Booking out.

 Hello. I paid a visit to the library van yesterday. This is a picture of the old van, Stan has a much newer version now. A table is outside on the pavement with plastic boxes on to deposit books returned. 

I like chatting with Stan, he has been doing this job for a long time, but I have decided that the system of someone else choosing my books for me, isn't working. A lady in the main library puts together bags of books based on which categories the reader has chosen. Stan tells me that she is overwhelmed with work. After quarantining the returns, she has to put them back on the shelves, then fill the bags up with other books to be put back on the van for collection. She must walk miles. She gets no help, it's a lot of work for one person to cover 300 readers. 

I have been getting books which I have had before, and books in which I have no interest at all. They have been placed in the bedroom for bedtime reading, or on the coffee table next to the easy chair. Most of the time I just glance at them, now I am not even getting them out of the bag. A quick peek inside is enough to tell me I won't like them. 

So I have said to Stan that I won't be needing any more books, until they change the system and I can choose them myself. At first I didn't mind this new way of doing things, it was fun to get a pick and mix bag. But now it's a chore, and not fun, and they just clutter the house. 

I said I will call round for a chin wag sometimes. We always have a great conversation, it would be sad to lose that. I missed him when he didn't come at all during the lockdown. Maybe it will get back to normal at some point. 

Thanks for popping in. Hopefully uploading a video this afternoon. We'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.  ilona

Finding new videos to watch

 Good morning. The weather was horrible yesterday, snowing in the morning, raining in the afternoon. I only stepped outside the door just once, to go to the mobile library. I took all my books back to get a new supply, because Stan is going to come fortnightly now instead of weekly. He is needed in the Central Library to help the woman who puts bags of books together. She is overwhelmed with the big workload she is given, so Stan to the rescue. 

These are my new books for the next two weeks. Unfortunately none of them are any good for me. I don't do cross stitch, don't buy jelly rolls and make quilts, don't grow orchids, and I am not interested in Mrs Clinton's life. Hopefully I might get some different books next time, I have modified my choices, can I have some art books please. 

I quite enjoyed my day in yesterday. I found some interesting art videos to watch, while  stitching away on the new arty piece. John Myatt went to prison for forging the paintings of great artists. He was a single dad and had two young children and needed to earn some money while looking after his little ones. He is a natural artist so took on some commissions, but got sucked into a scheme by someone who was out to make serious money. They didn't get caught for a long time, but eventually his fakes were spotted, and he was sentenced to one year in prison. He was let out after four months for good behaviour. I though it was funny that he used ordinary household emulsion to produce his fakes, and for a long time no one noticed. 

A few years ago he did a TV series, The Forgers Masterclass. He has three students and gives them a challenge, to paint in the style of a famous artist. He talks them through the process and gives them tips and advice. I must have binge watched six or seven of these, and found it very interesting. I might get my sample pots out and have a go. 

It looks like the weather is improving so there might be a chance for a walk this afternoon. Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.   ilona

Pot luck reading matter

The mobile library came yesterday, I thought it had stopped again like it did on the last lockdown. But no, I caught a glimpse of Stan driving the van round the corner opposite my house, so made a point of gathering my books together to return them at 11.20 when he parked at the medical centre. 

I placed my brown bag of books on the table outside the open door of the van, and Stan had a rummage through the pile of bags he had lined up on the floor inside. Yep, there was one with my name on.  

I took the bag to bed with me last night and had a look through the selection. I have to say, there isn't much here which floats my boat. I have had the Handmade Gifts before. The Hardanger and Menagerie have patterns in them and it's not something I want to get into. Malala I've had before. The other two I will give them a try. I think I'm going to have to change my selection to include a wider range of topics. I'll have a look at the lists online and make a few selections to give the picker some ideas. 

I am still painting a picture frame, it's a bit fiddly, I must get on with it. Toodle pip.  ilona

My kind of food.

