Apologies for the silence. I had hoped to blog about our moving plans, as we thought we were finally in a position to advance. But again we have to wait. Maybe next week.
For now, here is a link to an interview with me, just published on Tasha’s Thinkings. It was a great chance to talk about myself, my writing, and most crucially… about Star Wars.
Read on and enjoy.
My mind was set on writing about budgeting, but then the goalposts got moved. So blame someone else for this strange post… I just write them. Whether there is any point to them, depends on reader reactions.
Staying with budgeting and money, our personal situation hasn’t changed much since last week when I wrote A Day Late and Dollars Short. My ‘generous’ brother is still remaining silent, no doubt plotting the next excuse for being unable to lend me my own money for our US move.
I call that moving the goalposts, if not changing the rules of the game, maybe even the type of game.
His financial evasion also means that we are having to modify our house requirements, but without really knowing how much we really have to spend. But we do know that the prices of wheelchair homes are rising.
As for the budgeting, I try to manage ours with room for the unexpected. I’ve learnt over the decades that a contingency of a reasonable size is invaluable… or should I say crucial. That is a lesson that too many people learn too late in life. So please, friends, and family, learn how to budget now – and make sure that there is sufficient to cover emergencies. We can’t bail everybody out forever.
I have to admit that I am responsible for moving some goalposts though. Writing ones. Having created a new victim in my WIP, I was forced to change the deadline for when my draft would be completed. This time I blame the devious antics of my antagonist, who manages to charm everyone into seeing only innocence – or at best creates circumstantial evidence that won’t ensure conviction.
[That was impressive – I wrote that without giving any clue to her or his sex. Not bad.]
However, the ending is proving an exciting challenge, and the first version is changing in interesting and unexpected ways.
But none of the above were the goalposts that triggered this post. That was… let’s say somewhat unexpected, or maybe inconsequential in the scheme of world affairs.
Unless those affairs include Middle Earth.
However, I’m a gamer for my sins, and always will be – even if my characters get killed at periodic intervals. Lately, I seem to have had some issues loading games; first Rift and then SWTOR, which I had been playing without any issue. Anyway, I finally logged on okay, intending to collect my daily rewards from each game… and then it happened.
One game, Defiance had a festival for the holiday season. One that I was looking forward to, as I needed some of the items that the game dropped. Of course, the game developers had introduced yet another synergy – not the one that I needed. So that means abandoning the old weapons, and forging new ones with the new synergy. But that’s typical of all game, I fear.
Goalposts indeed. At least they don’t move them for the World Cup, or the Superbowl – just the pitch for cricket.
Or did I hear a rumour that the media had changed another sport?
From DeviantArt. For if one link in nature’s chain might be lost, another might be lost, until the whole of things will vanish by piecemeal.
Or rather would you miss my weekly blog posts? I was trying to think of something worthwhile to blog about, but kept rejecting the crass ideas.
Who wants to read about “A World without Shakespeare”?
Why pose the question “What sort of heroine rules your mind?” in any genre?
What is the point of musing about “Autumn Fruitfulness” if it’s not the “Colours of Fall”?
My inspirational “The Difference between Critique and Beta Readers” will be next Wednesday’s IWSG monthly post.
So I reached the conclusion that I wouldn’t write anything, and then see whether anyone noticed. Shtako! I’ve written something after all.
But what next?
The USS Macon sails over lower Manhattan, on October 9, 1933. (AP Photo/U.S. Navy)
A short while ago we were attempting to get my US visa, buy a house, sell this one, and then fly ourselves and four pets to the US by Christmas.
That’s now a non-starter.
No prizes for guessing why we’ve had to postpone. Just accept that there was the lack of fraternal support over here, regardless of the excitement across the Atlantic.
So we have postponed my medical – the next stage in the visa process. We’ve also put a hold on the whole housing issue. Now we have to face months more of living in a difficult situation.
However, we have made a momentous decision, not least because flying the four fur babies was not only daunting, but also stressful for them – and expensive. It was going to cost us £4,000 to fly them, and then £16,000 to get us there, since it’s better to fly business with my disability problems.
Queen Mary 2 in New York Harbor
So our passage to the United States will now be on September 20th 2016. And if you haven’t worked out the method, then you missed the visual clues.
Yes we are flying by airship.
Of course not. We are sailing for seven days on Cunard‘s Queen Mary 2, from Southampton, England to New York. Luxury yes, but cheaper than flying. Great accommodation, wonderful facilities and places to explore, delicious food,
Cunard, Queen Mary 2 – Stateroom
The jaw dropping Grand Lobby on the Cunard Queen Mary 2
Britannia restaurant by Carlo Mirante
AND most important of all: the liner has special kennels for dogs and cats.
