Category: LIFE

Ramblings, daft and humourous, dark and sad, but hopefully mostly happy

Just a little crush 🌸

January 28, 2018

I have had a husband for a quarter of a century.

I am in love with 007.

I watched Top Gun over eighty times because Maverick was my hero. I am pretty sure I am 100% heterosexual.

However….

There have been one or two (or three or four) females whose forms I cannot help but appreciate. It’s more of an appreciation society of beauty than a sexual thing. Trinny Woodall is one such woman. I say woman, because she is 53, although I realise she looks twenty years younger. Her features fascinate me. Her poise and elegance ooze from the television: I want to be her. My aims to tame my own Worzel Gummidge friz into smooth Grace Kelly locks usually falter around the Debbie Harry stage.

I looked forward to Trimny’s weekly fashion show with Susannah Constantine. They were fairly harsh with some of the nervous contestants I felt, all those years ago in the mid/late 90s, but now looking back I would call them assertive and encouraging. The contestants would stand in their died-grey underwear in a mirrored booth and the girls would stand behind them “ooohing” and sucking in their breath, analysing body shapes and previously chosen wardrobe items which they would literally hold up like some dead vermin before binning.

It was an early reality show where a before and after comparison was mostly worthy of an Oscar. The contestants would have a total makeover and the new image would finally be revealed to us, the audience, at the same time as the contestant. A little like a clothes version of Changing Rooms. I usually shed a tear when the silk drape slinked to the floor exposing the mirror and a disbelieving woman within. They would always gasp and turn to check whether their bum looked big in the new attire, swing their new choppy bob and admire their professional make up.

Looking back, I realise now it was a huge illustration of building self-esteem.

They went on to co-write a series of books in the early noughties about what not to wear to various occasions (I bought them all, devoured the advice and immediately reverted to my charity shop purchases 🙄 but that’s because there is a part of me that is inherently lazy. Can you please remind me of this if I don’t crack on with those short stories?!).

I saw Trinny’s photo in The Telegraph a few days ago and wanted to share these thoughts with you. Funny little thoughts we have sometimes!

No great shakes. I don’t think I’ll be fantasising about her when I pull the duvet up to my chin and roll over to face the wall….

<<<<
night ☺️

Gorgonzola, grapes and honey. No pickle thank you.

January 23, 2018

I had to. I’ve been dreaming about this mix ever since I sat in that café on the cobbled street watching passers by exploring Milan in the shadow of that gothic holy place exactly a week ago.

I had to attempt to recreate THAT luncheon I so enjoyed. Do you remember it?

I really needed it to look as similar in presentation today as I recalled it being last week, so when husband suggested pickle on the side of the plate, I quickly remembered the counselling and replied “You can; but I’d rather have it without, so the honey taste can shine through 🙃”

(Because any ‘nagging’ or ‘bossing’ by a wife is hardly equality is it).

Looking good so far, although I know the Gorgonzola is not the creamy creation we, Ortensia and I, discussed)

Now … how to create those petals of pear that the chef produced 😬

Knife worked better than peeler (Mike2all; are you here? Told you I would show you).

Husband insisted in consuming cheese biscuits with it and I bit my tongue and proceeded to daintily eat mixed mouthfuls of this nectar which surprisingly did not need anything else, so filling were the amalgamation of cheeses in one’s stomach.

Now satisfied; eating a whole family bag of M&Ms, watching The Grand Tour and deciding that photo blogs are not for me ….

Hey! At least I stopped worrying about the pony book after typing an email to someone who knows far more than I (I know narthing).

Connected 🌸

January 23, 2018

A quickie today because I have a to-do list as long as my leg (usually they say arm but I prefer to think outside the box and it’s a bloody long list).

I have a children’s book to type up for a friend, about which I am starting to think I’ve bitten off more than I can chew because she’d like her words interwoven between her Enid Blyton-style illustrations 😬 (and there was me thinking I was merely typing up a rough draft. This amazing 83 year old lady and friend of 24 years has written it out on random pieces of paper. In pencil.)

She feels is it her final chance to get something in print before she is “too old” (her words not mine) and I am delighted to pause in my own humble writing efforts in order to assist in any way I can. All being well with the Big Man and I, I have time on my side.

Except I’m stuck. Truly. I’ve had advice given by lovely friends about websites that can sort formats for illustrated writings; I thank them and yet have done nothing further about it. I am concerned I am being a little tardy about it!