 Hello. I was out walking yesterday, another eight miles, and didn't feel like posting last night. I'll put those pics on later. 

Here are a couple of meals from the last two days. Beetroot in a jar is always handy to have it can be added to anything. You can get lots of meals out of an iceberg lettuce. A cucumber will last a week or more. I chopped an onion and softened it in a pan with a little oil, then added some green lentils, ready cooked in a sealed bag, and finished up by cracking an egg on it.  

Another variation This time a tomato, pickled onions, two grilled hash browns and a Quorn veggie. sausage. 

There was a bag of pick and mix books ready for collection at the mobile library this week. I've started on the Spaceman book, it's quite interesting. I enjoyed the book about Buzz Aldrin, space travel fascinates me. I have glanced at the Melanie Brown book, I think I will find this interesting. Not so sure about Demi Moore, I might give it a go. The craft books will be handy for reference. 

I was surprised to see Stan wearing a mask. He works in his van on his own. He stands inside the library bus with the door open, I stand on the ground with a good distance between us. I put my returns books on the table outside the door, and step back. He removes the returns and replaces them with a new bag of books, and stands back. I step forward and pick up the bag. We are no where near each other, yet he has to wear a mask. The Council are petrified that someone will ring up and complain if he isn't wearing one. This is the new normal. Project fear is winning. 

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.  

Pick and mix books.

Good morning. The mobile library came yesterday, this is Stan's first week out since about March April time. Can't remember when the plague first started, it seems like ages ago. Stan has now turned into a long haired hippy, it suits him. 

It was nice to see him again. We chatted, him stood inside the van at the top of the steps, me stood on the tarmac a good distance away. It seems the library staff weren't given much notice about how this new system of lending books was going to work. They haven't been able to do all the preparation needed. Stan has to ring all the customers to ask what their preferred reading matter is. He compiles a list and a staff member of the Central Library picks a selection of books and bags them up. Stan then brings them with him on the van. 

The trouble is that the picker works part time, so is not able to fulfil the requirements of everyone. Stan has started the week with only three days of ordered books. When he goes out on Thursday and Friday, he has no books to deliver. No one can go onto the van to choose books, so technically Stan is just a delivery service. So why does he need to drag the whole caboodle, big van, around the villages? Bit silly really, he could come in a transit van. 

I got two brown paper bags, each with three books in them. I think this is a pretty good selection. I won't read them in their entirety, I never do. I pick bits out of them when I want to sit down for half an hour. 

Sometimes I would swap my books as often as weekly, but these I will keep a bit longer. If the picking lady is swamped with work, I had best be patient and not add to her already hefty workload. She might need a breather to catch up. 

When books are returned they are to be dropped into a plastic box on the table outside the van. Stan is not allowed to re issue them to someone else because they have to go back to Central and be quarantined for 72 hours, before they are put back into the system. I asked Stan if I should quarantine these books when I got home. He didn't know. 

I am not sure what I have to do when I am ready to change these. When I take them back there won't be any replacements, I assume I have to order those in advance. Perhaps I will have to wait until the following week for some more to arrive. If I return these in the two brown paper bags I was given, would they have to be quarantined as well? Will we be getting the same bags over and over again, or will they issue new bags every time? 

It's all a bit strange, seems a bit over the top to me. But as Stan explained, they have strict instructions to protect the customers and staff. Fear of anyone suing the Council because they caught something from a book, is at the heart of the new system. We shall see what happens next.

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.  ilona. 

News about the library

I've just had a phone call from Stan the Library man. The mobile library is coming back starting on Tuesday 15th. People will not be allowed into the van. There will be tables outside where there will be a box for people to leave their returns, these will be put into quarantine at the Central Library. Stan is ringing everyone to ask what type of books we want to take out, authors, subjects etc. The main library staff will issue the books in our name, and bag them up for Stan to bring with him. Collect from the table outside the van. Alternatively we can choose our own books from the Central Library ourselves.

