TWO OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS.

Amongst my many favourite things it's no secret that books are right up there but, and some of you may not be aware of this, another of my favourite things is ...................


Bubble Wrap!

Yeah kind of weird but not nearly as strange as you might think.

Bubble wrap turns 50 this month. Did you know .....

*It was first invented by Marc Chavannes ad Al Fielding as textured wallpaper.
* There are more than 50 Facebook pages devoted to Bubble Wrap.
* It's maker, Sealed Air, has global revenues of more than $4 billion.
* Sealed Air sells official Bubble Wrap merchandise - from sports bottles to beach towels.
* The top fan site, VIRTUAL-BUBBLEWRAP. COM, has identified eight different kinds of bubble, from 'snappers' (easy to pop and loud) to 'duds' (flatten with a disappointing fffsssss) and 'buddy bubbles' (reinflate a neighbouring bubble when squeezed).

Source - the Guardian.

AND, yes there's more, it gets even stranger, Bubble Wrap has it's own APPRECIATION DAY which falls on the last Monday in January (the 25th this year, shame we missed it but there is always next year). AND ........ there is a Bubble Wrap COMPETITION FOR YOUNG INVENTORS. Pretty impressive, don't you think?

But this post isn't all about Bubble Wrap, as the title says it's about two of my favourite things - the second of which I've already sort of mentioned.

Related to books, another of my favourite things is Storytelling.

I've always enjoyed having stories read to me but, even better still, as a child there were the tales that my grandad told us all about the adventures of our long lost relative Maggie Fishcake. Maggie Fishcake? Yes I know, goodness only knows where that name came from but I loved her and as a small child actually believed that she really existed.

I can also remember doing a spot of storytelling of my own to keep my (naughty?) little sister amused. Whenever we stayed at my grandparents house, which was fairly often, we shared this huge, ancient bed and every night, after my nana had read us a story book, I'd make up all these adventures set in a land that existed behind the air brick set in the wall above the window. Funny that I'd never thought of Maggie or that far away land until the other day when I read an article all about NATIONAL STORYTELLING WEEK which, set up to promote the oldest art form in the world, runs, this year, from today (the 30th of January) up until the 6th of February.

As a matter of interest, as a child what was your favourite story?

POST POORLY WITTERINGS.

Once again I've found myself totally overwhelmed by the numbers wishing me well, my thanks to you all for your best wishes and support.

As it seems such a long time since we last had a catch-up, I thought that today I'd bring you up to date with the happenings since I last posted properly.

I was telling you that Husband dearest had a very nasty cough and I was off to an appointment with the physioterrorist. Well ...

Husband dearest's cough continued to get worse and ended up with him visiting our G.P. with a chest infection. Poor man, I felt so guilty that there was him feeling pretty lousy himself and yet still having to cope with, not only work, but a wife who couldn't stand without the world spinning around her. Still, we did what we always seem to to do and coped and thankfully, with a little help from some antibiotics, he now seems to be over the worst of it (fingers crossed).

As for the physioterrorist? After agreeing that acupuncture probably wasn't the way to go, I was discharged and so am now awaiting appointments with the pain management clinic and biomechanics who will hopefully sort out some appropriate footwear. What an exciting life I lead!

These aside, what else has been happening?

Blogwise. I was honoured with two awards which, always nice to receive, couldn't have come at a better time and really cheered me up so thanks to Tina at THE CLEAN WHITE PAGE and Aine at THE EVOLVING SPIRIT for those.

THEN as if that wasn't nice enough I was left a message saying that I had won a competition run by Dorte over at DJs KRIMBLOG. The prize? A copy of the crime novel THE HERRING SELLER'S APPRENTICE by L.C. Tyler which I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed but more of that in the book review which, hopefully, will follow soon.

Which brings me nicely to my last piece of news.

Feeling as unwell as I did, Pooter has only been working part-time. Poor thing, feeling quite neglected I'm sure, was really only used by Husband dearest to check e-mails and the latest happenings on Pen And Paper, and to feed the animals/see to the crops down on my farm (for those of you who don't know I 'play' Farmville on Facebook). Anyway as a result of this enforced separation I did an awful lot of reading (thankfully this didn't seem to affect my sense of balance too much) which means I now have the following books to review though not necessarily in this order:

The Double Eagle by James Twining.
The Declaration and The Resistance both by Gemma Malley.
The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti (One of the best books I have read in quite a while).
How Will I Know? by Sheila O'Flanagan.
(The afore mentioned) The Herring Seller's Apprentice by L.C. Tyler.
Return To The Hundred Acre Wood by David Benedictus with decorations by Mark Burgess.

