Blogger and writer Shaily has a new short story collection available on Amazon. It is out in paperback, on Kindle, and also Kindle Unlimited. Here is a sample story from the book, and this is a link to her blog where you can read more of her work. https://fishinthetrees.home.blog … | Continue reading
The sun is trying to shine through the clouds this morning, so it’s time for some old paintings memes again. | Continue reading
As is often the case, my week has been dominated by weather woes. I have already posted about not getting a Summer, so won’t go back over that. However, there was a break in the rain yesterday afternoon, and I decided to get out for a walk after all. I had to put on my … Continue … | Continue reading
British blogger and author Annabelle has a new book out, and I am very happy to promote it here. Available in paperback, e-book, and on Kindle unlimited, it is a middle-grade paranormal comedy novel aimed at children aged 7-10. This is the first in a new series too. Here is her s … | Continue reading
I am pleased to receive a guest post from American writer and blogger, Samantha James. She has sent a short story that will definitely appeal to most of us. Samantha has a varied and very successful blog which I recommend you check out. https://thechroniclesofhistory.com/ ‘Hello, … | Continue reading
Before I start the next fiction serial, I am going to offer the opportunity for Guest Posts on my blog again. If you would like to appear on this blog, have something to say, a book or event to promote, or you are a recent blogger trying to reach a wider audience, I will be … Con … | Continue reading
Back to the old paintings memes to cheer me up! This one is like a nightmare I had once. | Continue reading
I think we jixed the year by buying new garden/patio furniture. It has been under its cover almost every day since it was put together. It started raining last night around 7pm, and then became torrential by 9pm. It is now 10am in Beetley, and still raining. Added to that it is o … | Continue reading
Yesterday, there was a general election in Britain. Since 2010, the right-wing Conservative Party had been in power. The most breathtakingly corrupt, uncaring, and entitled bunch of politicians I had seen in my lifetime. The people had finally had enough of them, and they suffere … | Continue reading
This is the final part of a fiction serial, in 919 words. Once he had agreed with John to take the job, Clive took a cab back to Maida Vale and got in his car to drive to the Hampstead House. When Alison opened the door, her hand was behind her back, and he guessed … Continue rea … | Continue reading
I saw this You Tube video by a young Canadian woman who lives and works in England. She describes nine things that are normal here, but seemed weird to her when she arrived seven years ago. It is a short clip, only 11 minutes long, and contains a very brief advertisement that you … | Continue reading
I would like to sincerely wish all my friends in the USA a very happy 4th of July. Given the current divisions and political machinations going on over there, I hope you can still find it in yourselves to celebrate the day in the best way you see fit. Your Supreme Court has given … | Continue reading
This is the twenty-ninth part of a fiction serial, in 800 words. Tan Man opened a door in the hallway and nodded to indicate Clive should go in. “He’s in there, waiting”. Then he suddenly reached inside Clive’s jacket and grabbed the gun. “You won’t need this, I’ll give it back w … | Continue reading
You won’t see Elton John featured very often on this blog. Yes, he wrote some great songs with Bernie Taupin, but the truth is I find him very creepy to watch. I can’t put my finger on exactly why. It might be the wigs, the silly spectacles he wears, or the fact that his skin … C … | Continue reading
Anyone else having problems with lower case ‘i’ today? Carolyn mentioned it on her blog, and it has now shown up when I have commented on other blogs since midday. For some reason the glitch only appears when I type on other blogs, not on my own. So if you see my replies ending i … | Continue reading
This is the twenty-eighth part of a fiction serial, in 800 words. It was close to nine when Alison woke up. She sat up in bed and rubbed her hands through her hair. “Christ, I need a pee”. Coming back from the bathroom, she stopped and grinned at him. “Well I’m obviously naked, a … | Continue reading
Visit the post for more. | Continue reading
This is the twenty-seventh part of a fiction serial, in 786 words. On the way back to the car, Alison was holding on tightly to Clive and occasionally stumbling. Once they were both sat inside it, she turned and grinned. “I don’t think I should have had that third glass of wine”. … | Continue reading
I found some more. Happy Monday! | Continue reading
This is the twenty-sixth part of a fiction serial, in 820 words. After collecting the tablets from Rico, Clive went to a phone shop and paid cash for an unregistered camera phone, adding the minimum credit. He was only going to need the camera facility, then he could get rid of i … | Continue reading
Cloudy and damp this morning, so I found a few more memes to cheer everyone up. Still looking for more! | Continue reading
Hard to believe it is almost July. Summer came late, but it arrived in Beetley with a humid heatwave vengeance. A few uncomfortably hot days seemed to hinder my recovery from whatever virus I had contracted recently. I had the added discomfort of a very upest stomach, and could o … | Continue reading
Anyone who knows me will tell you I am partial to a glass or more of red wine. In every country I have ever visited, I have sampled the local red wine, and with so many affordable wines now available in major supermarkets, I am often spoilt for choice. So here is some Sunday home … | Continue reading
