For more recent diary entries click here.

27 May

I know, another update and so soon! Good news is that my eye is almost back to normal, although I still took a couple of tea bags with me when we went to church today. It was in one of the villages near Kasinthula which is where the sugar farmers are based. We collected the Rev James Mabviko and his wife Dorothy - a luxury having wheels as it takes him three to four hours when he walks to lead the service there. The church was very dark inside and had mud pews - us softies in the UK should not complain about seating in our churches! I was on the little platform, so got a plastic chair to sit on. Lots and lots of singing with percussion from a tin filled with stones and a drum with sugar cane for sticks. Then in came a little home-made amp and car battery (rather worryingly with a plastic bottle marked battery acid), an amazing home-made electric guitar and a set of drums that showed real ingenuity, the cymbals seemed to be part of a bike. At the end of the service I was given a live chicken and bottle of milk (from local cow very recently I think) with the message that Richard and I could roast it for our meal. Might not have gone down too well with the owners of the place we're staying at.... Anyway, the chicken was given to our driver. I was expecting it to struggle when it was handed over (had my photo taken with it) but it didn't and was so soft and warm that I felt quite sad at not being able to keep it, although of course there's no way I could have eaten it. Pretty much packed up now and ready for going to Jo'burg tomorrow. As my case was full of stuff for people here and I also had hardly any clothes with me, it's very empty and just calling out to be filled up with nice things from the SA shops before I head home on Tuesday.

26 May

Feeling a bit like a one-eyed monster today. Yesterday we spent the day doing non-stop interviewing and photographing of basket weavers  (10am to nearly 4pm with no break!) and I'm not sure whether it was dust, something from a plant or one of the many ants that used me as a climbing frame, but I woke up this morning only able to see through one eye. Not sore just very ugly - looks as if I've been punched! So I set off for one of the sugar cane villages with a couple of used teabags in my mini cool bag - supposed to be keeping packs of chocolate mini eggs cool but now with another use. The teabags worked most of the day, but it's now nearly 9pm and I'm back to the mega-sized eye, so won't type for long. We had a great day today with Joyce (see last diary entry) and she was a real star filling her bucket with water from the borehole paid for with the Fairtrade premium... and then doing it again... and again.... and then again for the video. We had a horde of kids round about desperate to be photographed and even my little digital photos seemed to make them happy. Thankfully they did stay quiet when we needed them to. Joyce's family provided lunch - nsima, a green vegetable and chicken, which was lovely. While we were waiting for lunch, a strange man approached us and suddenly did the splits then requested that he have his photograph taken. He borrowed the camera to show everyone but did bring it back. And I fulfilled a long-time ambition when I bought something from a village shop. This one is run by Alfred who saved money from the sales of his Fairtrade sugar to fulful his long-time ambition of opening a shop (the only one) in his village. Because the kids and neighbours had been so good allowing us to disrupt their Saturday morning and their game of bawo, I bought 100 sweets, which were carefully counted out by the lady at the counter and then shared among everyone. I'm happy!

23 May

Sorry for the delay in updating this diary but I've finally managed to get online in Malawi and have a bit of time to write something. We got here Monday after a night in Jo'burg and have been working pretty much all the time apart from one very nice lunch break at the Sucoma Sports Club on the banks of the Shire River. Most times Richard, the photographer and I have been getting the stories and images of sugar cane farmers that sell Fairtrade sugar to Traidcraft and today we met cane weavers who make things like chairs sold in the catalogue. Some lovely stories and I was so pleased to meet up with Joyce Chibouro who I met three years ago. Then she was farming with her parents but now she's a sugar farmer in her own right and on the farmers' committee, as well as being married with a little boy. We are visiting her village on Saturday - they are going to get electricity paid for with the Fairtrade premium in July and she is so excited. Yesterday we spent the day with a village chief (even given his red chair to sit on!) and saw how the villagers get the palm leaves that are woven into baskets. Pretty hard work and they do it all without wearing shoes. One lady had borrowed her daughter's flip-flops to wear because we were visiting and she doesn't own a pair of shoes! Makes me realise how we take things for granted at home. On the wildlife side of things, I've been kept awake by hippos - not good when you have to be up at 4am to meet farmers in the sugar fields - found a frog in the shower, mega spiders by my bed (and a sore bite on my arm the following morning) but only a couple of mosquito bites so far which has to be good. Tonight we had a lovely evening with Stuart and Zoe. Stuart used to work at Traidcraft and now manages the CURE hospital here. If we have enough time on Sunday - our last day - we hope to see round the hospital. You can learn more about it here. 

14 May

Some good news in that my shortlisted story in the Blinking Eye competition is going to be included in the anthology which will be published in December. Some bad news in that I've just registered that my work trip to Malawi, starting on Saturday, means if I want to send off any work to meet 31st May deadlines, then I need to get cracking in the next few days. Of course, there was no time to sort out submissions on Saturday as we were busy following the Eurovision Song Contest in between eating vast quantities of food. The Finnish connection was through smoked salmon and some elk sausages which were a bit like smoky chorizo. Also bought some chopped herring but saved them for tonight - scrummy. Am off to make yet another list of things to do before I fly on Saturday. This is about the third one that I've made because I keep losing them.

8 May

Just back from a weekend in Montrose where I had my colours and image done by Hilary Hayes at House of Colour. She is based in Fettercairn, which is such a lovely village so the drive there on Saturday and Sunday was a treat in itself (thanks John!) My sessions were a birthday pressie instigated by my sister, who went through a similar experience a while ago. My mum did the course with me and we had great fun, despite a few shocks at discovering that half (?) our wardrobes are in colours that make us look, well, peelywally at the best. So now I know I am a jewel winter, natural gamine - a wee pixie that can wear the most amazing colours but doesn't do frills. Thanks Hilary! I got back today and started filling a bin bag with clothes that should probably have gone out a long time ago. As I can wear black and white I do still have some clothes left and also bought a few things in a little trawl of charity shops in Montrose before I got on the train. Of course, what I should have been doing was tidying up the house as My Other Half gets back from South Africa tomorrow but then I checked the website and saw that a friend from school had been in touch so have been emailing and generally faffing about with other stuff which has been much more fun. Oh, and done a little bit of writing too... I watched the second part of Victoria's Empire as she (Victoria Wood) was in Newfoundland. If you were watching it, don't be fooled, there's a lot more to Newfoundland than fog and rain although these are to be expected. But it is a fantastic place to explore, driving along listening to moose warnings, stopping at Tim Horton's and the bagel place where they serve fish n brews (local dish) with a garnish of fresh plum and whipped cream. Newfoundland has so many fantastic words and placenames, like Heart's Content, Cupids, Famish Gut and Blow-Me-Down. You can even have your photo taken by the signpost that welcomes you to the town of  Dildo.

1 May

My day has been made! If you take a look at the guestbook you will find out why (but if you don't want to click from this page, here is the reason.) Colin who ran the co-op store in the tiny Chipewyan settlement of Snowdrift in the Northwest Territories when I was there in the 1980s got in touch. Brought back so many memories particularly my very poor efforts at cooking (so not much changed there) as Colin had a very nice house which he kindly let me potter about in while listening to music (a luxury - I had progressed from a tent to a house with no running water, a honey bucket for a toilet and a moose head or two in the freezer.) And I still have Colin's copy of The Northern Cookbook, the most amazing cookbook and general info guide ever. My favourite recipe names are Seal Flippers on a Bun and Boiled Reindeer or Caribou Hooves. Apparently it's out of print now, but click here to sample some of the delights. And thanks to Colin I know that Angus Palette gets a mention in the May issue of the Scots Magazine. It's on the local history bookshelf page....

30 April

Greetings from the home of the exploding porridge. Wasn't quite awake this morning and managed to put my hearty bowl of porridge (no milk, no sugar but a dash of honey) into the microwave for a little longer than usual. Thankfully it was covered. Anyway, having scoffed that and my Earl Grey I am doing a quick update. Watched Victoria's Empire on BBC1 last night which was great. Lovely photography and interesting interviews as she explores old Commonwealth locations and the impact on countries and cultures. Even better, saw from the trailer that next week she will be in Newfoundland! As I will be doing my crossing border bit and heading for Montrose on Friday I need to make sure that I don't miss it. And then, in a very spooky moment, when I'd finished Skyping with my other half in SA, I did a bit of channel hopping and discovered that all the lovely songs on my new CD (see last diary entry) were featured in a special programme with Yusuf. Definitely worth staying awake for. Oh, and trawling the internet found out that the shortlist was as far as my story got in the Blinking Eye competition. Still, down to the last 20 out of more than 780 wasn't bad. Look foward to reading the winning entry.

27 April

Friday, gateway to the weekend except that I am working tomorrow... Good news in that one of my short stories on the competition long list (mentioned earlier) has now made it onto the shortlist of 20. Whether it wins or gets in the anthology it's great to have a story get this far when there were so many entries. The Writing from the Inside Out course at uni has started up again so Wednesday morning was a welcome break with a couple of interesting pieces written. Spent one night this week typing up lots of bits from previous classes. It's amazing how they mount up, some surviving and other pieces definitely remaining in the notebook. Have been enjoying listening to my latest buy - Yusuf's CD An Other Cup (formerly Cat Stevens) while typing.

19 April

A day off and I had to set my alarm for 3am! Took Moh to the airport as he is off to visit his mum in South Africa. So after a couple of hours of sleep - always a big mistake, I feel as if I've been in a pub all night - I headed for the gym, then to the fruit and veg shop and the co-op before heading home for my porridge and cinnamon coffee (after hanging out the washing). All before 9.30! And I've just tidied up the other pages on the website so hopefully everything is up to date again. There is also a new poem on the travel page It will be published in the next Second Light newsletter as it was commended in their competition. Wrote a monologue on the theme of ecstasy to send to bloc website after I saw details on the BBC Writers Room  Hope it eventually reached them. Had to change the header after my first email with the words 'ecstasy submission' in the header was rejected as spam.

13 April

A weekend at home, now that's a nice change. Back from my hospital visiting in SA and amazingly unpacked my case on the day I got back. Finished Open, Lisa Moore's collection of short stories. I enjoyed them but reading them pretty much in one go made me aware of the similarities in some of them, such as a wrapper sticking to someone's leg in at least two of the stories. I think I would have enjoyed them more if I'd come across a single story in an anthology, but they were still a good read on the flight (a free upgrade to business class made it even better). Got an email today about the National Short Story Competition. The finalists include David Almond and Jackie Kay so looking forward to listening to the stories on Radio 4 next week. Of course, this means that my own little entry didn't get anywhere, but the blow is softened by the news that two of my short stories have made it onto the long list in another competition. As it's being judged anonymously, I won't say which one, but it's always very encouraging to make it through to the next stage. Have my poems printed out now for the Mslexia competition - deadline is April 27 and the entry fee a very reasonable £5 for up to five entries. Only thing is, if you're male and reading this, then sorry but you can't enter. Not even with a pseudonym.

