Wolcum, Yole!

Three Wise Women was quite enchanting, at Herbert Morrison School in Lambeth. They had combined the elements of a traditional Nativity play (with a backdrop of the crib scene, fully cast with Innkeeper and wife, shepherds, kings and angels as well as the Holy Family) with my modern legend. And the Head, who had directed the play and written all the additional material, had also incorporated African and Hindu songs. Lovely!

It's a very special feeling to see one's story brought to life in this way. Not so to get an e-mail asking me to summarize pages 1-90 of City of Masks for someone's school project! I wrote back firmly saying she must do her own homework but it couldn't be delivered because she can receive e-mails only from her own network. Weird that she doesn't know this. So I suppose she'll think I'm just a mean old non-answering author. As opposed to a mean and answering one.

Off to Bloomsbury on Thursday for a training afternoon on how to do school and festival appearances. It's a bit late for me, since I've done hundreds but it's never too late to learn something, I suppose. Have just heard this exercise will be video'd and have gone off the whole idea. Still, committed now.

Talking of videos, the boxed set of the extended DVD version of the Lord of the Rings trilogy arrived this morning. So beautifully produced. But as far as I can tell, the Saruman scene has not been restored to The Return of the King. Fans on my forum tell me there's a hilarious drinking scene between Legolas and Gimli though.

I am in e-mail contact with Linda Aronson, author of Kelp and Rude Health. She lives in Australia now and her books are really funny, as opposed to supposed to be. Good to have come across her and I shall review Plain Rude in Armadillo. Whose Christmas issue is about to go up. Time to order recommended books. See www.armadillomagazine.com to subscribe.

My study is now covered in tinsel, including the cat, as Middle Daughter is home for a long weekend and is "helping" to decorate. Somewhere under all this is the reference material I need for the mediieval book - ah well. Wassail and all that.