Stratford Literary Festival 2018

I was fortunate to spend a bit of time at this year’s Stratford Literary Festival in Stratford-Upon-Avon, UK – the birthplace of William Shakespeare. I missed taking a quick snap of the ‘Bard’s Bus’

Memoir Monday: The Big Picture

A short while ago I thought it would be nice to share a weekly post about how the memoir writing was going.

Research into Memory for Poems and Novels

Hello my lovely readers. Please could you find 10 minutes to help with some memory research. Participation is in total confidence.

Dr Clare Rathbone at Oxford Brookes University, UK, who I came across during my study time at University of Leeds, is conducting research into Memory for Poems and Novels.

You’ll need to have in mind a personally significant poem and novel..

Here’s the link: Memory for Poems and Novels

Thank you, Lisa

Le Grand Depart

A selection of photos from my own day on the route of Le Grand Depart in the Yorkshire Dales, just outside a village called Threshfield near Grassington.

It was amazing! Organisation was slick but low key. Policing was minimal and there were no muppets driving the wrong way on roads temporarily designated one-way ! A real feel good factor reigned throughout and I felt very proud to call Yorkshire home.

As you see, we were right on the verge of a narrow country road. The cyclists were silent as they passed except for a whoosh of air and multitude of tires on tarmac.

Very exciting to see the charismatic Jens Voigt – the oldest man in the race at 42 – pass in first place  – he went on to gain the polka dot jersey for the first stage.

Fiona Buxton

I was very sad to learn Fiona Buxton died yesterday following her courageous battle with cancer.

Fiona shared a small part of her story in January in a fabulous post, Diagnosis: From Despair to New Life.

Testimony to how the internet can bring people together, Fiona and I were the only people we each knew, with a particular rare form of endometrial cancer. We never met in person but for several months enjoyed talking over cups of herbal tea via Skype, dressed in our sometimes messy and always comfortable clothes, bemoaning how we couldn’t have a fat slice of cake to go with it!

She has touched many lives throughout hers and mine all too briefly.  I will always be inspired by her humour, determination and her willingness to face every turn with an open mind.

 

My heart goes out to her husband and children.

*

Flash Fiction: Time Enough

This week Charli’s Flash Fiction prompt over at the Carrot Ranch is:

In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about exhaustion. Who is tired and why.

Time Enough

Looking into the slightly desperate amber eyes, she did her best to swallow some porridge.

“Is it ok, Grandma?”

“It’s delicious, love. I’ve just had enough.”