Friday 24 February 2012

At risk of sounding rather proud (which I am, let's face it) I would like to tell you of some rather nice things that have happened recently.

Marcia's German publishers (Lubbe) have decided to reprint nearly all of her books in a new club edition under the Weltbild imprint. Below is the cover of the new Hattie's Mill.

Meanwhile, our agent in France has been approached by a second film company wishing to buy the film rights of Sisters Under the Skin (which she wrote under the name of Willa Marsh). They can't, of course, since these rights have already been sold to Tessalit Productions (France)who have already taken up the second option which means that there is an approved script in place. Watch this space for further developments. However, said agent is offering the new company the rights on other books although we have no idea yet as to whether or not they will be interested.

The following photograph has no relevance but I rather like it. It was taken just after 8.30 on the morning of February 7.


*     *     *

Writing obviously runs in the family: this was written by Marcia's great-nephew, Inigo, at the age of seven.

The Beach

On the beach I saw . . . the sun shining on the sea.  A line of lobsters. 

From the cliffs I heard . . .screeching of mice. Dogs barking. 

I built a sandcastle the sand felt . . . like flour that you bake cakes with. 

I raced to the cafe. Inside I could smell . . . mussels and french fries. 

I bought a lolly it tasted . . . like lemony chocolate.

*     *     *
THE TADPOLE TIMES

Since so many of you expressed an interest in my tadpolearium last year which, if you remember, resulted in my being able to release more than eight hundred baby froglets into the top pond, I shall put up a weekly report on progress this year.

A few nights ago the frogs congregated in that pond, destroying the rural peace with raucous voices and fairly unseemly behavior. The result was that the following morning we found a huge mass of frogspawn. The trouble was that the forecast for the next night was that we would have a very hard frost with temperatures well down. Probably a bit needlessly, I decided that I would put about a gallon of this spawn into the utility room, so I cleaned out one of the plastic containers which make up said tadpolearium and popped the spawn into it. 

Then the frogs seemed to disappear. Since this is very early for spawn, I am now wondering whether that is it or whether we shall have then back again. Usually they stay with us for well over a week. We shall see.

Meanwhile there is no sign of similar activity by our toads who tend to live in the lower pond despite that being where there are all the fish.