Picture THIS...

I've cracked it. No, really, I have. I've finally taken a good photograph. Honestly, no one's more surprised than me.

If I was the insecure-about-my-photography-skills type, I'd be REALLY insecure. When I take a pic, I don't stop to stage it. I click the button at whatever is being presented to me. There's no thought about the background, the lighting, the shadow... no thought at all. I just snap. I'm not a professional, I've no exhibition coming up, it's simply my way of recording my memories.

Seriously with number 7?

I'm comfy with this, by the way. The only time I realised anyone had a critique was when my sister commented under an Insta post of mine. It was a collection of 'My most iconic photos from 2023 and she wrote, 'Seriously with number 7?' To be clear, number 7 was a photo taken in the middle of the night, on a train travelling through Canada. It was iconic because I'd had a cool experience on that train, seeing the towns flash by and watching the most beautiful scenery as the sun set and then rose, whilst I remained cosy in my cabin. That's what I remember when I see number 7. Of course to the outside world and my sister, it's simply a black space with two dots of green (my phone reflected in the mirror) and the nightlight over the door. Surely the fault lies with her own limitations? Hmm. Either way, whenever I take an iffy photo now, my partner says, 'Seriously with number 7?' Bantz.

But now? Now, there'll be no more 'seriously with number 7' snark. Oh no. I've absolutely NAILED a photo. It was last week and I'd cooked my brekkie. I don't photograph my food for anyone else, fyi. I do it so that when I can't think what I want to eat, I can scroll back through my phone and remember recent hits. That's why I snapped this particular pic. I didn't do anything to the lighting, I didn't deliberate on where the food should be placed, I didn't stop to think. It was only once I'd taken it, I saw how magnificent it was. It could be in a food magazine, honestly. Now, when people say, 'Seriously with number 7?' I can only assume they mean they're flabbergasted with how amazing the picture is. 

After all this build up, it's only right that I share the wealth. Scroll down to the Food and Drink section and see what you think. Let's hope I've not built it up too much. If necessary, do a direct comparison with number 7. See? Yeah, you get it.

Imagine if I hired Vanessa Feltz to spray
me with my own self-confidence though 

Writing News 
It's all so SATISFYING right now. Honestly, I'd love to bottle this feeling. That way, in twelve month's time, I can spray it all over myself when I'm in the 'everything I write is shit' phase. But back to now. It's going well. My random thoughts that I'd turned into bullet points, have now been grouped into chapters. I'm currently going through each plot line and checking it rises and falls throughout the narrative. I've also been having conversations with people. Now's the time to sound out some of my ideas before they become entrenched. It's all so wonderfully enjoyable and I wish it came this easily for the rest of the process.

Culture

I know everyone's excited about The Celebrity Traitors, and fair play to them, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. We're currently in the final throws of TheTraitors Ireland and it's been brilliant. On the RTE player, the Irish version of Traitors is my fave. The format remains the same, but I love how tailored the tasks are -  to the Irish language, traditions and folklore. Siobhan McSweeney is a fabulous host, and makes the character truly her own. I just can't begin to get excited about Celebrity Traitors until this one is over.

In other Culture news, I've also binged Ludwig (clever fun), Bookish (more clever fun), and I read A Room Above a Shop (achingly beautiful with a deep core of sadness.)

Food and Drink

After my ponderous intro at the top, this is where the magic is. Take a look at it. Soak it up. When the time comes, that photo should used on the front of my order of service. I'm still in shock that I took that pic, and that my random-ingredients-in-a-bowl-breakfast could look so good.

Enough of my photography skills, though. Here's what it actually is.

• A spray of olive oil (or fat of your choice)
• Two apples, cut into chunks
• A handful of stoned cherries, halved.
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• A shake of cinnamon
• Pomegranate seeds
• A handful of oats
• A drizzle of sweetness (I used date syrup, but honey would work. Hey, so would chocolate sauce. Whatever you've got.)
• A splodge of Greek yogurt

The recipe isn't really a recipe. It's a bung everything in a pan and stir it around until it's softened kind of situation. Oh, except I add the oats when the apples and cherries are soft so they can help coat them with moisture. That's about it. The upshot? The house smells like autumn and you've got a tasty, filling breakfast to start your day.