Oh and how could I forget? One last thing (promise). Due to the proposed changes in the law (and Husband dearest convincing the committee of whom he's treasurer that they really should join the 21st century) regarding private members clubs, though I have been an associate member for a few years now I recently became the second woman to become a full member at The Innisfree social club but, being a post in itself, more of that later.

WAILING, MOI?

YES!!!!!! So pleased to be back blogging, I can't begin to tell you all just how much I have missed you. Many, many thanks for all your concern and support both through Pen And Paper and Facebook - I really do appreciate all your kind words.

Please excuse this being a somewhat short post but the world hasn't quite stopped spinning yet. I hope to post more in the next day or two and in the meantime will visit as many of you as I can so please have the kettle on, mines a weak tea with no milk or sugar.

GOODNESS!

Dear all, husband here,

I'm afraid her ladyship is rather unwell at the moment and occupying the bedroom with great wailing noises. I shall offer what tender ministrations I can over the next few days and hopefully she will be back soon.

FROM HAMSTER HOTELS TO A DEAD GROOM.

Today I bring you, not one but two, articles from France.

Firstly, I so want to stay in this hotel. Not too sure it would be any good for my hay fever but I'm willing to risk it.

A hamster hotel has opened in France ..... for humans! Like a hamster's cage, each room has a huge exercise wheel, water bottle, seed holder and bed filled with hay, giving guests the chance to get in touch with their inner rodent.

Think I'm joking? Click HERE.

And secondly ........

Not too sure what to make of this to be honest. My first reaction was how romantic. My second, is that legal? I always thought marriage was a 'contract' between two people. My third, wow, imagine the benefits! No arguing over whose turn it is to (add whatever it is you argue about), no fighting over the remote control for the tv, no ....... I could go on but won't. But overlying all of these was, how morbid.

A mother of two, Magail Jaskiewicz, 26, has wed her boyfriend, Jonathan George, a year after his death in a motorcycle accident, under a little-known section of French civil law that allows for POSTHUMOUS MARRIAGE

GROAN INDUCING JOKES.

The weather outside is less than desirable with more snow threatening, Husband dearest has a sore throat and I have an appointment with the physioterrorist so I thought some jokes were in order.

Two silk worms had a race - it resulted in a tie.

Doctor, Doctor, people tell me I'm a wheelbarrow.
- Don't let them push you around.

Why did the frog meow?
He was learning a foreign language.

At the cinema, I saw a man and his dog. The dog laughed at the funny bits and cried at the sad bits. "That's amazing," I said. "Your dog seemed to enjoy the film."The man turned to me and said "Yeah, but he hated the book."

A woman woke her husband in the middle of the night.
"There's a burglar in the kitchen, and he's eating the cake that mum made us." she said.
To which the husband replied "Who shall I call then, the police or an ambulance?"

Doctor, Doctor, My son has swallowed my pen, what shall I do?
- Use a pencil until I get there.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE BOOK CLUB.

Funny how you sometimes start researching a post and it becomes a completely different one to the one you had intended. I had thought to do today's post on an article sent to me by a friend on how a group of mental health service users in Merseyside, Liverpool were involved in a scheme called Get Into Reading, an inspiring outreach programme run by THE READER ORGANISATION, a charity dedicated to nothing less than bringing about a reading revolution when I came across this article about the use of books within the prison service.

Prison Reading Champions is a scheme designed to engage both prisoners and prison staff alike in reading, giving them the opportunity to get involved with, and receive recognition from, a national scheme. (Click HERE to read more.)

No bad thing when you consider that low achievement in school can lead to many things including crime. Not that I'm making excuses but, according to Youth Justice Board which oversees the justice system for the under-21's, excluded school pupils are almost three times more likely to commit crimes than their peers who are in school with over half the people on a Detention And Training Order having literacy and numeracy levels below that expected of an 11-year-old, although their average age is 17.

Now I don't particularly want to get into the whole argument of crime and punishment but I'm sure that most of you will agree that the above statistics are rather appalling and that the Prison Reading Champions must be a step in the right direction.

And talking of books and posts that became other than intended ..........

Once again, whilst looking for another article I came across this Digested Read, a series in the Guardian whereby books are presented in, well, their digested forms which you might consider avoiding if you haven't already read the book concerned.

A DIGESTED READ OF DAN BROWN'S THE LOST SYMBOL by John Crace.

A SONG BY HARRY MORANT.

