Five fab things this week...

First Five Fab Things Friday of the year - I started this almost as a reminder to look back and think over the week and what's happened -and I'm sometimes surprised just how many fab things, however small, have happened.

This week:

1. Baby news - my lovely friend and next door neighbour found out she was pregnant, even more exciting I was there with her and was the one to break the news to her, as she couldn't bear to look at the result! I was very honoured indeed.
2. Being sober - I felt my age by being sober on New Year's Eve as teen son was going to a party for the first time on NYE and I wanted to make sure he was safe, sound and back home. I picked him up at half past midnight then had one glass of fizz to mark the occasion when we got in. I actually felt great the next day - and even went for a run (what a show off!) Much better than a hangover!
3. Putting plans in action - this week, after four days, my not resolutions but plans for the year are so far going well (yes I know it's early days but it all counts!) I have written every day and been running three out of four days (the excuse not to run one evening was the day I was with my neighbour while she did her pregnancy test - damn good reason!)
4. Going back to work - though it was a rude shock to the system the first day back after the lovely long festive break, it was also rather nice to have the camaraderie of being back in an office with others, discussing what we'd done and everyone having a bit of a go slow first day back (I know this may just be a novelty having had several years of home working by myself!)
5. Getting new writer buddies – taking part in the write 100K words in 100 days challenge isn’t just good for a kick up the proverbial but there’s also a great group going on both FaceBook and Twitter and I look forward to swapping more support and fun with these new virtual pals during the challenge and beyond.

What's been fab about your week?

Here's five fab things in my week

Been a while since I've looked back and thought about fab things that have happened in a week. This one started with a bang - firework's night which I can't enjoy as the poor dog is always terrified, it peaked with some wonderful news mid week (see point 1 below) and the end of it finds me exhausted but feeling very content as I write this sitting in my favourite cafe before heading out for a celebratory cocktail. Happy Friday! And here's my fab things of the week:

·      Getting a long term work project (well nine months long - that's long term when you're self employed!) and one that I am excited about and looking forward to starting

·      Buying myself and teen son poppies to wear and finding he has already bought his own - I love that he does things like this which I think are thoughtful and respectful

·      Meeting an incredible lady who lost her own son aged just 15 years old. She decided to fund raise in his memory and has raised almost half a million pounds - inspiring and just puts everything into perspective

·      Going to Ikea and only coming home with some tea lights (essentials)- I am so over wasting money!

·      Decided what I'm going to do next year for my own fund raising challenge - I'm supporting Maggie's Cancer Centres - watch this space for details of the slightly crazy rather scary plans I have...

The fabbest Friday news...

Sometimes we get bogged down with the difficult day to day doings so on a Friday I like to have a little look back and come up with 5 fab things that have happened during the week. I probably can think of 5 fab things but actually today I'm just going to tell you about one. Only one but it's the FABBEST thing ever.... well at least for a long time.
This week, dear Reader, I signed a contract with a publisher!!!!!!!!!!!!! ( I do overdo my exclamation marks but I think that statement deserves each and every one of them)

I have signed with Collca to publish an ebook about the trek I undertook earlier this year to Machu Picchu. (You can read more about the trip here) Part travelogue/ part memoir, I hope that it will be informative and entertaining, that it might even inspire others to do something similar... most of all I just hope people will enjoy reading it of course...

I am excited, exhilarated, enthused, elated, energised, ecstatic. And just a little bit nervous, scared and apprehensive...

I am sure I will be detailing all of these feelings and more as I now go on this particular writing journey, so I'm keeping this post short and sweet (I am still slightly in shock plus getting my head round just how much work I have to do!)

But in the meantime if you want to have a flavour of the type of book Collca publish I can highly recommend Trish Nicholson's Journey in Bhutan and would like to say a huge thanks to Trish who encouraged and supported me to take this huge step forward! 

Good things even in One of Those Weeks

While I now usually post five fab things about my week on a Friday, I believe it's better late than never - so here's some good things about my week this week, and it can be Smashing Saturday instead of Fab Friday...

This is a particularly interesting thing to do today as last week was One of Those. It started with getting turned down for some work I'd put a bid in for and really hoped to do, in the middle of it I had a *phone call* from school (in 12 years I have NEVER had a phone call from school!) to say son had given his notes to another pupil who'd copied them verbatim and put them in to be marked by the exam board who were none too pleased. Then the week peaked when I woke up in the middle of the night Thursday/ Friday and realised that son's passport renewal that I'd sent off several weeks ago hasn't yet come back from the passport office. And we're going to France this Wednesday.

So just a little stressed and distressed this week - although more positively, I have more work opportunities to go for, I spoke to son's teacher and he isn't the one in trouble he was just a bit over generous, and - you know what - the sun is now shining and I'm soon heading up to a cottage in Northumberland for a walking, eating and drinking girly night. The passport saga does however continue. After a day and a half, more than a dozen phone calls I am still waiting for someone to call back and let me know where his passport is... I am though breathing deeply and chanting 'it'll be fine'...

