Saturday, August 13, 2005
Nuffin' Appenin' Ere Guvnor!
I've had a hectic day. There was little sleep for me last night to ensure I got up bright and early, so my morning was heavy, tired and saggy. I was also running late to get Laura to dancing and by the time we walked at speed into Leith she was ten minutes late (15 after she changed).
The weather all day was muggy-warm and bright though on the horizon dark clouds could be seen to be gathering out on the North Sea. As soon as I dropped Laura off and walked out the Centre, the heavens opened and I was caught in a sudden downpour.
I darted onto a bus heading up Leith Walk, cursing my bad luck and lack of time to get a coffee and headed straight for the Fringe Ticket tent on Princes Street Mall. I collected two tickets I ordered to see Craig Hill on Tuesday night at the Assembly Rooms and as I was about to head back down into Leith I remembered a book that caught my eye while in Borders the other night.
It's a book that supports an idea for a novel that has been swimming around in my mind for a couple of years now. It has everything I need to know; technically and psychologically and will be a valuable resource when I come to write the book. It's too early to say any more, the point only being that I spent some time this morning in Waterstones and bought a valubale resource book.
I went back to get Laura and was aghast to discover she still had another to go. The Disco classes had resumed and so I fannied about Leith for another whole hour. Woolworths just ain't that interesting.
To top it all off I called the opticians and there is a problem with my glasses. They have hard to order the lenses due to the thinning required and so I'm looking at a total of a 7 to 10 day wait. Bugger it! I was all excited like a kid at Christmas but I guess I'll have to wait longer - what choice do I have.
That old man who walks about Leith with the cowboy outfit and toy guns is becoming a real pain in the arse. I'm sorry, but I don't see anything amusing about pulling toy guns on children in the street. Half of them jump out their skin and the older ones give him strange looks.
He did it to me then tried to block my path. I felt like shoving the old bugger out the way but a mixture of pity and revulsion prevented me. He needs help, of that there can be no doubt, but since this happens in Leith it's barely noticed against the backdrop of everything else that goes on here.
Eventually I got Laura and we went home, but Gail was not at her best. The poor soul couldn't get out of bed until three o'clock due to illness so I had to content with Laura and all her pals. I managed to pick out some horses for the day's substantial racing card; Extreme Measure doing me a fine turn in the 1.35 at Newbury.
But I got no work done at all, which annoyed me and knocked me off my even keel. I was so shattered I could barely life my head at points, though I did struggle to make a Chicken Tikka Masala for dinner *ahem*. James Bond: From Russia With Love came on and I used it as an excuse to procrastinate.
I wrote this blog entry out to try and provoke movement in my Muse, but instead found negativity sprawling over the keyboard. She just wanted to chill out for the night and who am I to argue. Certain words in this entry have probably given the game away of just how tired I am anyway.
I did make a submission to boost my short story publication chances; The Blind Man of Cathkin Street sent to Thirteen Magazine. Then I decided reading was the answer. Treasure Island is coming to a conclusion and there is also the new research book I bought today.
Hopefully tomorrow will prove more fruitful if I can just get a decent night's kip; not too warm, no disturbances and no goddamn ships in the docks setting off their horns like last night and I'll be just fine.
The weather all day was muggy-warm and bright though on the horizon dark clouds could be seen to be gathering out on the North Sea. As soon as I dropped Laura off and walked out the Centre, the heavens opened and I was caught in a sudden downpour.
I darted onto a bus heading up Leith Walk, cursing my bad luck and lack of time to get a coffee and headed straight for the Fringe Ticket tent on Princes Street Mall. I collected two tickets I ordered to see Craig Hill on Tuesday night at the Assembly Rooms and as I was about to head back down into Leith I remembered a book that caught my eye while in Borders the other night.
It's a book that supports an idea for a novel that has been swimming around in my mind for a couple of years now. It has everything I need to know; technically and psychologically and will be a valuable resource when I come to write the book. It's too early to say any more, the point only being that I spent some time this morning in Waterstones and bought a valubale resource book.
I went back to get Laura and was aghast to discover she still had another to go. The Disco classes had resumed and so I fannied about Leith for another whole hour. Woolworths just ain't that interesting.
To top it all off I called the opticians and there is a problem with my glasses. They have hard to order the lenses due to the thinning required and so I'm looking at a total of a 7 to 10 day wait. Bugger it! I was all excited like a kid at Christmas but I guess I'll have to wait longer - what choice do I have.
That old man who walks about Leith with the cowboy outfit and toy guns is becoming a real pain in the arse. I'm sorry, but I don't see anything amusing about pulling toy guns on children in the street. Half of them jump out their skin and the older ones give him strange looks.
He did it to me then tried to block my path. I felt like shoving the old bugger out the way but a mixture of pity and revulsion prevented me. He needs help, of that there can be no doubt, but since this happens in Leith it's barely noticed against the backdrop of everything else that goes on here.
Eventually I got Laura and we went home, but Gail was not at her best. The poor soul couldn't get out of bed until three o'clock due to illness so I had to content with Laura and all her pals. I managed to pick out some horses for the day's substantial racing card; Extreme Measure doing me a fine turn in the 1.35 at Newbury.
But I got no work done at all, which annoyed me and knocked me off my even keel. I was so shattered I could barely life my head at points, though I did struggle to make a Chicken Tikka Masala for dinner *ahem*. James Bond: From Russia With Love came on and I used it as an excuse to procrastinate.
I wrote this blog entry out to try and provoke movement in my Muse, but instead found negativity sprawling over the keyboard. She just wanted to chill out for the night and who am I to argue. Certain words in this entry have probably given the game away of just how tired I am anyway.
I did make a submission to boost my short story publication chances; The Blind Man of Cathkin Street sent to Thirteen Magazine. Then I decided reading was the answer. Treasure Island is coming to a conclusion and there is also the new research book I bought today.
Hopefully tomorrow will prove more fruitful if I can just get a decent night's kip; not too warm, no disturbances and no goddamn ships in the docks setting off their horns like last night and I'll be just fine.
Colin 10:33 pm
2 Comments:
Good Luck on the submission!
And the guy with the toy guns, poor guy. Next time you see him you should draw a toy gun on HIM--see if you make his day!
:-)
And the guy with the toy guns, poor guy. Next time you see him you should draw a toy gun on HIM--see if you make his day!
:-)
This blog is really fun to read. It makes Scotland - a whol differnt world - come alive, and paints a vivid picture of the place.