Ros Clarke's Blog, page 30

Storage

I have a lot of stuff. I like stuff. I don’t like getting rid of stuff and I rarely tidy up. So mostly I live in chaos, which is fine by me. But I do have an odd fascination with storage. I have watched almost every episode of this programme on Channel 4 online – it’s just a woman who tells people how to tidy up. She thinks it involves throwing things out, whereas I think the more storage you have, the more stuff you can have.

Anyway, this week, I have been doing a bit of organisation. It began with a trip to IKEA, of course. I realise that many people think of IKEA as a furniture shop. I tend to view it as a craft shop, full of things to be decorated or altered or improved. So now I have this:

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You may remember the Thing. I have upgraded it so that it is less dangerous and more secure – I replaced the nails with screws and reinforced the back with a piece of MDF I had lying around. I added more pegs, too. Now it comfortably holds all my scissors, tape measures, cottons and so on. I’ve added the little shelves (from TK Maxx, not IKEA) which hold my pen pots, glues and sellotapes. And there’s a desk tidy which holds sewing machine bits and pieces, some cables, spare batteries and so on.

I was really pleased to find these tins at IKEA:

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I have been using my alcohol-based felt tips to colour them in:

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I’ve also put up a new paper tidy, which was boring white when I bought it:

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My wool tower has been improved by the addition of little drawers which I’ve covered with fabric:

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I’ve got some cushions to be covered which will go on my new garden furniture, and the thing I’m most excited about is that this deck chair was back in stock. I wanted one last summer but it was sold out everywhere so as soon as I saw it this year, I snapped it up. Of course, I am not going to leave it in boring black. It’s crying out to be woven with something bright and beautiful. That will be a nice summer project.[image error]

Betty Neels: Regency romance set in the 1980s

Recently I have been reading a number of Betty Neels’ books. They are new to me, though probably not to many of you. I’ve tried to steer clear of the ones about doctors and nurses and mostly stuck with professors and nannies. They are wonderful escapism into the kind of world that never really existed. Liz mentioned that they reminded her of Noel Streatfeild and I think they do inhabit a similar sort of world. They also remind me a little bit of Jilly Cooper’s early books (pre-Riders), especially Harriet.

But mostly, they remind me of a particular kind of Regency romance:

The hero is an inscrutable, fabulously wealthy older man. The heroine is genteel but poor, possibly the daughter of a clergyman, unqualified for any job (except possibly nurse or nanny), not obviously pretty and usually poorly dressed, but with impeccable manners. She ends up as the companion to a crotchety older lady who is the hero’s aunt or mother. Our heroine is fabulously practical and competent but unbelievably clueless when it comes to men. Admittedly, the hero’s ridiculous policy of never letting her suspect how he feels does not help her. When she gets a new dress, she becomes miraculously pretty. Usually there is a marriage of convenience (he is often a widower with children who need looking after) and a declaration of love on the final page. No sex and precious few kisses.

They are laughably predictable and yet all the more comforting for being so. They are written without any attention to POV, which makes me very happy indeed but would never get past an editor today. They have endless waffle about details of meals, clothing, walking the dog, feeding the baby and tiresome errands. There is not an enormous amount of what you could call plot. But I totally get why she was such a popular author and I’m very grateful to have her world to escape to when the real world is rubbish.

For more on Neels, check out The Uncrushable Jersey Dress.

ETA: I will not be reviewing the individual books, but seriously, check out the Uncrushable Jersey Dress reviews. They’re awesome.

My life in numbers

I have been working on 1, 2, 6, 8, 33, 37 and 38. Not too shabby.

Re. 1, I’m waiting to hear my editor’s thoughts on a proposal for my second book and I’ve also begun outlining some ideas for a new series after that. And working on another short story.

I have also been getting very excited about the nearness of 4, 16, 18, 19 and 23. And I may have a cunning plan to help with 26.

Two days in

I’m already making progress on my 38 things.

I have pink tulips on the counter.

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I have new and VERY delicious perfume.

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I am halfway through the new quilt.

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And I am making plans to go to one of these to see the Staffordshire Hoard.