4 April

Lovely sunny weather in Blaydon today, perhaps acclimatising me for my unplanned trip to South Africa tomorrow. This is continuing my spate of hospital visiting. We are off to see Moh's mom in Johannesburg, back on Tuesday. So my suitcase is once again in the middle of the floor. I am working until lunchtime tomorrow so it will be a hectic day. At the weekend I enjoyed watching the dvd of David Haines' mini-opera, Memory of Water, based on one of my poems. The music is very different - apparently people love it or hate it - but it certainly grew on me. Very haunting, which fits in well with the poem. Thanks to everyone involved in the production. I've started reading Haruki Murakami's anthology of short stories, Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman. They have an amazing dreamlike quality and an oddness to them which seems strangely logical, if that makes sense. It's a hardback copy so won't be taking it on the plane. Instead, I'll be reading Open, short stories by Lisa Moore, which arrived in the post today. She lives in St John's Newfoundland and according to one review of her anthology, it will make you believe that St John's is the centre of the universe. I've not even read her book yet and I think I'd agree.You can get a glimpse of the place here.

30 March

Just back from three days in Glasgow. Not really leisure as it was for hospital visiting, but did manage to fit in some shopping and exploring the city which I haven't visited for over 20 years. Definitely want to go back for a weekend. Of course, the timing meant that some of my planned things didn't happen, such as reading at Newcastle Uni last night (and trying to fit in reading my shortlisted story at the Lit and Phil on the same evening). Got back to learn that my short story didn't make it into Tonto Short Stories 2 and although I'd made it onto the shortlist for the Happenstance comp, my story wasn't in the winners. So, time to check up on more deadlines. I began another short story on the train to Glasgow so that's what I'm working on at the moment. If you are female and interested in writing poetry then it's time to start thinking about the Mslexia poetry competition. I've got a couple of entries lined up already.

22 March

Happy Norooz (for yesterday). Yes, Moh and I have been celebrating the Iranian New Year with some friends and our ears are still ringing. It was a great evening - lovely food and lots of dancing. Had some good news in that my short story (hurriedly emailed from Vietnam) was commended in the Lit and Phil's Myths and Legends competition. Sadly I can't make it to the evening at the Lit and Phil next Thursday, March 29th, but I think Sheree Mack is going to read my story, so if you are able to attend, I hope you enjoy it. So what else have I been up to? Well, I enjoyed lisening to Joan Bakewell's Radio 4 programme on Sunday, Great Libraries ,which was about the Poetry Library at the Festival Hall - one of my favourite places. I am really looking forward to when it re-opens.

12th March

Home again and have half unpacked, so in a complete guddle. Moh and I have listened to the two CDs from Vietnam and have unpacked the kit for making Vietnamese drip coffee, although not attempted it yet. I've gone through all the post so now have a bag filled for recycling and a few interesting magazines and newsletters to read - plus a form to fill in as one of my poems has been accepted for New Writing Scotland 25. This is the fourth time I've had work accepted, which is nice. All entries are read anonymously. And what poem is it? Jackfruit, which I mentioned in yesterday's diary....

Same date as before, different country

OK, so I don't really have a lot of news to share, but I'm in Coffee World at Bangkok Airport, there's free internet access, I have my laptop - what better way to pass the time until my flight to Amsterdam? This airport is amazing - like a giant concrete hangar with varying temperatures, long, long walkways and mega shopping areas. I thought my backpack was pretty full when I got here, but after a few trips into shops I have packed every corner. My delights include jackfruit sweets (way back in June I bored you all with my jackfruit saga from Bangladesh and I've had a soft spot for this smelly fruit every since), a couple of souvenir gifts from the Jim Thompson silk shop as the name is almost the same as my son's, ginger tea for grannie and some hot sauce (hope it doesn't leak). I'd already done a little trawl of Hanoi airport earlier today when I got some dried jackfruit, cashew biscuits, green bean cake (no idea what that's like but after all the stuff I've eaten in Vietnam I'm happy to have a go) and..... what I'd been hoping for..... the little aluminium container to make Vietnamese drip coffee. My other half doesn't know what's in store... But right now I'm indulging in a large latte at Coffee World, which is about five times the size of the coffee we've been served in Vietnam and it tastes delicious. Am about to switch off my laptop and do some reading instead. Am halfway through Laura Hird's book of short stories, Nail. Might even finish it before I board.

11th March

Last diary update from Hanoi as we are starting our trip home today. Yesterday we went to the Temple of Literature which was beautiful and despite the drizzle and the crowds of tourists had a very peaceful air to it. Also went to Koto a restaurant that serves delicious food and helps to train street kids and find them jobs. Two great reasons to eat there. Another find was a little bookshop in a sidestreet full of shops selling carpets and mats - all businesses selling the same goods are located next to each other. I bought Ho Chi Minh's prison diary which is full of poetry and a book of Vietnamese short stories (contemporary). I decided against the satirical joke book - a quick glance through reminded me that not all cultures share the same sense of humour.

9th March

Isn't the internet amazing when it's working. Here I am in Vietnam and I've just sent a request to Moh asking that he buy me one of the Fairtrade cotton Bags for Life that are apparently available in the Co-op (according to email just received). Also discovered that the Trafalgar Square lions will receive their London Stitch and Bitch scarf, in aid of Cancer Research on March 20th. But don't worry, I'm not spending my whole time here checking emails! Have been out for a lovely meal at Highland Coffee where I also bought some Vietnamese coffee to take home. Now I just need the drip system I told you about. Did some shopping at Craft Link today which is a fabulous shop full of beautiful silk and craft products. In the interests of keeping down the weight of my suitcase I shopped small but at least now have some goodies to take back, besides the coffee. And I have a couple of CDs. Bootleg CDs are everywhere here, but I have bought a couple of Vietnamese CDs which look like the genuine thing. Of course there were loads to choose from and no way of listening to them. So I did the old standard of, well, it looks good so hopefully I'll like the music. My first choice was Ru Rung (Jungle Lullaby) by saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan. Am playing it at the moment and it's very pleasant.  It is intended as a gift for Moh but those of you who have followed the saga of the CD I brought back from Bangladesh last summer will know that it could well end up in my car. And if you're wondering why there's no mention of writing, well, no need to wait any longer, here it is.  BBC Radio Cumbria ran a competition for five-minute scripts based on newspaper ads and the winners are now available to listen to on their website or visit the Writers Room to read the scripts. Very surreal listening to them with the street sounds of Hanoi coming in through my bedroom window.

8th March

I arrived in Hanoi last night which was a shock to the system as it's really chilly here. Slight hiccup with the hotel arrangements as problems with their email meant our booking wasn't logged and so we are at another hotel, which is quite nice although I think a previous user may have chain-smoked. Had a fantastic meal in the Tamarind Cafe last night. It is directly opposite the hotel we were supposed to be staying in, which might have been fatal. The breakfasts look wonderful and the coconut icecream last night was taste heaven, and they served Americano. The Vietnamese have a drip coffee system, a bit like Rombout but about a 10th of the water and ten times the amount of coffee. Yesterday at Hue airport I tried another drink, Bird's Nest, which comes in a stylish gold can. I drank straight from the can (at the airport snack bar) which was perhaps as well, as there were a lot of bits in it - the bird's nest perhaps? Ingredients listed were - water, sugar, white fungus, bird's nest. And the taste? If, as a child, you made that strange concoction of sweets and water then you're on the right track.

3rd March

Hello everyone from Hue, the Century Riverside Hotel to be precise. We arrived here yesterday, by plane, although today our transport has been a little more unorthodox - and certainly not on the same scale as the 5 Star Express. Richard, the photographer, and I set off at 8am to visit some traditional weaving groups and all was fine until we were travellling through the Aco Pass where our people carrier gave up the ghost. With no mobile phone reception, our guide flagged down the nearest vehicle that looked likely to accommodate the five of us plus all the camera equipment - a Festival Beer lorry. Soon we were all squashed in the cab beside the driver - very cosy! Still, it got us to the town we were heading for. Then after our first visit to a weaving group, it was time to get on the back of a motor bike with my translator, back pack and box of cameras, to go for lunch. Not my usual way of spending a Saturday, but certainly not boring. Lots of new experiences on this trip and my little personal notebook for my writing is filling up with descriptions and phrases. Dragon fruit, soursop juice, bitter melon soup....and the Perfume River which is what I can see from my hotel window.

1st March

Well, this is dedication to my blog. Have just done a 19 hour day, it's after 1am and here I am typing. We left our hotel - First Hotel  in Ho Chi Minh City at 5am to fly to Nha Trang where we visited some of the women who make the crocheted nativity sets sold by Traidcraft. Lovely people and so skilled. Thought of my own, rather bumpy and lumpy attempts... Then we got the5 Star Express train back. Mega journey of more than nine hours, but very nice train and the ticket included bottled water and a meal of fish and rice. It was good to see some of the country which is very beautiful. Got a Vietnamese newspaper in English on the plane and amazingly found a feature on eco-friendly gadgets which included a link to the ethical superstore which is based in Newcastle. At times, the world seems very small.

25th February

Pretty much packed for leaving for Vietnam today and just realised that there are some deadines for comps etc while I'm away. So it's early Sunday morning and I'm copying half-written stories to my memory stick. Also hoping that the promised internet connection in the hotel works... I hope I've remembered everything but I certainly have enough books to read. First is a Patricia Cornwell for easy reading in transit. In theory all the books are charity shop buys that I don't mind leaving behind in the interests of having some spare weight in my suitcase to bring back pressies for folks. Well, that's the theory. It's almost World Book Day and their website has a page when you can tell them the 10 books you can't live without. My entry will have to wait for another day. Yesterday a friend from Azerbaijan translated labels of tins and jars for me in the Samovar, the Russian shop in Newgate Shopping Centre, Newcastle. Last night Moh cooked up some of the brown grains - don't know their name but they were very tasty. And I have a tin of some kind of fish in tomato sauce which has prompted me to realise that I've not had many mentions of herring recently, despite the fact that I've been eating quite a lot of fish. But thanks to the people of Estonia, the Baltic herring has been elevated to their national fish. More than 50,000 people voted on the internet to give it top place about the pike - surely no contest! Follow the link to find out more about their other national symbols which include limestone and the chimney swallow. I know I should be thinking Vietnam, but limestone, chimney swallow, Baltic herring... that combination is just so alluring.

