Last day and tips

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If you don’t normally read newspapers, make sure you click on the link and read writing tips from people like Mantel, Rankin and more. Some are very earnest and serious, others have a more pragmatic approach – “Shut up and get on with it!”
Interesting to read. Rankin lists as his 9th tip “Get lucky” and his 10th “Stay lucky.” How right he is. Luck has such a big part to play in this game.
Our last day of skiing was a beaut. Sunshine and blue skies and we had a wonderful time (If I forget the horrendous queues for the Cable car to the Kleine Matterhorn early this morning.) Zermatt seems quieter than we remembered in previous years. Perhaps the recession in Europe has something to do with it, but it has meant uncrowded slopes, which we liked. At times we had whole ski runs to ourselves, which means no worries about kamikaze skiers shooting out of nowhere and leaving a blast of wind and cold particles of snow in your face. I can remember the long past days as a beginner when such a skier would disturb your rhythm so much you’d retreat shaking to the side of the piste muttering dark words.
All this time I’ve been away I’ve done no writing and very little reading. All I can say is that exercise and fresh air do not mesh very well with writing. Hey ho. Lots to do when I get back.

Sam rules!

My routine has been upskittled this week by

the character you see in the pic - Sam. We're boarding him for a week or so while his owners

are away on holiday. He's very obedient, full of energy and wakes us up very early in the morning. Very politely, but rather early. As early as 5.44 one day when he was feeling unsettled. It's been 7.30-ish for the last few days. Even that is early for us!

What with two exercise classes Tuesday and Thursday, a Pilates class on Wednesday, and all the other things like grocery shopping and dog walking, it leaves very little time for writing. I'm out tonight, too, with the girlfriends.

And of course there's always the tennis - the Australian Open. I was horrified when Rafa had to withdraw early in the third set, and I hope it doesn't mean his career is over. It was interesting to note the manner of his going - walking straight up to Murray, embracing him, and apologising for withdrawing. No inhibitions about touching, standing close or letting his feelings show. Murray looked surprised, naturally, but seemed (to me, though some of you may disagree) slightly embarrassed by the closeness between them. An interesting sidelight on Spanish-Scottish behaviour. Or Spanish-UK habits if you prefer.

When I do get to my laptop, the writing comes easily enough. I have about eighty thousand words complete now and have a rough idea of where the last few chapters are going. I do waver about the actual ending. Will it be happy or sad? Not sure yet. Will there be a sequel? Possibly. I know I need to go through and check a few details and certainly write in more layers of feeling. That should come more easily as I know my characters so much better after all those words about them.

One of the nurses at the rehab class (there are two in attendance, just in case anything should go wrong) had seen the piece on me in the Courant, and spoke to me about it. I gave her one of the postcards I had Vistaprinted, showing the two covers from Quaestor. I find it difficult to know what to say in these situations.

I've just realised that watching the tennis and doing this at the same time has resulted in time moving on faster than I anticipated. I should have abandoned this and driven to my exercise class at ten o'clock in Hexham. I can't fly, and it will take me twenty minutes to get there, so I think this will be my first absenteeism. I can watch the tennis and then take Sam out for his second contitutional of the day. Probably I'll get more exercise that way!