Empty nest syndrome

Family is everything to me, as anyone who knows me will realise. However, I am also not what you would call an earth mother either-I regularly burn meals, send out for take out, don't listen hard enough, don't iron, shout a lot, get easily distracted...etc! Nevertheless, I do hope I am a loving mum and gran and generally a caring person-the jury is out I guess? So, it is very odd that I have experienced a chasm of emotion and uncertainty today-my youngest is away on holiday. It suddenly struck me that this was a dry run for September when she will be gone...to University if all goes to plan. Well, we plugged the gap momentarily as we were babysitting our almost 3 year old grandson...but then his parents came and there we were...the two of us...for what seemed like the first time for 30 years...childless!


The times I have bewailed the lack of spare time. How often have I thought-we should spend time together...? What could I do with a free Sunday? Well...nothing! Absolutely zilch achieved! Not a job done, no outstanding issues solved, no DIY, no gardening...no walk in the country, no trip to the pub! Instead lassitude and fecklessness and silence! Just shows, what you can't have you will always desire, what you do have you always take for granted and what you want is always the opposite to what you have! What perverse beings we humans are...or is that just me?

Family-what its all about!

However, I WILL BE BUSY AGAIN TOMORROW-interviewing students for the new courses and our new company. A bit of social walking planned for Tuesday-weather permitting and on Wednesday North Lonsdale Show. I am looking forward to this-not least because there will be the chance to sell books-including Guy the Grumpy Gargoyle-of which I now have advanced copies; but also its the chance to meet people and chat. I love it-and I have to admit I meet people who are SO interesting that their caricature may well appear in my future books. People watching-I love it!

It's a mad world...

Having had a birthday this week I am feeling very sage and wise...and I am the proud owner of a new ipad as well, so I also feel quite cool as this is a fairly up to date bit of kit! It certainly upset a few of the younger family members that I have one. 


For information, I have left Bluebirds Study Centre@ Barrow AFC and my colleague and I have set up our own company-New Horizons Education Ltd. We will be fully operative in September and are interviewing STLiS students now. We are both excited at the prospect and will be looking to develop our services to include children as well as adults. It seems a risk in the current climate, but quite frankly it will be great to be in charge of our own destiny and be able to create a service which has our own stamp on it. Watch this space...any interested parties can contact us via the facebook page or our email-gill.jepson@newhorizons-ltd.co.uk. We will be an accredited City and Guilds provider and will be in partnership with Cumbria Adult Education.


Well what on earth is happening to the Olympic debacle? It seems to me that the most obvious choice of personnel for security would have been the police and the army. However, the geniuses at the top subbed it out to G4S...and now its all gone pear shaped! What a surprise! Why employ amateurs to do a professional's job? Disgraceful! You tend to reap what you sow sometimes and the government have certainly done that! Now the armed services and police will have to step up to the mark yet again...despite already being demoralised and marginalised by cut backs and redundancies. Will they get any thanks? Doubtful! As usual they will be taken for granted and only the deficits and mistakes which are probably inevitable with so little time to plan and arrange strategy will be highlighted! What a mad world! Hopefully, this rush to fill the void will not result in gaps and opportunities for those intent on evil doings during the games. Good luck to all those police and servicemen who will be so heavily relied upon...and thank you.

Perfect weekend

Reflecting on the weekend-busy every minute and packed with an eclectic range of activities. Had a great days signing at Waterstones Chester-what a busy shop! Had good sales and engaged with loads of new readers. Got the chance to promote Furness Abbey to people who have never been too!

I reached home and found a box of books-Guy the Grumpy Gargoyle to be precise. It looks lovely and on the whole I am pleased with it. Just two small issues-both caused by me missing something-which I will now have to live with! Shows how careful you have to be-and I am-but do sometimes miss things with the sequencing issues. I am now getting ready to launch this book and can't wait for the signings I have planned. Going to be a busy summer.


BBC The Hollow Crown series is proving to be very exciting and compelling. What an amazing feat to be able to engage an audience over the centuries...makes you think-all the hype around books like 50 Shades of Grey-will these last? Certainly not as long as Shakespeare! In fact once the fuss has  died down I expect it will sink without trace. Obviously, the content is what is attracting the readers...for many I would think-out of curiosity. Well, I've had a look and I can't see what the fuss is about...it seems poorly written, with little story and sensational sex scenes-kind of a "News of the World" novelette. Perhaps I am a literary snob, but call me old fashioned-I like to have a plot...with some purpose...can't see it in this I'm afraid. Ah well each to his own I guess...

Meeting myself, coming back

Really nice day today-which has made up for quite a challenging few days. We had a very busy day at the Barrow Carnival on Saturday-in which I had to make up the numbers as a monk-passing out leaflets and collecting pennies around the centre of Barrow. Can't say how many embarrassing moments I had seeing people I knew! Ah well-all in a good cause. We then did a long stint on the stall-raising money for Furness Abbey Fellowship and the Dock Museum. We netted £120 not bad-but a gruelling 8 hour day for those of us who set up at 8am.


Sunday was Rock around the Dock at the Dock Museum. What an excellent day. Lots of nice exhibits and stalls, great live music and an authentic 1950s Tea room. It was lovely and the cakes were to die for. That done I met up with son and grandson and raced around the playground for a couple of hours. Result-one knackered Nannie! But worth it!


Today-a brilliant visit to Year 7 and 8 at Dowdales school Dalton-in-Furness in their lovely library. We had a lot of discussion about writing and "show don't tell"-which is harder to describe than you'd think. There were some burgeoning writers and there was a great deal of interest. Did a book signing and lots more kids want to bring in money tomorrow for books. Thanks to Laura at Waterstones and Janet the librarian from Dowdales for organising.