Exciting eh! It will be nice to see Stan again. He has been beavering away at the Central Library in town, I bet he will be glad to get out and about again.

This will be a massive task for Stan, ringing everybody, then loading the books into the van. One thing I was wondering, if the books we return go into quarantine, 72 hours I think, do we have to quarantine the books we get from the van before we read them? I had some junk mail through the door this morning, Supermarket leaflets, should I be quarantining them? After all, postie and those at the sorting office have been handling them.

I have heard that some people still wipe their groceries with a disinfected cloth when they come back from shopping. I did it once in the beginning, but not since.

The meet up rules are changing next week. There will be a limit of six people allowed to meet up. Don't know what will happen at our Crafty Club. We have been getting between 8 - 10 coming along to the Village Hall on a Monday morning. We will have to wait and see what the committee says about that. I think it would be alright if we had our meetings in the pub, spaced out of course. Or does the new rule apply to pubs as well. I wonder if we could meet outside in someone's garden? All very confusing. I can't keep up with it. Never had so many rules thrown at me since going to work.

Time for dinner. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip. ilona

Bloggers meet up

Another busy day at the library, talking to interesting people with interesting stories. Nice comments about my pictures on the note pad. Another blogger and a reader of my blog, dropped by for a chat. Gayle lives locally near Burton, it was great to see her, and hear tales of their travels in their motorhome. Sounds like they have a fantastic life. Didn't know which pictures to publish, taken by her other half, so here are two of them. 

Hoping for another busy day tomorrow. Chillin with wine now. ilona

A busy library

Luckily I have some sewing with me, I joined in with the Craft and Chatting group today. It's a similar set up as the group I go to on a Monday, take your own work and chat. Coffee and tea available. The library is used by all kinds of groups as a meeting place. There's a busy cafe which is very popular, and loads of computers which are always in use. 

A surprise visitor today, blog reader Jane from Derby, and her beautiful daughter, dropped by to say hello. It was lovely to see them both.

Tattybyes for now. ilona

Magnificent Desolation by Buzz Aldrin. Book review

I often look up to the moon and think, wow, men have been up there and walked on it. I remember being amazed in 1969 when we saw pictures of 'lift off', at 9.32 am the five large Saturn V engines ignited. Buzz Aldrin describes the atmosphere as the three of them waited in anticipation of their journey to the moon.

'Gasses rushed out of the engine nozzles as they built up thrust, when they reached full power the gantry latches released and the rocket was free to soar'. Words taken from the first chapter, 'A journey for all mankind'. I like that, 'free to soar'. Wow, yes, we are all free to soar if we grasp opportunities when they come our way.

Buzz Aldrin was the second man to walk on the moon. The first part of the book describes the events leading up to the launch, what they did when they landed, how they felt, their routine of checks, gathering samples and data, the long three day journey back to earth, and landing in the ocean.

The rest of the book details Aldrin's struggles with depression and alcoholism. Being part of the first moon landing had a profound effect on him, he was for a while floundering in a fog, not sure what direction he was going to go in next after his epic journey. He found various jobs within the US Air Force and NASA. He became famous obviously, but the tag of being the 'second' man on the moon took it's toll. Not quite the first, like he was always following in Armstrong's footprints. His life spiraled out of control when he no longer had any more goals to achieve.

Aldrin has been married three times and he has three children with his first wife. Reading this book has prompted me to find out more about him on Wikipedia, and it seems he is is the process of divorcing his third wife. I often go leaping ahead because I want to find out what happens next.

A complex character with an interesting and colourful life. Following the moon landing he has worked tirelessly towards making space travel accessible to all. Whether this will happen remains to be seen. The book is an easy read, great if you have an interest in space expeditions, from a man who has been there and done it.

Customer reviews from those who have read the book.

Buzz Aldrin's web page.



Happy reading, I'm onto my next book now. Happy weekend. ilona

Smile Though your Heart is Breaking by Pauline Prescott. Book review.

