50,000 words in 30 days ...

June 21

I really don’t know why we bother making and plans at all. Today’s plan was to go a ride out and look at some garden centres and then do our shopping before heading out. That sounds easy enough but the other day we bought a new camping bed for Kile and Jan wanted to try setting it up. It comes in a bag and she un-tied the top and tried to get it out, let it slip and it bounced off her left instep. Now she has a really nice bruise there, but can hardly put any weight on it. We don’t think she’s safe to drive right now, so the ride out is now off for at least one day.

Al letter arrived late yesterday from the Walsgrave Hospital asking me to contact them about my upcoming operation. As I said, it was late arriving, just before 4pm, so when I called them the help line was closed. So I left a message and they called me back this morning. Top and bottom of it, is that they wanted to know if I still wanted the job done – ddddeeeeeerrrrrr; I was polite, honestly, I was. I mean, it’s only just been decided and agreed to, far too early to even consider not having it done. I’ve also said I would except a short notice call too in case they get a cancelation.

OK, confession time then … I’m not looking forward to spending time in hospital. The operation itself isn’t a worry cos I’ll be knocked out and won’t feel anything at all. No, it’s being in the geriatric ward that I don’t like. I don’t know why it is that so many men tend become senile when they are in there, but a lot of them do, and that is why I’m not looking forward to it.

At least the surgeon told me that once it’s done I should feel the benefit as soon as I come out of the anaesthetic and I should only need to be in hospital for three or four days, and once I was mobile I would be able to come home. Last time the guy said that I would be stuck lying on back for around six months; in reality I was up and about and climbing stairs the day after the op. Within two days of getting home I was walking around the block without any problems.

NANOWRIMO, is the National Novel Writing Month. It’s one yanky import I don’t mind. The idea is to write 50,000 words during the month of November. I’ve tried it three times, and finished it. The first attempt resulted in Finding Our Way, the second was Shipshape. The third was a follow up to Shipshape and had the title And Bristol Fashion. I just wasn’t ready for it at that time and I failed miserably. This year I fancy having a go again so before I do I want to get Shipshape sorted out and published so that I have a clear run at it when the time comes. I don’t have a plot line yet, or any ideas but they will come over the next few months. Role on November.

Writing 50,000 words in 30 days is enough to frighten some people half to death. It’s a big ask really but as I’ve proved twice, it can be done. Those taking part get lots of encouragement and suggestions, and one such suggestion has helped me quite a bit, and not just with NANO work. That idea is to forget about editing and so on until you have finally finished it. Once you’ve got your 50,000 words you can spend as much time as you wish sorting out ready to publish. My first attempt Finding, stood at 50,300 something. By the time it was ready it stood at just over 56,000 words. I tend to do this with all my writing now, after all, what you are producing in reality is a ‘first draft’. The finished work is still months away, and it’s that added extra work that I don’t enjoy and find hard, the writing itself is great.

And so to a photo …

Our noisy wee brat of a budgie.

Today’s funny …

Jill: You remind me of the sea.
Jack: Because I'm wild, unpredictable and romantic?
Jill: No, because you make me sick.