21st Feb

Just done a rare visit to the page on my website that records which countries visitors are in. Not sure how accurate it is, but it's an amazing spread of countries. So for anyone who is from the USA, Tanzania, India, South Africa, Germany, or anywhere else and is thinking I am on another planet rabbiting on about Life on Mars here is a link to the website which will either help or totally confuse. But it is fun!

20th Feb

Hello from Life on Mars groupie here, counting the hours (just over two) to my next fix. I've just been enjoying a little replica police book to go with the series while eating my Shrove Tuesday pancakes. Might have to watch the advance episode on BBC4 tonight as will be away for the next two weeks. Have been reading up on Vietnam and its customs to try to avoid tricky situations (some hope, I hear you say). Well, according to Travellers Vietnam from Thomas Cook I should avoid touching anyone's head. Shouldn't be too difficult. Last night I was at the Lit and Phil for Tom Kelly's book launch, The Wrong Jarrow. A very enjoyable evening and a very nice book. Spent too long reading the poems last night (so easy to get distracted). I especially liked nostalgia kid, 1964 and the title poem. The Lit and Phil has a great programme of events lined up including a series to mark the bi-centenary of the abolition of slavery. It's really fascinating because the campaign was like Make Poverty History but in the 1800s. Rallies, campaigns, women boycotting sugar companies, people writing to MPs.Which brings me nicely round to Fairtrade Fortnight which starts on Monday and is a great way of fighting poverty and injustice at the same time as eating chocolate and other goodies. If you want to read some of the producer strories that I brought back from Tanzania and India, here's a link.They are at the bottom of the page.Or visit http://www.fairtrade.org for how you can get involved.

17th February

Have been enjoying the pleasure of small poems as yesterday was the deadline for the MiniWords competition with word counts varying from 50 to 150 words. Entered quite a few poems and mini stories. Even better, my Mum did one as well and it was lovely. One of my entries was written on Wednesday at uni. We all seemed to be on a roll, with some fantastic pieces read out by everyone. Our task was to write in response to short haiku-style questions written by Ono No Komachi and Izumi Shikibu, women of the ancient court of Japan from their book of love poems, The Ink Dark Moon (don't you think that the title is fantastic?) I can't print my full poem because it's gone off for the comp, so I'll just share one little bit: 'remember how you taught yourself to love the taste of olives'. Which is exactly what I did about 15 years ago. Forgot to say that when I was in Montrose recently I got a preview of my nephew, Chris Tomlinson's, video which is now part of the student exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh. Due to last-minute changes, the cast includes.... his mum, dad and two brothers. If only my visit had been a few weeks earlier I could have pleaded for a cameo part. The film is great, so if you're at the exhibition, don't miss it. And on the subject of Montrose, if you click on this link in the next few days, you'll be able to see my sis wearing my Afghan coat, which I could have offered to the cast of Life on Mars (see last diary entry). There is a reason for her time warp as she's promotng a 70s night which I would love to go to, but sadly I'll be in Vietnam. I have never managed to go to one of these legendary events because they always clash with me being away. Never mind, at least my coat will have a good time.

13th February - quick update before Life on Mars.

Forgot to say, I finished my little bit of the scarf for the Trafalgar Square lion and posted it off to the Stitch and Bitch London ladies last week. And they very kindly visited the website to let me know it had arrived. As I was finishing off the many ends (stripes in three shades of pink) I kept thinking of Julia Darling and the way she enjoyed knitting. Even if you don't want to contibute some knitting, you can still make a donation to Cancer Reseach - knitting and fundraising, what a great combination!

13th February

Hello everyone. Let me share my happy little secret with you. No, it's not that exciting! I've heard that my short story has been shortlisted for the Happenstance competition. One of the final 19 chosen from well over 100, so that's encouraging news. It's so 'hot off the press' that the announcement's not on their website yet. Will put in a link when it is. Tonight I'm hoping to finish the first draft of my short story for the Myths and Legends competition being run by the Lit and Phil. Deadline is 2nd March, you can enter short stories or poems and it's free so worth having a go. First prize in each category is £100. I need to get going because I only have 90 minutes before the highlight of this evening, a date with Sam Tyler - well along with thousands of other fans of the BBC 1 series Life on Mars, which starts its second series tonight. This is a rarity, me knowing what's on TV apart from the news and Antiques Roadshow. There was a brilliant interview with Life on Mars writer Matthew Graham on Radio 4's Front Row on Friday. Moh and I listened to it as he drove us through slushy snow to West Yorkshire for the weekend. Had a rainy day in Leeds on Saturday. Yes, we went into Harvey Nicks but we also went to Out of This World where I bought fair trade peppercorns and munchy seeds, then Shelter where I found two new M&S cashmere samples at bargain prices. Sunday we went to Haworth and travelled on the little steam train. Bit of a deja vu feeling in the wood-panelled compartment with teenage memories of fighting my way to the buffet through marines who were travelling from Edinburgh to Montrose. No queues this time, but the boiler wasn't working so no hot chocolate and tea for us. I came home well-washed and wrinkly after many visits to the hotel's pool and jacuzzi. I was the only one in on  Friday night and it was so peaceful swimming lengths and watching the snow fall outside.Travelling home on Sunday we went to Betty's in Harrogate where we indulged in fish and chips - the best I've had in years. And to go with it, a silver pot of proper leaf tea from Kwazulu Natal in South Africa. Who knows, we might have driven past the tea fields in December.             ps lump on leg is just a lump, hurrah!

8th February

Switched on the computer to do some writing but am easily distracted. Just back from an early morning holiday "treat" - a trip to the surgery. This is because Moh decided a little bumpy spot on my leg was getting bigger and I should get it checked. It was, as I feared, something that is probably nothing, but this will need to be confirmed (maybe in case I sue?) which means a return visit on Monday and the dreaded phrase 'minor surgery clinic' in my notes. As I was at the doctors I decided, why not make it worthwhile and have a cholesterol test too. So slight delay in going to gym this morning to make sure the puncture hole in my arm really won't leak And as it's our anniversary, Moh took me out for breakfast of a bacon roll and coffee - thank goodness the cholesterol test was before I munched into that lot. Anyway, enough domesticity and back to writing. I've been going through notes from writing classes recently and have picked out a couple of bits that I like and have decided to work on today. Checked the Guardian/Virgin short story page and no, I wasn't a winner or a runner-up, but the good news is that I now have a 500 word story that I can send somewhere else. Think I might try the Leaf Short Fiction comp. OK, that's enough procrastination. I need to get down to some writing. That is, once I've checked the weather forecast for Leeds as we're heading there tomorrow for the weekend. Well, Brighouse which is somewhere near, to a hotel that has a swimming pool. Might drag Moh to Haworth. Sadly we will miss the Wakefield Rhubarb festival, with its tours of lit sheds full of forced rhubarb which doesn't start until Monday. I am disappointed. Moh is... relieved? 

7th February

Back home again and the roads this morning have a thick layer of snow. As I'm not at work this week, this means I can take the bus to uni - environmentally friendly, no bother about trying to find a parking space and, yes, I'll just wrap up warmly for the wait at the bus stop. Travelled back on the train last night, which was on time, remembering to take my passport for crossing the border (a steak pie from Watt's the butcher in Murray St). Boarding a train is like boarding a bullet into the past, so many journeys remembered. The weather in Montrose was cold but beautifully sunny and so clear.We went up the glen (which one? Esk of course, for me there isn't any other) and to Edzell, which is one of my favourite villages, as anyone who's read this little diary might know. Sadly, was also at a funeral while I was in Montrose. One of the pieces of music chosen was Violet Jacob's poem, The Wild Geese, set to music and it reminded me of how lovely the poem is, so thought I'd include a link so you can read it too. Finished the book Little Face, which was quite intriguing and yes, it was more difficult to put down as I got into it (see last diary entry). Read most of David Almond's book Clay on the train home.

3rd February

Quick update from Montrose. Got the train after work last night and spent over an hour freezing at Newcastle station while the train was stuck just outside the city because of points failure. It's been a beautiful day today. Sunny with blue skies and the most amazing cloud patterns. We drove to Brechin and as usual the views were just amazing. It is such a stunning part of the world. Went to the farmers' market this morning and stocked up on some goodies to take home. Have also been catching up with friends and family, drinking coffee and sending a postcard to someone - always feels weird doing that, despite the fact I don't live here and haven't done for the last 15 years. Am reading Little Face, the novel by Sophie Hannah who is best known for her poetry. Quite good although not as difficult to put down as some of the reviews suggested. Did a little bit of writing on the train and have had a couple of ideas for short fiction. The problem there is trying to hone down stories and ideas to meet the very short word count - quite a challenge but a good thing to do. Got my crit back on the short story I entered for the Happenstance competition. Quite useful. Don't think I'll be winning or on the shortlist because the reader found part of the ending a bit predictable. Might have a go at a rewrite of that section when I get home next week.

30th January

Hello again. It's 7.30am and I should be getting ready to leave for work, but had to send a couple of emails so thought I'd do a diary update. If you're a short story writer who has reached that special age (ie 50) then there is still time to enter the Blinking Eye competition. Sent off my entries yesterday. And if you enjoy a challenge then BBC Scotland is running an email course to write a novel in a month (as the commitment is 1,000 a day I'm not sure how that works.) Apparently they ran it last year and it was very successful - at least one person went on to have their novel published. You don't have to send anything off, it's just to encourage writing, so I've signed up. Just checking the time and I need to get going so will try to add in the website links later. Got some of those hideous photo booth pics taken last night for my visa to Vietnam. Perhaps not the best planning to go late at night after a busy day at work. No hairbrush so dragged fingers through hair and boy did it look like I had. The good thing was my eyes looked incredibly blue, the bad thing was that it was probably because they were next to the very dark shadows under them. And even worse, when I went for coffee and showed the photos to Moh, he just said, well, it does look like you. Have decided not to show them to my son, Rob, because I know his reply will include the word Gollum. Off to find some concealer....

ps my contribution for the scarf for Trafalgar Square lion is coming on ok after a bit of a disastrous start when I realised the width had grown by two inches and had to rattle it all down and start again. It's in pink and red stripes with a few lumpy bits.