But now to the good and the things this week I am grateful for...
1. My new neighbour - I have a little pond in my garden, nothing fancy like the type you could keep those huge fancy fish in, just a little hole in the ground with some water and green stuff in it - but it now has been given the seal of approval from a froggy friend who has decided it's good enough to move into. Welcome Kermit!

2. Lovely libraries - I spent nearly a whole day in my local city library this week, first time I've really used it beyond popping into the cafe or for some sort of talk or event. Despite being nostalgic and a bit sad about the loss of staff stamping books (all self service don't you know) the facilities, building and staff are all pretty fabulous. It is now going to be one of my regular haunts too as without distractions I got a lot of writing done.

3. Proper pubs - I met a friend in one of those dying breeds, a proper pub where as you open the door you are greeted with a wall of aroma, the unmistakeable smell of stale beer, where whatever time of day it is it's quite dim inside, where the half dozen blokes resting on the bar are unmistakenly regulars, and where there is a no nonsense bar maid in sensible shoes in charge. In my yoof there were so many proper pubs like this, I even worked in some of them, but of course one of the drawbacks of development is that so many of them are now gone or changed into chain pubs, wine bars, or glitzy gastronomic places. I love proper pubs with proper beer.

4. My favourite flower - lots of things are growing fabulously in the garden thanks to the deluge of constant rain and if you can see past the humungous weeds many of the flowers and shrubs are blooming. One of my favourites is this clematis, I just find the colour and shape of the flower pretty perfect. The arch it normally climbs up came a cropper in recent winds but I have another one to put up and in the meantime it carries on flowering regardless. A lovely, pretty piece of pleasure.

5. My final fab thing of the week is - yep - those kittens. I have already posted a pic so won't spoil you or bang on about them again, but they've been fabulously soothing!

How many fab things have you found this week?

Five fab Friday things

I've been all over the place this week, in all kinds of way, but here are five things I'm thankful for this week...

• Friends - this week I have been out and about seeing new ones and old ones (in the relationship not the age sense!) They have made me welcome, made me vegan food and we have talked, laughed, eaten, drank, talked and laughed some more. Friends are fab!
• Home - I do like being away, travelling, seeing people but I sooo love coming home, especially when my boys (one son, one dog, one cat) are all waiting and so happy to see me back
• Tofu - not something I thought I would ever be grateful for given its curious consistency and bland look and taste, but my one of my friends made me the best vegan chocolate mousse type pudding ever and the secret ingredient was tofu - who'd have thought...?!
• Navigational skills - or lack of them, actually maybe fairer to say my lack of all things geographical. This skills gap allowed me to think that Bristol/ Swindon/ Nottingham/ Leicester were all near neighbours (and very near London) which is why I planned in one trip to stop off at so many places which are actually not that near to each other at all (and not just outside London) But I'm glad I did it all.
• Losing my phone - or more acurately, finding it again! I lost it in a field after thinking that the pocket I had put it in was too small (always listen and act on your gut feeling is that lesson!) when I went to take it out it had gone. After several circuits of the field, with a rising panicky feeling (addicted to my iPhone - moi?!) and berating myself I spotted it hiding in some long grass. Phew!

What's been good about your week?

Amazing but true... this is made of tofu!!

Fab Friday Fings

I've decided every Friday shall be Fab Friday for me - not just because it's my favourite day of the week, but so I can look back and remind myself of the good things that happen in a week.
So, starting today, five things I'm thankful for on this Fab Friday are:

• Booking a holiday with my boy - he's nearly 17 but still wants to come on holiday with me, this year I wasn't sure if he would... and I'm well prepared for a refusal happening some time in the near future! But we get on well, have fun when we travel together and knowing that some day soon he'll prefer to be off with his mates makes it even more memorable. And I love arranging holidays! So in three weeks time we are off to Paris, then on to the Loire Valley where we've not been before.
• The car park present - a lovely chap came up to me as I was just about to pay £10.50 (scandalous amount!!) for parking in a city centre multi-storey. He gave me a ticket and explained he gets them free from his workplace but not to say anything as he'd get sacked if they knew he was giving them away. He saved me money and made my day with his random act of kindness - and of course I won't say anything at all to anyone...!
• The rain - yes I am actually counting the rain as a Good Thing. Last week it was a Terrifying Thing as I ploughed my poor little car through floods that came over her bonnet, but as I sat in the garden yesterday (the one day in ages it hasn't rained) I appreciated how green, lush and thriving everything is (yes weeds included...!). And it saves my having to water the garden (see - really looking for the positives)
• Sweeties - going vegan has definitely curbed my sweet tooth - no biscuits, cake is a rare treat - but this week I have found sweets, totally and utterly vegan sweets! Sooooo excited I bought (and ate) two packets...
• Our beach - no it's not really ours but that's what I call it, just a few miles away from my house. This week as the fields have been too swampy to go walking in me and my dog have been to our beach every day in the rain, fog, wind and even - once at least - a bit of sunshine. It doesn't matter what the weather is like, it's one of my favourite places to be, a calming place that always helps me get perspective and peace.  

What things are you thankful for this week?