Newcastle- on-Tyne

Well, my husband and I took a trip to Newcastle-on-Tyne! You might recall that I mentioned it in my last post.



We stayed at the Premier Inn near the Millennium Bridge on the quayside. The trip was a great success. We both enjoyed it immensely. The weather was perfect, especially for the time of the year. We were able to walk along the quayside (when I say walk, I was walking, Phil was on his mobile scooter) and then sit outside The Pitcher & Piano without coats, sipping wine, while watching the people pass to and fro.


On the first day, we spent some time in the city visiting the shops and walking around past Grey's Monument and other various landmarks in the city.

The only thing I will say, and this is a big thing as far as I am concerned - bearing in mind that both Phil and I are from Tyneside and used to know the place inside out - the city is no longer car friendly! We had worked out how to get to the Premier Inn before we set off. However, we found the road we wanted to use was closed! As was another we tried! We did make it in the end, but decided there and then that we would use taxis to and from our trip to the centre of the city.

The taxi drivers were very friendly and exceedingly helpful. When we told them of our problem finding the motel, they agreed the routes were difficult to navigate. One went as far as to say that there were times when the routes changed overnight! One way streets were springing up all over the place,

On the morning of our departure, we worked out a route using Google Maps, only to find we had missed our turning and were forced to follow the flow over the Tyne Bridge and through Gateshead. We ended up at the Team Valley Trading Estate! Many reading this won't know the area at all, so I will just say that we were travelling south when we needed to go north!

Anyway, we managed to get back home in one piece - no thanks to the other drivers, who seemed to want to travel at break neck speed and didn't give a hoot for anyone who was struggling with the idiotic chaos of the route! Nevertheless, as I said earlier, we really did have a wonderful break!

So what's next? Well, for a start, I will have to get back to working on my new novel and then there is the ironing to do. But not today! Today, I am popping around to a friend's house for a drink and a natter.

So with that wonderful thought in your minds I will close now and wait for Sainsburys to deliver my shopping before I go out!

Have a great day!

Cheers!

Chink Chink!

A New Beginning!

Well I have made up my mind - after a gentle prod from a friend! I am going to put the novel I was working on into a drawer and start something new.

It was obvious that I wasn't getting anywhere with the sequel to Divorcees.Biz, so I have changed direction. Not before time! Why on earth didn't I do that some time ago? I could see my novel was going anywhere fast or even slowly, come to that so I should have done this a year ago.

Anyway, I will keep you informed as to how this new idea pans out. I am giving it the working title of A New Beginning because, in a way, that is really what it is. I might even keep the title, as the ideas I have floating around in my head are about someone starting life afresh. But that is all I am going to say about it at the moment, as it might not work out - but I am determined to give it my best shot!

Apart from that, things are very quiet in my life. But that is how things are just now, though tomorrow night I am going to a 'Race Night' at our local club. What I know about horses and racing wouldn't fill a paragraph, so I the other 'punters' have nothing to worry about. However, I just feel it will be a fun evening with friends.

At some point I am going to Newcastle for a few days. Now that will be fun! I love the city. Probably because was brought up on Tyneside. You are probably wondering why I am not living there now, as I like it so much, but that is another story!

Changing the subject entirely, I would just like to say I have read two excellent books lately. You will find my reviews on Amazon.

Captured Lies by Maggie Thom                                       Bravura by Lisa Kiravian

                                                         

On that note I will close now, but, in the words of Arnie "I'll be back!"

Have a great day wherever you are!

Cheers!!

Chink Chink

Stuck in a Rut!

I am stuck in a rut at the moment!I say at the moment, but quite honestly this has been going on for months.

I started writing a new novel about a year ago, but I can’t seem to get on with it. I have absolutely no idea where it is going. To tell you the truth, I am not really sure where it came from… I can’t even say what it is about, because I am still trying to work that out myself. Oh, I had such plans for this novel. It was going to carry on with the same characters as Divorcees.Biz They were going to open a completely new agency, totally different from the dating agency, but that is about as far as I got.

While I was writing Divorcees.Biz the four ladies seemed to take over. The words simply flew out from my fingertips onto the computer. It was almost as though the ladies carried on planning and working even when I had shut down for the night. This time, they are totally silent! Can you believe it! Even Sadie is keeping her mouth closed just when I could do with the help! They have certainly let me down with a large thump.

For some reason all my get-up-and-go has disappeared without trace. My imagination has switched itself off and refuses to turn back on again. What is the matter with me? I need someone to give me a poke, but not too hard  :-)   If anyone has any inspirational words for me, I would be delighted to hear from you.

We have been having some wonderful weather for the last few days, here in the Scottish Borders. I don't know where it has come from, but I do hope they don't want it back too quickly!

Okay, I better go and do some ironing now, which means I will be watching another episode of The West Wing. I haven't mentioned that for a while - I bet you thought I had forgotten about it!

Have a great day wherever you are

Cheers!!  

Chink Chink