Pond Life

I'm working ridiculously hard at the moment. If no further posts follow, then you'll know that I've either keeled over or been crushed to death by books.

I've been busy moving stock from my malodorous cowshed to a nice new unit, seven miles away, next to this pond:

The new unit is free of rats and mink. Also, I no longer have to cover the books in plastic sheeting to protect them from a growing family of robins. However, judging by a discovery someone made yesterday, the building isn't quite wildlife-free:

I'm not an expert on nature, but I believe that this is a great-crested newt. Quite why it decided to leave the splendour of the pond area for my new unit, I have no idea. 

Moving the stock is a fag (trivia fact - Jane Austen used this expression in 'Northanger Abbey'). I could hire a van and do it all in three trips, but that would be exhausting, so I'm transporting the books one car-load at a time. I've worked out that it will take 37 trips.

However, I think I'll have to bin some of the stock. The books that went on sale nearly two years ago seem to have reached the end of their shelf life and rarely appear on my list of titles sold. Is it really worth moving them?

These are the books that nobody seems to want:

I have no idea why 'A Romance in Radium' didn't excite the book buyers of the world. People have bought books about condensed milk, electricity substations and concrete, so nothing is too dull to sell. I think some books just drop off the radar.

Leisure time has been rather thin on the ground recently, but I was able to have a very enjoyable afternoon tea with a reader of this blog who happened to be on holiday in the UK. Meeting Dale and her husband was a delight and reinforced my positive view of blogging as a means of connecting with like-minded people. It could have been awkward meeting a complete stranger, but everyone I've met has been as likeable and entertaining as their writing, only more so.

On the subject of other bloggers, I'd like to thank Kristin at Not Intent on Arriving for inviting me to be interviewed on her blog. I hope I wasn't too dull. I like reading about Kristin's life (although it always makes me realise how dull mine has become) and vicariously enjoy reading about her travels.

My wife has just told me that a door has fallen off. I think that's my cue to stop.

Crossing the Line

I've often thought how strange blogging is. We have interesting, meaningful exchanges with complete strangers on the internet, but there is never any question of meeting in real life.

Last week, I crossed the line from cyberspace into real life and met fellow blogger Oliver at The Lewes Arms. The result was a rather alcoholic but very enjoyable evening and I was grateful to The Poet Laura-eate for putting us in touch with each other.

Several people have observed that when they met fellow bloggers, it was comforting to discover how similar the real person was to their blog. On the strength of last week's meeting I'd certainly agree, although the real Oliver was even more interesting and entertaining than his blog.

I should probably have held back a bit on the beer. I've spent the last month on a strict low-carb, no alcohol diet and as a result, a small chocolate liquer will now have me singing "Danny Boy". I think I may have bounced off a few walls on the way home, but it was a good night out.

If you ever have the chance to meet a fellow blogger, I'd recommend it.