Out and About

This week included a Wednesday brunch, a writing group sesh, a mani/pedi, and beers with a mate. How cool is that? I got to chat at length with a range of different people in a range of different  settings. If variety is the spice of life, the past week was pretty spicy indeed.

The week ahead is shaping up to be busy AF. I've got a bunch of things to cram in before I abscond again. Yep, I've got a break coming up. This one is substantial, and packing for it feels like an overwhelming task. Never fear, it'll get done and I'll be off. Next week I'll be back here with... something. I'll work it out by then. So see you here, this time next week? Yes? Yes? Excellent.

Have a lovely week, folks. 

Responsibly Adulting....

The September Reset continues apace. Except! A curve ball has been thrown.

I have no idea if this is a curve ball
but it came up when I searched the term.

A relative of mine has been selected for jury duty. That means I'm doing the school drop-off for a smaller relative of mine, for a few days coming up. This is perfect timing. For me, at least. Can you imagine if I'd had to be up at the absolute crack, during my extended mental break? If - post-Leeza McAuliffe Book  3 - I'd had to drag myself out of bed, beat the rush hour traffic, and be responsible for a child's punctual attendance at school, all while my life was... dishevelled? Anytime between June and August, would've been beyond me. 

Thankfully, I've had my September Reset. As outlined last week, I'm waking up when the first alarm goes, and getting out of bed on the second. I'm starting the day with breakfast, meaning I don't crash into the inevitable nap a few hours later. I'm properly on it. Taking a child to school is well within my capabilities. It's also a reminder that I can be a responsible member of society when the need arises. Always good to know.

Writing News

It's more of the same. Ideas gathering, thinking about potential plot lines and story arcs, and having no filter on anything my pen/laptop notes down. THERE ARE NO BAD IDEAS should be stuck on a poster at eye level, whenever I'm at my desk. Except, of COURSE there are bad ideas. I've created characters, that live within a world, that is placed within a genre. Aliens landing outside the mini-supermarket would be a very bad idea. Perhaps I should amend the mental poster to THERE ARE NO BAD IDEAS EXCEPT WHEN THEY BREAK THROUGH THE ESTABLISHED NORMS YOU'VE ALREADY SET WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF YOUR BOOK SERIES. Hmmm. It's certainly less pithy.

Culture News

The film podcast I do, Lights, Camera, Aggro?, is three episodes into its third series.We've still to record the final ones so it's excitingly fraught, making sure we can get each episode done before it's scheduled broadcast date. Fun! Having to watch and research films is like being back at school - in a good way. It's homework but it's interesting homework. So far, we've discussed Batman, An Evening With Gary Lineker, Aliens, and on Wednesday, it'll be the turn of All of us Strangers.

There's something self-indulgent about getting to dig deep into the films I love. Of course, every other week the film we talk about is not my choice. That's trickier. The whole point of the podcast is that me and Phil have very different tastes. (As I recently pointed out, I've had to watch a LOT of films set in space.) If you're so inclined, the new series of Lights, Camera, Aggro? drops every Wednesday and can be found wherever you get your podcasts. 

Food and Drink

How do you smash a croissant? Smashed croissants tend to be my brunch meal of choice if I'm eating in a place that does them. But how do they do it? Does the kitchen have a massive iron that presses all the air of the things before being cooked? Is a young pot-washer having to hand-smash each croissant as it's ordered? Or is there a special way of baking smashed croissants from the start - they're never fluffy to begin with? All these questions and more, swirl around my head whenever I've ordered them for breakfast. On Saturday, I decided to have a bash myself.

Here's my method. 

• Slice a croissant in half and place it on a baking tray.
• Cover with a sheet of baking paper.
• Find the heaviest oven dish/oven-safe pan you've got and put it on top.
• Put the whole thing in the oven for 15 minutes.
• Remove the heavy pan and baking paper.
• Cook for another 10 minutes.

