Writing and Me.

Since retiring I have taken up writing. Although not great  I thoroughly enjoy it. I did however need help as I had not written anything of any great length since school, and there were things that I wanted put down in writing. I decided to join the creative writing class at the local U3A. [University of the third age.]  This I did, finding it to be of value and great entertainment. It also gave me much needed confidence. Each week we had to write an essay for homework on a given topic and then read it to the class. We also covered poetry which I found a challenge. I found the course of great help and learnt a lot. Working on my stories gave me a sense of accomplishment, especially when they were finished. I wrote several and still have works in progress.

An early piece was called "The Old Curiosity Cabinet" relating the tale of a small Victorian boy who loved looking through the  old curiosity cabinet held in the front parlour of his Victorian home..All the articles held within get an airing and their story is told.

 I wrote a small trilogy about a red dress , a necklace and a Steif teddy bear. Set in the twenties it tells of these three objects and their journey through time to the present day and who owned them. Starting in the twenties and traversing to the present day it delves into peoples lives and the good and bad times that they went through. This book contains recipes as well as the articles travel to different parts of the world and different events.

 Another was about a young couple buying a run down manor house and renovating it. The ups and downs of renovation and the problems associated with undertaking it. Their shear determination in giving life back to a dilapidated old house and breathing new life into it again to be enjoyed for many more years to come.

The one that means the most to me is about my family tree. Writing about your ancestors is interesting for yourself but it also has to be of interest to someone else. This was the book that I enjoyed writing the most. So much work and research went into the genealogy taking me a long time to complete. Still have not finished it as there is always an interesting ancestor who pops up in the scheme of things. You have to take the good with the bad when you do your genealogy. It can be confronting and difficult at times but well worth the effort.

 An interest of mine is Pompeii and the resident's lifestyle before Vesuvius erupted so am attempting to write a story on life there. We covered Pompeii in class at U3A so learnt a lot of fascinating details about the place. The Roman lifestyle had a lot going for it and was interesting to research and write about. 

 For a change I attempted a piece of fiction on a train trip and the lives of the people on board. Not quite The Orient Express but a story all the same. I enjoy writing and find it a break from everyday life. Not so much research in this one but it made me stretch my brain.

My blog is another way to write and this I love as I can tell of my travels and everyday life. The things I enjoy are featured so I get to tell my own story.

 There is nothing nicer than the quiet of the library to sit and do some work on a cold day. Sitting in the garden on a nice day under my large umbrella is also a lovely creative place to write and reflect. I have many projects on the go. They give me great pleasure  and are well worth the effort.

Try some writing for yourself and see where it leads. You may be surprised.