January’s A Good Month To ...

Avoid making a New Year’s Resolution. Yes, seriously. Many people find that the pressure of undertaking a big life change at New Year makes it more difficult to accomplish their goals. Deciding to lose weight, quit smoking, get fitter etc is sometimes easier to accomplish at a time of your own choosing, or when the weather is warmer to make you feel more optimistic. The only resolution I’ve ever made and stuck to, is not to make a New Year’s resolution!

Raid the ‘End of Sale’ rails. I’ve never been one to queue on the first day of a sale, or even turn up within the first few days of one starting. I’m much more the type of shopper that scours the shops for ‘End of Sale’ bargains. Past finds have included Marks and Spencer jeans for £5, M&S boots for £3 and toiletry gift sets from Boots at 90% reduction. OK, so there’s not so much choice towards the end of a sale, but the savings can be huge!

Fill up those charity bags. Now’s the time to clear out all of those cupboards and drawers to make room for all of the goodies that you received for Christmas. And if you received some unwanted gifts, why not donate those to a local charity shop too? Beware, however, of some of the so-called charity bags that are posted through your door. Whilst some are genuine, others most definitely are not. If in doubt, try to take your donations directly to a charity shop, to ensure that your gifts are helping the people that you intend to help, as opposed to lining the pockets of unscrupulous individuals.

Curl up with a good book. Whilst I accept that e-readers have their place, I feel you can’t beat holding an actual book in your hand, with it’s intriguing cover beckoning you to discover its treasures within. I love to turn the pages – sometimes with some speed when I reach a particularly exciting bit – enjoying the feel of the paper and weight of the tome. Snuggling up by the fire on a winter’s day, book in hand, is sheer bliss!

In May I …

… have been getting to grips with mastering my new hairstyle. My new cut meant a change in blow-drying technique and even saw me ‘investing’ in a set of straighteners. It called hardly be called investing however, as I picked up a bargain from Sainsbury’s where Phil Smith hair-styling sets were being sold at a 75% discount. For around £7 I bought a handy travel bag containing ceramic-plated mini straighteners with cover and a handy folding hairbrush. A really great buy!

 

… ate lots of Duerr’s Ginger Preserve. It all started when I lost my appetite due to a bug, and the thought of most food left me feeling queasy. As ginger is recommended a stomach settler, I decided to give it a go, and am still totally hooked on it long after recovering from said bug. It’s delicious on toast.

… made lots of lists. Lists of people to notify about change of address, lists of jobs to do on the current house to leave it in order, lists of what is to be stored where during our complicated multi-stage move, lists of food for my mother-in-law’s 90^th birthday bash … perhaps what I really need is a list of lists.

 

…read ‘Peril On The Royal Train’, another great story from the Railway Detective series, penned by Edward Marston. I really enjoy these crime stories set in the golden age of steam and featuring the masterful Inspector Colbeck and the feisty love of his life Madeleine. The tales are very atmospheric – a piece of history and crime combined.

… also read ‘The Missing One’ by Lucy Atkins, which I found quite chilling yet felt compelled to read at the same time. The book demonstrates how keeping family secrets can have far-reaching consequences and disturbing effects.

This February I’ve …

 … been using Tresemmé Heat Defence Styling Spray (bought on offer at Superdrug) after getting a great new hairstyle, which has meant I’ve gone back to blow-drying my hair. The spray is easy to use, smells pleasant and doesn’t leave my hair feeling sticky – just spray onto hair prior to blow-drying to keep hair shiny and protected.

… browsing the many and varied independent shops of Whitstable in Kent. Whitstable, famed for its oyster fishing, is a lovely seaside town that has a unique charm and interesting selection of independent businesses. If you’ve never been there, make plans to visit.

… enjoying Marks and Spencer Cherry Liqueurs, part of the Valentine goodies brought for me by my husband. They are absolutely my most favourite chocolates in the whole world – and I’ve tasted a lot of chocolate!

…watching ‘Death In Paradise’, the detective drama set on the island of St Marie. I really didn’t get into the earlier series of this programme, but have to say I really like Kris Marshall in his role as DI Humphrey Goodman. I’ll be sad when the series ends.

