it's lucky I did

Part of my resolve to get my life back on track – i.e. have more fun, make new friends, and not work as much- means that I’ve been cutting out things that I don’t enjoy. Near the top of that list were manuscript evening at Leeds Writers Circle which I find D-U-L-L, dull. Monday was the first meeting of the new session so subs were due. I could have sent mine in by cheque (I want to remain a member so that I can go to workshops, enter comps, go to socials etc) but in the end decided to make the effort and go to the first meeting.

It’s lucky I did.

As I was walking through Leeds station, somebody called my name. It was my ex’s daughter, looking very upset and distressed. I’m not going into details here but in essence she’d been kicked out of her home and had nowhere to go except an address in Devon, hundreds of miles from her children. She'd fallen out with John (again), about six months ago and they hadn’t been speaking. I persuaded her to give him a call  and the upshot is, she’s staying with him until she can sort something out.  Basically it’s a big ugly mess but at least now she’ll be closer to hand.

Again as part of my new regime, I went to an all female singing group on Monday to see if it might suit. It didn’t . I was the youngest by miles (the conversation was all illnesses funerals and great/grandchildren, plus the music wasn’t to my taste. Most of it was very religious and frankly, dull. Also, my voice is quite deep. When I can, I sing tenor (they get the best tunes), and having to sing alto wasn’t much fun. In one piece of music, the altos were expected to reach top F!

I’m now considering whether to join the choral society or not. I might see how the Spice events pan out first.

What’s all this got to do with writing? Absolutely nothing which equates to the amount of work I’m doing right now. I WILL get back into it, but at the moment, I’m busy moving furniture (again) ready for my new bed which arrives later this week. I’d been using the front bedroom, also the largest, for guests and for painting but found that sitting in the window put me off as I felt too exposed. For me, painting is a private activity so I’ve made room in the dining room instead. As I rarely have dinner guests other than my ex, that seems to make sense. Whether it works out or not, time will tell. 

I do have some writing news, now I remember. The panto I wrote for a local charity is going to be messed around with by all and sundry. At first I felt annoyed about this, especially when people wanted a more dramatic ending (it’s a panto, not a play) but now I’ve decided to go with the flow. It didn’t take long to write, and if it turns out to be a massive flop, at least I won’t have to have my name on the front!