21st January

Ho hum. Just managed to lose a very lengthy diary entry.... One day I'll conquer technology. It's early evening on Sunday and as I've done some token cleaning (vacuuming and laundry) I am now on the laptop again. Also made banana and chocolate muffins which was not very sensible as all of us say we want to cut down and lose a few pounds after our mega pigout holiday in South Africa. So.... Have had a busy weekend which has included a meal out on Friday, breakfast at M&S Deli on Saturday, and a delicious meal cooked by my Time Together mentee (see last diary entry). This afternoon I had an enormous fruit scone and fair trade coffee at Newcastle's Guildhall when MOH (my other half for newcomers to this page) allowed me to drag him to a holocaust memorial installation of more than six million buttons. Included a film of Holocaust survivors meeting refugees and poems from Adam Strickson. We each added a button.On the way there we listened to a programme about the brass band competitions on Whit Friday on Radio 4, which was quirky and very entertaining. The sun was shining even although it was cold (snow forecast) and the city and river were sparkling. Despite having a mega day of work tomorrow (and the rest of the week) it made me really glad to live here. Again. Yesterday I worked out that last year I sent out 42 pieces of work (if more than one poem to the same title or competition I've classed that as one) and had 11 successes including four first prizes, a 60 second play performed and the My Life as an Opera performances which start next weekend. My aim this year is four entries each month and yesterday I sent off a play to the Welsh Drama Association's one act play competition which is my fourth in January, so I'm on target. Maybe it's the weather, but I've also been doing some knitting. This time it's to contribute to a scarf for one of the lions in Trafalgar Square as part of a fundraiser for Cancer Research. Who knows, I might even download the pattern from the Doctor Who Scarf website for my next project. Or for something more challenging, what about the knitted Elvis wig?

17th January

Just listened to the Afternoon Play, The Waiting Room, based on Julia Darling's blog in the years leading up to her death nearly two years ago. It's available until next Monday and definitely worth listening to. It reminded me of how positive she was, still managing to find something amazing, entertaining and positive in the most ordinary things - and how I should really stop moaning about being busy at work and appreciate all the good things that are happening in my life. I think part of this is post-holiday syndrome. Can't remembered if I've mentioned before but I am a volunteer on the Time Together project which is working with refugees and that is great fun. It's just a case of meeting up with someone regularly (they pair you up  very skilfully) and working out what will help them to achieve their potential or help them adjust to living in the UK. In my case this involves us going over the very quirky English language and building on the material that she's learning at college. And drinking lots of coffee in Costa or another of the coffee shops in the centre of Newcastle. It's really interesting how some expressions we take for granted are so difficult to explain. Always good to see familiar things from someone else's viewpoint. I missed the first Writing from the Inside Out class at uni today because of too much work. Tomorrow those of us that travel for Traidcraft have a meeting planned to share experiences and we each have to bring two things that we always travel with. I'm assuming that it's not boring things like adaptors or obvious things like sunscreen and toothpaste. Think I might take my shortwave radio (a pressie from my friends Lynda and David) and my bargain screenprinted wrap thing from a craft sale at work. This length of material has the potential to be everything from a curtain in a little bedroom above a shop in India to a sheet (and then in the morning a towel) in a strange little guest house in Tanzania where we had to sit outside in the yard to watch the television news.

16th January

Saw the film Babel last night. Spent the car journey home talking about it, how the three stories linked together, the fathers' stories, the dangerous consequences of a generous action - it was a brilliant film so I definitely recommend it. And heard on the news this morning that it had won a Golden Globe so others must share that view. It beat Little Children which was another thought-provoking film. I also recommend Mischief Night which I saw on the plane last week. I've just had a printing out weekend, getting work ready for sending out. I wanted to send my short story, Oranges, to the Happenstance short story competition so opened it up on the computer and re-read it. Now I now why it's never got anywhere in the past - there was a major flaw in that I had it set in three different parts of the world at the same time, but hadn't allowed for the time difference, so it all happened in the morning. So that meant a little study of the time zone map on the internet, a few changes, and now it's gone off to the competition. At least now, if it doesn't get accepted, it's because of the story or the writing, not on a technical detail. I've also sent stories to Tonto, which is doing a second short story anthology,  and the Herts University competition. More printing to come, this time a one-act play for a competition closing on the 31st - and then time to get back to some more writing. 

10th January

Just back from a quick trip to the Metro Centre to catch the last of the sales, having missed the rush with being away. Green is definitely my colour at the moment and I have added to my "top heavy" wardrobe (ie three pairs of trousers and three skirts but dozens of tops.). And on the subject of sales, Leaf Books have just sent me an email announcing that all their mini books are just £1 each in their January sale, including my Mrs Thomson's Guide to Game Spotting. With free postage too I might just add some books to my evening's shopping spree.

9th January

Was it really only three days ago that I was updating this diary in sunny South Africa? Amazing how quickly things change when you get home. Everything's unpacked, which is pretty rare for me, but that means that lots of tables, chairs etc are covered with the remnants from the holiday, which is pretty typical for me. Problem is, I accumulate things, usually newspaper cuttings, scraps of paper and little notebooks which I should put in my little study area of the bedroom.... except the desk is already piled high. So, some serious tidying to do I think, but first I need to get some more work sent off. There are quite a few deadlines coming up for short story and poetry competitions that I'd like to enter and I also have a short story that I started in SA, which is getting closer to a novella. I'm having fun writing it, so maybe I'll just let this first draft lead itself, although I do have a good idea of what the storyline and ending is. Today I got emailed a link to a review of the Magnetic North anthology. It's always a tense moment waiting for the page to appear. What if the reviewer hated my poems? I still remember the first review of Lip Reading..... (as the song says, things can only get better....) But the good news this time is that the reviewer liked my work. You can read the full review here, but in case you're in a rush, here's the bit about my poems. "I was particularly struck by Fiona Ritchie Walker’s two poems, where she spins gold from the most unlikely sources: public toilets and dust mites." I know, very self-indulgent, but I promise that even if the next review I receive is not so positive, I'll share it with you too.

6th January

Hello and happy new year! I'm in the Seattle Coffee shop in Bedford Centre on the last day of my SA trip and I've at last found a coffee shop with Wifi access. We have just had breakfast and need to go back to Grannie's to juggle the luggage so that our bags are not too much more than the 20k allowance. As usual we've done a lot of driving - down to the south coast where we stayed at Margate and I enjoyed swimming in the tidal pool at St Mike's beach. And of course we had to go to the Waffle House, which is one of my favourite places to eat. both Margate and the Waffle House feature in one of my short stories. We were in Margate at the same time as Ronan Keating who was giving a concert, but decided to give it a miss. I've been reading a lot. Books in SA are expensive compared to the UK, around £10 for a standard paperback. For Christmas I asked for some SA ones including Miss Kwa Kwa by Stephen Simms which is really funny satire on SA. As I'm only a frequent visitor to South Africa and not resident I can't tell how true it is but the book -which is based on Simms' stage play is very entertaining. I definitely recommend it. 

27th December
Hello again, this time for a very hot and sunny South Africa. We have been here for about 12 days so far so just about halfway through our trip. The journey over wasn't as straightforward as hoped for. Although we left before fog disrupted Heathrow, our friendly Travelcare travel agents weren't as concerned as we were about the short time to change terminals and catch our Jo'burg flight. And we missed it. But thank you Virgin Atlantic, especially Justin, who managed to get us on the Cape Town flight (even upgraded seats!). This caused a bit of a hassle getting a connecting flight but at least we arrived in Jo'burg the day that we planned. After that it was five nights in the Kruger Park at the same boma we had last year. Saw lots of game including cheetah for the first time - three of them and they were beautiful. And the big five twice over. We were really spoilt. I took along my little light-up Christmas trees from M&S to remind us that despite the high 30s temperatures it was approaching Christmas and some Whittards Christmas coffee. We had a raid by monkeys while we were watching some warthogs snuffle round our open kitchen area. Jamie left a box of Strawberry Pops cereal on the table while we watched the warthogs and the monkeys were in like a flash, ripping open the packet and scattering the cereal all over the ground before one ran off up a tree with the packet in its mouth. One thing in their favour, they came back and picked up every crumb so all we had to do was put the cardboard in the bin. Then it was back to Jo'burg to do a little mad pre-Christmas shopping and visit the Mugg and Bean for lovely coffee and breakfast on Robbie's 19th birthday before we headed for my brother and sister-in-law's game farm for Christmas. Very nice and I saw fireflies for the first time. Like our own Christmas lights flashing on the windows and flying in the dark sky. As my other half said, I expect you'll write a poem about that.

15th December

Where has the last week gone? I'm sure lots of other people are saying the same thing at this time of year! It's just after midnight which means that I have about 11 hours to pack, empty decaying food from fridge, do all the last minute things like pay my credit card, write Christmas cards, post parcels, create two calendars with photos not yet printed - oh, and sleep. Hopefully by this time tomorrow we will be airborne on our way to South Africa. It being after midnight means there's no point in trying to finish my garden poem for Mslexia as today's the deadline. But I did manage to enter the Guardian/Virgin short story competition. The deadline's in January if you want to have a go. Had a good writing session at uni yesterday with lots of interesting beginnings that hopefully I might work on during my holiday. And of course I've still to work out which books I'm taking with me. In the interests of  having plenty of space in my suitcase to bring things back, I try to take books that I don't mind leaving, so have a few from charity shops. Well, about 10. Won't have time to read them all, not with five days of gamespotting in Kruger and all the family get-togethers, so need to filter them down. Also, we are taking fleeces over for the kids in the orphanage that my son worked at in the summer so my case could be bulging at the seams. And of course, I've got my new notebooks and pens all ready too. And my Christmas pressie to myself, the James Taylor Christmas album, arrived in the post today - the perfect soundtrack for Christmas in an African summer.

6th December

9.30pm. House a tip, other half complaining of lack of food, me deciding to write at 9pm and not a word scribbled down (except for this and it doesn't really count.) So what's the problem? Well, I've been busy hunting haggis - or haggii as some people say. It is of course a total time waster, but if, despite my warning, you decide to have a go, then click here. Remember, it's at your own risk! Alternatively, you could find out more about my work, Memory of Water, that's being turned into a mini opera (once you're on the page, click on the stories link on the right hand side).

2nd December

I think tomorrow will be a day of lists as I catch up with writing deadlines and the countdown for Christmas and, before that, the countdown for going on holiday. Have had a week of shopping, working and eating as my parents are visiting. Hopefully tomorrow my mum and I will go to the Blue Room at the Bridge Hotel where David Almond is reading. We are both fans of his work, especially Skellig. Today I returned the contract to the British Council, who are going to publish one of my poems in their New Writing 15 which comes out next year. This is a bit of a rarity, me getting a contract, and even more exceptional is getting one before the publication has been printed. There was a slight mistake - referred to my work as a short story instead of a poem - but as instructed I've corrected and initialled it. And as usual, I've had to turn down an invitation to the British Council Literature Team's party, which is in London.. I can't really justify a trip down for it - especially this year when I'll be travelling to South Africa the following day. I'm enjoying reading the Selected Poems of Sharon Olds just now. She has such a distinctive voice and, having heard her read a couple of months ago, I have her voice in my head when I'm reading. 

