The Suddenly Kate Show

I thought I should say something, I have been lurking still and have loved seeing the lovely work that you have all been doing, but have not had the time or inclination myself.

I only managed this year to stitch one Gorjuss girl, finish off a crochet blanket and knit myself a new scarf.

I wish I had done more. So with that in mind, I am laying my cards on the table and announcing right here and right now that in 2014 I will stitch and knit something to be proud of.

I know I am not alone in neglecting my blog and so I am calling out to all those who want to make a new start in 2014. Lets do this!

Who's with me?

Happy New Year!

Love Kate xx

The sun was up and as such, so was I.

62 years 10 months 1 week and 3 days of training and I was about to graduate. I had thought about this day for a long time.

My trainer had been quiet and unpredictable as a child and I had adopted a similar nature.
I recall the many times we spent out in the woods, catching small creatures and toying with them, toying until it was no longer toying, teasing until it was no longer teasing, tormenting until it was no longer tormenting, torturing until it was death.

Once we peaked at death we would begin again, carefully selecting which creature would be next as we worked our way up the food chain. It was a slow process. The first guest we had was a frog; whose demise was brought about by a boot thwacked down on his head.

What followed were many more frogs; sliced, diced, boiled and burnt, until we found a method that compelled us to try it on something just a little bigger. Hours were spent hunting and preying from dusk till dawn.

My trai…

Ryan sighed as he dragged himself out of bed. They had returned late last night from the Food Bank and lugging about all that food had been more exercise than he had done in a while. But he had an early start with the dog training club and Amber must have known because she was already at his side, eyeing him with those big brown peepers of hers and threatening to pounce unless he moved sharpish.

Ryan was grateful that the rain had stayed away but the wind was blowing like nobody's business.  The session began as usual with them running around the field to warm up. The sound of moccasins squelching in the mud made Ryan smile as he imagined some of them losing their shoes. He stifled a giggle,

"Ryan, Ryan. Please stop!"
Ryan's smile vanished and he stood stock still looking at the instructor, surely she couldnt tell him when he could and couldnt smile?
"Everyone has stopped but you are still loping about. You said you were taking this class seriousl…

Christmas at Ryan’s work was in full swing, decorations covered every surface or at least it seemed that way to Ryan, and everyone had started to wind down ready for the break. It was company tradition to throw a small party at work, it was always held on the 23rd December as most people didn’t want to hang around on Christmas Eve.  There were always nibbles and drinks and a Santa Claus for the fun factor. This year the lady who always organised every company event had fallen and broken her arm, so although she didn’t mind organising everything, any heavy lifting would need to be done by someone else and a rota had been drawn up. Ryan had hoped to have to help with the conference which he was attending, he had planned to skip the party this year, but he had been assigned to help her with the Christmas nibbles.

That was how Ryan came to find himself, on a Saturday morning, following Patricia along the aisles of the local cash and carry. Occasionally, she would turn and a…

Last night, after the training course, Ryan had decided to turn sleuth in order to work on the first step in being the best parent he could. His new friend Thomas had told him that ‘a kid needs a roof over their head – don’t want them getting wet’ and having thought about it and talked it through with Amber, he had come up with a plan.

Ryan and Sarah had a home, but for the last few months of Sarah’s pregnancy she had been badgering him to decorate the baby’s room, and he had promised he would only he hadn't yet. The only part of the conversation that he had listened to was that it needed decorating, he had switched off when she had discussed the details, he had been too busy thinking about the last boys trip he would have before the baby. A weekend playing golf in Scotland. Ryan would need to gather intel (he watched far too much CSI) on what kind of ideas she had for the room.

“Hey Sair…I was just…erm..wondering…hypothetical question for you…if you were having a bab…

It was 10.30am and Ryan and Amber were currently shivering in unison by the bandstand. Today there was no band instead there was a clamour of dog owners and their pooches. Ryan had been under the impression that other people in his class were also having babies, but the average age of those gathered must have been 75 at least, and he began to doubt that he was in the right class.
“Okay class…attention please…” a deep voiced woman bellowed from just behind Ryan but when he turned she was tiny.
“It’s time for a roll call. If you will all please come over and form a circle in that more open area over there then that’d be great. Ok. Let’s start then, Percy Chapman and Snappy…”
“Here”
“Dot Wightman and Leona…”
There were about 12 people with dogs, not including the trainer, and Ryan was the last name to be called.
“Okay, now let’s start with a short warm up. We shall slowly jog around this part of the park in a circular route. Now let’s go, you can lead us Mabel, that’s it, hol…

Day 1
The waves lapped against his face as he floated on the Indian Ocean with not a care in the world, the warm breeze blowing through his hair, the distinct smell of the sea licking at his nostrils, Ryan inhaled deeply.
“Aargh! That’s not the smell of the sea!” Ryan began spluttering as Amber’s toxic gas emanated from her rear to his face and she licked him avidly. That dog sure knew how to ruin a man’s dream.

He sat up in the bed and gently shoved Amber aside, wrinkling his nose as he did so and fighting back the smile that was starting to form on his lips, he really loved that dog even if he wasn’t always convinced, like when he was picking up her poo in the park, but all in all he loved her to bits.

Ryan held her head in his hands and looked into her big brown eyes and sighed, “Not long to go now Amber, you’ll love the baby and the baby will love you, I promise” Sarah had read, and made Ryan read, every book in Waterstones was on getting your dog ready for a new baby…

The brightness of the morning sun as it shines down onto the path, lighting up the way, it rests warm tickles against your skin. The scent of the damp earth rises up to meet you, swirling around and around until it fills your nostrils, before finding its new home. The sound of the wind as it whistles through the trees, trilling through a labyrinth of branches, the leaves rustling so noisily that they drown out your worries.
You’re not alone on the path; an upturned collar, a scarf covering all but the eyes, a hat precariously resting on his head and then his gait changes, the casual stroll he embodied has become more rigid, the energy bounces on the air between you, a frisson that causes static on the ends of your hair, you hold your breath as you take a glance up at his eyes.
How many times have you wandered alone in this forest in search of your fate, and here you are, face to face, an arm’s reach away, breathing, looking, and then his eyes crinkle and joy dances acr…