Bad Buy

I went shopping with my daughter. As well as some pretty china for the bathroom I bought some white, artificial roses to put in a favourite vase which I planned to put on the bathroom windowsill. The roses are too big and I broke the vase when I removed them. I was tempted to say a rude word or two but resisted temptation. Oh well, I can return the roses and get my money back.

As a rule, I'm not keen on artificial flowers but, sometimes, ones which look realistic are useful, particularly in the winter. Mind you, they don't rival those fantastic fresh flower arrangements in stately homes - the type of buildings which often feature in my historical fiction.

Critique at Writer's Group

I enjoy attending a writer's group on Monday Evening at which members often read poems, short stories, extracts from novels, anecdotes etc.

Unfortunately, to coin a cliché, there's always 'a fly in the ointment'. The fly at the group is a young woman who never, ever, praises anything anyone has written. She is so critical that I suspect she completely discourages new members who need some positive feedback as well as constructive suggestions. Yesterday, I was so irritated by her tearing someone's work to pieces that I asked: "Is there anything you like about X's short story." The gentleman who runs the group grinned and said: "Good question, Rosemary."

Recipe for a Perfect Mummy

The text from my 8 year-old grandson’s Mother’s Day card. I’m not ashamed to say that it brought tears to my eyes.

 

How to Make a perfect Mummy

 

1.      First beautifully cut the love into several pieces.

2.      Then crush the gentle kindness and mix it all in a bowl.

3.      After that mash the cuddles onto a plate until it’s like mashed potatoes.

4.      Cut the sympathy into little pieces until they are mini.

5.      Now mix all the ingredients together.

6.      Finally bake in the oven for 5 minutes.

 

Decorated with a heart with an arrow through it and framed in decorated yellow card.

 

All the best,

Rosemary Morris

www.rosemarymorris.co.uk

Mother's Day Today

It's Mother's Day in England. I'm admiring the gorgeous roses my youngest son and his family gave me when they came to lunch yesterday.

I think my other children will pop in this morning and then I'm going out to lunch with my daughter and her children at our favourite restaurant Zakoni's in Harrow. The sun is shining and I'm looking forward to a happy day.

Mind you, for those of you who do not have children, do bear in mind what my late mother always said: "If you don't have them to make you laugh, you don't have them to make you cry." Believe you me, I've had my fair share of laughs as well as more than my fair share of tears.

Spring Day

Son number 3 and his wife and family came to lunch today. I made a peas, potato, cauliflower and curd cheese curry, a lady's finger curry and urad  (black beans the size of moong beans but oval in shape) cooked with yoghurt and spices served with jaggery ( palm tree sugar) chappatis, flat breads,  brown rice, grated cucumber in spiced yoghurt and mango pulp,

After lunch we sat in the garden on the first real day of spring. Faint perfume came from a long narrow bed of daffodils, narcissi, yellow and white tulips. The first delicate blossoms on the bullace tree - wild plum tree - was silhouetted against a clear blue sky. Bliss!

Taking a Step Back

When writing a novel I usually forge ahead trying to write 2,000 words a day until, triumphant, I type The End. However, I have slowed down and put aside the sequel to Sunday's Child, Monday's Child set in the Regency period. for a few days. I have made notes on how the plot develops in the remaining third of the book, and on tying up loose ends, but I need to think them through. On Monday, refreshed by distancing myself from my hero and heroine for a few days, I hope to return to Monday's Child full of enthusiasm.

Tomato Plants