Saturday 23 November 2013

Day 261

I am getting caught up in all this Doctor Who 50th anniversary hype dear Reader. I would not even really call myself a Doctor Who fan either!

Tom Baker was my childhood Doctor Who--and Peter Davidson. I remember being really scared when Tom Baker regenerated into Peter Davidson. More frightening than the Darleks or Cybermen to me.

Then I watched the new series with my children when they brought it back. But I did not get into it until the great David Tennant took over the role. Then to me it became good old fashion family entertainment. He was a hard act to follow and I could not get into Matt Smith when he became the Doctor--even though he did do a fantastic job I just liked David better.

And tonight he is back! Mr David Tennant is in a special episode of Doctorr Who along with Matt Smith. Two Doctors, it is going to be interesting. And Billie Piper back as Rose who now since marrying into the Fox acting dynasty has taken to talking rather posh! Golly!

Evening all x x x

Thursday 21 November 2013

Day 259

At last! A big day today, dear Reader, well for Miss C anyway as she has had her braces removed! 

Aged eleven when we first went to visit the orthodontist I was under the impression that it would be an eighteen month process for Miss C to have her teeth fixed and now almost three years later and worringly into her GCSE we were still having appointments and brace adjustments. Miss C started off with a retainer then was fitted with the metal train track braces we all know.

But today at last the orthodontist cut them off and we thought we were free of the appointments and me springing Miss C from school not that I think for one second that Miss C minded being sprung! So the braces were gone. So Miss C showed us her new beautiful smile and I have to say that her orthodontist has done a really good job. Her teeth look great!

So we were all excited thinking that Christmas had come early for Miss C and no more long waits in the busy waiting room. This private practise is always busy. When the orthodontist said that he was going to take moulds of Miss C teeth so she could come back and have another retainer fitted! 

Why I do not know. How long...I do not know! 

Evening all x x x

Wednesday 20 November 2013

Day 258

One of the questions I am asked a lot, dear Reader, is do you prefer books or a Kindle? As a book reviewer I do have a Kindle and I still get sent a lot of hard copies of books too. I don't really mind to be honest dear Reader. I think there are good and bad points for both. I do always carry a paperback in my handba, as I am always worried I will spill something on my Kindle in there or lose it. I also like my collection of signed hard copies given to me by authors. They are something I will always treasure.

I like what Stephen Fry did by making the point about stairs and escalators when he was talking about Kindles. I love how you can go on Amazon and download books for free. I have many books in my 'To Read and Review' pile but I can not resist adding a few on my Kindle that are free!

Evening all x x x

Friday 15 November 2013

Day 253

Today the hubby joined the 39 club, dear Reader, yes he is younger than me! I was thinking that maybe next year we might have a joint 40th Birthday party in our hometown. A Start Trek meets Grease party. Where the guests can dress up as either... 'beam me up Scottie' or... a wella wella hoop! 

Sounds like fun to me it is easier to have it over there as most of our families and friends are still living in our hometown. We will have a party where we live now too and then on my actually 40th I am taking my family out for a meal and on a special day trip out. Not sure what the hubby wants to do on his Big 40th--twelve months from today. I know he would like to go watch the Formula One, so I hope it is some location hot near his birthday and it will make a change from the cold November here in England. I of course would need all new clothes, shoes and handbags for such an event!

Our son Mr L, also turns eighteen the same year we hit the BIG 4-0 so maybe we will make it a triple party! Oh how he would love that a party with his parents!

Evening all x x x

Thursday 14 November 2013

Day 252

Shaun Ryder on UFOs, dear Reader, that is a bit random isn't it? What next Professor Brian Cox on flower arranging? What an unusual pairing that is. Shaun most famous for his ahem... Happy Monday days claims to have seen a strange bright light while at a bus stop in his home town of Salford.

As a paranormal investigator I am always interested in alien stories, and this I found just fascinating to watch. It is as good as the recent one I watched on telly were a woman claimed to be abducted every time she ate Kentucky Fried Chicken! 

Evening all x x x

Day 251

My water is cloudy today, dear Reader, No! not 'MY' water--I mean my TAP water. We did get a card through from our water company telling us they were working on putting new pipes in all through the night and if we experienced any cloudiness to simply run the tap until it runs clear.

