Another full day here at The Hayes. But for once, I am writing this late afternoon, rather than last thing at night, or even after midnight. And the reason for that is obvious to anyone who knows Swanwick well. Monday night is Fancy Dress Disco Night. More of that tomorrow – and I’m sure Facebook will be lit up with pictures from 10pm onwards – but the chances of my being available to post late tonight are fairly slim. After all, I need my daily exercise – and what’s better exercise than dancing? So I’m just going to pick out a couple of highlights from today and then go offline until tomorrow.

Lift Up Your Pens

Today’s session was hosted by Julia Pattison and we were thinking about The Attitude of Gratitude. So, just to prove that we are working here, and not just enjoying ourselves, here’s a little bit ‘wot I wrote’:

The breathlessness hit me in the lift of my hotel in Yerevan, back in 2005. I thought it was the altitude. Three weeks later, I was rushed to hospital with multiple pulmonary embolisms. My carefully planned trip to the closed city of Novosibirsk was scuppered, as was all my other work for the next three months.

What a wonderful experience! As a direct result, I took up creative writing and now have three novels and several other books published. I have reconnected with old friends from school days; the ones who always wrote ‘one of these days…’ in Christmas cards. I have moved from the dry, noisy and dirty South East to the beautiful, green damp countryside of Devon. 

And I have discovered Swanwick. I reckon there’s plenty there to be grateful for.

Remembering Katy

A few of us gathered in the lounge this afternoon for ‘Tea With Katy’. It was a time to sip tea, eat chocolate cake and share our memories of our friend who died earlier this year. Lots of laughter and the odd tear or two; and some wonderful tales.

And finally…

Only in Swanwick would I have nine nearly identical photos of a certain BBC reporter on my iPad!