Sunday Salon Check In!

Hello, what a week it has been.  I failed miserably at visiting the library and leaving with no books. I left with another 3 books, which were


Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs has been on my wish list for sometime. I spotted it and picked it up fairly quickly.

Nigella Christmas by Nigella Lawson.  Nigella is almost an old friend. Just before Christmas I watched the final 20 minutes or so of her Christmas programme and knew that I wanted the book. It is a whopper, with a whopper price - £25. It oozes loveliness and it followed me home from the library. Not a brilliant move, as it was a fairly heavy book to carry, but having had a look through it was worth the weight! This book will be the subject of a few Weekend Cooking posts I am sure.

Gluten Free for Dummies is a book, in preparation for me. We are wondering if there is a Gluten problem with hubby, so doing a little bit of reading in advance. Over the years I have had various patients with Gluten issues, but when its your own family it takes a different slant.

Then when I got home there were 3 books ready for reviews. I was so excited, I then immediately felt stressed at which one to read first!


Then last week I realised that I had missed one of the challenges that I had decided to participate in, War Through the Generations, which is featuring the American Revolution. You can read my vow and link on to the challenge page HERE

Yesterday I was made aware of The Progressive Book Club: A unique blog hop that's an online book club and meets virtually on the third Wednesday of every month. This is hosted by M L Swift and looks promising, I immediately sign up! The first meet is on Wednesday, so it's likely to feature in the Sunday Salon for next week.

Finally, for those who are book lovers and down under, I was alerted this morning to a book hop to celebrate Australia Day on 26 January. You can sign up HERE and can read more about it HERE.









That's it for this week. Until next time....

War Through the Generations Challenge

For 2013 The War through the Generations reading challenge is focusing on the American Revolution. You can read about the challenge and sign up HERE.

This year I am signing up as a Wade participant, meaning that I plan to read between 4-10 books featuring this period of American history. Also you add into the mix one or two films instead of books.

13 Challenges of 2013

Now, as readers of this blog will know, I like a challenge, so when I read this one over at Julia's Place I knew that I would probably take part. Julia is suitably inspired by her friend Lisa.

Here is the plan in Lisa's own words

‘Each challenge must be visited, photographed (where possible) & posted 13 times in the year. It does not have to be every day, every week or every month; but over the course of the year the 13 parts of the 13 challenges must be complete.’

• Challenge 1 - Read 13 different books
• Challenge 2 - Visit 13 different places
• Challenge 3 - Visit 13 Museums and National Trust properties
• Challenge 4 - Explore 13 different ancestors 
• Challenge 5 - Walk Alfie (our Border Terrier) at 13 different venues
• Challenge 6 - Recycle 13 different things no longer needed
• Challenge 7 - Watch 13 different films (no repeat watches allowed)
• Challenge 8 - Listen to 13 different unknown music artists or new albums
• Challenge 9 - Write 13 letters that involve stamps and envelopes!
• Challenge 10 - Cook 13 different recipes 
• Challenge 11 - Visit 13 different eating venues
• Challenge 12 - Take part in 13 group book reads 
• Challenge 13 - Cull my book case by 13 books

Weekend Cooking - Recipe Journals Part Two

After last week's post I had several comments via comments or email about me disposing of my old journal. Just to reassure, I am firmly keeping it. I just plan to move to a new journal.

I had planned to spend a few hours looking at another suitable book. Well, I got distracted by my other two recipe files, and thought I might share those with you today before we move to the new set up next week.

They both contain A4 recipe sheets from either magazines or photocopies from books. The first one contained the printed sheets that I was given in 1984 when I was doing my cookery O level in senior school. Each page has been dated and has the grade I was given. If you look carefully you can read 15 Nov 1984 Grade B. I wonder what happened to the teacher, who incidentally was called Mrs Walker?

A recipe from Mum which is handwritten and the relates to the Christmas Pudding recipe we still use.















The second file is again oversize recipes, mainly the sort you pick up from the supermarket as complimentary recipes.