Voila! A crunchy, crispy smashed croissant ready to cover with loveliness.

Check out the picture. You can't even see the croissant for all the loveliness on top. FYI it was rocket, guacamole, feta, radish, cucumber, grated carrot, poached eggs, and pomegranate seeds. (Also, the hash brown was totally unnecessary and I'm annoyed that it's in the picture.)

Waking alongside 
a Park Run

Out and About

It's been a quiet week in terms of venturing out. A couple of walks - yes I'm walking again because of the September Reset - and the regular Wednesday brunch, and that's about it. It needs to be this way. I need a few weeks of calm routine before it all goes to pot again. And it will go to pot, oh yes. Chaos and disorder is a-coming. It's always the way and I'll embrace it when it comes.

What are you embracing this week? Routines? Chaos? Something in between? Whatever you're up to, have fun. That's all we can aim for, isn't it?

Have a lovely week, folks.

Dial 999, I'm on Fire...

It's back!

My brain, entering the chat.

Yes, the routine, the excitement over a new project, and the work ethic that's been MIA for months. It's back, baby! Leeza McAuliffe Book 4 has begun to be planned. I'm writing these words, thinking back over the past week, and feeling a sense of productivity and accomplishment. Not, I should add, that I've written a complete sentence yet. Nope, all that is still to come. But... I've had thoughts, noted down ideas, and arranged those ideas into bullet points. It's a definite start. 

I also love, now that I'm busy again, eating sensible food at meal times instead of snacking on crisps whenever the mood strikes. I like that I'm getting organised with batch cooking, clearing out my wardrobe, and keeping my desk tidy. There're all sorts of life-laundry endeavours that can be completed now I'm back in the zone. As lovely as an extended break can be, there comes a point when doing bugger all work for a couple of months has a knock-on effect on the rest of your life. It's been interesting to see, over the last few days, how having a clear writing purpose has made me energetic and organised in other areas too. 

So I'm back! Back to getting up when the alarm goes off, back to getting my five-a-day, and back to being the competent, capable person I can sometimes be. Will anyone notice the difference? Probably not. I think I hide the worst of my slobbiness. But if you dig deeper, you'll find a new planner on my desk, a bunch of organising apps downloaded on my phone, and the fridge contains more veg than it did before. A new start has begun and I couldn't be happier.

The desk is still tidy! For now.

Writing News

Ideas gathering! That's the news. I've been reading back through my notes from the summer. That's been good for gathering thoughts about next steps. I've got some vague plot ideas for the next book, but I need loads more to make it a book. That's what I've been thinking about at my desk. And because my brain is switched on again, I've enjoyed letting it do its thing - make connections, spark ideas, ponder the what ifs. It's such an indulgent part of the process but completely necessary. 

Agnes Van Rhijn

Culture News

Remember I told you I was watching The Gilded Age? It's the 'Imagine Downton Abbey set in 1880s New York but done better' show I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. In it, there's a character called Agnes Van Rhijn who's played by Christine Baranski. She's stuffy, thinks she's right about everything, and expects people around her to behave with discipline and decorum. She does show a kinder side as the plot develops but she's quite the character. 

The thing is, after I'd finished watching that, I happened to start a new book. Recommended by a friend, The Correspondent is set in Maine in 2012. Made up solely of the correspondence of the main character to the people in her life, it tells the story of her final years as she mades good some of the troubles she's experienced. It's great but here's the interesting thing. Her name is Sybil Van Antwerp. From the second I read that on the opening pages, I pictured Christine Baranski's Agnes Van Rhijn. The names are kind of similar, right? What's mad is that the character of modern day Sybil is pretty similar to nineteenth century Agnes. The same initially austere personality and conviction in the right way to do things, later thawed by circumstance and able to connect with others. I was utterly charmed by the novel but found the connection between it and the TV show, utterly mad. Either way, I loved it and enjoyed the random connection my brain made. Damn, my brain was on FIRE last week!

