.... and I would love it if you could have a look see and pass on any comments you may have.
It was hard pressing that "send" button I can tell you and I nearly chickened out! Nerve wracking more like - like airing your dirty laundry for all the world to see.
But it's done now. So if you fancy a read (and would like to vote) you can find my entry here. Just in case I cock up the link - it's on the New Voices (Romance Is Not Dead) website - in the Historical section and it's called "Mistress to the Roman." Thanks - Caroline x p.s as I'm a coward I entered it under my married name of "Caroline Hartin" ;o)
Monday, 3 October 2011
Sunday, 11 September 2011
10 Random things about me...
Thanks to Teresa for for nominating me for this. So here goes....
1. I got my motorbike licence before my car licence. One day I aim to get another motorbike (or trike) and become an eccentric old lady.
2. I spent most of my early years living in Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf.
3. I'm really bad at grammar - a trait that brings constant frustration in my urge to be a writer.
4. The "Teresa" link is the 1st time I've managed to insert a link into a blog; and only because my step son is sitting next to me as I type this and showed me how to do it! So, in essence, I'm rubbish at technology!
5. Since 2001 we have moved house/flat 9 times! The latest was in Feb this year. I've now laid the law down and said this is the last time!
6. I love Spitfire aeroplanes and one day would love to fly in one.
7. I love the mini series "Band of Brothers" and I've watched it every year since it came out - notably on the 6th of June each year - D-Day.
8. If the TV exploded I wouldn't be bothered one bit. But if my computer exploded....well that's another matter.
9. I love motorhoming We have an old 'van - and go to our favourite campsite whenever we can. The fact that the campsite is only 10 miles away is irrelevant. Once we are "away" we are away and on holiday!
10. I used to be a slavish follower of heavy metal and in my 20's and spent all my money going to concerts. I still love rock music. My one regret was that I never saw Led Zepplin.
Thanks Teresa. I'm now going to nominate anyone who wants to have a go Caroline ;o)
1. I got my motorbike licence before my car licence. One day I aim to get another motorbike (or trike) and become an eccentric old lady.
2. I spent most of my early years living in Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf.
3. I'm really bad at grammar - a trait that brings constant frustration in my urge to be a writer.
4. The "Teresa" link is the 1st time I've managed to insert a link into a blog; and only because my step son is sitting next to me as I type this and showed me how to do it! So, in essence, I'm rubbish at technology!
5. Since 2001 we have moved house/flat 9 times! The latest was in Feb this year. I've now laid the law down and said this is the last time!
6. I love Spitfire aeroplanes and one day would love to fly in one.
7. I love the mini series "Band of Brothers" and I've watched it every year since it came out - notably on the 6th of June each year - D-Day.
8. If the TV exploded I wouldn't be bothered one bit. But if my computer exploded....well that's another matter.
9. I love motorhoming We have an old 'van - and go to our favourite campsite whenever we can. The fact that the campsite is only 10 miles away is irrelevant. Once we are "away" we are away and on holiday!
10. I used to be a slavish follower of heavy metal and in my 20's and spent all my money going to concerts. I still love rock music. My one regret was that I never saw Led Zepplin.
Thanks Teresa. I'm now going to nominate anyone who wants to have a go Caroline ;o)
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
Loser Part II...
....went to FatClub tonight (aka WeightWatchers) for my weekly weigh in. I've been a good girl since I started (with a bit of help from a nasty stomach bug this weekend , not to mention a bereavement which saw 5lbs off!) I joined on the 29th of March and as of today I've shifted 30.5lbs of fat. I've been averaging 2/3lbs a week and I've only had one "weak" moment where I put half a pound on one week.
So I'm feeling quite pleased with myself. I've got to set a target weight. The DH doesn't like "skinny" and to be honest if I lose too much weight I look ill. But I'm still holding too much flab around my middle - always the danger zone so the doctors say- so I need to shift this. I'm thinking another 10lbs to target.
Of course as any woman will tell you - the hardest part is keeping it off and maintaining goal weight! But I want to do this - not so much for vanity - more for my health. I'm nearing a major "0" birthday (the one after 40 but not before 60) and I need to consider my long term health.
Speak soon - love Caroline xx
So I'm feeling quite pleased with myself. I've got to set a target weight. The DH doesn't like "skinny" and to be honest if I lose too much weight I look ill. But I'm still holding too much flab around my middle - always the danger zone so the doctors say- so I need to shift this. I'm thinking another 10lbs to target.
