Washing Lines

I need to look through all my photos for the images I have of washing lines around the coast because this is where the best pictures of washing lines are. This particular one is in a garden in a suburb of Manchester. And not enough breeze. Far, far, from the coast. I have a photo of men's socks on a line in Pitlochry. Clothes blowing next to a house by the west coast. The best is just sheets and sea and sky at Applecross. Deep rain leaden sky holding on to the late afternoon sun. The best. And what is the best is that it's transigent, but it is captured in the photograph and then the memory of those days is evoked as if it were now.

Chapter Breakdowns and Musical Showdowns

I'm working on the order of chapters for Erosion, to make sure that Lizzy's motivation is logical and the order of events makes sense to the logic of the chalet park residents.
My head is exploding! But it is also satisfying knowing that the next stage will flow.
And to think I thought I'd got this right before. Ha.

Last night I went to the Summer Music Concert at Xaverian College in Rusholme, Manchester. Every time I attend one of these concerts I am amazed by the professional standard. The orchestra could be playing at the Albert Hall in London, be the Halle from Manchester. And the choirs and flutes, solo cellist and swing band and individually put together groups combinging vocals and strings,guitar, drums and stunning in their talent.
The evening ended on a fantastic rendition of Bat out of Hell. Wild. Of course there were tears. Students are leaving to go on to other things. The Head praised the talent and work and energy of the young people and left us with the knowledge that Manchester and the country will be safe in their hands.
What a night!
Exhausted today.

Goodbye Coty, Hello Erosion

Is this it? I'm printing up the final version of at the moment, titled, 'Essence of Coty' and getting itchy fingers and excited feelings that I'm opening the pages of Erosion, which is completely written, but needs much, much re-writing. At least the story is there. It's a contemporary mystery about a group of misfits in a long forgotten chalet park on the Yorkshire coast. The cliffs are falling into the sea, taking the chalets with them, but as their eviction approaches, people with nothing left to lose show what they are willing to do. The main character comes into this world and is dragged along, finding that she becomes a saviour rather than the survivor she has always had to be. It's the run up to Bonfire Night and the fireworks at the nearby stately home, Moorland Castle, aren't the only explosions going off.

Ooh, just writing this makes me excited.

The World Cup

Celebrate well and enjoy, Espana! X Very happy.

Sherry Tasting at the Bodega Estevez

In February, I came back from Jerez de la Frontera with five sample bottles of sherry from the Bodega Estevez. I had only taken hand luggage on the flight so was only allowed 10ml bottles in my bag. I've saved them for a sherry tasting - ha, you get two glasses out of each bottle and I wanted to share them between five people. Anyway, not a great day today and thought, let's not try as it's six months since I got back from Spain and the odds of us all getting together...so, Almirante, Oloros first. Jerez Secco, Marques del Real Tesoro. Beautiful oaky rich colour. Gorgeous oaky rich aroma. A sip, a wince, a slight screwing up of the face.

Next. Tio Mateo, Fino. Jerez seco y suave. Marques del Real Tesoro. I slipped in a tiny ice cube. Crisp, light, fresh, delicious. Lightly pale. Just as I drank in Cordoba in February. All you need, cold, with a plate of piping hot prawns melting in crisp batter. A perfect combination. Ah. If only I were there now in that tiny back room in the small three roomed bar, all ages eating and drinking and on the ball waiters and those bells for service on the wall, and fino and hot prawns. Perfect.

Three bottles to go. I'm eating strawberries now. The rest of the tastings for another night.
And Espana - Good luck and play as well as your fino and prawns and you will win on Sunday. X

Losing your mind, but not in the way I'd like

It's 11.15. I'm just settling down to work, but I'm trembling with upsettedness and not anger, but 'AAAHHHH-ness.'
Student Loan Application. We have had to do this using three way media and it doesn't work, doesn't connect, doesn't communicate. On-line, by post and telephone. And today, after months and of being assured all was going through, I had to play the emotional near tears game to get them to sort it. I am assuming that as part has been done online and part by post that the dear old computer can't correlate the information and keeps refusing access, so it cannot be completed on-line although weeks ago a voice on a telephone line assured us it was and we keep being told to go back to it.
So, nice man today said he'd do it. Do we do anything else? No. You'll receive notice of the amount you will receive, probably not until 2021, when you are hopefully not in higher education, but you will receive notice. I was assured.

This has taken all morning after some other business I won't bore you with because I'm sure the above hasn't bored you.

And I was going to talk about the Global Grooves Dance workshop I went to last night at Band on the Wall in Manchester. It's the third in a course of I think eight, leading to a performance at the Big Drum Day in Chorley, Lancashire. I didn't make the first two, probably won't make the rest. I've been on other courses run by Global Grooves and have to say, I like the process bit the best but not the sudden drive to the performance. Some tutors plan the weekend, which it ususally is, better than others. The performances are actually good in showing what you've learnt, bringing the group together, completing the time with a firework rather than a sparkler.
But, we are paying to be taught and the teaching of a new style, rhythm, way of dancing can be lost in the drive to put the choreography together. Again, different teachers are better than others.
Last night, it was Adriana Rosso, a Brazilian who is an inspiring dancer. She seems to be taking the move towards the performance at a good pace, preparing early. However, the very nature of these workshops because they lead to a performance feel that there isn't as much 'learning' as I'd like. I like to work up a sweat, doing lots of moves, having a laugh, connecting, aching the next day. I don't want much. I don't think I can make another workshop in this run though. I enjoyed it, didn't feel too pushed, but I did feel, and I understand the logic of dancing fast when the final rhythm will be fast, but I felt sloppy and scrappy in my dance. But then, that's just me. With practice, going over and over, the fast moves will gel and hold their form. And then the glorious satisfaction. I'm waffling, blithering, my mind has been made mulch by the student loan system, new this year, might I add, and too flawed. Great people at the helpline on the end of the phone lines, but security is high, no longer are the days when you can talk about your spouse or son or daughter. Security. You might be trying to con them and we must protect their rights.... I'm going, where? Who knows. Into the ether.

Skies

Driving home from town towards Chorlton and then on towards Stretford because I didn't want to go home. The sky was so blue and pink, mackeral sky, dappled, streaked, glowingly colourful. I didn't want to turn around because then my back would be to the rich glowing dusky rose and turquoise clouds and I wanted to watch the until it faded. Makes the heart expand. When all is not as we want it, all we need is to see such a sight. Thank you for that tonight. The photo isn't of tonight's sky, but it's another glorious coloured sight.

Change

Events keep happening that signify change and yet the change is simmering in the background rather than taking place. It's confusing, frustrating and beginning to annoy me as it's happening in every area. I feel like shouting, "Oh, just get on with it!" This is shouted at the sky, out there, to the heavens and beyond. And if the change isn't going to be in my favour, then I suppose I don't want it. Or do I? Sometimes change is better than treading water, which this feels like. I can't bear if for much longer.
I used to force issues just to get out of not knowing. Not always a wise thing to do, but at least something happened. And I suppose that is what this is about. I can't bear nothing happening. And yet, right now, change has been triggered, but now it's kicking its heels and looking down and turning in circles and driving me nuts.
Is this a challenge to the universe? Eeek. Am I ready? Yes, because then I will know what I need to do. Or do you think I'm being a chance to prepare for the change and I'm the one turning in circles, wasting time, kicking my heels...?