Hello, I recently finished this book. Pauline Prescott's autobiography reads like a novel. She experienced much sadness in her teenage years, her father died, her brother almost lost his life through illness, then at sixteen she found herself pregnant. and her boyfriend disappeared back to the USA. Three years later she made the difficult decision to give her son up for adoption. 

As a young hairdresser she fell in love with John Prescott, a handsome ships steward and union activist, never imagining that one day she would be married to the Deputy Prime Minister. We get to know what he is like away from the spotlight, the real stories about what was reported in the papers.

It's a very moving, warm, and humorous story, portraying Pauline Prescott as a loving daughter and mother, and a loyal wife and friend. There are heartaches and trauma, as well as great happiness. She has traveled the world attending royal and political engagements, and forty years after letting go of her son she was at last re united with him. Her story would make a great film.

I definitely recommend this book. I kept on reading because I wanted to know what happened next. It's very emotional, I found myself shedding a tear when she had to give up her son, then more tears when she found him again. It reminded me of when my mother gave up her first son to come and live in England. Sadly there was no happy ending for her as she passed away before she had chance to meet him again.

If you are looking for an inspirational true story about a young working class girl who makes good, have a read of this. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

It was only a matter of time.

Hello. Look at this little madam. As soon as I vacate my seat, she is in there. Even if I get up to make a drink. Isn't it strange how cats don't stay in the same bed for very long. She has been sleeping in the wool box, now fed up with that. Then on the fleecy blanket I have on the sofa to cover me up if I am cold, now she wants my chair. As I am at this moment sitting on it, she has moved onto the piece of fabric I have placed on the table for the zippppeeeee picture.  

Now Mayze is upset because Heidi has got the best chair. They don't like each other very much, a touch of jealousy I presume. Mayze was here first so she feels pushed out and wants to stake her claim. Her eyes widen and she glares at her rival. Heidi is a tease and knows she can come running to me for sympathy. Whenever there is a kerfuffle and I am not near, I never know who has started it so they both get shouted at. Then I feel guilty and give them both a cuddle. 

They are not very often in the same room, Mayze stays mostly upstairs in my bedroom, and Heidi downstairs in the living room. They avoid each other whenever possible. If one wants to go out, the other guards the cat flap. Sometimes one sits on the outside wanting to come in, but can't. I have to open the door so they can both go in and out without clashing with each other.

Mayze sleeps with me on the bed. I take my bottoms off, and get into bed and read for ten minutes, then take my tops off in one go and lay them on the bed. Mayze likes to sleep on my fleecy top. I have two fleecy tops on the bed, in the morning I put on whichever one she isn't lying on, ha ha.

I went to a different library today because I saw on the web site that they had a new book in that I want to read. I could have reserved it and waited until it was sent to our mobile library, but I thought I would have a trip out to Barton and collect it. I found some arty/crafty type books while I was there, that I haven't seen before, so it was worth the drive out. While I was there I had a walk along the waters edge, boy was it windy and cold. Lucky I was wearing a thick jacket with a furry hood.

Well it looks like I am not going to be able to do much on the zipppeeee picture tonight, Heidi is still lying on it. I won't disturb her, I'll have a read of these books. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

A Norwegian Tragedy. Book review.

Hello. I remember when the news came out about the massacre of 69 young people on the island of Utoya in 2011, and wondered what kind of person could do that. There were some court scenes on the television of the trial, and Anders Breivik came across as smirking, with no remorse whatsoever about what he had done. What usually happens when such murderous atrocities occur is that the perpetrator is often gunned down in a shoot out, but on this occasion Breivik gave himself up. He momentarily decided he wanted to live. 