Of course as any woman will tell you - the hardest part is keeping it off and maintaining goal weight! But I want to do this - not so much for vanity - more for my health. I'm nearing a major "0" birthday (the one after 40 but not before 60) and I need to consider my long term health.
Speak soon - love Caroline xx
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
Sad Today...
My lovely, brave mother-in-law (Rita) passed away yesterday. She was 71 and had been suffering with cancer for over 2 years - often in terrible pain.
Cancer is a horrible disease, and Rita fought a long and hard fight against it. She was initially diagnosed with bowel cancer about 3 years ago. She had that treated and was living with the after effects (colostomy bag etc.). Then about two years ago she went back to the doctors saying the cancer had returned. She was referred back to her original consultant. Without going into too much detail Rita and this consultant had been a loggerheads over her original cancer treatment and when he said rather arrogantly that he didn't think she had cancer, saying it was probably just a hernia Rita wasn't best pleased! She told him she knew her own body - and that it WAS cancer. Cue lots of tests and guess what? She was right - it had returned - a massive tumor on her kidney which subsequently spread. Guess who had to eat humble pie?!
My husband and I are so glad she is out of pain now - although we'll miss her terribly it was SO hard to see her in pain all the time. People say it is a blessing, and I think they are right. But we will miss her. I'm already dreading Christmas, birthdays etc. poignant reminders that Rita is no longer with us. I've been asked to do a reading at the funeral. If anyone knows a fitting bible passage (I do have some up my sleeve) then please let me know.
Thanks for listening. Caroline x
Cancer is a horrible disease, and Rita fought a long and hard fight against it. She was initially diagnosed with bowel cancer about 3 years ago. She had that treated and was living with the after effects (colostomy bag etc.). Then about two years ago she went back to the doctors saying the cancer had returned. She was referred back to her original consultant. Without going into too much detail Rita and this consultant had been a loggerheads over her original cancer treatment and when he said rather arrogantly that he didn't think she had cancer, saying it was probably just a hernia Rita wasn't best pleased! She told him she knew her own body - and that it WAS cancer. Cue lots of tests and guess what? She was right - it had returned - a massive tumor on her kidney which subsequently spread. Guess who had to eat humble pie?!
My husband and I are so glad she is out of pain now - although we'll miss her terribly it was SO hard to see her in pain all the time. People say it is a blessing, and I think they are right. But we will miss her. I'm already dreading Christmas, birthdays etc. poignant reminders that Rita is no longer with us. I've been asked to do a reading at the funeral. If anyone knows a fitting bible passage (I do have some up my sleeve) then please let me know.
Thanks for listening. Caroline x
Saturday, 9 July 2011
WTF!....
...sorry if I've offended anyone - but it's what every editor says - "get them with the opening hook so they want to read more."
Did it work? Probably not!
Anyway there is a bit of truth to the title - I can't believe it's over a month since I last posted a blog! Where does the time go? Not to mention that Blogger has been misbehavin' like no-one recently. Can't comment, or if I can, then only as "Anonymous" - very disconcerting.
Have I been a good and done lots of writing? Ehh no! Just 2 short stories. Pathetic really.
I heard that New Voices (the HM&B Writing competition) is going to be happening soon, so I might give it another go. Not sure what genre to tackle this time. Last year it was a Historical - but the old grey matter is toying with a mystery thriller of some sort and I've been searching the web logging onto the FBI, CIA and DEA websites and downloading information. Yikes! Can I do that? Download information from their websites? I might find myself on some "list" or some such. So if I mysteriously disappear and you never hear from me again assume 1) I've won the Lottery or 2) I'm being interrogated by MI6! You heard it hear first...
Until next time...if there is a next time.....Caroline x
Did it work? Probably not!
Anyway there is a bit of truth to the title - I can't believe it's over a month since I last posted a blog! Where does the time go? Not to mention that Blogger has been misbehavin' like no-one recently. Can't comment, or if I can, then only as "Anonymous" - very disconcerting.
Have I been a good and done lots of writing? Ehh no! Just 2 short stories. Pathetic really.
I heard that New Voices (the HM&B Writing competition) is going to be happening soon, so I might give it another go. Not sure what genre to tackle this time. Last year it was a Historical - but the old grey matter is toying with a mystery thriller of some sort and I've been searching the web logging onto the FBI, CIA and DEA websites and downloading information. Yikes! Can I do that? Download information from their websites? I might find myself on some "list" or some such. So if I mysteriously disappear and you never hear from me again assume 1) I've won the Lottery or 2) I'm being interrogated by MI6! You heard it hear first...
