February Frustrations

February has been a month of contradictions. It was the wettest on record yet strangely one of the mildest—I'm not sure we had a single frost. Living on the Isle of Wight, it’s also been a month dominated by road closures on a scale I’ve never seen before. Getting anywhere has required military‑level planning and long detours down country lanes now riddled with potholes thanks to the sheer volume of redirected traffic. These closures were all scheduled, apparently, but why they’ve landed simultaneously is anyone’s guess. The result has been a population that’s equal parts miserable and irritated.

Amid all this, the council’s plan to increase and extend parking charges—an idea cooked up by a bankrupt authority desperate for revenue—was thankfully withdrawn at the last moment. Had it gone ahead, it would have been catastrophic for local businesses and would have finished off what remains of our town centres.

There have been brighter moments. I’ve actually seen Southampton win a few games, and I’ve enjoyed offering my ramblings to my mate Football Martin on his fan channels. Match days have brought new faces, warm conversations, and the pleasure of making new friends.

Creatively, it’s been a motivating month. Book number 3 is taking shape, with new characters and fresh locations. I began writing it back in the winter of 2023 when we were between homes and living with our son. It’s a very personal story, shaped by family memories and familiar surroundings. More news on that soon.

I’ve also returned to David Tanner and his mates at Ted’s Café. David has been tapping me on the shoulder, nudging me back in for breakfast. After writing my first short story, A Christmas Wedding at Ted’s Café, last autumn, it feels right to revisit them after a long break.

A highlight this month was speaking to students at the Lift Ryde sixth form campus, followed by my first author interview with fellow Island writer Kathrine Rossati—an experience that left me both grateful and energised.