procrastination

The last few weeks have felt like a marathon. In fact, its been the SE’s marathon but I’ve been swept along for the ride: the end of the academic year culminating in three years of artistic work, preparing for the exhibition, the arrival of family visiting for a week (lots of eating out, drinking, some politeness called for – but "be myself" too…note to SE: you know I’m not the kind to hold my tongue so that is a contradictory requests for a woman like me), then the show is pulled together and gloriously opened, the not-in laws leave and a couple of hours later the SE boarded a plane for New York.

For these thirty-something hours while he’s been in the sky (yes that’s the long way to the East Coast via London, don’t ask!) I have slept (twice in fact), spent a day in the office with clients, had the most threatening/passive-aggressive “discussion” with the property manager of said office (they did something wrong now they are telling me to re-sign a new version of my lease half way through the term which is significantly different from the original and if I don’t maybe I want to find a new place of business when it expires in 14 months). Mostly I have been gearing up to use these couple of weeks at home alone knocking a book proposal into shape. This is nothing (or very little) to do with food. Don’t worry; I haven’t got delusions that I am chef all of a sudden. Just something I need to pursue and its getting to a now or never situation, if I let this one slide the moment will pass.

I am lucky to have a few people in my corner who know about the book business and their advice til now has been gentle and supportive.

Until this.

You know in Harry Potter, where mail arrives via owl post and sometimes the epistle elicits a loud shouting voice to convey the writers displeasure? It’s called a howler.

Well, I got one this week which went something like this:

“STOP DOING ANYTHING ELSE THAT ISN'T THE BOOK”

And ends with “GO AND WRITE. Now.”

So I am.

But blogging falls into the procrastination and distraction basket. I can only allow myself the time to relay the forays into solo cooking again when certain self-imposed deadlines are met.

I encourage you to rebuke me loudly in comments if you find a flurry of posts over the next three weeks. Please tell me off. Do not say anything complementary that may tempt me to pop out a quick recipe and take a few photos.

Just send me a ‘howler’ instead.

Thanks.