November Book Review

Just the one book in November...... like everything my reading seems to be slacking!

I feel like I'm busy all the time but I don't seem to get anything done.... why is that?

Attractive, clever and wilful, Lily Knowles is desperate to leave home. So at twenty-one she escapes to London to train as a nurse, where she gathers many admirers - none more dashing than RAF officer Sandy Redfern, with whom she falls in love.

But the coming of war, with the chaos of the Blitz, brings upheavals and unforeseen entanglements. On hearing of Sandy's reckless affair with a married woman, a heartbroken Lily throws herself into her work. Then further changes in circumstances bring her to a busy RAF hospital in Hampshire, where a faithful childhood sweetheart persuades her to become engaged to him. 

And then fate brings Sandy Redfern back into her life, physically scarred by burns and inwardly embittered. What of their once passionate love and her present commitment? Can the past ever be recaptured?

After reading a Maggie Holt book in October I thought I would give this a go, the writing is really small so I did struggle reading before bed. I wasn't that keen on Lily at the start but felt myself warming to her as the book goes on. It was slow progress but I did enjoy it...... and yes it is another WW2 romance!! 

8/10

November 2014

oh boy oh boy I've been away for weeks!

November started really good..... I sold lots of poppies to raise money for The British Legion, decorated our charity Christmas tree, spent an afternoon travelling around the city on old buses & went to see the fabulous Amsterdam.

It then went pear shape on the 11th when water started coming through the ceiling :(

An emergency roofer was called & I was told I needed a new roof.

After weeks of phone calls & roofers not turning up I've finally got it sorted.

The end of the month saw me celebrating my friends 40th birthday...... I can't believe we met just after her 18th!!

I also had 2 craft fairs at the end of the month. The 1st one was at Exeter library, although I only sold 1 brooch I did enjoy the talk given by Amanda Prowse. Have you read any of her books? I haven't but I might be tempted now.

Crikey was a real success for me this year with my bow scarves being the best seller.

I also have a number of orders from the fair so unfortunately my Christmas jumper is on the back burner..... maybe next year!

Only 2 weeks until the big day...... why does time go so fast?

October Book Review

Finally I'm back to share my October book..... yes that's right it's just one book!

Once again I seem to have lost my reading mojo, not sure where it's hiding but I'm hoping it will come back soon before I drown in all the books I've got from my shop!

Following a disastrous marriage to a miner, Karen has devoted herself to a nursing career. Rising to the challenge of caring for the wounded soldiers returning home from the Great War, she has resigned herself to putting her vocation before any hope of a romantic life.

However, she finds herself drawn to handsome, troubled Patrick Murphy. But Patrick is also a Catholic priest. Dare Karen risk scandal and her position by falling for the one man she cannot have...?

So without further a do....

In this book I travelled back to WW1. It was the first Maggie Hope book I've read & I did really enjoy it. It was quite dark at times which just added to the story, there were also some twist & turns that I didn't see coming. As with most of these books there was a happy ending which is always good.

Another book that won't change the world but a pleasant read all the same.

8/10

Life has been a bit hectic over the last few weeks. My boiler broke & I had water pouring through the ceiling due to tiles slipping on my roof :(

It never rains but it pours doesn't it?

I've been spending most of my time up & down from the loft emptying buckets & being messed around by trades man.

I think I can see light at the end of the tunnel...... a roofer came around today with a quote, £2.6k..... crikey!!!! But it needs to be done.

I've also got heat!!! The girls are very happy :)

I just need to find a plumber now!

Talking about Crikey...... it's 8 days away!!

I decided to only do one fair this year in the hope I would then have lots of stock to sell.

Well it didn't go to plan & once again I'm in a panic!!!

Do I never learn???

Back soon

October 2014

Hello....... I've been away so long!

My poor blog never gets any love these days, Instagram has well & truly taken over.

Just popping in to let you know what I got up to in October

It was a busy month for me...... catching up with friends, seeing The Beat, getting hooked on puzzles, cracking on with my Christmas jumper, making lots & lots of poppies, celebrating Halloween with the family & of course spending time with my girls.

Only 2 months left of 2014...... Crikey!!!!!

November is shaping up to be just as busy. I have 2 craft fairs booked in..... it's the only 2 I planned to do this year & of course I'm not ready! So I'll be busy making over the next few weeks.

I also have lots going on at work, I've been asked to organise a Christmas raffle for all 9 shops, decorate the charity Christmas tree in the city centre & come up with some ideas for fund raising for 2015...... phew!!

So you can see why I don't have much time for blogging!

September Book Review

Two more WW2 stories read in September.

