Where is it now?

Calling all crocheters, calling all crocheters, be on the look out for the Bloggy Blanket Chain. Last seen on JuliaB's blog in March. Report back to Mum on this frequency. Over and out.

xx

Let's start at the very beginning

This is the first of a series of police crime books. Like the other two in the series that I have read, this book is full of action.

Again, it was an easy read with many twists and turns to the story but my enjoyment was spoiled by the many typos in the text. I typed, 'Why are there typos in Kindle books?' into Google and found that it is a common fault in this format. It's a shame that the publishers can't have proof readers to read through the books before they are sold online to customers.

I seem to be reading more than crocheting at the moment.

xx

In the style of ...

She opened her front door, pink polka dot trolley ready to roll, tucking the key safely into her zipped pocket.

"Why hello - good to see you, Jean. What brings you here?"

Jean bustled up the pathway carrying several bags and deposited one of them by Mum's feet. Wiping her head with a white, lacy hankie, she proceeded to carry on a conversation which the two of them had been having the previous day.

"I've finally found the answer to that clue in the crossword, Mum and I've brought you the books we were talking about. Now I don't want them back, you can pass them on if you will. The author is a local lass and the stories are set in Blackpool. I've enjoyed reading them and I'm sure you will, too. I can see you're off out so I won't stay."

"Jean, I'm just walking down the road to the shop so let's walk together. Just let me put the books in the porch."

Off they went, chatting nineteen to the dozen, until they parted, Jean heading towards the Tower and Mum to her voluntary job at the Charity Shop. The sun was shining this Bank Holiday weekend and there were plenty of people out and about sampling the delights of the resort.

Have you ever read stories in the People's Friend?

My morals were not corrupted in any way whatsoever!

This was a friendly, 'nostalgic saga set in wartime Blackpool'. Great stuff! I think I'll read another of my crime novels before I tackle the next book.

xx

It wasn't me

 I wondered what I'd done when I read this comment from Lynda on my last post.

Please Please dont do that. We have so many fab authors. I think you've just hit two bad ones. Try Tim Winton, Di Morrisey, Bryce Courtney, etc. Go on to the following site. Ive read most of these, in particular all of Tim Winton. I think i might even have a few on the shelf, so if you pop over to my blog and leave your address, i will send you some for free.

Lynda, the first review of the book wasn't mine. I really enjoyed the story and I would read more of the same author. It's very kind of you to offer me some of your books. Please email me - my email is on my profile page.

Lynda's was not the first offer of free books this week. I'd been discussing books, with the action set in Blackpool, with a dancing friend who told me about another author (a Sandgrown 'un*) who also set her stories in Blackpool. She then turned up on my doorstep yesterday with a carrier bag full of novels, which I promised to read and then pass on so today was read, read, read in between gardening, cooking and shopping.

Pusscats helped with the weeding and inspected the mange-tout.

The Lidl lettuce is coming along nicely.

This second trough was planted a week later.

I can see some of these turning into big lettuces.

It was all too much work for this puss!

xx

* born in Blackpool

One star or five?

Here is one person's review of the book.

This is the second book i have read which is based in Australia and i have to say its my second least enjoyed book ever. Slow start and 100% crap ending - killed by a giant kangeroo!! Be serious! I think its time i gave aussie books a miss!!

Here is mine.

This is the only book I have read written by this author and I have to say that after a slow start I enjoyed  it immensely. The in depth story built up to a nail biting climax and was gripping right up to the last page. 

xx

PS I felt really sorry for the giant kangaroo!
PPS Welcome new follower and commenters. Hope you enjoy visiting.

Walking the cats

We've always had a cat(s) in the family. We had a cat that was very friendly and inquisitive. She nosed about in a car or a van and ended up being transported to a neighbouring town 5 miles away. We 'lost' her for a week, during which we toured the neighbourhood and searched garages and sheds in the hope of finding her. In the end we contacted the RSPCA who had been notified by a family who had taken her in and luckily we were reunited with our adventurous pet. One cat we had was allowed to roam at will and ended up in a block of flats 'down the road' hiding behind a fridge. Another of our cats kept returning home 'beaten up' with scratches and wounds. He kept trying to win his battle but could not compete with the Toms of the street. We live on a very busy main road and one of our previous cats was run down on this road, so we took the decision to have our present cats as house cats with only supervised access to the outside.

'Walkies!' means hey, we're off out into the garden. Our back garden is enclosed by fences and the only  way out is up. The cats are allowed to roam about the garden but not jump up to the top of the fences. They're very good and after a good sniff round they come back inside for 'Treaties!' If we sit out they will come and stay around us and sit in the sun. Brown puss cat turns into a tom outside (even though he's been neutered) and likes to mark the perimeter at various points just to show that he's top cat. White cat chews grass and stalks flies. Both pusscats hate the wind, rain and cold and will not go outside at all if the weather is inclement.

