Toppled

Up to make a cup of tea, pausing only to clean up a pool of cat urine next to the litter tray, and back into bed. Sipping tea in bed, I opened my email from Live Cannon to say my manuscript Man Up had not won the prize for which I was shortlisted. I had tried not got my hopes up over the last six months, but still a disappointment. All is not lost, however, as I was told they were big fans of my work and would I be up for meeting to discuss it? But it took me a while to reach this point of seeing this gleam of optimism. I have failed at the last fence so many times it is hard to bear.     

Shortly after, Brian arrived with his chainsaw -- which he has been trained and licenced to use -- bright as a button having already been for a swim in the sea to help us out in  the garden. He proceeded to cut down the small dead conifer, the diseased crab apple tree, and pollarded the sycamores, which I learn are unwelcome trees. Although I had agreed all this with Lorraine, I found the reality very stressful. Much of lawn garden is now hidden under a tangle of branches -- and although they all need to go, to be replaced by better trees the business of maiming trees distresses me.

Brian could not have been more efficient, helpful and kind. Yvonne texted me to enquire if he was behaving himself. I reported back that his behaviour was exemplary, an artist and a tree surgeon. He pointed out the bird at the heart of one of the sycamores, see below. As we were thanking Brian, as he packed up the car, we met a neighbour called Jenny, who paused to introduce herself.  

After Brian left, I swept up as best I could outside, and continued with my miserable mood. Lorraine went off to her personal trainer, and then did some shopping. 

Robin came by with a pot plant to do some face to face recording. Naturally I took the opportunity to moan. It is always good to moan to a fellow writer at times like this. You have to be mad to write. It's a dog's life.  

Lorraine back, and just missed Robin. By then I had got over the worst of being mardy. We did more sorting in the house, me mostly going through books and opening more boxes.

We had some more of the delicious nut roast Lorraine had put together yesterday, and settled down on the gold sofa with DS9, which is in many ways the best of the Star Treks. 

A bird in the rings