Dear BBC

Please find enclosed a copy of my script for the pilot episode of a thirty minute radio sitcom.

I am inspired by humour in language, every day encounters with the ironic and absurd, and general silliness. I recognise all of these elements in the classic BBC comedies of the 60's and 70's. Despite not being old enough to remember the likes of Dad's Army, Are You Being Served, The Morecambe and Wise Show, and Sykes when they first appeared on television, I find myself feeling nostalgic for that particular era in light entertainment. It was a time when comedy writing was intelligent without being exclusive and silly without being infantile. Although fashions have changed in television comedy, I think this kind of sitcom will always find a radio audience.

I hope you will consider reading my script. I feel passionately about comedy writing and will forever be entertained by those who write it so well.


And then it was gone, out into the ether, winging its way to the BBC, amateur inconsistencies and all. Fingers crossed...

Reasons to be thankful

So, today was the first day that Rag'n'Bones ventured out into the big bad world! Much like a new puppy, we were a little nervous, a little uneasy on our feet, but we quickly found our stride and even made some new friends.

To these new friends, we would like to say "how much fun was that little adventure?!"

And to those familiar faces who appeared round the corner at various points in the afternoon, thank you. It means so much that you came along to purchase and encourage. Especially on such a damp, dreich day.

Here's to next week's new experience...

Sunday 6th June

It's time to get this show on the road!

Join us at Save the Children in Stockbridge on Sunday 6th June (12pm-7pm). See catalogue pages to view stock available. More pics will be added later today...

http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/en/1134_9801.htm

How does your garden grow?

Urgh, feeling the effects of an afternoon spent in the garden. Why is the ground so far away? It's discriminatory towards tall people. All that crouching down and bending over. I need one of those stools that doubles up as a padded knee support with handles to help you right yourself. You know the kind that people three times my age buy from the catalogues that fall out of the Sunday supplements? I could get one of those mechanised chairs that make the transition from sitting to standing so effortless, too. Awesome. I digress...

So many weeds, so many snails. The long winter has delayed the garden maintenance so I've got a bit of catching up to do. However, after yesterday's efforts, there are now fewer weeds and the snails have been relocated to the neighbours' garden. It's not my fault! I was aiming for the compost heap. Snails bounce, who knew?

The red onions are looking healthy, the peas are coming along, and the herbs seem to have survived the snow relatively unscathed. The two sticks labelled "Blackcurrant Bush" and "Blueberry Bush" that I very trustingly bought from Morrisons last year are defying all expectations and are showing signs of life. I would report on the progress of the brocolli seedlings but I don't know how to spell broccoli.

Self sufficiency, here I come...

Write, time to get rid of (some of) these books

If you, too, have a predatory Amazon seller in your family, you will no doubt be familiar with the following exchange:

Amazon seller: You have so many books. Have you read them all?
Book lover: No
Amazon seller: Why don't you get rid of some of them? You could sell
them, make a bit of money.
Book lover: Sell my books?! Are you insane, wumman?

Amazon seller: What? When was the last time you read... [looking around trying to find just one example out of hundreds]... Ulysses?
Book lover: Uni.
Amazon seller: Have you read it since?

Book lover: No

Amazon seller: Why do you still have it then?

Book lover: I don't know. I may read it again, I may lend it to someone.

Repeat ad nauseum until...

Amazon seller: Ok, what about this copy of To the Lighthouse? I thought you hated Virginia Woolf.

Book lover: I do! You can have that one. I didn't realise that was in there.

It's nice to let them win occasionally

[Love you, Mum xx]

Inspired by St Mary's

Just back from an exhibition of quilts at St Mary's Cathedral at the West End. Each one has been inspired by some element of the church.

All very pretty, and in a beautiful setting.

Get out in the Garden

I'm having one of those days when I look around the flat and feel ever so slightly overwhelmed by the sheer volume of STUFF strewn across the floor, the sofa, the dining table, the bed, the kitchen worktops, the bed in the spare bedroom, the floor in the spare bedroom, and distinctly underwhelmed by the prospect of straightening things up. I just tidied yesterday. Where does it all come from?
Adding to the mess are the pots of earth full of seedlings. Spring has sprung! It always seems a good idea about January/February but by the end of March, I can guarantee that I will have knocked over at least three out of the ten trays. (I have a good vacuum cleaner, it's ok); the inch of soil permanently buried under my finger nails stops giving the impression of an outdoors-y, fun-lovin gal and starts growing vegetation of its own; and the trail of water from sink to windowsill becomes more moat-like as I get sloppier.
Thankfully, it's almost time to get these little guys out of the flat and into the back garden and then the real fun begins! Eating vegetables you've grown from seed, is there anything better? (Well, no doubt there is, but in this context...)