… reading lots as always. Latest books include:

‘The Shadow Collector’ by Kate Ellis. I absolutely love Kate’s Devon-based detective, Wesley Peterson, who investigates crimes that seem to hark back to the past. This was as gripping a read as ever.

‘Murder On Summer’s Day’ by Frances Brody, another great tale from the Kate Shackleton series. This is another great story of intrigue featuring the 1920’s sleuth who is herself such a great character.

‘The Detective’s Daughter” by Lesley Thomson. Although this book has received some acclaim, it didn’t quite work for me. I guessed much of the outcome quite early on, and the actions of some of the characters just left me wondering “why?” I was too busy thinking what the characters should have done, to really lose myself in the story.

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The Stork Cookbook

When I was young, I used to love browsing through my mother’s rather tatty old copy of The Stork Cookbook. It had been published long before my time and had been well-thumbed, but I loved the pretty pictures of cakes and biscuits and loved to plan what I would serve at the perfect tea party.

As I got a bit older I actually got to bake a few of the recipes, although they never quite looked as good as in the pictures. Perhaps it was this early love of baking that encouraged me to take ‘O’ level cookery (or Food and Nutrition as the course was actually called) at secondary school.

As we prepared to start the course, my teacher announced that it would be necessary to buy a certain book, in order to have access to all the vital recipes – The New Art of Cooking, from Stork!

This was the 1978 edition, as opposed to my mother’s copy that must have been published some 20 years before, but it still contained similar photographs of finished dishes and many of the same recipes that I’d pored over in my younger days.

I still own my slightly yellowed copy of this book, which has stayed far more intact than my mother’s version, despite constant use. It is still a major source of reference for me when cooking today. Indeed, I have tried other recipe books but always seem to return to that trusted Stork Cookbook of all those years ago. Apart from the occasional recipe gleaned from the odd magazine, its recipes, along with the pencil-written comments added by my 15-year-old self, are truly the inspiration for most of the dishes that I make (with small variations) today.

What trusted tome do you swear by?

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The Right Cut

I’m someone who never seems to get round to getting my hair cut until I wake up one morning, look in the mirror and think, “Help!”

I invariably just pop into a hairdressing salon when out on a shopping trip, in the hope of having a rescue cut there and then. I’ve previously visited various branches of Supercuts, the chain that has a no appointment policy, so attempted to get a cut there again last week, when it got to the stage that I could not longer see past my fringe.

Calling in at a branch of Supercuts in a local shopping centre, I was pleased to see that no one was queuing there. I presumed I would only have a minimal wait and attempted to book in. However, I was told that a man was in front of me, although he’d currently wandered out, which I thought strange as I have always been told that once you have booked in you have to wait in the salon, otherwise if anyone comes in whilst you are away, they get priority. Apparently this rule does not seem to apply to everyone. In addition to this I was told that I would have a 45-minute wait. Now, I’m not being rude, but when said man walked back in during this conversation he didn’t have that much hair to work with so where did the 45 minutes come from? Especially as there were two stylists in attendance at this time.

 

This information, together with the generally unhelpful attitude with which it was delivered, made me decide not to stay. The question was where else could I go at short notice?

Not far from the shopping centre was a small hair and beauty salon that I decided to pop into on the off chance. I received a warm welcome and was pleased to find that a stylist was available straight away. I was then offered tea or coffee – no chance of that at Supercuts with its conveyor-belt mentality!

The stylist, Alec, then proceeded to wash and condition my hair, with a gently head massage, then cut and styled it very professionally, being friendly and helpful throughout. He was careful to angle the hairdryer away from my face, something that I appreciated as I hate being blasted full on the face (it makes me catch my breath) as some hairdressers do.

The whole experience only cost me £24 and the salon operates a loyalty scheme. So if you live in or are a visitor to the Medway area of Kent, do call in to Phixx in Chatham for a great hair cut in a friendly atmosphere.

Of course, for those of you living elsewhere, I recommend that you abandon some of the more impersonal hairdressing chains in the High Street and give a smaller independent salon a try.

