Which Path?

Had a lovely day today. Little Frog and I went to see his grandma and auntie, and the four of us spent the day browsing the high-street sales and chatting. I even got to amble around the book shop for twenty minutes on my own, picking up random books and reading bits of them before putting them back (sadly, I couldn't afford to buy any -- boo). I haven't book-browsed like that for ages, and it was really nice. Especially nice when I found a book I proofread; I always remember the consistent problems that appeared in each book I've worked on and it's a thrill to look at the published product and see all the things I pointed out that have been put right.

The only slight damper on my day was in the Marks & Spencer coffee shop, when Little Frog decided to throw up all down himself and, accordingly, all over my jeans. I beat a hasty retreat to the baby changing room with the small sodden one tucked under my arm and thanked God that I always have a fresh set of clothes for him in the change bag. Not so much luck for me -- I had to do the best I could on my jeans with a baby wipe and then... sigh... had to buy a new skirt to change into. Ah well.

Lately I've been floundering again as to what path I should be taking, career-wise. Proofreading is still going well but is extremely sporadic, and in the current state of the country's finances I need to have a regular and guaranteed income. Basically, I need to find a job. But I also need to find a new childminder, since Frog will stop going to his current one in mid-August. It is likely that his care days are going to change and I can't commit to anything until I know when those days will be. In the meantime, I'm spending a few hours a week fruitlessly searching local job websites and keeping my fingers crossed for a National Lottery/Premium Bond win.

On the plus side, I've been having thoughts about my book idea almost every day at the moment and have made quite a few notes on it this week. Perhaps once my new childcare arrangements are settled and I've managed to figure out some way of having a regular flow of money then I can start to structure in some writing. I mean, please... how long has it been?!


Just finished reading: The Rise and Fall of a Yummy Mummy by Polly Williams

Family Trip

Firstly, I interrupt this blog post (even though I've barely started it) to remind you all that my critique partner and good friend Nell Dixon's brand new book Blue Remembered Heels, published by Little Black Dress, is OUT NOW and AVAILABLE TO BUY in all good bookshops, both physical and online.

Buy it! Read it! Love it! Then I can say I told you so :)

Today The Bloke, Little Frog and I went to the little Cotswolds town of Bourton-on-the-Water.


Now, I'm English born and bred, and I grew up in the kind of village that was too small for a shop or bus service and barely qualified for a post box, so I know what our villages are like. But Bourton-on-the-Water is almost unreal in its lovely little postcard prettiness. It's the sort of rural English village you see in movies.

After our pub lunch, we spent the afternoon strolling up and down the river paths and ambling into gift shops. Then we took Little Frog to Birdland, a nearby tourist attraction filled with, well... birds... from all over the world. We paid good money for him to see lots of exotic and strange-looking winged things, and what did he do? Gaze around with a bored/haughty expression on his face, then eventually show some interest and laugh... at a bog-standard pigeon that happened to be waddling past.

Just finished reading: Her Parenthood Assignment by Fiona Harper

One

We recently celebrated Little Frog's birthday -- can you believe it? I know I can't! He had a wonderful little party where he played with his baby friends in the garden and was fed cake by Granny.


Here is a cutie picture of the little man all dressed up ready for his party. His auntie commented that he looks like Tommy from Rugrats here, which I think is true! What do you think?



Just finished reading: The Wedding Officer by Anthony Capella (LOVED it)