26th November

Another entry that starts back home again. This time it's been a short trip north of the border, first to Aberdeen  to meet elder son and girlfriend, so thanks to them for a very nice evening. Then we headed back down the coast in torrential rain to spend Saturday in Montrose, with a visit to the coffee house to start the day. There is something very homely about going shopping in the High Street, even although many of the individual shops have gone. Thank you Doig's for putting a hand-written sign in the window offering a great line in breeks (trousers) - much most interesting than the mass-produced signs that are the same up and down the country. Last night we had a family get-together at Roo's Leap which is a favourite. If you visit the website you can take a virtual tour of the restaurant. It was really nice to catch up with people over the weekend and to hear that the Kaim's production of my play, The Anstruther Light, last week had gone down well. Thanks to everyone for another great production and sorry I couldn't make it this time. Have got my folks with me for a week - we managed to resist the temptation to stop at Dobbie's near Dundee on our drive back, even although the crowds were gathering to welcome Santa who was arriving by tractor. Well, it was too sunny for a sleigh.

ps Just done that very geeky thing of googling my name and discovered that the University of Plymouth have put my winning short story on their website. Hope you enjoy it - feel free to let me know what you think! (guttedherringATemail.com but change the AT to @)

17th November

I know, another entry so soon! But I'm back home now so have returned to the luxury of wireless internet, a shower with continual water and at a temperature of my choosing, and access to a kettle whenever I like. My travel kettle must go with me next time, no matter how heavy my case is. Of course, I'm still covered with an array of incredibly itchy bites - sadly I managed to scratch a couple from Tanzania back into itch mode while I was away, so am scratching for two continents now. Have also got through the enormous pile of post, well opened it that is. Discovered my poem, Pablo's Instructions for Travel, made it onto the shortlist in the Second Light competition, so that was encouraging. And have got my copies of Citizen 32 with another one of my Chile poems in it. And I've been dabbling with technology too as I discovered that I forgot to tell you that while in India I learned how to do CPP - cow pat pit - which provides organic compost for rice farmers in Kerala. Basically it's 20 kgs fresh dung from a lactating cow, ground up eggshell, ground rock which is mixed, first by hand and then trampled with bare feet for an hour before having more ingredients like extract of dandelion added and then put in a pit to mature. Don't believe me? Well, here's the evidence!15th November

Phew, thought for a moment that finally having found another internet cafe (one computer which  I am hogging) I wasn't going to manage to get onto the editing page for my website. But after a very slow load, it's appeared. So last time I wrote a diary entry I had just arrived in India and now I'm back in Mumbai, but just the airport as I spend a very long time for my connecting flights home. So much has happened it's hard to know where to start. But I have been to Kutch, a very arid area in Ghujarat to visit some organic cotton farmers. Highlights of that were the fantastic and enormous wooden boats being built in Mandvi - felt like something from centuries ago as it was all being done by hand. Also the surreal beach with a windfarm in the grass and kids riding camels and horses on the sand. And of course meeting the farmers and drinking endless chai and coconut milk.  Then it was the experience of a sleeper coach - my very own coffin shaped bed with its own curtain and one metal pole to stop me from falling off as the bus lurches over potholes all night. The fact I'd got into the bunk was a feat in itself as they stop the bus to allow you to enter, then you have to climb a ladder and throw yourself on as the bus is gathering speed. This was followed by a rickshaw ride, complete with photographer, photographer's equipment, my luggage and somehow my legs balanced on the top. I was getting quite a lot of stares from people anyway, but that journey probably looked the most entertaining. Next stop was Kaithal in Haryana, home of Traidcraft's Basmati rice and some fantastic people with great senses of humour. Still wondering whether part of that was positioning my seat in the family couryard in front of the cows which then performed continually as I hoped I wasn't being pebble-dashed and sprayed. Here I met two lovely girls who spoke English and gave me a litte statue of a Hindu god because they were worried about me travelling so far by myself. Actually, I was travelling in the company of Indian photographer Shailan Parker who not only takes great photos but is a fantastic unofficial tour guide and great help when ordering food. I have eaten so many regional delicacies that I will be heading for the gym when I get home. Our last assignment has been in Cochin - incredibly green after the previous visits. Here I have been force fed local dishes based on tapioca and many other delicacies by just about everyone I've met. The visit ended with a very surreal day yesterday when we travelled to a tea farm high in the Western Ghats that is in leech country. As I got names of tea pluckers who were being photographed, a kind man dropped salt on leeches that were making their wiggly way up my ankles. And that was even after having my feet covered in snuff which is supposed to be a deterrent. Then we ended the day drinking beer at the Peermade Golf Club which was established by Scots working in the tea industry in the 1930s. The clubhouse is amazing and thanks to club member Stanley Pereira who told us the history so that it came alive. Apparently Colin Blane did a programme for BBC World Service just a few weeks ago so my name follows his in the guest book.

4th November

Hello again and greetings from a very hot Mumbai. It seems global warming is also affecting the city which is hotter than usual for this time of year. I am in a little internet cafe opposite my hotel. A last minute change of accommodation meant that the promised pool, internet access and beautiful rooms are a few blocks away, and my cossie is still in my suitcase. But never mind, my hotel has character and a ladder across my stair which I managed to avoid when I arrived after midnight. I am in the annexe, which is a perfect setting for a story or poem (ie, a bit strange). But isn't this one of the purposes of travel, to gather information for writing? Have had two auto rickshaw rides (first on my own) which let me see interesting bits of city and breathe in far too many traffic fumes. After finishing here I'm going to look round the market, then head back to my hotel to try to work out how much money I need to change at the airport tomorrow, before I catch my flight to Bhuj. I am in charge of finances again..... My brain is already suffering. Oh, and for those who read my Tanzania diary entries a few weeks ago, I was thrilled to continue my I-spy of hair salons by seeing the Big Boy Hair Dressers on my way from the airport last night.

1st November

Another Wednesday, another university class to look forward to. Have been dipping into Pippa Little's poems in The Spar Box and it's lovely to recognise poems that started in the class - can definitely recommend this lovely collection. The countdown is on for my next trip (Friday, to India) so the big suitcase is in the middle of the bedroom floor and everything is in a muddle (which is of course why I'm sitting in bed typing this!) Lots of work stuff to take as usual (calendars, mugs, publications, reports etc) and, having just looked at one of the hotel websites, I'm packing my cossie in hope (again). In Dhaka last month the pool was beside a very busy building site... It was One World Week last week and although it wasn't really connected, we saw Lalon Amin's two Bangladeshi documentaries at the premiere at the Customs House. Very interesting and thought-provoking, as was the film Little Children which we saw on Monday. Gave us lots to talk about on the way home. My short story has appeared in the Plymouth newspaper, but sadly it's not gone on their website so I can't provide a link. Oh, and they called me Fiona Walker (for those of you who don't know, there is a successful novelist who shares my name which is why I use my middle name). Almost time to leave for uni so I can find a parking space. But first, I need to persuade my other half to take a head and shoulders photo to send to the British Council along with my 50 word blurb. The photo needs to be black and white, but so far I've only discovered how to change it from colour to sepia. 

25th October

Back home again after a couple of days working in Edinburgh. Was being a bit of a tour guide for Chino, from Chile, so went to the castle and explored the Royal Mile. Thanks to an invitation from MSP Nora Radcliffe, we spent yesterday afternoon at the Scottish Parliament . We had a tour of the building and if, like me, you've visited the parts that are open to the public and been disappointed, then I have to say, MSPs and staff definitely get to see the best parts of the building. The view from the top floor is amazing, and the offices for MSPs have these amazing window seats. The little alcove is leaf-shaped and has a real cocoon/womb-like feeling to it. Add to that a curved ceiling and unobstrusive lighting and I think many writers would enjoy spending time there - I certainly would. I was staying at the MW Townhouse which is lovely. Great breakfasts and the rooms are named after whiskys - I was in Talisker on the top floor. Fortunately there is also internet access as I discovered that the Plymouth Evening Herald are to feature my winning short story this weekend and they needed some info about me sent over very quickly. It was a quick scribble before breakfast to meet the deadline. Got back today around 50 minutes late thanks to problems with points on the line. My usual complaint - Virgin trains never tell you of any delays and rarely apologise. My lovely other half brought my car to the station and then got the bus back home so I could drive to university and then to work this afternoon. Got home tonight to discover the post included the Images of Women anthology and The Book of Hopes and Dreams, both of which include my poems. At uni this morning I also bought Pippa Little's new poetry collection, The Spar Box. Read new books or start unpacking.... I wonder if you can guess what I'm about to do now?  

21st October

Quick catch-up having got some time on the computer at my sister's house. Back in Montrose for my nephew's 21st birthday party, so have been for coffee at the Coffee House, off buying favourite biscuits for a friend and having a little trawl of the charity shops. If you want to find out more about the town click here http://www.gable-enders.co.uk/

16th October

Just back from Durham Town Hall where I heard Sharon Olds, Colette Bryce and Anna Woodford read - lovely evening and chance to catch up with some people too. Reason for this quick update is I forgot to tell you who I met in a little bookshop in Dar es Salaam - only a poet from the North East! I thought I recognised Carlotta Johnson's accent when I was leaving so just had to go back - and yes, it was her! She is one of the poets whose work features in the latest anthology from Blinking Eye, which should be out shortly.

15th October

Back in the UK but after just a few hours at home on Thursday to unpack and pack, I headed north of the border to the Log Cabin Hotel in Kirkmichael, in beautiful Perthshire. It has been a family weekend, which has been great fun (11 of us) and an amazing amount of delicious food. Can definitely recommend a stay here for a very friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Tonight there are just three of us left, sitting in the very cosy bar. We head home tomorrow and then it will be back to work on Tuesday and into the whole weekday routines again, before heading back to Scotland for the weekend. Finally managed to access the backlog of emails from nearly two weeks without proper internet access and discovered that I've won the University of Plymouth Creating Writing Prize for my short story 'How It Happens'. This was a story that I rewrote for the competition, so I'm glad that I took the time to go over it. The word count was very tight which is always an interesting challenge.And the prize?£100 and publication in the Plymouth Evening Herald.