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This January I’ve …

… Been doing lots of baking, not because I’ve got Great-British-Bake-Off-Fever, but because it’s a cheap way to keep the family provided with cakes, buns and other goodies. With Tesco Everyday Value flour costing only 45p for a 1.5kg bag, you can keep the family supplied at a really low cost.

,,, Bought Cross Stitch Card Shop magazine, which comes with a cute card kit and is full of fun cross stitch designs. I got the bug for making cross stitch cards in the lead up to Christmas and am still keen to make more!

… Received my first reward voucher from my Together loyalty card (The Works book shop). If you’re an avid reader this is a great card as you earn 5 points for every pound that you spend, with each point worth 1p. This is better than a Tesco Clubcard where you earn 1 point per pound or a Sainsburys Nectar Card, which awards 2 points per pound, but it takes 2 points to make one penny. But of course, you won’t spend so much in The Works anyway, will you?

Enjoying Carling Zest with a hint of winter berries, the latest edition to their delicious range of flavoured lagers and by far my favourite. Grab a box of 12 bottles for just £7 at Tesco!

… Reading lots of books as usual, including:

‘The Memory of Midnight’ by Pamela Hartshorne, an intriguing tale that combines the modern day life of troubled Tess and the hardships of Elizabethan York as experienced by Nell Appleby. A gripping tale that really gets you hooked!

‘The Flower Reader’ by Elizabeth Loupas. A tale of danger and intrigue set in the court of the young Mary Queen of Scots, which takes a lot of twists and turns before all is revealed. It’s compelling reading.

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January’s Random Thoughts

I’ve been stunned to see that in some shops, knocking as little as 50p off of an item appears to qualify as a sales bargain! Not in my book it doesn’t!

Individuals with an ‘L’ in their surname must be rubbing their hands with glee when they become driving instructors. Don’t they realise how unoriginal it is to have ‘WiLliams’, ‘Lawson’, ‘MiLler’ or whatever emblazoned on their vehicles?

If only supermarket aisles were fitted with traffic lights, one-way systems and ‘no parking’ areas, our lives as shoppers would be so much easier!

A sign on one of the hand driers in the ladies at my local Tesco reads, ‘Sorry, this facility is temporarily out of order’. What I would like to know is what is Tesco’s definition of temporary? The sign has been there since last October!

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Autumn Reads

During the past month I’ve been having a bit of a reading fest, so rather than just name my best read at my end of month round-up, I thought I’d share a few of my favourite titles with you.

The Shadow Year by Hannah Richell

An intriguing story that illustrates how the actions of our past can have such a big impact on our future. In the present day Lila is given an isolated cottage by a mystery benefactor, but why? Events that took place during 1980 are slowly revealed to provide the answer to this question, whilst uncovering some startling secrets. I was hooked.

The Silent Tide by Rachel Hore

I love all of Rachel Hore’s books, mixing the past and present, joining two threads in time to reveal different elements of a shared story. In this book Emily Gordon’s much-loved publishing job sees her digging into the past of a revered writer, learning some surprising truths about his life and the lives of those he has left behind. A great read.

Fever by Mary Beth Keane

Based on the historical character ‘Typhoid Mary’ a cook accused of infecting a number of her employers and their families with typhoid in the course of her food preparation, this story surmises what Mary’s life and personality may really have been like. My feelings for Mary alternated between sympathy for her personal situation and scorn at her disregard for the rules, although I do feel she was given an unnecessarily tough time. Decide about her for yourself by reading this great book.

 

The Light Behind The Window by Lucinda Riley

Another great blend of past and present, encompassing the exceptional bravery of British agents in 1940s war-torn France and the personal struggle of Emilie in more recent times. Emilie feels at a loss as how to proceed in life following the death of her mother, her subsequent inheritance and revelations about her family history. It was one of those books that I just didn’t want to put down!

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Travelodge Tales – The Latest

A recent family get together saw us travelling towards Manchester from Kent, and it was therefore inevitable that we would once again opt to stay in yet another Travelodge.

Regular visitors to my blog may have read Travelodge Tales and Travelodge Tips chronicling my previous experiences and thoughts, but if you’ve not yet read them, why not take a look now?