Of course having kept some of these sheets for years. There are also some smaller ones that date to 1978! Unless I am looking for something specific I have no way of knowing just what recipe I have within those files. I think I should index them into Excel and then add a sheet to each file. Another job for a rainy day and we are getting plenty of those!

Weekend Cooking is hosted by BethFishReads

Sepia Saturday - 159

In my family archives we have some great photos of days at the beach. Here are just a few of them.


Taken circa 1955 at Brighton Sussex. This is my Grandfather George with Mum who has a rather determined look on her face!




Here is a slightly earlier photo. This one is taken we think at Southend where my Grandfather's sister Gladys lived with her family. This photo was taken in 1949 and has both my Grandparents in it.


Taking part in Sepia Saturday

Blog the Year Award 2012

I was really delighted to see that I had been nominated for the Blog of the Year 2012 Award by Pauline from Family History Across the Seas.

The biggest reward I get from writing the Anglers Rest blog is that people read my posts, comment, and subscribe and/or follow it. 

The amount of team work and friendships that have evolved is wonderful and is a testament to the wonders of the Internet. If we didn't have the Internet, blogging as it stands would not exist and the friends we make and the projects we can involve ourselves in would be unknown to us. It has to be the most amazing invention of the 20th Century.

With those thoughts in mind. I am nominating the following bloggers for this award.

• Judy Webster, absolutely deserves this award. Judy's project of the Genealogists for Families Team is such an inspiration of sharing, kindness and team work. 
• Allin at Australian Genealogical Journey's - I love Allin's motivational Monday posts and as I read them every week usually with a pen in hand to jot down any thoughts that come to me!
• Alona at Gould Genealogy & History News - Alona was the host behind the A-Z Family History Writing Challenge which ran last year. I still have a few draft posts to complete and then plan to post them.
• Frances of Rebel Hand - Frances posts are always full of interesting facts and is the author of Rebel Hand, Nicholas Delaney 1798
• Kristin, of Finding Eliza - For being such a supporter and commenter of Anglers Rest and for writing such fascinating and well researched posts.

THE RULES

1 Select the blog(s) you think deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award

2 Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award.

3 Please include a link back to this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award – http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/ and include these ‘rules’ in your post (please don’t alter the rules or the badges!)

4 Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them

5 You can now also join our Facebook group – click ‘like’ on this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Facebook group and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience

6 As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars…

Pills, Thrills and Methadone Spills by Mr Dispenser

It was sometime during the course of last year that I became aware of a blog being written by Mr Dispenser. Over the course of a few weeks it became apparent that Mr Dispenser has like many of his pharmacy colleagues a sense of humour and can laugh with his colleagues over the day to day life of our professional existence.

It was therefore almost a natural progression that Mr Dispenser made the move to record some of the comments left on his blog, Face Book page and tweeter account. He then called for more, and collated them into the book which has the wonderful title of Pills, Thrills and Methadone Spills.

My preview copy arrived before Christmas, just in time for me to while away a few hours, exhausted on the settee as I delved into the pages.

Laid out into a series of chapters, Mr Dispenser has recorded what, is regular life to us in the trade, with a humour and smile that is refreshing in modern pharmacy.

The medications that patients often mispronounce, the tablets that have a smell, lovely or otherwise, the thrill of a hot cup of tea, comments from patients, the ones that we have all heard, "it's only a tube......", the sudden influx of medications that have been on maker's delay for months.

As I read the book I could recall moments of patients mispronouncing drug names. The odd requests we are presented with. Patient’s advising they do not taking any medication, apart from the heart tablet in the morning conversations. The patient who advises they have run out of a little white tablet. The patients who have bought a smile to our face with their humour, conversation or a packet of biscuits, the ones that you hope you won't see because you have to shout because they are deaf and you have a sore throat!

It seemed ironic that as Mr Dispenser called for submissions and inclusions into his book, I was too busy, working in the profession to contribute much, although I did note a reference to a comment I made on the blog being included, which was wonderful! I do hope that there will be another book as I have a few bits to contribute.

