Catching up...

My reward today for my week of endeavour was a gorgeous walk along by the sea. It was very rough, with huge waves crashing dramatically onto the sand and shingle. The sun was shining, although the sea was a beaten-pewter grey, and there was a sheen on the water's edge. It was very beautiful and the small stones on the waterline glittered like little jewels. I picked up a small, perfectly smooth oval of sea-scoured glass; it is a pale duck-egg colour with a frosted finish - quite lovely - and has been added to my collection.

I met up with one of my BBFs for an indulgent cup of coffee and a chat. I listened enthralled as she described a visit from her sister and her sister's new boyfriend (though at our ages, I think the word 'boyfriend' is a bit twee). It was great to hear how they met, and how he seems to be completely besotted with her. Aahh..

Christmas shopping is rearing its ugly head - not that I hate it, quite the reverse - it's just that I haven't done any and know I will have to catch up next week. If I throw money at it, I'll probably be OK. It is also Daughter's birthday next week, on Wednesday. She will be 26 and I have offered to take her out for the day - probably for some shopping. We did shop for her a bit in the week. She chose some trainers from TK Maxx (great value) and a couple of things from Zara (ditto). The thing about Daughter is that I seriously doubt sometimes if she belongs to me, because she loves
Shopping (with a capital S). I hate it, unless I've got lots of time and money to spend, and that seldom happens these days. Anyway, I'll do the parental thing and spoil her for the day I expect. Which reminds me: she telephoned this evening to say that she had had a Birthday card from her Father. Just that - a Birthday card! I still marvel at his ability to be mean, even after all this time and from this distance (he's in New Zealand), but I know it's hurtful to her - and it's probably meant to be. Oh shit - I'll be making up for it, as usual. And that's fine, but I do wonder when (or if) he will ever wake up to the fact that he has two great children, and that one of life's joys is to give to them, not excessively, but on occasions like this, and simply because you love them.

My copy has been sent, dutifully and on time, to my client in Portugal. I expect I will hear back from him with some revisions, but that's fine. It's a great feeling when I press that 'send' button, having written, re-written, edited and re-edited.
It's never perfect, but I hope he will like it. I work on the Oscar Wilde principle that it takes longer to write something shorter: like a poem, a good piece of copy should say everything it needs to say in the least possible number of words. I was good at 'precis' when I was at Grammar School, so I guess that's where I learned the skill. It has been my bread and butter for a long time - and aren't I lucky that it's something I enjoy doing?

Another weekend - and I have honorary Grandaughter tomorrow for the night. I haven't seen her since before half term, so it will be a delight to catch up on her news. I have bought her a Bratz Advent Calendar (is that a contradiction in terms?) and she will have eight days of chocolates to eat! Supper will be sausages and mash with petit pois, followed by chocolate ice-cream for dessert. This menu never varies when she comes to me, and I usually try and make a face out of the sausages and mash and peas, with the judicious addition of some ketchup for a nose or eyes. We have been through all the characters in Harry Potter, Father Christmas (who had a mashed potato beard) and anyone else I can dream up. I expect she will grow out of it soon, but it's fun while it lasts...