Tuesday.

So sorry there was no blog yesterday. I was struck down with momentary malaise, and collapsed in a heap.

Today, I woke, after hours and hours of sleep, feeling myself again. The sun was shining and I got things done. I went out into the world and ran errands and felt a quiet sense of organisation grow in me. This is very, very rare, since I am usually all over the place, never getting the practical things done which must be done, wishing vainly that I were one of the shiny, organised people. I’ll never quite crack the secret of it, my head is too full of other things, but, for once, I had a glimpse of order.

Galvanised, I wrote 1272 words of book. I’m still supposed to be cutting, but the onion must be peeled in its own way. As I get to the heart of the thing, I can see what needs to go, but I also see what needs to be added. I know one does not necessarily need a theme, but it turns out I do have one. It’s just that it took me 154,000 words to realise what it was. Now I have the theme, it must be amplified a bit. Although of course banging the poor Dear Readers over the head with it is never a good idea. HEY HEY, LOOK, OVER HERE, THERE IS A THEME!!!!! But still, it’s quite nice to give a little intimation, from time to time. And this sometimes requires a new scene or two.

As the sun continues to shine in its dazzling way, the Younger Niece suggests we do some video action. She is a film student, and she wants to practice on me and the red mare. I am having a very bad hair day, but I’m so excited at the thought of the duchess being caught on film for all eternity that I don’t care. She is very furry, and very muddy, and very scruffy, but she goes round as sweetly as a dressage horse as we free-school, and I leap up and down with pride like a six-year-old. I explain to the Younger Niece about herd behaviour and the nature of the flight animal, and she is so enchanting that she expresses interest. It is possibly not the favourite subject of every 21-year-old, but she has an open mind and a heart the size of Pluto. Even if she were bored to sobs, she would still pretend to be interested, for my sake. She is a very, very special human indeed. An hour in her company is the best tonic in the world. She has the gift, quite natural and completely unforced, of making one feel better about everything. I am an exceptionally lucky aunt.

Most unusually, I’m going away again in four days, so the blog may be spotty, or, like today, rather stilted. Must give them something, shout the stern voices. But what about the packing and planning and emailing and booking and organising? shout the panicked voices. So I do apologise. One I’m settled again on the 14th December, I shall not be going anywhere for months and months, and I’ll concentrate on giving you the good stuff. It is the least you deserve. You really have stuck with me through the thick and the exceptionally thin. Don’t think I take that for granted.

 

Just time for some quick pictures - of the Best Beloveds, some random trees, and the sweet Younger Niece: