When it rains it pours

Have been taking it very easy this week to allow myself to recover and it seems to be working. Staying in has been no hardship as the weather has been gloomy and intermittently wet. And when it rains it pours.

To use the time wisely - and to lessen the feelings of guilt - I have been working on my next novel, a follow-up to my first. I have almost reached the middle and the inevitable 'this is rubbish and why am I bothering' stage, so it's a bit of a struggle, especially as I have no idea where it's going.

I have a basic plot: I know what will happen over the course of the year - well, vaguely - but it's all the getting there and distractions. Some I think, at the time of writing, are hilarious but are they really? I suppose the main purpose of the first draft is to 'get it written' so I shall persevere. 

What I do love though is that the characters invent their own stories. I just relate what happens to them. 

* * * * * *
I was anticipating doing a lot of cheering for Wales during the game on Wednesday morning against Fiji. As it turned out it was far too tense a match for much celebration. After beating Australia in the previous game Welsh spirits were high and, as is ever the case, optimism hitting sky level. We get carried away very easily. One win and we're at the world cup finals - and winning it.

Anyway Wales has another game to play on Sunday - against Uruguay - but is already through to the quarter-finals.

Photo from Walesonline

Another thing I did while 'resting' this week was watch a documentary about a former Welsh rugby international who is living with HIV. Gareth Thomas was legendary on the pitch, a great servant of his country, and much loved. He was also the first openly gay professional rugby player. 

He has been living with HIV for some time and was terrified that if news broke he would be ostracised, treated differently by any and everyone. When a reporter knocked on his parents' door at 5.30 one morning and asked them what they thought about their son having HIV he decided he had to do something. It had to be him who chose the time and place to announce it, not have it leaked by some rubbish newspaper.

He decided he would take part in an Ironman Challenge (swim, cycle and run for stupid number of miles) to prove that HIV didn't mean weak and frail. It was especially challenging as he couldn't swim before he started training. He also made the documentary, which included interviews with HIV experts as well as others living with it.

The documentary was both informative and moving. His emotions were very much on display and his fear was palpable. There will, sadly, be people who will shun or even vilify him, but what from I've seen the huge majority of messages have been supportive, as they should be.