They like to play ...

... and they like to sleep.

And they love a good cuddle and a stroke. Don't we all!

xx

I'm on a roll ...

... reading this series of books since receiving a handout at the library showing all the books available to read with information about the author and stories.

This book was another speed read (as it was my friend's library book again) and was as full of action as the last book. I intend to download the first in the series onto my Kindle and wade my way through all 19 books. I enjoyed reading the story with all its twists and turns and would put this in the category of a  ... (what's the opposite of a fluffy read?) ... , I know, ... 'rough, tough, action, blokey' read!

xx

It's Spring

Weeded, hoed, walked the cats, made bread, hoovered, ironed, read, made meals, mopped, shopped then flopped!

xx

Whoo!

It's Christmas here today with a present coming my way from Pam over at A Good Life in Tydd who hosted a giveaway a while ago. Thank you, Pam for the book, which I shall enjoy reading.

Pam lives in a small village in a 300 year old cottage, with a large garden that gives her food, flowers and inspiration for her sewing which is superb. If you like quilting do pop over there to say hello.

xx

In the flesh - 2

Lovely guy - very normal and down to earth.

Lovely talk - background information on how he came to write his books and general chit-chat about his life.

Lovely lunch - with my friend before the talk.

And I'm going to have a lovely time reading all the novels he's written.

In the flesh - 1

This latest book was loaned to me by my friend with an invite to meet with the author at a local lecture hall where he is going to give a talk on his novels, so it was a speed read in order to finish it on time.

The book is a one of a series of detective novels but not the first in the series. Many scenes are set in and around the Fylde coast where we live, hence the interest. Nick brought all his characters to life with the minimum of detail but the maximum of crime, violence, sex and intrigue. It was an easy read but I feel I should have started at book 1 in the series so I could identify more with the main characters. It was also an easy read because my friend could only find this book in large print in the library! I shall definitely read more.

It's a take-over!

These lords and ladies plants are spreading each year and getting bigger and bigger.

They are in competition with the lily of the valley in this small, confined border and it looks as though they are eager to move.



Look at them lining up ready to jump out of the bed.



Jane and Chris have lily of the valley taking over on their plot and also a beautiful plant called Trillium.

Hope you don't mind me pinching this pic.

Here's my Trillium for comparison.



xx

Now why is it untidy?

I'm having a good clear out.

I've just been sewing, (crafting, crocheting, baking, gardening).

I'm too busy to put away.

It just shows that I'm making use of all these cupboards.

The cats have just been playing.

I've just been playing.

I've not hoovered up yet.

I've got too much stuff and not enough places for it to go.

Someone's not put things away.

I've not got enough time to clear up. Too busy playing.

Haven't the faintest idea.

I like it 'homely'.

E r r r m m ... !

Any other ideas?

Just finished ...

... my small lapghan sized Tunisian stitch quilt. The idea for this quilt came from here.

The edge is one round UK double, one round treble and one round reverse double.

I recycled some Yip, yip fleece for the back of the blanket.

Puss cat likes fleece!

So does the other one.

xx

Bank Holiday News

Here is the latest broadcast.

I'm planting up seeds that have been in the drawer for some time. These are Little Marvel peas which will hopefully climb up my chicken wire cylinders.

These cut and come again lettuce are growing nicely now. They were a 'living lettuce' purchase from Lidl-iddle. I just separated the little plants and planted them out in a container. The larger leaves died off and newer leaves are growing. 

The dressing gowns were a bit worse for wear so I cut them up for rags.

DD and DH played fly catching today ...

Yeah!

xx

Oh no!

I've inadvertently deleted my cushion cover post. Yip, yip. So here it is again.

Remember this post? Yip, yip. Well here's the first re-incarnation of the costume sewn on my little Singer machine.

 

Here's the envelope back.

And here's the front.

Repeat after me - never, ever do patchwork with fleece. Bits go everywhere. Yip, yip.

xx

To my playtime bloggy buddies

to everyone who took part in the Spring Fest. You are all bloggy billiant.

xx

Spring Fest in Blogland

Welcome to Mum's Spring Fest

Take a seat,

Back garden bench and table - bit of a cheat here
as it's a summer picture

sit back and read about our celebration of Spring in all its glory. May we offer you some refreshments before we start? How about this ice-cream chocolate sundae that my DS tackled this week? (If you eat this, you can't have any cake later! Decisions, decisions.)

Look around and be entertained with sights, sounds and signs of Spring.

