A problem shared, and all that

I’ve stared at this blank screen for well over twenty minutes now, not because I don’t have anything to say – quite the reverse. I guess I’ve got a lot on my mind right now, and I’m kind of worried that this blog might end up looking like a page out of Bridget Jones Diary, without the cigarette tally. Or the scary knickers (any reference to Bridge Jones always has to include the scary knickers). But what the heck. A problem shared and all that. So…

Worries, in order:
Money – to include mounting bills and the niggling prospect of an MOT on the land rover.
Animals.
Horses – I had to take them out of their lovely 8 acre field and put them in a much, much smaller one with a field shelter whilst the bad weather continues, and now both of them are depressed.
Mother – family in general, including ill aunt.
The veg garden needs to be dug-over and manured this month (started this yesterday).
Need to begin some home brew so people who come on courses have something self sufficient to drink.
Cut down trees and lay them to season for next winter’s logs.
Burn brushings and fallen branches that have blown/knocked/rotted down and litter the front of the woods making it look scruffy.
The book – is going to print next Thursday and the marketing manager at the publishers has ignored my last three emails to her begging for advice on when to begin approaching magazines, etc, (despite her assurance that she would help me), and now I realise that I really, really, really am alone, and face the prospect of marketing this huge book using best guesses and best intensions.
I need to loose weight in case I do get any TV appearances to promote the book. I could also do with growing some hair, developing a razor sharp wit like Clive James and sexy eyes like Robby Williams.

Maybe making a list was a bad idea. It just bunches together all your insecurities so they can be easily viewed with a tiny sweep of the eye. At least when they’re still in you’re head you can only think of one at a time, so although it might seem like a mountain, at least it’s not a range.
Funny thing is, I just started writing a balance to this list; a list of nice thoughts, and it turned out to be the same as the worries: family, animals, land and book. See that’s my point, why does everything have to be so complicated? It’s like each part of my life has a good and bad side to it. I’m happy with it, but at the same time as being unhappy. Love it, hate it. Like it, loathe it. Worry sick about it, glow happily inside when I think of it.
No wonder I’m confused.
However there are a couple of issues I need to tackle sooner than later. I need to get my arse in gear and work on the land tidying and repairing where necessary, paying special attention to the front field where the chickens, ducks and geese are, and strim and generally clean-up everywhere else. I also need to send out a press release to all the long-lead magazines alerting them to the book, with an added paragraph saying I’ll get them a copy as soon as one is available from the publishers.
As for the rest, I’ll talk to Debbie. She’ll know what to do.
Yes, good plan.