My attempt at Stovies

Food and Drink

I read another book last week, too. After The Correspondents, I wanted something completely escapist and more befitting my newly seasonal mindset. Obviously I went with Saving Christmas at the Highland Repair Shop. It was gorgeous, Christmassy, snowy fun. It also included regular mention of stovies. Essentially a stew, I've seen this before on menus in Scotland. In the novel, it's used to nurture and warm a sad character who's far from home at Christmas. So when I got to the end of the story and saw a recipe included, I didn't hesitate. I made stovies the very next day. 

It's not crazily niche. Most regions have a traditional stew that uses potatoes, veg, and meat. I searched online for a few versions and ultimately merged them together. Using chunkily cut onions, carrots, and potatoes, I sautéed the lot with garlic and seasoning, before adding beef and chicken oxo cubes in a litre of water. Then, I diced a small tin of corned beef and stirred it through. It simmered for an hour and it was done.

The corned beef* melted into the stock to make a thick meaty sauce, and the veg and potatoes were soft and tender. The best bit was that I made it ahead of time, and warmed it up on Sunday. Read below to see where I was for the day, but after a long drive home, being revived by tasty warming food, was epic.

Not my hair do of choice,
it was a very windy day.

Out and About

As well as getting my routine back and being alert once more, I did a couple of road trips. Friday saw me head two hours up north for 'last-day-of-the-holidays' bants with the niece and neph. We walked to a castle, had lunch by the river, and had the last ice cream of the season. Then on Sunday, I headed two hours down south to see the other niece, in her new gaff that she's just moved into. Another marvellous day of aunt bants (auntie bantie?) to see out the week.

The cool thing about getting older is you reach a deeper understanding about how you personally tick. Like, I actually KNEW I'd feel good this week. I knew I was ready to get back in the zone. My hazy brain of the summer has gone and I'm back on track once more. The thing is, I know this too will pass. That's the phrase, isn't it? This too will pass and I'll be crap and unmotivated once again. The other thing I've learned is that that's OK. I just need to go with the moods, the vibes, and the season. For now, however, just know... I'm back! Woohoo.

Have a lovely week, folks.

*I know I don't NEED to explain myself but I'm going to regardless. My vegetarianism (pescatarian to be honest) is not ideologically led. It should be, and I recognise the impressive nature of people who eschew animal products for the greater good, but my own avoidance of meat is based on the fact that most meat grosses me out. I don't ever want to feel like I'm chewing on the arse of a cow, or the leg of a sheep. It makes me gag. A tin of corned beef, however, has nothing about it that makes me think of an animal. It's in a tin. It's not shaped like a leg. My brain doesn't think about it, especially when it's simmered for an hour and become part of a sauce. I apologise for letting down proper veggies everywhere, and I will continue to mostly choose the vegetarian option in almost all situations from hereon in.

Rain, Legends, and Potato Cakes...

A few weeks ago, I simply couldn't have imagined it. The heat had suffocated me for so long that the thought of cooler air was unimaginable. And now? It's raining baby! Woohoooo! 

Can you see the rain?

As I type, the rain is literally lashing down. Bouncing off the patio, cutting through the clammy climate, and giving me untold pleasure. It's marvellous. I can feel the breeze coming through the back door, I can hear the pitter patter as it gets heavier, and I can smell the garden. What's that word? Petrichor? I can smell the petrichor! How wonderful! The grass, that's been yellow and straw-like for weeks, is well overdue a drink. As am I. It's making me want to get a big mug of tea and settle in. I want to look out of the window and watch. I want to hear the splashes and splats and be calmed. I want to be. For so long I've been hot and bothered, but now I can enjoy being again. Isn't that brilliant?

Writing News

I purchased a notebook! Not just any notebook, but the notebook that will shape the notes that eventually become Leeza McAuliffe Book Four. As I mentioned on a video last week, I have clear stipulations for a planning notebook. It's got to be A4, hard-backed and spiral-bound. A headphones-wearing bear is entirely optional. This notebook is now siting on my desk, unspoilt, and ready to get to work tomorrow. Bring it on.

Culture News

The past week has seen a collective outpouring of love and appreciation for two cultural giants - Dolly Parton and Tim Curry. With the announcement of their deaths, not only are people sharing their work and reminiscing about gigs and performances, but sharing anecdote after anecdote about their kindness and impact on the world. 

