Up early for once, with time to spare. After a walk around the garden, I stood gazing from the back window towards the top of our little garden arch while waiting for the kettle to boil.  That was when a Something caught my eye.

It was narrow, pale, ghostly and appeared to kick slightly in a breeze that hardly stirred the leaves. Intrigued, I left the tea to brew [tea 'brews' at Plumpton House... in other homes, I realise it may 'mash' 'stew' or 'draw'] and ventured out again.  What was it - a chrysalis? A wisp of sheep's wool? Or [and I hoped not] one of those horrible white plastic bags?  It was none of these.  As I discovered on seeing it from a fresh angle it was a cobweb, very round and complete with diamond dewdrops shimmering in the cool air.  Seen sideways-on from the kitchen window, it had been unrecognisable.

It's holiday time soon, so there won't be any garden-gazing for a while. Because before the holidays, there are concerts. There is writing to finish. There is a talk to think about. There are books to return. There is a birthday party. There are dresses to let out, and dresses to take in [impossibly, I seem to have both slimmed and expanded!] and one way and another there are more than a few ends to tidy - so I will be taking a Xanga break.  Until later, all the best!

If you love historical romance, they don't come much better than this... it's back to Bruges, ice-skating on the canals and riding ostriches past the lantern-lit horn windows just to remind myself how enjoyable this series was the last time I re-read it!

Currently Niccolo Rising: The First Book of The House of Niccolo By Dorothy Dunnett see related