Alex

This was my cousin’s last year in the boat race. This year he was in the reserve team, Goldie boat, as in 2011. Unfortunately they didn’t win this time or in 2010. But they did win last year, 2012 when it really mattered with the main boat. Sadly this is now the end of an era. But Alex can hang up his oars without shame. He did an excellent job and his team produced the results when it mattered. Now he continues to compete but just with his college, Gonville and Caius. But who can blame him wanting to bow out now. He told us that to simply compete takes six hours a day every day for more than six months.

On the way to London for the boat race I read an article about the writer Katie Fforde – one of my favourite romance writers. Like many writers she rises early each day and begins her writing before breakfast. Writing up to 1,000 or 2,000 words a day (Writing Magazine May 2013). Something to aim at. Mind you she does say she finds it easier to go away to a writing retreat place in France to get focused at least from mid book onwards. Less distractions then, meals, washing, phone calls etc. I wish… For now funds demand that I only dream. It would be useful however, being stuck mid novel at present. Well, I can at least congratulate myself that my payment for the article I wrote for Classic Ford magazine has just come through. A few more good articles like that and maybe I can make the dream a reality. Meantime a bit of hard graft would come in handy even with the distractions. Getting up early like Alex and Katie for instances…