I was sitting here going through my emails and was delighted to see the final proof and layout of the next book is in, and I was thinking… ‘There’s something I should be doing…’ So, here I am, a little late because I completely forgot about doing this and have no idea what to put down. I have reverted to what I was doing yesterday, which was researching two subjects which may combine in my next book. I must admit, they are not what I would normally combine, and I have no idea how I might achieve it if I go on with the idea, because one is Holywell Street (London) and the second is hot air ballooning. How to get from the heart of subversive publication, erotica and so forth in the 1890s to a, er, climax in hot air balloons… We shall have to wait and see, but it’s the kind of challenge I like to set myself. Along the way, I found one of the earliest mentions in print of the word ‘Rozzer’, a British (East London mainly) slang word for a policeman.
Meanwhile, I have the next book to put up ahead of the 26th which is when I have promised the release date to be (Collette, take note), and a piano lesson to think about for later. I am currently at the kitchen table among the pieces of the Titanic and am hoping the internal lights arrive this morning so we can try putting them in this afternoon. We (mainly he) are/is at the stage of putting on the decks, but we can’t do that until we have at least tried putting in lights. They were sent from somewhere in North Greece on Wednesday on the promise of three to five working days, so we’re cutting it fine, but you never know.
Here, over the weekend, the wind died down, the sun came out again and preparations for Easter continue with houses prepped and primed for painting, business preparing chairs and tables, wares and forecourts, and works continuing on roads and other places ahead of the summer. We’ve had a day-trip boat in, too, apparently. And talking of day trips, I’ll be away again on Friday for another of our annual checks, and this time, hopefully, we won’t get stuck overnight.