Until next time...if there is a next time.....Caroline x
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
Tag You're It!
The lovely Teresa Ashby picked me to list some things about me - so here goes -
Q1 - Do You Think You are Hot?
A - Of course I do! I'm going through "the change" - I'm always hot. Night sweats gotta love them...
Q2 - Upload a picture or wallpaper you're using at the moment
A - Uhh sorry - no can do! I can't upload anything - I'm pathetic at tecci stuff. The picci on my blog site sidebar was done for me! Also that thingy where you say "to read more of this go here" and the "here" is one of those links to another blog site - duh - STILL don't know how to do that either! So take pity on me will ya and at least tell me how to do that simple task!
Q3 - When did you last eat chicken?
A - If there wasn't already a book entitled "100 Ways With Chicken" - I would have written it. We eat chicken ALL the time. Hubby loves the stuff. Tonight it was chicken jalfrezi. Nuff said! Tomorrow it is chicken pasta bake. It's a good job I like it to...
Q4 - The Song You listened to recently.
A. I don't listen to music CD's (shock horror, I know, I know) but I do like to listen to the Radio. There is a song being played at the moment that has struck a chord - of course I can't remember what it is called - but every time I hear it played it gives me goosebumps.
Q5 - What are you thinking as you do this?
A - I need to swiffer - there's a load of dog hairs on the floor! Sad I know - but sometimes housework has to intrude on my love of blogging!
Q6 - Have you any nicknames?
A. My brother (who's 16 months younger than me) could never say my full name when he was a toddler. Instead of Caroline he used to say Caca" which as some of you know is another word for poo! Thankfully, he grew up and now calls me by my proper name. But my dad, bless him, still calls me Caca. Also I go by the nickname of Caz.
That was fun to do! Thanks Teresa for nominating me. ;o) Caroline x
Q1 - Do You Think You are Hot?
A - Of course I do! I'm going through "the change" - I'm always hot. Night sweats gotta love them...
Q2 - Upload a picture or wallpaper you're using at the moment
A - Uhh sorry - no can do! I can't upload anything - I'm pathetic at tecci stuff. The picci on my blog site sidebar was done for me! Also that thingy where you say "to read more of this go here" and the "here" is one of those links to another blog site - duh - STILL don't know how to do that either! So take pity on me will ya and at least tell me how to do that simple task!
Q3 - When did you last eat chicken?
A - If there wasn't already a book entitled "100 Ways With Chicken" - I would have written it. We eat chicken ALL the time. Hubby loves the stuff. Tonight it was chicken jalfrezi. Nuff said! Tomorrow it is chicken pasta bake. It's a good job I like it to...
Q4 - The Song You listened to recently.
A. I don't listen to music CD's (shock horror, I know, I know) but I do like to listen to the Radio. There is a song being played at the moment that has struck a chord - of course I can't remember what it is called - but every time I hear it played it gives me goosebumps.
Q5 - What are you thinking as you do this?
A - I need to swiffer - there's a load of dog hairs on the floor! Sad I know - but sometimes housework has to intrude on my love of blogging!
Q6 - Have you any nicknames?
A. My brother (who's 16 months younger than me) could never say my full name when he was a toddler. Instead of Caroline he used to say Caca" which as some of you know is another word for poo! Thankfully, he grew up and now calls me by my proper name. But my dad, bless him, still calls me Caca. Also I go by the nickname of Caz.
That was fun to do! Thanks Teresa for nominating me. ;o) Caroline x
Thursday, 28 April 2011
I'm a loser.....
....but not in a horrible way! I have (for the first time in around 10 years) managed to stick to a diet! No mean feat I can tell you. I've joined WeightWatchers, and although I was a bit skeptical about their new ProPoints system (I've done WW many times in the past!) I have to say this time round I'm finding it much easier to stick to. So far I've lost 10 pounds (in 5 weeks). Shock horror I even managed to lose 2lbs over the Easter festivities. Hopefully, I'll be able to stick to it. I've taken "before" photo's of my very large rear end straining at the seams in a pair of stretch jeans, and when I hit my target weight I will post "before and after" pictures on line for the whole world to see! How's that for a challenge!? Wish me luck peeps!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)