If you have left the profession read this book it will take your mind back to the world of pharmacy, the humour, smiles and the frustrations.

For me, this was a catalyst for a trip down memory lane. The recollection of when I spilt a new pot of Temazepam 10mg capsules all over the dispensary, in the days when they were capsules and recalling the day I absorbed Heminevrin Syrup after a spillage, I slept for 17 hours!

I loved this book, it made me smile, and remember the many, many people both colleagues and some patients, the prescriber's, pre-reg's students, locums and trainees. It reminded me of times when pharmacy was pharmacy and not the script factory we have become. It enabled me to recall the journey the profession has been on over the last 25 years and all the things I had forgotten about.

'Pills, Thrills and Methadone Spills' will be out on Kindle on January 14th - UK & USA

Tweet - @mrdispenser

Blog - http://mrdispenser.wordpress.com/

5% of sales are going to Pharmacist Support Charity

Disclaimer -  I was provided with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Vintage Teacup Club by Vanessa Greene

Two women meet at a stall and are looking to buy the same vintage tea set. From that moment it is the formation of a friendship between them and, a third woman who is friends of one of the women.

Jenny is an excited bride to be, but hearing from her estranged mother affects Jenny more than she thought.

Maggie is a divorcee and has made a fresh start, only to find that the relationship she left in the past becomes part of her future and she finds her dreams and disappointments might change.....and perhaps for the better.

Alison is married with two daughters and apparently has it all, but appearances are not necessarily what they seem.

Through the book we explore the relationships, loves and fears of three women and their relationships. Not to mention the relationship the three of them build, all from the chance meeting at a car boot sale over a tea cup!

I loved this book, it had a charm about it, that could almost certainly be real and I wonder whether it was?

Library Loot - 9th January

This week, I didn't not really plan to go to the library. I have a rather hefty pile of books that I simply must read and return. I have had some of these books months!

So, having completed a vow of no books, I promptly visited and used the automated machine and renewed the books I already had. I then borrowed another 3 books. I have NO will power when it comes to books.

Here is this week's loot

Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs has been on my wish list for sometime. I spotted it and picked it up fairly quickly.

Nigella is almost an old friend. Just before Christmas I watched the final 20 minutes or so of her Christmas programme and knew that I wanted the book. It is a whopper, with a whopper price - £25. It oozes loveliness and it followed me home from the library. Not a brilliant move, as it was a fairly heavy book to carry, but having had a look through it was worth the weight! This book will be the subject of a few Weekend Cooking posts I am sure.

Gluten Free for Dummies is a book, in preparation for me. We are wondering if there is a Gluten problem with hubby, so doing a little bit of reading in advance. Over the years I have had various patients with Gluten issues, but when its your own family it takes a different slant.

Just when things could not get any better, I got home to three books that I had hoped to review.

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!

The Sounds of the Underground

It was hearing a song this morning that reminded me that today is the 150th birthday of the London Underground.

When I lived in the South East of England I was a daily visitor  to London. I daily caught the train to London from where I lived in Surrey and once I arrived at Waterloo I made a mad dash to the tube station.

Down the escalator I would rush to await the arrival of a tube going my direction. The warmth, even in the coldest of weathers was almost too warm, the sound of the tube approaching the station and the swoosh as the tube left the station. Recordings of "Mind the Gap" which emulated from the announcement system at The Embankment are all recognised signs with London.

Working in London all day and then more than likely having to stand on the way home because the train was full was fairly wearing and before long I was seeking accommodation near my place of work.  I never travelled into the City without my trusty tube map and from the state of the one that lives my study I think it could be 20 years old!

I loved living in London, I loved the busyness of the City, the accessibility to everywhere. It is probably the thing I miss most about living 200 miles south west.