I'm so sorry but try as I might I simply can't get the spacings right on these poems and Pooter, for reasons of his own, is refusing to co-operate. So, much as I think of you all, I'm admitting defeat. I'm afraid it just isn't worth the frustration, the tantrums and, ultimately, the tears (and that's only Pooter, we won't even begin to talk about me) and so I'm going to provide a link to my FREEVERSE choice this week.

A SONG.

Written by HARRY MORANT, an Anglo-Australian who born in December 1864 was executed in February 1902, A Song is one of several poems including BUTCHERED TO MAKE A DUTCHMAN'S HOLIDAY which was the last he ever wrote.

Short and sweet this is a poem I really like and can empathise with for, like many others, I too have 'loved so' (or at least at the time I thought I did) a person who it turned out only loved me 'just a bit' (if at all).

(TECHNOLOGICAL) TIMES ARE A-CHANGING.

Writing this post, as if by magic the song lyrics FOR THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGING popped into my head. Quite why I'm not sure for, to be honest, I didn't know who the song was sung by let alone what it was about. Cue Pooter and his wonderful mind of knowledge (otherwise known as the search engine) and there it was, The Times They Are A-Changing by Bob Dylan - pretty strong stuff, the last verse "The line it is drawn, The Curse it is cast. The slow one now, Will later be fast ........" seeming somehow or other particularly so.

Yes, I'm having one of those days when I'm pondering just how things are a-changing and asking myself just where it will all end for this last decade seems to be one in which technology, to name but one thing, has come on in leaps and bounds.

Take for example the iPHONE, a line of Internet and multimedia enabled smartphones (well that's me lost already) which seem to be all the rage. Not just content with all the technology this device has to offer, users have invented a whole new 'language' to go with it - the 'app' which as Tanya Gold, writing in the Guardian on THE RISE OF THE iPHONE GENERATION, comments is "Not so much a word as a flat, bored grunt" for "Customers cannot be bothered to say 'application'. That is three syllables too far for the avatars."

Now as many of you are aware I'm not the most technological of people. My mobile phone is just that, a phone on which I can make and receive calls and send and receive text messages - to show how much of a 'dinosaur' I am, I can't even take photographs with it let alone access Pooter or make a cup of tea. Anyway, also being somewhat gullible at times, I wasn't sure how many of these 'apps' were real and how many not. "Pooter do you know?"

Well well! The iFART is one 'app' that certainly exists. A holiday special "This pack contains ten new festive flatulations including Jingle Smells and, Not So Silent Night." Now is it just me or does it seem a touch ironic that this amazing technology is available and yet is used to such juvenile ends by a certain number of men? Sorry men, but I can't see this 'app' being on any woman's wish list, can you?

Definitely more useful than the 'ifart' is the news that Gecko Systems announced that it had been running trials of its "fully autonomous personal companion," also known as a CAREBOT designed to help elderly or disabled people to live independently. Very interesting but as Peter Singer and Agata Sagan, also writing in the Guardian, pointed out what will happen 'WHEN ROBOTS HAVE FEELINGS'?

At present, robots are mere items of property. But what if they become sufficently complex to have feelings? After all, isn't the human brain just a very complex machine?

If machines can and do become concious, will we take their feelings into account? The history of our relations with the only nonhuman sentient beings we have encountered so far - animals - gives no ground for confidence that we would recognise sentient robots as beings with moral standing and interests that deserve consideration.

(A) cognitive scientist has pointed out that powerful new technologies, like cars, computers, and phones tend to spread rapidly, in an uncontrolled way. The development of a concious robot that (who?) was not widely percieved as a member of our moral community could therefore lead to mistreatment on a large scale.

Yes times are indeed a-changing and yet sometimes you have to wonder if it's for the better - take for example the ifart or indeed this couple from Poole in Dorset who were so fond of their beloved Kia Carens people carrier car that they named their daughter Kia after it.

THE WHITE QUEEN.

THE WHITE QUEEN by PHILIPPA GREGORY.

The first in a stunning new series, The Cousin's War, is set amid the tumult and intrigue of the Wars of the Roses. Internationally bestselling author Philippa Gregory begins this extraordinary family drama to vivid life through the women - beginning with Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen.

Elizabeth Woodville, of the house of Lancaster, is widowed when her husband is killed in battle. Aided and abetted by the raw ambition and witchcraft skills of her mother Jacquetta, Elizabeth seduces and marries, in secret, reigning king Edward IV of the family of the white rose, the House of York. As long as there are other claimants to Edward's throne, the profound rivalries between the two families will never be laid to rest. Violent conflict, shocking betrayal and murder dominate Elizabeth's life as Queen of England, passionate wife of Edward and devoted mother of their children.