A family divided by war but united by love. Marianne seems to have everything. She is married to a handsome naval officer, Neil Sheridan, commander of a corvette. They have a daughter, Libby, and a beautiful home near Prince's Park in Liverpool. When war comes, Marianne takes war work and moves into Crocus Street with her mother, Mrs Wainwright, and younger sister. Neil disapproves because the Wainwrights live so near the docks, which are bound to be a bombing target, but Marianne is firm. Meanwhile, Libby is evacuated to the country to stay with Miss Williams, who lives in an ancient house, Tregarth, at the head of a valley in North Wales and Libby, the wheelchair-bound Matthew and Miss Williams assume they can settle down to see out the war in comparative safety. But, Libby is forced to return to the city when her mother suffers an accident and her gran finds herself unable to cope ...

I love Katie Flynn books & this one didn't disappoint. I read this one pretty quick for me, I did see the twist in the story before it came but I still really enjoyed it.

9/10

The much-loved author of ACROSS THE MERSEY tells of Liverpool under bombardment as never before – but the Campion family refuses to give in.

The Campions have always stuck together through danger and sorrow, but even they begin to wonder if it’s time to take their youngest, the twins, to safety away from the bombing raids. The twins have other worries on their minds; having been inseparable, they now realise that they each have different ambitions - and Lou isn’t sure she’ll find what she wants close to home.

Meanwhile, cousin Bella is managing a creche and discovers that life isn’t all about pleasure. She’s the last person her family would expect to help anyone; but when a figure from the past turns up on the doorstep, Bella’s unexpected reserves of compassion are revealed.

From hardship and heartbreak, surviving the toughest of times, the Campions know they can make it through if they have one another.

This is part of a series of book which I hadn't read. I was tempted to give up once I discovered that but I'm glad I stuck with it. You can't beat a happy ending :) 

9/10

I decided not to read anymore WW2 but after 2 days of reading a modern book I gave up & went back to my favourites.

My reading mojo is slipping away again & the book I'm reading is taking forever to finish :(

I must stick with it!

September 2014

I've been away too long & the weeks are marching on :(

So September came & went in a haze!

I finally received my anniversary present from OH...... we've been waiting since Christmas!.... top left corner, it's the new The Men They Couldn't Hang album that OH pledged, look closely & you'll see my name!!!

We remember our lovely Charlie who pass away 6 years ago, I had my 6th anniversary in blogland, started my Christmas jumper, tried to make loads for the November Crikey It's Vintage fair, finding goodies in my shop, a 1940's day out & of course spending time with my beautiful girls.

September was a lovely months & the sun shone lots. I'm getting used to living on my own but not looking forward to February when OH's lease is up on his new place...... I really don't want to move all my junk!!!

Hope I can find time to blog soon.

Another Year In Blog Land!

Today I celebrate my 6th anniversary in blog land!

Who would have thought?

In the last year my attention has turned more to Instagram as it's quick & easy but I do like to catch up with my favourite blogs with my morning cup of tea.

Today I'm off with the family to another 1940's event, I'll tell you all about it soon.

August Book Review

1940: as war closes in and the bombs fall, on the Homefront, two sisters must find their place in a new world of ‘men’s’ work, in which a telegraph can break your heart and nothing in the future is certain. Growing up in Birmingham, Sylvia and Audrey Whitehouse were always like chalk and cheese. As young women, while Sylvia dreams of her forthcoming life married to fiancé Ian. Audrey can’t bear the thought of being tied down by marriage and children. Instead she jumps at the career opportunities the WAAF throws her way. Joining the ranks at RAF Cardington, she finds these new freedoms come with confusion and irresistible temptations. When she goes too far in one careless moment, the consequences will ripple through the whole Whitehouse family. Meanwhile, Sylvia has come round to the idea of war work and, doing her bit, becomes a railway porter, much to Ian’s dismay. Fetching and carrying are just not feminine, not like Sylvia’s new friend Kitty, who is as sweet and pretty as can be. But Kitty’s innocent, girlish nature hides a far darker secret that no one could guess… As the pressures of rationing, bombing raids and sleepless nights grow, the two sisters must decide what they really want from life and if they’re brave enough to fight for it. A heartbreaking yet inspiring novel, perfect for fans of Margaret Dickinson and Katie Flynn.

Only one book read in August. 

This was brought to the shop by a lovely lady who keeps me supplied with WW2 romance.

It was a great book, with lots twist & turns.

10/10 

August 2014

Summer has nearly gone & autumn is knocking on the door.

