I’m delighted that, after several weeks of not writing much at all and feeling that my ‘writing rhythm’ had gone when my beloved dog Trix died just before Christmas, this week at last ideas are sprouting as well as my usual drive to write those ideas in story or poem or dialogue and drama.

Lost rhythm…

I hadn’t realised how much my days were linked with walk – writing – walk – writing – and the walks played a great part in the thinking processes, about characters, plots, beginning and endings, rhythm and occasionally even rhyme…

Then in mid-January I had a phone call from Michael Fleming, my friend Norah’s brother, to let me know of her death. Having known Norah from a very young age, as a great friend of my mother as well as an inspirational teacher, I felt a mix of joy at having known her as a very special person – and sadness at her passing as well as sadness about her last years when Parkinsons disease brought many difficulties.

Then – a very special invitation…

Michael called back to ask me to read my poem, Norah’s Garden, at her funeral at Pluscarden Abbey; the poem was written when I again met Norah after a space of many years and we sat in her garden to talk. When we had last met I was in my late teens, had just left Keith Grammar School, and Norah had been a KGS teacher…all of which had coloured my memories… Her warmth and interest in my writing activities – stories, plays, non-fiction as well as intermittent poetry – again became an inspiration. Her encouragement soon changed any nervousness as I rang her doorbell that first time I visited her in Priory Cottage and continued over the following years. I felt it a great privilege to read my poem at Norah’s funeral.

Another important factor

Encouragement and interest in my writing from Regina Erich and Elaine May Smith has been another important factor in recent weeks… and following Gillian Phillip’s recent workshop at Lemon Tree Writers some ideas started cooking, the beginning of a new story…

Plus …

Then very recently a complementary copy of February Leopard magazine landed on my doormat, and I saw my story ‘The Dance’ featured. (2 of my poems also in Leopard a couple of months back)

All of which has helped break my first experience of the dreaded Writer’s Block!