There is a London Transport Museum which has for sale various items relating to the Underground, photos, maps, mugs and of course books. I recall when there was a series of poems was published and then they were displayed upon the inside of the tubes for passengers to read. This has since been published into a book, Poems of the Underground. 

A friend lent me some time ago a book which is based upon a game called Mornington Crescent. I have to say, I returned the book about a year later and was still none of the wiser, so if anyone happens to know of the game please let me know.

A very interesting article was published today in the Financial Times which gives some statistical and historical information.

Sky Burial by Xinran

As a child, Xinran had heard stories of a soldier that had been fed to the vultures in what is known in Tibet as a Sky Burial. Several decades later, Xinran, by then a journalist and writer, met the wife of that soldier.

Sky Burial is the amazing story that was told to Xinran by the widow, known as Shu Wen.

It is the story of her love for her husband and the search for the truth surrounding his death. It is also the amazing story of realisation, friendship, bewilderment and the journey of China and Tibet during the 1950s.

For me, this was a breath taking read. It was selected by my local reading group and I devoured the book in one sitting. A fabulous book and definitely a favourite.

At the end of the book is an open letter from the author to Shu Wen, who left the area before Xinran had chance to talk to her again. Did Xinran ever make contact with Shu Wen? We have no way of knowing and I am itching to know!

100 Word Challenge - Week 72

Joining the weekly 100 words challenge for Grown ups. This week the prompt is to use the following prompt. Total word allowance - 105

…you said you’d do WHAT?….

Putting the phone down he knew when he relayed what he had just offered it was going to cause a row. He moved over to the dining room table and sat down in front of his roast. He had been looking forward to it, but now didn’t fancy it.

“How was she?”, “Is she coming down?” his wife asked,

He looked up, his chicken balanced on the end of his fork.

He feeling brave, replied

“I said I would drive up and get her”

“You said what?” You do realise its 900 miles round trip.

Suddenly, the room turned chilly.

Taking part in the 100 word Challenge for Grown Ups – Week #72

February Photo Collage Festival

Launching the February Photo Collage Festival. (Thanks to Pauline for the name)

It all started when Pauline over at Family History Across the Seas shared a photograph collage that was  inspired by Kristin of Finding Eliza.

Teamwork, don't you just love it?

Lots of comments appeared on the initial post in support and then I made the suggestion of narrative to accompany each photo. I then went on to suggest, that as the initial collage had 20 photos why not increase it to 28 and then for the month of February each photo is produced in turn with the narrative to accompany it.

There was a genealogical uproar of excitement! So to take part all you need to do is

1. Sign Up using the linky at the bottom of this post.
2. Create a collage of your photos - mine will be posted to this blog on 30th January.
3. Then each day from 1st February take one of those photos in turn and using the photograph as a visual prompt produce a post with the photograph and the narrative to accompany it.
4. At the end of February you will have used 28 photos and explored the details behind it. You might even have identified some research still to do it!
5. Visited the other participants and made some new blogging friends!

This festival is open to ANYONE not just those ancestor obsessed!

Weekend Cooking - Recipe Journals Part One

Every time Beth posts about her cookery journals I am always quite envious and it was the same with this week's post. With that in mind I turned to my own journal which I know I have mentioned before in an earlier post.

Not long after we moved in together I purchased a very plain notebook from the newsagents opposite the supermarket in Sutton where we lived at the time. The notebook was to use for the recipes and cooking notes I had scattered about the kitchen.

That was in 1993 and since then I have added to the collection - those cut out of the newspaper, those that have been scribbled on a note paper by former colleagues and one or two from my Mum. Not to mention the recipes that I have stumbled, across along the way.

The notebook is very functional; there are pencil crossings as I have added ingredients to a dish when making it. I have also added each year a note about when & where I have bought the Turkey for Christmas, how many it was feeding and the price. Now, just why I do that I have no idea, even my own Mum thinks it’s a bit obsessive as she doesn't do it.

So, it occurs to me that this old and battered notebook, which is almost full is 20 years old, and perhaps should be laid to rest and my thoughts are now turning to a new note book or journal.

