Red Rose Writing

I was very worried about leaving the house today with it being Friday 13th and all but actually it turned out really good.

It started when I got an okay insurance quote for my car in the post, then I wasn’t called into work early (for a change) so had a bit more time to potter around, next I interviewed a Government minister which was pretty cool and I then I got to tour one of the city’s tallest towers (202ft).

The views were stunning but the photographer I was with insisted on taking my picture which turned out horribly (i’m squinting and have a gale force wind blowing my hair around but the back drop of the city is pretty impressive).

The late shift last night was awful. How could I do so many things in so little time? The answer – I either do it fast and not particularly well or not at all. Both options were employed yesterday and as a result when I eventually got to my bed (in the early hours of the morning) I kept waking up every couple of hours thinking about stories. I was sure I has attributed someone’s quote to the wrong person and eventually got up at 7.30am and checked the paper’s website to see if I had been published. I hadn’t but when I got to work the story was fine and I had done it right. Sadly the small story I did about a car crash wasn’t as well done (although was correct) because of time limitations I did a bit of a half hearted job and it was only about six paragraphs in the end. Unfortunately the rival paper did a better job and splashed on it for their front page. I know we wouldn’t have done that because it’s not that sort of paper but it would have maybe been a page lead. I have to keep telling myself to do things better – it’s not the sort of paper where you can get away with it.

I’m feeling lucky – not in the gambling I’m about to win the lottery sense but in the I have a great family and don’t reflect on that enough.

I ‘ve been home for the weekend and although I love living here by myself I enjoy going home and being spoiled with good cooking and TLC. I forget when the annoy me how great my parents actually are and how fortunate I am to have them. It’s only when I see my dad struggle to get out of an arm chair or when my mum goes to bed early with a migraine that I remember they are getting older and although I hate thinking it I know they won’t be with me forever. And that is the most frightening thing in the world to me.

Going to work this morning was a bit like taking a shower with all my clothes on. The pouring rain would not have been so bad on its own but the cars (and more importantly lorries) coming past a speed through the puddles soaking little old me only started to be funny when I couldn’t get any wetter. I arrived at work looking like I had been drowned and had to sit in soggy clothes until they dried. Still it has been a busy day so I didn’t really have too much time to think about it unless I moved and then it wasn’t pleasant.

I didn’t feel like writing yesterday, mainly because I had a very frustrating day at work but also because I was thinking not only about the September 11 attacks and the 3,000 who died but all the other tragedies like children dying of starvation in Africa or the thousands of people killed in Eastern Europe. I wondered what it would be like if we had a silence for all of the atrocities. Would it take days, weeks or even months of silence to remember all the dead?

I was going to say it is so quiet I can hear the rain fall but just as I was about to type the tap dancing guy upstairs put his stereo on so now all I can hear is thumping bass which quite frankly is a shame for a Sunday morning. He caused me problems last night too as I was trying to read one of my new books when he also put his stereo on. I decided to try and compete for a little while and thought a loud burst of Steps would surely make him turn his down. (I know he could hear it through the breaks in his tunes) but it didn’t have the desired affect and I was soon bored of Steps myself so I just lived with it.

I was an early bird this morning (although a new study has shown quite a few birds actually stay up all night so that phrase might be a bit redundant) and went and got my newspaper with my stuff on the front (I know way sad!), read it for a bit before going into the city to shop.

I was only going to buy a new bag (honest) as my old one busted while I was at court on Thursday. I did get the bag (and a spare one just in case), plus a new suit, a bright red duvet cover, a fluffy base sheet and a CD. Ouch! I was telling myself the entire time ‘must stop buying’ and it became a Shopping Spree in the end but was still easily ignored to the point where it sounded (in my head) as if I was actually saying “buy buy buy”.

Thank goodness it’s Friday and not only that thank goodness it’s Friday after work already. I am so tired. The late shift on Wednesday really wore me out (lots of fires and a presentation to see to) then the following morining I had an early start (crown court for a mobile phone robber and an indencent assault followed in the afternoon by more indecent assaults) then another late night last night when I went out with my work mates.

I think I must be getting sentimental in my old age (or just mental) as I was watching a programme about three girls going off to Oxford and they were all crying as their parents left them and I was tearing up with them. For goodness sake I didn’t even cry when I left home for the first time and went to university at 18 and here I sit getting emotional for them…oh dear.

I did eventually go out today and headed for another stately home. My trouble is I spent so much time humming and aahhhhing about whether or not to go, when I did get there it was almost closing time so I didn’t bother paying the 5.90 to go around the house. Still it was nice to get out.

It’s the late shift for me today but instead of staying in bed till 10am (as had been planned) I woke up at 7am and could not get my brain to stop. In the end I just got up but now i’m waiting for the Parcel force man to deliver my books (and waiting and waiting). It’s a pain because I need to go buy food but I don’t want to miss him again (what’s more important – books or food – hmm tough choice). It’s a beautiful day again although when I got up it was really misty so I hope it doesn’t mean it’ll be like that again tonight when I have to drive home at the witching hour.

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