Odd thing, writing.

I was helping a preacher friend of mine (at the un-holy hour at 3am) and he noticed I hadn't posted for a while - he ''a reader not a commenter'' he explained. We got into a discussion about writers block. Being a preacher, he's required to produce, on a deadline, and regularly. Worse, he has to read his own notes, and adapt it to his audience, and occasionally, after many hours, junk it all together and speak off the cuff.

It's not widely appreciated, but preachers don't just work Saturdays or Sundays, but often have to teach and speak at least 4-5 other days a week too. And often have to be entertaining too. Then there's the pastoral, caring work they do. So faced with a blank piece of paper, horror can set it. At 3am.

I don't believe in writers block. I pointed out in our heated, good natured discussion that you have to be organised. I use notes. Hundreds of them, on good old fashioned index cards and notepad on the PC. It helps, at least in his profession, to plan ahead and follow a theme.

One of my favourite writers is Jo Davidson in The Sheffield Star - www.thestar.co.uk. She writes what is effectively a blog about current events and family life. If you read through her articles, which are aimed at the ladies, and then study them closely, you can get a glimps at the careful research and organisation that goes into her articles.

So Steve mate - I hope you don't mind I've used you as an example :)

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So why haven't I been around? Well, back in October my household expanded to +1. My eldest lad, who already has a lady friend, met a lady from Illinois on line. She, and her mum had visited, while stopping in a hotel in July. The young (20, and therefore a minor in the States) decided in October she would come to Brit on holiday, and stop with a family in in our area. However, once she arrived in the UK, she discovered they were off on holiday themselves, and subsequently, didn't want her.

Guess where she's been, penniless, with one suitcase, with no chance of an income or accommodation? And she's loud and aggressive and.... 'Nuff said. As you can imagine, with my lad already having a lady friend, it's been a bit awkward, and legally - jimminy cricket. Worse, her mum in the States won't take her back and she doesn't have any means of getting back.

And, just to make life interesting, elderly parent, (late 70's) turned up on christmas eve very ill after a pipe burst in her loft, collapsing her ceilings, and is still here. Privacy is very hard to come by :(

I'm open to suggestions.................