I plan to give it a bit of thought this week, so stay tuned for next week's post.

Sunday Salon - Happy New Year!

The first Sunday Salon of the year, and I could not pass up the chance to pop in and say Hello!

I have had a busy week this week, despite that I have to say I have felt free and comfortable. The reason is that I have left my place of work and am onto pastures and opportunities new. As I said, I feel free!

I have signed up to just two challenges this year in addition to one of my own that I started last year, but more of that in a minute.


I am taking part in the Australian Women Writers Challenge that I know was popular last year with several blogging friends. I am also taking part in the Historical Fiction Challenge. You can read about both of these challenges HERE, including the relevant sign up pages.

Currently there is no link to books I might choose as I am still debating and choosing.

The third challenge is a personal one. It is centred on the London 2012 Olympics and runs from 27th July until 5 August 2016 which is when the next games open in Brazil.

I am still catching from our Australia trip and the books I read whilst away. One book that I spotted whilst in Geelong and then subsequently purchased and read is The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe. So, it looks like I have started off with a bang as I loved this book.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year. See you next week!

Daisy: Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Janis F. Kearney

Before Christmas last year I had the opportunity to read this book as part of the book tour hosted by I am a reader, not a writer.

Book Summary

Presidential diarist and author Janis F. Kearney transforms civil rights legend Daisy Gatson Bates’ life from black and white, to living color. The author, who interviewed Bates many times; recreates her conversations and interviews to “fill in” places left un-filled, and colors incidents and experiences, to bring Daisy Bates to life. Kearney plums the mysterious murder of Bates’ mother, and the orphan’s childhood; the young woman’s prophetic decision to share a traveling salesman’s life; her non-traditional role as co-publisher of an award winning newspaper; and her leadership role at a time, and place where women rarely led.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place is Daisy’s “look back” at her life, and…finally, a self-analysis of how, and possibly, why she became the Daisy Gatson Bates for which she is known throughout the world. Author Janis F. Kearney recounts the leader’s many friendships, relationships and associations that helps define who she was in the eyes of the world - from Presidents Kennedy, Johnson and Clinton; First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt; the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.; Roy Wilson, NAACP President; Thurgood Marshall and Wiley Branton, NAACP attorneys, Maya Angelou and Jackie Robinson… and countless others.

The author met Daisy Bates in the summer of 1969, at the age of 16. From that moment, the high school student dreamed of working for the woman her father called one of Arkansas’ greatest leaders – black or white.

Review

Many of us in the early part of our lives meet someone who shapes the professional person we become. They are so, influential and important to us as individuals that they go beyond just professional and become friends, confidants and amongst the people we trust.

Daisy: Between the Rock and a Hard Place is essentially a book that is reflective of that friendship and influence between Daisy and the author.

The book starts with the early beginnings of Daisy's life and explains about the issue of Slavery in the south, even with the abolishment of Slavery, Society likes to pigeon people and this period of time was no exception. The book goes on to tell us about the life, determination and achievements of Daisy. How she managed to take all the negative that she felt and turn it into something good. It is the amazing story of Daisy who succeeded and became so much despite the colour of her skin and her background.

It was truly a fabulous read and I am delighted that I had the opportunity to read it and I recommend it!

About the Author, Janis F. Kearney

Janis F. Kearney is a publisher, author, and oral historian. She was one of 19 children born to Arkansas Delta Sharecroppers T.J. and Ethel Kearney. She Graduated from the  University of Arkansas at Fayetteville with a B.A., in  Journalism, and completed 30 hours in public administration, and Journalism.  

She was hired by Daisy Bates in 1987 as Managing Editor of the Arkansas State Press.  In 1988, she purchased the newspaper.  She served as Personal Diarist to President Clinton from 1995 to 2001.  She was the country’s first personal diarist to a U.S. President, and during that time, she also served as White House liaison to the U.S. National Archives.   

