Water water everywhere...

Water...

Wookie and I take two bank holiday breaks away each year. They began as traditions long before me, but I have embraced them as firmly as I have the man himself for I find them relaxing, grounding, renewing. 

One of the places we visit is on the west coast of Wales on the Gower Peninsula and the other is in the east of England along a stretch of coast that seems to be neither the English Channel nor the North Sea, but both at the same time. 

The ocean... One of my dearest and abiding loves.

Wookie proposed by the sea during our most recent trip to Wales. These two photos were taken just before and just after the event, respectfully...

This most recent bank holiday weekend was our annual family (Wookie's family) holiday and while this was only my second year, I looked forward to it for *months* and already can't wait for next year...

On our first full day there, the sea was gorgeous, peaceful... the weather was sunny, calm...

I actually made a mountain out of a molehill. I'm still surprised that Wookie was so surprised that I went to such lengths to get this photo. He's a weirdo.

On our last day, the sea was somewhat temperamental... Just as gorgeous, in my opinion.

I fully understand why adventurers and poets alike are drawn to her...

More water...

The other day, Wookie was presented with the Ice Bucket Challenge. He's just recently had back surgery and can't get his dressing wet, however, so after some careful planning, I took one for the team...

I took a photo of his face, enlarged it and printed it out to wear as a mask. Wookie did the voiceover work on the video and the nominating. (I was his "stunt double".)

Here are a couple of screenshots from the video...

I kind of freaked out immediately after this as I could tell the flimsy paper mask had come away and it felt like it was in pieces, a large part clinging to my fringe/bangs so I was frantically trying to remove it only to find out that it was merely the weight of my own, wet hair that was so heavy. Sigh.

Well, *that's* novel!...

Some of you may know... I've started writing a novel (of sorts) and I have approximately the first chapter so far. 

It's "Young Adult Fiction" (ugh. I don't like that genre name, it's so... vague) and my protagonist is a young boy named Ryles.

I've tried to work out his story and while I know basic plot plans and setting ideas, the little guy won't tell me any more than that and insists that the story come out chronologically, as I sit ready to listen.

There's no cooperation from the little guy during my attempts to plan ahead, to form an outline, to brainstorm. As much as I beg, plead, bargain, all I am told is to sit with my notebook and pen and it will come.

And it does. Every time.

How odd.

But yes, I'm writing it by hand. Old fashioned paper and ink, in fact(!) and I'm trying to figure out how/where/when/why to share it.

So far I have allowed specific people to read the hard copy I have printed for my own, editorial purposes and while the reviews have been very positive overall, there have been some issues with following the formatting (page flow) of how I have it printed.

Clearly I need to print it in a more... digestible format if I want others to be able to consume it because at this stage, I can't let it out of my proverbial sight. I cringe at the idea of emailing it to anyone lest it fall into the wrong hands become something I created but which is available for all and sundry to take/change/claim as their own. 

That would break my heart.

I thought about sharing the first bits here, perhaps, with a view to possibly self-publishing the work in the future and I know there is a way to format webpages in such a manner that copy/paste isn't possible... But I don't know how and am honestly presuming it's not something that this website would allow. I presume I would have to use my own domain for.

Perhaps I need to look into that, actually.