Well, there’s always something

I’ve been reminded these past weeks of one of those brilliant one-liners from a film.  In the movie “Carrington”, the title character is warned against getting involved with the critic and writer Lytton Strachey. “Dora dearest, he’s a terrible old queen!” says a friend, in much less PC times.  “Yes,” replies Carrington, “But there’s always something, isn’t there?”.  So as we move towards the third spring in our Irish home, steps forward are mixed with stumbles, trips and even occasional falls. 

It has been an interesting fortnight that began rather inauspiciously with our attempts to get the well tested.  There is a 25 metre exclusion rule for private wells and some activities inside this put the water at risk.  We sent for testing bottles and followed the instructions carefully.  It was quite a rigmarole – disinfect hands, wipe tap, run water, wipe again, run water, take samples.  These were wrapped in sterile plastic, put in a cold bag and we set off on a 200 km round trip to the lab.  But there’s always something, right?

Less than 4 km into the trip a front tyre burst.  Despite trying to call out the AA we were stuck for over an hour before a friend came to our rescue.  The tyres had all taken a bashing on the roads recently. They’ve been torn up by rain and tractors and we didn’t feel happy risking the journey with no spare.  Jacqui went off to get it replaced and I rang for another set of testing bottles.  The second time we did make it to the lab in the time limit and are now waiting for the chemical analysis.  The biological result was okay so we can drink the water, after a week of using bottled supplies.  Even the dogs were on spring water for a while.

Animal or Vegetable?
Definitely Animal!

When our friends visited last month we set up a trail camera to spot any visiting wildlife.  This has been a process of trial and error – mainly error, I have to confess.  First there’s the need to find the right location, with somewhere suitable for camera mounting.  Then there are a lot of settings to adjust, from motion-delay to number of shots in a burst.  One evening we got 58 pictures of grass waving in the high wind – not what we wanted.  Another day there were 5 consecutive shots of what could have been mammal eyes peering out of the undergrowth.  Or maybe just a grass hummock stirring in the breeze.  Then there were 2 real shots – a large mammal moving into view.  That’s when I set the camera to take 5 in a burst.  Hopefully next time we will get more of the badger than its bum.

In more positive news, Jacqui has completed the cardio exercise program, with good results so far.  We breathed a sigh of relief at losing the two early starts each week but, well there’s always something.  The good news was the local (18 km away) hospital can do her ECHO test.  No trip to Limerick – hooray!  The bad news was another early start as it has been tacked on to the stress test. That’s the final part of the rehab program.  I’m not sure about the reasoning behind doing the ECHO first and then putting a patient covered in ultrasound jelly on a treadmill but they’re the experts I guess.  

We’ve been keeping an eye on Charlie, our youngest dog, as he’s been very itchy recently.  The vet did a good set of blood work and apart from a slight marker in his liver readings he seems fine.  He has just finished a short course of anti-allergy pills and they seem to have helped.  He’s also been off all his biscuit and Markie treats, something he’s a bit upset about.  If the irritation returns we will at least be able to give him treats as we look for the source of the problem. 

With better weather on the way he can get out more too which should help his mood.  He’s a real wimp about the rain and stands in the doorway, peeing on the step if I let him.  There’s quite a lot of rain around in Ireland so roll on spring!  When we get the grass cut we have some basic agility equipment for him to try out.  I did a bit of agility with one of our Tibetan Terriers before I snapped an ankle ligament.  We hope Charlie will enjoy it and find it interesting.  And I’ll be a bit more careful this time.

Think the path needs some work
So does the herb garden

There’s a definite stirring in the wood now and we are preparing for the burst of growth all around.  This year we have plans, with the mower ready to go and the makings of raised beds for planting.  We hope to get John, the digger man, back to run a proper path around the wood. If he can, maybe carve out a bit of the bank behind the house for the greenhouse.  This year we plan to grow more than the herbs and the “cut and come again” lettuce in the bath.  They have been wonderful but a bit limited.  We’ve been assembling the materials and cleared the land several times now. Frustratingly we can’t proceed owing to delays from other people.  Hopefully this year we will finally make a start but we know there’ll be a few bumps along the way.  After all, there’s always something, isn’t there?

Thank you for reading and for all your feedback.  It really is appreciated. 

Have a good few weeks and I hope to see you in a fortnight.

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by on February 19, 2023  •  Permalink
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Posted by Jennie Finch on February 19, 2023

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Beginning the third year

The seasons are rolling around again and it is one day shy of our initial move into this little house.  As we begin our third year here we can reflect on all we have done – and all that has happened.  It seems fair to say there have been a few surprises along this journey.  And a few bumps on the way.  But despite this we are still very happy here and feeling more settled than we have in years.

Sometimes it takes a new pair of eyes to highlight what we have managed to achieve.  We look around at the wood, better than it was but still needing so much work.  The house could do with painting, the roof needs fixing and the electrics are better but still dodgy. (I’m sure it’s not usual for the lights to dim when the kettle is on).  Last weekend our friends, Helen and Adrian, arrived and were delighted with “how much” we’d done.  Like the best visitors in the world, they were eager to add their contribution and cleared, trimmed and lifted with gusto.  We now have our mower safe under cover and a lot of the rocks are cleared away from projected mowing areas, thanks to them.

