Well, 5000 words published since Friday eve and another 2500 written. Not sure it'll be seen today but I might start work on #37 before the day's out whilst the words are flowing freely. Next on the agenda, Sunday dinner! The cooker awaits, where's my apron?
It would seem that my block has been lifted, earlier today a great flow of words and plot lines started to fall out of my fingers, landing on the keyboard.
Why today? Why not yesterday or any time in the past few months? Well, today I was having a Onesie day, having bought the thing yesterday. Maybe that was it, maybe not. Anyway, chapter 34 of Tammy: Anchored should be on the stand shortly (just need to proof it again!)
My writing went on hold when the floating radio station's studio was being built, some 5 days before broadcasting started. I had Anchored #33 written beforehand so this was published on 27th July, just before we went live.
For the last 2 weeks I've been production assistant on a floating radio station, and on Sunday the station closed down until Summer 2017.
It's been an interesting existence, being on board the ship shortly after 0700 and leaving for my bed just after midnight each day. I did manage to get home usually for a few hours early eve, so it wasn't quite a 17 hour day. The ship is moored in harbour with a gangway straight onto the quayside so no strange gymnastics to get aboard. It's also about 10 mins walk from home, so easy logistics.
Today's my last day off for a while as I'm involved with a 24hr 'pirate' radio station for the next 2 weeks, co-ordinating the media and social media.
I've sat down to do some writing and the next Anchored (#32) will be out later, after another proof-read, whilst #33 is almost done. That one will be out mid-week but #34 might have to wait for another spare day, whenever that is.
Anchored 21 is finally finished! I started it a few weeks ago but haven't had any spare time.
In the two weeks + , since we moved in, the place has undergone a transformation and is now properly a home. There are some niggles but they are minor.
Finally on Monday we get our fibre connected and rejoin the online world without fear of using up my phone's data allowance (my daughter managed a month's allowance in 2 days!!)
My daughter and I have been at our new home for just over a week. One of the best aspects of the property is the garden and patio behind the house. Today I enjoyed planting herbs and a few flowers after spending a few days clearing the undergrowth. Over this weekend we'll host a housewarming with my family.
I finally received my keys to the new place today. That meant a day of moving furniture and trying to get at least the kitchen into a working state. We failed on that but a singular carton of milk is spending the night in the fridge which is humming on the lowest possible setting. Shopping for food will happen on Wednesday!
I reckon I'll be able to cook from tomorrow (once I have food!) so the focus will move to the bathrooms (supplies & cleaning) then to my bedroom.
I agreed the rent with the new landlord yesterday, all bar £2 is covered by the local council housing department so that just leaves utilities. I also now have a moving in date - 1st June. My daughter is going to spend a few days with my mother and I'll remain in the hotel (we'll need the room Mon/Tues next week so don't want to give it up yet!)
No word on the clothes etc, so I'm chasing that today. I'm also chasing why the UK TV licensing lot have taken my money twice (television not trans!).
Some ten days ago it was agreed that I could collect all my remaining possessions from my former apartment on an appointed day.
That was today amd I should have guessed that a few things wouldn't go to plan. It started when no-one arrived at 0900 except myself and my uncle. I called the agency, left a message and got a call back after a few minutes - the usual agent was on his way but hadn't expected to be there today, there was a mis-communication between himself and the owner apparently. That was the first problem, as he arrived he suggested there was another issue.
I've been waiting for some good news and it looked at one point today that my waiting was in vain.
I had hoped that my prospective landlord would have made his mind up by now but that hadn't happened. While I was with him, however, my daughter turned up and then a man with a van arrived. I asked about renting the van for Monday morning when I need to empty the flat and he asked where it needed to go so I suggested the large ground floor living room at the vacant property. That finally prompted the decision - the place is ours!
The fingers have been back at the keyboard this week so I must be feeling a bit less stressed. Last weekend was just hell for me, one of the lowest places I've ever been. Anyway, pulled myself back from the brink, did the paperwork that the housing folks were demanding and it seems to have worked, sort of.
It's been a little challenging since my last blog.
I had been waiting for an email back from the housing services lady and I sent a chaser email on Thursday morning, copied to a general inbox. With nothing heard I headed out just before midday. Only now did I receive an email reply asking if I had been to see the outreach officer in the local job centre. I queried this, given I had supplied all the documents requested. She insisted and said we would be thrown out of the hotel if I didn't.
So my situation isn't brilliant but the help is starting to happen, or at least tiny steps towards proper help.
My daughter had been allowed time off school this morning but it wouldn't have achieved anything o she went in and had breakfast in the canteen, the school has allowed free meals for her in the interim. As she didn't have access to her phone charger one of the staff arranged charging facilities. I had a job this morning, whilst it wouldn't be a priority it did generate some cash for the one hour I was there (idiot locked himself out of Windows 10 machine).
There's a few more chapters of Tammy's Summer Diary to go, five more probably, but I'm thinking ahead to the next full length book so I can plan it. I can announce today that the provisional title for the book is:
On Friday I travelled South to the town tht for twenty years I worked in, married in and raised two children. I left there eight years ago with a job in disarray, my health a serious problem and my marriage was subject to divorce. Of course my children didn't see me for ages, either.
I'm off South in the morning to the town where I spent twenty years of my working, and married, life. I have some great friends there and some happy memories. Both of my children were born there and my daughter will be going with me so she can see her nan. It's also entirely possible her mother will make an appearance.
I no longer have any communication with the ex and am unlikely to see her even if my daughter does. For legal reasons that meeting will be supervised to ensure my daughter's safety.
I guess I'm not alone. Most of my own needs tinkering before I'm ready to post it, other than a usual proofing and checking for errors. The tinkering I refer to is where a section needs rewriting because of continuity. What's happened over the past few days goes beyond that.
"Last year I applied and was selected to be a finalist for the Miss Galaxy Contest, 4-7 February 2016. I was so proud to think that we finally live in a society that accepts transgendered women to this extent. But when I emailed to secure my place I mentioned this and was instantly informed I was no longer eligible to compete. They say they hadn’t spotted that I was transgender -- according to their rules you have to be born female to take part in the pageant."
I've managed a few thousand words of Tammy's tales since I rejoined BCTS earlier this month, but I did have plenty of free time available.
It now looks like I have to spend a few days with my brother who has suffered a major PC failure and can't recover his data from his old hard disc. That means a trip to the far side of London, probably tomorrow.
I logged into BC today for the first time in six months and I'm sorry I haven't been around - please don't believe any rumours you probably haven't heard. My muse has escaped me, I haven't written a word since last summer and have no sign of doing so in the next few days. The stories will be concluded but I can't give a timescale.
I'm afraid that the next chapter of Gains is taking much longer to finish than I would like. Work on Testing Times continues whilst the grey cells consider reworking the existing text for Unaccounted Gains book 3 chapter 20 into a better order.
It;s been a few days since I posted a new chapter for either of my ladies. I'm afraid I've hit a block with Gains that needs a rethink but I had no desire to write over the weekend. Hopefully a new Testing Times will hit the news stand on Tuesday (that's today if you're East of the Meridian)
Checks can be made out & sent to:
Joyce Melton
1001 Third St.
Space 80
Calimesa, CA 92320
USA
Note: $6000 is the operating, maintenance and upgrade budget. Amounts received in excess of the $6000 will be applied to long term debt accrued over the last 19 years.
