Normal Service Resumed?!

Yoooooooooooooooohoooooooooooooo!

I have been away from the blogspere for what feels like forever... To write a complete catch-up post would be rather long and boring so I will keep it brief.

So what happened?!!
No, I didn't slip into a wandering vortex, or get abducted by space monkeys; nor did I fall into a uncovered manhole. I simply had a bad case of what I like to call, "upset life rhythm".

I wish I could report my absence as being a result of an agent "realising my potential" or that I have been busy hammering at the keys to complete my first novel, but alas, it's simply because I have returned to work.

Since returning to work, it's been a hard slog. New role, new staff, new distractions... NO READING OR WRITING!

*knocks head on keyboard repeatedly*

Days have slipped from one to the next and it's left me feeling unsettled and in a dreamlike state. You would think that reading and writing would put you permanently in a dream world, but on the contrary, reading and writing seems to ground me.

Back to work

The lows
Hmm...I don't like to dwell on it but it's been STRESSFULwith members of staff off sick. Trying to keep up with demand, workload etc etc has been a tough juggling act.
Not only has it meant minimal reading and writing, it's meant minimal sleep and I am exhausted. This has led to a number of weeks without running... So I'm not feeling great about that either. Returning to work has had an impact on everything.

Our fair fish (Bubbles to those who knew of him through older posts) died last night and as a parent, this is rather hard to explain to an angry little boy who is demanding that we get Bubbles back... right now... and he's "not even kidding you!" (OJ's newest phrase)...

There have been plenty of tears, tantrums and sickness in the household of late, and today was the icing on the cake when I suffered verbal abuse from a woman on the phone. To cut a long story short, I regretfully had to change my mind about taking on another rabbit... I expected a little frustration from the seller but not complete and utter outrage. It was not my intention to madden the woman, it was a genuine regret... Sheesh. If I had intentially wanted to waste her time, I would just not have bothered to show up at the agreed time! I can't write what she said but lets just say she might want to work on her vocab as well as her people skills...

Scary sh*t...

The highs

OJ STARTED PRE-SCHOOL!!! (and then was off the second week due to illness but we shall sweep past that part..)

We have six cute bunnies.We now have two Rex, two giant Flemish and two Netherland cross... more pics and stories to follow I'm sure. (Oh you lucky people!)

My hubby celebrated his 30th birthday this month and we shared a lovely afternoon together whilst nan-nan insisted on babysitting. It was great to take a walk, hold hands and appreciate a quiet meal. It was a wonderful reminder that we are still the same people even with being preoccupied wih our two little blessings!

What's next?

I'm just trying to get my routines back on track, which means more efforts to get back to reading, writing and blogging.

For now it's attempting to sleep before one of my boys wake from coughing fits or bad dreams!


P.S. I know it's only been a month but that is quite some time in the blogspere, so thank you to all my lovely followers for staying with it over here.

 

Playing Catch-Up

Hello Fellow Bloggers!

Thank you!

I am finally starting to feel that I'm coming back around to some positive blogging! I am chasing the spark and I just wanted to say a big thank you for your patience and also a special thank you to those who took the time to post some lovely comments and encouragement on my "Inspiration and that brick wall" post.

So here I am and here's what's been happening...

Reading
Those following through Goodreads or those who check out my reading page, will be aware that for the longest time I was reading "The Hypnotist" I have never been so glad to see that last page let me tell you! It wasn't that the book was badly written, it was just long and I didn't feel that I could just dip in and out and for someone all ready up-to-the eye-balls with life, it took me so much longer to get done!
Today I finished reading "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins, #2 in the Hunger Games trilogy (like I had to tell you that!) Check out my review on my reading page.

Writing
I'm a bit embarrassed to post this here, but an excerpt of my currently-working-on novel has been chosen by Suzannah on "Write it Sideways" to feature on her blog, so it can be critiqued by others. If you would like to see the first 250 words of  "No Limitz", click on the link below:

Write it Sideways

I have always found Suzannah's web page so very helpful in progressing in my writing.I have had some very positive feedback, and some very constructive comments. I plan on using these in my work.