Anyway, back to my most recent Travelodge experience in Cheshire. To ensure the best price we booked about 23 days in advance (cheaper than booking fewer than 21 days before), paid the money and looked forward to our rooms (one for hubby, son and me and one for mother-in-law).

On the day we travelled the roads were a bit of a nightmare, and although we left home before 5pm, we didn’t arrive at our destination until close on 11pm. Thankfully we were greeted by a really lovely, friendly receptionist on arrival. Much to our horror, however, she informed us that we could have lost our rooms, despite being booked and paid for in advance, as the Travelodge had been about to go into overbooking.

On receiving this information we just stared blankly at her, so she explained if all the unbooked rooms got full, they would then re-allocate rooms that had been paid for, if they had not been claimed by 10pm. This was certainly news to us, but we were grateful that on this occasion our rooms were still actually there for us.

For the record we asked what would happen if we turned up and our rooms had been re-allocated. The answer to this was apparently we would be sent to the next nearest Travelodge with an available room. That would not have gone down well after the journey we’d had, I can tell you. However, we did learn, for future reference, that if we are held up, as long as we ring the Travelodge concerned before 10pm, we could book in over the phone and our rooms would be safe. This is definitely worth remembering, although when Travelodge have already received money for a room, I believe it should not be re-allocated, unless officially cancelled.

Our other big shock of the night was that although both the rooms were booked together, they were nowhere near each other: one was on the ground floor, the other on the first floor. Unfortunately, the one on the lower level had been made up as the family room, whereas it was much more needed by my tired mother-in-law, who felt too weary to manage the stairs (there was no lift).

But once again our friendly receptionist came to the rescue, ensuring us she would move the extra bedding up to the first floor room. Not only did she do this immediately, but also actually made up the sofa bed for my son, whereas we are normally left to do this for ourselves. We were very grateful for this little act of kindness, as we were shattered!

We were told that to avoid getting rooms so far apart in the future, we should ring the Travelodge concerned directly, to request that the rooms be together and to request ground floor if needed. Well, we all learn by our mistakes!

Despite these little blips, I have to say it was the most peaceful, well-kept Travelodge we had stayed in. Rooms were clean and well stocked with tea, coffee etc and the staff members were really helpful and friendly. Thanks for a lovely stay!

Maps Vs Satnavs

In life, there are two groups of people, those who use maps and those who use Satnavs. I have to say, I fall into the ‘maps’ category.

On any journey I am assigned the roll of navigator, which I love. Hubby comments that in our car we don’t have a TomTom, we have a JoyJoy!

I simply love maps. I love planning the routes for our journeys, working out the most interesting, scenic or easiest routes. If we hit a problem when travelling, all I have to do is check the map for an alternative route and make a detour. We never get sent down dubious tracks or through places that we’d rather not go. Oh no, I certainly wouldn’t swap my map book for a Satnav any day!

Armed only with a road atlas, we have travelled over a large part of the UK and through France without getting lost, and have found some little gems of places along our chosen routes.

How ironic then that earlier this year I won a Satnav in a prize draw! Needless to say I wasn’t thrilled when my prize arrived, but then I saw how it could actually benefit me. I left the box sealed, advertised it on Amazon as ‘new and unused’, priced it a few pence lower than other sellers of new Satnavs and found a buyer within 24 hours! Just think of how many map books I could buy with the proceeds!

So despite my win of the year, you will still see me poring over my road atlas in anticipation of our next journey. After all, hubby can rely on his JoyJoy – even though unlike a Satnav I can answer back!

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This August I’m Loving …

Do Me No Harm by Julie Corbin, a gripping psychological thriller that made me want to keep reading to reach the end, despite worrying how the tale may actually turn out. A must-read book!

Peaches Peach Schnapps from Iceland, a budget version of Archers, which tastes just as good and costs just £5.50 a bottle. Delicious with lemonade and ice for a long, cool drink.

Tesco Strawberry Milkshake Mix, which has a lovely flavour – preferable to Nesquik to my mind. A great way to encourage children (and adults) to drink their milk.

