Dear Diary,
Another Sunday comes and goes. With it, a new month leaps into life. At least, in the land where I was born, it promises milder nights, longer and brighter days. But in the early hours of 3rd March in England, our garden, and the field beyond tell me it has been freezing in the last few hours. I sit in the departing darkness of our kitchen, towel tied over my freshly washed hair, and with questioning eyes, observe the skies. With its pale blue, and chaotic swathes of purple grey, it quietly reassures me. “Don’t worry, child. I’ve got you!”. Phew!
Today, Bulgaria celebrates its national holiday. It is called Day of Liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman Oppression. Flowers and wreaths will be laid at all Russian and Bulgarian monuments, commemorating the victims of the Russo-Turkish War, throughout the country by state people and the public alike. The Shipka Monument, located on the Shipka Peak, is among the most recognisable symbols of ‘modern’ Bulgaria. As such, it will attract many within the political and ruling circles of Bulgaria. No different to what has been happening in the past however many years, I shall be following from afar.
"Easy like a Sunday Morning” it may not be, but I will cherish it, for it is back to work again tomorrow for another round of ‘You cannot make this up!’.
The Week’s Round-Up
Rightly or wrongly, I have been researching Literary Competitions and submitting work to a handful (both Short Stories and Flash Fiction). You will not be surprised to hear that I have had no success with any of them to date. My name has not appeared on any longlists, let alone shortlists, or with the title ‘Winner’ attached to it. We are told over and over again that ‘being a writer’ – and I do not consider myself one – means one ought to get used to rejection and criticism. I would say, while ‘failure’ and ‘setbacks’ are hurdles that writers need to jump through frequently by virtue of their work, this sentiment is true for life. Full stop. And, yet it is hard not to feel disheartened and give up. I was close to throwing in the towel and not submitting anywhere else ever. The fatalistic, extreme thoughts of a relatively ‘black or white’ person, seeking the shades of grey, crowded my brain and left no space for positivity. But I pulled myself together, and decided to persevere even if I had no chance of succeeding. I will carry on submitting because, if not anything else, I am finishing work; this is something I struggled with in the past, and still battle with at present.
On the 1st March, in Bulgaria, we exchange мартеници, or martenitsi in English, (a picture of a particular type below) with each other as a symbol of the upcoming spring after months of harsh winter, with a knee-deep snow cover and freezing temperatures; these used to be the weather conditions when I was growing up there. However, and I do not wish to sound preachy, but the climate is changing, and winters are becoming warmer. The martenitsi are meant to bring good health and long life. They stay on the breast of our coats or the wrists of our hands until we see a stork, a swallow, or a blossoming tree. We then either hang it on the tree, put it under a stone or throw it in a river. Until next year…
A distinguished poet, by his own admission, joined us at Writing Club on Friday. He only stayed for half an hour but partook in our first sprint. It was great to have him around, and I hope we have managed to tickly his interest and he reappears.
Yesterday, I received feedback on the first Assignment from my course. I need to digest it and take it on board. Assignment Two is fast-approaching and I am not even started. On top of that, I have two exercise tasks to do beforehand. It has been a busy week at work, and I have fallen behind.
The Little Things
Saving jewellery from ruin …. It may sound dramatic, but the chain had wrapped itself behind a very intricate part of the pendant, and it would not disentangle itself for hours; the pendant itself is woven into the chain so the two cannot be detached. I almost lost my rag but, luckily, managed to put it away and revisit later, and it slid out easily. #Winningatlife
I have read the most I have for a while, and it has brought me joy. I am nowhere near as quick as I was in … 2021 or, to a lesser extent, 2022, but this section is called the ‘little things’ and it is about ‘baby steps’, too.