You'll find me in an Anderson shelter

Finally sent off my novel for children for a critique/evaluation; can't just keep picking at it forever. Opinion expected within a month max. It looked lovely I thought, all beautifully double spaced and wide-margined. This is not what it will look like when I get it back, however.

Spoke with the vet yesterday about Minnie's yowling all night and apparent anxiety about being away from us. Thought maybe I was being a bit melodramatic but no, I now have some gel for her, for "cats suffering from anxiety caused by separation from their owners"! The pack claims 'delicious salmon flavour'. As instructed, put a dob of the gel on her paw last night - eventually she deigned to lick it off. Where are we today? She woke us about every two hours for food/company, but was very quiet and calm about it! So that counts as success so far. We'll continue with the gel, and leave more food in her dish overnight.

Had lunch in Winchester with an old boyfriend - we hadn't met for 40 years. John OK about it, too. Recognised each other instantly, and so much to talk about. Chatter, chatter, and lots of fun. He still has twinkly eyes.

Excorticate has a meaning not unlike excoriate. And daedal means skilful or artistic. Who'd have thought it?

Step by Step

Well the HowTo Books site (www.howto.co.uk) accepted my second piece, How to Edit Talking Newspapers and it is now on the site. Sadly I didn't scoop that month's prize, but may try again later.

The main draft of my book (junior fiction) is now ready, with the working title "Millie, Beans, and the Diamond Ring".  It's about 12,500 words.  It's been proofread, and there are just a couple of very small additions needed to clarify the plot and round it off at the end; I plan to send it to flair4words this coming week for their opinion and advice. I have a draft front cover, too. A short extract appears on my website - www.jacpye.com - in the samples section. When I get the appraisal, if it's not too negative I'll fess up with a summary on this blog.

In other news, my carefully constructed potato growsack was duly planted some while back with proper seed potatoes and loads of compost. After the recommended time we have just up-ended it onto the veg patch to find just six teeny potatoes. Perfectly formed but the size of a thumbnail. Can't decide whether to boil them or frame them.

Just bought a couple of books - Glasshopper by Isabel Ashdown and Want to Know a Secret? by Sue Moorcroft - both authors I follow with interest on Twitter.

Minnie is being very naughty, yowling several times a night for food and possibly also when she doesn't know where we are. Vet says she could just be senile. As if! Otherwise she is well, and out of every 24 hours getting much more sleep than we are.

Thought for this day: What did Andy Gray say to his mate Keyes? "She said I was a misogynist. I said, 'That's a big word for a girl.'"

Getting a bit like autumn now, but at least an excuse to change to big snuggly winter-weight duvet.  Our cat Minnie is very pleased, and it means she can no longer claw our toes as through the lighter version.  She is now 17+ but cheerful and well, especially after her latest steroid injection which stimulates her appetite and stops her wretched allergy problems (grass mites apparently, and possibly house dust - but surely none here?).

About to finish my next fortnightly script for Eastleigh Talking News.  Some interesting things happening in the area, which makes it easier to fill the 30 or so pages of cuttings/printouts required each time.  Every one has to be edited, and I put the info in sections - business, fundraising, crime, health etc.  It takes ages each time but seems a rewarding thing to do as my 'voluntary job'.  We are about to change from tapes to memory sticks, which may require a different approach - editors' meeting tomorrow to discuss.

My brother and his wife came down for a day and a night; we visited our largest local garden centre which was fun and productive.  I am into these scented-oil-and-infuser-sticks things; the front room is sweet pea and the hall is lavender.

Spent a good day in Portsmouth's Gunwharf Quays shopping centre.  Came away with a set of four Viners saucepans and matching frying pan, with the outsides of them all a delightful lime green, my favourite and the colour of almost everything in the kitchen.  Never thought pans could be so much fun.  Keep looking at them - how sad is that.

Why does Matalan not stock the enticing owl fake fur jacket featured in Good Housekeeping mag?

Little writing done since last time, though waiting for responses from two magazines that expressed an interest.  If they respond positively to a pitch, it's make-or-break time for the writing of the piece.  Not sure whether to hassle them - could be counterproductive.

My most recent article on www.suite101.com is for an easy vegetarian pasta meal for students on a budget.  This is likely to be the reason why I suddenly made 41 cents a couple of days ago - all those students clicking on the ads.  I note the highest earner on the site, who makes about $2000 a month, writes on campus life - she is a north American tutor and lecturer so I guess all her students respond.  I shall therefore concentrate on student stuff - study skills, student food, relationships - for a bit, apart from one piece in progress on the artist Stanley Spencer.

Question of the day:  Why do so many people sniff?