Nanowrimo Day 27

I've done it!

At 15.50 dressed in jeans and tee shirt I typed my 50,000th word.

In reality there is no food in the cupboard, the lads are starving , the house is a mess but what the hell for the first time I have completed the Nanowrimo challenge in less than 30 days. Now I have a half written novel that needs and will be finished.

Thanks to everyone who have given their support and to the other Nanobabes of Wrekin Writers - haven't we done well.

Nanowrimo Day 24

Huge, huge congratulation to fellow Nanobabe Julie Phillips for completing her 50,000 in 23 days. Well done Julie. I'm not far behind you and I should finish before the 30 days are up. That makes a change from the past, I've been scribbling until late in the evening on the final day just to complete it.

Yesterday I didn't do anything, funny day, real life got in the way but today I've added another 2,000 words plus so I'm really happy about that.

I was going to do some more tonight but it was choir were called 'The Clun Valley Singers.' What you've never heard of us? I don't know you put all this effort in and.... only joking, we're a group of about ten who get together to sing because we like to, if anyone wanted to listen to us, we'd run the other way :-)

But anyway after choir, when I was going to write, erm we down the pub, so I'm just going to have to work harder tomorrow.

But for me, Nanowrimo still rocks. Thoroughly enjoing it and I don't intend stopping at the end of the month, I shall stop when I've completed my novel. But don't tell the lads, they're already wasting away. Time I reintroduced them to the cooker, microwave and yes while I'm at I must explain the mysteries of that strange thing in the kitchen with a circular door on and whilst they're at it - they can do mine too.

Nanowrimo - Day 22

It's the early hours of Sunday morning and I really should be asleep but, well who'd agree to do Nanowrimo. Quick update. Friday I didn't do anything on my novel. I took my sons to work and had the car radio on. It was the first I had real idea of what was going on up in Cumbria. I came home and switched the television news on and to be honest that's where I stayed all day.

I looked at pictures of places I knew quite well and they'd changed beyond all recognition. I listened to stories of incredible bravery and I watched as people opened the doors for the first time to see the damage, the devastation that flood waters did to their properties. I heard the news of the discovery of the body of that PC Bill Barker, a man who until yesterday we knew nothing about but today is a hero because of his acts of bravery. God it's so awful what happened.

On one of the websites I saw a picture of two women walking through a street, the debris of the floods all around them, one woman had her arm around the other holding her whilst she cried. Yes I've been through that. I've lost my home to flood water and I know exactly how they feel. I know that feeling of crying but they're almost silent tears because there is nothing you can do, you're afraid but you have to hold things together. You put on a brave face, you appear to cope and yet underneath everything is crumbling.

But this isn't about me. I've been through it, I've come through and I've survived and now am thriving but for those poor people they're just at the beginning of it all. Some will handle it better than others but however they do handle it they do need our thoughts and prayers. Practically maybe we can't do anything but just in our own way we can support them.

We take our homes for granted. It's where we go. It's the one place that is ours, everything is familiar and that is so comforting. Whatever the world throws at us, we've got our nest to retreat to. I know when we lost our home and we homeless, the one thing I really longed for, the one thing that could end the nightmare we were living under was to go home but we had no home to go to. That's what those poor people are going through, lost people in many ways. Remember them.

Remember PC Bill Barker's family their pain is something else, something that I can't understand and yet his wife in a statement a few hours after his death said how proud she was of him and that he died doing that job he loved. And a misquote was that it was typical of Bill, helping others.

It's so easy to take our lives, our loved ones, our homes for granted and there is no reason why we shouldn't but every now and again maybe we need to stop and think and appreciate what we have got and that today they're there, tomorrow there are no guarantees.

Nanowrimo - Day 19

I went to Ludlow Writers tonight and it was brilliant but it's not what you'd call a normal writers group. We're a few people, six of us who somewhere along the line found each other through our love of writing who have become the best of friends. There have been meetings where we haven't really done anything about writing but have helped supported each other through all sorts of things, personal, professional and at times illness too.

Tonight we talked and we laughed but we did actually manage to produce some work. Ann who is a lovely lady and someone who I'm love dearly but she's also a remarkable woman. At the age of 72, after leaving school at 14, she got her BA (Hons) she's so clever but I don't think she realises it. She wrote such a moving piece based on the Beatles' Song - Eleanor Rigby. It was so moving when she spoke about loneliness but she did it such a way that you understood the character's loneliness without tear jerking sympathy. It really was a clever, wonderful piece of writing.