In The White Queen, Philippa Gregory brilliantly evokes the life of a common woman who ascends to royalty by virtue of her beauty, a woman who rises to the demands of her position and fights tenaciously for the survival of her family, a woman whose two sons become the central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the Princes in the Tower, whose fate remains unknown to this day.

....... From the inner, front cover.

First Sentence: In the darkness of the forest the young knight could hear the splashing of the fountain long before he could see the glimmer of moonlight reflected on the still surface.

Memorable Moment: In January we celebrate the greatest marriage that England has ever seen when my little Richard is betrothed to the heiress Anne Mowbray. The four-year-old prince and the little girl are lifted onto the table at their wedding feast in their beautiful miniature clothes and they hold hands like a pair of little dolls.

It is not any reflection on this book that it has taken me some nine or so days to read, indeed The White Queen is of the usual high standard of Philippa Gregory with her wonderful historical insight, and well penned characters.

Well researched as the bibliography testifies, "most of the story I tell here is fact not fiction" as the author explains in her notes, what I love about this novel is the small attention to detail and the writer's ability to take the reader to 1464 where the story begins.

As with most of Gregory's works, the female characters dominate throughout. Wonderfully strong and resourceful, they tell a tremendous tale of how life must have been for women of their class and lineage and yet the author does not fall into the trap of making life sound overly 'romantic' in a time when lives were particularly hard and fraught with many dangers, not least of which was the constant warring.

A particular addition to the book which I also really enjoyed was the telling of how the Woodville women believed they were ancestors of Melusina "the water goddess" who part woman, part fish is "found in hidden springs and waterfalls in any forest in Christendom." In fact how mother, Jacquetta and daughter, Elizabeth, got away without being accused of witchcraft is as big a mystery to me as is what happened to the princes in the tower.

MY RATING: 5 out of a possible 5. A great read, I look forward to the second book in the series.

FIDDLIN' FANTASTIC - AND THEY WERE.

You'll never guess where I was Friday night? Ok, so the graphic might give you a bit of a hint.

Give in?

Would it surprise you if I were to say a Christmas Party? A belated 2009 party as opposed to an extremely early 2010 party that is, she says as if that makes any difference.

Yes, despite the fact that here in England we are having the worst winter for 30 years, temperatures are reputedly only two degrees warmer than the antarctic and Newcastle's River Tyne is starting to freeze over for the first time since 18 hundred and 30 something or other, I was brave enough (some would argue stupid enough) to brave the weather and set off to local social club The Innisfree.

I say brave as if I had miles of icy, iceberg laden, polar bear inhabited terrain to contend with when in fact I had (what should have been) a five minute taxi journey up the road but still it was brave of me given that the roads and footpaths were unbelievably bad and left largely untouched by the road gritters and I'm on crutches.

Getting on with the story (you can all sigh with relief), what possessed us to go out on such a night? Some would say it had to be the free meal but honestly it wasn't. We'd had the tickets for a while, had really enjoyed the event the year before and were really looking forward to the 'turn' who we had heard were really good.

So, after yet another Christmas meal served with all the trimmings and the obligatory game of bingo (which both Husband dearest and I wholly dislike and never play) it was time for the entertainment FIDDLIN' FANTASTIC (whose site I am unable to obtain at present and whose management, in my humble opinion, aren't doing a very good job of promoting them) who were every bit as good, and better, than we had been led to believe.

Made up of two brothers, Ashleyjay and Jonny Rye, Fiddlin' Fantastic are a duo where both brothers sing, one playing the electric organ and the other, the fiddle (traditional and electric), the cello and the electric mandolin. Hard to describe their style, I can only say that they played a wide range* from rock to Abba to traditional Irish to Old Time Musical with, for me, the most memorable piece being Walking In The Air (the theme from the animated film The Snowman) which was played solely on the fiddle - beautiful and haunting simply didn't enter into it which surprised me as, usually no fan of these instruments, I had absolutely no idea they could sound like this.

Friday night talked about, I'd now like to wish a

VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to MOLLY over at Life With The Campbells who celebrates her 60th today.

* To give some idea of the range covered, I bought a CD of their music (Fiddlin' Fantastic On The Fiddle) which, amongst other material, contains the following to name but a few, some of which some of you might know. Lord Of The Dance, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Knees Up Mother Brown, Whisky In the Jar, At The Hop, Let's Twist Again and, Cotton Eyed Joe.

