So there I was at the end of October, contemplating signing up for NaBloPoMo, thinking how hard can it really be to post every day for a month – a measly little month?!?
Hah.
Well, to be honest, it’s not that hard. Provided you aren’t trying to a) hold down a job; b) get some sleep every night; c) see your husband while awake at least once a day; d) go away for a weekend; or e) have a social life. All of which I’m afraid to say I have attempted during November. The plan towards the end of the month was to present you with a series of posts about my trip to the south of France a couple a years ago (drafted but never edited or posted), so as to take some pressure off me and free me up to make and post my WTSIM entry tonight. And even if this had not come to pass (which it didn’t), it would probably still have been OK if I hadn’t been hosting WTSIM this month (for all you topless tarts out there!). Or if I hadn’t spent the past two days in Gascony with friends, eating duck/goose in various forms and drinking my own body weight in excellent French wine. Ah well, 20/20 hindsight.
The bottom line is that I did, and now I am feeling a little frayed at the edges as far as my blogging responsibilities are concerned. My tart is, as yet, unmade – mea culpa. But instead of burning the midnight oil yet again and dozing off at the office tomorrow, I have decided to confess my shortcomings to you all and get some sleep instead.
To everyone who has sent entries for WTSIM (deadline today but I’m prepared to accept entries until mine goes up) – thank you, and apologies for no having responded to your e-mails yet. I am 99% sure I have all your entries and I will be working my way through them and responding to your e-mails during the course of this week. Don’t panic – we will find and include your entry if it is lost in space at the moment!
In the meanwhile, and just so that you don’t say this was just a filler post, I present you with a series of rather delightful photos of habanero chiles that I snapped recently at Queen’s Market, our closest market. For some reason, they were the only thing I photographed that day, although there is a lot more to see at the market; from fresh fruit and vegetables, to Halaal butchers, to fishmongers to… a hairdresser that advertised cuts, blow-drys and the like… alongside a sign in the window that said “smoked fish always available”.
Clearly some people are better at multi-tasking than I am.
Follow me every day in November as I complete National Blog Posting Month – a post a day, every day, for 30 days! Here are all my NaBloPoMo ’07 posts so far.
Great, I haven’t done NaBloPoMo but am still a little frayed at the edges ( a usual state with me) so am glad you are running a little late. My post for WTSIM says 27th but it was only 2 minutes past midnight , I promise. The pics are stunning
Dear God Woman,
Imagine if I had to drink my own body weight in french wine? The Mosel valley would surely be barren???
I’d never be able to get it together to post every day, I have had a hard time just keeping up with reading some of them!
Great photos – I love the colours on the chillies, those little babies are HOT!
I am incredibly impressed that you even tried (and almost succeeded) in the daunting task of posting every day of November. Well done you!!
Beautiful photos of scotch bonnets. My eyes are burning just looking at them.
-Elizabeth
P.S. Eeek!!! The WTSIM deadline was yesterday! Now why didn’t someone remind me? 😉 I even have topless tart photos in the camera from a topless tart made last week. (Hmmmm, I wonder if I can wheedle loudly enough to be given an extension of say… a day?)
Those chilies look absolutely brilliant!
I bought some a couple of weeks ago and loved their apricoty aroma and heat! I used only one for the whole dish, and boy was it hot! Just the way I like it! 🙂
Great to hear that I can still submit an entry for WTSIM. I’ve been meaning to take part, but life got into way, and i haven’t had a chance to make what I wanted to yet.
Sometimes, things just get away from us, and you are doing the right thing to take a deep breath. Believe me, we all understand!
Hi Jeanne, I’m glad you extended the deadline. It means that I could get away with that email I just sent you. 🙂
Love the photo of the chillies. Their colours are absolutely stunning!
You’ve already done amazingly posting full and interesting posts every day. As for multi-tasking, I’ve thoroughly failed to get my entry into WTSIM or even take photographs of the topless tarts I have made this month, even though I had several ideas of things to enter and love topless tarts! Life gets in the way sometimes. Cut yourself some slack on getting the round-up done – nobody will mind if it’s late ..and there are only a couple more days in November.
I’m so sad I missed out on your WTSIM, I really wanted to do the topless tart…I had the dates all wrong! And you’ve worked SO hard in this month of November and now December and Christmas is ahead, you can’t even take leave(..and leave us without inspiration..no no no!)So come on, load up on the vitamins, say selfish I!
ronell
Hi Inge
I know how you feel… On the whole NaBloPoMo was not as terrifying as I thought it would be, but by Friday night I was ready to stop. But now it’s ticked and done! Don’t worry about timing of the WTSIM post – far be it from me to impose rigid time limits 🙂
Hi Sarah
!! I take the Fifth!! 🙂
Hi Nic
Frankly, I’m surprised at myself keeping up with the writing and stayed sane (and married!). But I have to say my response to comments and my visits to other blogs suffered… All should be back to normal now though 🙂 Glad you liked the chile pics – I’m faaaar to scared to eat these but my hubby loves them.
Hi Elizabeth
You’re impressed, I’m astounded 🙂 Glad it’s over though… Glad you liked the pics – and as discussed, don’t even mention missing the deadline. In my house it’s more of a guideline than a deadline…!
Hi Maninas
My hubby agrees with you – I’m too big a scaredy cat to have these!! And as I said to Elizabeth above, no worries about the WTSIM “Deadline” – all entries were accepted 🙂
Hi Deborah
Thanks so much – it’s great to know I have support 🙂
Hi I-Ling
Glad you liked the pics – they are very photogenic chillies! And thanks for the WTSIM entry – worth the wait 😉
Hi Kit
Thanks so much for your kind words. I really did try to make all my posts “proper” posts, not just fillers and I think I succeeded. Glad to have kept you and other readers amused for 30 days! And re. WTSIM – next month is another month!
Hi Ronell
No worries – of all people I understand how the days just get away from you! And I promise to try and keep up some of my good habits of regular blogging through into December. Just for you 🙂