Catch up

Hi Everyone,

I have just finished my sexy regency romance novella, formerly called The Art of Retaliation. At last!!! I am thinking of re-naming it, The Kidnapper. I have never written a novella before. If you want to check out some chapters of it you will find them in the archive section on this blog.

It has been a funny old week trying to catch up on everything since returning from my walking holiday in The Lake District here in the UK. Fantastic place with mountains to conquer but it's so wet there!! I got soaked almost every day. LOL.

We were returning from a four hour hike up Walla Crag when the weather increased from light rain to torrential. So bear in mind that before this happened I was already wet through. We had to walk though a forest when the worst of it came down. I decided to put on my lovely flowery kag in a bag (raincoat in a bag - lovely things. Not! Talk about flower power!!) borrowed from my mother-in-law on top of my coat and jumper and shirt. Yes I had all of that on in July. It doesn't feel like summer in the UK. Even the leaves on the trees have given up and seem to have just decided to turn brown now in anticipation of an early autumn and get it over with. Anyway I am digressing.

I was with my eleven year old daughter at the time I tried to struggle into this kag. For some chaotic reason I couldn't get it on the right way and I was getting more and more wet. The rain came down even harder and I suddenly felt as though someone was tipping a bucket of cold water down the back of my trousers! Thankfully we were alone because much angry screaming and cursing ensued from my mouth as I continued to struggle. I don't think I have been that wet in a swimming pool! Eventually with my daughter's patient help despite her laughing I got it on.

Fed up of having this Kag on with a hood that was too big and kept slipping over my eyes so I couldn't see where I was going, I looked to our self imposed intrepid leader, my husband, to lead us out of the maze of forest. More angry screaming and cursing burst forth from my lips when I realised he was taking us round in a circle! Never trust a man with directions!

We were to repeat such a wet day on our walk to Watendlath. I got so teed off I was wondering if I should just roll myself down the hill and give up. If I got hurt then at least they would take me to hospital and I would be warm and dry for the night and hubby couldn't make me do anymore walks in the rain. LOl. I was not a happy bunny.

But as the week wore on and I was placated with a trip to Sarah Nelson's lovely famous gingerbread shop in Grasmere and my spirits lifted. The trip was only marred slightly by light rain and a very low flying RAF jet that I mistook for a rather large bird as it came in directly above our heads over Thirlmere lake when we stopped to look around on the way back to Keswick. I am ashamed to say I was so shocked and afraid of how low it was I cowered behind my husband. LOL. Not usually such a coward I couldn't bear the screeching noise and the possibility that it might be crashing because it was so low. I have been terrified of those jets training amongst the hills in the Lakes since I was eleven. You may laugh but there is something very disconcerting about seeing a jet lower than you when you are on top of one of the hills. :P

The whole purpose of the holiday was to help my balance problems and dizziness. And it has worked. By conquering the heights of Catbells and other fells and hills I began to get my confidence back. Although I did have to draw the line when hubby got us lost yet again and had us walking up a steep precarious path. I knew it had to be the wrong way when he informed me their were people climbing down it above us with rock climbing equipment!

My Neuro-physiotherapist has said that it has greatly helped my symptoms so much so hubby wants to take me back in October and get me to climb one of the biggest hills in the UK, Hellvellyn! (Pictured above here). Nooooooo! Why not go the whole hog and make me do all of The Wainwright walks while your at it??? Not before I have been on another cruise to somewhere warm and dry!

Right I'm off. I will check in soon with news on new novels I have planned. I shall be posting details of some brilliant reviews I have been getting for the Devil You Know so don't forget to tune in.

Enjoy your weekend.

Sara :)