Helen who is priceless, she has a smile that lights up her whole face wrote a letter from her Mum explaining why she hadn't done her homework. Witty, funny, bloody hilarious actually but so cleverly done.

You know sometimes in life you step back, you don't always realise you're doing it until something slaps you in the face. Tonight as I looked around the group, and yes we all missed Simon because he's such an integral part of it too, but I saw these people almost as if for the first time and I saw their talent, their love of what they do, their love of sharing and their gift so freely given of friendship. We take so much for granted and I'm just as guilty of that as the next man but as I said tonight was realising how much I appreciate these people in my life. And I'm so glad that Simon introduced me to them and gave me the chance of knowing and appreciating them.

Yes it's a Poppy of some sort. I'm not a gardener but although November is the month of Rememberance, I haven't put it here for that. We all know what they look like but have we ever taken the time to study and appreciate their beauty. Have we ever taken time to step back and realise exactly what and who is important in our lives?

I didn't realise until tonight that Helen is avidly following mine and Julie's progress on Nanowrimo and she's backing the two of us all the way. Thanks Helen I know Julie appreciates your support as much as I do. But also Nanowrimo itself. It is mad and yes I've done it before but I don't think I've ever enjoyed it and learned so much from it. I've rediscovered the joy of setting time aside and writing. I've rediscovered that the more the write, the more I want to write and also as in the past I've let problems overtake me so much that they've stopped me from writing.

This past week two major problems have come to the surface and it would have been so easy just to give up on Nanowrimo and spend my time worrying. But that hasn't happened and if it had no doubt people would totally understand but that's not what I want. I'm dealing with the problems in the time that isn't my writing time and when it is my writing time, they're pushed to the back of my mind, put in the drawer to be dealt with later. It's very liberating and it's amazing.

So to the guys who ten years ago started this crazy thing in the States with just ten people - thank you.

Right enough of all of this I'm off to Tumbles Forge and am so happy to be doing so.

Have fun

Nanowrimo - day 18

Right here we are on day eighteen. It's hardly stopped raining all day. The sun hasn't come out like we were told it would do. The River Clun has burst its banks but not by much but I'm 66% the way through my 50,000 words and Julie is a little ahead on 68% and we still have twelve days to go.

It is mad, it is stupid, it's great fun and it's an achievement. I also know that I'm going to get no peace now from a certain quarter because he'll keep reminding me that when I want to make time to write, I do. Lesson learned Simon.

The piccy tonight is just for a laugh. It is of me aged about three after playing in my Nana's coal hole up in Gateshead. And no I'm not telling you how many years ago that was but let's just say it was alot.

Nanowrimo - day 16

Clunbury the truth.

What happens when you decide to write a novel in thirty days?

They come and dig the road up outside your house. But it's okay, after a while you get used to the noise of the digger. Bless them.

Anyway I had a day off yesterday. I don't think that was a terribly good idea. This morning, I've found it difficult to get back into my story but I'll do it. I've had several cups of coffee and have walked around the house asking what happens next. I really should do the ironing but that can wait. I'm going to press on and hopefully the good folk of my village will tell me. Fingers crossed.

Nanowrimo - day 14

I had a wonderful afternoon yesterday. Curled up with my laptop on my sofa I went back to Tumbles Forge and wrote about their lives. Peace and quiet you can't beat it.

I did intend to post my blog but I lost track of time and had to rush to go and pick the lads up from work, get Robin on the train and do the shopping. That wasn't a problem, the problem was the weather. God it was dreadful.

The road I live on, which is really a lane and quite narrow in places, was virtually under water and the bits that weren't were slippy because of all the leaves the howling gales and wrenched off the trees. The Clun road wasn't any better, in fact it was worse because of the pot holes (are you listening Shropshire County Council, yes I said pot holes) and the water running off the fields and every car that went past threw water over the car - oh yes and it was dark, very dark.

Anyway we got there and back but when I got in the house I was drenched so blogging was the last thing on my mind. Dinner and a glass of wine was first and foremost. And today, windy is an understatement and it's raining again. So I think I've decided the weather in Tumbles Forge is nice and sunny so I'm going to spend most of the day there.