The newspapers were full of 'how could this have happened,' stories, what kind of a mind could be so evil? This book is a study of Breveik's life from childhood to the time he was arrested, painstakingly pieced together by the author. It charts the difficult relationship he had with his mother, the graffiti gangs he ran around with, and his obsession with computer war games. In his disturbed mind the differences between real life and imaginary avatars battling it out on a screen blurred into one, and was not clear cut. The book digs deep into the psychological profile of Breveik. He was very much a lone psychopath/sociopath who tried to fit in but never really succeeding.

The first part of the book is about the bombings in the centre of Oslo which Breveit carried out. There is a lot about the political climate at that time, which I must admit I skimmed through. Levels of immigration were the cause of a lot of the turmoil on the streets. Breveik's motives were thought to be based on this.

I am always interested in how the human mind can take on so many different personas, and this one is as complicated as they come. An interesting read, but maybe not for the squeamish or easily upset.

This book is reviewed on Amazon.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip  

Do No Harm by Henry Marsh. Book review

Hello. I seem to have had a run of interesting books from the mobile library just lately. Non fiction is the smallest section there and I go through it over and over again, in case there are any little gems I might have overlooked before. I don't have any particular subject in mind when I browse, because even the most unlikely topic can be brought to life by the writing skills of the author. 

I wasn't sure I wanted to read about brain surgery but I took a chance, and I'm glad I did. Reading the blurb inside the cover told me that it wasn't going to be all sweet and sugary with happy endings, indeed it wasn't. Henry Marsh writes a gripping, brutally honest account of his thirty odd years in neurosurgery, making agonising decisions, often in the face of great urgency and uncertainty. 

Henry Marsh achieved great things, his operations have saved many lives. He has also had some harrowing disasters, which have haunted him for many years.

How the NHS works, the frustrations of staff and bed shortages, and the human dramas which unfold within the hospital, are all covered. Henry donates some of his time to hospitals in the Ukraine, he frequently travels there to train and assist Igor, a willing pupil who is dedicated to his work. These trips gave him an insight into the drab and poorly equipped hospitals Igor was up against.

Henry is indeed a true hero, a compassionate man who is dedicated to his craft. There are twentyfive chapters which can be read singly, but once into it you won't want to put it down. Be prepared for some triumphs, but also some sadness. There are no photographs so nothing to be squeamish about. A lot of it is case studies where the identities of the patients have been changed.

There are a few videos on yooootoooob, I've picked this one out, it's eleven minutes long, A Day in the Life of NHS neurosurgeon Henry Marsh. It gives a taster of the man himself, it may or may not give you an appetite for the book.



Weather not so good today, Crafty Club was good this morning, now I'm going to get on with some painting, crochet, and stitching. I have some projects which I want to finish.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Bliss

Hello. It's thanks to my sheddie friends Oliver and Adele, for telling me about this latest article in Good Woodworking magazine, which features both our sheds. I am not in the habit of perusing magazines of any kind, let alone one about woodworking. I might flick through the odd trucking magazine, but only to get a free read before putting it back on the shelf. However, I was in town today and spent £4.50 just to get a copy of this for my scrap book. 

Next to mine was a picture of Oliver and Adele in front of their Shed of dreams. I am so pleased they won their category. They put a lot of work into that, it looks fabulous.

I had a quick whip round Aldi for a few bits and bobs. The main reason for going to town was to get the magazine, have a look at a new exhibition in the Arts Centre, and choose some books from the library. This is what I found.

The cats are all in for the night, Heidi has had her tablet, and I am not going to do my three miles tonight because I am going on an eleven mile walk tomorrow. I have a glass of wine, and I am going to sit in a comfy chair and enjoy the books. My idea of bliss.

Thanks for popping in. Enjoy your weekend. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip.

Start the day with a bit of scribbling

Hello. I went to the big library yesterday, more choice, and picked a few books out. This one caught my eye, bright and colourful. Maybe adult art books are too complicated for me and I would be better with this one for children. I will give it a go, when I have got a few moments spare. 