Saga Magazine Puzzles, a monthly puzzle magazine with a great variety of puzzles including Sudoku, logic problems, Hanjie, mosaic, quizwords and codebreaker puzzles. Great for giving your brain a good workout.

Tesco Wake Up Mexican Lime Shower Creme for just £1, a lovely scent, a pleasure to use.

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Tales Of A ‘Set Down Point’

At my local Tesco Extra there is an area named the ‘Set Down Point’, which consists of two bays each designed to accommodate two vehicles, for the purpose of setting down (and indeed picking up) shoppers.

However, I often see this area being used for all kinds of purposes, for which I’m sure it was never intended. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t sit there for hours on end watching the comings and goings, but I regularly meet my husband there following a shopping trip. Invariably I’m ready some time before he actually arrives, so I can’t help but see what’s going on.

I’m really exasperated by some of the activities that I see, and have decided to compile a list of things that I recommend you avoid doing at the ‘Set Down Point’, based on real events that I’ve witnessed. Take heed, if you live in the Medway area, this could be aimed at you!

1. Do not park your vehicle in the middle of a bay, turning it from a space for two vehicles to an area for only one. Strangely it’s always the people with the smallest cars that do this, preventing others from being able to pause in the bay.
2. Do not use this area to park your car whilst you perform a full ‘trolley’ shop. There are usually plenty of other parking spaces available and they are all free of charge.
3. Do not park here to have a picnic. Yes, I’ve actually seen this happen. What appeared to be a father and son emerged from Tesco with a full carrier bag of food, which they then proceeded to eat on the spot – in their twee little camper van with net curtains! Surely there are better places to have a picnic.
4. Do not use this area as a venue for a social event. I’ve actually seen people park here, greet friends, linger long enough to have major conversations and ‘catch up’ sessions, pausing to use the toilets along the way, and even using this area to ‘swap’ children that they have picked up from school!
5. Do not settle down (it’s set down not settle) and read a book. Contrary to what you may think, this is not a reading area.
6. Do not set down passengers – oh hold on! You can do that, I got carried away!

Have not actually seen one of these parked there though!

I certainly see a lot of life when waiting at the Set Down Point, In fact, I’m thinking of turning the shenanigans into a script for a TV soap. I’m sure ‘Setdowners’ could prove a big hit!

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Milestone Birthdays

Later this month I will be celebrating one of those so-called ‘milestone birthdays’. You know, one of those ones that ends with a ‘0’, the first number being the age you feel you were not that many years ago.

Is it really that long since my mother took me off on my first day at infants’ school? I was actually eager to go and made a beeline for a little wooden doll’s house that was set up on one of the classroom tables. There I sat, so engrossed in my little world, that I didn’t even see my mum leave, although I do remember being disturbed by a girl sitting on the top of the table behind, bawling her eyes out. I recall turning round and glaring at her, wondering what all the fuss was about.

Anyway I digress. Milestone birthdays. They’re the ones that the card shops stock a multitude of banners, badges, balloons and mugs for. People hold huge parties to celebrate these special days – well some do, but not me.

When it comes to my birthday I like to do something quiet, you know keep it low key. For my last milestone birthday, we (myself, my hubby and my three children – yes there were still all children then) stayed in a little farmhouse in West Wales, miles from other civilisation. My actual ‘big day’ was spent on a quiet little beach, whilst I passed the evening sipping gin & tonic overlooking an expanse of green fields – aaah bliss!

Milestone birthdays do seem to make you pause and take stock, however. Even if you’re not actually ticking off a ‘Twenty Things Before I’m –ty” list, you may still consider what you’ve achieved since that last magic milestone.

With the years clocking up, I really have started looking back and considering all that I have done and achieved, and I’m pleased to say I’m quite happy with my lot.

When I was a child some of my favourite things to do were to dress up in my little nurses’ uniform and administer to my dolls, play schools and write stories. Since then I’ve trained and worked as a Staff Nurse, changed careers and supported GCSE and ‘A’ Level visually impaired students in schools (learning Braille in the process) and am now writing in various forms. In addition to writing my blog, I write for several companies, composing slogans and copy for their websites and brochures and am also penning a few short stories and a book. Childhood dreams are being accomplished then!