The piccies above are of the two faces of the River Clun both were taken in about the same place. If this rain continues if it hasn't already burst its banks it will do but to honest I don't fancy going down to have a look. Definitely staying in today.

Nanowrimo - day 12

Day 12 and I'm still going. To be honest I'm really enjoying this. I definitely write better in the afternoon but the only trouble with that is the house is silent, the past few days have been dark but the two together and it's so easy to nod off. But I can justify that, I take power naps and it works.

The lads are coping well. They've found out how the washing machine works and they've discovered that if they can use that funny silver thing in the kitchen to cook food so we're all surviving but best of all my hands are holding out well. It's definitely easier working on a laptop than a PC that's providing the damn thing doesn't lose my work.

Oh and latest news, I'm now an editor. Clunbury parish is launching its parish newsletter in Jan/Feb and I've got involved with it. We had a meeting last night to sort things out and yes I'm one of the editors - could be interesting.

For those of you who don't know Clunbury the piccy above is of the village taken from Clunbury Hill and the parish well there are about two hundred and fifty households spread over four villages and several hamlets, not exactly heavily populated but hey as I'm discovering there is life and a lot goes on out in the hills of South Shropshire. Me I love it. It's the perfect place to write a novel in a month.

Nanowrimo - day 11

Oh dear, I've been naughty haven't I?

The whole idea of this blogging during Nanowrimo was that I'd keep you up to date on a daily basis as to how I'm doing and I haven't. But to be honest I didn't do any writing on Saturday, I went to a fantastic writing workshop in a fairy grotto. Yes I did say a fairy grotto and it was brilliant. I'll tell you more about that in another post and I'll put some piccies up just to show you that I'm not going mad.

Sunday I was at church and running kids around, Monday not a lot happened but yesterday. Well yesterday I wrote about 4,000 words and then something silly happened with the computer and I lost about half of them. I don't know what happened but I wasn't happy that's why I didn't post. Oh and yesterday was my birthday so the evening was pretty well taken up.

Today I've managed again about 4,000 words and haven't lost any and I'm happy. So although I'm behind with my word count, I'm determined to catch up. Another 4,000 tomorrow and the day after and the day after.... A little madness does help when doing Nanowrimo believe me.

The piccy tonight was taken a couple of years ago but it did make me laugh. It's a slug on a giant puff ball and I added the caption 'You're never going to eat all of that.'

Have fun

Nanowrimo - day 6

Day 6 and I'm less than 700 words behind where I should be so I'm really pleased with that. Hopefully I can catch up this weekend but tomorrow I'm going to a writing workshop in Craven Arms so we'll see. I'll let you know about that tomorrow whether or not I do any work on my novel. Hopefully I can, it's nice to escape to Tumbles Forge even if all the Parish Council do is bicker. Oh and by the way Tumbles Forge Parish Council bears no resemblance to any Parish Council I've served on - honestly.

The piccy tonight is one I took a while ago. A red admiral resting on the church wall. I've put it up because this afternoon was wet and very soggy and tonight they've said it's going to be cold so it's a reminder of the balmy days of summer.

Have a great weekend whatever you're doing.

Nanowrimo - day 5

Today has been a lovely day. This morning I pottered around the house doing odd jobs. Then Simon arrived and bless him, took me out for a good natter and a lovely lunch, followed by a drive through the Mortimer Forest and up through Wigmore and back home. The scenic route but it's so beautiful and the skies were wonderful. And when I got home I sat down at my computer and added another 1689 words to my novel.

When we out we were talking about finding time to write. If you haven't already read it, do read Simon's blog about making time to write. For me, during this week I've discovered that I write better in the afternoon. Monday, as I said was perfect, I sat down to write at 9.15

and boy was it a struggle. Whereas the rest of the week I've been busy in the morning, out over lunchtime so I've only had the afternoon and knowing I've only got that time has enabled me to focus so much better. This afternoon was lovely. It went very dark early, thanks to storm clouds, so I sat on my sofa with my laptop, a mug of coffee and the side light on and just wrote. It was so peaceful, to be honest I was dreading the lads coming back from work to disturb my peace. Selfish maybe but I didn't want my writing time to end.

