So, we are back from Spain. On the day we left we got to the airport in good time and were checked in within 20 minutes. Flight was delayed 2 hours! We telephoned our friend meeting us to break the news and then wandered off to get a drink and kill the time! It went quickly really and finally we were on our way. A good flight over, I sat by the window and was very impressed by the cloud formations I saw. Some of them looked like huge meringues - beautiful! Guess who didn't have her camera with her! We arrived at around 10 pm - very warm! Our friend met us and we drove directly to the local village for something to eat.
We had a lovely relaxing holiday. The weather was hot, very hot, relentlessly hot, day and night! So we sat in the shade and dozed or read or chatted. We cooled off by having a swim. Our friendly duck is still in situ - it is actually a thermometer and the water temperature was around 30 degrees most of the time we were there.
We ate out most days, catching up with acquaintances made last time we were there and making new ones. One evening we (about 16 of us) went to a local cafe for supper where there was a live band playing for a couple of hours - mostly tributes to The Beatles, Van Morrison and a Country & Western singer I can't remember! Later there was dancing. It was a great night and we walked back home at around 1 am.
That was pretty much all we did. I only took about 3 photographs. It was wonderful to just - well I can't say "chill out" - but to RELAX! I read "The Good Earth" by Pearl S Buck which I thoroughly enjoyed, a wonderful book. It was first published in 1931 and in 1937 it was made into a film. In 1935 Pearl S Buck was awarded the Nobel prize for literature. You can read more about her here.
I also read "The Conjuror's Bird" by Martin Davies. I thought it was a good, pacy read. I am a little confused about the reference to "the conjuror" but think I know what was meant. If any of you have read it I would be interested to know your thoughts. I also got well into "The Return" by Victoria Hislop. Having read her previous book "The Island", I guessed I would enjoy this story.
Our flight back was uneventful and on time. When we left Spain it was 39 degrees. We landed at 10.10 pm and were back indoors by 11 pm. Temperature here was 16 degrees!
I have been trying to catch up with fellow bloggers this week because on Tuesday I'm off again. This time to Stratford on Avon to look after our 5 year old grand-daughter for a few days, to help out for the first week of the school holidays. I won't have my camera with me this time though, as OH wants to borrow it whilst I am away.
Looking into Blogworld I found I had an award from Hadriana. She has designed this award herself and awarded it to fellow bloggers who have kept visiting and supporting her in spite of her being a little out of touch lately due to family commitments/work pressures. Thank you Hadriana - I do appreciate it.
I also found that I have been tagged by Karen at The Rubbish Diet. I will be doing this once I am back from my grandparenting duties in Stratford on Avon. Hope you don't mind Karen.
One task I must tackle before I go off on my travels is to make a birthday cake for my lovely daughter, who will be 40 at the end of August. It will give the cake time to settle and mature and I will be back in good time to ice and decorate it.
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Sunday, 19 July 2009
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Ten Things Beginning with B
Here is a "getting to know you game" devised by a fellow blogger. The "rules" are set out below.
1. Leave a comment on this blog and I will assign you a letter.
2. Write about ten things you love that begin with said letter.
3. Post the list on your blog.
4. When people comment on your list, you assign them a letter, and the game continues.
Gill - That British Woman has assigned me the letter 'B' so here goes:
1. Books - I love books of all kinds. I really enjoy reading the classics and novels and occasionally biographies but my bookshelves also hold the following:
A fair amount of cookery books, and books about cake decorating.
Gardening books, including those about ponds and wildlife.
Bird recognition
Poetry books
Childrens books - these include some of my own when I was a child, which are now about 60 years old!
Many other types, including travel books and atlases, picture books etc.
I always bought my children lots of books and now with homes of their own, they also have many on their shelves. I am delighted too that my grandchildren are already avid readers.
2. Birds - Love to watch the birds in our garden and entice them by feeding them an assortment of seeds and fruit. We now get quite a variety visiting and I am hopeful of nests in the garden again this year.
3. Butterflies - Always love to see them and there are quite a few of their favourite shrubs and flowers in our garden, including wild flowers.
4. Bees - As with butterflies we try to encourage bees with the planting in the garden. I love to see the way they crowd onto some of their favourite flowers.
5. Baking - I really enjoy baking cakes. I am not too successful with pastry - it's always a bit hit or miss with me. But cakes are different. Cakes of all kinds, but particularly celebration cakes which I then have fun decorating.
6. Bath - We live about 1 hour's drive from the city of Bath which is lovely as a lot of you will know. Actually haven't been there for quite a while - perhaps this spring or summer. I also love to have a soak in the bath. Shower mostly but occasionally a bath is just what is needed.
