thought, get a job!

My day job is in housing doing press, communications, information, blah… anyway, I received an email this morning from someone who wants a council house because they have to do their college work on the floor and the bathroom gets busy in the morning and so it sometimes makes them late. It’s a tragic tale I’m sure you’ll agree. I wanted to write back, "clearly college is not working out for you (and we accept that bizarrely, it’s all our fault), but I have a suggestion: give up on college and get a f*cking job instead!"

Yes I know I sound like a hateful Daily Mail reader but when did welfare become a right for all and sundry? Welfare (inc. housing provision) is to support those that need it; it’s a safety net, it’s not for people who have to queue for the bathroom and don’t like it. We’ve got women fleeing domestic violence staying at B&B’s with their children – living in one room – for months on end and this young lady thinks her needs are greater than theirs… grrr!

I receive similar emails on a fairly regular basis: my son won’t get a job and won’t go to college and I think it’s about time he moved out and got his own place…

And that’s our problem, how?

EDF Finals

Yesterday I went to the EDF Energy Final at Twickenham and had a fantastic day. The atmosphere was great; really good natured as you would expect from rugby. There were three games, but we missed the first, instead getting there for the EDF National Trophy Finals (Northampton Saints vs. Exeter Chiefs) and the EDF Finals (Ospreys vs. Leicester). Unfortunately both my teams lost! I decided to support the Chiefs in the first match and Leicester in the second but it was Saints 24 – Chiefs 13 and Ospreys 23 – Tigers 6! Oh dear...

I bought a new t-shirt (another one!) and a signed copy of the Jake White book (former South African coach). Although had I not exercised bit of discipline I got have bought a lot more.

We had great seats and despite the occasional bouts of rain, we stayed dry and the hot sun more than made up for the occasional dampness.

My friend came back for dinner and not long after she left I headed for bed... a long day, crammed in small seats which were rubbish for my knees, and all the emotion of being part of a 65,000 + crowd cheering on your team! I’m still tired today...

Surf's up dudes

It’s a lovely day although I am appreciating it through large yawns and bleary eyes. I had a late night last night, not because of drink and debauchery unfortunately, but because of work. I was asked to do a photo shoot and didn’t get home till after midnight.

Our new chief exec has decided – quite literally at the 11th hour, or whatever the hour is when you’re just about to send your magazine to the printers – that despite having had the proof for over a week, he wants changes made now. So I have responded (being the flexible and highly skilled individual that I am) and have made said changes, but if anyone thinks I’m doing anything else today they can bugger right off. I have my head phones on and am gently swaying to Going Loco in Acapulco – the 4 Tops I believe – and eating maoam chewy sweets.

(Until the next crisis hits of course but at least I can ride this one out on a massive sugar rush. Cowabonga!)

Achtung!

Well, news hot off the press… our finance director is German! Imagine. Apparently according to my ever-eating colleague he doesn’t look German. I asked what Germans look like (useful if we’re ever at war with them again in case they try and sneak up on us). She didn’t actually know what Germans looked like per se, but did say that she been out with Germans (all of them?). Furthermore, she went on to add that there are some nice Germans out there. Which put my mind at ease – nice people don’t tend to start wars…

I do question how interesting people’s lives are if information that a work colleague is of foreign extraction seems to make them somehow more interesting and exotic. We live in London; there are lots of people from lots of places…

I was possessed by Kim and Aggie last night because I went home and did lots of housework, finally collapsing on the sofa to enjoy a light supper and a spot of Murder, She Wrote. And although I was pooped afterwards, I slept really well (probably because I wasn’t slumped in front of the TV all evening) so I might try and do some gardening tonight.

We have a new cleaner starting on Friday. She seems lovely and has already confessed to liking things in a straight line. I didn’t so much interview her as she gave me a potted, but still very detailed, biography of her life. I think she’s going to work out just fine…

Right a strong cup of coffee and then it’s back to the grind – not long before I can head home and plant some bulbs!

Five day weekend, two day work week: the way forward?

We might get the girls this weekend! My partner received a phone call from the hen house people this morning and they can deliver this week! Sorry, lot’s of exclamation marks but I can’t help it, I’m excited!

It’s going to be a busy old weekend – a friend and I are going to the EDF final at Twickenham on Saturday and then it’s the marathon on Sunday. I’d love to tell you I was in it but clearly, that would be a blatant lie. My partner’s best friend and mother to her goddaughter is running and P, another friend, is also taking part. It’s such a gutsy thing to do, even if you are fit (which they both are). Anyway, we said we would look after the husband and goddaughter because B (goddaughter) obviously wants to see her mum running but there are so many runners it’s going to be impossible to pick anyone out… and on top of all that, we may now be putting the hen house together. Still, can’t complain!

This morning has been a little trying. My assistant has made lots of meetings for me and hasn’t included who I am meeting and where, which is actually quite fundamental to the success of the meeting. Anyway, she’s printed out a list now. I was going to point out that next time it might actually be helpful to start with a list, but I don’t want to interrupt because she’s eating. Again.

But I am determined that my week will be useful and productive so this is a small bump in the road… although using the analogy of roads makes me think of aforementioned colleague again. Whereas I want to get from A – B in a timely and efficient manner, she would rather stop at every service station along the way so she can eat even more food...

Bloody hell!

This morning I've had visitors from Belarus, Poland, France, Germany, Malaysia, India, Romania, Taiwan, Denmark, Spain, USA, Greece, Turkey and Finland. Err, welcome!

Emmett's Garden

We went to Emmett’s Garden yesterday – a National Trust garden in Kent nr. Sevenoaks. It’s particularly well known for its display of spring flowers especially bluebells. You can take dogs as well, so we packed a lunch and all headed out to the Kent countryside.

