A Literary Hostess

On a recent 'once every few years' break without the offspring, the other half and I returned to the big smoke, once our home in the dim and distant past. The freedom of boarding a river boat when we felt like it and without having to check that my handbag was stuffed with snacks or that the youngest two weren't about to topple over railings into the murky Thames (they may look as though they're past that stage, but...), was liberating and certainly made a change from the hustle and bustle of country life and wondering whch of the regular four walkers might stroll past the house today.

On our final morning we stopped off at the National Portrait Gallery, which is currently hosting an exhibition of Olympic/Paralympian photographs. I managed to nudge the other half upstairs to wander through galleried landings of the great and the good of days gone by only to have my reverie interrupted by his spoken observation, "Look, there's hope for you yet," - and I hadn't even realised that he had become that despairing. The signage underneath a particular portrait explained that the sitter was a Literary Hostess. Doubts regarding the eventual completion of my novel are clearly near the surface - I prefer to style myself as an aspiring author; and full-time chief-cook, taxi driver, laundry maid, veterinary nurse, tender to offspring's needs; part-time cleaner, sporadic tidier, homework nagger and somewhere along the line, the other half's other half.

As chance would have it, I was fortunate enough to attend a Literary Function last week triumphantly organised  by a fellow author and - now she can add this to her list - Literary Hostess, Teresa Gard. For any of you who haven't followed Teresa's work before, find her at www.teresagard.co.uk Her insightful and humorous book, Rum and Coke on Ice has been produced solely for the benefit of two South-West charities and tells the tale of one of man's best friends negotiating the complicated path of love on behalf of his two owners. The book launch was a resounding success and has set the bench mark for any who may wish to see their portraits hanging in a gallery one day!