And run that tap I did dear Reader! All day long. But it is still cloudy. Leaving me without water all day. No cappuccino; no green tea; no water and I was so thirsty. No joy from the water company either. So had no chose but to hit the bottle. Go on to bottle water. Which I pooed out to the supermarket especially for only to get distracted by the apple-pie and custard and I completely forgot to buy bottled spring water!

Evening all x x x

Tuesday 12 November 2013

Day 250

                                                       The Mystery of the Missing Marigold

It begun as any other day, the nightmare of getting two teens up and out of bed and ready and off to school in time. When this task was done, I then turned my attention to doing the big pile of clumsy washing up--left in the sink. So I reach out for my marigolds. Much needed at the moment due to my sore hands from my skin condition.

I only see one marigold so I look on the units; and in the sink; on the draining board and still no luck. So I look behind the kettle and microwave and even then still no luck! So I look in the microwave; in cupboards. Nothing. How can I wash up with just the one rubber glove? So I check the washer, dryer; Spook's box--I even look in the fridge. NOTHING.

The thing is, dear Reader, they are easy to spot too with their bright yellow colour. So where could it have gone. I have now wasted almost a hour on such a simple task that under normal circles would not be even worth mentioning. After all once done washing up is soon forgot about.

So in the dish washer everything goes. Now I am obsessed with finding my missing marigold so I lose another hour searching the rest of the house.... I am determined that I will find it... but NOTHING!

A move on to doing much more interesting things throughout the day and soon my little glove friend is soon forgotten about... until it grows dark and the hubby decides to close curtains and pull down blinds. I hear him call my name, so I rush into the kitchen. Look what had got rolled up and tangled in the blind when it must have been opened this morning... he says.... a marigold!

Monday 11 November 2013

Day 249

Hello, dear Reader, Spook here--you know the star of this blog! This blog has a lot about me and I know you have noticed that my human owner has not wrote a post for a while,because she simply cannot use the laptop due to her hands being swollen and in bandages so after I had a little 'Paws for thought' I thought I would share with you my recent alien abduction story.

So here goes...                     SPOOK IN SPACE

It had started off as just another day, there I was minding my own business when suddenly out of no where I was suddenly ambushed and handled into a mini space craft. The vessel then took off and elevated at a gentle speed into the air and I was transported into the mother-ship. 

They must have known what a tough cat I am. Because they kept me in my tiny craft, and we then set off on a very bumpy and rough journey. I felt like I was on a boat out at sea. In very rough waters. Only I know what was happening to me as I am now thirteen years old and wise, very wise.

I had been abducted again by aliens. This happens to me every year, oddly at around the same time every year. I have learnt just to stay calm and just give a couple of growls now and then just to let these little spacemen know who is the boss.

On the journey they try to tempt me, pushing biscuits through the small air holes in my craft. But I am not having any. I have heard stories from the other cats, such tales as that they were turned into dogs and started to chase their own tails! Well this is NOT going to happen to me!

The mothership is stopping now and out I fly in my little craft and land at my destination. The planet I have come to known as... VETS. Here I am in a small space with other kidnapped animals some are physically shaking with fear.

Then my little craft takes off and lands on a table and a big bright light is shone over my craft as the alien opens my craft. The alien has one big shining light of an eye on its forehead and he wears a blue space suit. He tries to call me out. But I am not having it, so he removes my lid and begins his experiments on me. I try to remain as still as I can. But if I can I will get a quick bite in on his rubber tasting hand like I did last year.

I look around the room and I see he has also kidnapped my humans--well only three of them. One of them is ill so they must not have been good enough to be experimented on and left behind. Then it happens out of nowhere I am injected. What with who knows? I am then poked and prodded about with and even my poor little mouth is looked in. 

Before long it is all over and I am placed back in the craft. And transported back to the mothership and off we go again on a journey and I remarkably find myself back home.

So I jump back up at my window and fall into a very deep sleep.


Monday 4 November 2013

Day 242

Nothing seems to last anymore, does it dear Reader? Take school shoes for instance, I bought Miss C brand new school shoes to start the new school term off--from a well known high street store and I paid a good price for them too. So you would expect them to last wouldn't you, dear Reader? 