Buzzard on the lookout

Hard labour is not compulsory however.  Any visitor who just needs to relax, enjoy the peace and sleep late is also welcome.  We had one very clear night and spent some time looking at the night sky.  Despite the full moon it was still dark enough to see Mars, Venus and Jupiter as well as the Milky Way unfolding overhead.  We are now blessed by our own murmuration – over 200 starlings and growing.  They’ve settled in the trees opposite at night and take off with an audible “whoosh” in the morning.  They fly in a cloud across the fields, making some wonderful shapes and patterns.  This attracts the attention of the buzzards but so far the flock seems to have the upper hand.

Mammal Highway
A Gift – From Whom?

The undergrowth has died down in the wood over winter and there are some very clear tracks weaving across it.  The mammal gates are a great success from these indications and we are curious to know who is using them.  We know animals trek through the drive and wood as they trigger the security lights.  Occasionally we find a little offering on the front step too. Trail cameras are a good option I think.  Some of the paths are quite wide, with several larger flattened areas.  One patch in particular looks as if there was a small animal rave one night.  It is reached by five different diverging paths and opens out into a rough circle.  A mammal party perhaps, or (more sinister) the fairies coming visiting?  I’ll let you know if I find out.

With “Puppy Brain” now ticking away in shops and platforms like Amazon I decided to try some different writing.  When I began after the MA I decided to try entering competitions to see if I was actually any good.  This proved to be remarkably successful leading to an international award (Lit Award of the Ruhr, runner up) and publication of “Death of the Elver Man”.  This time I looked around for something different, away from fiction, and found a competition for memoirs.  I’ve never written one before but it seemed like a suitable challenge.  I managed the 5000 word entry in January and then spent a week composing and polishing the synopsis.  Having judged writing competitions, I know this is absolutely crucial – and so often neglected.  I don’t expect to win but I enjoyed the challenge and I’ve learned a lot from stretching myself.

Oh the joys of dyslexia!

It’s been good to focus more on writing as I’m losing the routine and need to start working more regularly.  Also I suspect I’m getting more dyslexic in my later years.  We often notice unfamiliar signs or buildings whilst out or in town.  I spotted a sign for the 750 year old Franciscan Friary recently.  Imagine my delight in reading it was, at one time, the Chief Irish Fairy. 

We have a new public holiday on Monday, to celebrate St Bridget’s Day.  Bridget is dubbed the “Matron Saint” and celebrated for many years. Some more devout households make cornstalk crosses for their doors. 

Ah Pollocks!

We’ve had a very busy few weeks and have another few coming up so will enjoy a quiet day at home.  I always used to make puzzles on Bank Holidays when younger so I’ve taken up the challenge of the Jackson Pollock once more.  It must be the most fiendish puzzle ever.  Even the 3D jigsaw and Esher’s “Waterfall” are easier but I will finish it this time.  You can see how hard it is – the plain white border is the easiest bit.

So that’s us, beginning the third year.  There are things going on in the background that need some resolving but – hey, there’s always something.  Every day brings a smile and we can look around and feel we are making a home here. 

Thank you for reading and a happy St Bridget’s Day to you all.

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by on February 6, 2023  •  Permalink
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Posted by Jennie Finch on February 6, 2023

https://www.jenniefinch.me.uk/beginning-the-third-year/

Hoping for a better year all round

Well, January has certainly shown its teeth here in Ireland and I think the same – if not worse – in the UK.  In the last few weeks we’ve had the big freeze, complete with frozen pipes and no water before Christmas.  This was followed by some torrential rain and a leaky roof.  In my last post I was hopeful about the roof but, alas, my optimism was unfounded.  When the rain returned in the New Year so did the leak.  Faster, longer and much worse this time.  Morgan came back to inspect the damage and his joke about a new roof was no longer funny. We had hoped for a better year but it is starting with a serious, and very expensive, problem.

Absolutely useless!

We have also had a few issues in the bathroom (the ball cock fell off last week!)  This shouldn’t have been too much of a problem but we couldn’t turn off the water.  There is a penny valve on the pipe, but it is facing the wall with less than 2 inches clearance.  Sometimes I almost despair at the small glitches that lead to big difficulties. 

Spot the moorhen

The cold returned last week and because it is so damp it feels much worse than the thermometer indicates.  The pond over the road froze for a couple of days but is back again and so are the birds.  The geese flew in last week, honking and wheeling overhead and yesterday I saw a heron gliding over the house.  There are a couple of moorhens enjoying the open water too.  The sun is still low for much of the day but the colours in the trees and bushes are very beautiful.  I think I’ll need to move my desk away from the window.  It is too much of a temptation, gazing out and drifting into a daydream.

Puppy Brain in Easons

I need to focus more as I’m finally returning to writing seriously.  I’ve several projects in hand and some deadlines, which concentrate the mind wonderfully.  These include editing and publishing the fifth Alex Hastings book, “A Long Shadow”.  Although it was accepted by Impress way back in 2021 nothing came of it. The new owners floundered and finally bankrupted the company.  Now I have it back and can get it ready for launching towards the end of the year.  I’m also plotting out the next book in the “Puppy Brain” trilogy, working with Jem to move the story forwards.  Jem’s still smiling after seeing his name on a real book and has some good ideas for the next one but with spring and the show season heading our way will probably take more of a back seat this time.