Whether it's providing books to generations of kids, or being a beacon of hope for people who never felt they belonged, both Dolly Parton and Tim Curry leave an amazing legacy. BBC iPlayer has added a selection of Dolly-related TV here and I'll be revisiting The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Clue as soon as possible. Fair play, you two. You smashed it.

I've never claimed to
 be a food photographer.

Food and Drink

I'm not saying I invented this. That definitely can't be the case. All I'm saying is that this was a revelation to me. Ready? OK. Potato cakes. Yes? Bake them in the oven until they're verging on hard. Got that? Then, top them with any Heinz tinned based pasta or beans. (Ravioli for me.) Trust me, it's amazing. Or how about, as pictured, guacamole and poached eggs? Winner. Crispy, crunchy potato cakes are fit. I spray them with olive oil before they go into the oven. Then, twenty minutes later, they emerge as crunchy golden discs. Try it. The perfect base for all sorts of soggy toppings.

Out and About

When I was at high school, the whole school did a sponsored walk every year. It was to raise money for the school travel fund and I'm sure it did good things. What I remember, however, is the relentless trudge of a nine-mile hike around the outskirts of St. Helens, all the while knowing that I had to keep up the pace in order to avoid missing my school bus at 3pm, thus adding another long walk onto my day. But I digress. 

We used to walk past a pub called the Red Cat. I remember it well, mainly because every part of that route is burned into my long-term memory. Did I mention it was nine miles? Yes? Fair enough. In the years since, I've driven past it a load of time because of knowing people in the village next door. All the while, the Red Cat was just a name that I drove past. Until now! Last Friday I caught up with a new mate in that same pub and it was lovely. A gorgeous boozer with the best company. The perfect way to spend a Friday afternoon. 

I wonder what other places I've seen for years but never been in? Maybe that can be my mission going forward. Venture out, try new things, explore the world. Just without the nine mile hike before getting back in time for the bus. None of that, thank you. No ta.

Have a lovely week, folks.

One Week More...

Did we make it? Are you hanging on? Are you ready for... DRUM ROLL PLEASE... September?

I was in Scotland last week where schools are back for the new school year. In England (and I think Wales, and Northern Ireland) there're a few more sleeps-in-til-lunctime to go. Either way, we're in the vicinity of a whole new start. A fresh pencil case, a clean jotter, and a refuelled tank full of pep and vim. Can't you just feel it?

I wonder, is it a throwback to our English cave-dwelling ancestors? Are we programmed to view September as a new start, because that's when our foremothers, forefathers, and forepeople gathered the harvest? Or is it just that (in my part of the world, at least) September is the start of the new school year, so sets a pattern in our childhood that we internally carry to adulthood? I've asked a lot of questions that I don't know the answers to, and I apologise. It never fails to arrive, you see. This feeling of anticipation. I'm gearing up, I'm gathering my thoughts, and I'm ready to get started. Not now, of course. Next week. When September comes. That's when I'll be raring to go and tackling stuff again. For now, I've got one week more (sung in the style of Les Miz) to fill my empty tank.

Writing News

I've done no writing. Apart from this blog, WhatsApps, emails, and Insta posts, that's the lot. I look forward to another week of not writing and of not thinking about writing. One week more. I'm going to relish it whilst I let the excitement for Leeza McAuliffe Book 4 brew. And it's a-brewing! Oh yes it is.

Culture

I've started watching

The Gilded Age. It's been around since 2022 but had never troubled my algo. Then, a friend irl told me it was good, so I gave it a go. Reader, I can confirm, it IS good. Set in the 1880s in New York society, I'm buzzing off the world that's been recreated for the small screen. I'm only three episodes in but it's riddled with social climbing, class snobbery, and the horrors of new money. I love it. Pure escapism, entertaining and gripping, without an iota of real life stress. A perfect autumn watch.