The latest piece of artwork in our park is a statue of Charlie Cairoli who clowned around at Blackpool Tower Circus for over 40 years. His nose is gold here but I think that it should be red.

Visit Spring fairs and enjoy the open air with others. Look there's the bric-a-brac stall. Are there any good bargains to be had?

The definition of bric-a-brac from Wikipedia is this:

Bric-à-brac or Bric-a-brac (origin French),^[1] first used in the Victorian era,^[2] refers to lesser objets d'art forming collections of curiosity, such as elaborately decorated teacups and small vases, compositions of feathers or wax flowers under glass domes, decorated eggshells, porcelain figurines, painted miniatures or photographs in stand-up frames, and so on.

In middle-class homes bric-à-brac was used as ornament on mantelpieces, cluttered tables, and shelves, or was displayed in curio cabinets: sometimes these cabinets have glass doors to display the items within while protecting them from dust. "Bric-à-brac" nowadays refers to a selection of items of modest value, often sold in street markets.

Now what have we here? Perhaps some of my bric-a-brac should be on the stall.

On my dresser are some 'curiosities' - a box containing a gyroscope, a box containing glass 'medical' equipment, a glass blowing torch and an old telephone. There are old mincers, a coffee grinder and green bean slicer, a large mortar and pestle, an old jelly mould and decorated teacups and small vases (not that elaborate though). Can you spot the 70s soda syphon, the thirties vase, the old map and the old plates and bottles? Each item has a story to tell. I'm afraid they are not under glass and so are not protected from dust - oh dear, don't look too closely at the 'cluttered shelves'!

Here's another bit of clutter on the window sill - 30s again and a little bit of early Ditchfield.

The toy stall looks interesting. There are plenty of games that can now be played outside now that the weather is becoming warmer. What's there?

It's my collection of skipping ropes - a cheapy, an industrial and a vintage. I really must get into skipping 100 skips a day. (I'm already doing the 30 Day Challenge that I read about on Jane and Chris's blog.)

*

*

*

*

I've just had a try. It's not a good idea to skip without a bra on. I'm a bit battered now!

The cake stall will nearly have sold out by now. Here's my cake for the stall.

Madeira Cake (from my recipe book)

Can you read it? I'll make it clearer for you.

175g (6oz) margarine
175g (6oz) castor sugar
225g (8oz) SR flour
1 teasp baking powder
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
3 eggs

1. Put in a mixer and process for about 40 seconds.
2. Turn into a greased and lined 18cm (7 inch c) cake tin.
3. Smooth top with the back of a hot wet spoon.
4. Bake at 160 degrees C or 325 degrees F for 1 to 11/4 hours.

Note the spring primulas in the background.

So many plants and flowers to see in Spring. What's your favourite?

Cowslips are one of my favourite flowers.

This picture of tulips and primulas was taken in my local park and below is blossom on the trees.

Decorations play a part in celebrating seasons. Pretty pastels reflect the colours of spring flowers and blossom.

Let's hang up the bunting for our celebration. This is not just a spring craft. Bunting can be hung at any time of year for many celebrations. This bunting was made out of old sheets and pillowcases.



What do you celebrate in the spring season? For us it's DH's birthday and the birthdays of several friends.

spring stories

I remember singing this song (OK it's not a story!) in infant Sunday School. It's from my Carey Bonner book.

Little brown seed, oh! little brown brother, Are you awake in the dark? Here we lie cozily, close to each other: Hark to the song of the lark— "Waken!" the lark says, "waken and dress you, Put on your green coats and gay, Blue sky will shine on you, sunshine caress you— Waken! 'tis morning—'tis May!" Little brown brother, oh! little brown brother, What kind of flower will you be? I'll be a poppy—all white, like my mother; Do be a poppy like me. What! you're a sunflower? How I shall miss you When you're grown golden and high! But I shall send all the bees up to kiss you; Little brown brother, good-by! —EDITH NESBIT.

Ahh!

The celebration continues on these blogs. If their Spring Fest post is not up yet please call again later. I hope I've listed everybody. If I've missed you off my list please say and I will link up with you.

Jane and Chris - Now only have one but come back again for more. Cheers!

Justjill - Jill is springing into action with a cultural take on this season

Dreamer - Stay here awhile and enjoy the views

Carol - Do have a cup of tea in the garden when you visit.

Cathy - Let's say it with flowers. This is a lovely, lovely post.

Lesley - Please enjoy the tour here

Sara - Feast your eyes on views, action, treats and thoughts of spring

Joy - double celebration here today. Go visit and wish her Happy Birthday!

Pam - Be prepared for an 'explosion'. Wow!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx