Ladies that lunch

Well my trip to London yesterday wasn't particularly exciting, although I did get to see Big Ben and walk through Parliament Square, and see a policeman with a very big gun!

Today has been very much more exciting though as I met my friend for some lunch and shopping in Cardiff and have had a loveley time.

We went to TGI Friday for food and decided to go all cosmopolitan and have some non-alcoholic cocktails to drink to feel like we were in Sex and the City. Although there were only two of us and we were in rainy old Cardiff. We had a brilliant waiter who presented us with a rose he had fashioned from a serviette.

He very much earned his tip, especially as he managed to wangle us a free dessert, which although we were full, we managed to find a little bit of room for!

By the time we had finished eating, I was convinced I would explode!! But I knew the best way to counteract all of the calories of the food (the cake had no calories as we didn't have to pay for it!) was to walk them off in the shops!

Town was rammed with people as there was some sort of pop concert planned with a band off X Factor (No Direction or something) so there were a lot of excitable screaming teenagers, who of course are my favourite type of people!

I didn't really get a lot, but it was nice to have a bit of a wander and a gossip with my friend and do a bit of window shopping!

I'm now home, still feeling pretty full and am wondering how late I can leave it before making a pie for tea!

I have a quick reading update, I have made a start on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo but haven't really been able to concentrate on it to get into it, but I am also reading The Skeleton in the Closet by M.C. Beaton to have a bit of light reading even when I can't concentrate. I have a couple of book reviews to write too, so will post those when I am finished.

Tomorrow isn't going to be quite so exciting as I have my homework from creative writing to do and also a job application to finish, but these things must be done!

Creative is as creative does

I started my creative writing course last night (hence my paraphrasing of Forrest Gump!) and I think it went quite well. I enjoyed the exercises I did and reading the front page of a few books to get an idea of what makes a good book.

Ok, I didn't actually contribute to any discussions, but I took a lot in and it definitely made me think. I felt a bit intimidated by the group I was in as some of the others were quite vocal and liked to use words that I didn't really understand. Also, we did a free-writing exercise and I thought I did ok by just writing the first things that came into my head (like we asked), but when we had to read some out, some people seemed like they were going for the Booker Prize on week one!

It's a ten week course which covers a different aspect of creative writing each week. I'm not looking forward to week 5. Poetry. I hate poetry and have no interest in writing it, so the exercise I get given that week may be interesting.

I also have to write a short story to be assessed. So maybe if I feel good about it at the end of the course I'll consider publishing it here on my blog.

The last few days I have been mad busy and have to go up to London tomorrow for work which is going to be pretty tiring. But on Saturday I am meeting my friend for some lunch in town and a bit of shopping, so that will be a nice change. I also need to write a job application, so will probably have to spend some time doing it on Sunday to make sure I meet the dealine. I will let you know how that goes!!

My name is Sheli and I have a problem...



This is what my to read pile could look like!


Ok, so I think I may have a problem. An addiction if you like. My name is Sheli and I am a bibliophile.

I have bought far too many books this year and we are only ten days in! Some people buy shoes or handbags, I buy books. So far this year I have bought 17 real books and 12 for the Kindle. Although, to be fair, some of the e-books were free.

So what am I to do? I spend more time on Goodreads than I do on Facebook. I pore over The Book People catalogue when it comes as if it were something sordid. I am worried that as a hobby this may be going too far. Although, this may be more down to me only recently realising that reading was a hobby and not just something that people do for fun! (Do not ask me how my mind works and how I had decided what a hobby was!) The more I read, the more new books and authors I find that I want to read so it's a bit of a vicious circle for me. But I suppose it's a better vice than crack cocaine or a bottle of whiskey a day!

I'm thinking I may set myself some kind of book budget. By doing this I can still make sure I have money to do other things I need to, like buy clothes and do fun stuff. And I am also saving towards two things at the moment, redecorating my house and the possibility of going on my first ever holiday abroad this year!! 2012 could be a big year for me!



This is how I picture my holiday. I think I may have watched too many Carry On films.

Although in reality it will be more like this!!

Anyway, enough of my ramblings. I am starting a creative writing course next week so I am feeling pretty nervous about that. I feel a bit like it's going to be like my first day at school and have got a new pen and notebook in honour of it. I just hope that there will be some nice people on the course and even if I don't get a multi-million pound publishing deal out of it, then I hope to make some new friends.

I'll keep you updated on my book purchasing progress and on any developments relating to our holiday decisions!



Sunday shopping

I have spent the day today doing some xmas shopping with my other half and also cleaning the house. Exciting stuff!

We went and did a bit of shopping in Cardiff Bay and finally got ourselves a tidy set of cutlery ready for xmas dinner! After a late lunch of hot dogs we cleaned the house and I've made a beef and ale casserole which is now bubbling away nicely ready for tea!

I'm putting my xmas trimmings up next weekend so trying to figure out where everything will go. I'm also still reading the Night Circus. It's taking me a while because I've been so tired but I am enjoying it.

Buying books

I had a lovely girly day out on Friday with an old friend I had lost contact with and we went and had lunch and did some shopping in Cardiff. And of course lots of gossiping!

I got a lovely notepad in Paperchase for when I start my Creative Writing course in the new year (Eeeek! More on this soon!) and of course a new pen which is supercute and is covered in a Russian doll pattern. I had to stop myself from buying the entire range to be honest but was very restrained!

I also went into Waterstones for a look around as I love bookshops. I was very disappointed that there were no offers on for me, and the only ones that would have interested me were for books I already have. I was intending on treating myself so felt a bit rubbish about this.

But on Saturday morning I got the latest catalogue from The Book People and found loads of books I wanted that were really cheap!!! So I have ordered a grand total of 14 books (this should keep me going until Santa brings me some more!!) but I will let you know more about them when the postman brings them for me!! :-)