Freezing, but smiling

Hell, I know I'm pretty far north, but where is Spring, please? I am sick of being cold....and there's snow forecast for the Easter weekend.

So, in an attempt to cheer meself up I have shamelessly nicked Caroline's idea of a post about 34 things that make her smile. And so, in no particular order, we have:

1. home made soup

2. little round chocolates in bags (Maltesers, Revels, minstrels, et al)

3. my morning cup of strong tea, in my pint mug

4. waking up early

5. sticking on my running shoes and going for a challenging run…

6. …especially in my local park

7. puppies.

8. daffodils ~ such happy, happy faces

9. putting kitchen scraps into the wormery

10. pyjamas ~ I would wear nothing else, if possible... but people tend to point and laugh at you in the supermarket

11. the glass of wine on a Friday evening which signals the official start of the weekend….

12. ….to be sipped from one of my beeyootiful crystal glasses (engagement present from Grandma)

13. my husband

14. the crispy bits of cheese you get around the edge of a lasagne

15. a long hot bath

16. camomile and peppermint tea

17. being so absorbed by a book that you live it, breath it, dream about it

18. and deciding what to read next, after that one’s finished

19. my best friend

20. steak, with grilled onions and mushrooms

21. opening the curtains to see that the carpet of crocuses in my front garden is in full bloom

22. Seinfeld

23. making a ‘to do’ list….

24. … and then crossing things off it

25. unexpected compliments (giving and receiving them)

26. music, of (almost) any variety

27. detective novels

28. CSI Vegas and NY ~ but NOT Miami!

29. money in the bank

30. feather pillows and duvet

31. a new notebook

32. Waterman fountain pens

33. coincidence and synchronicity

34. rice pudding


So, what makes you smile?

Catching up.....

Not a huge amount done of the writing front of late ~ I've been felled by a rather vile projectile vomiting bug which has laid me low (but on the plus side my trousers are a wee bit looser, so silver lining and all that). The geyser-like qualities have subsided, but I'm quite run down, and it's all I can do to drag myself through to the end of the proper job work day at 5pm at the mo. Lots of ideas have floated through my slightly addled and dehydrated brain, though, so I've got lots to be cracking on with once i regain the strength to lift my pen again.

One of the best things about being ill is that bed rest and book reading are entirely compatible. So I've finished 'Behind the Scenes at the Museum', and WOW! I can't stop thinking about it, and I'm still seeing everything through the eyes of Ruby Lennox. I am in awe at Atkinson's ability to conceive of, such a complex family history and in such holistic, vivid detail. If you haven't read it, do so NOW!

I'm now reading 'In Search of Adam' ~ very powerful, and another admirably individual narrative voice. And the fact that it's set in my locality gives me a little frisson everytime I recognise a setting or place name.

I'm racing through ISOA, as it's so very 'readable'. Any recommendations for what I could read next?