I'm going out now while the weather is dry and a bit sunny, it may deteriorate later on. Enjoy your weekend. we'll catch up later.
Toodle pip

Tarting up Mrs Tiggy-winkle

Hello. Remember these two, they were unwanted, thrown out, destined for the skip. 

Mrs Tiggy-winkle has had a makeover. I was going to paint her in several different colours but I could see that it was going to be a fiddly job, so I opted for an all over transformation with subtle green metalic paint. Much easier to do, and she looks like brand new again, even better than the original finish.  

I went to the mobile library today and came across a book which might be very useful for my next project, ha ha.  Having a coffee break, I'll have a read and see what materials I will need.

Blooming hot today outside, I've trimmed my hair, done a load of washing, now it's tea time.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip

Susan Boyle by John McShane. Book review.

Hello. I've actually found time to read a book. It's been in my possession for eight weeks, and is now due back at the library. It will be returned on Tuesday to Stan in the mobile van. He used to be here on a Monday, but has had to change days because parking at the Health Centre was blocking some of the car parking spaces. They thought it better to change to Tuesday afternoon when the Centre is closed. He is still in the village for the whole day, and people can catch him at any of the five locations. 

So what did I think of the book? I have been watching Susan's progress ever since she was discovered on Britain's Got Talent, reading newspaper articles and watching video's on yoootoooob, and was looking forward to reading this book. As I got into it I realized that most of it was a rehash of what I had already read. The author appears to have trawled through numerous newspaper and magazine articles, and bodged together what he calls an Autobiography. It isn't. Most of what I read in the book, I already knew about, so if you are a Susan fan, I wouldn't bother buying it. His writing is very repetitive, the same quotes over and over again. I wanted to shout, 'you've already said that six times'.

I did finish it to the end, although I almost gave up half way through it. The book was published in 2010, so there is nothing beyond that. It left me thinking I needn't have bothered.

For those who don't know the story it might be an interesting read, but unless you have been on planet Mars for the last few years, you will have already picked up most of the story in the press.

It seems I am not alone in my opinion. Reading the reviews on Amazon there are nine positive and six negative reviews. Get it from the library if you want to read it, but I wouldn't bother buying it.

Thanks for popping in. Life gets back to normal, everything in the garden is growing madly and needs keeping under control. I want to get my walled garden picture finished by the middle of June ready for the art exhibition in the Village Hall. I'll pop back here when I can.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday. Toodle pip.

Monday is always busy at Tightwad Towers

Hello. Aren't you just glad that the shortest day is almost over, tomorrow they start going the other way and we get a little bit more daylight. It was nice and warm in the Village Hall this morning, not quite a full house as some of the ladies are busy with Christmas preparations. 

A little bit more playing on my practice piece of needle felt. The needle bodger thingy has five needles in it,  I think I prefer to use them singly. 

I went to the mobile library today and changed some books. Stan won't be coming next week as it's a Bank Holiday. Don't know why I picked up Fitness Cycling, I have a bike but don't use it much. Still, it looks interesting to read, and it might prompt me to get on my bike. I like Jo Brand, she makes me laugh.

Last week I went to the big library in town and chose these three books.

I took Heidi to see Marian the vet this afternoon. She took a sample of blood and she will test it. Heidi seems perfectly ok at the moment, she has just finished a course of tablets. Maybe this is going to be the pattern in the future. When she is poorly some tablets will help boost her red blood cells.  Marian will tell me more when she looks at the sample under a microscope.

It was Carol Singing and poetry in the church tonight, I thought I would show my support and meet friends. After the singing there was refreshments. I must say, the mulled wine was very nice.
 

Can I ask if any of my readers live in or near Horncastle in Lincolnshire? You  might remember I visited there once and wrote about it. Someone in Surrey has sent me an email, they are thinking of downsizing and moving to the Horncastle area. If anyone can help with local information please let me know, send me an email, then I can pass on your details so the person can email you direct, and you can communicate with each other. I don't have a great knowledge of the place so if you live there you would be in a better position to help.

