Month: June 2016

Breakfast At Wimbledon*

Posted on by waternymph88

1.  Am at the parental home.

2.  It’s raining and there’s a strong smell of damp in my bedroom.  Open the window and a huge fluffy person squeezes through it so have to put him outside again and close the window.  

3.  We are watching Wimbledon: Johanna Konta is taking on Eugenie Bouchard.

5.  Achieve lifting weights at gym this morning – see attached photo for outfit.  Manage 140kg on the leg press.

6.  Get some sleep last night, again.  So that’s three nights in a row.  Fingers crossed that can keep building on this.

7.  The panther lies on the sofa next to me.  

8.  Mum is doing The Times crossword.

9.  Life is cruel but at least there’s a roof on Centre Court now.

10.  Have cuddled my fluffy monster already and will cuddle him again soon when he comes in for his supper.

11.  Have done all the work-and-studying bit of my week and now just need to rest and Spin for the next three days.  This is a great achievement!

Happy Thursday everyone!
*1991.  By Jack M. Bickman.  Crime novel.

Centre Court Murder*

Posted on by waternymph88


“What can he get out of it?” Tim Henman says.  “Probably eight games and Federer’s shirt as a souvenir.”

Marcus Willis, the twenty five year old from Slough, is about to play Roger Federer in the second round at Wimbledon.  Marcus is number 772 in the world and bounds onto the court, grinning – determined to enjoy his moment on Centre Court.  He’s sporting a Roger-style-headband and isn’t this what Wimbledon is all about.

“He’s undefeated at Wimbledon,” Tim points out – this is Marcus’s second match here.  Ever.  John McEnroe, Sue Barker and Tim are enjoying the spectacle.

Cheers from the crowd as Marcus takes Roger to 30 all in his first service game.  Roger makes it out of that game and now it’s Marcus to serve and he takes the seven-time champion up to deuce and saves a couple of break points but Roger prevails.  

And suddenly Marcus has a break point on the champion’s serve, which Roger saves but they’re having fun out here – laughing and joking with each other.  It’s great to see.  3 – 0 to Roger though: Marcus hadn’t yet made it onto the scoreboard.

5 – 0 to Roger.  Let’s just admire the fluidity and grace of his movements, the elegance with which he sweeps the ball down the line.  He seems to have all the time in the world to set up each beautiful shot.  He takes the first set 6 – 0.

“Marcus storms to his first game.”  1 – 1 in the second set.  

This time last year I was so happy: watching Roger with Seb and my brother.  And now Seb has gone and I miss him so much and my brother is in Abroad but Roger’s still here: a year older but still producing magic.  It’s a privilege to watch him.  Even the panther seems spellbound: he lies next to me in the nest, staring at the television,his amber eyes fixed on the screen.

Arg I miss my Seb, I think, and tears run down my cheeks.  

The attached photo is today’s gym outfit.

Happy Wednesday everyone!
*1951.  By Bernard Newman.  Detective novel.

The Wimbledon Poisoner*

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Am scribbling this from The Office, where am in the midst of my Important Work.  

Due to broken router at the flat, have used all my data and so now have to forage for wifi in the wild.  

On the plus side: achieve some sleep last night so that’s good.  Am able to focus on my Important Work a bit now, or will be once have written this.  Anyway:  at least have made it to The Office both days this week.  That is a great achievement and we must celebrate it in these uncertain times.  

The new drug may well be starting to work and know that if can string together a few nights of sleep, my functioning will improve.

The panther lies on the floor under my desk, resting.  Taking off my fit flops, I stroke his back with my feet.

It’s a sunny day and Mum is at Wimbledon.  Looking forward to making it back to the flat to watch her.  Can survive without internet in the flat until it recovers.  It’s fine.  Also have to unload dishwasher which will be easier without distractions.

The attached photo is a Salvador Dali print at the restaurant that went to with Mum after Queens.  We like the wallpaper there too:


Happy Tuesday everyone!

*1990.  By Nigel Williams.  Comic novel.

Game, Set and Murder*

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2 – 1 to Iceland so far after 30 minutes.  England are not looking good.  Obviously.

“Another blunder from Joe Hart.  Awful.  Tony Hart would have saved that.  And he’s dead,” the Paddy Power Twitter tells us.

