Bermudababble Week Twenty
It seems to either be sweltering hot or raining very heavily – neither of which are conducive to a good hair day – good job no one cares. I spoke to my mum during one particularly hot, humid evening and she told me that where she was in the UK, it was positively autumnal. I felt quite emotional and longed for one minute of that sweet, cold, starry night sky kissing my skin as I walked on pavements and breathed steam into my upturned collar. I guess the grass is always a little bit greener… especially with so much rain!
Hardly seen the other half this week, he is working very hard and it made me laugh as I shooed the chicken from the hallway (oh yes, Tulisa is a regular visitor) how quickly we have fallen into the patterns that are familiar to us. Before we arrived we planned to visit the beach every day and swim nightly. Instead, just like anywhere, I wait for him to come home from work, we eat and chat, I write; we chat some more, have a cuppa and fall asleep. It’s just the same, doesn’t matter that its eighty-five degrees and it is palm trees that sway outside our window not rose bushes!
I have been writing like a demon, busy crafting my new novel, which is set in Bermuda (don’t know where the idea for that came from!) and is this an incredible story of two women, Cee-Cee and Clara, it’s a saga spanning a century. I am loving it, really excited, but of course its still in construction and so will be a little while before it reaches the shelves! Unlike ‘A Little Love’ which is coming out in eBook at Christmas and in paper February – I read it again the other day and I’m so pleased with it, I think you will love it. More info on it here www.amandaprowse.org 
I have had the most incredible year; the all-singing, re-vamped version of Poppy Day came out last year on October 25th, when I think of everything that has happened in the last 12 months, it’s just astonishing. It has made me think of all the people that encouraged me from day one, like my good friend Trixie who read my first drafts and said to me “I think you can write!” it was like music to me and gave me the confidence to continue and send my work out there. How do you repay someone for giving you that boost when you needed it most, not sure, but I know I will always be eternally grateful. I think if you have the belief that you CAN do something, your journey is half way complete.
For some reason this week, my granddad has been on my mind a lot, I want to ring him and tell him my news, anyone got the number for heaven? I’ve been reduced to tears more than once, pure frustration as I have so much to tell him! I talk to him anyway, as The Major will confirm, just because I don’t get a response would never stop me from nattering away, but I would dearly love just one more chat… I guess everyone feels that way.
I’m a nervous wreck this weekend, my brother Paul is having his stag weekend in Devon (he marries the love of his life Miss Stevie Tate-Bauer in a few weeks – I ADORE her, he did real good!) the point is, my babies Ben and Josh have gone and despite everyone’s assurances, the idea of my two being lead astray by my three brothers, cousins, friends etc. fills me with dread! As my mum pointed out, ‘it’ll be okay, they are with the boys!’ by ‘the boys’ she means my brothers and the trouble is I KNOW what they got up to when we were younger whereas she can only guess and my sons are at the exact same age as they were when they started getting up to it!
If anyone sees a large crowd, probably in wetsuits looking hung-over whilst surfing in the Croyde area, tell my boys to be careful and I miss them!
…and just want to end on this pearl. An American lady approached me on the beach and asked me if I’d always been big? I said, no, I was born real small.
Undeterred, she proceeded to tell me about a herbal remedy for weight loss, I told her if I was that bothered, I’d stop eating crisps and gargling with lard. The fact is I’ve lost over a stone and am working really hard at it, but I’ll be b*ggered if I’ll let on! Let’s just hope she doesn’t read my blog… x
Go dance!
Mandy x
Ps – while writing this, three ants have fallen out of my hair. I know right, euuuwwww!
©Amanda Prowse – all enquiries PFD ajhughes@pfd.co.uk. +44 (0)20 7344 1084