I have managed to recover a number of Impress books, saved from pulping.  The first lot are on their way and the second are hopefully being located next week.  I don’t know how many there are or which titles either yet.  If anyone wants any of the earlier Alex Hastings books please let me know and I can arrange to sign and send direct.  “Puppy Brain” is doing well, both paperback and e-book. The paperback is currently on offer at Amazon with 20% off so why not grab a copy?  Thank you to everyone who has bought it.  An even bigger “thank you” to the readers who have added a short review and rating.  It makes such a difference to the availability as this is set by an algorithm.  Perceived expressions of interest lead to more publicity and orders which drive sales.  What a strange world we live in.

With postal strikes in the UK and very inclement weather in both countries we are still receiving notes and cards intended for Christmas.  This means we haven’t been too worried by longer silences.  However I’ve had a number of messages from old friends in the past week.  It seems the last year has been very unkind to many.  We are still extremely tired, for longer than we expected following the efforts of the move.  Although we are recovering, this is slow and not helped by delays and problems in the house.  We are lucky compared to some of our friends however. 

A sunrise to make you smile

There has been a lot of ill health, some but not all Covid related.  People have lost relatives and loved ones. It feels almost as if half the world has PTSD from the past three years.  There’s a general air of weariness, a dusting of depression surrounding so many people.  I feel it will take a long time to recover from recent events.  We are lucky, living in such a beautiful place.  Even the freezing mornings give glorious sunrises.  The birds are singing, flying in formation through the wood and occasionally peering in through the windows.  We are meeting some new people and making friends despite still being quite isolated.  The roof will be a pain but is necessary.  There’ll be more insulation too so next winter shouldn’t seem so cold, looking on the bright side.

We are hoping for a better year ahead, for us and for all our friends and readers.  May you all recover, keep safe and prosper.  May some of your dreams come true.

Thank you for reading and I hope to see you in two weeks.

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by on January 22, 2023  •  Permalink
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Posted by Jennie Finch on January 22, 2023

https://www.jenniefinch.me.uk/hoping-for-a-better-year/

A Happy New Year to All

It’s a bit late but may I wish you all a very Happy New Year.  It is getting lighter now, slowly but surely.  Soon there will be signs of spring and everything will start to grow again.  We will get the hedge trimmed before that happens!

January sky

We are past the worst of the cold spell here but it has been very wet – fearful wet, as they say.  The New Year brought some storms and heavy rain and the kitchen roof really began to leak.  The tiled floor is rather like a skating rink when it gets wet. We put mats and towels down.  A selection of plastic tubs caught the worst drips and thankfully no-one, dog or human, slipped and fell.  Faced with the usual problem of finding someone to repair anything we turned to our friend Piers for advice. He recommended a roofer called Morgan who has been a godsend.

Firstly Morgan kept in touch and let us know when he expected to call.  Secondly he not only knows the area, he knows the house.  Finally – he actually turned up.  After a heart stopping half hour walking across the roof and checking every slate he gave some dreaded news.  “A new roof”.  I sighed – it was what we hoped to avoid but if needed it can’t be.  Then he laughed and said, “No, just kidding yer.  Think it’s the lead on the joins.”  He showed me some pictures of the flashing which would have made a good collage.  The whole join is a series of mis-matched patches with a pair of long cracks in the centre.  He went away, got some lead and repaired the breaks in an hour.

Just in time as it turned out as a series of fierce squalls blew in that evening.  We watched anxiously but the roof was sound.  Morgan is coming back next week to do a complete fix, replacing the mishmash of lead with a continuous run.  The one thing you can count on in Ireland is rain so I cannot describe how relieved we are.

The long break always causes some problems especially up here where services are patchy at the best of times.  Well, I managed to get an abscess in a back tooth just after Christmas, the same day I broke a tooth on the opposite side.  I was not a happy bunny.  Our splendid doctors’ surgery emailed a prescription to our equally splendid pharmacist and I was beginning to recover in a couple of days. Everyone grumbles about the health service here but that was so fast and efficient.  I am grateful and impressed in equal amounts. Next week I’m heading to the dentist for the really nasty bit – think of me on Thursday please.

The other big problem we have at present is boiler fuel.  We have an LPG tank and a contract for remote monitoring and refilling.  After running the heating all day during the cold spell I checked the tank and it was below 20%.  I am a naturally anxious person so I rang the supplier who said they had arranged a delivery.  Nothing arrived. 

I rang again just before Christmas and was assured that they could read the tank. They would deliver our gas before it got too low.  Nothing arrived.  I rang this week and they said we didn’t have a remote meter but even so we should have had a delivery earlier that week.  I insisted they check and yes, we do have a meter. Though it’s not linked to our account.  But we are a priority now so not to worry. Our dial now reads 2% which is less than a little tank to run a caravan.

Tomorrow should be an interesting day.  We are expecting our gas delivery (yeah, right) and Jacqui has her first appointment with the Cardio Rehab unit.  It’s her birthday this week so I’m hoping the long-promised parcels will arrive too.  If everything goes to plan we will be celebrating later in the week, warm and dry and well on the road to recovery.  Well, you’ve got to have a plan haven’t you?

I got some lovely and different jigsaw puzzles this Christmas.  Two are wooden – beautiful things with pieces cut into animal and bird shapes.  Jacqui made me a smaller frame for them as the bits tend to slide around – until finished they’re more like mosaics than jigsaws.  I spent a happy few afternoons with them.  They really are quite stunning when completed and, unlike the second-hand puzzles from charity shops, have all their pieces.

