Man Booker Prize

Enjoyed a lovely lunch at Newcastle`s Slug and Lettuce and had a tour around the Drum Centre, what a fabulous old building, must visit the archive to research the history of the place.

Busy day today, three meetings which went very well. I have another reading/memories group to start on 1st November and new contacts for mental health projects.

Get in!!! Man Booker Prize won by Julian Barnes "The Sense of an Ending". Just got back from Toon Man Booker at Newcastle`s own Central Library where we were treated to the first chapter from the 6 shortlisted books. We were split into 8`s with wine and nibbles to help the decision making. Snowdrops was a contender, here was me thinking what a lovely title, when it was explained that
in Russia after the harsh winter thaw, bodies are discovered, usually vagrants, murder victims and unfortunate drunks, so they are given the name "Snowdrops". I bought and voted for the winner, can`t wait to start this one

"I remember, in no particular order:
- a shiny inner wrist;
- steam rising from a wet sink as a hot frying pan is laughingly tossed into it;
-gouts of sperm circling a plughole, before being sluiced down the full length of a tall house;- a river rushing nonsensically upstream, it`s wave and wash lit by half a dozen chasing torchbeams;

(and also love this part)

"We live in time - it holds us and moulds us - but I`ve never felt I understood it very well. And I`m not referring to the theories about how it bends and doubles back , or may exist elsewhere in parallel versions. No, I mean ordinary, everyday time, which clocks and watches assure us passes regularly: tick-tock, tick-tock."

Loved the launch of Tyne Bridge Publisher`s new book All Right Now on the 70`s, also at Central Libary, as usual the speakers were spot on and very entertaining. I have my free copy as a contributor. My piece centered on my time as a G.P.O telephonist during the strike in 71.

Husband D purchased one of those air freshner contraptions which puff- blast evevery 20 minutes, fine, but it scared the shit out of me. I was watching a programme and just as someone mentioned "And they hid the body under the floorboards..." the bloody thing puffed out and I nearly shit myself!!

Just bought Reality Bites, it`s a long time since I watched this film, but I love the part where the 4 friends are waiting to be served in a service station. My Sherona is playing on the radio and 3 of them start dancing in the aisle while the fourth is mortified. Also watched The Notebook and was in floods of tears, brilliant!! The Butterfly Effect is a great film. Called in to A Touch of Class on Adelaide Terrace, second hand goods, 4 dvd`s for a quid, hence the list of films. Watched The Five People you Meet in Heaven, read the book and it sticks reliably to the text.

My eldest son G bought me a bottle of Monsoon perfume! What is he after I ask, but still, I shouldn`t complain, he often presents me with chocolate, so anyone who can do that is ok in my opinion, especially is it`s Twirl, yum.