Jolly Badgers

Lorraine off to school to let workmen in and so on today. I got up and did a bit of writing before heading off to the Jolly Badger at Mill Hill to see Mum and Mason. An enjoyable train journey, reading Jia Jiang's book Rejection Proof. Most writers often have to deal with rejection of course. One idea hit me with some force. Although I am finding my acceptances/rejections ratio has distinctly improved recently -- but always have the sense editors choose what seems to me safer work. There is a temptation to write in that way to see more of your work in print. But if what you are writing is safe, it will never be remembered. 

A big difference to going to the Jolly Badger from the last time I was up here. Not the sweltering heat, in fact although it is still warm, the day was overcast threatening rain that did not come. 

We were shown to the same table as before, and the guy even remembered what we all drank too. Mum and Mas on good form. It works really well me zooming up for a couple of hours to hang out with them. I was talking about the book I'd been reading, and Mason said that he felt the stuff on YouTube about Trump he watched was a rejection of all that he thought was good about America. Mas takes a dim view of Trump. Mum gnawing on ribs and enjoying a Bulmers' cider. It is such a relief to be able to just come up again now after all those lockdown miseries.  

Lorraine had given me some banana bread to give to them, and I showed them the loaf, but put it back in my bag to take it off the table when we ate. I found it in my bag on the way home. Perhaps my subconscious had betrayed me as I am powerfully attracted to banana bread.

Home. Lorraine out with Carolyn early in the evening. Meanwhile the Lionesses, England's woman footballers, progressed to the European Final by overcoming a team of talented Swedes. Once Lorraine was back though, the lure of Star Trek was too strong.

Below I told Mum and Mas to smile. This is what happened.