This is procrastination at its very best. The ‘work’ has now become a black cloud of worry and yet I know from recent learnings that it is within my power to alleviate those clouds by putting into action a change rather than stagnating and bemoaning.

So today is the day. I hereby allocate today to remove the cloud. This WILL come about because;

1. I find – and understand – an online children’s book format accepted by publishers if we choose to submit.

2. I make some calls to possible publishers and they suggest I send text separately to scanned illustrations (this would be lush but I know it’s unlikely).<<<<<<<<
ore about self-publishing and learn how to format myself (this I find brings me to the blackest sky ever)..

4. I give it all back to her and say find someone else … (I could never do this).<<<<<<<<
y proved that a problem shared is a problem halved.

Many of you, my lovely regulars, came up trumps with suggestions of how I might deal with those rogue sites (which had, I admit, caused a vague layer of irritating nimbo stratus for a few days). I thank you all for those .. I feel heaps better, even if follower numbers have decreased (I've always aimed for quality over quantity).

A blog I followed today is full of wonderfully uplifting poems .. check it out

HERE<<
m going to put the kettle on (I'm having earl grey – what would you like my lovelies? And should we have custard creams? One hardly matches the other does it – but I warned you I think outside the box ☺️).

IMG_8223 Aim – to feel less worried by end of today. Focus. Act.

First photo credit – Paul Mutton 2006)a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/tardy/”>Tardy</a&gt;

Suspicious…

January 22, 2018

So why do you accrue the occasional follower whose site is ‘no longer available’ when you try to see their site ??

Are they spam?

Do they need reporting back to WordPress?

Having had the experience of fraudulent activity last year, I am on permanent alert mode for dodgy stuff …

Lemon&Sugar?

January 21, 2018

Or maple syrup? Or perhaps blueberries and whipped cream?

Naughty but nice. We don’t wait til Shrove Tuesday to eat pancakes; I make them all year round, once a week at least. My 6’3″ son eats them as fast as I can make them!

My personal favourite is thin and crispy around the edges, lemon drizzled over for a tongue tantaliser and some sprinkled fine sugar as the nurturing treat. Three or four of these and I’m good to go for the day.

I want to write .. I managed nearly 2000 words yesterday on my WIP. I need a title, maybe you can help? (Careful this an opp for your first synopsis – don’t FK it up)…

A mysterious old lady has left the contents of her will to Lucy, a distant relative who she met only two weeks before. Those contents amount to an Italian vineyard in need of serious update, the manager needing a sense of humour transplant (keep it serious).. The chance to travel has been evading Lucy for years so the need to visit the vineyard and meet the workers and assess its future is the perfect reason to explore outside her present boundaries.

(Hmmm I’ll give you 40% for that effort. I know but we’ve got to leave soon and I wanted to get it out. You KNOW you should never rush work, how many times have I told you? I know, I know, but the RIGHT time never presents itself when there are no distractions so sometimes you just have to go for it.)

Anyway, I’ve researched the Tuscany area and this vineyard will be out of the main area, and way behind the times…

Would you like an extract occasionally … like a tantalising tang or a sugary nurture moment? I’d love you to share Maud’s story (she was the old lady btw).

Titles can come right at the end. I just need to keep writing the story. Today however, is my son’s 18th birthday treat and he doesn’t know where we need to be for the 2pm show start.

Let’s just remind you I love cars. He does too – it’s he and I that watch those Top Gear episodes back to back… my husband loves cars too but he’d rather be chain sawing logs in the woods. He doesn’t really, if he’s being 100% honest, enjoy leaving the homestead!

Catch you later 🚙🚓🏎😉

Am I dreaming?

January 15, 2018

A fellow blogger, whose posts I enjoy, nominated me (MEEE 😱🙈) for this Mystery Blogger Award and I am so excited and grateful (and suspicious that she might have typed my name in error! That blogger is ..

stylethatright A fun place to sit back and listen to advice on style, make up and general lovely words.

I had to think of 3 things about me, which you didn’t already know … (and preferably wouldn’t send you into a zone of pre-sleep boredom)

1.  I am a farmer’s wife of 23 years, who never read the email – I don’t stick to the script of a traditional farmers wife. I don’t make my own mayonnaise or run a B&B. I choose not to wear tweeds because I prefer Boden (once items are in the sale anyway!). There are hundreds and thousands of traditional farmer’s wives around out there, dutifully making homemade supportive meals and loving every minute of doing so. I rarely cook a meal nowadays because I am too busy running my business and then I started blogging on top of that. I’m surprised he hasn’t traded me in for a newer 4WD version! (Actually I did make some cheese on toast once. Was so astounded, I blogged about it! It’s here.)

