Dad and old boilers

[erastes]

Dad Stuff Well he's got a whole new central heating system and it is pretty flash. It depresses me a little that I've never lived in a house with full central heating. (other than when I lived at home.) Terrible to be my age and still have to put up with storage heaters. That's of what happens when you buy Ex-Council houses! There is no way in hell he'll ever know how to use the system, so we've just got it at 22 degrees and letting it run itself. The thermostat and the boiler are all uber digital and pre-set with "press this button four times to move to the next menu" when all dad really needs is "on and off" - the thermostat should deal with that, and I've got his hot water to come on morning and night. But the two days installation (British Gas rocked mightily, which was great, and they were so patient with Dad, which I could have kissed them for) was very stressful as he kept forgetting who they were and what they were doing and then of course we had to go and get the money from the bank… oh great fun. Not. The other day he lost his car entirely, I don't think I posted about that. I can laugh about it now, but at the time I thought i was going to explode from the stress.

The Historical Novel Society Conference is on 17th October in Manchester. Theoretically this is under 200 miles from here but as it's entirely across country with no motorways, I've gone from "yay! we should all go!" to "fuck me -it will take me five hours to drive that."

I can't easily go overnight (Cats, Dad) and if it had been in Birmingham that would have been ideal (even so it's a fair tramp on A and B roads) And it's on Sunday, so no trains that will get me there at 10am. I shall think on it some more. I really would like to go, though. I'd like to go SATURDAY because Maria McAnn is giving a talk and I want to sit and worship her. Perhaps the cats WOULD be ok overnight if i put a whole heap of food down. After all, I used to leave Spooky from Saturday morning to Sunday night on a regular basis when I went over the Isle of Wight from Bournemouth. The UK conference is only every 2 years and I think it's important to have a gay historical presence this year--seeing as how they are accepting our books into the historical world without any of the apron waving and "Janet, Donkeys!" that you see from the Romance Crowd.

I stopped and snapped this beautiful young man on my way to "work."



Talking of work; - I went and signed off at the Jobcentre yesterday and was treated (by yet ANOTHER strange face, and presumably a contract worker) with the care and attention and politeness that I have come to expect from the Jobcentre.  I really feel like writing a letter outlining my experience with them over the 2 years of my unemployment. Perhaps I will – I don't want it to sound like a frothing rant, though, just a clear explanation of how rude many(not all, some of them have been very helpful) of the staff treated me like something on their shoe.

I should get Muffled Drum finished by Sunday, if I push on and work through the hump-- and then it's off to the betas (particularly a very valuable Prussian beta!) for their opinion, a quick brush and polish and then off to a publisher. Eek. Then on with something NEW. Hurrah!! Muffled Drum is novella length-; will be about 35k when done I think, which means I've done two novellas back to back, I really want to get stuck into a novel again, and exploring new characters and savouring the slow path.

Comments

[beckyblack]

What is it with Manchester? Is it in some kind of spacetime anomaly or something? It seems to be a total nightmare to from anywhere else in the UK at all!

The times I've been there I've either had to get the train and change TWICE, or go in a car over moors so grim they make you want to turn back in despair.

Have you ever tried those timed feeders for the cats? The ones where you put the food in, close a lid and set a timer for X number of hours and the lid opens up. So the food doesn't dry out and the cat can't eat a couple of day's worth of food at once just because it's there and then be hungry for the rest of the time. Of course, they'll be annoyed with you because they can probably tell that the food is in there and they can't get it until the lid pops up. But I suppose being annoyed with their owners is sort of the default state for cats.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I think they did have some kind of poll "where would be most convenient for you" - and most people preferred Manchester, so I suppose it's good for many - but that's the snag of living on the bulgy bit of Norfolk, everything is at least an extra hour to get to, as you have to drive an hour just to get OUT of Norfolk in the first place. However, after today's wonderful drive in the springtime countryside I wouldn't want to live anywhere else!

[tiggothy.livejournal.com]

I was thinking they'd just looked at a map and gone "Oh look, Manchester's almost in the middle" which seems to be what many people do (even though it's not actually *true*, lol)

[liebesdammerung.livejournal.com]

I read 22 degrees as Fährenheit and was all O_O. Silly American. And YAY for almost getting Muffled Drum done! :D

[cerisaye.livejournal.com]

The HNS is now going to cover gay books? Too bad then I recently cancelled my membership (which I've had since it started over 10 years ago)!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

as far as i can see they only didnt review them because no-one sent them any--they've reviewed all of mine (that i've sent) and have reviewed a few others such as the Hidden Conflict antho. see this coomment from the editor on my earlier post:

http://erastes.livejournal.com/530352.html

[cerisaye.livejournal.com]

Lack of gay themed novels wasn't the reason I cancelled, rather lack of time to read the review publication, though Solander is an excellent magazine. My interest in historical fiction is largely 18th C and earlier and I have a hard time seeing something like Catch-22 as historical fiction, which of course only shows my age! The HNS review, reflecting what's published, I know, is focused more on 19th/20th C. Lately I find myself going back and re-reading old favourites like Dorothy Dunnett, which leaves even less time for new books.

Have you read Maria McCann's new book? ladymol says it's wonderful.

[joannesopercook.livejournal.com]

if I push on and work through the hump

Hahahahha.
You said hump.

*is four years old* :D

[erastes.livejournal.com]

sadly theres no humping--i just cant make them do it--damn those prussian officers!

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

Do home caregivers have any sort or respite service you could apply to (or hire) for one day? At least you have 5 months to work on it...

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Yes, there is a respite service - i will have to look into it - I haven't done any Alz/Carer's research yet as to support and thats veyr silly of me. I'm getting very stressed very fast and i've been doing this 2 months - really don't want it to kill me and everyone saying "what a shame and how much she might have accomplished..."

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

No, that wouldn't help anybody, including your dad. Got to pace yourself for the long run.

[crawling-angel.livejournal.com]

If you weren't so far away I could look after Dad (I'm very used to doing) and cats leaving you free to tootle up the country. He would forget me too...which probably is a good thing. (Miles/cash/off duty getting in the way no doubt).

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the offer, sweetie.

I will think about it - I really really want to go. I mean 200 miles - that's no bloody distance, but because it's across country...

YOU COULD COME TOO.

[crawling-angel.livejournal.com]

That's a long drive...probably painful too. :/ Sometimes I forget about stuff like that when planning things with Dave. Even a gig I was considering going to wasn't going to be suitable for him because he wouldn't be able to sit down at the City Hall. (Standing would be a definate no-no these days. In the old days we could get away with that).

Me? Oh no. I'm far safer locked in my cage, lol.