I've had a bit of a whirlwind week - shooting up to Yorkshire and back and doing quite a bit of travelling around whilst up there.

I met Virginia Mason from the Halifax Courier on Wednesday and had such a great time with her. The fun started with having my photograph taken on the swings in Stainland rec. - I so loved that (the swinging I mean, not necessarily the photo-taking!). I had forgotten how exhilerating it is. I think I might have to get one in the garden; it's the healthiest, cheapest form of 'therapy' I know.

Then it was off in search of coffee and cake, a search which ran into the buffers at a deli where we weren't allowed to sit in the cafe upstairs because they 'had no plates and the coffee machine wasn't on yet', so we took our sandwiches and sat outside and it was truly lovely, a bit chilly (or 'parky' as we northerners like to say), but really relaxing.

I think I might have waffled on a bit too much, but sometimes it's only when you're talking to someone else, someone you don't know too well, that you discover things about yourself. I found out just how much I'm looking forward to going into schools and meeting the children I write for. I reaffirmed how I eager I am to get back to 'Flipside' because the time for that is now. And I realised how in awe I am of Flissy who is just so passionate about her job as an early years literacy consultant and is such a wonderful warm communicator of her subject. Thanks to her I'm now armed with a bucketful of ideas, a couple of bags full of props and the desire to get out there.....

Big thanks to Virginia, I had fun.