Wednesday 31 October 2007

Happy Halloween!!!

Halloween is quite the occasion, here at Thistletonthwaite Castle. The adults turn into blood-sucking vampires. The butler’s children revert to their alien forms.



Come midnight, headless knights patrol the halls, slaying every living thing they find. While restless spirits float through the grounds, completely ruining the hedges.

I take the butler’s children to a local hotel. Where they are safe. Well... at least from the headless knights!

Tuesday 30 October 2007

Life, the Universe and Everything

I had a wonderful conversation with my financial advisor today, and it had nothing to do with money.


Inspired by CSI, she’s begun an introductory course to forensic science. She could not be more excited, and wants to take it forward, on to a new career. In return, I shared my secret writing ambition.

Another interesting thing about Clare (name changed to protect her anonymity): she’s an identical twin.

She has a career, a partner, and a night class in forensic science. While her sister (age thirty-two), lives with their parents, hoping for things she doesn’t have, believing if something is meant to be -- it happens.

But, no, no, no! It doesn’t.

If you want to drive a car, you take lessons, sit a test, buy insurance, then get in the car on your own and drive. If you want to sell a house (or a castle), you make it look the best it can, instruct an estate agent, be very available, and incredibly nice at every viewing. YOU have to do things in order to sell it.

So, my point is this. If you want something, try your best to make it happen. And the more you try, the more you increase your chance of succeess.

Life is about taking part. If you do that, and pursue your goals, you learn and change and grow. Even if you don’t achieve what you originally set out for, other opportunities might occur along the way. It’s organic. But you have to put one foot in front of the other. Take the first step, then the next...

Sunday 28 October 2007

British Winter Time Begins

Note that it’s officially known as the end of British Summer Time. Perhaps it’s supposed that the dreaded word 'winter' would make everyone feel too gloomy.

I’m actually looking forward to winter, because I won’t have to remember to water plants and tidy up the garden.

So, if time moved back one hour last night (which it did), why do I feel so tired?


It must be because I spent most of the day adjusting clocks here at Thistletonthwaite Castle.