Food and Drink

In Only Murders in the Building, the character of Oliver Putnam eats only dips. I GET it. Dips are the best thing ever. On the drive up to Scotland last Monday, I stopped at Tebay services and bought three of the loveliest dips ever. Stilton and pear, trout pate, and red lentil, coconut, and sesame. Along with chunks of focaccia and crisps, it was utterly fab. I've come home with an urge to have a dip-based tea a couple of times a week.

Out and About

Well, Scotland of course! You read it at the top. I spent four days in my East Lothian happy place, with plenty of sea air and downtime. I also explored. Check out Tantallon castle! Until Tuesday, all I knew of the place was that it stars in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it scene in the Netflix movie, A Castle For Christmas. Now? I've been all over it! Like a proper school trip, I read the information, imagined the place in the olden days, and got proper creeped out by the dungeon. Other than that, the week gave me daily beers in the local, and nightly evening beach walks. It was fab.

One more week of August, one more week of downtime, one more week to empty my head before it fills up again. What are YOU going to do with your week? Something exciting? Something mundane? Something life changing for you and other people? No pressure, you do you. But do it. Do it and make it count.

Have a lovely week, folks.

A Sign for The Times...

Long Ramble time, hurrah!

And what's the topic this month? We'll get to that in a sec. First off, check out this headline... 

Could this comic novel be Gen Z's answer to Adrian Mole? 

If you click the link AND subscribe to The Times, you can read the whole thing. Sadly, I ditched my access to The Times after far too many front pages slagged off Angela Rayner for something that seemed innocuous at the time and has since proven to be, but I digress.

The literary love child of 
Judy Blume and Adrian Mole 

That headline describes a book by Lissa Evans called My Name is MacKenzie Bly. I don't know much more than that, but it sounds great. 'An entertaining novel for older children and adults' is what the thumbnail says. Right up my street, I reckon. 

The reason is simple. It's exactly the kind of thing I write, isn't it. I often describe my books as the literary love child of Judy Blume and Adrian Mole. It's a pithy way to make clear what a load of waffle doesn't. Waffle like 'I write about the ups and downs of pre-teen and early teen life, through the character of Leeza and her diaries, including family dynamics, puberty, friendships, school dramas, community events, and exploding hormones.' Not so pithy when I say it like that, is it?

As I close the promotional period of Leeza McAuliffe is Branching Out and turn my thoughts to planning the next book, I thought I'd share some of the feedback this particular book received. Call it closure, call it the end of a chapter, or call it me blowing my own trumpet and being chuffed to bits at how the latest Leeza adventure was read. Check out some of the lovely reviews below.

'While I'm technically much closer to Leeza's mum's age these days, there was something so lovely about reconnecting with my younger self through her. Leeza is the kind if character who reminds you what it felt like to be young, hopeful, slightly awkward and excited about the world.

This is such a lighthearted, charming YA read, especially when the worked is in never ending chaos. I can absolutely see myself recommending Leeza to my own daughter when she's older. I hope she finds the same joy in there story - and in Leeza - that I did.'      

Jessie Farley on Amazon

'My daughter and I love read about Leeza. We read the first books and adored them, especially with the details we get about her life and the things she has to work through both at home and at school. It is a fun series and I e that helps young people look at life and how they are going to navigate issues.'  

Pause_theframe on Instagram

“I was just trying to make my outsides match how my insides feel.” 🥹 This line hit me so hard! The author captures the mindset and voice of a 13-year-old so accurately that I kept forgetting this was written by an adult. It reads almost like literary fiction with how deeply it explores the coming-of-age thinking process, adolescent identity, and changing family dynamics. Leeza is such a relatable, real protagonist, and watching her take control of her life while figuring out who she is was so satisfying! A wonderfully fun, thoughtful, and engaging read!                                      

ekaurbook on Instagram

Ok, Ok, I'll stop there. It's really quite unseemly, isn't it, all this praise sharing. Such anathema to my self-deprecating, piss-takey self. I can only apologise and normal service will resume next week. The trouble is, if I don't signpost people to these marvellous reviews, how on earth will The Times ever find out that there's another Gen Z answer to Adrian Mole?