POST CATCH UP.

Something I've been meaning to do ever since the end of the Christmas festivities, today I thought I'd bring you a post to bring you up to date with some of the happenings at Pen And Paper.

Firstly, on Thursday Christiejolu commented that it was so cold it parts of the US that iguanas were actually falling out of the trees. Imagine then our surprise when yesterday that very story was shown on the BBC news. For video footage of the event click HERE and don't worry we are assured that no iguanas came to any harm due to their bodies being so cold so as to make them comatose.

Next, remember the post in which I was seen lifting a kilt? (No? Never mind, you could always click HERE.) Well, as a result of this David left a comment which stated "If you really are looking for more evidence as to whats worn under a Scotsman's kilt, here is a page on my site that will answer the question." Did I really want more evidence and was I brave enough to find out the answer? Yes to the first question but no to the second so I did what I usually do in such situations and got, not so easy to shock, Husband dearest to pay a visit first. Phew, it was safe to look, nothing too rude, beyond a picture of naked buttocks, on this interesting and informative site of all things kilt so click HERE if you also wish to know the secrets that lie beneath the kilt.

Going even further back, several awards were gratefully received.


My thanks to Nina at J'ADOREHAPPYENDINGS who kindly thought of me and passed on this Happy 101 award. The first condition being I list 10 things that made me happy and, the second, I pass it onto other bloggers.

* When it's announced one of my favourite tv shows (BEING HUMAN for example) is about to start a new series.

* Receiving a letter, not an e-mail but an actual letter.

* Candle light. Is there anything more romantic?

* Seeing our friends in Germany and visiting all those Christmas markets.

* The 4 B's (can I count this as one?) - Books, Balloons, Bubble-wrap (weird I know) and blowing bubbles.

* My blog which means I can witter on to my hearts content without anyone telling me to shut up (or if they do at least I can't hear them).

* Chocolate - need I say more?

* A freshly made bed.

* Having a relatively pain free day.

* Knowing I'm loved warts and all so to speak.

Well that was easy enough so why do I have the feeling the second condition will prove much harder. Oh how can I decide on this one when I have made so many good blogger buddies? No, can't do it so I'd like to offer it to anyone of my followers who cares to display it on their blog.

Thanks also to Christiejolu over at TALES FROM MY HEAD for honouring me with this 2010 award with the condition that I pass it onto 5 other bloggers. (What no listing things about myself or things I like/dislike, etc? What a relief.)

Anyway, the five blogs I'd like to give this to are ..........

* Vivienne at SERENDIPITY - a bloggger I really admire for, amongst other things, her craft work skills. I was especially touched with her CHRISTMAS JOURNAL PART 3 POST.

* SmileyFreak at NOWHERE, OVER&OUT who regularly mentions her little sister in her posts which I find so sweet considering how much my (naughty) little sister and I argued.

* Betty at CUT AND DRY who posts a 'bit of this and a bit of that' with some really fantastic photos thrown in for good measure.

* Molly at LIFE WITH THE CAMPBELLS a lovely, warm woman who, though she generally only posts on a Sunday, often has me laughing at the antics of her family.

And last but by no means least, a new-comer to Pen And Paper,

* Max at TECHNOLUST who made me laugh when he turned up (tongue firmly in cheek I'm sure) asking how he could get a PAPA award only to reappear days later saying that actually he didn't deserve an award unless I gave them out to (and I quote) "the most self-indulgently snot-nosed and facetious". Well I'm afraid I'm fresh out of those particular awards but I would like to offer this for, if nothing else, his honesty and cheek both of which I find strangely endearing.

'FACEBOOK FUGITIVE' - A FILM JUST WAITING TO BE MADE.

Have you ever read a book, a magazine or newspaper article or perhaps just heard a story from a friend and thought "Yeah, that will be made into a film at some point"? I couldn't help but feel this way about the following article. It's a film just waiting to be made as after all, in a strange way, it's quite funny (right?) and, perhaps more importantly, it 'stars' a man who I'm sure many would view as an 'anti-hero' something we, the English as a nation, tend to admire in a grudging sort of way.

"You'll have a laugh with me," he promised on his Facebook page. "But it will end in tears, it always does." It hasn't yet, though.

