And so this is Christmas (almost)...Whether we stick with the traditional writing and posting of cards, or whether our holiday greeting is an all-encompassing Facebook update, this time of year is probably the most common for flicking through those little black (real, electronic, metaphorical) address books and wondering just 'where is s/he now?'One of the ultimate pleasures (and sometimes pains...) of travelling is the people we meet; one of the ultimate pains (and sometimes pleasures...) is saying goodbye to them when the time comes to move on.  Thrown together in a strange place - perhaps literally strange, perhaps in the sense of being unfamiliar - often breeds an intense bonding between people whose only point of reference is that they happen to be in the same place at the same time.  For a moment, an hour, a month or a year, this can be an intense joy.  It might even spawn...

Okay, a good excuse for not writing a 'proper' post this month?Finally, after nearly two and a half years, I've been working on my website and it - Write Right -  should be ready, courtesy of the lovely Simon at ARCAS web design by the end of the year. Way back when I started this blog, you might remember it was in the lead-up to publication of A Blonde Bengali Wife.  The plan was to follow it up with a website.  Well, I followed it up with a baby instead, and I'm delighted to say I've been concentrating on him ever since.  However, not even I can use that excuse when the said baby is now an independent little toddler who goes to nursery two days a week, hence the need to crack on with the website. The aim of Write Right is to publicise my services as an editor/mentor for fiction...

Dinah Wiener, my literary agent and the Chief Trustee of Bhola's Children has just returned from her October visit to Bangladesh - here are a few of her photographs:Showing off the two newest members of the community: Shahti with her baby daughter Namanita, and Monira with her son, Kawsa.  Two beautiful babies for two beautiful women!All of the deaf children in the boundary now go daily to the local primary school where they have fitted in very well.  They began with a signing interpreter - but the whole class was soon watching her instead of the teacher!  Now they manage fine without... here are a group of the boys in class.Sima's first swimming lesson!  She is so proud of her rubber ring - and look at the concentration on her face...! Last week saw the beginning of Eid, and as many of the children as possible go to stay with family...

This has just been sent to me by a Bangladeshi friend whose religion is cricket...not sure when it was published... the author hasn't read the book...so - a perfect example of a tenuous link?http://www.espncricinfo.com/travel/content/story/504980.html

Yesterday, at 10.00am, I started a new job: one day a week for the next few months I will be tutoring two community education classes in creative writing.  At 10.32am, I received a message to phone Simon's nursery ('nothing to worry about, but if you could just call us as soon as you can..' Right.) This had never, ever happened before; it felt like a Candid Camera set up.  At 11.00am I found the staff concerned that a rash on Simon's legs might be chicken pox* so I needed to collect him and see our GP.  Fair enough, even though I was sure that said spots were lingering mosquito bites from last week's dash to sunny, sunny Spain...  Cue hasty termination of writing class session; luckily only one student (fabulous lady called Jean) had turned up.  For the first time, I'd really come across the motherhood/work challenge....It's the fitting culmination of a month...