Wednesday 21 February 2018

Goodbye to Overdown

Been the hardest to write, but I need to get on with the history books.

I want the Overdowners to have a happy ending, but as always, as I start to type they go their own way across the pages, weaving nefarious doings, and leading me into blank corners with a smile, as if to say, "How are you going to get us out of this one?"

It's not the love story I wanted to write, it has taken a turn down a dark alley and the research has been scary. It has become the paranormal "Love Actually" which was not meant to happen.

I have to leave them to it.  Like my Avatar that I created for Second Life many years ago, I had to free her to do her own thing. Goodness knows where she is now. A digital me out there fighting dragons and slaying monsters, drinking in taverns and climbing castle walls.

In reality, I want to be out in the green fields of England feel the fresh air on my face, turn back time to the 17th Century to cook at the Living History the many ancient recipes I have collected over the years. 

I want to dance in the beer tent and get swung with my feet in the air, I want to stagger back through the camp, ever so slightly drunk and fall into my Cavaliers' arms at the end of the night.  Re-enacting is a kind of Second Life, an insight into times past, food eaten, fun had.
Bravery shown.

So Goodbye Overdown, and hello to A Farthing for Oxford, the story of a family caught in the Civil War amongst the dreaming spires.  Mainly based on true events, and with life stories of real people who lived at the time interwoven with fictional characters.

Coming to Amazon in about 3 months.  As for Overdowners I need a big net to catch them all before they run off the pages and start other adventures.




 

Tuesday 20 February 2018

Kim Cattrall

There's been a lot about Kim Cattrall in the media recently, not only has she had to suffer the loss of her brother but she has had to deal with Sarah Jessica Parker offering condolences. If you are in a toxic relationship as these two appear to be there should be no contact. It's safer for all involved.

I had a minor stroke in September 17 and the woman who had stalked me for three years and made my life a complete misery, found out and sent her "good wishes" and hoped we'd get back together again.

I think these sort of contacts are to make the perpetrators look better in the eyes of everyone on the outside looking in. They are not meant as a real reaching out to the person in pain, in fact it makes things worse for them.

I can understand Kim's vitriolic tweets BUT they make her look bad to the outside world who speculate but don't know the real situation.

The best way to deal with these people is to ignore them and give them the anonimity they deserve.

They are as nothing and should be treated as if they don't exist.

Thursday 8 February 2018

Been writing all day

My search bar is full of "how long does it take to die from a sword slash?" Sword Slash? Buy Sword Slash on Amazon competitive prices.  What?

Then I learn what the most common places to stab are, then black banners come across the screen, saying Parental Guidance advised.

So I went to the Viking re-enactors site, who give the warning "If you don't want to see wounds then leave this page."

Yeap wounds a plenty including one where a Vike axe accidentally almost cut off another Vike's hand with an Axe and the bones were sticking out.

When on the USA Trauma site I saw what they called one of the most common cuts they deal with,  men being sliced by the rotor blades of their boats.

By this time I was in need of a sick bag/and or cup of tea so got up to hobble to the kitchen,
(I still have crutches after my knee cap dislocated weeks ago). The door bell rang time and again, and again, I shouted "Hang on I'm coming!" but the Postman couldn't hear me as he was by now hammering on the window of the door.

I opened the door and was given a box and some lettters. "As  you're at home most of the time can you take in parcels for the rest of the crescent?" He asked, "I've got loads."
No, I can't go delivering parcels I'm on crutches.
"I'll get them to come to you." He thought he was making a good offer here.
No, I don't want that.
What I should have said is, I  am on CRUTCHES it is a pain to get up and answer the door
especially lots of times.
"Do people take stuff in for you?"
No. I don't want that.
By now he could see I was getting angry. He's paid to deliver the post not me, should have said that but it went out of my head.
"I'm not forcing you - you don't have to." He said going to the van.
I hobbled back into the house with the box which turned out to be the Obi Wan Kenobi meetcat toy I ordered before Christmas, a begging letter from the Blue Cross and a letter from the Doctors wanting to check my medication.
I phoned the Doctors receptionist. "What medication?"
Receptionist: "Not sure."
Me - listed my medications.
Receptionist - found it Dioxigen,
Me I'm not on Dioxigen
Receptionist: It's on your notes.
Me I've never taken it - the notes are wrong. I have had nothing but trouble with you secretaries when I went to the knee clinic you sent me an appointment but not the Hospital I had to wait from my appointment time 2.30 to 4.30 because they had to find my notes.
Receptionist, I'll get the Doctor to ring you about your Dioxigen then ok? Byeee.
Me  Copious Swear Words into thin air. 