Despite being on the run from the low-security Hollesley Bay prison in Suffolk (an institution so escape-prone it's known locally as Holiday Bay), Craig 'Lazie' Lynch, a convicted burglar nearing the end of a seven year sentence, has managed to "have bundles of fun on the ice in me motor", celebrate Christmas with tinsel and roast turkey, watch the New Year's Eve firework display in London - all the while keeping police (and a growing army of followers) informed of his progress via updates on the social networking site.

Not even Facebook's closure of his personal page on New Year's Eve could keep him quiet for long. According to the East Anglian Daily Times, Lynch has now resurfaced on the site as one Maximus Justice, posting on some of the 20-plus Facebook groups dedicated to him.

Lynch's fame has spread as far as America, where country singer Kent Crawford has written a Youtube song in his honour. But life as a digital-age fugitive isn't all laughs. "I hate moving, it does my head in all the ducking and diving."

- A shortened version of an article by Jon Henley reporting in the Guardian. For the full article click HERE but be warned one or two expletives are used.

And to hear the song by Kent Crawford as mentioned in the article click HERE but I must once again warn you that though the song contains no offensive language some of the comments left do. Oh and one more thing, not quite accurate, there is no such thing as bounty hunting police here in the UK.

SHORT AND SWEET.

Sorry that today's post will be short and sweet. Husband dearest having had an uncomfortable night last night, we slept in late today (his work place having been closed due to the weather) which, combined with a a lengthy catch-up phone call with my (naughty) little sister, means I'm way behind. Anyway, thought I'd share this photo with you. Showing baboons at a safari park tucking into hot potatoes as heavy snows blanketed much of the country, it had me, despite my reservations about such parks (but that's a whole other post), going "aaahhh, how cute".

Oh and nearly forgot to mention, today see's Dorte's DJS KRIMBLOG celebrate it's 1st Blogoversary - well done Dorte. To wish her well and for a chance to enter her birthday competition, I hope you'll pay her a visit.

Until tomorow........

FEDERICO GARCIA LORCA.

Just recently Cara over at OOH ..... BOOKS! did a blog survey and one of the questions was about the role of her meme FreeVerse and if we'd like to see it continue. That's a YES from me Cara.

Now as many of you know I've always stated that I'm not a fan of poetry and, in order to in any way 'enjoy' it, I have to have it read to me. Well! That's slowly changing thanks to Cara and the bloggers who contribute their poems for I'm beginning to realise that there are many poems out there that I do actually like. So come on, support Cara in the work that goes towards making FreeVerse what it is.

Anyway, my choice of poem this week was inspired by this headline in the Guardian some weeks ago - Poet Lorca Still Missing After Dig At 'Grave' - Poet? Lorca? I had to find out more.

One of the greatest mysteries of recent Spanish history will remain unsolved for the foreseeable future after a team of archaeologists admitted that they failed to find the grave of the poet and playwright FEDERICO GARCIA LORCA.

"There was not a single bone, or fragment of bone," said Francisco Corrion, leader of the team that has spent six weeks digging at the site where Lorca was thought to be buried. "There is no chance of it being there."

Lorca was the most famous victim of the death squads operating in territory controlled by General Francisco Franco's rightwing nationalists during the Spanish Civil War.

(Until recently) He was assumed to have been buried in a mass grave with several other death squad victims on a hillside in Alfacar, overlooking his home city of Granada.

- Giles Tremlett.

Such a sad story, I had to find some of the poetry written by the man and came across the following to which I'm going to provide a link as my ability to space poetry is still, to put it mildly, useless. Just click HERE to view The Gypsy And The Wind and it will take you straight to the poem (I hope, fingers crossed) as well as links to some of his other works.

CRIMINAL MASTERMINDS?

I don't know if these people have day jobs but if they do my advice (for what it's worth) would be not to give them up in favour of a life of crime.

A Dad who sent cannabis through the post was caught after putting his name AND postcode on the parcel.

Clinton Bernstein, 55, planned smoking the drugs at his daughter's (way to go, Dad) in Brighton and was trying to avoid being caught by sniffer dogs at the city's station. But sorting office staff became suspicious of the 'strong smell' of cannabis. (Probably best not to ask how they knew the smell of cannabis. Giving them the benefit of doubt, perhaps they are trained in such matters.)

A drunk woman who fled a top restaurant without paying was traced because she left her phone number when she booked.

A Californian man on trial for stealing a car was arrested again immediately after the case, because he'd arrived for the hearing in another stolen vehicle. He told police it was the only way he could think to get to court. (You have to admire the man for trying, don't you?)

