Cantaloupe, cantaloupe! Will you eat the bad mango? - 10 / 10 thread

[FrannyandZooey]

For anyone who wants a boost to their general health. The suggested goals are:

EAT 10 PORTIONS OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES EVERY DAY - if you don't usually eat much fruit and veg I would build up gradually or you could upset your digestion.

DO (AT LEAST) 10 MINUTES OF EXERCISE EVERY DAY - can be yoga, stretching or something more energetic. The plan is that the idea of doing 10 minutes is not too daunting, and having started you may well find you want to do more.

There are no restrictions on what you eat so long as you get your 10 fruit and veg as well. The focus is not on weight loss but on improving our energy levels and hopefully our general mood and well-being. Sign up below and post here to tell us how you're getting on and how you are feeling.

Basic guidance on what constitutes a portion of fruit and veg here and you can download more detailed information by following the link at the very bottom of the page

Ohh that's Emma Chichester Clarke I love her, especially her Melrose and Croc books which are lovely.

Yes,we have all her books
ds got given one the other day called Mr Zooty that was a bit odd tho

AAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I have to see mil tomorrow
aaaaaaaaaggggggggghhhhhhh
Why does dh spring these things on me? it's very bad for my nerves/mood/general well being

Boco I did think the colours were especially ECC ish but didn't say as didn't know if you would think a compliment
it's not really her style exactly, it's your own, but is very vibrant and warm with similar feeling to hers

oh morning all
had a lie in
ds says he wants to go to sports this morning if I go he has turned up last 2 weeks and then chickened out changed his mind
this is a constant theme atm, being 'scared' of things he normally does every week and wanting to go home with me or dp instead
it's a bit wearing
esepcially when you've paid, or you want an hour doing nothing, or you need to go home and have a big nap
I know it is all to do with new baby arriving etc but it is SO the WRONG TIME aaaaargh
any tactics appreciated
have tried not caring, caring, bribing, threatening , pleading, reasoning, insisting, the whole darn wallop

oh Boco, you could illustrate my book (about a girl pirate!) I've, erm, only got another 9 or 10 or 11 or 12 chapters to go....

Franny, there is the leave-them-even-if-they-are-screeching method which I suspect you dislike as much as I do but sometimes children do cheer up remarkably once parent has left. Not always though.
What if you suggest he doesn't go, see if he will be helpfully contrary?

A friend's dad once asked me to illustrate his book about a talking mushroom called Mr Mushroom. He had a friend. A talking carrot. It was very bad, so I wriggled out of it. But maybe I made a big mistake.

I am a bit worried that dd2 is getting ill again, she's wheezing and breathless and coughing just like in Poland. It came on yesterday out of nowhere like last time too, she didn't eat at all, - but is still very happy and bouncy so I'm wavering a bit. Will call doctor I think.

Oh no Bobo, has your weather changed?

Boco

Yes, I can see that you wouldn't want to ally yourself with iffy fiction. Partnerships can be dodgy I suppose unless there is great admiration and potential for honesty on both sides.

I think that's why I'm frustrated with it now Toot, I've done 4 books for a woman because she pays (although not much at all) but I think her writing is terrible and there's no trust or honesty - well, I'm honest about what I think and she says 'just leave the writing to me'. She's desperate to be published and I think it's hopeless which isn't very motivating. I've decided to tell her that this will be the last one because it's not worth it for me to keep on as it's taken me 6 months and I've been paid £200 so I think I should give up on this now. Is hard to turn down money if you're skint, but time wise it's not cost effective at all.

Does she have a publisher? Or an agent?

She sells the books for charity - one for Battersea Dogs home, one for a bear charity, one for monkeys or something - she makes quite a lot - but she also wants to be published so is planning to try with this latest one.

Waiting for emergency doctor as dd struggling now.

£200?????????
oh Boco

oh no poor dd

perhaps we could write a collective 10/10 book
put all our ideas in a big pot
You guys are all so amazingly talented

How about designs for other things
A friend of mine in Devon approached lots of big stores with illustration designs for childrens nightwear (poodles,owls,mice etc) Two big stores bought several of her ideas & she got paid very well.
There must be something....

Or how about your own website where people could commision you to paint canvases for their children/of their children in magical settings etc
I know once my friends see your picture they will be asking who did it & how they can get one.
There would be huge scope for that kind of thing I am sure.
All you would need is a mention in a magazine like Junior & you would be inundated

Hope dd feels better very soon.

When you have time, this is worth a look. I bought one once and it was good - maybe see if your local library has/can get it.
It always seems like an extravagance so I don't buy it.

Oh Boco I hope dd is ok and that the doctor can reassure you

Franny I can understand how that situation must be very wearing for you

Boco v sorry about dd, hope doctor is helpful

I have always understood that if you want to get a story published, do NOT get someone to illustrate it for you - let the publishers sort that out as they may have someone very different in mind
not sure how that helps you Boco (well it doesn't )
anyway I think Lully's idea is fab but maybe you particularly wanted to illustrate books? I would also buy your work on greetings cards in a flash as is so beautiful and so much nicer than all cards for children I see in shops
again maybe that is not what you want to do

TooT that is the one thing we haven't tried! (leaving to scream) I am not sure
I remember it being done to me
(almost) everyone says it is the thing to do, don't they?
LOL I saw ds's nursery teacher in town yesterday after he refused to go and she said "well usually we would just grab him and say 'come along now' but we respect you and dp have a different way"
which was nice of her, I expect most places would think we were mad
she said if we ever wanted her to do the grabbing thing just tip her the wink
it is tempting I must say

Thank you for all the suggestions, I'd love to get a website up and do commissions - I need to find a free very cheap way of doing that. I'd be happy to do cards or commissions or anything really, don't mind about books at all, really it's just that I enjoy drawing and painting, don't need childcare or transport, and if I could actually earn money from it then I can't think of a nicer job.

Seeing doctor at midday. Hope it's not pneumonia again. [fret]

How about asking someone on MN?
I think LL is quite good with websites