As we are running the heating a lot less we’ve been mining the log pile and using the wood burner in the snug.  Piers repaired the door for us last month and the glass is now fixed properly. This means we’re not at risk of fumes.  We wait for a break in the rain to dash out and fill the dog-show trolley (now re-purposed) to drag a load inside.  Fergus and co did such a good job stacking it is all drying out very well and a few bits are sporting some attractive fungi.  However we are not tempted to try any of them. We remember the excellent advice from Wild Food Mary .

So that’s our New Year.  Stormy skies with occasional power cuts, a warm fire and lovely views when the sun comes out.  We have finally unpacked some of the stained glass and it makes a beautiful focus on one back window.  I hope we can continue to take the best of our old life in England as we move forward into our third year in Ireland.  That should make for a Happy New Year I think.

Keep well, stay safe and thank you all for reading.

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by on January 8, 2023  •  Permalink
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Posted by Jennie Finch on January 8, 2023

https://www.jenniefinch.me.uk/a-happy-new-year-to-all/

A Christmas update

It is Boxing Day in the UK and St Stephen’s Day here in Ireland and the first round of festivities is behind us.  We had a lovely day – quiet, warm and very restful.  This is mainly because we planned carefully and managed to get everything done early, something I can heartily recommend if you can manage it.  I realise this may be a counsel of perfection for many, especially those with big families but the pay-off is tremendous.

Beautiful but very cold wood

We were a bit pushed this year, partly due to the elements.  Like most of you we found the weather turned cold, then colder, then ridiculously cold in the last few weeks.  It was so cold our water froze up. Not the new pipes that are nestled in the relative warmth of the Majestic.  No, the few remaining original pipes buried underground froze.  For three days we were without any water and I spent several interesting hours scraping the hoar-frost off walls and buildings to put into the toilet tank. You don’t realise how important something as basic as water is until it’s gone.  We now have a water butt from the roof for general water. We will lay in a stash of drinking water for the future. Every day is a school day here.

We were planning our writers’ group dinner and it looked as though we would have to cancel but the thaw came just in time. Luckily there were no burst pipes on our side of the system. It was a small but very happy gathering that we all enjoyed, including the dogs who revel in company.  Jacqui had prepared a wonderful selection of food, termed “Mezapas”, a combination of mezedes and tapas.  It was the first time we’ve entertained in the house, due to Covid and Jacqui’s health and it went off splendidly.  We might try it again sometime next year…

A Liquorice Hamper

Although we’ve not had any strikes over here we have been affected by them too. Post from the UK has almost ground to a halt the past few weeks.  This affects items going in both directions so some of you may not have received a card from us yet and some items we ordered weeks ago have still not arrived.  Despite this we had a very happy day with a range of gifts for each other.  I don’t eat much chocolate but do have a weakness for selection boxes.  This year they were in short supply so Jacqui bought four-packs of the most common items and wrapped them up in a home-made jigsaw board. Oh yes – sugar rush for me!

Jacqui loves Henry Goode’s Liquorice, which you can only find in the chemist for some reason.  I tried to buy a box of it but the wonderful staff decided that was far too scruffy.  Instead they used a make-up hamper and filled it with silver glitter straw and ten bags of liquorice, wrapping it all up in gift paper complete with little rosettes.  Now there’s a selection box for you!

Our Christmas Day was enlivened by our dining room roof leaking – again – just as we were getting ready to eat.  This has been a regular problem when there is heavy rain from one particular direction.  We were told it was fixed before we moved in. We’ve had at least three workmen who promised to come and see to it but so far nothing has been done.  It’s getting worse each time so we will have to make it a priority in the New Year.

A Community Library

One disadvantage in living so far out in the countryside is the lack of any sort of facilities.  With houses and farms stretched over several kilometres there can be little sense of community but still people will find a way to make life better for one another.  In the depths of the big freeze there was a knock on our door.  It was a neighbour, Noreen, with her dog Brandy.  She lives over a kilometre away but often walks along the road on her days off.  She was just checking we were okay and didn’t need any help.  We were so touched and felt reassured someone was thinking of us with kindness.   

Driving around the small roads of the area I spotted another sign of community.  Opposite one of the isolated houses was a big wooden box on a pole.  For a moment I thought it was a shrine to an accident victim, a common sight in Greece.  We stopped and I went over to investigate, finding it was a library box.  All of the books are donated, not officially part of the library system.  This box was a way of sharing books of every type with neighbours and friends. There are official libraries but they are far apart up here and often only open part-time.  The service is excellent however with activities for the whole community, computer access and an inter-library loan scheme covering the whole country.

What is this bird?

I leave you with another ornithological puzzle.  When the frost melted away I saw several mid-sized brown birds picking their way across the back field.  Might they be partridges do you think?  They were utterly fearless, ignoring me as I photographed through the fence.

The St Stephen’s Day Rainbow

So, a happy (Boxing) St Stephen’s Day to you all.  This morning we were treated to a magnificent rainbow stretching from the fairy fort to our wood. An omen of better times ahead I hope. 

May the next year bring you peace and happiness and thank you all for reading.

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by on December 26, 2022  •  Permalink
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Posted by Jennie Finch on December 26, 2022

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The season for anniversaries.