7. Birthdays - I love birthdays. I hope to see many, many more of my own but also enjoy the birthdays of family and friends. They are days for celebration.
8. Blogging - Began blogging during the summer of 2008 and was not at all certain what I would make of it. Had no experience of it beforehand and had to find my way through all that it entails, from setting up the blogsite to giving and receiving awards! It truly is another world and one I love to visit.
9. The Beach. I was born in a house that overlooked Chesil Beach and I have been lucky enough to have lived within a short distance of the coast most of my life. I love to walk along the beach, paddling in the water if the weather is warm enough, though it is many years since I have walked on Chesil Beach.
10. Bluebells - pretty flowers, I have them growing in the garden but particularly love to see them growing in the woods.
So there you have 10 of my favourite things beginning with the letter B. As I mentioned above, if you would like to have a go at this, leave a comment and I will be pleased to assign you a letter.
1. Leave a comment on this blog and I will assign you a letter.
2. Write about ten things you love that begin with said letter.
3. Post the list on your blog.
4. When people comment on your list, you assign them a letter, and the game continues.
Gill - That British Woman has assigned me the letter 'B' so here goes:
1. Books - I love books of all kinds. I really enjoy reading the classics and novels and occasionally biographies but my bookshelves also hold the following:
A fair amount of cookery books, and books about cake decorating.
Gardening books, including those about ponds and wildlife.
Bird recognition
Poetry books
Childrens books - these include some of my own when I was a child, which are now about 60 years old!
Many other types, including travel books and atlases, picture books etc.
I always bought my children lots of books and now with homes of their own, they also have many on their shelves. I am delighted too that my grandchildren are already avid readers.
2. Birds - Love to watch the birds in our garden and entice them by feeding them an assortment of seeds and fruit. We now get quite a variety visiting and I am hopeful of nests in the garden again this year.
3. Butterflies - Always love to see them and there are quite a few of their favourite shrubs and flowers in our garden, including wild flowers.
4. Bees - As with butterflies we try to encourage bees with the planting in the garden. I love to see the way they crowd onto some of their favourite flowers.
5. Baking - I really enjoy baking cakes. I am not too successful with pastry - it's always a bit hit or miss with me. But cakes are different. Cakes of all kinds, but particularly celebration cakes which I then have fun decorating.
6. Bath - We live about 1 hour's drive from the city of Bath which is lovely as a lot of you will know. Actually haven't been there for quite a while - perhaps this spring or summer. I also love to have a soak in the bath. Shower mostly but occasionally a bath is just what is needed.
7. Birthdays - I love birthdays. I hope to see many, many more of my own but also enjoy the birthdays of family and friends. They are days for celebration.
8. Blogging - Began blogging during the summer of 2008 and was not at all certain what I would make of it. Had no experience of it beforehand and had to find my way through all that it entails, from setting up the blogsite to giving and receiving awards! It truly is another world and one I love to visit.
9. The Beach. I was born in a house that overlooked Chesil Beach and I have been lucky enough to have lived within a short distance of the coast most of my life. I love to walk along the beach, paddling in the water if the weather is warm enough, though it is many years since I have walked on Chesil Beach.
10. Bluebells - pretty flowers, I have them growing in the garden but particularly love to see them growing in the woods.
So there you have 10 of my favourite things beginning with the letter B. As I mentioned above, if you would like to have a go at this, leave a comment and I will be pleased to assign you a letter.
Sunday, 11 January 2009
What would you choose?
OH and I frequently listen to the radio, sometimes local radio or Radio 2 but more often Radio 4.
Our favourite programmes include "The Archers" (an everyday story of countryfolk). I can almost hear some of you groaning but expect many will be familiar with the signature tune. When I was a little girl (55 + years ago) I used to listen to it with my parents but lost track of it when I left home. However when OH and I got together and I discovered that he was an avid follower I soon became hooked again myself.
Another must for us is the quiz game "I'm sorry I haven't a Clue". This was hosted by the late, great Humphrey Lyttelton and his comic timing was perfect. The shows are funny and laden with double entendres and we never tire of listening to repeats of the recordings.
One programme I try not to miss is "Desert Island Discs". This is broadcast on Sunday mornings at 11.15, immediately after the omnibus edition of "The Archers" and repeated on Friday mornings at 9.15. This week's "castaway" was Ruth Padel. I had not heard of her prior to the broadcast but she is an acclaimed poet and has said that wildness and wild animals lie at the heart of her work. She is also the great, great grand-daughter of Charles Darwin.
