'Ello, 'ello 'ello!

So you have returned? Perhaps you are curious to know how my search for inspiration has been going. Or, more likely, you want to steal my chocolate Hobnobs. Either way, come on in and make yourself comfortable.

The search for inspiration, if you're interested, has actually been quite fruitful. On Saturday I took a trip to the lovely Castle Howard, hoping to be hit with a blinder of a story idea. I wasn't what you'd call hit, exactly, but was more...showered, with a multitude of writing possibilities. I also had a rather scrumptious slice of ginger cake in the tea room, which is always nice.
The castle isn't really a castle, but more of a stately home. But it gave me an idea about working on a piece about the Tudors, (remember Katherine Howard?) or at least writing a poem about the peacocks terrorising my fellow visitors. Don't be taken in by their pretty exteriors. They can be pretty vivious. Really. I was hoping to get some ideas for the piece on Spring I have to write for next week, but although there were plenty of daffodils around, no.1: copying t'old Wordsworth would be a bit, well, unoriginal, don't you think? And 2. the weather was cold, freezing, snowy, sleety, wet, slicing, stinging, miserable and...yuk. So all thoughts of the joys of flowers and woolly baa lambs pretty much upped sticks and left my imagination before I had even got out of the car on arrival. It was a grand day out, though. Highly recommend a visit. Perhaps you'll be more inspired than I was. I particularly liked the lit open fires dotted all round the house; they lent it a realistic and homely feel. I can imagine listening to old yarns with a glass of something scrummy around those.

Yesterday I had one of those wonderful episodes where you really get into a story and don't want to stop. I finally became inspired after, believe it or not, watching Ratatouille on DVD a few days ago with a young friend of mine, and now I'm very involved in a not-so-short-story about some fun-loving mice. They're mice with attitude.

So, here's some advice for you, faithful reader. If your attempts to go out into the country leave your imagination unstimulated, watch a Disney DVD. You never know...

Happy writing, and see you next time!