Why can't anyone use common sense?  When I first had my knee accident I arrived at X ray all splinted up and in a wheelchair, with offending LEFT knee stretched on a support because I couldn't bend it.  X Ray right knee the Receptionist said taking the paperwork.
Me and husband. LEFT KNEE.
Receptionist - says Right Knee here.
Me and husband, Look here pointing to bandaged and splinted knee - definately LEFT KNEE!
Receptionist, - Sorry you'll have to wait while I go to the Trauma Clinic and check which knee it is.
Me and husband look at each other in despair.

It's bad enough to constantly have stuff happen to me, but having to deal with this just makes everything worse.

I've even lost my flow today with the writing.  I suppose I am still writing. Writing the Blog is writing or is it just moaning about life a lot?
 

Monday 5 February 2018

Being a Woman

I'm probably going to upset a lot of people now, but I'm going to say it.

You are not a woman if you have ever been asked at an interview "Have you any plans to start a family in the near future?"

If you have never had a heavy period and had to go to work with painful stomach cramps and pretend like nothing's happening.

If you have had your boobs grabbed or a finger stuck up your bottom on the London tube system.

If you have had to run for your life after being followed leaving a pub or club.

If you have had to fight some-one off who was being sexually aggressive.

If you have been pinched, touched, kissed, and when you objected to this unwanted attention been called "frigid".

That is just the tip of the iceberg.

When you have gone for an interview and some-one a lot less qualified but a lot prettier got 
the job.

When you have been locked in your office by a drunken boss (yes at the BBC!) and had to ring security for help.

When you have been doing the filing and got dry humped as you bent over.

When you are told "theres no place for women in engineering," (again at the Beeb).

When your friend is slammed across a studio because she refused to have sex with the boss and you record it and see it, and are told - if you report this you'll lose your job.(BBC)

ALL OF THE ABOVE HAS HAPPENED TO ME - ALL OF IT.

I have always always fought for WOMENS rights.

Transgender people must fight for their own rights. 

But to me a transgender man will never be a woman. 

Now women's voices are being silenced again by men.  Transgender men.

Men who have been afforded all the priviledges of their sex, and who will still have them as a transgender person, are trying to silence real women who have every right to say what they think, as we are still a democracy. 

Women died for the Vote in this country, women built Spitfires during the war for this country,
women burnt their bras in the 1970s for better equal treatment.

Being transgender is a luxury.  

Being a real woman is NOT.







 

Thursday 1 February 2018

What's it all about Alfie?

Wish I knew, the depressing film Alfie, that Cilla Black sang about were dark times. Full of predjudice, promiscutity, abortions, and yet Alfie was a comedy!

Not much to laugh about these days either.

Comes to something when watching Vikings on TV is a relief from real life!

Sick of the news, some days I can't watch it.

What I'd like to see is Nazazin Zaghari Radcliffe get out of prison and re-unite with her daughter and husband again.

Teresa May resign - she's not coping - and I am sick of seeing an old lady in designer dresses with knobbly knees and big banana feet trying to pretend she knows what she's doing.  Lets face it she's not Mutti (Angela Merkle).  

May was hated by the Metropolitan Police when she was in charge of them, incompetance shone forth in everything she did.

Just saying things in a stern voice does not make it true or good. She certainly does not speak for the 48% of people who wanted to stay in the EU. Or the Irish or the Scots.

Boris Johnson the British Trump..... It's time he left to spend more time with his family if he's got one - or like his sister and father do TV game shows Like I'm a Celebrity and Pointless. I'd love to hear he'd given up politics.

But day after day, week after week, the news gets worse and worse, people don't break up with their boyfriends/girlfriends any more - they stab them up or throw acid at them. When did ordinary working class people become these thugs?

Every terrestrial tv show that is popular - Like Vikings - is chock full of violence. 

Yet teenagers who steal cars and drive them into other kids or trees are wept over like heros when their stunts go wrong and they die by their own actions.

Where I work is a museum full of beautiful and wonderful things collected by a man who wanted to share his love of art with the public. They don't see his generosity, they see his riches and are jealous of his collection. They have a go at us the Guides and the Room Wardens, always wanting to know where the prostitutes were kept, and did they creep in
to the Maids rooms?

The family at the time were decent people, still are, if a little more arrogant about it. They have always supported charities and the house was used for evacuees during WW2.

What has gone wrong with humanity that the values of decency, respect and love have disappeared?  What is wrong with having a nice life?  This world is a brilliant place and we are breaking it.

Getting too preachy now so I'll just sign off and say Have a lovely weekend whatever you do, make your friends laugh, eat good food, and love your family.  Do one little thing to make the world a better place. Even if it's teaching a killer whale to say "Hello!"