Can't say much yet-but at the end of this week big changes are afoot in my working life. Its exciting and scary at the same time-but I look on it as being a new chapter in more senses than one. Ending the week-is a signing at Waterstones at Chester. I am looking forward to this and it will be good to reach a new audience. Pictures to follow later

Rain, museums and blooming football

Nice end to last week with a trip to the Dock Museum Barrow with Year 6 St Pius kids. It was a deluge...I was drenched in 2 minutes greeting the bus! And then...a misunderstanding in opening times...we were there an hour early! However, Liz from the museum arrived at the same time and kindly let us in to the study room where we investigated artefacts and dressed up for a good hour. We had a great time and then we went on the tour with Paul. We found out lots of things to extend our learning about early Barrow and then had our lunch. After lunch we had quizzes and we all thoroughly enjoyed it. All this for free! I know people knock the council...but I do think the Dock Museum is value for money-in terms of rates etc.We have to acknowledge that the staff and the council do a good job and the displays and exhibits are getting better all the time. Add to this the amazing hoard and the fact that it is now safeguarded for permanent display I think we should be very proud of our museum.


You may want to pop in on us when Furness Abbey Fellowship have their first outing to Barrow Carnival. We will have activities such as Guess the number of sweets, chocolate tombola, Find the treasure and facepainting...all proceeds will be divided between the Dock Museum and Furness Abbey...the latter to produce a leaflet for drawing in tourists. We are committed to raising the Furness profile because we feel for a long time we have been sidelined and almost ignored. The committee is not yet complete but we will be moving forward and will establish a constitution to allow us to be recognised as a legitimate volunteer group.


The football drags on and on...I know-not a good attitude for someone who has worked at a football club for 4 years...but really! I am watching reluctantly-but genuinely hate the competition...I like everyone to win! Thinking of my Italian relatives and friends who will be watching the match in Vas. Hope the split loyalties don't spoil the enjoyment.


Time marching on towards a batch of signings...the first on 7 July at Chester Waterstones-the furthest afield I have been. Hope it goes well. Guy the Grumpy Gargoyle is now out on Kindle and e-books...go ahead and download-its a bargain! The real thing is out on 1August-can't wait.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guy-the-Grumpy-Gargoyle-ebook/dp/B008CYP0C4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340565903&sr=8-1

Visits, projects and fellowship

Had a good day at Newbarns Primary school with the writing group. Wow! Some fantastic writers...I will have to watch my back! I was astonished at the maturity and high level of expertise they showed-and they are only Year 6! I will not be surprised to see one or more of them in print in the future. It is brilliant to see kids who are so dedicated-that will give up their lunch break to discuss writing.


I am lucky enough to be invited to the Greengate Juniors trip to Furness Abbey(I'm beginning to feel I really belong there now! I may pitch a tent!) So Thursday morning I will be with them and cannot wait. The teachers have some exciting things planned and we just need to pray for good weather again.


I spent a pleasant hour at Abbey Mill Cafe this afternoon-with my mum. We had coffee and cake-well someone has to do it! It was delicious and the weather was...like summer! It is such a lovely setting and Jackie does work very hard to make it a great experience. 


I had an interesting chat with Stuart from Comely Media about a second promo film for Raven's Hoard.I hope that we can work together on some projects in the future as he really is a talented young man. Keep a look out for what we plan and when we film.


Finally, we are collecting prizes for our tent at Barrow Carnival on 30 June. We ...Furness Abbey Fellowship...are fundraising and launching that day. We will have a number of walkers in the parade-watch out for monks and vikings! Come and see us-we will be behind the Town Hall and hope to have lots of fun activities to raise cash for the group and we will be splitting funds between the abbey and the Dock Museum-the latter to help with funding a new display area for the newly acquired Hoard! Come and see us-or if you have chocolate treats and prizes to offer I would be pleased to hear from you.

Exciting week for heritage

What a very busy week! It has been great-I have worked with Year 5 at St Pius X Barrow this week-with an author day on Wednesday and a full on trip to Furness Abbey today. I between I have been preparing for the Dystonia Awareness Day tomorrow, meeting with Sabine from the Dock Museum and meeting with Furness Abbey Fellowship (FAF). 


FAF is about to be launched properly-we are getting ready to become a fully fledged group and have made two appointments. Leeann Herbert is the new Secretary and I am the Chairman. We are seeking a treasurer and Vice Chair at the next meeting. We are moving towards partnership working with English Heritage and the Dock Museum and it is looking positive. Our aim is to raise awareness, improve the visitor experience and increase visitors t the Abbey and other heritage sites in Furness.


The week kicked off with Stuart Maconie's brilliant cameo piece on Barrow-it was so positive and reflective that I could have cried. All too often we suffer from the "Mike Harding" mentality-that Barrow is at the end of "the world's longest cul-de-sac"-this throw away comment-though funny-has done a great deal to damage the profile of Barrow. All too often the same desperate, deprived areas are flagged up and shown (I won't name them-you know where they are) and the wider, rural beauty and diversity is simply ignored. Stuart got it just right-the blend of innovation, industry and inspirational beauty was subtle and eye-catching-we need to capitalise on this and begin to develop the area.


There seems to be a sea change in attitude-our group and the new "Sense of Place" group-set up by local business both have the drive and the will to bring Furness out of the shadows and link it effectively with the wider tourist area-the Lakes. At most we are 16 miles away from the Lakes and yet we don't use that to draw in visitors. With our agenda we will hopefully begin to address this and begin to open up the tourism and energise the area once again.


Best of all-the Dock Museum have raised the full amount required for the purchase of the Viking Hoard which will be an amazing boost to tourism. This coupled with the abbot's ring and crosier at the abbey will be significant in drawing tourists...it looks good for the future of Furness Heritage