11th October

Hello again from Dar es Salaam. I’m back here on the last leg of my travels, ready to fly back to the UK tonight. The second part of my trip to Tanzania took me to the south, to Njombe where Kibena tea is. We were visiting to get stories and photos of the tea pluckers, as well as learn what community benefits the Fairtrade premium, from sales of tea by organisations like Traidcraft, were providing. So here it is, straight from some lovely but very poor villages that we visited – when your cuppa has tea from Kibena in it, you’re helping to provide schools, dispensaries and hopefully pretty soon a new operating theatre for the local government hospital. It REALLY does make a difference! We also went to church where I reacquainted myself with the art of curtseying and my Swahili pronunciation got a good laugh. Thankfully my name was just strange (see last diary entry) and not unmentionable. I had a go at tea plucking too and have to say that there is a definite art to this and I haven’t got it. You certainly wouldn’t need to go the gym though. So yesterday we drove the nine-hour journey south on some pretty scary roads. Well, the roads weren’t but the into-double-figure accidents were. To pass the time, when not spotting elephants and giraffes, I did an Ispy game of hair salons -some amazing names - and am working on a poem about it. Have two Tanzanian poems drafted so far. My souvenirs from the trip are two bags of tea and more than a dozen bites (at least three different kinds I think!) So before we head for the airport, I’m hoping to hit some shops. Even my shopping list is a little surreal as the top item is a carved mask for a beekeeper from Chile that I’m accompanying to the Scottish Parliament in a fortnight! Oh, and my short story didn’t make it onto the top three for the HISSAC competition. Never mind, being on a shortlist is a great encouragement to send it off somewhere else. Just checked the guest book and seen that I’m linked to the Gable-ender website – thanks! (for non-Montrosians that’s the name for folk from our town). Onto last minutes of internet access so will add a link from this site when I’m home.

5th October

Jambo everyone! Yes, I now know about three words in Swahili. Back in Dar es Salaam and fighting against internet time as my computer battery is low having been used out in remote villages and haven't had a chance to charge it up (am sitting in the busy reception of the Peacock Hotel) typing this. Have had a great, if surreal time visiting beekeepers in the NW forests. Only one bee sting despite being very close to them opening the hives, which are hung up in trees. And at the second hive, boy were those bees angry! It's a strange feeling having so many buzzing round my head, but thankfully my mosquito head net seemed to do the trick. Most strange experience was visiting some lovely people who are members of the Nyamwezi tribe and discovering that my name, Fiona, in their dialect is "the word you must never say to anyone you respect". Took a long time to discover why they kept saying my name and laughing or looking embarassed. I was instructed that when we went to have lunch with the family I must make sure that the beekeeper's wife and children never heard my name. And I still don't know what it means! Was greeted by dancing and singing from the women in the next village. Really lovely. And we were given honey and jam, plus tried some pretty strong homemade wine - and a lovely elderly lady presented me with two eggs. It's really a humbling experience to think that people waited all day to greet us and again, provide us with such a lovely meal when they have hardly anything themselves. Have had some interesting journeys on sand roads - was very glad that I wasn't driving. And as Tanzania has a major power shortage have got very used to arriving in a guest house and asking, when will you have power today, so we know when to start charging our cameras etc using the only plug in our rooms! And I have got the knack of checking water in the bathrooms after having showers that go on in the middle of the night without touching them, toilets that flood the floor and wash hand basins that drench my feet when I turn on the tap. All adds to the experience of travelling!

29th September

Little memo to myself for the future. Don't wash my all-terrain sandals about half an hour before starting packing. When I finish writing this I'm off to try to find an old pillowcase to put the soggy things in and then go against my environmental angel and shove them in the tumble drier. Off to Tanzania tomorrow. Most of the packing done. I'm at work today with lots of loose ends to tie up, then back to do some advance packing as the day I get back I'm off to Scotland for five days - after dropping my passport off at work to get my visa for India. Last night I realised I am only at home for three weekends before the second week in January. Yikes. Anyway, enough of this domestic prattling - you can get that at home without visiting a website probably - so on with the writing stuff. Sent off a play to the Burlesdon Writers and my poems to Second Light, so that's two deadlines met. And I got an email saying my short story Off the Map is shortlisted for the HISSAC short story comp, which is good news. The results will probably be announced while I'm away, so guess who will be searching for internet cafes while she's away? Promise to say hello if I find one.

23rd September

My visits to the Sage music centre in Gateshead are a bit like buses. None and then a few all at once. After the New Rope String Band on Wednesday, I'm looking forward to Sudden Collapses in Public Places, the poems of Julia Darling set to music, which runs from Tuesday to Thursday. MOH and I are going on Wednesday. The NRSB were great. Such talented musicians and fantastically daft too. They are on a village tour this autumn  so if you live close to Scredington Community Centre or the village halls in Gringley on the Hill or Thrumpton then as well as having some amazing local place names, you've got a great evening of entertainment coming your way so buy your tickets now! Have been sorting out poems for the Second Light competition and the next Mslexia deadline of 30th September which is for poems and short stories based on rain. Here I must confess that despite having been in Bangladesh at the start of the monsoon and experiencing torrential rain at home and at Greenbelt, I've not written anything about that. I have one very short story I might send off, written in the Writing from the Inside Out Class that Anna Woodford runs at the Centre for Lifelong Learning in Newcastle (although it's really Sunderland Uni). Have signed up for the new term but will miss the first two sessions, as hopefully this time next week I'll have arrived in Tanzania - with all my luggage. Have heard several scary stories of friends and work colleagues having bad luggage experiences on flights. Today I have been buying stuff for the trip like all-terrain shoes, a couple of pairs of trousers from a charity shop, a hat and a snazzy, hopefully never-ever-to-be-photographed (or even worn?) head-size mosquito net in case we can't borrow hats and veils when we visit the beekeepers. When I visited some other beekeepers last year I got the full outfit to wear, which was slightly embarrassing as it was so cold I had a jacket on and, yes, you've guessed, it took two people to pop me out of it like a Christmas cracker....

18th September

Ho hum. A little reminder not to believe everything on the internet.... If you saw listings on Amazon, Blackwells and quite a few other webstores advertising a book, with details of authors and themes of the short stories, ISBN number, well you might imagine that it was going to be published. Unfortunately, that's not the case with Ellipsis 2, the Comma Press book of short stories which was supposed to come out last year and then was delayed again.... and again.... and finally is going to come out with a different line-up of authors and yes, you've guessed it, I'm no longer on it. There's still a possibility that the stories might be published in Ellipsis 3, but then again.... Which leads me to ask, why on earth do publishers give out details of books if there's any doubt about publication? Do your own Google search for Ellipsis 2 and see what I mean. Have been on a 72 hour Walk to Emmaus weekend which was actually at Minsteracres and didn't involve a lot of walking in the physical sense. Bit of a rollercoaster experience (for me and quite a few of the others too) but overall good and very humbling at the number of people who worked late into the night and from early morning to look after us. Bought Iona, a book of poems by Kenneth C. Steven. I have his book, Columba, which I enjoyed. Thanks to my diary reader in Aberdeen for providing me with a herring connection - a fish festival in the city. Launch the Canongate webcam to get a glimpse of it. Music update - am looking forward to hearing the New Rope String Band at the Sage on Wednesday. In the meantime, have been bombarded with the Scissor Sisters, I Don't Feel Like Dancing every time I've switched on the car radio or gone into shops recently. Does anyone else think they sound as if they're related to the Bee Gees?

10th September

Hello people. I have just made an amazing discovery! It's thanks to a little website device which I didn't know I had which shows where my website visitors come from and you are from all over the world. And here I was thinking it was my sister and a few friends! Also, this diary has more direct hits than any of the other pages, which reminds me that I mustn't waste your time with a lot of domestic drivel (although if that's what you like let me know!) So, it's Sunday, it's sunny and I'm in the loft while the lads are watching motor racing on telly and scoffing chicken. Slight domestic diversion in that yesterday was a day of note as I cleaned the hob in the kitchen. Not too messy, just a little greasy, but very dusty, which is the true reflection of my cooking recently. I am pursuing the theory that raw food is good, although I have balanced this with some M&S curries (tinned are on special at the moment, my cupboard is full). I am the editing queen this weekend, looking over work that I thought was finished and realising that it's not. That's the good thing about putting poems and short stories on hold - when you go back to them, repeated words and sloppy writing jump out from the page.  There are quite a lot of deadlines coming up so I've been trying to get a couple of short stories ready for sending out. This has involved chucking out "my darlings", those lines and phrases that I really love but know are either over the top or just don't fit. The new postal rates are a blow for writers like me who don't like folding and squashing A4 sheets into smaller envelopes. Also I can't just shove a stamp on and post in the letter box. Now it needs to be weighed. The only good news is that lots of submissions can now be send by email. My hunt for photos (see last diary entry) has been unsuccessful so far, although I discovered some knitting needles (lovely green plastic ones from a learning to knit set for kids!) and I have now found a new way of wasting time when I should be writing. As a daily consumer of Innocent smoothies, I was pleased to read in their newsletter that they're doing the knit a bobbly hat project again. We knit little hats for bottles of Innocent smoothies, they sell them and for every hat-wearing bottle sold, 50p goes to Age Concern. Knitting instructions are on their website and I've already made two hats - one green and orange, the other blue and green. Dead easy, even the sewing up. It's put me in the mood for knitting again. Who knows, I might resurrect my passion for knitting vegetables. 

3rd September

Had a great catch-up day with other members of the Bridge Poets group yesterday. Not a big turnout but we had a good afternoon discussing our poems and poetry in general. It's great to have time set aside for this every month and as I missed last month's and will be away for the first Saturday in October, I was glad to make it this time round. Heard that my short story didn't make it into Libbon magazine, so need to mark that up and start looking at September deadlines. I am without email this weekend. Well, I can receive but can't send out which is a pain. My email at fish.co.uk is run by Christian Aid and I have to say that the service has been pretty hit and miss all the time. But now they are changing the system to raise more money for Christian Aid although sneakily it's not been made clear that this means we'll probably lose our email addresses unless we sign up for their broadband on BT or a pay as you go dial-up one. As we have cable broadband, I'm busy looking around for another provider. If you can recommend one that goes nicely with my email - guttedherring - please let me know. Had a nice surprise on Thursday when I went for my yellow fever injection in preparation for going to Tanzania and didn't have the usual painful arm. Best one yet which was amazing as lots of people have warned of side effects like flu or a really aching arm. Maybe going to the gym helped. I have been workiing with composer  David Haines who is busy turning my poem No Running Water into a mini-opera - about eight minutes. (See latest page for more info.) He wants to show some photos at the back of the stage and asked if I had some from that period in my life when the poem is set, when I did some voluntary work in the Canadian Arctic. No problem, I thought. But it was 25 years ago and when I located the bag of memorabilia, not only had some of the caribou skin clothing disintegrated, but I couldn't find the photos. So, a trip into the cellar where I discovered the diaries, lots of old scrapbooks, but no pics from the Northwest Territories. They will be somewhere in this rambling house, but it might be quicker for me to ring my parents and see if they have any. On the other hand, a search could also result in a bit of a clear-out...

