Life, Writing, Workshops
June - what can I say? It was eventful. I cried.
First of all, thank you for coming with me from Mailchimp to Substack - I hope it’s working for you. I’m liking it a lot. I’ve decided to send my newsletter out on the first of every month, as I’ve always done, and one article on the fifteenth of each month if I have time.
So… life. I was confident the building work on my flat would be finished a few weeks ago but there was one hold-up after another. I got stressed having to keep organising more accommodation and un-organising things I’d arranged to do in Beckenham and several of my new neighbours got stressed about the drilling and hammering seemingly going on forever, as they’d had to cancel work zoom meetings or put off visitors. On the day I received personal whatsapp messages from three different neighbours expressing their frustration, I cried.
I’d had to extend my storage period and postpone my removal twice - the third time the builder gave me a definite end date and missed it, I couldn’t face cancelling everything again, so the removal happened but there was nowhere to put half my stuff so most of the boxes had to go in the garage. I stayed there one night because I’d arranged a late night in London, but with no running water for drinking or washing it was grim.
So the Penzance litfest has come along at exactly the right time, and now I’m back in Cornwall, catching up with friends and walking the coast around Looe for a few days on my way down West.
On the writing front, it has been impossible to write. This could also be why I succumbed to the stress of it all. Writing is my calm and solid centre, the place I always come home to, wherever I may be.
But when it comes to workshops - it’s all good! My Penzance Litfest session sold out quickly and I’ve been invited to run one for the Looe Festival of Words again in October.
My zoom course, Writing in the House of Dreams in September is already nearly full, so do check it out if you’re tempted.
But first up is my lovely summer workshop day next month. Whatever the weather is like outside, it’ll be guaranteed sunshine for our writing, great for boosting creative energy and brilliant for wellbeing.
And surely, surely, surely I must be in my new home by then!
Wishing you fun times and happy writing meantime
Jen
Susannah couldn't post her comment here so she emailed it to me. She says, 'Moving house is stressful and your experiences with neighbours and builders sound really upsetting. In past newsletters, you have equated external events in your life to your inner world. Asking, for example, if these events were in a dream, what meaning would I take from them?' This is such an interesting comment, I think I'll make my next substack article about the relationship between the inner life, external events and the dream. Coming to you on the 15th.