We are well into December now and winter has crept in with all its delightful little quirks.  Here in Tipperary we are not immune to the cold – it has been very frosty with ice and freezing fog for most of the last week.  We are, however, having a run of small celebrations.  December means Christmas for most people here but it is our season for anniversaries too.  On the 1st we had marked 38 years since moving to Somerset and beginning our life together.  We could not have a formal union until 2005 and waited until 2006 for a civil partnership but it is our 1984 moving day we celebrate as our anniversary.

Frosty sunrise

On the 9th we held a small “thanksgiving”, marking two years since we arrived in Ireland, ragged, exhausted and both exhilarated and desperately sad.  So many people helped us on the journey and wished us well and we remember you all.  We couldn’t have moved without somewhere to stay and Sharon and Davey worked a miracle to find us a cottage – with our three dogs.  They were waiting for us, along with little Chloe, in a warm, bright room.  We even had a Christmas tree to decorate. 

Back in England three wonderful friends, Lynn, Paul and Su, stepped in and fought valiantly against the chaos left by the movers. Without their help we would never had got away in time, would have missed the ferry and the next day the borders were closed.  We would have been stuck, homeless and under lockdown rules.  We cannot ever thank them enough – and a “thanksgiving” seems more than justified.

Serious festivity near us!

Now we are heading towards Christmas and will have a small gathering of the writers’ group later this week.  This is our first foray into entertaining since we arrived and we are busy tidying up the last boxes, cleaning and planning.  I climbed a ladder to adjust the curtains yesterday and was horrified to find great clumps of fur on the ceiling.  The dogs have been blowing their coat for some time and it is very fine hair.  The ceiling is pale wood and where the fur has drifted up it sticks, invisible from the floor.  When I finish this I will be wielding the soft broom again, checking for fur and the ever-present cobwebs.  Then I will put up our tree, and the lights outside.  We can be festive – though not as impressive as some houses near us.

On display in Easons

The new book, “Puppy Brain” is doing well and there are a couple of (very good) reviews on Amazon now.  If you have read it please would you consider posting a sentence or two?  It really does make a difference – and not just to my ego.  Sales, ordering and stock are all controlled by an algorithm.  If there are no reviews, after a few weeks “computer says no”, and that can sink the book overnight.  I ventured into Easons Bookshop in our nearest town last week.  This is the Irish equivalent to Waterstones and I was a bit nervous.  The sales manager was wonderful – welcoming, interested and positive.  She has agreed to stock the book and offered really good terms.  I expressed my delight and with typical Irish frankness she said, “We don’t screw our authors over here”.  Well, it’s on the shelves and prominently displayed.  I am so happy!

I’m furious!!

Of course, not everything goes to plan.  I’ve been having some problems with out local An Post office for some time.  I thought it was just me but it seems the man running it is well known for his behaviour.  This time he refused to fill out the customs forms and sent my books out as “business documents”.  Two came back first, then the other two yesterday.   The town An Post was very helpful however, resending the first two with proper documents and naming the office without me having to tell them.  I can only apologize to anyone waiting for a book.  I will never use the local office again – I don’t trust him at all.  But now we have about a 40 kms round trip if we need any counter service, or to buy stamps.  Well, there’s always something.

We often find ourselves reflecting on events past during this season for anniversaries.  Whilst in the supermarket we spotted a frozen whole goose and a familiar gleam appeared in Jacqui’s eye.  There was no stopping her – roast goose on Saturday it was.  We recalled similar reactions from us both, most notably our last trip through France about ten years ago.  We stopped in Saumur, a lovely town with a nice hotel.  But they had changed their room structure without telling us.  We ended up paying for two rooms, much to my fury.  When Jacqui picked me up for dinner I was stuffing all the soaps, shampoo, sewing kits and assorted snacks into a bag.  I found myself suddenly very Geordie. “I’m stripping this place, me”, I said.  Well, the refugee charity at home did well out of it, and we never went back there.

It is Christmas Day in a fortnight so I will probably be a day or so late with the next episode.  I would like to wish every one of you a very Happy Christmas and hope the next year treats you well.  Stay warm, keep safe and thank you for reading and following this little blog.

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by on December 11, 2022  •  Permalink
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Posted by Jennie Finch on December 11, 2022

https://www.jenniefinch.me.uk/the-season-for-anniversaries/

A strange, mixed fortnight

I’m sitting at my desk and enjoying a rare sight through the window – the sun is shining.  We’ve had rather a lot of rain over the past few weeks, as I think a lot of you have.  Here it has veered from long, sullen downpours to bursts of hail mixed with sudden bright spots.  The wind has been ferocious and we are very glad we have managed to keep most of our trees safe, apart from the one faller early in the month. And the geese are making their way back too, though in limited numbers. 

I still think it looks like a cow!

The old peat swamp is filled again, making a little lake across the road.  There is a strange hummock in the middle and the first time I saw it I thought it was a cow – maybe some Highland cattle – stranded there.  No, it is just some thick brown grass poking over the water.

Always an exciting moment

Like the weather, this has been a strange, mixed fortnight.  My new book, “Puppy Brain” was published officially on Thursday and the Kindle version is now up and available too.  This is always a very exciting time.  Even though it’s the fifth time for me it is still a thrill to open a box full of books I’ve written.  Or co-written in this case.  Then there was a bump in the road.  It seems the main distributor to book shops won’t sell to small or independent shops.  Relying of economies of scale, they demand a much higher discount for self-published or small press books.  This results in the classic “Catch-22” situation.  Without large orders the book is unlikely to feature in big, mainstream shops.  Without sales in the big, mainstream shops there will be no large demand or orders. I’m working on it.

