early morning walks, misty meadows and clear skies, mst reading, trust: a family story, dialogue with yourself, there now

Really enjoying my early morning walks to the north and west of the village. Some earlier than others.

A low mist over the meadows one day, clear skies the next.

Loved reading from Trust: A family story at the (virtual) residence of the new cohort of MSt in Creative Writing students.

Yes, Trust is finished. I think when I've said this in the past it has been wishful thinking. The rewriting and editing stages bring you back into contact with painful memories and you can only bear that for short periods. There have to be longish intervals between them, and as the years pass you hope you have got there. But the next 'final' read through proves you wrong.

On a positive note, the successive re-readings form an extensive dialogue with yourself over time and this helps you to come to terms with the past.

It is there now.

holiday!, cotswold wildlife park, apples and toms, time, sisters by daisy johnson

Have had a great week off - and the holiday still has a few days to go. Didn't head for Switzerland and the French Alps this year, for obvious, sad, reasons. West Oxfordshire and the allotment have been excellent alternatives, if a little flatter. Went to the Cotswold Wildlife Park mid-week for the first time since we moved here. Not a fan of zoos generally but loved walking round. Beautiful landscape and the animals and birds looked well, were wonderful to see and were fascinating. Would definitely go back.

Apples and tomatoes have been delicious but are coming to an end - the apples definitely, the toms probably.

I realise there have been loads of things I meant to write about here over the past month or so, which I never had a moment for, it was so busy at work.

Holiday reading: Sisters by Daisy Johnson.