Thirty-eight things to do when I’m thirty-eight

1. Get first novel published (and hopefully second and third)

2. Become Dr. Ros

3. Go to see the Strictly Live Tour at the O2.

4. Holiday in Sardinia

5. Go to Woolfest

6. Enter craft and baking categories at the county show

7. Learn to weave properly

8. Finish some of my knitting WIPs

9. Eat something I’ve never eaten before

10. Learn to make fabulous lingerie

11. Spa day with F.

12. Plant 38 new bulbs

13. Become a better spinner

14. Go to see the Strictly Dance To The Music Tour

15. Visit 38 new places

16. Walk along a beach without shoes

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17. Make a new quilt

18. Eat pizza in Italy

19. And gelato

20. Do The Artist’s Way

21. Make puff pastry from scratch

22. Start saving for the Best Holiday In The World Ever

23. Swim in the sea

24. Have my hair cut in a different style

25. Wardrobe cull

26. Book cull

27. Buy new clothes

28. Buy new books

29. Learn to take better photos

30. Get a professional manicure

31. Sign up for an OCA module

32. Start teaching again. Not in a school, obviously.

33. Start wearing perfume more regularly

34. Find a dance class to go to

35. Be in the audience for a TV or radio show. Preferably Strictly, but I realise this is unlikely.

36. Have afternoon tea at glamorous London hotel

37. Always have flowers in the house

38. See the Staffordshire Hoard

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Thirty-eight things to do when I'm thirty-eight

1. Get first novel published (and hopefully second and third)

2. Become Dr. Ros

3. Go to see the Strictly Live Tour at the O2.

4. Holiday in Sardinia

5. Go to Woolfest

6. Enter craft and baking categories at the county show

7. Learn to weave properly

8. Finish some of my knitting WIPs

9. Eat something I've never eaten before

10. Learn to make fabulous lingerie

11. Spa day with F.

12. Plant 38 new bulbs

13. Become a better spinner

14. Go to see the Strictly Dance To The Music Tour

15. Visit 38 new places

16. Walk along a beach without shoes

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17. Make a new quilt

18. Eat pizza in Italy

19. And gelato

20. Do The Artist's Way

21. Make puff pastry from scratch

22. Start saving for the Best Holiday In The World Ever

23. Swim in the sea

24. Have my hair cut in a different style

25. Wardrobe cull

26. Book cull

27. Buy new clothes

28. Buy new books

29. Learn to take better photos

30. Get a professional manicure

31. Sign up for an OCA module

32. Start teaching again. Not in a school, obviously.

33. Start wearing perfume more regularly

34. Find a dance class to go to

35. Be in the audience for a TV or radio show. Preferably Strictly, but I realise this is unlikely.

36. Have afternoon tea at glamorous London hotel

37. Always have flowers in the house

38. See the Staffordshire Hoard

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We went to see the Wizard

On Saturday.

At the London Palladium.

With RUSSELL GRANT.

As Professor Marvel, Trevor the Tour Guide of Oz, and of course, the Wizard himself.

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It was CAPSLOCK BRILLIANT. The sets, special effects, music and so on were all incredible. I was a bit disappointed not to see Sophie Evans as Dorothy, but the understudy was fine. The Cowardly Lion was as camp as anything, the Scarecrow and Tin Man were equally good. Toto was exceptionally well-trained. Glinda had the Best Dress Ever. The wicked witch was suitable wicked.

And then there was RUSSELL. Who stole every scene. He danced, he sang, his accent was all over the place but his joie de vivre was undeniable.

Afterwards, we did a thing I have never done before. We went to the Stage Door and waited to see him. We tweeted to let him know and when he came out he recognised us and was LOVELY. He signed my programme and F's Greek text book (don't ask).

So now we have just booked to see this. Which will also be fab, though perhaps a bit less camp.

April Fool Giveaway!

APRIL FOOL GIVEAWAY! Use code BS52Z for a free copy of Reckless Runaway at the Racecourse: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...

April Fool Giveaway!

APRIL FOOL GIVEAWAY! Use code BS52Z for a free copy of Reckless Runaway at the Racecourse:

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Like me, like me!

I made an author Facebook page. There is currently very little on it but if you Like it, then things happen. I don't know what, but it is promising streets paved with gold if I get lots of fans. Or something.