Come on England.  And also come on Iceland.  They are the Leicester of the tournament and they warm my frozen heart.

On the plus side:

1.  Make it to The Office today.

2.  Despite almost no sleep again.

3.  Achieve making The Omelette.

4.  Main achievement is to crawl to The Office after almost no sleep though.

5.  Of course once am there feel much better.

6.  It helps to talk to colleague and boss and to be leading a normal life.  A bit.

Happy Monday everyone!

Murdered Sleep*

Posted on by waternymph88

Am collapsed in the nest in front of the football with the panther. Germany lead Slovakia by 2 – 0 at half-time.  The second half is now underway.

Another Bad Night of sleeping: wake at about 4am and can’t return to sleep.  Make it to the gym to lift some weights this morning; put together The Omelette for lunch and have just unloaded the washing machine and hung the wet things on the airer.  After this match will make supper and then retire to bed with a book.

Have to attend The Office tomorrow so really hope to achieve a proper amount of sleep tonight.  The new drug doesn’t seem to have much of a sedative effect yet and despite my Body Scan meditation am struggling to settle at night.  And once I drift off, my slumber is light and I wake easily.  

Fantastic volley by Draxler to make the score 3 – 0 to Germany.  They make it look effortless to be three goals up: they’re such a pleasure to watch.

This morning see a jay on my bird feeder which is nice.  It’s been a warm sunny day.  Please please please let me sleep tonight, I think, stroking the back of the panther’s neck.  He’s dozing: he never seems to have any trouble switching off and snoozing.

The attached photo is today’s gym outfit.

Happy Saturday everyone!
*2014.  By R.A. Harold.  A Dade Wyatt murder mystery.

In Spite Of Thunder*

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1.  Watching Croatia vs Portugal which is 0 – 0 at half time.

2.  The internet is down at the flat: maybe due to the thunder and lightning.  Will speak to someone about it tomorrow.

3.  Sleepy.  Had another Bad night last night.  Also Anxious.  Fingers crossed for better result from new drug soon.
4.  Push self hard at Spin today (Photo attached).

5.  Cuddle my fluffy monster.

6.  Am so excited about Early Night that is happening as soon as have posted this.

7.  It is Clean-And-Tidy at flat.  Must maintain this.

8.  Excited about lifting weights at my gym tomorrow.

9.  The panther is lying next to me in the nest, cleaning himself.  He rasps his flank with his tongue.

10.  Am going to put the dirty plates in the dishwasher and then to bed.

11.  A flock of long-tailed tits fly over the garden when am on the phone to MadFatRunner earlier: their long tails flowing behind them.

Happy Saturday everyone!

*1960.  By John Dickson Carr.  Locked room detective novel.

The Crime Writer*

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1.  Push self hard at Spin today.  New device helps: am aware the whole time of how hard am working and make sure to keep pushing.  The bosses are pleased with me I think and both demand to be in the photo, so you can see them at the top of this post.  Love my Spin studio.

2.  Sunshine and blue skies so manage to watch some tennis from Eastbourne.  Johanna Konta is playing very well: she won her match earlier and now she’s playing again…oh…she’s just been beaten.  

3.  Am enjoying The Crime Writer: the new Jill Dawson novel about Patricia Highsmith set in Suffolk.

4.  It is nearly suppertime.  Am sitting on the sofa with the panther, watching the news for some unknown reason.  

5.  Another Bad Night of sleeping last night and don’t manage to settle this afternoon.  Let’s hope can sleep tonight.

6.  Manage bath and even wash hair after Spin this morning so am winning the Personal Care race.

7.  Have found a fluffy monster resting on the hall sofa.  Look:


8.  The internet is not working very well so let’s hope can post this.

9.  It is possible that there will be some supper.

10.  Am enjoying a glass of Gavi.

11.  Have some 4G so going to post this now.

Happy Friday everyone!
*2016.  By Jill Dawson.  Crime fiction novel.

Taken At The Flood*

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 It’s raining inside the parental home, of course, despite Bogdan’s efforts to waterproof the building. The windowsills, carpets and curtains are damp and there are puddles on the wooden floors.  Water pours in and splashes into the bucket in front of Dad’s chair, dripping onto the book case.  The panther lies on the sofa next to me, cleaning himself – rasping his flank with his rough tongue.