I've left this late again, naughty me. Time to go for a walk. I'm on target with the miles, 43 so far this month. Another ten days and it should be around 65 if I do a few three milers.

Thanks for popping in. Catch up soon. Toodle pip

Tokyo Hostess by Clare Campbell. Book review

Hello. My reading usually takes place last thing at night when I am settled down in bed. Sometimes when I am well into a book, I will make a mug of coffee in the morning and go back to bed for an hours read before I get up. This latest one took me a week from start to finish, though I have to admit I did skim read a section of it in the middle. 

I remember the Lucie Blackman story in the media in 2000, blimey was it that long ago. She went to Tokyo with a friend to work as a hostess in a seedy part of Tokyo to earn extra money to pay off her car loan. It seemed easy money to sit around and drink with rich business men in a nightclub. One day she went missing, and all efforts to trace her hit a dead end, eventually the clues took the police back to a cave which they had previously searched and found nothing. This time they looked further into the cave and found a dismembered body badly decomposed wrapped in bin bags.

Clare Campbell is a journalist who writes regularly for the Daily Mail, and is a contributing editor for a womens magazine. Although this book is not an autobiography and not even a biography, it is a true story, which drew me to pick it up from the library in the first place.

This book delves into the background of Tokyo club life in far more detail than the newspaper articles. There are first hand accounts from other hostesses, and interviews with Lucie's friends, plus extracts from her personal diaries. Some of the details about the hostess way of life and the customers using their services was a bit repetitive, hence my skim reading in the middle.

I felt it was a typical, albeit rather lengthy and elaborately embroidered newspaper article written by a journalist, rather than from a first hand witness who had gone through the experience and could report exactly how it worked. Saying that, it opened my eyes to a different kind of lifestyle on another continent, giving me a peek into another world. The book satisfies my curiosity as to how differently some people organize their lives, which are a world away from my own life. All part of a rich tapestry.

It's a sunny morning, make the most of it, going out. Catch you soon. Toodle pip.

The Unmarried Mother by Sheila Tofield. Book review

Hello. I've been a lazy beggar this morning, missed most of the Sounds of the Sixties on the radio, to stay in bed and finish this book. I briefly got up to make a coffee and open the back door so the kitties could go out, then it was back into my pit for the last few chapters of The Unmarried Mother, by Sheila Tofield. Another random pic from the mobile library van. 

Sheila grew up in Rotherham, the daughter of an uncaring mother who made her believe she was useless, stupid, and unlovable. Born in February 1931, her unhappy childhood had the effect of destroying her self esteem, the only respite being a nine month stay in hospital under the care of the nursing staff. 

Her first boyfriend dumped her with no explanation, which made her vulnerable to the advances of someone who took advantage of her need to be loved. When she became pregnant by this cad of a boyfriend, he did a runner when she told him of her condition. In those days it was seen as a sin to have a child outside of wedlock and she became a 'fallen woman'. A place was found for her to go away and have the baby, and return as if nothing had happened. Her mother told her she would have to have it adopted, but on baby Pat's arrival, Sheila vowed to keep her no matter how impossible that might be.

The book is an interesting insight into how attitudes have changed throughout the past decades, though there is little difference between family dynamics of then and now, it's just they didn't have Jeremy Kyle then. Disputes were pushed under the carpet rather than being aired in public. I had a pregnancy scare when I was 19, the first time I had a proper boyfriend. Thankfully it was a false alarm and I never took that chance again. S'funny how things turn out, how one error of judgement can have such far reaching repercussions. Throughout my life I have listened to my head rather than my heart, ah yes, I have fallen hook line and sinker at times, there's been more than one instance when my heart was broken, but in the end my head has taken over when common sense kicked in.

I digress, no two lives should ever be compared, the book is a good read. The story drew me in, wanting to know what happened next. Here is a short synopsis, courtesy of the Daily Express.

Must go, things to do. Have a nice weekend
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