August was a funny month...... it started with lights out to remember WW1, lots of knitting, treats from customers & volunteers, starting my Christmas jumper, treating myself to yet another cardigan & spending lots of time with my girls.

It finished with my birthday

My gifts this year 

Beautiful vintage candle holder

I spent a lot of August alone, including most of my birthday. OH has decided to move out as he hates living here, at the moment he's taken a room in the city centre for 6 months to see how it goes. It all feels a bit weird & lonely but I have to get used to it. I'm learning to cook to try & save money as I'm paying all the bills so takeaway & M&S is not on the cards!

September is my favourite month but at the moment it's hard to look on the bright side. My deputy manager has left so I'm alone in the shop, I'm trying to sort out cover for days off but not getting very far. Fingers crossed we find someone soon. I need to knuckle down & focus on now rather than worrying about what will happen in 6 months time.

Hopefully September will be better! 

Day Out

This year instead of a birthday gift my parents took me on a day trip.....  it was 2 days before my birthday but they're going away this weekend.

So after weeks of trying to guess where I would be going I ended up at Oakham Treasures near Bristol.

I'd never heard of this place until a couple of months ago when one of my volunteers brought in a leaflet as she thought I might like it. Little did I know my parents had seen a leaflet too & thought the same.

Liked it....... I loved it!!!

I will warn you there's a lot of photos!

My shoes!

Liberty bodice

My tipple!

I had that monkey!

Yet another new cardigan

I can't recommend this place enough, it was great going with my parents as they enjoyed telling me the story of things they had as children. We went early in the morning & there was only a few people, which was lovely. It felt like we had the place to ourselves so could browse around slowly. I would say it would be boring for very young children so I'm glad my brother didn't come with his son. I think one of the nicest things was the relaxing atmosphere & bored children would have made it stressful!

There was so much to see my eyes were hurting.

 Drink, food, cigarettes, clothes, sewing..... they had the lot!

You can find out more on their website

OAKHAM TREASURES

Hope I haven't bored you all with my photo's!

Still Here......

'cor blimey where does the time go??

I can't believe I haven't posted for nearly 2 weeks! August seems to be flying by & what with a turn in the weather it feels like autumn is nearly here. 

I don't seem to have done much which is why I haven't posted anything. At the end of July we went to Bridport vintage market.

We found a couple of bargains for my mums birthday & I found some lovely fabric

I did have plans to make a cushion but it's still on the back of my chair, well at least it's not packed away in my fabric box.

I've been busy making poppies for my Etsy shop

I've also been spending time with my girls & of course working.

I was due to have a holiday next week but unfortunately I've had to cancel it as there was no one to cover the shop :(

I've got a 4 day weekend from the 28th to celebrate my birthday then it's back to the grind stone!

My deputy leaves the week after so I'm not sure when my next day off will be, I better make the most of it.

Pop over to see me on Instagram as I find it easier than blogging.

July Book Review

Liverpool 1936

Miranda and her mother, Arabella, live comfortably in a nice area. But when her mother tells her she can no longer afford their present lifestyle, they have a blazing row, and Miranda goes to bed angry and upset. When she wakes the next morning, however, her mother has disappeared.

She raises the alarm but everyone is baffled, and when searches fail to discover Arabella's whereabouts, Miranda is forced to live with her Aunt Vi and cousin Beth, who resent her presence and treat her badly.

Miranda is miserable, but when she meets a neighbour, Steve, things begin to look up and Steve promises to help his new friend in her search, and does so until war intervenes.

I loved this book! It had me hooked from the beginning. I really enjoy Katie Flynn books, a good light read with the back drop of WW2

10/10

Laura Collins, a widow, is struggling to make a good life for her daughters, Tess and Tina.They are living with Laura's sister Millie and her seven children so when Laura is offered a good job, with accommodation, she is delighted.

Life is very different for the Brewsters, living on Manor Farm in Herefordshire.Danny and his girlfriend, Sophie, intend to marry one day so that they can run Manor Farm together but his cousin and best friend, Phil Ryland, feels differently.He longs to get away from farming and intends to escape as soon as he can.

Then war comes and changes everything.Tina is evacuated and Tess joins the Land Army.She means to be true to her boyfriend, Mike, but he is far away.Danny and Phil join the RAF, Danny to pilot bombers and Phil as navigator.They end up on the same airfield and fall in love with the same girl...But Phil has a secret which could end his chance of happiness, and Danny is the only person who knows what that secret is ...

Yep another Katie Flynn book! This time I've moved on to land girls.

Another great book. If you haven't read any of her books I would recommend them...... great for holiday reading.

10/10

More WW2 romance coming in August