The three things that are currently making me happy
1. Songs From the Floodplain, by Jon Boden. Normally I run screaming from concept albums. But this one's by Jon Boden. Who is one-half of Spiers and Boden, and who is the singer for Bellowhead, and who is splendidly geeky and gangly on-stage, and who I heart very much. And he's written (and sung and played all the instruments on), a really good state of the union album. Modern folk songs rooted in English rural life and the end of the world. Apocalyptica shouldn't make me this happy. But 'Beat the Bounds' is infectiously lively, and 'Days Gone By' has a great melody and sounds almost June Tabor-esque, and 'Dancing in the Factory' is all melancholic reed instruments. It's rather hard to stop hitting the replay button. Oops, pressed it again...
2. My new raincoat. It's black and long and has little anchors to hold it closed and a monochromatic cotton lining patterned with arts-and-crafts looking flowers. I can wear it with dresses and Doc Martens, and it's a bit girly and a bit punky, and makes me feel kind of like a recalcitrant member of the Watcher's Council when I wear it. Happily, I haven't needed to wear it much this week, because
3. IT IS SUNNY OUT. FINALLY. And now I'm going to stop typing this, and go for a walk in the park.
4. I lied. One more thing. Vague enthusiasm for my long-neglected NaNo is raising its head again. The current section is entitled
'Wherein Louise Gets a Driving Lesson, The Rustbucket Gets Mildly Totaled and Our Hero Gets Pissed Off and Vainly Tries Not to Show It.'
" I drove us out of town, and once we were in the desert, I flicked the emergency lights on and we switched seats.
" Left hand down. Okay, now brake. That rock up there is a red light; we're gonna stop at it. Left hand down. You wanna start braking. Brake. Brake. Left hand down. Louise, put your left hand down and slow down. Jesus fucking Christ, your other left!!"
I made a grab for the wheel and hauled it over, but it was too late.
An almighty CRUNCH. An equally almighty silence as the engine choked and died.
As the whiplash subsided, we sat in the Rustbucket. The silence wasn't exactly comfortable.
"Well, " I said finally. "Congratulations. You killed the rock."
I opened my door and slammed it behind me. The wing mirror fell off. I stomped around behind the car so I wouldn't have to look at the front. I pulled open the driver's door.
"Stay there," I said. " You're going to have to steer us. This time,do what I tell you to do. And quit fucking crying already, you're not hurt."
And then I stomped back round to the back of the car and began to push us home."
In fact, that might be the whole section right there. I shall go copy and paste...