Unhappily married, Tom defies his upbringing and principles and is tempted into an illicit affair, throwing his life into turmoil...
Hello there,
AUGUST PROGRESS
In my last blog at the end of July, I complained about not writing as much because of the feast of sports on television. I was hooked on watching every sports event shown. You name it, I watched it: European football, Test Cricket, Wimbledon Tennis, British Open Golf, The Olympics. It didn’t seem to matter what time of day it was, there was always something to watch. Unfortunately, my daily word count was mostly zilch, and who was to blame? Me! I didn’t have the willpower to stop watching. You could call me a sports nut, I suppose. BUT, not any more. I was horrified by my lack of progress and swore never to be so ill-disciplined again because writing, editing, and researching all went out of the window for one month.
I promised to do better in August, and I’m pleased and proud to say I greatly improved my word count. It wasn’t easy, but I was better organised and disciplined to make progress. There were also fewer sporting distractions, which helped.
Another simple thing I did to help was record sports events and watch them later when convenient. How simple was that? Goodness knows why I didn’t think of that before. You’re probably sitting reading this, thinking, what an idiot, and I must agree! Anyway, August was a good month for writing. I fully intend to keep this going now that I’m into a good routine. Time will tell!
I must admit, sports are important in my life. I’ve always played to a reasonable standard and enjoyed them, except when injured. Now, the only sport I play is golf, but it’s great for all kinds of reasons: fresh air, exercise, camaraderie, enjoyment and some respite for my wife! One day, soon, I’ll write a blog about the benefits of playing sports and exercising.
FAMILY UNITY (August 2024)
How do you get on with your family? Could you survive a long weekend away in a large house with 15 family members?
Last year, it was decided to try a family holiday. We hadn’t done it before but will certainly do it again. It was only for two days and nights, but it was a huge success. Five families were involved, totalling 15, and the age range was 7 to 87.
We are a close-knit family and enjoy each other’s company. One family member took responsibility for the booking, which was done last August 2023; other family members shared shopping for food and drink, and the total bill was split 13 ways, not including the two children.
There was genuine excitement when we saw the photographs of our accommodation near Lytham St Annes, near Blackpool. It had that ‘wow’ factor, and we couldn’t wait for the day of arrival. The house had 6 bedrooms, a massive lounge, a large kitchen/dining area, a games room, an indoor swimming pool and jacuzzi, a sauna room, a gym, a BBQ area, an office, a huge artificial grass area with a built-in trampoline and a large additional outside area for sun loungers, chairs and tables for dining. The house was remarkable and made the holiday break a brilliant experience.
As we couldn’t enter the house until two o’clock, we decided to meet at Lytham St Annes at 12.30 for fish and chips and a walk before travelling to the house, only five minutes from the beach. There was much excitement as we drove through the electric gate (not literally), parked up and unloaded everything.
Everybody quickly explored the house. It was even better than the photographs. The swimming pool and jacuzzi were the most popular areas, followed by the pool table in the games room. In terms of workload, i.e. preparing food, cooking, cleaning, loading the dishwasher and washing machine, everybody mucked in and not a cross word was said. The only regret was not booking it for three days. Next time, we will know better.
I did wonder how the family dynamics and different personalities would work out, but I can honestly say nobody fell out or refused to do their bit. It was a good social experiment, which we will definitely do again in the future. The costs were reasonable—no more than booking a weekend in a good hotel. Try it for yourselves and see how much fun you can have. You will be surprised.
MY BOOKS
The first book of the ‘Tom Steven’s series is a steamy, contemporary love story following the life of Tom Stevens, 40, a deputy headteacher of a special school in the north of England. He is dynamic, professional and ambitious,
Despite his personal complications, Tom must make crucial decisions concerning serious school issues. The stakes are high, and success depends on Tom’s leadership skills, integrity, and tenacity.
Unhappily married, Tom defies his upbringing and principles and is tempted into an illicit affair, throwing his life into turmoil.
Michelle Wills, a divorced woman in her late 40s, has fantasised about taking Tom to bed since she first met him, but that door has permanently been closed. Or has it?
If these books appeal to your taste, more information can be found on my website below. Give them a try.
Happy reading,
Mansel