They get to have their own area to move around and play in, with their own Kennel Master. It even has an outdoor ‘poop’ deck for the dogs. They may not want to leave the ship.
Queen Mary 2’s Kennel program
Scully by Catherine at Ancora Crafts
All very exciting, and it gives us something to aim for, even though it’s tinged with disappointment at not being with the family for Christmas. More time to learn Welsh, perhaps.
And leaving England behind this way means that one of my last views will be of the Isle of Wight, where I spent many happy summers as a child. Summers when we saw the great ocean liners arriving and leaving, like the Queen Mary.
The Cunard liner RMS Queen Mary at Southampton in 1960s – copyright Chris Howel at shipspotting.com.
I should put this off given the title of this post. But as the date is September 2nd and the first Wednesday of the month, it’s officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day.
August has been a month of delays, but I can’t blame snow on the tracks, or leaves. But the weather or at least the distractions of summer might have played a part.
I admit that I didn’t give my beta readers a deadline for when their comments on “Storms Compass” were needed. And I forgot that the summer is filled with distractions, from holidays, tasty BBQs, and back-to-back horse shows. So a week ago I gave my readers until September 17th, and even told those that I knew were tied up, the option of asking for longer. Now I just wait a few more weeks.
Not sure whether my brother has an excuse for moving the deadline over agreeing to help with my bridging loan to get to the USA. But that decision is being delayed as well, even though I now have the go-ahead for the next stage – the medical.
Any more delays?
Well I have to stick up my hand and admit the character profiles for “Fates Maelstrom” are delayed while I distract myself in some future world.
But isn’t that the fault of summer? Do you blame me?
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The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. We post our thoughts on our own blogs. We talk about our doubts and the fears we have conquered. We discuss our struggles and triumphs. We offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling.
Please visit others in the group and connect with other writers – aim for a dozen new people each time.
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Our Twitter hashtag is #IWSG
And be sure to check out our Facebook group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/IWSG13/
We also have a t-shirt now! You can purchase it here – http://www.neatoshop.com/product/IWSG
The awesome co-hosts for the September 2 posting of the IWSG are Julie Flanders,Murees Dupé, Dolorah at Book Lover, Christine Rains, and Heather Gardner!
The 10 Best Cities to Move to in 2015 – http://www.simplemovinglabor.com/blog/the-10-best-cities-to-move-to-in-2015#.VQXcaHY3dgs.facebook
Well the US emigration adventure is moving forward. On August 11th, 36 days after applying, I got the approval letter from the US Embassy, which allows me to proceed to the next step of the visa process.
Then another eleven days later, on Saturday August 22nd, I received the crucial LND number that allows me to fix a date for my medical examination – probably in late September. If that goes well, and I pass muster, then the final step will be the interview at the US Embassy in London.
This all presumes that we can fix the medical date for late September. The medical is only valid for six months, but most of those are winter months when it could be hard to move the animals to the US – they can’t fly if it is too cold or too hot. Without a house, moving is near impossible. And my brother holds the purse strings, so everything is on hold until he gives the go-ahead, which could be next year.
However, there is a more immediate concern. Ironically, my MS shouldn’t be the problem, except the stress on hyper-drive. I have all the relevant documents from my doctor and health experts – the local practise put all my records on a disc. These go back quite a few years, well before I was diagnosed in 2000. Although I will have to sign up for medical insurance in the US, having a disease like MS is not a ‘fail’ as such. And once I ensure that I am fully up-to-date with my vaccinations, then there shouldn’t be a problem – I hope.
So what’s the problem? Why the hurdle?
The examination is at Knightsbridge in London, a six and a half hour drive from Harlech for us. I no longer drive. Juanita doesn’t have a full UK licence so we can’t use the motorways. And like many people, she doesn’t want to drive in London. Even though I’ve lived there and driven extensively in the capital, I totally sympathise. It’s a stressful task. So we’ll be looking for some form of chauffeur… well a kind friend.
Incontinence is a problem already solved, and I’m prepared for the exhaustion, but then there is my car sickness, which had been banished for numerous decades, but that problem has now re-turned in all its childhood nastiness. (See “The Candle”.) Maybe my worsening MS might be at the root of the sickness. When we moved up here in February 2014, I had no severe sickness, even though it was an eight hour journey. However, when the Red Cross drove me to Bangor Hospital, I felt terrible. Maybe the same pills that I took for the 2014 move will work for the trek to London.
Let’s hope they do. Otherwise, I’ll be the wrong colour when I see the US doctor… and the US Embassy official a few weeks later.
Should these be called hurdles or fences? What else looms? Beyond the house purchase and sale, I see a huge water jump. That’s massive – and another post. Where do you think that jump lies?
(Source: ithoroughbred)
Writing Wings 