Do my family appreciate what I'm doing. Most of the time perhaps not but I was thrilled when Rob did ask if he could put the television on and when I asked him to do it later it wasn't a problem. Hopefully this will continue and my family will respect my time to write. And Simon as for being back to normal in December I hope not. I like this. I'm not being selfish I'm being me and doing what I have to do, the same way others in my household do.

God I feel liberated.

The piccy tonight was taken in August at the top of the Burway in Church Stretton. For those who know that nightmare of a road with two hundred foot drops at the edge of it - yes I did drive up it, which is better than driving down it but it's still scary. The motoring equivalent to a white water ride - this is a white knuckle ride. But the view from the top is amazing. If you look closely you'll see Church Stretton nestled in the valley - it was a beautiful day that day and one I was fortunate enough to share with my Dad.

PS Thanks for lunch Simon. You take care and have a wonderful time in the Lakes.

Nanorwrimo - day 4

Over 1,600 words today, not as many as I would've like but it was another trip to Shrewsbury and then well, don't tell anyone, but I fell asleep on the sofa when I got back, not for long but it did take some valuable writing time.

However, I'm quite pleased with myself, still about 900 words behind target but it could be a lot worse.

I did go to choir last night. Oh there's trouble brewing. I can tell you because no one from choir knows about my blog so I'm alright. Looks like our leader, conductor whatever is going to be ousted. She went on holiday for a fortnight, left the choir in the safe hands of Arthur and everyone prefers him so.... well she's back on Saturday and the choir are going to tell her next Tuesday. I don't know if I'll be there because it will be my birthday and maybe the lads will take me out - ha ha, so yes I shall probably be there for the fireworks, five days late. You know the funny thing is the choir was only formed about six weeks ago and we've already started a rebellion. Fun and games.

And good news my son's car has passed the MOT.

The piccy today, I quite like the idea of putting random piccies on my blog was taken last Saturday down in Clun. Pretty isn't it?

Nanowrimo - day 3

Dead chuffed with myself today. Despite leaving home at 8.45 and not getting back until 13.30 after running number one son half way around the county and then having two trips this afternoon into Clun I have actually managed to write over 2,000 words. Okay I know I needed to because I was dragging behind but hey.... I'm only about 900 words behind where I should be. I would do that tonight but I've got choir and seeing as I didn't go last week I really ought to go this week.

However, that finishes about 21.00 so there is a chance, that's if Annie's not there because if she is well, we'll end up in the pub.

Now I'd better go and sort out the mess that's in my kitchen sadly life doesn't stop for Nanowrimo. Mind you number 3 son has moaned that it's just chicken and pasta tonight, I think he's bloody lucky he's being fed - don't you?

And the piccy, nothing to do with writing but it was very wet and stormy here this morning and I took this of a tree in the orchard at the back of my house. I love the way the sun is highlighting the tree against the dark background. Thought I'd add it to my blog to brighten up the page.

Nanowrimo - day 2

Phew sometimes I think I'm totally mad. Today is ideal for writing. I'm at home on my own, I've got my comfy sofa, my laptop, a cup of coffee and beautiful view not to mention peace and quiet but do I feel like writing? Do I heck. But no I'm sitting down and I'm doing it, besides writing my blog, checking my emails and just about everything else I can do on the computer besides actually write. Word is open though, underneath www.blogger.com so shall return to it and don't be surprised if I post again today.

Now come on Susie, get scribbling, think of all the others in the world who are joining you in this endeavour.... ok.

Do I need another coffee yet?

Nanowrimo - day 1

The first of November has arrived and with it the start of Nanowrimo. It's quite daunting to think that I've accepted the challenge of writing 50,000 words in 30 days. Okay I've done it three times before but a lot has happened since the last time I did it in 2005, perhaps the most significant thing which might affect my chances of completing this challenge is the affect dear old 'Arfur' has had on my life.

Dear old Arfur is the pet name I've given to the arthritis which is having a serious effect on my hands so typing is a problem but hey nothing ventured, nothing gained and if needs be there's always pain killers and wrist straps. By the end of this month I could end up as a stoned mummy encased in neoprene - that could be fun.

But I'm excited, I know what I'm going to write about. I'm going back to Tumbles Forge, my village with people I need to rediscover, incidents and events that have yet to be created but that are beginning to happen in my head. I have a month on the sofa with my laptop on my knee, looking out across Clunbury Hill with my imagination for company. I can't think of a better way to spend November.

And to all my fellow Nanowrimo writers - good luck.