What a morning

Today is my last day looking after Sam before mum and dad get home tomorrow (they rang from Pembrokeshire to tell me they were safely back in the country this morning). I left later than usual as I was expecting to sign for a delivery on Toni's behalf, but the package came through the letterbox with the normal post. No problem, thought I, I'll set off at 10.30ish to catch the 11.17 train. I left the house stupidly confident I had everything I needed. It was only sitting on the platform at 11.14 I realised that, no, I didn't have everything - I didn't have the keys to get into the house in Sudbury. So I set off for home thanking my lucky stars I hadn't got on the train and that I'd got a day rover ticket for the bus. I decided to try and catch the train an hour later - this I did, but only after running from the centre of town for about a mile to the train station because my connecting bus thoughtfully left two minutes early without me on it. A quick glance at the timetable revealed no other buses were due for ten minutes, and as it was already 12.05 I had no choice but to run. I arrived at 12.16 and the train literally approached the station as I stepped on to the platform. I apologise in arrears for anyone who had to sit in the same carriage as me...

Good exercise though, and Sam is well. Sadly an email from one of my magazines (no names, but it is very close to my heart) suggests that one of my key monthly commissions (the one that practically pays the mortgage) may be in jeopardy as they've been told to to cut their operating budget by a quarter. Page rates are going in favour of word rates - but that's only for those features and regulars they're not getting rid of or taking back in-house, and no news on what those will be. I'm hoping Helpdesk is something none of them want to do, but until confirmation is received who knows? I may find myself being asked to do it for less, but then again the number of words I write for it may see me getting more. Right now I just want to know I'll still be writing it!