Uncommon Days

You know, I simply haven't been given a chance to miss Steve this week. I don't know if people are taking pity on me, or what, but I've had more invites out for dinner this week than I've had for ages! I was at Vic and Mark's for dinner on Tuesday (and was reading Luke a bedtime story when Steve phoned) and last night Dad invited me over. I'm not complaining, but it does mean that all the Blake's 7 reviews I'd promised myself I'd simply aren't going to get done now. Ah well. It's only a small problem.

I had a lovely day on Monday. I travelled down to Bournemouth for the day to see my good friend Stephen Oakes. I'd been promising we'd come down and see him for over a year, but as usual, hadn't quite got round to doing it, so I thought it was long past time I did. I had a really nice day too, which makes it all the better. His family were really welcoming in, and I chatted away to his Mum, and later his Dad. His family might be one of the few that discuss the relative acting merits of various Doctor Who companions down the years over dinner! That was unexpected I can tell you!
Anyway, we drank a great deal of tea, talked about Doctor Who a great deal (he doesn't get the chance to talk to anyone else about it very often) and had a nice walk in the afternoon. I know it doesn't sound too exciting really, but I just enjoyed his company and the chance to get to know him a bit better, as most of our contact has been through MSN Messenger really.

The train trip down there gave me the chance to get some reading done. I've just read The Raw Shark Texts, which was a brilliant novel. I love the way it twisted reality and was an action adventure set in a world of words and monsters that made of text. So imaginative, with a little twist at the end that was quite poignant. A really good novel!
I also managed to read Alan Bennett's new novella, An Uncommon Reader, which was highly enjoyable. It was all about the Queen developing a love of reading and how it changes her life. What I liked about it was that it emphasised all the great things about reading, the way that it can inform your view of the world and the way that a good novel can make you forget all the other things that are going on in your life and provide a bit of escape. And how addictive it can become if you let it! Great stuff, with a twist at the end that made me smile!