Meanwhile I’m sending out the signed copies promised or requested on Monday so look out for the arrival if you have contacted me.  I have a stock I can dedicate, sign and send though these will incur postage from Ireland.  Amazon has sold their stock already but if you want a copy from them don’t be put off by the “almost 2 months” delay.  This is down to the algorithm and your order will arrive much sooner.

I have been musing on a feature of Irish society that impacts on us and, I suspect, many others here.  With the cities increasingly overcrowded and horribly expensive, government policy is to persuade people to move out.  There is a lot of space in Ireland, though building is still slow.  People often buy an old-fashioned cottage and renovate it over time.  In fact several estate agents have a whole section for “Derelict Property”, though at least one tarts it up as “Former Glory”.  The advantage of these properties is almost all have a good amount of land – about an acre at least.  The disadvantages are many.  No roof sometimes.  No amenities at all.  Décor that shuns the name, no heating or insulation and often very small rooms.  However, priced from 30,000 up they can turned into perfect homes with space and gardens – over time.

There are obstacles to the plan however.  Out of the towns there are no services.  I mean NO services.  Mains water and sewage, telephone connection, cable and gas are all absent. Dodgy electricity and patchy wifi and mobile signals are common.  Our problem with rubbish and recycling has been documented here, but it is a big issue.  The largest firms have switched to long, very big wagons they can’t (or won’t) drive to more remote locations. Perversely they use the smaller trucks in town!  And there needs to be proper public transport.  We have none and all the local taxi drivers left during Covid.  

This push into the countryside is not welcomed universally either. Some farmers (not all) are used to having free rein over the whole area, and resent the newcomers, or “blow-ins” as they are called.  There are some really abusive areas of the Internet where posters jeer at new residents, laugh at their concerns and suggest they just sell up and move back to the city.  The sense is newcomers don’t respect “country ways” and don’t understand the problems of farmers.  There may be some who don’t but there are some farmers who flout the law and behave in a rather un-neighbourly manner.  There can be shooting out of season, multi-shot guns used, slurrying next to domestic wells, electric fences that interfere with domestic supplies and intrusions onto private land, for example. 

Our tree lopping
“Guardian” of the countryside

Many of them behave very well and live up to their image as “guardians” of the countryside.  But not all.  Last post I described the fallen tree onto the road from our land.  We cleared it within an hour without damaging anything else – of course.  Why would we do otherwise?  I leave you with two images. First we have the neighbour’s trees lopped by Fergus to prevent accidents last year, at our instigation and expense.

Second we have the tree “pruning” we encountered along the road, by the same neighbour.  I think it was done with a JCB.  It is heartbreaking to see the damage to living, healthy trees.

So who would you say is the “guardian” of the countryside?

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by on November 27, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in A big Adventure, new book
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Posted by Jennie Finch on November 27, 2022

https://www.jenniefinch.me.uk/a-strange-mixed-fortnight/

A post mainly about writing

I began this blog expecting to use it mainly about writing.  After all, that was my new venture back in 2010 when the first of the four crime novels came out.  Then, of course, the unexpected happened and we upped sticks and headed over the sea to land in Ireland.  After the dust settled I found myself writing about writing that rather than actually writing.  In fact, for the last few years that’s been mainly the writing I’ve been doing. 

There are a number of reasons for this.  I think the whole Ireland adventure makes a decent story (and it seems you agree with me).  It keeps me working, at least a little.  The main reason why there have been no new books however comes down to the Impress debacle, long brewing but still a hammer blow when it landed.  My fifth Alex Hastings novel, “A Long Shadow”, was accepted for publication three years ago.  You may have noticed nothing happened.  Then supplies of the first four began to dry up and there was no communication from the new owners of Impress.  And then, suddenly, Impress went into administration.

Happy days – soon to be available again.

This was very frightening.  I, along with a number of others, was in danger of losing rights and copyright to my books – eleven years work ripped away.  A lot of time and energy was poured into fighting for the books and I have the rights back now but it certainly knocked my confidence in the publishing industry.  Agents, in my experience, are not worth bothering with for all sorts of reasons I can’t articulate without risking a libel case.  Publishers take control of everything – editing, printing, distribution, publicity – unless they don’t do it.  Or don’t do it properly.  Then books are published but just disappear in the huge sea of new titles.  It’s enough to make you want to give up.  And I was very close to that a couple of months ago.

Then Jacqui encouraged me to revisit a project I had been working on with my cousin, Jem Cooney.  I was wary of writing in a different genre but with Jem’s name on the book it took some of the pressure away.  We both have Tibetan Spaniels and both had a range of stories about breeding, showing and training them.  Together we wove this into a novel called “Puppy Brain” and it seemed a possible way back into writing again.

“Puppy Brain – A real underdog story”.

Wanting to keep more control over the development of this book I sought out a highly respected self-publishing firm, Grosvenor House.  They have been excellent – professional, quick and responsive.  I had my own publishing administrator, the excellent Melanie Bartle, and had all the help and support I needed.  Before this I viewed my job as mainly about writing but now I have some experience in cover layout, different synopses, metadata and a whole lot more.  It has been a rich educational experience and now – “Puppy Brain” will be published on November 24th!

