Welcome and come in. Feel like coffee or tea? I’ve got both so take your pick and have a seat. In the sun or in the shade? Normally at this time of the year we would be following the sun but it is still so warm that instead we are searching for shade.
If we were having coffee I’d tell you I’v had a great week.Everyone seems to be well,we’ve had no hospital visits, eaten out with friends, got back to Pilates and for me I have done some creative writing. It is amazing how much freer that has made me feel. Doing all this scholarly writing is fine but it doesn’t allow for letting out these ghosts of ideas that linger waiting for release.
If we were having coffee I’d tell you I went to an amazing 60th birthday party last night. Amazing because it was so romantic. Stuff that only happens in books that aren’t memoir. My friend thought she was working at 6am tomorrow. Her husband who returned from his job as an nurse in a remote aboriginal community had organised with help from all the invitees a surprise party. The food was superb. The cake, out of this world.
© irene waters 2016
But the romance came with her husband’s present to her. He had arranged holidays, now already commenced instead of the 6am start followed by two weeks of night duty and at 5am they would have lift off from Brisbane on a two week holiday to Switzerland. He gave her a backpack and a gortex jacket telling her that would be all she needed for the trip (along with what clothes she could fit in.) She was totally gobsmacked. With all that surprise it came as no surprise that we then danced the night away.
© irene waters 2016
If we were having coffee I’d tell you that some of the writing I’ve done this week is for blog prompts: Water Management on Monday, Experience on Memoir Monday on Tuesday, a guesswork challenge on Wednesday which was a lot of fun, followed on Thursday with a flash ‘The Squirrel’ and on Friday for Friday Fictioneers ‘A halt in the Line’ and finally on Saturday for the WP Discovery a piece on Apology. Having done these pieces and some work that has not been blogged it made me realise just how important writing is for my well-being.
If we were having coffee I’d tell you not everything has gone perfectly. Muffin was a nightmare at training on Wednesday night. She was totally spooked and could not do a thing right. The trainer told me that they had planned on putting me up a class but on her performance that night he felt that we would remain where we are for a few more weeks. I’m glad about that really as she doesn’t have the concentration yet to cope with a more advanced class.
Now how about you? What kind of week did you have? Is your weather getting warmer? Done any writing or reading? Thanks for popping by and look forward to seeing you again. Thanks Diana for hosting our coffee morning.
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
After several weeks of distress for you and the family, it’s good to read a happier post. That extraordinary cake – oh my, I’d be happy with a macaroon. Your friends are going to have a wonderful time in Switzerland.
The writing is the most important and I’ve read some of the work you’ve posted.
I’ve also been reading – always reading – and writing, but I’ve ignored what I most need to do – write the queries.
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Oh Sharon. I’m going to have to get a whip out to get you moving on those queries. Bite the bullet and do it. 🙂
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I’m working on them, but so unsure about the whole process. Thanks for the needed kick in the rear.
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I wonder if the process for you is the same as the process for us. It is very difficult even getting your work in front of a mainstream publisher. But I’ll keep kicking you.
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I hope your next week is even better, and Muffin improves in performance.
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Thanks. Each week she gets better but does have the occasional day where she goes backwards. For a puppy I think she is doing very well.
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That cake looks yummy! I agree, writing is wonderful for our well being! I’m a tad behind but will get there! Sometimes life gets in the way, but we just need to keep on going!
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It was yummy. I don’t think I was quite as aware of the importance of creativity for my own well being until having had a break away. Hope you can get going to. Life does sometimes get in the way.
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A wonderful post! I love surprise birthday parties, and the one you describe sounds like a winner! It’s a lot of planning and work, but must have been worth it just to see the pleasure and surprise on the birthday girl’s face!
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It was worth it Diane. For her the surprises just kept rolling in and her jaw kept getting closer to the ground. 🙂
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I’m pleased there weren’t too many bad things this week, Irene. It sounds as if Muffin’s being “kept back” is actually a good thing.
I love the sound of the 60th birthday party. Where did she get him? I didn’t think those sorts of things happened “in real life”.
You must be pleased to see that a memoir won the industry’s book of the year, and biography of the year prize. I thought of you when I heard the news. It’s great to see the recognition given to the genre.
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I know. I think every other man was squirming and every woman slightly envious. It is fairy tale stuff.
It is good to have a memoir win a major prize. “Reckoning” had in fact won a number of major prizes. It helps elevate memoir from a second rate genre (the non fiction equivalent of romance novels) to a genre that has credibility. I haven’t read it but it could be interesting.
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It does sound like an interesting read, but elevating the status of memoir is a good thing. Best wishes with yours.
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Thanks Norah.
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It does sound like a great party with a super great gift. I gave my wife a trip to Paris for her 40th and 50th birthdays, but they weren’t surprises and we they didn’t happen for months after her birthday.
I hope you have a great week and get some more non-academic writing in!
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Trent you are a romantic also, even if they weren’t surprises. I think most women would like that additional time for packing.
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My wife would shoot me if I showed up with tickets for any time less than a few months! it takes weeks or months to arrange her schedule.
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Yes I think few of us could drop things as a days notice and her boss must be some lady to allow holidays to be arranged without her knowledge. I’m with your wife.
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Remembering how good I feel after writing pushes me when I don’t feel like doing it. 🙂 That cake looks delish and it looks like everyone had so much fun. Thanks for sharing your happy event. ~Tara
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Glad to share what was a happy occasion. For me it made a nice change after a few weeks of family sickness and hospital visits. Great that you share that good feeling after writing.
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I seems so great to be happy! 🙂
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Indeed, happiness is a good feeling
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What a wonderful party! What a lucky woman your friend is!
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Yes she is lucky. I think all the men were worried how they may live up to this in the future and the wives were wondering at the sheer wonder of it.
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Sorry about Muffin bad time at training and glad the instructor keep her back. Too bad four furfriends can’t tell what is bothering them. The surprise was nice for your friend’s birthday.
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Yes I don’t think it is a bad thing for Muffin to get more repetition of the basic commands. I don’t think she is ready. And it was a great surprise.
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