Now I have read the comments, I feel slightly embarrassed about my work. But, I am so glad I had the opportunity to share it as I have learnt so much. As well as all the "needs-a-re-look" points about my excerpt, I have also discovered that I might have something to work with and, may actually have something with potential.

I have also pulled myself together and have sent off another picture book story to an agent. Fingers (and toes) crossed for this one!

Blogging
Although I haven't seemed to be around much lately, I have been reading my favourite blogs as per usual. I was very happy to add a new blog to my beautiful blog list, I am so glad I stumbled upon it as it made me laugh.



(comic strip by kind permission of Alex Vega)


The blogger is Alex Vega and he is an author/illustrator. I absolutely love his "Don't have a cow" comic strip.

Here's a link:

AlexVega's Blog

Blog hop over and see what you think!

Latest Distraction

Peepo!

I've been a bad blogger... and this is the culprit.

Stanleigh.

I do most of my reading/writing/blogging at night time when the kiddly-winks have gone to bed and I have five minutes peace...

But since the arrival of Stanleigh, she has been coming in with us when the kids have gone to bed. And she has been very entertaining to watch.... We are also trying to 'train' her to use her litter tray. Apparently this is achievable. (I kid you not... But Stanleigh prefers pooping next to it. Lazy.)

Only problem is, I am now waaaaaaaaaay behind in my blogging schedule...

• Including a review on "Jaime Lea and the Bumble Bee" by Adrian and Matthew Thorpe

Review coming soon

This week...

Apart from hippity-hoppity bunny antics, other things that have happened include:

•  another rejection email (sigh - when do you admit defeat with something like this?! - she says has she jots down yet another idea for a picture book...)
•  my legs have still not recovered from my attempt to jog further than I was ready for, (my enthusiasm is a blessing and a curse!)
• and I have been having issues with returning to work. Let's just say it's going to be a massive change, not only am I having to leave my babies with their Nan-Nan , I am going back to a new role in September. Feeling a tad upset about the whole situation. But; I am determined to have the best last weeks of freedom with my children and make every minute count. =)

So here's hoping to get back to serious and regular business of blogging!

... *gets distracted by an impressive leap over the bunny tunnel*

Catching Up... Balancing Act...

To be honest, I feel like a naughty teenager trying to sneak back into the house after missing the curfew by hours... I haven't come to blog in a while and the days have turned into weeks pretty quickly. I'm just sat here wondering what has been keeping me away from the keys...


Two weekends on the trot, I've been up until the small hours making birthday cakes. Last week it was my sisters 22nd (she wanted two ducks on her cake as in Bingo... two ducks:22!) and this weekend was my brothers 21st... (I did a wizard theme for his!)

The last two weeks have been a bit of a nightmare. My two year old has a real bad case of the terrible two's the moment. He can't help it bless him, it's the struggle between dependence and independence and the fact the world is sooooooooooo unfair to him. I mean, why can't he go in the garden to play when it's actually time for bed? And why do they put so many lovely things in the shops that he just can't have?! I had to carry him out of a shop screaming one day... that hit pretty high on the embarrassment meter let me tell you!

The car didn't pass it's MOT, the insurance was due, the washing machine broke down and even though we have cover, it's been two weeks and still an engineer hasn't materialised... the baby hasn't been settled at night so there has been no solid time to sit and write.

On a more positive note, I have finally selected an idea for a themed writing competition; and it's been sent off... It popped out from nowhere and within the first few lines the idea snowballed. I feel that this is an idea I would like to see through to the end... We shall see!

I'm finding that getting life balanced between what must be done and what I would like to do seems to be getting more and more difficult... and somewhere in between everything I need to sleep! I sometimes wish that I could organise my time better...

If anyone has some tips for balancing family/work life please do share them with me!