Starting with the adoption of Lucy, a young Tibetan Spaniel, it follows the efforts of Liv and Petra to honour a promise.  They agreed to have one litter of puppies and try to show them, although neither had ever done this before.  They are told the dogs are not good enough and fit “only for pets”. When they try a few local shows meet fierce resistance from some people.  Determined to do their best they push on, making friends – and more enemies – as they go.

For those wary of cute fluffy dog books, this is NOT one of those.  Nor, for those of you who are anxious and soft hearted, is it about harm to any animal.  It is the humans who fight the battles in this book.  Anyone who has any knowledge of the dog world will know it can be warm, friendly and supportive.  It is also a real shark pool.  Ever wondered what it is like to actually show a dog?  Or – whisper it – try to qualify to show them at Crufts?  This story is for you.  Just like to support the underdog?  This is for you too.   

You can pre-order“Puppy Brain” on Amazon now and an e-book will be out in a couple of weeks.  You can also order from your local bookshop, or online in the next few days from most big retailers. These including Waterstones, Blackwell and the Book Depository.  I will have some first editions and am happy to sign and send a personal copy, though this will entail postage from Ireland. 

The details for the book are:

“Puppy Brain – A real underdog story”  by Jem Cooney and Jennie Finch.  The ISBN for the paperback is 978-1803812502.   

Amazon.com (USA) is also beginning to list the title and it will be available to order soon.  Other outlets include Barnes and Noble, Baker and Taylor and Chapters/Indigo. If anyone from Australia or further afield wants a copy please contact me and I will find your local supplier.

And may I ask a small favour?  If you like it, wherever you get it from, could you go to Amazon and leave a rating and mini review?  It can be just a sentence but it makes a huge difference, particularly to the computer algorithms.  These dictate whether the book will appear on search engines, be stocked and reordered or even be available at all.

It’s the beginning of a new series I hope.  I think Jem is happy just to see his name on a “real” book. I’ve got more stories bubbling away now so will probably pick it up and run with it for a while.  But never fear, Alex Hastings fans.  I have plans to publish “A Long Shadow”, hopefully next year and will be reissuing the first four books too.  It’s been a slightly wobbly journey but I feel I’m back on the right path again.

So, there we are.  A post mainly about writing for a change.  Just as well really – the weather is vile at the moment!

Keep warm and thank you for reading.

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by on November 13, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in new book, Writing
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Posted by Jennie Finch on November 13, 2022

https://www.jenniefinch.me.uk/a-post-mainly-about-writing/

A Happy Halloween to you all

Well, we’ve had quite an exciting – and rather busy – time these last few weeks.  Halloween is fast approaching and autumn is definitely here. It’s stamping its mark on all around us, sometimes with a bit more force than we expected.  On the plus side, the wood is looking good and unusually for this part of Ireland the leaves are changing colour.  Displays of autumn shades were a regular feature of life in England but over here trees often stay green, if a bit battered, all through the year.  I think this may be because it is much wetter, but this year there was actually a bit of a drought, just for a few weeks.  This caused a modicum of panic, especially amongst some farmers, and also may have triggered the leaf changes. 

This needed some work
In less than an hour

Be assured, normal service has been resumed.  This last fortnight we have had some tremendous rainfall and very high winds.  On Wednesday I heard some strange bird calls and went to investigate. I was shocked to find a small tree had fallen over the road.  It was one of the almost-dead trees on the edge of the wood so we set to with clippers, axes and a reciprocating saw.  Jacqui used the saw, by the way.  I know my weaknesses.  Within an hour the road was clear and we had a pile of kindling and small logs.  And a great sense of achievement.  I think it shows how much better Jacqui is now – progress has seemed slow but it has been progress.

We had our second set of visitors last week. A dear friend and her son made the journey from England and it was lovely to see familiar faces again.  They hired a car at the airport and we met them in the nearest town to guide them through the lanes to the house.  I remember the first time we came here, to view it.  The satnav sent us along the longest and most confusing route possible until we had no idea where we were. And even less idea how to get back!  They had a very restful and happy few days, visiting a few places and helping out in the wood.  The weather was kind for them, bright if not sunny by day and cool enough to light the log burner at night.

A sad find for us

As the undergrowth dies back we can now get further into the wood and it was our visitor who spotted a body just past the oaks.  It had obviously been there a long time as it was picked clean but I’m fairly sure it was a badger.  A sad find as we love the idea of a set in the wood.  I rescued the skull before another animal could drag it away and it is on our monument.  There’s no sign of shotgun injury on the skeleton so it may have been poisoned by someone.  I hope not – they are beautiful creatures and we hoped they would be safe on our land.

Very odd fungi
Inside out in two days

Other interesting signs of autumn have popped up in the form of some white mushrooms growing along the wall outside.  These looked very strange, even more so when they matured after a few days. They seemed to turn inside out before melting away to an inky sludge.  I did some research and I think they may be Shaggy Ink Caps, also known as Judge’s Wig.  If they are then apparently they are delicious though very short lived.  I’m very wary however and will check with Wild Food Mary before we have a fry-up.