Supermarket owner Antonio Oliveria arrived at work to find a male bottom poking out of a window. A thief got stuck breaking into his shop at Almancil, and as the robber, 22, tried to wriggle free, his trousers fell off. Onlookers gathered to point and laugh (Oh the embarrassment) as firemen took two hours to rescue him.

And just to show that crime really doesn't pay, the 'dopey' dad was given a community service order whilst the woman diner was told to pay the bill of £177 and given a 10 week suspended sentence and as for the trouserless felon? Who knows? Though I'd like to think his (err) face would be recognised everywhere he went.

CHILDREN, GROWING UP TOO SOON?

Oh dear I feel a discussion coming on.

To give some background information. I know how it is to be a young girl 'forced' to be a woman before her time, except my story has nothing to do with peer pressure or marketing/media pressure but everything to do with the fact that I went through puberty at the incredibly young age of ten. So there I was, five foot, three inches tall (I never grew after this), a dress size 10/12 with, what must have already been, a 'b' sized chest. As you can imagine I got my fair share of male attention, how horrified most of them were to discover I was only 10. And discover they did. Usually the minute I opened my mouth for though physically a woman, mentally and emotionally, I was still a child, a young girl who still played with her dollies.

Clothing was, of course, a bit of a problem and I probably did dress a little more maturely than many of my peer group but I certainly wasn't dressed in some of the clothing now available to children as young (and younger) than ten. No, there was no (what we in the UK call) thongs, push-up bras, nor tee-shirts with rather risque slogans (remember the case in the British press about the seven year old girl wearing a top with the legend 'sexy at seven'?) but still I had little choice but to dress in styles that added to the illusion that I was older than I actually was.

Going on to the part the media has to play in how we perceive children.

Not like me I know but on this occasion I was at a loss as to what to say, words failed me as to how I felt seeing these two articles in our local newspaper. Talk about giving mixed messages. On the one hand, on page 3 we had an article all about "Sophie, Queen Of Pageants", which sang the praises of a 13-year-old already the 'winner' of several 'beauty' contests and then on page 30, "Modern Image Of Beauty Is A threat To Young", an article all about how children as young as 11 would undergo surgery in search of the body beautiful.

This north teenager jetted to America and beat its beauty queens at their own game. Sophie Watson became the star of a series of pageants in the US last month. The 13-year-old from Spennymoor, County Durham, is also the reigning Mini Miss UK 2009.

Her proud mum Joy said "A few years ago she had low self -confidence but she has blossomed with all these activities.

"She's now a really out-going girl and she has friends all over the world.

"I think she's an inspiration. She's different to me. I couldn't have been so confident when I was Sophie's age."

Now you can call me a kill-joy if you wish but surely the beauty business isn't really such a good idea for a young girl who we are told had low self-confidence. Being the notorious business it is, surely any knock backs would be devastating to any person let alone a sensitive soul such as Sophie.

That aside, in this day-and-age when physical 'perfection' is seen as so very important by both boys and girls, when eating disorders are on the rise, surely special care must be used when dealing with our ever younger fashion conscious children.

In a new survey of social attitudes commissioned by GIRL GUIDING UK, nearly half of secondary school-age girls said they would undergo laser treatment, liposuction or some form of plastic surgery to change the way they look.

And that is because they feel the need to change; they want to be thinner.

Some say that things are the same as they have ever been; that girls have always wanted to be thin and attractive, but I'm more convinced that we've been on a sliding slope - that slim morphed into thin and then skeletal chic.

It may be true that girls have always loved make-up and dressing-up, but wanting to have themselves cut open to adhere to an image of the perfect body is a different matter altogether.

Now I don't know Sophie, yesterday was the first time I had ever heard of her, and I don't have any reason to believe she will find herself in this situation but, life today being what it is, a great deal of pressure IS felt by most youngsters as to how they look. Surely this pressure can only be intensified for Sophie who, after all, enters competitions in which the person deemed to be the most attractive wins.

FOOTNOTE: Just to avoid any confusion, I believe that what we commonly call a flip-flop here in England is known as a thong in other places.


Both of today's articles appeared in yesterday's Sunday Sun. To view the first article in full click HERE, for the second HERE and for the results of the survey by Girl Guiding UK as mentioned in the article HERE.

THE LATEST WORDS TO MAKE IT INTO THE OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY.

I'd never really thought of it before, I mean I know the English language is changing and adapting all the time, but I'd never spent much time thinking about the dictionary having to change as well.

Suprise!!! It does as Martin Wainwright, reporting for the Guardian, explains.

