Yes Mike, another red top day today

Well to be honest it was blue but it felt like a red top day and what a stunningly beautiful day - a real promise of spring. It can hard living out here in the valley, especially when there's thick snow on the ground and the temperatures plummet to minus, what feels like a hundred, million degrees but days like this are compensation for the cruelity of the winter, the sun has shone, the trees have reached for the skies to embrace its rays and the daffodils are one, maybe two steps nearer bursting into flower.

Okay Sue, never mind waxing lyrical how has it been? Seriously a good day and I didn't miss the morning either. Today has shown me that despite everything we do have friends. A few weeks ago Dan (no 2 son) bought a car off ebay. He went up to South Shields to pick up, drove it home and two a half miles from home the engine went pop or rather bang. He got another engine for it but today his mate, who lives in Bristol, left home at 7 to come and help him put it in. Okay, him and his girlfriend are staying tonight, so the car, hopefully can finished off tomorrow but Jason didn't have to do that, he came up to help because he wanted too and that's special, he came up because Dan's a mate. It's easy to take friends for granted but we should never underestimate their worth - they're there because of choice not duty.

And writing - well Lynda LaPlante! I know who the hell am I to criticise the great author but you know I have a serious issue with her in her book 'Silent Scream'. It's a novel right, and I like to read novels at night, you know the thing, kick the cat out, go to the loo, clean your teeth, get ready for bed, climb under the quilt and pick up your book for a good read before putting the light out. Basically what I'm saying is reading your book is what you do when you're absolutely knackered and you want a little light relief before the sandman comes.

Okay with Lynda you have a murder or two that's fine. I really don't mind beautiful young actresses meeting a grissly end before I sleep, it doesn't give me nightmares. But what does give me nightmares is the fact that in this book three of the female leading characters all have names beginning with A. You've got Amanda, aforementioned beautiful young actress who meets a grissly end but who's name obviously is mentioned throughout the book. Then you have Andrea who was her theatrical agent, again who's name keeps coming up but if that isn't confusing enough you have Anna Travis the detective working on the murder case.

Tired, exhausted the whole damn thing gets confusing. For God's sake hasn't Ms La Plante learned that there are other letters in the alphabet and thousands of other names that won't confuse the reader. How many times have, as writers, we've been told not to use the same initial for our characters? If Ms La Plante had chosen different names, beginning with different letters for her leading ladies, it would be that little easier to read when you're tired, exhausted or just plain bloody knackered instead of having to think who she's talking about. So hint - when plucking a name out of thin air, just give it a second thought, will it confuse my readers or failing that will it confuse Sue, because if it does - she'll moan about it on her blog.

Moan over. I'm going to hit the sack and wonder yet again, why the victim is investigating the case and why the theatrical agent is lying on the bed murdered and yet planning nasty things with the gorgeous Andrew Smith- Barker.