New Work Ahoy

 It's four months since I sat down and last dictated to this blog and here I am in a totally different environment now in front of my computer monitor trying to catch up.

Last time I chatted, I was talking about NDA's. Nondisclosure agreements. Well it certainly seems that I've kept up with mine. I haven't really disclosed anything for quite a while and there's been a lot going on. 

I'm still not allowed to say, officially, what it is that I've been doing. It's necessitated a lot of trips to the north of England and a lot of days filming and it's been a joy. At a time when things in my personal life weren't exactly as successful as I might have wanted them to be, work stepped into the breach and gave me the job of my career.

Working with wonderful actors on a wonderful script for nearly seven months has convinced me that after all the things I've done over the last 65 years - directing, corporate role-play, facilitation, creative director for conferences, improvised comedy - there's nothing quite like just being able to deliver a really good script day after day in front of a camera.

 And while I've been doing that I found the time to relocate. I don't think 25 years is a bad run for a relationship and my time with Richard has brought me a great deal of joy and fun and happiness.  Now circumstances have led us to take separate paths, and starting this new journey in my mid-60s, I was determined that it had a sense of adventure.

So I find myself now on a houseboat moored in Docklands, and although I'm a  novice in many respects, I'm loving every minute of it. The weather has helped. Check back for reports as to how I feel in mid-December, but I'm pretty sure that I will be snug, if not smug, in my new abode.

Learning how to be single again and occupying a space on my own is a journey I'm enjoying. Of course there are moments when I expect someone else to be there, but those moments have been filled by so many supportive friends throughout the year.

 Richard came round on Sunday morning to do a whole load of very useful tasks like setting up Netflix-essential for the boating life, and after finding somewhere to purchase a screwdriver on a Sunday morning in East London, making an IKEA bathroom trolley. His reward? A sausage and bacon butty sat in the sunshine on the front deck.

 After being here for only two days I had a delightful day trip to Paris to celebrate 40 years friendship with the one and only Janie Millman. On that summer's day in 1982 she was a member of the National youth Theatre course that I was directing, and over the intervening years, she has proved a faithful, loyal, supportive, and loving friend - the sort that everyone should have. She occupies a very special place in my life and it was a huge joy to meet her in Paris and to lunch with her in the restaurant Jules Verne at the Eiffel Tower. Yes folks, I took her up the Eiffel and she loved it!

 I was wondering if you were missing my famed double entendres  so I thought I'd just give you one! 

The cardboard boxes are slowly disappearing. The charity shops of Beckenham are thrilled as a result of my wardrobe cull,  and learning hour to do things in a slimmed down minimised way is proving both fun and rewarding.

 This is my base for all the adventures that await.

 As they say "if life gives you lemons, make lemonade." 

Well I've got a couple of big jugs. (Just can't resist can I?)