I have finally found a writing group locally.  It’s just begun but the members are a lively and talented bunch.  It gets me out of the house once a week and I’m getting used to being with other people again.  I hadn’t realised how far I’d retreated into myself over the past few years.  I think this is not so unusual and I must make a determined effort to keep in contact with people. Maybe even, if possible, make new friends.  We left a lot behind when we moved – and have few regrets – but the hardest thing was the people.

Now for some writing news.  I should have a new book out before Christmas.  This is not an Alex Hastings but though if it goes well I will probably go with these publishers for the next one. Written with my Irish cousin, Jem Cooney, it’s called “Puppy Brain” and is the first (hopefully) of three novels. I’ll have some dates and order details in the next few weeks. If anyone would like a personal copy I will have some to sign and send.  For the curious, here’s the cover “blurb”:

When Liv and Petra inherit Lucy, a Tibetan Spaniel, from Liv’s brother-in-law, he has one final wish, for Lucy to have puppies and one day to see them in the show ring. Despite never having bred or shown a dog before the women agree – after all, how hard could it be?

Two Puppies, One Promise, No Chance.

So, thank you for reading and a Happy Halloween to you all.  It’s a public holiday here – not because of Halloween but just the October one.  Have a good and safe night and I’ll be back in two weeks.

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by on October 30, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in A big Adventure, new book
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Posted by Jennie Finch on October 30, 2022

https://www.jenniefinch.me.uk/a-happy-halloween-to-you-all/

Hunkering down ready for winter

It’s a few weeks away from the changing of the clocks and we are hunkering down ready for winter.  Days are noticeably shorter, of course.  The first storms are gearing up for some excitement to come and the first frosts have appeared in the morning.  In a rural and relatively isolated house hunkering down involves a lot more work than we had in Saltburn.  We will be taping up the window frames soon – a quick and very effective draught excluder.  The shuttered vents are all closed again – so welcome in August but not in October!  And I’m buying a cartload of proper draught excluder for the doors later this week.

Well, how hard can it be?

One problem we encountered was the failure of the clock on the boiler.  The hot water was fine and we could switch the heating on manually but the timer wasn’t working.  Oh, those cold mornings running to the utility room to switch it on – I thought they were in the past.  Well, we were hoping our boiler man would do a service and check it for us ready for winter.  Unfortunately a mix of Covid and overwork meant we were waiting – and waiting.  Finally I decided I’d have a go myself. 

Our nearest little town has two hardware shops, both excellent for different things.  I was most impressed when Dennis in Hassetts had the exact clock in stock.  He also had a fine, new mains tester screwdriver.  One thing I always remember from my college days was the importance of checking twice for live wires.  Good thing I did as although the local switches were all off it was still live!  Despite there being one wire cut very short (isn’t there always one?) I had it fitted and running in less than an hour.  Now I’m having another go at the plumbing and swapping an outside tap too.  It’s amazing what you can do when you have to.

Marvellous Mallows!
Anyone for camping?

Despite the approaching winter we’ve had some lovely sunny days and the last of the wild flowers have put on a grand show.  Freed from the mini-field of wheat from dropped bird seed a bed of Mallows has flowered.  They make a marvellous show, mixed with a few late poppies.  We hope for more next year and will sow another section now we are getting a grip on the garden.  The replacement mower is doing a splendid job and last week one of our (five) promised workmen arrived.  Bill the fence man built us a lean-to by the back wall and as soon as we clear the entrance we can house it, safe and dry.  It’s better than some tents we stayed in during our European ramblings and I am toying with the idea of offering it as “wild camping”.  Any takers?

An eagle-eyed Mabel

Mabel the cat has made a reappearance, materializing on our wall this week.  She sat above the bird window for a while but the birds were far too canny for her.  Then she suddenly ran back towards the gate end, jumped down onto the grass and crouched there.  Three flicks of her tail and she pounced, diving into the Mallows and coming out with something in her mouth.  She crunched away happily for a couple of minutes and then trotted off over the fence and into the wood.  On examination I found the remains of a small stomach and possibly a tiny gall bladder – a mouse I think.  I decided not to add a photo of that….

“Jenga” for adults
It’s the size of a lorry trailer

We are looking at the approaching winter and, like everyone else, pondering on heating the house.  Although it is considerably smaller that our house in Saltburn it is detached so has more exposed walls.  The windows aren’t as good as we had in Saltburn either, hence the tape.  One advantage we have is the log burner in the snug, which lives up to its name in winter.  And we have the magnificent log pile courtesy of Fergus and his crew.  This is like the world’s biggest (and possibly most dangerous) game of “Jenga” as the logs are packed in and piled high, though generally laid out in rows.  Removing one can allow several others to be taken easily or can cause a slide of heavy wood.  We are proceeding with great caution but now have full bins inside, ready for winter.

Autumn Sunrise

One positive bit of the shorter days is the later arrival of sunrise, captured by Jacqui through the bedroom window.  Facing east, the sky turns some wonderful colours in perfect counterpoint to the kitchen widows in the evening.  We love the skies and the open air surrounding us.  They are different every day and on clear nights the stars are breathtaking.  We may be hunkering down ready for winter but every day we know just how lucky we are.

Thank you for reading and I hope you are all well and happy too.

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by on October 16, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in A big Adventure
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Posted by Jennie Finch on October 16, 2022

https://www.jenniefinch.me.uk/hunkering-down-ready-for-winter/

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