In 2001, Janis moved with her husband Bob Nash to Chicago, where she began her writing life.  In 2003, Janis, with her husband’s support, founded Writing our World Press/WOW! Books  in 2003.  Her first book, Cotton Field of Dreams: A Memoir was published in 2004.

Her other books include Something to Write Home About: Memories of a Presidential Diarist; Conversations: William Jefferson Clinton…from Hope to Harlem; and Once Upon a Time there was a Girl: a Murder at Mobile Bay, her first fiction. WOW! Books has also published two other authors. 

Her next book, Daisy: Between a Rock and a Hard Place, is scheduled for publication, December 2012.  Her third memoir, Sundays with TJ: 100 years of Memories on Varner Road,  and her second Once Upon a Time there was a Girl murder mystery are both slated for publication in Spring, 2013.

Links:

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Purchase

Tour Schedule 



January 4th
Book Blast - Multiple Blogs

January 5th
Peace from Pieces - Interview
3Ps in a Pod - Excerpt

January 6th
Angler's Rest - Review
A Casual Reader's Blog - Excerpt

January 7th
Sarah Ballance - Tens List & Excerpt
Cuzinlogic - Guest Post or Interview

January 8th
MK McClintock - Interview
Indie Author How-to - Guest Post & Excerpt

January 9th
Book Readers - Review
Guerrilla Wordfare - Review

January 11th
Aspired Writer - Review & Excerpt
Another Step to Take - Interview & Review

January 12th
Laurie's Thoughts & Reviews - Author Interview & Excerpt
The Ordinary Aunt - Guest Post

January 13th
My Devotional Thoughts - Review & Excerpt
Bookhounds - Interview

January 14th
icefairy's Treasure Chest - Guest Post & Excerpt
Nonfiction Finds - Excerpt

January 15th
Beck Valley Books - Guest Post

January 16th
Crafty Zoo - Guest Post
Michelle Pickett - Guest Post

January 17th
Scribbler's Sojourn - Guest Post
Eugenia Writes - Guest Post

January 18th
Books Books the Magical Fruit - Interview
Good Choice Reading - Tens List

January 19th
Read It All Reviews - Interview & Review

January 20th
Bunny's Review - Excerpt
Blissful Banter - Review & Interview

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Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2013

Taking part in the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge again this year. I am pledging to hopefully read 5 books making me a Victorian Reader!

The Sign up Page is HERE

Australian Women Writers Challenge 2013

Quite a few of my Aussie book reading friends had a great time last year participating in this reading challenge.

So, even though I had planned to not take part in any challenges apart from the one of my own, the London 2012 Reading Challenge and the challenge run as part of Historical Tapestry, I could not resist.

I have signed up for Franklin level, which is to read 10 books and to review at least 6 of them.

You can SIGN UP here.

You can read my views by either clicking the challenge page on the tool bar, subscribing to the posts or by checking in at Good Reads

Sepia Saturday 158

The moment I saw this week's prompt I knew I would share this image.  Original image from a lantern slide. This is a group of slide workers in Guildford circa 1900 and is part of my Guildford and District collection.

Taking part in Sepia Saturday

Classic Reads Blog Hop

I was reminded of the Classic Reads Blog Hop from Vikki who blogs at the The View Outside and decided to play along.

This hop is being hosted by Molly Greene, Terri G Long, Christine Nolfi and Rachel Thompson

The point of the hop is that each writer shares what they consider to be a great read which will allow readers to perhaps experience new books and share their views of the books they have read.

To someone who is a real book lover and reads quite a lot this should be an easy post to write. Well, it has been a tricky one and I had to result to walking up the stairs from where I was sitting writing this to the study and pull out those books that for me made a classic read.

What is MY classic read?

This is a book that I read over and over again. The keepers. In the case of one of those book titles it is as much that copy of the book as the story itself. A classic read is one where you finish reading and feel as though you have just lost a good friend.

A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute is the book for me that is not only a classic read, but also this copy has to be the one read. The moment I see that book, I can recall the story and where I purchased this very copy and all the good memories of that book come to mind.

