I was full of good intentions about getting my blog up and running for the end of October but it would appear that my self imposed deadline has come and gone!  I will therefore make it my New Year's resolution to ensure that my blog is updated on a monthly basis so please bear with me.

The past month has been a little busier than expected.  Not only have I been trying to get all of the Christmas shopping and wrapping done (with presents going to such exotic places as Sydney, The Loire Valley and Bishops Waltham!) but I'm also helping with the organisation of a Literary Festival that will be taking place in my village next year.......

The Kempsford Literary Festival will be held between Friday 12 and Sunday 14 March 2010.  It is the first time the village has held such an event and it's wonderful to see how many people, from within the community, are willing to give up their spare time to assist in the planning and organisation.

The Festival is set to run from 2pm on Friday 12 until the afternoon of Sunday 14 March and we have a good line-up of speakers confirmed - Joanna Trollope, Gyles Brandreth, Nicholas Coleridge, Lord Hurd, Oliver James and Camila Batmanghelidjh, to name but a few.  There will also be a quiz taking place on the Saturday night which will be chaired by Justin Pollard, (historian and script writer for the television show QI).  It's set to be a busy weekend but hopefully a successful one.

The aim is to turn the Festival into an annual event, (although I suspect we should see how 2010 goes before committing to 2011!)

Over the next three months I will update you as to how the Festival is progressing as it's a somewhat unusual event, and slightly different from weddings and birthday parties!

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  Here's hoping that 2010 will bring with it positive changes as I know that 2009 has been a difficult year for many.

Best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous new year,

Alexis