Chattering teeth

I don't have much more recording to do for my podcast. Another two or three will episodes will probably see me through to the end with a postscript.

I have had to build myself up to record the next chapter. It covers a difficult time in our lives and - SPOILER ALERT - though I know the ending it's still unpleasant remembering it. Still it must be done. And I will. As soon as I've put on an extra jumper: it seems to have turned very cold today. In fact it was warmer outside this morning for our daily walk with Lady than it is in the house. Would it be very bad to turn on the heating?

Done. On the grounds that I can't make a recording if my teeth are chattering.

Still crazy after all these years

I'm not ignoring you, honest! It's just that I've been very busy lately recording my podcast. Remember? The serialisation of what I like to call my memoir.

The bits I've been recording recently have been very funny. Well, I think so anyway. At one point in my diary I wonder if I missed my vocation in life; if I could have been a stand-up comic like Victoria Wood. 

Of course since I wrote my diary Ms Wood has died. Much too young. So much more she could have brought us. As it is her legacy will live long. I have a CD of hers and I can't listen to it without almost wetting my pants, it's so funny.

Anyway, I hope you're listening to my podcast and I hope even more that you're enjoying it. (Although if you're not listening then that hope is irrelevant.)

I am coming quite close to the end of the book now. When it's finished I'll be able to get back to writing the sequel, which has taken second place to the recording and editing process.

In many ways this lockdown has been useful. In other ways not so: I have moments when I go crazy but as David says, 'I've been putting up with your craziness for years; it's about time you experienced it yourself.'

I'm still wondering how to take that.

There are treats and treats

Making the most of the unseasonably warm weather and sitting out in the garden. I'm reading while David treats the garden furniture ready for the summer - unless this is it.

I said I could do with a treat and he offered to rub me down with some sandpaper.

I'd been hoping for something a little more chocolatey.

My birthday day

We had a picnic! (In the garden in case you're worried about breaking the social distancing rules.)

Those of you who've read my memoir or who've listened to it on podcast will know that we went on a picnic for one of our first dates. Then we were in a wonderful little spot overlooking the sea, and David didn't know I didn't like mustard.

We used the picnic blanket and sat on the grass, and David served up delicious warm baguettes stuffed with cheese and bacon. Hm, I fear my bad eating habits may have rubbed off on him. But you really can't go wrong with cheese and bacon. Then we lay back in the sun until a cloud came over and David suggested we remove ourselves to the bedroom ...

Much later my wonderful man cooked dinner for me: smoked salmon with crab mousse (from M&S), shepherd's pie (his speciality - you've never tasted shepherd's pie until you've tasted David's), and sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream (from M&S).

It's a good job we, um, had our little rest in the afternoon as I certainly wouldn't have been up to any bedroom activity after dinner. In fact just getting upstairs was a challenge.

Incidentally he does now know why I cross my legs when sneezing ...

Happy birthday to me!

Yes, it's my birthday today. Not being able to go out is a bit of a downer but then again with my tendency to set restaurants on fire it could be considered a good thing.

I'll tell you more later about what delights David has in store for me (I hope) but for now I just want to tell you about the best birthday present a girl could have! 

The wonderful Debra has done a review of my podcast over on her blog and it's glowing. Don't be misled by the fact that she refers to Liz in her review. Some people know me as that. Like my cousin June, who is now Olive. 

Anyway here is the link to Debra's blog.

Ta-da!

It has taken me some time but it's here now! I know you've all been on tenterhooks since, um, last May but I've finally done it!

I've started podcasting!

My plan is to embed a player on this website. Let's see how that works, shall we?

In case you're curious it was really easy to create a podcast. The difficult bit was getting it listed on the iTunes directory. To be honest, it's still not listed but it is being reviewed. they have to make sure it is up to standard and not breaking any of their rules.

I am going to try and embed the player without asking for help from David ...

Postscript
I did it!

My other brilliant idea again

Forgive me! I suddenly realised I'd left you hanging in mid-air, desperate to know what my other brilliant idea was. Well, it's this; I'm going to make a podcast!

(Does one 'make' a podcast? Whatever one does I'm going to be doing it.)

I know you're thinking, 'What on earth can Alison be planning to podcast about?' Then again perhaps you're like me and not entirely sure what a podcast is. That should read 'like I was': I know all about them now.

They're like a radio show but different. I won't go into technicalities here - I don't want to bore you and anyway I've forgotten a lot of what I found out - so let me just explain what my podcast is going to involve.

As I mentioned in a previous post I am currently writing a sequel to my best-selling memoir, This Time Next Year. In order to prepare the ground, so to speak, and to start building a potential customer base, I am going to serialise This Time Next Year and podcast it.

Do you like the way I talk about 'building a potential customer base'? Can you tell I'm trying to learn about marketing and promotion? I'm supposed to be building my online presence but I'm not being awfully successful at that. Trouble is I keep getting distracted.

But to get back to my podcast. I think I will break it down into fifteen minute episodes and broadcast them once a week, maybe?

The recording itself seems simple enough. I just have to borrow Adam's microphone and read. Broadcasting is said to be simple. But then most things on the internet are said to be simple yet I struggle with them. Maybe I should wait until Adam is home from uni so he can help me.

In the meantime I can start breaking my diary down into episodes.

I am an intelligent woman. How hard can this be?

P.S. In case anyone should accuse me of false pretences the definition of best-selling is subjective. What counts as best-selling to me may not be what counts as best-selling in a more traditional view.