Well the shoes only made it the the first half-term, so we are talking they lasted weeks. The heels had completely worn away leaving holes--they were in a real state, dear Reader. So off I have been today to buy new school shoes. Could I find any...? Not a chance. All round town I went. In and out of shops. The shoes that were on display did not look like they would last either. 

Finally I found some called Sketchers, which look a good strong school shoe that will last. But for how long only time will tell.

It was the same with board games. I wanted my children to have the fun of playing board games when they were children, like we did as children. So we bought them all--all the well known ones. Back in our child hood days they use to last didn't they dear Reader? But now and maybe it is to do with the reduction in sales of these types of things with the increase of gadgets such as game consoles and all the other gadgets available now, that the board game companies had to cut costs and use cheaper materials--because they no longer last.

My teens have now bought the computer game versions of many of these board games for their consoles. And we all do still enjoy playing these versions together as a family. It is also good fun to play these when you have visitors too. But it  for me is not the same as the actually board game. The counters, the dice. The spending hours setting up mouse trap only for the game to be over in no time!

Evening all x x x

Sunday 3 November 2013

Day 241

I am absolutely thrilled to have won an award for my book reviews, dear Reader. It is always nice to have positive praise about your work and an award... well it is just fabulous to get. I love my work in the booky world. I meet many interesting people and get to read many wonderful books.

I like to read any books from all genres. I work with the thought that you can learn something new from every book that we read. Also the old saying never judge a book by its cover is so true too. I just love reading and escaping in a book. I have my dream job and I love it.

The other special thing about my work is that I have made some really good friends through it--all with the same love of reading and writing as I have. I get a behind the scene look at books. I am so lucky to do something that I really enjoy.

So to have this wonderful award for my work with authors is just fantastic and big thank you to the Love A Happy Ending team and to Famous Five Plus.  I am also so happy for all my other colleagues and friends who are up for nominations at this years Festival of Romance. Good luck everybody!



Evening all x x x

Saturday 2 November 2013

Day 240

The 40th Birthday invites are really coming in now dear Reader. I am lucky to have friends still that I was friends with at primary school and others from when I was a child too and many more I have collected along the way! I have already missed out on a few events that I have had to turn down due to my ill heath. A few weeks ago one was on a party bus around Bradford! exciting eh? I love it!

Still not sure what to do about mine. I would have liked to have a party back in my home town with all my Yorkshire family and friends but I can't see that happening now. Next week we have the family christening and I am really looking forward to going to that. Still not decided on what I am going to wear but it will be something new. 

I am really enjoying shopping for babies again too. There is so much cute and there is wonderful things to choose from. But do you stick with a traditional christening present? Give money or buy a gift or gift voucher? I think I am going to go traditional. So as the weather is really windy and rainy outside today I am shopping online--which usually means I will end up on eBay buying things I really do not need! But the things you can find on eBay!

I think it is with approaching forty that I have started to collect things from my childhood like Wombles-- things and Strawberry Shortcake and Little Miss and Mr Men--oh and Pacman too. All bought from eBay! It is amazing just how many hours you can lose on eBay buying pointless things. But it is really good fun-- especially bidding at the last moment.

eBay has become an indoor hobby!


Evening all x x x






Friday 1 November 2013

Day 239

My  skin specialist called me at home today, dear Reader. So things are getting moving now with my treatments. I am lucky to be in good hands and I also have many people who care about me and have given me good support about my condition. Like I said before you learn a lot about people when you become seriously ill.

Also today I booked Spook the Cat in for her yearly booster injections at the vets. It was spooky of Spook as I was chatting on the phone and booking her in, she suddenly sat up in her box all alert and really listening to me on that phone! She must know dear Reader as she even went out in the pouring rain!

Last time we took her to the vets it involved a lot of growling at other cats, so she now as to go to the doggy side of the vets with all the dogs. She also growled at the vet and then when the vet said she was done she straight away jumped down and got herself in her cat box--ready for the journey home. Amazing as it had taken me flipping ages to get her in her cat box in the first place to take her to the vets!

Evening all x x x