This is the twenty-fifth part of a fiction serial, in 830 words. Three nights with Jane at the guest house was actually quite pleasant. He even took her out to eat on the second night, to the Italian place where he had been with Janice and Becky. Jane obviously didn’t get out muc … | Continue reading
Back to cartoons this weekend while I search out some more memes. These are for the pet lovers. | Continue reading
I don’t own any records by Shania Twain, but it was always obvious that she had a great voice, and was lovely to look at. The video for this 1997 big hit of hers was a spoof on the Robert Palmer video I played earlier this week, and it worked very well. This song is … Continue re … | Continue reading
This is the twenty-fourth part of a fiction serial, in 798 words. Before Jane answered her phone, he was already expecting her not to be happy, and she wasn’t. “Oh, so you haven’t forgotten my number then? What happened with your posh girlfriend, the Londoner? Threw you out I sup … | Continue reading
This new hardback book is not cheap, but ardent film fans and lovers of literature will enjoy the maps locating fictional film characters from James Bond to Bullitt, and many more from books, popular video games, and TV shows. From the Ghostbusters HQ in New York to Nemo’s fish t … | Continue reading
Just a short selection this morning. | Continue reading
Sam Brown is the daughter of the popular 1960s entertainer, Joe Brown. If you live outside of Britain, you will probably never have heard of either of them. Now 59 years old, Sam came to attention in the late 1980s with a series of hit records and accompanying videos. I liked her … | Continue reading
This is the twenty-third part of a fiction serial, in 764 words. When the old station clock showed eight, Clive put on the overcoat, turned up the collar, and left the house wheeling the suitcase. After closing the door, he removed the latex gloves and put them in his pocket. The … | Continue reading
I might be the only person who actually prefers Janet Jackson to her more famous brother, Michael. But I can live with that. In 1997, I bought her new album, ‘The Velvet Rope’. I couldn’t stop playing it, and one track in particular. It also made me realise how useful it was to h … | Continue reading
This is not a repeat of my walking post the other day, it’s a different one. Yesterday, it was a little cooler, and there was a (very) slight breeze which made walking more comfortable. I set out at 1pm, and did much the same walk I had written about previously. There were few ot … | Continue reading
This is the twenty-second part of a fiction serial, in 800 words. Inside, the house had been extensively modernised. Clive followed Macaulay along the corridor by the stairs into a room that opened out into a large kitchen diner, with bi-fold door giving a view of the surprisingl … | Continue reading
Today’s funnies are slightly more modern than the old paintings, and one is a little bit rude. | Continue reading
Today’s language is English. A test will follow at the end. Most of you did okay. CLASS DISMISSED! | Continue reading
It was quite a hot day today, (still is) but after so long putting up with miserable weather, I was deternmined to get out and about. I thought about taking my camera, but decided to just enjoy the walk with my eyes and ears instead. As I was going out before 1pm, I wore my … Con … | Continue reading
This 5-minute You Tube video provides a very fast guide to the different accents you will hear if you visit the UK. It is probably of more interest to non-British readers, and may well upset some of the British ones. But it’s fun, quite clever, and self-explanatory. In case you a … | Continue reading
This is the twenty-first part of a fiction serial, in 790 words. It was nine days before Conor Macauley was back at his house and back on the scene he was addicted to. Clive had checked out a few of the clubs and bars he expected to find him in, and on day nine he … Continue read … | Continue reading
A small mixed bag for today. The Summer has come to Beetley and it is going to be a scorcher! Me. (Apparently) | Continue reading
Our blogging friend Don Ostertag has let me know that he now finds the text on my blog very difficult to read. As I do not want to change the theme, which I am very happy with, I will now be posting text in bold type. Just so you know. | Continue reading
This morning, we had to take Julie’s car down to a place in town to have an annual service and government inspection. It had to be there by 11am, so not too much of a rush. I followed behind, to bring her back while it was left there. Unfortunately, it transpired that she had act … | Continue reading
I hope we all have a great week to come, so let’s start it off with something to chuckle about. | Continue reading
I was a fan of Robert Palmer from his early days as part of the band Vinegar Joe. Then he resurfaced in the 1980s with a cool new style and a great album, ‘Riptide’, released in 1985. This was at the peak of the music video era, and his video for the song released from … Continue … | Continue reading
This is the twentieth part of a fiction serial, in 768 words. Alison was talking to him in a patronising tone that he didn’t like. “Stop being so sullen, Tiger. You know you can’t just go off and play happy families with Owen’s widow and her precocious child. I mean, what would h … | Continue reading
This week’s musings are dominated by the weather, and what I’m sure is the flu that laid me low. ————————————————————————————— We got some Summer at long last. It might get up to 27C here in Beetley today, after a week of increasingly warmer weather. (That is 81F for non-celsius … | Continue reading
Visit the post for more. | Continue reading