http://www.paragraphplanet.com/

Small excitement for a Monday: had a 75-word flash fiction accepted for paragraph planet website. It's very gratifying, because it's my first attempt. I sent off my novel for feedback last week, and decided that I wasn't ready to start another novel just yet, but wanted to keep my writer's muscles active by just doing some short writing exercises. I tried writing a flash fiction within a tweet, but that didn't really work (too short). However, I did find paragraph planet. The idea is that you have to piece of flash fiction that's exactly 75 words long. It's a great constraint, because it's long enough to have the suggestion of something happening - good for practising opening paragraphs. I'm now totally addicted. I'm supposed to be cleaning the bathroom now, but instead I've been writing about a codicil to a will and a family secret...oh, I suppose I really should scrub the toilet now (but at least I can think about overgrown gardens and orphaned children and family feuds whilst I'm doing it).
My story will be on the paragraph planet website on 29/4/14 ...or here forever (see next post)!

It's all happening in my kitchen. I could barely contain my excitement this morning when I got back from the gym to find a man and a roll of lino in my house. I even offered him chocolate biscuits with his cup of tea. And now I can hear drilling, how thrilling! Full steam ahead to try to get it all done in time for the Twins' birthday party tomorrow.
I just picked up my new hand whisk from Tesco, but have given up on the idea of actually making it into the kitchen today to bake birthday cupcakes, so I bought a tray of ready-made ones, which is a bit of a cop-out, but loads better than I could manage, even with the help of a brand new whisk.
Right then, I just need to buy monster's ears (dried pears) and monster's fingernails (flaked almonds)  - yes, it is a 'spooky' party - and I'm good to go, woo hoo! xxx

Hello again. How are you? I'm still kitchen-less (and humourless). I know, shouldn't complain, taxpayers expense, etc. In many ways being unable to do the washing or cooking is a good thing. Tonight I came home from work to a nice fresh layer of cement on the kitchen floor, so no chance of even washing Son's filthy PE kit (yes, he left it at school throughout the Easter hols and has only just brought it home) or even bunging a pizza in the oven. Hey-ho, I thought, we'll just have yet another McDonald's, so I plopped back in the car, leaving Scooby Doo to babysit for me, and zoomed off...only to discover that McDonald's is also being refurbished and is closed for the next few weeks. Nooo! We had fish and chips last night, for heaven's sakes, so I couldn't go down the chippy again. So the kids ended up having pretzels, tomatoes, cheese strings and chorizo (what will I do if Lidl shuts, too?). And I'm on a fasting day, so I was only ever going to have an unexciting oat cake and salad anyway.
I suppose the good thing is that I'm really looking forward to being able to use the kitchen again, and, rather than feeling like it's my personal domestic prison, I will embrace it with the joy and warmth of a long-lost companion. In fact, I'm so excited about the prospect of returning to my culinary sanctum I have even ordered a new hand whisk (in order to better whip up cup cakes, natch). xxx

I'm on the motorway in the rain, with a tummy full of chocolate. A typical British Easter Sunday. The hols are nearly over, the mystery Machine (now re christened Henry Bongo) hasn't blown up and I'm wearing my exciting new weekend hoodie. yes, it is another blue hoodie, but entirely different in so many respects from my other two blue hoodies. Must go, nearly home xx

PPS. "Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better."

Samuel Beckett

ps. Just googled. Apparently the murder rate spikes around full moons...

Hello. I'm writing again now I'm slightly less mad. The full moon is on the wane, hey ho! Let me tell you a secret: I am a genuine lunatic. I know, it sounds all a tad eighteenth century, but the fact is, I do end up a teensy bit insane when the moon is full. I don't really want to delve into the spooky New Age witchy theory as to why this is the case (if there is a spooky New Age witchy theory - probably, hmmm...might google it after this), but now I have a lunar phases app on my smart phone and a half-full bottle of St John's Wort tablets, so at least I can dose myself up in readiness these days and not succumb totally to the bedlam.
So, I've been hearing/reading the odd thing recently about how important failure is. That it's a good thing to face the 'dark night of the soul' alone, and pull yourself up by your bootstraps, etc. That we should all learn to 'fail better' as I think Beckett said (probably need to google that as well)? I quite like this philosophy (who wouldn't like the reassurance that being a loser is a good thing?) BUT this morning when, after hours of trying, Son & I still couldn't get Minecraft to download and what's more, I couldn't get the lawnmower to start, I have to say that I no longer gave a stuff about the opportunity to develop and learn through the experience of failure. I just wanted the blooming things to work. Furthermore, I didn't want my personal 'dark night of the soul' journey to be through the wastelands of mechanical and geeky frustration.
However, I suppose I did learn a few things through today's experience:
1. Geeky forums sometimes give valid advice
2. The phone number for the grounds maintenance chaps
3. Tesco sells sugar-free chocolate

Hope your day was less frustrating than mine xxx