Today I did something which I've not done for thirty years or more.  As I'd expected, I was spectacularly out of practise but it was definitely fun and I have every intention of repeating the experience.  Richard joined in, too, which made it even more fun. I'm talking about swimming, of course.  When I was a child, our family group swam on most Sundays.  We had a circuit of different pools which we'd go to - Warrington Baths was a favourite, though it has since been demolished, as has Leigh Baths which we also used. Dad would never swim; he hated the very idea, and the most I ever recall him doing was paddling in ankle-deep sea water in Cornwall, his trousers rolled up to his knees.  Mum loved swimming.  One time, she decided to try doing the butterfly stroke.  At least, that's what she insisted it was after the lifeguard's whistle had emptied the pool and she'd been rescued.  How was he to know that the plumes of frantic splashing eru...

Emily and Poppi inspecting this morning's snow.     It was not my intention to photograph my dog's derriere, however this is the best of this morning's three quick snapshots.  Two seconds later, both dogs had sprinted back inside having already had quite enough of cold paws thank you very much.   I've been busy finishing off several projects, including an NVQ Level 3 in Customer Care which is now 98% complete.  It would have been finished entirely if my tutor hadn't resigned last week, which means I now have to wait for another to be employed by the college.  I'm not best pleased, as I'd like to have the course over and done with, but these things happen.  I've also been doing another job-related course, which is now two-thirds complete.   On the writing front, I'm currently working on a piece destined for Riverside Writers' forthcoming anthology of short stories and poetry set in a fictional apartment block in Live...

If you're wondering why the ticket, pictured above, calls last night's event at Bebington Library "Valentine Stories" even though it's nearly a month late, it's because the original booking was delayed, apparently.  The event brought together members of four of Wirral's writing groups:  Riverside Writers , Wirral Writers , 3Ls and Ace of Scribes, (who don't seem to have a website). Once the good-sized audience had settled down with glasses of red or white wine, or orange juice, and a plate offering sliced Swiss roll and little sponge cakes had done the rounds, the readings began - and the next two hours were filled by a diverse and interesting collection of stories and poetry. Fellow members of Riverside Writers, Tim Hulme and Peter Hurd, both read stories.  Tim's also a member of the 3Ls, so he already knew many of the people there.  My contribution to the evening was Sally , a 1,000 word urban fantasy/comtemporary fiction piece ...

You may be interested to hear about a new avenue for self-publishing, this time for comics and graphic novels.  A company called comiXology invite people to submit their work for consideration - probably so the company can maintain good standards of art work and scripts.  Their FAQs state the submission process is free, and accepted works are paid 50% of the net profit on each sale, once a $100 threshold has been reached, (which is similar to Amazon's threshold).  Authors/creators retain their copyrights, so they can sell their work elsewhere also. Considering that, in the past, selling self-published comics and graphic novels tended to be limited to friends, comic expos (if you could afford a table!) or a bit of shelf space in a willing local shop, then comiXology sounds like a great opportunity for those whose art folios are already bursting at the seams with largely unseen work.

On Thursday 7th (tomorrow), I'll be amongst a group of writers who'll be reading some of their work to an audience at Bebington Library, Wirral.  Two other members of Riverside Writers, Tim Hulme and Peter Hurd, will also be taking part but I have no further details about who else might be. If I'm not mistaken, the event has been organised by the 3Ls .  I think the event starts at 7.30pm, and I have no idea if there's an entry fee.  My apologies for the rather vague information, but it's all I have!

Blackbird hunting for worms     This afternoon I tackled the half-moon shaped flowerbed located beside the entrance to the grove.  It was badly overgrown, so the first job was to remove the dry remnants of assorted wildflowers and the rapidly-growing spring weeds.  Before any ardent conservationist throws a wobbly, I'll point out that all the wildfowers came from commercial packets of seeds, and last year's seeds have already either done their own thing or are sitting in a shallow dish on the kitchen window sill.   Meawhile, nearby, Richard was wrestling with the sawn-down stump of a Robinia pseudoacacia, a lovely tree whose oval leaves turn an attractive golden colour in autumn.  Unfortunately it also has thorns the size of rhino horns, and we were fed up of being lacerated each time we mowed the lawn.  We had tried pruning it back hard for several years with mixed success and much spillage of blood. Verdict: ...

Apparently, the New York Public Library has spent $1million USD on ebooks and is planning a major re-design of the old building which will create large, airy spaces, a cafe, and remove old and hardly-used books to stacks in the basement. Closer to home, Liverpool Central Library is already undergoing a major structural overhaul, which promises to look amazing once finished and I'm looking forward to seeing it re-open. Wirral Libraries are also changing.  In their draft strategy  for the future, they write, "The Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport quotes a decline in the number of visits to library premises of around 25% over a 16 year period, and a steady decline in the loans of adults’ books over the decade prior to 2008/9 by more than a third." It goes on to define the library service as: "4 .1 - Wirral library is a friendly, accessible place that provides a safe, trusted and welcoming resource aimed at meeting the needs of the local ...