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Well, here it is ...
Dec. 22nd, 2012 09:18 amMerry Christmas, I mean. Way past time for an update.
Xmas started officially last night with our annual trip across the road to a friend's house for "Cocktails and Carols". The cocktails are a devilish concoction of brandy, cointreau, and angostura bitters poured over a sugar cube then topped up with champagne until it runs out then anything fizzy that comes to hand. I avoided them so by 8.30 was the only sober one in the house. Honestly, guys, you haven't lived until you've been crammed into a tiny room with 20 other people, a piano, a dog, a professional Elvis impersonator and someone playing a euphonium all happily belting out Bohemian Rhapsody. Oh and the Welsh can BELT, and they have an elastic interpretation of what is meant by 'carol'. The hostess can't sing AT ALL but can hit notes a bat would envy at a volume way past eleven - her party piece is to sing the full version of the Phantom of the Opera including all the squeaky bits. My party piece is to sing whatever was written before 1700 that the pianist is still sober enough to play and, immediately after, a duet of Are You lonesome Tonight with Elvis [a phrase I never thought I'd have occasion to type].
We headed home at 1.30, my husband heading off into the rainy dark and leaving me to accompany my daughter whose "high heels were giving her trouble", yeah right. But he might as well have waited because we found him leaning on the gate swearing miserably at it, having been completely baffled by th latch. I'm not sure when I'll see him today but I doubt that it will be early and I very much doubt that he'll be happy.
I have the house to myself so am cwtching Wilfred - he smells like doritos - and feeling apologetic that I haven't posted in LJ for so long.
So what's happened?
Yesterday Charlie Cochrane took over my other blog to talk about uniforms and celebrate the release of The Angel In the Window, from MLR Press. I have my copy - have you got yours?
I've been following and commenting to the posts on Speak Its Name where there is fun, frivolity, fiction and fabulous freebies plus a quiz to send in on Christmas Eve.
At work we are running out of buckets as yet again the castle reminds us how horrendous they must have been to live in during the medieval period. OMG it's wet! And when you have collections of artefacts that need to be kept in strictly controlled conditions that is a cause for worry. If it keeps raining I'm going to have to go in and empty the buckets and check for new drips.
On A Lee Shore come out on schedule and a couple of people have said they liked it. One person emailed me with a complaint about being kept up until gone 2 because he wanted to know what would happen next and I didn't know whether to feel guilty or be terribly proud. A little of both I think. Because there have been some issues with the blurb, which I have partially addressed on amazon but can't do anything about elsewhere, I haven't gone overboard with the plugging but I have some blog posts with Sue Roebuck, Kiran Hunter, Tristram Laroche, and Cat Cavendish where I whitter on a bit about pirates and offer a copy of the book to a commenter. I'll choose the winners tomorrow so there's still time to comment. Or, if you're pushed for time, comment here instead. :) Hell it's Christmas. I shouldn't even be posting on LJ - floors to scrub, clutter to - um - declutter.
But FIRST I must walk the dog. He has brought me his lead and is looking hopeful.
Merry Christmas, my darlings, may your spirits be light, your puddings tasty and you 2013 everything you could wish it to be.
Xmas started officially last night with our annual trip across the road to a friend's house for "Cocktails and Carols". The cocktails are a devilish concoction of brandy, cointreau, and angostura bitters poured over a sugar cube then topped up with champagne until it runs out then anything fizzy that comes to hand. I avoided them so by 8.30 was the only sober one in the house. Honestly, guys, you haven't lived until you've been crammed into a tiny room with 20 other people, a piano, a dog, a professional Elvis impersonator and someone playing a euphonium all happily belting out Bohemian Rhapsody. Oh and the Welsh can BELT, and they have an elastic interpretation of what is meant by 'carol'. The hostess can't sing AT ALL but can hit notes a bat would envy at a volume way past eleven - her party piece is to sing the full version of the Phantom of the Opera including all the squeaky bits. My party piece is to sing whatever was written before 1700 that the pianist is still sober enough to play and, immediately after, a duet of Are You lonesome Tonight with Elvis [a phrase I never thought I'd have occasion to type].
We headed home at 1.30, my husband heading off into the rainy dark and leaving me to accompany my daughter whose "high heels were giving her trouble", yeah right. But he might as well have waited because we found him leaning on the gate swearing miserably at it, having been completely baffled by th latch. I'm not sure when I'll see him today but I doubt that it will be early and I very much doubt that he'll be happy.
I have the house to myself so am cwtching Wilfred - he smells like doritos - and feeling apologetic that I haven't posted in LJ for so long.
So what's happened?
Yesterday Charlie Cochrane took over my other blog to talk about uniforms and celebrate the release of The Angel In the Window, from MLR Press. I have my copy - have you got yours?
I've been following and commenting to the posts on Speak Its Name where there is fun, frivolity, fiction and fabulous freebies plus a quiz to send in on Christmas Eve.
At work we are running out of buckets as yet again the castle reminds us how horrendous they must have been to live in during the medieval period. OMG it's wet! And when you have collections of artefacts that need to be kept in strictly controlled conditions that is a cause for worry. If it keeps raining I'm going to have to go in and empty the buckets and check for new drips.
On A Lee Shore come out on schedule and a couple of people have said they liked it. One person emailed me with a complaint about being kept up until gone 2 because he wanted to know what would happen next and I didn't know whether to feel guilty or be terribly proud. A little of both I think. Because there have been some issues with the blurb, which I have partially addressed on amazon but can't do anything about elsewhere, I haven't gone overboard with the plugging but I have some blog posts with Sue Roebuck, Kiran Hunter, Tristram Laroche, and Cat Cavendish where I whitter on a bit about pirates and offer a copy of the book to a commenter. I'll choose the winners tomorrow so there's still time to comment. Or, if you're pushed for time, comment here instead. :) Hell it's Christmas. I shouldn't even be posting on LJ - floors to scrub, clutter to - um - declutter.
But FIRST I must walk the dog. He has brought me his lead and is looking hopeful.
Merry Christmas, my darlings, may your spirits be light, your puddings tasty and you 2013 everything you could wish it to be.
