So many books ...

I have totally lost the habit of posting to journals, but I am still alive. Life continues to be ridiculously busy both work and socially. I have invites to three weddings in August - which is both lovely and a bit eeek, because time to hide away with a book is a vital part of survival.

Anyway, what's new...

Good stuff - boss sprung an annual review on me last week, which was fine because he thinks I'm awesomely amazing. I felt it wise not to argue with such a summary :-)

Not so good stuff - Hubby's father is rapidly declining healthwise and the family have been stressed with trying to figure the best way forward for his care. It doesn't help that he isn't inclined to cooperate with medical support. Also one of my nephew's is causing us major concer on both mental and physical health issues. I seem to spend a lot of time on the phone with relatives making soothing noises as there's little I can do to fix any of these problems.

Good stuff - my holiday to Vietnma and Cambodia was totally amazing. I was so tempted to just keep travelling for ever.

More good stuff - my boys are both healthy, employed and happy, and Hubby is coping OK with the whole Dad thing.

More good stuff - I have freelance editing coming out my ears so maybe next year there will be more travelling.

And finally it isn't stupidly hot today and there will be curry and beer with my boys. Life is good.

So I kind of have a new job. It's a bit complicated because I'm taking on a new part-time role while remaining employed by my current employer. They are renting me out ;-) This actually makes a lot of sense because the part-time role may end after a year or two, so this way I have the security of a full-time permanent contract. Also the new role reports to my current boss, which is also a good thing.

Anyway, new job is fun challenge - a much wider admin role working with 80+ churches across the UK. Not sure how it will pan out at the moment, but I get to attend some pretty cool meetings and mingle with some interesting people. Meanwhile my assistant is gearing up to taking on some of the conference and event management I've been doing so I actually have time for this new role. We also have a lot of connections into Russia and the various countries that make up the former Soviet Union so I'm hoping there just might be an overseas trip or two along the way.

In other news I've just become the Company Secretary for a brand new charitable trust for the social action arm of the work we do. Yay for Very Important Label. Not so yay for the extra work. Still, it gives me good grounds to argue for a pay rise come April since my boss commented that a CS role is board level equivalent - not that we pay our board of directors, but still.

So basically life is very very busy. Lots of new opportunities and fun things. Our staff team is growing rapidly. My volunteer team is having a bit of a shake up, but the new folks coming on board are great, and it feels right to have some change.

In other news, the creative writing course continues on. I'm waiting for the mark on my first ever radio script. Over Christmas four small playlets (teeny tiny things) were performed to an audience of 500+ so that was pretty amazing. Can't say I'm enjoying the course all that much - student interaction in my tutor group is pretty much zip, which is frustrating. Chatting with others students about writing is half the fun of a course like this.

I'm still freelancing for the Open University although at the moment I have two live contracts but they are yet to send me the work. I'm really hoping both lots of work doesn't arrive at the same time. On the plus side, other job is so busy I haven't really had time to edit even if the work had turned up.

Talking of travel, I think I need to make plans for a long weekend away somewhere. Our major vacation this year is in June and I definitely need some down time before then. I'm thinking somewhere in Italy - never been to Florence and I've heard Verona is wonderful. Then again, I've always wanted to visit Moscow. So many choices, so little time!

So that's me. How are you all?

Wow, it's been a while since I posted - blame twitter and also a really busy November. Life continues to be bizarre. I recently did an event where I ran the sound desk alongside a guy who is Daniel Craig's stand in. Very weird - he really did look like Daniel Craig. I'm still smiling about the fact that 'James Bond' told me I'm awesome. Then this weekend I did an event with Carrie Grant and Jo Enright - both lovely people. I am now smiling about the fact that David Grant offered to make me a cup of tea when I went into the green room to check everyone was OK. What a sweet guy.

When I took this job I never imagined odd things like this happening. It is kinda fun.

In other news, Hubby is working like crazy. Various kitchen appliances are dying. Eldest son got through the next round of his navy application (final stage in in March) and is also now licenced to drive honking big motorbikes. Youngest son is settled into his new job in Bedford. It has rained a lot. The cat is less than impressed with the rain.

This weekend I am off to the Cotswolds for a three day retreat. I can't wait - peace and quiet, here I come.

It is Saturday and the only event taking place in my building is an internal one which means not only do I have the day off but my brain isn't secretly taking on the responsibility of what may or may not happen in my absence. Yay!

On the downside I have to suffer the annual family BBQ. I may take a notebook and start on the sit com I threaten to write every time I have to suffer Hubby's family en masse (sp?). On the plus side, we aren't hosting and he is driving which means that I can observe the lunacy from the far side of a wine glass.

In other news, I am changing job roles two days a week from January. Not sure yet how this will pan out, but I think it will be a good thing. That probably needs a separate post.

Meanwhile, I need to figure out what is coming up on TV this autumn - apparently there are new episodes of George Gently out there, Fringe is restarting in the US, so hopefully here too. What else is new and worth watching?

I also have to come up with an answer to the question: Do I want to see the Dredd movie? I can't decide - yes, it is Karl Urban, but no it is R-rated violence. Oh Karl, why can't you play the lead in some nice costume drama where you flounce around in frilly shirts and tight pants?

