Random thoughtlets squeezed from my mind grapes.....

I know, I know, first I tantalize you with a deliciously irreverent introduction, then follow that up with a handful of sublimely hilarious yet profoundly moving and frighteningly insightful follow up bloggings leaving you all panting for more and then nothing. Zip. Nada. The worldwide cries of 'what gives?' and ''sup?' are almost deafening. Well, the thing is - you know what it's like when you just have one of 'those' weeks when your brother gets dengue fever, you learn that a surgeon wants to play around with your daughter's hip bones and you still have to host 2 parties, write a book, paint a bedroom and write a biography of yourself as a superhero? I mean, we've all been there.

And so here it is. Hold on to your flappy parts because this is going to be quite something.
This week I have been mostly:

working on: Roughs for Fragoline and a cover for a new book of mine 'Sluggerpillar which has as yet no soft publishey home.

spending time with: my family - (my husband is one of those teacher-types who gets an absurd amount of holiday each year) including a splendiferous trip to our nations capital including a walk down the Embankment witnessing a whole array of out-of-work drama students painting themselves grey and posing as unconvincing statues who occasionally move scaring the bejeesus out of passers by. Well done. Priceless.



worrying about: my daughter Clemmie's hip surgery due tomorrow. We've known about its imminence for 18 months but nothing quite says 'panic' like a week's notice for major surgery. And my brother (who lives in Paraguay)'s dengue fever.



watching: Here Comes the Fire Engine - Toby's new favourite. Stirring stuff I think you'll agree.

asked for: ID when purchasing cutlery in Waitrose. I'm 30.

writing: an 'amusing' (don't you just love that little - 'oh and make it amusing' at the end of a brief - like it's the easiest thing in the world to pull off) biography of myself for my agent's new literary wing of it's website, plus an article for Families First Magazine and an interview for Inspire Magazine about Clemmie and my book Just Because.

considering: uploading some vector artwork to istockphoto.com - my brother makes about $600 a month on there! 'twould be a nice regular income top-up.

celebrating: Toby's 2nd birthday.

baking: a Peppa Pig birthday cake (check out the 'what the hell do you call this Mum? expression on Toby's face.)

eating: birthday cake, belgium chocolate and shortbread. I think that covers all the major food groups.

So there you go. Busy times. Happy days. I'll return again when the little Clemster has recovered a little. xx


And for those intrigued by my route here, here you go:
Name: Rebecca Elliott aka ‘The Doodler’
Occupation: Children’s author and illustrator
Identity: secret
Place of Birth: Was not born so much as assembled in a shed in Suffolk.
Group affiliation: Active member of The Elliotts, which also includes Clementine (aka ‘Ithnay the Enchanter’), Toby (aka ‘Toby-Wan Kenobi’) and Matthew (aka ‘The Duke’).
Base of Operations: Currently Sudbury, formerly a sentient starship created by the Celestials.
History: Other than the fact that she was constructed over three decades ago by cosmic imps from radioactive moon dust, discarded artistic materials, twigs and a sack of potatoes almost nothing is known about the life of The Doodler before she started battling her arch nemesis Mediocrity a couple of years ago. The dispute was eventually settled out of court when the Dark Elf Milo had The Doodler and Mediocrity face each other in a fair fight in the land of Bloomsbury, a fight which The Doodler ultimately won. She now spends her earth hours protecting human younglings against the evil forces of The Patronising Giants of Alliteration and The Sinister Creatures of Anthropomorphia.
Strength level: The exact extent of The Doodler’s strength is unknown, but it may be in the Class 100 range.
Weapons: The Doodler’s principle weapon is the enchanted paintbrush Mjoldork, ,one of the most formidable weapons known to man or God which was bestowed upon her by the Great Goddess Whsmith.
Known powers: A superhuman sense of well-being.