Actually, screw Gen Z, they're old news now. It's Gen Alpha that I'm writing about. Get with the times, The Times. Leeza McAuliffe is where it's at. You should defo give her a read. 

Have a lovely week, folks.

Comfortably Helping the Economy...

For one day last week, the world made sense.

It rained. More that that, it was chilly. Can you believe? I needed a cardy. Sadly this cold snap only lasted a morning. By the time the afternoon came around, the cardy was gone, the doors were open, and the clammy heat was back. Sigh. For one morning only, I remembered what it was like to feel comfy within myself. What a thing I take for granted during the colder months. 

The importance of feeling comfy within ourselves shouldn't need explaining. If our minds and bodies are troubled by - for example - the sweaty heat, persistent pain, or - and I'm spitballing here - being born in the wrong body, then it's detrimental to us all. Not only for the people feeling the discomfort, but for the world in which they're unable to live their best lives and thus not be able to contribute as effectively to society. Check out this quote...

'In more equal countries, human beings are generally happier and healthier, there is less crime, more creativity, and higher educational attainment.'  

(If you click that link to the LSE player, showing the chat between Danny Dorling and Neil Lee, you'll read that 'the most economically unequal counties in the rich world are now the USA, Israel, and the UK.' So that's fun for us, isn't it.)

All I know is that if my heat-loathing self felt sharper, more productive, and happier after a morning of rain, the very least I can do - the ABSOLUTE least - is recognise that women feel comfortable in all sorts of ways. And we should all be enabled to feel comfort as we crack on with our days. For example, trans women, or cis women with short hair, those who've had double mastectomies, or people who prefer a more masculine look in their clothing choices (like me!) should be able to nip to the ladies when the urge arises with no one questioning it. There's room for us all, despite the garbled guidance that the EHRC published last week. 

Writing News

The book tour is underway! I've been overwhelmed with comments, posts, and even a whole blog article, reviewing Leeza McAuliffe is Branching Out. Because the publication of this book was fraught (putting it mildly) I'd accepted that it wasn't going to make much of a splash. That it was even out in the world seemed impossible six months ago. Now? I'm feeling the glow. For decades, I wrote stuff for myself that I'd keep in a drawer. Now I write to be read. I'm so happy that some people have done that. Thanks to Love Books Tours and all the crew that have taken the time so far. Onwards to the second week!

Culture

I'm rewatching The Diplomat. Oooh, it's good. Political intrigue in London's US embassy. I've also started a non-fiction book. Moonlight Express by Monisha Rajesh is fabulous. It's essentially a travelogue as she hops on and off European night trains. I started it on Wednesday as I got the 2103 train from Liverpool. I was home half an hour later, so it wasn't the same experience in any way, but it's a great read regardless.

Food and Drink

There's an Ella Risbridger recipe of leek latkes from the Kitchen Book that I made on Saturday night. The latkes themselves are fairly simple. Grated potato, thinly sliced leek, flour, and egg, shaped into thin patties to bake. The boujie bit comes when you dollop sour cream, crab, and cavier on top of each one. I ate them up and drank ice cold vodka and chilled champagne; because it was Saturday night, I had champagne from when my book came out, and because WHY NOT? 

Give me that exact same meal at a swanky party where I have to wear a dress and stand in heels, and I'd tell you where to go. Give me that exact same meal when I'm slobbing on the couch, licking my fingers, and wiping my hands on my PJ trousers, and I'm all in. We must all do what makes us comfy.

Out and About

I had a dentist appointment at the other side of town last week, so took the opportunity to visit the new Everton stadium. It's pretty stunning. What's lovely is that there are loads of bricks that have been engraved with dedications to people. The whole of one side of the space is taken up with them. I knew someone whose brick was somewhere in the mix, so I spent a relaxing hour strolling row by row until I found it. Other families were doing the same. A very chilled out way to spend time by the river.

Let's all metaphorically chill by the river. Let's be comfy and make sure everyone else is comfy too, in the toilet queue or anywhere. Live and let live! It's a decent philosophy when everyone sticks to it.

Have a lovely week, folks.