A Room with a View by E. M. Forster is another such book and I am rather attached to my copy of it. This one obtained from a Waterstones in Guildford in May 1987. I had been to see the film, which stared Helene Bonham Carter, Dame Maggie Smith & Dame Judi Dench and was filmed in my bit of Surrey.

I am going to add another book which I think has just made my classic's list. A book that I saw, obtained, read and reviewed within the last 6 weeks.

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe.
This was a really beautiful read. It is essentially the story of life, death, friendship, love and books. You can read my review HERE and I am I think likely to re read within a few months.

The last two author's that make my classic reads are Jennifer Chiaverini whose books about the Elm Creek Quilters are devoured incredibly quickly and Helene Hanff, who is most known for her book 84 Charring Cross Road.

What are your classic reads?

 You can sign up HERE

Twitter feed #newclassicreads

3 Words for 2013

Just yesterday I was reading a post written by Jen at Ancestral Breezes in which she named 3 words for 2013. I read Jen's post twice and then followed the link to the site Jen mentioned, called Chris Brogan, after it's author.

Suitable inspired I reflected on our plans for 2013 and wondered what words I would use for such a post.

Image courtesy of Google Images

VISION - In the autumn of 2012 I looked back at plans and dreams and wondered if I could merge those thoughts into a comprehensive VISION for our future. I am not a dreamer particularly, I read my horoscopes in the paper for a bit of fun, but would not set my heart on anything I read. My birth sign in that of Libra whose symbol is the scales and that very much sums me up.

FOCUS - So, having created a vision for our future in order to obtain it I (we) need to be focused so that we may have success.

COURAGE - This is the vital bit. Without courage I could sit back in my comfort zone and dream, with it I could really attempt to take that vision and focus and turn those dreams into a reality.

Does failure worry me? Define failure. It is surely better to have loved and lost than never loved. This is the same. Better to have had vision, focus and courage to give it a go then sit and wonder what would have happened if I had.

What are your 3 words for 2013?

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

I spotted this book in the window of a bookshop in one of the shopping centres in Geelong Victoria when I was in Australia last October and knew that as soon as I could I would purchase the book.

When I got home I was delighted to see that the Bookies Too book group had elected to read this book during the later half of December so I quickly ordered it and then sat down to read.

I suspected that I would love it and I was right! - Cancer is always a hard subject to read about, especially as many families including my own have been touched by it. Over the years when I worked in hospitals I would do ward rounds and hear that awful "rattle" and see the patients and their families. Truly shocking.

For me this book was about Will's relationship with his mother. and his final relationship with her. The conversations they had and the ones they did not have, the books they shared and simply being together, mother and son for a final time. Yes, the medical details are perhaps hard for some to bear because in the US I understand that there are funding issues and therefore some have a "financial stress free time" and others don't. Here in the UK all medication and treatment is free unless you choose to pay for private medical treatment, in which case it is expensive.

I think that this book is about how Will coped with his mother's passing, and perhaps for Will writing this book was a form of counselling and coming to terms. It also enabled Will to write about his mother, a mother he was immensely proud of.

Despite being such a sad book, alas there is no happy ending, it was a really lovely book. It is the story of reading, books and relationships.

There is also a web page and there is a Facebook page to accompany the book complete with a full list of the books and authors that Will and his mother discussed.

The End of Your Life Book Club Book and Author List

A lovely surprise

A lovely surprise from my former team and colleagues.  Aren't they gorgeous?

Filofax - Part Two

All fired up and inspired I toddled off to WHSmiths and purchased a Day to a Page 2013 diary at the end of August. When it came home the diary inserts remained in the bag on my desk in the study.

I reflected on the rest of the structure and overall I liked it. Being right handed I do find that when I write on the left hand side of the pages I knock into the rings, but I think I will do this with a larger size Filofax too, so buying a larger one will not make that any different.