For those of you who may not know the programme it was created in 1942 by Roy Plomley and he hosted it for many years. He was followed by Michael Parkinson, then Sue Lawley and now it is the turn of Kirsty Young. I have heard the story that apparently Roy Plomley had the idea one night when he couldn't sleep, wrote it down on a piece of paper, went back to sleep and the rest, as they say, is history! The guests are many and varied and names such as George Clooney, Dame Judi Dench, Johnny Cash, Jack Vettriano, Michael Eavis and Princess Margaret are just a few of the very long list of celebrities that have been invited to take part and make their desert island choices. I always find the programme fascinating, whether or not I know the name of the castaway or have any knowledge of, or interest in, their particular field. I often find myself wondering which 8 discs I would want to have with me should I find myself in those particular circumstances and it is difficult to choose from the dozens, possibly hundreds of songs and melodies I have loved to listen to over the past 60 + years! Like most I imagine, my tastes have changed, so the choice would be different from year to year probably. Two though, that do stand out for me are Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra playing "The Sunny Side of the Street" as this has been a favourite for quite a while now (click here to listen) and the other long-time favourite is the Beatles' "In My Life".
The castaways are told they are given the Bible (or other religeous work), the complete works of Shakespeare and may choose one other book. Again there have been some interesting choices and my opinion on this also varies from time to time.
Finally a luxury is allowed, as long as it is not in the form of any kind of rescue craft or communication appliance, food, shelter etc. Now of course all sorts of things spring to mind and there have been some wonderful requests (that of John Major being The Oval Cricket Ground, which was agreed!) but having had quite a while to ponder this I have decided my luxury would be a piano and a "teach yourself to play it" book. Have often wished I could play the piano, so what better opportunity - plenty of time, something to do and, hopefully, improve at and no-one to irritate!
So, what would you take to your desert island, should you by unlucky/lucky enough to be all washed up?
Our favourite programmes include "The Archers" (an everyday story of countryfolk). I can almost hear some of you groaning but expect many will be familiar with the signature tune. When I was a little girl (55 + years ago) I used to listen to it with my parents but lost track of it when I left home. However when OH and I got together and I discovered that he was an avid follower I soon became hooked again myself.
Another must for us is the quiz game "I'm sorry I haven't a Clue". This was hosted by the late, great Humphrey Lyttelton and his comic timing was perfect. The shows are funny and laden with double entendres and we never tire of listening to repeats of the recordings.
One programme I try not to miss is "Desert Island Discs". This is broadcast on Sunday mornings at 11.15, immediately after the omnibus edition of "The Archers" and repeated on Friday mornings at 9.15. This week's "castaway" was Ruth Padel. I had not heard of her prior to the broadcast but she is an acclaimed poet and has said that wildness and wild animals lie at the heart of her work. She is also the great, great grand-daughter of Charles Darwin.
For those of you who may not know the programme it was created in 1942 by Roy Plomley and he hosted it for many years. He was followed by Michael Parkinson, then Sue Lawley and now it is the turn of Kirsty Young. I have heard the story that apparently Roy Plomley had the idea one night when he couldn't sleep, wrote it down on a piece of paper, went back to sleep and the rest, as they say, is history! The guests are many and varied and names such as George Clooney, Dame Judi Dench, Johnny Cash, Jack Vettriano, Michael Eavis and Princess Margaret are just a few of the very long list of celebrities that have been invited to take part and make their desert island choices. I always find the programme fascinating, whether or not I know the name of the castaway or have any knowledge of, or interest in, their particular field. I often find myself wondering which 8 discs I would want to have with me should I find myself in those particular circumstances and it is difficult to choose from the dozens, possibly hundreds of songs and melodies I have loved to listen to over the past 60 + years! Like most I imagine, my tastes have changed, so the choice would be different from year to year probably. Two though, that do stand out for me are Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra playing "The Sunny Side of the Street" as this has been a favourite for quite a while now (click here to listen) and the other long-time favourite is the Beatles' "In My Life".
The castaways are told they are given the Bible (or other religeous work), the complete works of Shakespeare and may choose one other book. Again there have been some interesting choices and my opinion on this also varies from time to time.
Finally a luxury is allowed, as long as it is not in the form of any kind of rescue craft or communication appliance, food, shelter etc. Now of course all sorts of things spring to mind and there have been some wonderful requests (that of John Major being The Oval Cricket Ground, which was agreed!) but having had quite a while to ponder this I have decided my luxury would be a piano and a "teach yourself to play it" book. Have often wished I could play the piano, so what better opportunity - plenty of time, something to do and, hopefully, improve at and no-one to irritate!
So, what would you take to your desert island, should you by unlucky/lucky enough to be all washed up?
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