Friday 7th November 2020 Day 227

7.45   I have overslept which is unusual and a nuisance and have woken up aware of the fact that I fell over yesterday which is also a nuisance but luckily nothing major just a bit stiff and sore,  I must remember to look out for tree roots today and start walking around in my wellies like a dressage horse.

It has just occurred to me that last night was the first night ever that I didn’t see a single firework, even from looking out of the window.  Neither Audrey or Worry are in the least worried about fireworks thank goodness, a terrified animal is not a nice thing to have to see and deal with.  I think I was surprised not to see any because I would have thought that there would have been more small garden parties as the public displays have all been cancelled.

11.00   We are off for our walk, Audrey seems a bit languid and down at the moment, could it be that she is sensing the atmosphere that things are wrong at the moment?  I am sure animals and children are aware of so much that passes us by.  I hope she will cheer up, crashing through the undergrowth in search of pheasants to put up, she

rarely finds one and if she does she doesn’t really know what to do.  She is full of life as we get ready to go and delighted to meet up with Janet so I guess there’s not too much wrong there.

I am going to have a little ‘Say’.   It seems that everyone who has earned the title of ‘Celebrity’, has come out with a book this year, the latest I hear on the radio this morning being Tom Allen.  I am truly fascinated as to how come every Celebrity’s book, which they appear to have jotted down in a free half hour or so, is instantly published and up for a best seller award even if they have never put ‘fingers to lap top’ before.  The reason for my interest is that having tried to find my way to an agent or publisher when I wrote a book, was like an impossible maze of paths and rules, with impenetrable doors at the end of them. I self published in the end and frankly I don’t think my work was probably going to be accepted by an agent anyway so this isn’t sour grapes as I never really even tried.  However my niece, whose work has been accepted by an agency who are now grooming/mentoring her work, editing, passing on to the next stage and the next stage and this has been going on for at least eighteen months so far, interspersed with seminars in London, even though having won a place and been assured she will be published with a very prestigious publisher.  The work is still far from at the printers.  The refining goes on and on but she will get there in the end.   Just saying.