Tag Archives: results

A Writer’s Progress

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Today I wrote my haiku in the morning, and managed 16 reasonably good ones against my target of ten.

I am now in day 68 of my Buson 100 and starting to feel that I’m gaining from it. The last week or two have been a bit difficult, but it’s getting easier now. It probably sound strange to talk about ten three line poems (probably not much more than 100 words in all) as being hard to write, but they are.

Over an hour ago I started writing this post, meaning to get it done so that I could, make tea and relax. This would, I thought, be a good way to ensure a quality post and a relaxing evening. So far, after several false starts, I have, as you can see, managed to do very little.

I finally got my submission to Wales Haiku Journal sent off, several days later than I intended. That brings me up to six submissions for June, which is one less than my record for May. I have had  three acceptances and  two rejections for May, with two pending. June has seen two acceptances, one rejection and I am still waiting on three decisions.

If you’d asked me a few years ago I would have said that most of a writer’s time is spent writing. That is incorrect, a lot of time is spent planning, talking, reading, worrying  and counting. Particulalrly counting. In a moment I will have done 250 words and will have met my self-imposed minimum target  for a blog post.

Sorry, I’m struggling tonight.

 

 

No Inspiration Yet…

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At 10am on Sunday Julia posted the Covid test kit. At 10.30 this morning she had a text with the result. It is negative. Credit where credit is due – this is a very efficient piece of work and the laboratory staff are to be congratulated.

If I say that was the most interesting thing in my Sunday, apart from a salted caramel chocolate brownie Julia bought when she went out for a walk, you may see what a waste my day has been. Again.

Now that spring is coming I really should be perking up.

I stalled in my writing, decided to have a cup of tea and a sit down, and ended up falling asleep through the midnight deadline. I’m still not much better placed as far as inspiration is concerned,, because Monday hasn’t exactly been a day of laughs. I dropped Julia off at work, went to the doctor, found my blood testing forms weren’t ready, despite my telephone conversation and email, and came home to make toast, wash up and stare at a blank screen.

Last night I had a strange dream about my legs being paralysed. I woke to find that I was laying on my side with my feet caught in the duvet. I’m not sure how I managed it, but they were held tightly together and I was trying to kick my way free.

A doctor rang me in the middle of the morning, to check on the blood test request. We discussed a few other problems we have had over the months and she was able to unravel several mysteries about missing prescriptions over the last few months. I felt slightly guilty as (a) I’m not ill and (b) all the years spent to train as a GP should not be wasted doing admin. It’s just unfortunate that the admin team at the surgery couldn’t have done it. I am beginning to suspect that deep in the bowels of the NHS Electronic Prescription system, there are a number of random faults that keep casting up aberrations.

I am doing the menu for tonight through to Thursday now. It’s sausages with roasted veg – the accent being on carrots. Tomorrow will be sausage and mash with mashed carrot and parsnips, and onion sauce. I have too many carrots. Even carrot soup for Wednesday lunch isn’t going to bring the numbers down significantly. I’m going to start eating carrot sticks for lunch too.  Looks like carrot hotpot on Thursday…

 

 

 

 

How My New Life is Shaping Up

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How have I done so far with my new regime?

Here’s how…

One, do some housework every day.   Yes, another full hopper in the shredder, and the washing up done, even the curry pan.

Two, exercise every day.  I have flexed my hands and gad a nice walk in the rain to and from the car to Phlebotomy. I must get gutters fitted to my ears.

Three, make a good nutritional decision every day.   I had Cuppa Soup and bread and butter for lunch. We have run out of Cheddar and there is no delivery tonight so my decision not to have  a cheese sandwich was an easy one.

Four – stop pressing those internet buttons. Haven’t pressed one today, so far…

Five. Go out and walk every day. To the car and back should be about right. See Number Two. I have also walked to the phone twice to answer nuisance calls.

Six – write a retirement plan – that way it won’t creep up and surprise me. You got me there – I haven’t started that yet.

Seven –  start using shopping lists. It will make online ordering less of an adventure but will be better for us nutritionally. Made a partial list for last night. Waste of time! Delivery cancelled.

Eight – plan my writing for the year. Started the plan. Still some fine tuning to do. Made time to read  an article on haiku, and make notes.

Nine – employ psychology in my struggle with weight loss. Early days yet.

Ten – stop promising Ten Point Lists when you can’t actually think of ten things. I didn’t do one today, so I think we can call that a success.

I’ve thought of another point – write an easy post by duplicating a substantial part of an old one.  I managed that.

A Quick Post

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I passed my blood anti-coagulant blood test, and as a reward I don’t need to go back until 11th December. If it all goes well my next test will be either 25th December or 1st January. I may have to rethink this.

On the other hand, I had a text from the surgery telling me that my doctor wants to see me for a face to face consultation and that I must ring to arrange it. This seems an odd way to offer congratulations so I’m expecting a lecture on my health. More precisely, I’m expecting a lecture on my cavalier attitude to my health.

We filled today, when not being texted, with a visit to Springfields in Lincolnshire, followed by a visit to my father, who trounced me at Snakes and Ladders before defeating me at several games of dominoes. He may not know what day it is, and he can’t remember my name, but he’s still got his competitive edge.

My sister complains that I have it too. She says it as if it’s a bad thing.

 

Post Script

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Sorry, I meant to mention this in the last post but forgot.

Blood test results arrived today – the target is 2.5. I scored 2.3. That’s about as good as it gets. It’s also another on target result, which should stop those annoying phone calls about my results being inconsistent. (They aren’t inconsistent – it’s just that the way the anti-coagulant team does the calculation).

Next test is two weeks away. Fingers crossed.