I’m also proud of my three children and have recently been blessed with my first grandson.

Although I’m not thrilled to be the age that I am, I’m certainly happy, on the whole, with the way that my life has gone. Here’s to the next 50 years! Whoops that’s let the cat out of the bag!

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Summer Holidays

Well, here they are, the summer holidays have officially arrived, with many schools having now broken up for the next six weeks or so (my son finished last Friday).

You may now be looking for ways to pass the time and entertain the kids, unless you've signed up for one of the many holiday play schemes around the country. Perhaps you’re going away for at least some of the time, be it near or far, or looking to spend some recreation time nearer to home, in between juggling work and all the other commitments that you may have.

I’m fortunate in that I write to earn a crust and can pick up pen (yes, I do still draft some work in longhand) and head for my happy place (for those of you who aren’t familiar with this, my static caravan on the east coast).

In addition to writing my blog (purely for pleasure), I write for a few businesses, composing copy for their websites, brochures, company blogs and press releases, and inventing slogans. Fortunately, there is no conflict of interest with my own blog writing as the businesses that I write for include an engineering firm, construction company and some double-glazing suppliers, as opposed to High Street retailers or visitor attractions.

I’m also putting the finishing touches to a couple of short stories, and have drafted the synopsis of a book, which I may or may not actually get round to writing.

So this summer I will be combining time at my caravan with trips back home, so that I can keep an eye on my elderly mother (she suffers from dementia) and see my daughters and baby grandson. I may even get to throw in a brief camping trip if I’m lucky.

With a busy schedule ahead, I’ve decided to reduce my blog posts to around three a week (you may already have noticed that they’ve fallen from five to four), to allow time for other projects and to enjoy summer pursuits with my family, especially my son during his school holidays.

Whatever you’re doing this summer, I hope you have a fantastic time, and do continue to look in on my blog when you get the chance.

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This July I’m Loving …

The Painted Bridge by Wendy Wallace, a gripping story set in Victorian England that makes for excellent reading. Anna Palmer finds herself in a private asylum, much to her frustration and disbelief. Why has her husband put her there? What will be her fate? A chilling, yet compelling read, certainly a book to recommend.

Nutmeg children’s clothing range available at Morrisons, which has some great, fun garments at very reasonable prices.

Perceive Dew Perfume by Avon, a light, delicate, summery fragrance with the scent of lemons, fragrant and refreshing.

Aunt Bessie’s Summer Berry Sponge Pudding, a light, tasty sponge, with a delicious fruit topping, that takes just 3 minutes to cook in the microwave from frozen. We love this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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This June I’m Loving…

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton, a wonderful read. I love Kate Morton’s books and really enjoy the way that she combines stories from the past and with what’s happening in the present. This book tells Laurel’s story, portraying her current life in 2011, whilst haunted by memories of 1961, which prove quite disturbing. These memories along with new information make her curious about her mother’s life in wartime Britain – a real page-turner!

Boots Zingy Lemon Shower Gel, a creamy, refreshing body wash, which reminds me of the lemon sherbet that I used to buy as a child, costing just £1.

The current (dated July) issue of Red Magazine containing a great selection of articles, beauty and fashion pages, and now on sale for just £2 at Tesco, as opposed to the normal cover price of £4. This issue includes a free 15ml tube of Elemis Pro-radiance Illuminating Flash Balm, which ‘tightens and brightens’, ideal for giving your skin a real boost.

Aero chocolate biscuits (especially the orange variety), which are really tasty and are only 99 calories per biscuit!

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Bookstart

When my daughter registered my grandson’s birth a couple of weeks ago, she was presented with a pack containing some delightful board books courtesy of Bookstart.

Bookstart is run by Booktrust, an independent charity given funding by the Department of Education and aimed at encouraging people of all ages to have access to and get enjoyment from books. Visit http://bookstart.org.uk to learn more.

I’m an avid reader and certainly don’t have to be told the value of books, but think this is a great scheme to encourage more reluctant readers to become interested in all that books have to offer.