This lake is outside the parental front door, so we’re trapped in the house:


The fluffy monster prowls around the house.  He’s been indoors for hours, due to the rain which has been pouring allllllll day.  The above photo is one taken yesterday in the garden.

On the plus side:

1.  Make it to Spin and push self hard – see attached outfit photo.

2.  The fluffy monster isn’t marooned outside in the rain, soaking his apricot paws.

3.  Achieve bath this morning.

4.  We have The Secret Life of Kittens to watch after have scribbled and posted this blog.

5.  Manage to vote in the annoying referendum this morning.  At least that’s over.  Let’s hope everyone can stop banging on about it now.

6.  Have unfollowed some of my most annoying Facebook chums so am still friends with them but don’t have to read their stupid opinions on everything, which is liberating.

7.  Wimbledon starts on Monday.  Let’s hope the weather has improved by then.

8.  Am not in a tent at Glastonbury in the flooding.  Not that I would be, am not eighteen anymore, but let’s be thankful for that anyway.  

Can’t watch any tennis as they’re not playing in Eastbourne in the rain.  There’s no football till Saturday and am grumpy about this.

“This is the worst it’s ever been,” Dad says, as he shuffles around putting towels on carpets and windowsills to attempt to catch some of the water.

Lighting flashes, thunder rumbles.    Maybe this is the end of the world…

Happy Thursday everyone!
*1948.  By Agatha Christie.  Hercule Poirot detective novel.

Burial Rites*

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“Iceland have got the all important only goal,” the commentator says as the whistle blows for half time in Iceland vs Austria.  The fluffy monster has just come in from the garden.  Here he is: 


Iceland’s performance so far in this rather lacklustre tournament is cheering us up in these dark times.  Well, it’s cheering me up.  The fluffy monster isn’t that excited by football: think he doesn’t like the noise of the crowd.  He is sitting up in the dining room, away from the television:


“Don’t forget to show them the spotty petunias,” Mum says.  You can see them in the attached photo and the photo at the top of this post.

Birkir Bjarnason – one of the Iceland players – has lots of long blond hair like a wild lion.  It flows behind him as he runs around the pitch.   He is a human version of my fluffy monster.

Oh no!  The commentator has just informed us that Iceland may have to play England in the next round, as it stands.  Which is a shame, now have developed my great love for them.  

Austria have just equalised.  Come on Iceland!  

“This is the most thrilling day of Euro 2016 yet,” the commentator says.  Portugal and Hungary stands at 3 – 3 which means it will probably be England vs Portugal in the next round and they always beat us.  The panther lies next to me on the sofa, resting his huge head in my lap.

Am having a Bad Day of physical and mental pains, but the football is taking my mind off it a bit.  Free kick Iceland.  Come on Iceland!   Mum has come to sit with me to watch the match.  Think she is starting to enjoy the tournament…

Happy Wednesday everyone!
*2013.  By Hannah Kent.  Detective novel set in Iceland in 1829.

Last Bus To Woodstock*

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On the bus returning from The Office.  A chap behind me is listening to the football on his phone, so the muffled commentary and the chanting of the crowd is affecting my focus on writing this.  Must concentrate harder.  The panther stretches out at the front of the bus and gazes out of the window.

It’s a warm sunny day today and achieve a long walk at lunchtime.  Can’t wait to return to my fluffy monster and cuddle him all over.  And then will have an early night: despite new drug had another Bad Night last night and am exhausted.

Attempt to book Spin for tomorrow but it’s full so will do some weights at my gym near the flat.  Let’s hope that it’s not pouring with rain tomorrow and can walk around in the wild in comfort.

Painventory:

1.  Sore throat.

2.  Headache.

3.  Lower back pain – from all last week’s Spin and cycling I suppose.

4.  Neck ache.

“I was watching the football so I missed the bus stop,” the chap behind me says to whoever has just called him.  Ah, there he goes: he’s alighted from the bus now.  The only sounds that remain are people chatting into their phones in various languages and the rumbling, huffing and puffing of the bus.

Looking forward to Croatia vs Spain later.  If am allowed to watch it at the parentals that is: forced Mum to sit through last night’s England match which was a dull 0 – 0 draw.

The attached photo is the fluffy monster last night.

Happy Tuesday everyone!
*1975.  By Colin Dexter.  The first Inspector Morse novel.