30th August

Could practically repeat the start of the last diary entry, but this time the pile of stuff on the floor includes muddy boots and sandals. Greenbelt was great, if a bit wet and muddy at times  Hard work, but my presentations and poetry readings seemed to go ok and thank you to the person from London who bid £50 in aid of Traidcraft Exchange for my signed poetry books. Didn't manage to go to any of the sessions or talks as was too busy working, but did meet up with Sara Maitland, who was my short story mentor as part of my Northern Promise Award. It was great to see her again and catch up. Bought a few books, a tie-dyed top (green) from the Mystic Mackerel stall and a hand-batiked top from Patchacuti. Oh, and a sheep for my sister (knitted, not real.). Wrote one poem while away about trying to take down a tent with Debz from work. Bit windy - we heard the ambulance sirens but didn't realise that a tent had flipped right over a car and landed on some people, apparently breaking someone's nose. Quite glad we didn't know about it until we had the tent captured in the bag. If I tell you the title of the poem is Sumo Wrestling, you might manage to picture our antics.

24th August

I'm sitting in bed typing this on my laptop, with an enormous pile of stuff on the floor. It's for Greenbelt, where I'm heading tomorrow, and I'm contemplating whether I should repack into a bigger bag. It's a pack for all weather situation with the added problem that all poets face. Yes, there is that dilemma of which poems to read and in what order, but I'm referring to the biggie here - what will I wear? It's made even more difficult this time in that I'm reading on three consecutive evenings, but will be spending the rest of the day in my Traidcraft T-shirt (quite nice blue this time). This means that my poetry togs will need to spend the day in my backpack so must be fairly crush resistant. I'm not sure how long I'm supposed to be reading so hope to speak to the musicians tomorrow. I've printed off a mega-amount of poems (will need to reassure the audience that I'm not reading all of them!) and have done three slots of poems for Saturday night, so feel semi-organised. Unfortunately, the Powerpoint for my 'Traidcraft - The Inside Story' sessions hasn't been too co-operative, refusing to work on laptops, but hopefully it's now sorted. All I need to do now is remember to take the disc.... I do have a back-up on a memory stick! I'm busy trying to sort out stuff for my next work trip to Tanzania, but it's one step forward and a trip down the stairs at the moment. Tonight, despite several phone calls to our surgery, I arrived to discover that they don't stock the vaccine I need and neither do the nearby chemists. But it looks as if I might have had success in arranging to borrow some beekeepers' hats and veils (yes, visiting more beekeepers, but this time it's harvest-time). And here's a shock piece of news. My removal of the Bangla CD has been discovered (see 10th August diary entry), because MOH ,who features regularly in this little blog ,has visited my site! And he's even written in the guestbook.  

19th August

Just taking a breather from a mega tidy of the house. The reason is that the Revlon shampoo bottle is coming home today, which means that MOH (my other half, for those who are newcomers to this little diary) is at present in Paris on his way home from South Africa. Not that I wish to divulge his habits, but what the heck, this is just between you and me, isn't it? So here goes. If you are as geekie as me, then you may remember in the late 70s, early 80s, Revlon Flex shampoo came in a round bottle. I do remember one bizarre incident when dancing with a guy at The Links disco in Montrose and he suddenly asked: "Do you use Revlon Flex too?" (it had/has a distinctive smell) and then announced he used it to and started to ask whether my hair was normal, if I used conditioner.... That was an evening that my sis and I rang Dad to ask for a lift home, even although you could see our street from the entrance to the hotel. But sorry, back to the present Revlon bottle, which was a bathroom feature that I inherited when we got married, because MOH has been decanting shampoo into that same bottle for well over two decades, and as it's the one he takes on holiday it's pretty well travelled - Newfoundland, Norway, France, and of course it should have its own frequent flyer card for trips to SA. Those who know my recent travelling itinerary may have spotted that Prague is missing from the list. This is because in the rush to travel MOH didn't put it in the case. And the very sad thing is that when I noticed it was missing, I said: "Oh no! The Revlon bottle's missed out on the trip!" Which probably explains why the two of us get on (that's me and MOH, not me and the Revlon bottle.) Anyway, the mega tidy and cleaning session has included the shower, so the Revlon bottle has a lovely clean home to return to. Don't worry, I've not forgotten that the real reason you clicked on the link to this page is to find out what's new on the writing front. Well, I've written and sent off two monologues for the Between Ourselves competition and must get round to sorting out my poems for reading at Greenbelt next weekend. Three evenings, so need to vary the programme a bit in case people are there more than once. Actually, Traidcraft staff will be there for the three readings, so don't want them dropping off. I also need to take a Good News Bible as that relates to my poem, Scriptural Shopping and I will need a volunteer from the audience to read a Bible verse proving that the order to purchase linen shorts isn't just part of my weird imagination. (If you want to know where it is, send me an email). Sorry no recent mentions of herring. I have been on a bit of a tuna phase at the moment. And I have still to put the water in my incredible expanding fish in the tank that I bought last week (see previous diary entry). But I have drawn a picture of a herring and sent it to the Sketch Swap website which is a great little website to help you waste time while justifying it as being creative. Basically, you do a sketch (nothing rude, mind), click the button to send and then on your screen appears a sketch from someone else! Who knows, you might find my herring on your computer.... If you do, please let me know.

12th August

Hello everyone. Just back from a day in Edinburgh by myself (well, apart from the thousands of people at the Fringe.) Got an early train so I was outside the Royal Scottish Academy ready for when it opened at 10am to see Ron Mueck's sculptures. They are amazing, so lifelike except for the scale. An enormous baby, a giant woman in bed, a miniature man in a real fishing boat, a tiny couple sleeping like spoons.... It was worth getting there early to see them without crowds of people. Then it was into the Royal Mile sunshine to watch some of the "tasters" for the hundreds of shows that are on. Stopped off in Always Sunday, the fair trade cafe, but have to say that being fair trade doesn't make their Americano good value. Too weak and only half full - why should those of us who drink black coffee get short measures? Saw some more men in tutus.... First at the Americana festival and then today some jugglers on monocycles suddenly pulled down their trousers to reveal frothy net. In total contrast my next visit was to the Writers' Museum before boarding Dr Robert's Magic Bus.  If you're in Edinburgh before the 26th book a (free) seat for Breathe's Crossed Wires. Two at a time you get taken onto the top deck of the bus where you sit, one at the front, one at the back (complete with popcorn) and watch a film. I don't want to spoil the surprise, but there's an old-fashioned phone next to you and it does ring...... And that's how catching the train home meant I missed out on my mystery encounter, although I'd have loved to follow the instructions on the piece of paper that was waiting for me under the phone. Other delights on the bus include the intriguing invitation to couples to have Charlie fill their mouths with dental casting material and then kiss... So what else did I do before catching the train home? Visited the Ndabele cafe for a boerewors roll, bought a pair of multi-coloured reading glasses (the frames that is, not the lenses), and a quirky fish tank which promises that the plastic fish inside will double in size when I add water (em, I know, what was I thinking of?) And as a special treat for reading all of this diary entry, here are some links so you can experience it too. And in the spirit of Dr Robert's Magic Bus, I've not identified which is which, so go on, click on one and see where it takes you!

10th August

6am, sun shining through the loft window, Earl Grey tea, Innocent smoothie and a strange breakfast cereal of mixed grains. Playing Aberfeldy from the internet.  You can join me (listening to the music, that is) if you like. When this diary disappeared my link to their website went too, along with my telling you about hearing them at the Americana festival, so here it is back again. I was hoping to add a link to Habib, so you could listen to some Bangla music I brought back from Dhaka (actually a pressie for my other half, but with him in SA I have reclaimed it for the moment). Problem is, I left it at work. Being apart is an expensive business when he doesn't have email contact, but the good news today is that the swallows are back. They have a nest on the balcony of our room in Granny's house at Margate (the SA one), which has views of the sea and sometimes we can see whales. But the monkeys haven't been seen yet, which is good for the plants as they wreck the bushes and pick off all the flowers. So what am I up to? Well, I've been working on a couple of new poems for Greenbelt at the end of the month. As I'm reading in the Traidcraft marquee, I need to have a mix of trade justice, travel ones and then a few more "me" poems sneaked in. Feeling a little daring, I've written one that involves audience participation, so has the potential to fall flat. It even rhymes (those who know my poetry will realise how rare that is!) And feeling a little daring and full of vitamins after my healthy brekkie has perhaps affected my senses, as I'm about to put it on the website, so now you can read it too. The last word (in brackets) is the bit to join in.

5th August

I supposed I could develop a complex. One son in South Africa, painting an orphanage for kids with HIV/AIDs, other son in Aberdeen and other half in SA having booked a last-minute flight to Jo'burg. Have been entertaining my parents for a week but they go on Monday. Even our tank of fish have left to live in a neighbour's new tank (took me about two weeks to notice the tank was empty). So of course, apart from work and clearing up the house and watering plants that means time for writing! (I realise a missing diary entry told you about our 'raised courtyard' which is just estate agent speak for the top of our garage, accessed through the kitchen door, but which is covered with tubs and even has little trees and a garden shed and - for the first time - my 50p vine from the Co-op has baby grapes!) Having visitors has meant lots of local sightseeing including the Sunderland Air Show, Gibside, Eden Camp, Thirsk (the White Horse fish and chip shop is definitely worth a visit), the Laing Art Gallery and lots of lovely food and stops at coffee shops. Oh, and Ikea.

2nd August

Not sure what has happened, but suddenly my little herring diary appears to have disappeared! Sorry to anyone who has visited today and found it empty. I am hoping that this is just a little blip and it will suddenly reappear. If not, well, new readers, you have missed out on many strange entries from around the world, and from home too. So what's new? Well, I got my copy of the New Writing Scotland anthology, which has one of my poems in it, yesterday. Just had a quick skim but it looks good. And I also received the proofs for my poem that's going to be in The Book of Hopes and Dreams that will be out soon. And it rained all day. Have had a go at cutting and pasting a cached diary entry from a Google search. Now to find out if it worked.... And it seems it has, so only a few entries missing! Oh, they were probably a load of rubbish anyway. (Well, apart from my trip to the Isle of Wight, going to the Americana festival at the Sage and hearing Aberfeldy and the Cowboy Poet and having my first-ever manicure now that my used-to-be-bitten nails have doubled in length.)