I used the temporary Filofax up until the middle of December when I decided to clear out the odd post it notes that had started to congregate on the pages. I went to add the page a day diary into the binder and found that it did not completely fit. Something had to go, either I worked with less sections or added the diary in to the bind in monthly instalments.

That was not an option as I often have dates in the diary months ahead, and need to refer to them. So I then looked at the sections. There was going to be amendments and I have to say that having made the decision I am happy with it.

Here is what it looks like now

• Notes
• Expenses
• Personal
• Blogging
• Genealogy
• Books
• Work
• Research
• Regular Income Source 
• Regular Income Source (2)

I have removed these sections - 

1. To Do  - which I have placed in notes as I tend to go through these daily and if I need to do something urgently I can use a coloured post it note to flag it. 
2. Diary section - I opted to return the Filofax inserts and purchase a rather nice A5 day to a page diary 

This does mean that I have to carry two things with me on certain days, but not every day. This method fits with my lifestyle and the only thing I need to do now is to source some personal size dividers which I can write on.

Old Filofax paper has been separated into years and placed in envelopes and stored in my study along with the last 30 years of notebooks and diaries.

Filofax - Part One

In the back of my filofax was a post that I had written last August with the intention of sharing. I didn't get around to it, so I decided to type it up with a few tweaks and share with you now.

I was in my early 20s when I bought my first Filofax from Army and Navy stores in Guildford High Street. I sadly still have the receipt which shows the price of £45. I remember thinking it was a lot of money several times before handing over the cash to the sales assistant.

I used that Filofax daily until I moved into my current home. Over time it filled up with various post it notes and other snippets and remained pretty much unused for around 15 years.

I bought my second Filofax from WHSmiths in Guildford and I used this exclusively for my locum work with the A-Z listings and then individual sections for regular bookings. That Filofax remained in tact for over 20 years and I only dismantled it last summer as part of my study clear up.

It was part of that clear up that made me wonder now, which a change of work direction looming if I should replace my notebook and diary with the Filofax doing the job of both.

I sat down with a stack of dividers and paper and pulled apart my original old faithful and set about structuring the Filofax, which enabled me to test the structure before perhaps purchasing a brand spanking new one.

The Structure
I opted for the following structure

• Notes
• Expenses
• To Do
• Personal
• Blogging
• Genealogy
• Books
• Work
• Research
• Regular income source
• Regular income source (2)
• Diary

My Concerns

1. Should this be A5 or does that make it less portable?
2. Dividers - Perhaps buy a new snazzy personal size and new dividers
3. Storage of old Filofax papers

Stop by tomorrow to see how I got on and what I decided to do

Welcome 2013

Unusually we were in bed as a new year dawned. I did hear the local fireworks as the church clock chimed midnight. As lovely as it sounded, I was glad to be tucked up with my book and cup of tea! This morning we had a lovely conversation with my family in Australia, followed by a text message from more family and finally a Facebook conversation with more family. Isn't technology simply wonderful!

Sky News, my favourite news channel has placed a series of photographs on line which can be seen HERE, and to tempt you, here is one of them!

Courtesy of Sky News (UK)

The sky was beautiful and blue this morning with a glimpse of the sun peaking through, although it does keep disappearing behind a cloud which looks like might eventually give way to rain, yes, more rain.

I have not set any particular resolutions as I find that I feel like I have failed when I don't get 100% success, so the plan is to keep reading, writing, and blogging. A fellow genealogist has suggested having a go at the Project 365.

I tried several years ago and found the software clunky. I tried again last year and then stopped, but I am going to give it another go. Sadly my previous account seems to have disappeared and the iphone application is not talking to the account on the web. So, I plan to take photo each day and share it via Facebook. We have had success today.....eventually! I do have a blog where I tried to post each day and then I usually do a medley of the photographs of the month on the last day of that month. You can follow the blog HERE

Our chicken is the oven and smells delicious! which means a late lunch needs to be attended to, so on that note I hope everyone has a relaxing New Year's Day.