Maggie Cobbett

The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft agley…

Never was a truer word written. The run up to Christmas was going well for me, if we discount the heavy cold and touch of sinusitis that kept me in bed for a whole weekend.

Last Tuesday evening saw Ripon Writers’ Group’s Christmas event at The Old Deanery, which was as much fun as ever, especially when the pudding spoon turned out to be too large to fit into the glass of chocolate gunk and then got stuck. Despite feeling a little blurry, I managed to take my turn at reading out a limerick composed for the occasion. OK, so it would make Robert Burns cringe, but here you are:

It’s the month Santa’s reindeer all dread,
Being hitched up to that great heavy sled.
“Take a break,” they all whine,
 “And use snail mail this time,
Then we can spend Christmas in bed.”

There were many better contributions to the evening’s entertainment, including an ‘easy peasy quiz’ that turned out to be anything but. Link to RWG’s website on the right if you’d like to know more about it all.

An equally cheery gathering two days later at the same venue introduced me to members of the U3A Book Group, whose choice for January 2016 is my novel ‘Shadows of the Past’. This is the second year that they and the Spanish group, who meet on the same day of the week, have got together for Christmas lunch and long may it continue!

Nemesis caught up with me on Friday. Insanely happy to have thrown off the cold, although still feeling that someone may have karate chopped the bridge of my nose, I set off for York. My main aim was to have lunch with a fellow member of York Writers, but I thought I could also knock a few items off my Christmas shopping list. All went well until I was strolling down Goodramgate – not hastening, STROLLING – when my left foot twisted on the wet road surface and I crashed to the ground. Shopping went one way, handbag another, both to be rescued by a kind couple who picked me up and stayed with me until assured that no bones were broken. I made it to King’s Square to meet my lunch companion and eventually home, although it was definitely a case of mind over matter as the foot I’d twisted was very painful. The reason for this was revealed later on when I took off my boot to inspect the comprehensive bruising, which was mirrored by that all up the side onto which I fell.Another weekend in bed followed and I’m only just beginning to get back to something resembling normal. One big regret is having to miss the annual Ripon Activity Project party on Saturday, but at least it seems to have gone very well without my input!

14 December, 2015 - Make the first comment on this story