I read and looked at books with all three of my children from a very young age and felt ‘robbed’ when they became too old for bedtime stories. My mother read to me daily when I was young, and I was taken to the library on a regular basis, to choose books on my dad’s library card. When I was old enough to go the library with my own card, to choose my own books (accompanied by big sister), I made a beeline for the section marked ‘older children’. The librarian, on noticing this, peered over her desk and pointed out, “The books for younger children are over there!” To which my young, very precocious self replied, “Yes, I know, but I’ve read all of those already!”

To this day I read, on average, a couple of books a week and would encourage everyone to persevere with books even if they don’t immediately get much from them. It may take time to find the type of book that really works for you, but it will be there somewhere.

Now I’m looking forward to reading stories to my grandson and having another generation of book-lovers in the family.

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The Haunting by Alan Titchmarsh

I’m an avid reader and am always on the lookout for different, interesting titles and authors to read. On a recent trip to The Works bookshop I was attracted to a book entitled ‘The Haunting’ and decided to take a closer look.

I was surprised to discover that it was written by Alan Titchmarsh, someone whose books I had never considered reading, wrongly believing that he wrote the type of book that would be of no interest to me whatsoever. However, when I read the ‘blurb’ on the back, I realised that it fell into a category of book that I really enjoy – that where two stories, one past and one present, link together in some way.

I love reading books such as ‘The House at Riverton’ and ‘The Forgotten Garden’ by Kate Morton and ‘Sepulchre’ by Kate Mosse, so was keen to get started on ‘The Haunting’, where stories from 1816 and 2010 come together.

I quickly became engrossed in this book, eager to find out the fates of 19^th century Anne Flint and 21^st century Harry as their stories gradually unfolded in the same places but at different times. The book includes tragedy, romance and the sad effects of dementia on the young and old, all coming together in a very well written, intriguing tale.

OK, maybe part of the ending was a bit predictable, but it didn’t ruin my overall enjoyment of the story.

I really enjoyed reading ‘The Haunting’ and am now eager to try some more of Mr Titchmarsh’s offerings.

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I-Spy Books

As a child I had a large collection of I-Spy books – 'Birds', 'Trees', 'Flowers', ‘In The Street’ etc, and no journey or outing was complete without taking along at least one or two of them.

There was a lot of pleasure to be had identifying and ‘ticking off’ species of wildlife, unusual objects or lesser-seen road signs. For years I treasured these little books, until I moved on to what I considered to be more ‘grown-up’ pastimes.

The original books were published first by Charles Warrell, then by the Daily Mail, but I was thrilled when I realised that Michelin had revived these little books, including many of the original titles, as well as introducing a few new ones to the collection. Eager to recapture the fun with my son, we’ve invested in ‘Birds’ and ‘At The Seaside’ and will no doubt acquire more – personally though I’m not particularly attracted to ‘Car Badges’.

Of course, like everything else, I-Spy books have had to move with the times. Amongst things to find at the seaside, for example, are ‘Alcohol Free Zone’ signs, ‘Hip Hop Drop’ rides and skateboard kites.

These handy little books provide plenty of fun for the whole family on outings and journeys, with editions aimed at specific locations now available – for example, Oxford, Edinburgh and Paris.

If you’ve never tried an I-Spy book, what are you waiting for? Go and buy one today, and have fun!

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DS Games – Big Word Puzzle Book

I really love a good word puzzle – in fact I just love playing with words – so as I’m also a fan of DS games, the Big Word Puzzle Book is a firm favourite.

The game features eight puzzle challenges, each of which can be played at four different levels- easy, medium, difficult and expert.

 

Some of the word games are old favourites, such as hangman, word search and codeword (substituting numbers with the correct letters), whilst others are a bit more unusual.

I love playing Guessword, where you literally have to guess a random word through the process of elimination. With careful thought it\s amazing how few guesses it sometimes takes to be right.

I also enjoy Combinates, a kind of scaled down Scrabble board where you aim to get the highest score possible using all the given letters.

Other games include DIY Crossword (place words in the grid provided), Spellitaire (a quick-fire word making game) and Pop-Up Garden (an anagram game).

This game allows you to save four profiles at a time and you can play in single or multiplayer mode.

Highly recommended for all word puzzle fans.

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