Time for a break...

This picture is of Gwithian, as in a few weeks (on Saturday) we will be there for a mini break, and I can't wait. This year's been busy with lots of ups and recently, downs, and apart from a week in February, I haven't had a holiday this year.

Having said that, I'm having a few nights away with my dear friend Av this weekend. We're going to stay at Crafthole and walk along the cliffs - and the beaches now they are dog friendly once more - and have a good catch up. We try and get away every few months but it's been much longer than that this time so we are owed a good girls weekend.

It struck me that however much you love where you live and what you do (or hate it for that matter!), it's very important to have a change of scene. I'm just re-reading A Thousand Days in Venice by Marlena de Blasi which has given me an incredible yearning to go to Venice. Before that I read the brilliant The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton, set in Amsterdam (though that didn't make me long to go there - though I would, of course) and Prague is on the list, too.

The list is actually very long but curtailed as all my current dog sitters are away at the moment. One's in Norfolk, one's in Crete and another in Portugal (as of Monday). So for now I'm not venturing any further afield than Torpoint....

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153468440610865&set=gm.10154273681389966&type=3

Escapism

This was taken several weeks ago when out with Sally, playing around with our cameras. Well, she was giving me a lesson! Falmouth Bay on a sunny August afternoon...

Life has been a bit stressful recently, but the other night, eight of us went to see Kneehigh's Version of Rebecca at the Hall for Cornwall. It was amazing - I'm a huge fan of the book but the characters were just how I imagined, the sets were amazing and there was the right balance of humour, drama and pathos. I hate to say it but frequently when seeing plays I get the fidgets.

This time I was transfixed, glued to my seat, couldn't take my eyes off the stage. It was really one of the best pieces of theatre I;ve ever seen - and we all agreed on that.

So if it comes to a theatre anywhere near you - do go and see it. I can promise a truly wonderful evening.

An event like that takes you out of yourself - you forget about your worries and are transported to another place and time.

It really was theatre at its best. And life is that much easier afterwards, when granted a few hours escapism, in the hands of professionals.

Public speaking...

This has nothing to do with this post, but was taken walking from Hell's Mouth to Gwithian a few weeks ago showing Cornwall at its best.

Apologies for silence - life has, as ever, been more than busy recently. We have been investigating buying a Cornish Shrimper (19’ sailing boat) - haven’t got one yet, but are still looking - and on Monday my interview with BBC Radio Cornwall was broadcast - you can listen to it here. For some reason it won't let me add the link, so please go to my Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/sue.jackson.50099940.

Tonight I am taking part in Favourite Things - an evening of readings of prose and poetry by several people - Radio Cornwall, BBC broadcaster and various others, and I will be reading one of my walks and a few poems. It’s in aid of End Polio Now and it’s held at Mawnan Memorial Hall at 7.30pm and tickets are £10 which include a finger buffet.

Next Tuesday we are singing at Telltales, Dolly’s Wine Bar at 7.30pm in Falmouth, so do come along to listen to people reading out various stories and poems - entry is free for this one.

I’m also giving a talk at Flushing Sailing Club but that;s not till the beginning of October. And hopefully I will sell a few books too!

Outside broadcasting...

A few weeks ago Tiffany Truscott, from BBC Radio Cornwall, got in touch about doing an interview about my new book, Walks in the Footsteps of Cornish Writers.

The plan was go meet at Perranporth, walk along the beach a bit and talk about Winston Graham, the author associated with the Perranporth walk in my book, and also some of the other walks and writers - Patrick Gale and Penzance, and Philip Marsden and St Mawes.

At the time, we were having that monsoon weather, so we agreed on a date (this morning) on the basis that if the weather was bad, we would re-arrange it. Well last night the forecast looked like yesterday - breezy but dry and sunny spells.

This morning I woke to grey clouds, heavy skies and thundery showers. Never mind, I thought, they'll pass. And I didn't have Tiffany's number anyway. I left home and alf way there the heavens opened and another monsoon landed. It was raining so hard I had the wipers on double time and couldn't see the road. I finally arrived in Perranporth in ordinary rain - the usual wet stuff - found Tiff and we decided to wait a few minutes. Eventually she got in the van, when Moll jumped straight on her lap - luckily she likes dogs - and had a chat; decided we'd walk along the beach to the bench in memory of Winston Graham up on the cliffs.

We managed that, and to find the bench, well hidden, on the spot of the bungalow he lived in while writing the first Poldark novels - and then the heavens opened again. We hurried down the steps back onto the beach while I said - "look, some caves here!" so we legged it into the furthest cave, and did the first part of the interview there, with Mollie Dog digging holes at our feet.

Of course by the time we'd walked back along the beach, having finished the interview, the skies had cleared and the rain had stopped. But it was done, and I enjoyed it very much.

The actual broadcast will be next week - she will let me know when and I will pass it on. Watch this space!