2. I am an only child, although did have a younger sister who sadly passed away from cot death, as it was called then, when I was three and she was about twelve weeks. I have talked about her more with my counsellor (about twice) in the last few months than I’ve ever done with mother over the 45 years since Lucy’s death. Mother never mentions her, nor are there any photos. I’ve never seen my sister.

3. I have one tiny tattoo on my wrist. My little star to remind me to always shine ⭐️ (whatever anyone else tells me).

Here are the list the rules for the next recipients of this mystery blogger award!

The 5 questions I was asked were:

What is your idea of a Perfect life? I think the freedom to be who I know I am rather than to live under the constraints of others’ expectations of what I should be.  Does that make sense?

Why did I start blogging and what is my favourite genre? In October last year, my FB friends were subjected to some of my longer ramblings, and two went as far as to say “You should so do a blog!”  (I’m unsure whether they just wanted to free up FB feed, or whether they genuinely thought my ramblings would be enjoyed by an audience further afield) …… (I’ve done the self-esteem course, so I’m opting for the latter :D) Aim number 1 is to make you laugh, even just a little.

5 Celebrities whom I would like to celebrate my birthday with

Daniel Craig.   OMG.  Just because.   Ok, you want a serious answer.  I’ve lived forever believing there was no better Bond than Sean Connery.  Matter closed.   But then Sam Mendes took over the direction of the 007 series and Daniel’s already excellent portrayal of the agent rocketed.   I think this has more to do with Sam’s perception of how an unobtainable alpha male needed to come across to his ready-made audience.   It also is probably why SKYFALL became the highest grossing Bond film of them all.

Sam Mendes.   I think it would be rude not to chat about life with this man, for reasons I’ve just explained.  (BTW, I’ve just found how to colour text – I’m so getting the hang of this – woo hoo!!)

Kenneth Branagh.  Oh my God.  Every character he has ever portrayed is a genius work of art.  My favourite?  ‘Wallander’ … the swedish detective with the volvo, and the complicated past?   Gritty, dark, so so real.   The filming of this series sucks you in to his life and the mysteries of why he is there and the estranged daughter who appears and stays and they rediscover communication.   

Prince Harry.  I like his spark.   Prince William is a star in the making, I’m so proud he will one day be our King.  But his brother … a little like Princess Margaret perhaps, hasn’t always read the script either and pushes the boundaries.  I relate to that.   His work with Invictus Games is truly amazing.

J K Rowling.  Just realised JK is the only female I have here.  Probably significant.  I’ve always enjoyed the company of men.  They fascinate me.  JK has mastered a male-dominated world and written about a boy.  One I’ve watched grow up, alongside my children.   There are not many words I can actually think of which would describe the respect I have for this writer.    We know how it started.   We know how it went.   Long may it continue. 

Funniest Moment of my Life This is so hard to answer.  I’m not sure I have one.   I had the most laughs whilst sat in the audience of Michael McIntyre’s Live shows (I’ve been to see him twice and would go again).   But if I’m to think of something thats happened to or around me which was funny …… I truly cannot think of anything.  How pathetic.  I need to give this some thought.

What is my favourite pastime?

Simple. People watching; then creating fiction.

So here comes the fun part.  Me choosing another 10 blogs in the hope I send them more ‘traffic’ ….. for reasons of entertainment, enlightenment or information relevant to writing, I choose the following blogs and truly hope the links work!

GreggSavage

PhoebeMorgan

K M Allen

mike2all

Truly, Madly, Ordinary

The Shuffle BookBox

Pink Quill Books

Story Shucker

AllRomanceReads

Little Fears

If you can find the time my lovely ten people who have made me laugh, cry, widen my eyes in disbelief but got me thinking to answer these 5 questions if you choose to take on his nomination, I very much look forward to reading your replies.   Lets keep talking xxx

1.  What is your favourite colour and why?

2.  Take one piece of music with you to heaven; what would it be?

3.  Choose five adjectives which best describe you.

4.  If my book is ever published, will you come to my book launch? (ha ha)

5.  What is your favourite way to relax, truly unwind and forget everything?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

OK, I’ll finish on good old grey.   Its been fun doing this, although I’ve popped my writing pieces on hold to meet this challenge.   Maybe I might see one or two more followers from it and I hope I bring more traffic to the ten I’ve nominated. 

Keep writing my friends.