14th July Have just spent this afternoon with John Dean, the other judge in the Orange/Northern Echo Children's Short Story Competition deciding the top three. We had whittled down the entries to eight, so it was a managable number. I was really impressed by the standard of writing, especially when I thought back to my own scribblings at that age. My own writing has been through the judging process, this time the SCDA adult one-act play competition. I didn't get through to the final this time, but was on the shortlist of 19, which was good as there were about 120 entries. And none of my poems made it anywhere in the Mslexia poetry competition. Looking at the winning and commended poems in the magazine, it's interesting to see how much is dependent on what appeals to the judge. I think that is probably part of the fun and the challenge of entering competitions, trying to decide what work might stand the best chance with that particular person. Not quite gambling but close to it. I had an email from someone who read my winning short story on the A&C Black website. Had he been the judge I have the distinct feeling I wouldn't have won. I am actually supposed to be packing, as we're off to Hampshire early tomorrow morning. Golf for the lads (I cannot hit a golf ball to save myself and probably wouldn't want to.) Reading? (just bought some new books including Paper Moon, the new novel from Marian Husband who I was pleased to spot in the August issue of Good Housekeeping) Writing? (well, taking laptop and new notebook in hope) Catching up with relatives? Definitely.  7th July Quick update as my winning story in the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook short story competition is now on their website. Hope you enjoy it! 3rd July Have been squeezing in quite a lot of music and poetry in between watering plants, work, not following the world cup and working out in the gym (not very seriously because of the hot weather.) Saw the Baghdaddies at Alnwick Playhouse who were great as usual, then it was South Shields to sit in the evening sunshine and listen to the Caffreys. Last Thursday was a brilliant writing day on Lindisfarne where Sue from my uni class has a tower converted into a Lilliputian house. There were 14 of us who travelled up the coast in brilliant weather to spend the day there. Eating, writing, eating, reading back, eating seemed to be the pattern. Thanks to Gillian Alnutt and Anna Woodford for some great writing exercises to get us going and of course to Sue for sharing her lovely tower. I wrote five poems, including one with some made-up words. I'm not sure whether ossying is a real word. Couldn't find it in a dictionary, but if you know it has a real meaning, please let me know. Next on the music front was the Mela, again at South Shields where we enjoyed the bands, the Bollywood dancing and of course, the curry and the kulfi (not on the same plate). Our walk along the beach took us to the amphitheatre where a Salvation Army band were playing, so we were certainly taking in plenty of different cultures and music within a few hours. Then on the way home we saw some of the fantastic kites at the Sunderland Kite Festival, which was a great end to the day. Am still waiting for my story to go on the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook, so that's why there's no link yet. Actually I lied about not following the world cup, because I did see part of the England match on Saturday after I got home from my Bridge writing group (only three of us but still a great session). It was actually writing that spurred me on to watch the game, because I wrote an entry for the competition that Radio Five Live is running. It's for monologues between 2 and 3 minutes, and the closing date is the end of this week I think. So still time to enter if you fancy having a go. 22nd June Some exciting news as I have just learned that I've won the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook Short Story Competition! The story, 'In the Dark', was one that I worked on for ages to enter the Asham Award, but it didn't get anywhere - and now it has. This just proves that the problem is often not the story, just that it's not the right one for that judge or editor - if you've had a few rejections lately (like me) then hope this will encourage you to keeping sending out work. The story will be published on the A&C Black website, so I'll add a link when it's up. And the other very nice thing is the cheque for £500....  Some other interesting news this week is that Eileen ,who goes to my uni class, and her husband are cycling from Newcastle to Bulgaria - about 1700 miles. It's in memory of their son who died while travelling in Nepal and to raise funds for the charity The Compassionate Friends. I think this is a fantastic venture and will be following their progress on the website. 18th June Am in the mood for fiction this weekend, having just read entries in the Orange children's short story competition over the last couple of days (that is, written by children, not for them). Some really good writing and stories that have stayed with me which is always a good sign. Final judging will be in a few weeks. And then I spotted that one of my all-time favourite books from when I was growing up, Alan Garner's The Owl Service was the Saturday drama on Radio 7 It's available on their Listen Again page. 90 minutes long - I listened in two parts yesterday and it's still as good as it was when I was about 12. On Radio 4 from tomorrow, the Afternoon Readings are all short stories from writing groups in the North of England. I love dipping into them when I'm working on my computer. Had a bit of a surreal moment on the Dhaka Day of the Siege (see 11th June diary entry) when only a couple of miles away there were demonstrations complete with tear gas, vehicles on fire, arrests and casualties, while I was in my hotel room, fan and air conditioning on, listening to Jackie Kay's short story about the first gay wedding on Shetland.  Other news from this weekend - I was disappointed that they went for salmon and turbot, not herring in the Queen's 80th birthday meal, but never mind. At least she had Garibaldi biscuits for pudding! 15th June Back home again. Suitcase emptied but stuff not put away. Washing machine on overtime. Our flights and train journey were fine, a lot quieter than going to Dhaka. Last night was the PulpNet reading at the Bridge which was good. I enjoyed hearing all the stories, and did explain that my yawning was due to the fact that my bodyclock thought it was 3.30am and not because I was bored. It was the first time I'd read my Not the English Margate story (there's a link to PulpNet on the links page if you want to read it) and all South Africans will be pleased to know that I didn't attempt to do the accent. Today was my first day back at work, so lots of catching up, mainly reading emails. How did we work without them? Probably a lot quicker and under less pressure. Post waiting for me at home included the proof of my poem for New Writing Scotland, the children's short stories to read and draw up a shortlist and the news that my SCDA youth play didn't make it onto the longlist. Never mind, working for the deadline meant I actually finished it, so now I just have to check it over, maybe edit and then look for somewhere else to send it to. I am also working on another Dhaka poem in which there is no mention of jackfruit. Oh, I have also been sending out packs of fried peas to friends. I still have a spare packet, so if you'd like one, let me know! 11th June Our last day in Bangladesh before flying home tomorrow. It was our day off, but not quite as we'd planned it. It may not have hit the UK headlines, but the planned siege of Dhaka has been dominating the local papers for most of the week. Today's Daily Star listed the Dhaka siege points. We were quite glad none were near our part of the city, but it did mean that any sighseeing or our hoped-for river cruise were ruled out. In the end, we went to Coffee World and Books Express (a lovely just-opened shop where I've bought lots of books that I'm trying to squeeze into my suitcase - thanks Nazrul!) then the streets round about our guest house where things were pretty much normal. On the news tonight we saw police and demonstrators clashing really badly in parts of the city. There is a call for a 36-hour strike starting on Tuesday. Tonight we were taken out for dinner. It included a trip in a baby taxi, ride on a rickshaw, a tour round a garment label factory (barefoot and by torch, as there was one of the frequent power cuts) and a torchlit journey through the industrial backstreets of Dhaka - then the most delicious Chinese and Indian banquet. A fitting end to a great trip - and I promise, there are no jackfruit in my luggage.... 8th June Jackfruit update - I carried it down to reception yesterday and the kitchen staff served some of it for our breakfast. I was about to go out for our first appointment when I spotted one of the boys carrying the remains (ie most of it) up to my room but I managed to persuade him I'd rather not have it there (thoughts of the cockroach found the first morning and what else cut fruit might attract). Anyway, for anyone who is interested there is a pic on the travelling poems page, with my shoes next to it so you can get an idea of size. My new interest is fried peas, sold in bags of plain or spicy - only about 3p a pack and made in Bangladesh so supporting the local economy. Tonight I have bought, well, rather a lot as quirky gifts for friends, much to the bemusement of the guy at the till.... 7th June It's 3.30am Bangladesh time, 10.30pm at home and I am sitting in bed having just drafted a poem. At least that is one advantage about sleeping alone, there is no-one to disturb when I'm scribbling. The forecast for today is 32 degrees and 91% humidity. Outside I can hear rain but I think what probably woke me is the smell of patchouli, which probably indicates that my jackfruit is ready. Last night, after Richard and I had been for a larger than expected Korean meal (we also got the dish we asked for a description of), I researched the pig-shaped fruit on the internet. Its Sunday name is Artocarpus Heterophyllus but in Bangladesh it's called Kathal and is their national fruit. But here is the interesting bit. When it's ripe inside, the outside gives off a smell which some websites describe as a disgusting decaying smell of onions. This may explain the many smiles of the staff at the hotel desk, and possibly their reluctance to remove the fruit from my room as requested and serve for breakfast (I'd have a go at cutting the skin myself but I only have a pair of travel scissors.) Of course, maybe my jackfruit isn't ripe yet and by the morning my room will smell as if I've got a rotting vegetable cart by the television. But for the moment, it is a musty perfume which I've tried to imagine as more pungent and nose-wrinkling in my poem. You can find it on the travelling poems page and you might like to know that this month is known as honey month, when most of the fruits are in season. 5th June 2006 It's World Environment Day and here I am in Dhaka, reported to be one of the world's most polluted cities! It is my third day in Bangladesh and things are starting to feel more familiar. I'm here on a work trip with Traidcraft, with Richard (photographer) and we are staying at the Far Pavilions Guest House which I heard described today as Traidcraft International, so many people from work have stayed here. Today has been the best day so far. We went out of the city (about two hours, but as the traffic here is so gridlocked that isn't really an indicator of distance) and spent the day at a village where a group of women make jute products bought by Traidcraft through Jute Works. As well as carrying out interviews with the women and getting photos of them weaving, and with their families, we had an assignment to get a banner of handprints to display at Greenbelt in August. This was a real challenge that every generation got involved in. We had the banner tied against a wall, assembled the paint pads and got some of the kids from the school lined up. It was like a race. Hands with paint, ready, go! They loved it. We all did! Some of them wrote their names in Bangla or English and then it was the turn of the adults to do the same. The end result looked great, despite some rain delaying us halfway through. The children sang the national anthem and some traditional songs, then performed a play about the issue of women and their rights. Although I didn't understand the words, I got the gist of it, especially when the police arrested the man who had thown acid in a woman's face. Some great actors for the future at that school I think. It was also the day I ate catfish, jute and jack fruit for the first time. We liked jackfruit it so much that Milton bought us one. Much bigger than a melon. Much tastier and with a thicker skin. It is sitting, like a green, spiky pig on the floor of my hotel room 29th May Back home today after another trip north. This time it was