One Tragedy After Another

I think I should have joined Steps, with all the tragedies following me around the last three months. Couldn't I just have a simple life for a few weeks? Apparently not.

As some of you will know my mum passed away in late September. I'm sure everyone knows what losing a loved one feels like, even if its your pet cat/dog etc. Add to that some very serious health concerns, then a concussion and suspected broken nose - don't ask. You'll understand why when my husband surprised me with a trip away for half term I was absolutely delighted.

I have been studying Spanish on Duolingo for 428 days now, so when he said Spain, I thought great I can actually put some of it into practice, and more than, "una cerveza por favor," and "mucho calor."

The trip was uneventful for most of the flight until 30 minutes before landing when we were advised to put on our seat belts. What followed was a roller coaster ride that would have put Alton towers to shame. Several twenty-five foot drops had a couple of children fretting and one baby screaming its head off. I could see some adults, their hands gripped tightly on the arm rests trying to stay calm. The approach to the airport was a bit wavy, side to side, but the engines slowed and I thought great we're landing. Oh, no we weren't.

The plane lifted off into the air at a forty-five degree angle, making me, and I'm sure many others, surmise that we'd just avoided a major crash into the ground. The pilot came on the tanoy to reassure us, that he couldn't see the airport so wouldn't risk landing. That was reassuring - NOT. Someone started being sick, the baby from hell bumped up his/her volume and several more kids joined it.

He advised he'd try just once more. The second time we made it, and like I've seen in films, everyone on board was so relieved  we clapped, thanking the almighty that we were not only alive, but in one piece. My husband watched the plane landing behind us. He reported it had a much worse descent, its wheels touching concrete then soaring off into the air at an eighty degree angle. I think I might have thrown up too on that one. We didn't envy them. Later we discovered ours was the last plane to land, all subsequent flights were diverted to Barcelona. Where was our relaxing holiday destination? you've got it - Valencia!

Escape the trauma of home? Seems like it was following me. It appeared we'd landed a few hours before the huge floods rocked buildings and took many lives. We didn't have a clue. On landing we agree to take the cheaper Metro (underground train) to our hotel.  It was pleasant enough, we got a bit lost getting off, but made our way to our beautiful place of residence the Valencia Palace Hotel. Super burger and chips.

Again, much later we discovered areas of the Metro had flooded, along with several underground car parks killing those inside their cars etc. The death rate rose daily. We didn't see anything of the ravages and horror until we left to go to the airport and onboard the plane. 

I felt guilty enjoying the beautiful city whilst folk were digging out their relatives, but what could we do? We decided to only buy, eat and drink in local businesses to support their local economy a small bit. The place was amazing, and there will be an awesome pod cast on my You tube channel when we get around to adding it. 

On another note, the Arizona Podcast is now live on my channel. Feel free to fast forward the road sections. They are good to see but maybe a tad boring. Check out the cool places we visited, including the corner on Winslow Arizona and the Flatbed Ford cafe. 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=77y6q7OmwAw&t=192s

That's enough tragedies, but it wasn't. We arrived home and I settled down to getting The Tales of Timmy and his Magic Beans print run delivered. Danny, the Ginger Illustrator, and I have been excited as sheep on a trampoline about this next picture book. Again Dyslexia and Irlen's friendly the feedback we'd been receiving is huge. I'd arranged a specific date and time for the boxes arriving when my hubby was at home. Arrive they did. Intact, they did not.

My disbelief in the state of the books was off the charts. I'd already had two other books published by this printer, Chicken Wizard and Shea Pingle,  and they'd been printed and delivered perfectly. I was worried they wouldn't believe me that out of the one-hundred and fifty books, only ninety were saleable.  Sixty were too damaged to sell. That is a lot of publishing costs lost. Fortunately, my husband took photos when they arrived and after speaking to the printers I checked every single copy. They were just as horrified as me and have promised that all Timmy's books will be with us in time for the launch. That is good because we just might sell out.

Waterstones have already put in orders.

With hindsight, I suppose some of my episodes might be classed as near misses, especially Valencia. It could have been so much worse. I might not be in a position to worry about books arriving, let alone selling them. But I am and I will, so for those of you still reading and interested in purchasing something in time for Christmas you can find me at:

The Kings Hall, Herne Bay all this weekend, Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th November 10 am to 3pm.
(Last one in Herne Bay this year)

St Augustine's, Westgate Saturday 23rd November 10 to 3pm

The Alexander Centre, Faversham, Sunday 24th November 10 to 3pm

The Tales of Timmy and his Magic Toe Beans, Book Launch, Saturday 30th November, Monty's, High Street, Birchington.

Feel free to give a thumbs, just so I know someone reads it and I'm not just an endless tragedy. 

Until December. Avoid stepping on as many tragedies as you can.