It was absolutely beautiful and we were lucky with the weather as well. The sights – and smells – were gorgeous! At first we thought there were no bluebells, but there were plenty of other lovely flowers, plants and trees to see so we weren’t too disappointed, but then we went down to the wood and there were bluebells everywhere! (Which prompted me to take about 30 odd photos!) Pluto was less moved by the beauty of it than we were, but he also had a wonderful time...

There are benches everywhere and a real sense that rushing is frowned upon. The air was lovely and clean and in places heavy with scent from some plant or flower and it was really very peaceful. We decided that as the weather was closing in, we would eat in the car, rather than in the gardens. And as we headed back it started to hail and then the heavy rain really set in. We sat eating our lunch in the car, feeling all cosy and with the dog gently snoring on the back seat.

On the way back we stopped at a garden centre and pet superstore and spent too much money, but then I’ve never not spent too much in garden centres and pet stores! We managed to pick up a hen feeder, layers pellets and grit for the girls. Layers pellets are exactly what they suggest; food pellets designed to keep the hens healthy and with all the nutrients they need to lay healthy eggs. They will also feed on kitchen scraps, worms and slugs. Nice. So they will have a mixed diet to say the least. Grit is used to help digest their food – because as you know from the old saying “rarer than hens’ teeth”, hens don’t have teeth. They swallow their food without mastication! Pluto got some chews and two new toys and we picked up various bits and pieces for the garden including a dibber which I’m particularly excited about... well, you would be...

Today we’ve woken up to a winter wonderland. It’s snowing and although it’s eased off a little now, it’s been really heavy. So we’re off to lunch at a friend’s and then we’re walking the dogs in the park... might be sensible to wrap up very warm today!

Mad Max

I’m training a hyper-active Westie called Max and today we had a breakthrough that left his owner open mouthed – although it did involve me gently pinning him to the ground and him squealing with indignation! In case it isn’t obvious, I didn’t hurt him. He has one main problem – dominance, and whilst this normally manifests itself in excitement and disobedience, he’s not above biting when he can’t get his own way.

We went to the park, Max, his owner, Pluto and me. I wanted Pluto to do in dog terms what we were starting to do in human terms, dominate Max and make him a pack follower not a pack leader and it worked a charm! Pluto was brilliant and Max thought he was fantastic. He was totally submissive and followed Mr P all over the park. We then went back to the owner’s house and Max started to get more and more excited until he started biting – hence the wrestling move of pining him to the carpet. After which everything changed, he let himself be groomed (he won’t usually allow it), enjoyed a game of fetch and then went into the dog cage that he’s never used before and fell asleep. When I left he gave me a kiss... He was totally exhausted by the end of it all, not just physically but mentally as well. We have a lot still to do, but today he did really well and I was very pleased.

I’ve also had to fit in a doctor’s appointment, interviewing a new cleaner, grocery shopping and work... unfortunately I still have work to do so guess what I’ll be doing this evening!? But if you cram lots into your day that’s what happens...

I’m looking forward to the weekend though tomorrow it's a day out with the missus and the dog and on Sunday, lunch with a friend. I love weekends!

Chickens and burgers - but not chicken burgers

I saw a dirty van yesterday on which someone had written with their finger “this van was cleaned by the NHS”. I thought it was a lot more original than ‘clean me’ and ‘I wish my wife were as dirty as this van’.

On Monday we met our two new family members; chicken one and chicken two. It really was a series of strange coincidences: we have been thinking about getting chickens for ages, a friend (who lives in the same road as us) saw some random Facebook status update I did about chickens, his housemate has two ex-battery hens that need new homes and well, you can figure out the rest! We popped round Monday evening to see Artha and Martha (we had to call them something) and they are quite lovely in a chickeny sort of way. My partner sent off our cheque the very next day to order our brand new hen house and run and it should arrive within two weeks after which we can go and pick up the girls! They were in a terrible state before arriving at our neighbour’s but he has looked after them so well they are re-growing feathers, putting on weight and seem calm and contented. I’m very excited about the whole thing.

My partner and I had the day off on Tuesday for an appointment and afterwards we went for lunch at the Gourmet Burger Kitchen in Dulwich. It was great! I had a pesterello (burger with pesto and mozzarella) only because I saw it and started singing ‘spinderella cut it up one time…’ (This caused my beloved to gently shake her head and laugh at me - not with me, at me!)

She had the mushroom burger and each one was about the size of our heads and was absolutely delicious. I also had an Oreo milkshake which was fantastic and more of a desert than a drink. The staff were nice too. Can’t tell you what it’s like on a busy evening but our experience was very good.

I received a pointless email yesterday that really annoyed me. Someone who was potentially going to represent me/give advice with reference to the film script I’ve sold has turned out to be not very helpful at all and it makes me despair of an industry that is so confusing, unhelpful and unwelcoming to new writers. She actually wrote the email a while ago but I only got it this morning and it was just a waste of time: a few bits of advice that any writer worth their salt already knows and that was it. So I still have no representation and no real legal support but I am apparently a good enough writer to sell a script. Go figure…

Anyway, final thing from me – driving home yesterday, there was this guy in a Ford Focus that was driving quite carelessly but I slowed down and kept my distance and didn’t think much more of it. Until he wound down his window and chucked a load of litter out! I honked my horn and as I passed him (he was turning right I was carrying straight on) he yelled at me and I yelled back that he was a bloody idiot for chucking litter. So he decided to follow me. Instead of turning right, he shot after me and tailed me for just over a mile, presumably so I would be scared and intimidated. I could rant on about this, but just answer me this, when did it make you more of a man to drive badly, chuck litter and then try and intimidate a woman? If you think that makes you a real man, that would make you an even bigger fuckwit mongrel than he was…