Looking back at my journal the last time i posted (June 9th) I commented that the next three weeks would be manic and then I was off to the Philippines. Well, the weeks were manic and I did go off to the Philippines. Just arrived back today.

It was a great trip with a great team of people. We got to do loads of stuff - our big project was decorating a rented house that Mercy in Action want to open as a boy's home in September. The tiled floor was filthy and the walls had been painted a depressing shade of dark sea green. We painted all the walls mostly white, but the lounge in a lovely pale blue and the kitchen in a cheerful yellow. Then our team artists set to work and painted some jungle book murals. I spent a lot of time scrubbing floor tiles, not being much use with a paintbrush!. It looked great when we'd done.

We also spent quite a bit of time with the street kids. Mercy in Action provides them with some basic education (with a view to getting them into school) as well as a place to shower and a hot meal (if they come along for the lessons). As a reward for attending lessons all week they get a Friday treat - we took them to a local swimming pool, which they loved.

Some of the older boys are now signed up for more formal lessons with another organisation and are doing really well - two of them passed exams while we were there, so there was much celebrating.

We joined Mercy in Action on their weekly prison visit - they keep a check on some youngsters aged 16 - 18, most of whom are waiting to go to court for fairly minor demeanours. They are locked up for hours in a small cell open to the elements. The Philippine justice system is very unfair to the poor - people often serve long jail terms before their case ever comes to court because they don't have the money for bail or for a legal representative to push for a court date.

There is loads more I could write, and i may try to post some regular updates from the diary I kept while out there. Meanwhile, I need to slot back into the routine of every day life. I'm hoping August will be fairly quiet, but whenever I say things like that, life is usually crazily busy.

Looking forward to seeing both my boys this weekend, and particularly catching up with G. who has finally passed his degree! Yay!

A friend lost her fight with cancer yesterday. She has battled twice before with this evil disease. The first time, after surgery and chemo, the doctors were optimistic by her future. The second time they declared her in remission after chemo, but all too soon it returned and we all knew there was only one way this would end.

I was at a wedding when the news came through. A small group of us knew this friend and we whispered the news and consoled one another while smiling at the bride and groom (who didn't know her) and going through the motions of celebrating their happy day. It was weird.

It is still weird.

She was a friend, although not a close friend in the sense of spending a lot of time together. but she was someone who when we did meet was open and honest about her life and with whom I could be open and honest. Our kids are similar ages. We both loved Star Trek. She was American and I would tease her for still having an accent after 30+ years living in the UK. She loved that I did, and would call me Honey in that southern drawl of hers.

She will be missed.

Rest peacefully, my friend.

... a four-day weekend. Hurrah. Youngest son is home until Monday morning. So nice to have him around for a few days.

I am so ready for a break!

Horrah - I actually have a week that isn't looking crazy stupid busy. Yesterday the boss was on leave so the office was quiet and I got loads done. Today and tomorrow I'm out of the office at a conference - no early start today for a change. Then on Friday - and no laughing! - I'm off to my home town to pick up my sis and then we're going to see the Osmonds. Ah to be 13 again :-)

It will soon be Easter too - lovely long weekend to enjoy.

In the creative writing department, I'm on course to sub some chapters to a novel competition. Don't figure I stand a chance of winning, but someone has to and if I'm not in then I can't win. Next assignment is almost done for the course - I'm actually ahead of the deadline this time - yay. Plotting and scheming an entry to a short story competition next month. After Easter I really must get back to the fantasy novel that is in need of a darn good edit.

In other news, have you all spotted that the Shanks has now joined the world of Twitter. So cute.

Haven't posted in a while due to busy, busy and more busy. So a quick update ...

Creative writing course is going OK. I'm waiting for my mark on the poetry assignment (hopefully back tomorrow). Poetry turned out to be more fun than I expected. It's like extreme editing :-) The residential mini course I went on was wonderful. Brilliant tutor and a great bunch of people. Also it was in a Georgian manor house and the food was out of this world. I seriously want to live there and be a full-time student.

Running - yes, I have blown the dust off the trainers. Ran the Milton Keynes half marathon in the most atrocious weather. It started out wet and morphed into wind and snow. I kid you not - SNOW! Gah. Still I finished. Wasn't bothered about how fast as a large chunk of my training involved drinking beer and eating chocolate in Bruges.

Ah yes Bruges - wonderful place. Hubby and I walked miles, visited eight museums in one day, and ate some great food. Our hotel was a laugh a minute - we never knew what services would be working. During the weekend the electricity went off, the water went out, the wifi was iffy at best, one elevator packed up and the swimming pool was permanently out of action. On the plus side the staff were delightful and breakfast was great.

Work is crazy crazy. One step forward, one step back on the building project. Never a dull moment on all fronts. I do enjoy it though being a bit of a chaos junkie.

... I will meet my younger son's not-girlfriend. She's a not-girlfriend because they are doing a year long training course that stipulated no dating between participants. of course the minute you tell a bunch of young people that they can't do something ....

Anyway, today could be interesting.