What? No Photos???

Apologies for the lack of new Ascot photos. My sister hasn't downloaded them and I have been travelling up and down to Stockport. So I have included a close up of me in the hat!! Thank you for all the wonderful comments you made on the last post. I blushed madly and grinned like crazy.

Ascot Part 1

I am still in recovery from yesterday's trip to Ascot. It was a long funfilled day, full of champagne, wine, and people watching. Oh and a bit of betting on the gee-gees.

The photo above is the gang setting off to catch the train to Ascot. I'm the one in the symphony of brown and cream. We had a blast. I will tell you more tomorrow. About watching the Queen and Prince Phillip arrive in a horse-drawn carriage, the thunder of the hooves, the bright fluttering hats, the colour.

Countdown to Ascot... A-Day minus One

So tomorrow is A-Day!! I think everyone else is more excited than I am... not that I'm not excited it is just I have a tonne of work to do before then and I need to go and do all those girlie faffy things that includes hot wax and control underwear buying.

I have just had a call though from Big Sister who is at Ascot today as well (supposedly it is work and she is entertaining clients.. hurrumph). The need for tights (pantyhose) is called for due to a the wet and windy weather and also she needs me to go and buy her a very expensive hat for tomorrow (one that costs three figures where the first number isn't one). I have the low down that they are very strict on dress-code and also where and how you display your Royal Enclosure badge... EEK!!

Wish me luck with all that hot wax and elastic knickers!

100 Days

It has now been 100 Days since Alan Johnston was siezed in Gaza. Go here

Success!!

I have been panicking for the last week about getting a new outfit. Not just any outfit but an outfit suitable for wearing in the Royal Enclosure at Ascot. Now I have never been to Ascot before never mind being in the Royal Enclosure so there would have been a panic no matter what!

However there is a strict dresscode and I only had yesterday to find something suitable... cue much flapping and wide eyed terror. I must have a hat and they prefer you to wear a dress or skirt rather than trousers. So yesterday I set off towards the Kings Road in an apprehensive mood. But I needm't have!! Dress bought within first twenty minutes (first shop), shoes and hat in the next twenty minutes (each only £35!) and then after a large lunch a little jacket was bought!! How cool was that?!?!?!

I will try and post some photos of it all next weekend. We go on Saturday and it should be good and fingers crossed I will not lose the new dress of my back betting on the gee-gees.

Writing Stuff

Having spent last weekend with an embrace of romance writers I am itching to do more writing. As a result I am having a trawl through current projects and also idea files that I have littered across my laptop. I think I might have been getting a little stale so I am going to do some springcleaning and see where that gets me.

Wish me luck!!

Extra Mutter

Oooo and just to make myself feel good I am going to post a picture of a lovely man just for the sake of it. So here to make me feel better is Mr Samuel West... mutter mutter *sigh*

Mutter mutter mutter

After a splendiferous weekend which gave me a break from the Real World... today the Real World it has made itself known. And it has done it in much the same way as a large steelcapped toed boot kicking you simultaneously in the kidneys, shins and stomach and then just for fun grinding your toes with it's heel. Deep Joy!!!

So I having been up since 7.30am this morning I have only just made it outside my flat (at 3.15pm), a quick walk down to a small park where I sat on a wooden bench, ate an apple and started reading a book. Twenty minutes was all I could afford... so now I am back at my desk. I would like to say it is to work on the book or one of my radio shows but no... something much less exciting.

Mutter mutter mutter mutter mutter

Kate Walker's 50th Book Celebration!!

The Wonderful Kate Walker!!

I have been out and about helping Kate Walker celebrate the publication of her 50th book for Mills & Boon

A gaggle/murder/cosy/clutch/bevy/blush < insert the correct collective noun here > of romance writers descended on Lincoln. I'm not sure whether Lincoln will ever recover but it was a wonderful weekend spent with some very special friends.

I arrived on Friday afternoon with The Bloke and even before we managed to get into The White Hart Hotel we were hailed by the wonderful Anna Louise Lucia and her husband. This set the seal for the weekend, I felt like Lincoln was home as around every corner I was meeting friends. The Bloke was even taking bets on the time between sightings!! The best one was on Saturday morning when heading into the castle. I could hear my name being shouted and as I looked up, there in the tall observation tower was "Ginge" and "The Babe Magnet", the other halves of the talented Michelle Reid and of course Kate Walker!!

Friday night was a ghost walk of Lincoln. What a wonderful way of getting to know the history of a city. If you visit Kate's blog there is a link to them. A meal and then up to wee hours gossiping with Trish Wylie, Natasha Oakley, Abby Green and The Bloke (who was in his element surrounded by beautiful and intelligent women!)

Saturday was a trip round the castle and the beautiful cathedral with The Bloke, Julie Cohen and of course Nate. I'm not sure Nate quite understood what was going on (being five months he is allowed off) but the rest of us had a great time.

Small naps for all (not just Nate) and it was time for the big celebration. All of us dressed to the nines and drinking wine and chatting. And then to dinner where each table had the name of a Kate Walker book. The food was delicious and the company fun! Then poetry readings which were alternately moving and hysterical. Kate then took to her feet and gave a speech which seemed to be all about how wonderful everyone else was and giving THEM gifts!!! Silly woman!! It just shows what a generous and loving lady Kate Walker is!!

BUT... she didn't get away with giving out gifts. The feather boa of romance writers had been planning for months and had pooled our money to buy her gifts... Kate Hardy our project leader took to her feet and took these gifts including a signed pic of Michael Ball (we tried for Hugh Jackman), 50 golden roses (see Kate's blog for the story), the jewels and book vouchers. Much tears...

Another late night chatting with all including Kate's beautiful M&B editor.

It was a wonderful weekend and I wish we could have stayed later on Sunday but real life intervened.

Go and have a visit to Kate's blog for photos and also the huge blog party she has going on for this. I am hoping to be a guest blogger there later in the month!!