One month on

It's been almost a month since I last posted. And here we are back into lockdown, albeit not so hard as the last. In fact not a great deal seems to be different. There are lots of cars on the road, the buses vary, sometimes busy, other times quiet, and the high street doesn't appear much different either. Places are open for takeaways, and I used one myself yesterday. I don't feel as low as I did the first time round, in fact I feel quite positive. Having said that, I was with a friend on Wednesday, the day before lockdown. We were in London and managed to fit in some writing together outside before it got too cold. When we said our goodbyes, and I was on my way back to the station, I felt sad to be leaving London. It was the strangest feeling, like saying goodbye to an old friend.

So what have I been doing in the last month? Well, several things really. I've begun looking into self publishing and am currently taking a course in how to do it. It's a free course and very thorough. It covers the pitfalls, all the downsides as well as how to make and reach goals. You are warned that you will be overwhelmed. Yes, I am! But for now I'm just going through everything and making notes to see if this is what I want to do. Some of the information won't be for me, but I am learning a lot. I found the section on book covers particularly interesting, formatting work totally mind numbing. So, I am allowing myself a year to consider this and might put a toe in the water eventually.

Meanwhile, I have been submitting more than I have in a long time. I know I have a poem coming out in one of The People's Friend annuals very soon, and I was thrilled to hear last week that one of my 'lockdown' poems has been chosen for an anthology. More news on that soon. I have signed up for a course with The Poetry Kit, a three week course on Poetry and Music. And I have also joined Jo Bell's Try to Praise the Mutilated World initiative with daily prompts for however long lockdown goes on. I find I am mixing with poets whose books I've read, seen read and admire, as well as a former poetry tutor! Could be quite intimidating, but not, Everyone is lovely.

I'm hoping to take part in another virtual choir this month. Quite excited about that, but not about the prospect of having to record myself again It is always a fraught time and I have warned my son in advance!

When I'm not writing I try to get out for a walk. While the weather is in a warmer sunny mode I am taking advantage of it. Yesterday I even managed to sit on the garden bench and read for a while. Bliss.

I think I have been more places and taken more photos this year than I would in a normal year. I have found peace in walking, being with the trees and by water. This masked, restricted way of life is now becoming normal. I guess that's how people in war zones feel after a while because you cannot live in that kind of high anxiety forever. You accept what it is and get on with life the best you can. Not that I can compare Covid 19 with what Syrians have to deal with, but you get the picture. Life does go on, it has to, so you accept it and live.