Saturday July 3rd

Day 75

Serena Williams says, holding up the gold shield for the 4th time,

“It was my dream to win Wimbledon. Anyone can make their dreams come true - if you work hard and stick at it.”

I like her faith in us.

They say if you practise anything - playing an oboe, high diving, drawing, forgiving - for a thousand hours - or is days? - you will get better at it, no question. I think you have to be hungry for it too.

My plans to write this morning come unstuck. Hanging out washing before breakfast, I notice the buddleia branches

throwing shade on the spinner. Once the secateurs are sealed in my hand I find myself swallowed up in our garden - which, like Topsy, grew and grew while we were away. I prune and weed and water and tie up.

Suddenly it’s lunchtime and no ink on the page. But it’s not too late - I’m sticking at this writing thing - one word after another - even if my dream sometimes wavers like a mirage in the desert.