A year of 'snollygosters', 'jeggings' and 'tweetups' marked the end of the 21st century's first decade, according to word enthusiasts who have spent Christmas burrowing into Britain's biggest linguistic base.

The three words lead the list of hundreds of new English coinings in the Oxford English Dictionary in the last 12 months, along with novel uses for familiar words, such as 'simples', 'unfriend' and 'zombie banking'.

For the full article and to find out the meanings of snollygoster (etc) click HERE OR to view the latest new entries (as of the 10th of December 2009) to the Oxford English Dictionary click HERE.

Oh and don't be at all suprised if some of the words found on Word Balderdash as 'played' by Sheila at ONE PERSONS JOURNEY THROUGH A WORLD OF BOOKS and Melissa at MY WORLD (amongst others) don't make it on the 2010 list - remember you heard them on their blogs first.

(NOT QUITE) 12 DRUMMERS DRUMMING.

So what did you all do to celebrate the coming of not just a new Year but a new decade?

As I mentioned Husband dearest were celebrating it with friends. What I didn't say was we were off to a party - our first real, grown-up New Year's Eve party in 24 years. Yes, we sat and worked it out and realised that the last one we had attended was the year before we got married, making it 1985. Where does the time go?

Actually I have a theory on the life-cycle of party going.

As small children, when asked to a party, we may not want to go, it may take some persuasion but eventually we end up there only to be home and tucked up in bed at an early hour.

When a little older (teenagers?), when asked to a party - we go, no second thoughts, we just go, very often partying into the small hours if not all night.

When we get just that little bit older again (late 20's/early 30's?), when asked to a party, we go but in the hope that there will be somewhere we can rest our heads even if it is almost time to be getting up.

When a little older still (mid to late 30's?), when asked to a party, we may not want to go, it may take some persuasion but eventually IF we end up there, it's only to be home and tucked up in bed at a reasonable hour

Then ......

A little older still (my age?), when asked to a party, we may not want to go, it may take some discussion and eventually we decide to stay home, tucked up in bed with a good book instead.

Still as Thursday proved 'there is life in the old girl yet'.

Seriously we had a really good night. Sitting in the up-stairs lounge instead of the noisier concert room, we retired to the even quieter down-stairs lounge just before midnight after listening to a great pipe band earlier in the evening. Not too noisy, I didn't have to endure Auld Lang Syn (as I mentioned it always makes me cry) and, much more importantly, I didn't have to suffer being kissed by too many people I didn't know.

AND, nearly forgot, I met, yes, actually met, someone who reads my blog, admitted he never left any comments but read it every week which is good enough for me - 'S', you are a star, keep reading.

Thanks to husband dearest for the photo of the pipe band. After an incident at a friend's wedding several years ago, he doesn't allow me anywhere near men in kilts anymore which is probably for the best.

Oh and just in case you are wondering what I'm looking for, it's evidence of whether or not underwear is worn under a kilt and as you can clearly see by the boxer shorts, the answer is yes. Mind you, always ready with an answer, this particular kilt wearer (yes I do know him, it's never a good idea to lift the kilt of a stranger) claims that the only time underwear is not worn is when war is imminent. Hmm, to believe him or not? Perhaps more evidence is needed.

THE PAPA'S 2010.

Well that's one decade over (the so-called 'noughties), another begun (I wonder what this one will become known as).

Grief, do I feel rough, I dread to think just how ill I'd feel if I'd actually been drinking. Still I suppose I was on the 'hard stuff', cola as opposed to my usual tipple of blackcurrant and lemonade.

Anyway ..........

Not many people know this but her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and I have several things in common. Firstly, we are both English. Secondly, we both love dogs though, unlike Lizzie, I can't claim any real love for the CORGI. And thirdly (thinking wildly), neither of us carries money. So I thought to myself, what is good enough for her Maj must be good enough for me and decided, just like her, on a NEW YEARS HONOURS LIST to be known as the PAPA's - PEN AND PAPER AWARDS.



And as a result, I'd like to offer the above to all of my blogger buddies as a symbol of the pleasure you have given me over the last eight (or so months) I have been blogging - please feel free to place it on your blog and share it with others.

However, in common with the Queen's New Years Honours List, I'd also like to mention some blogs of special note who I award the below symbol to.



THE PAPA FOR ENDURANCE must surely go to KELLY'S THOUGHTS AND RAMBLINGS. A true trooper, Kelly has shown true endurance, well above the call of duty, by visiting every day.

THE PAPA FOR CONTRIBUTION TO LITERATURE goes to TINA at THE CLEAN WHITE PAGE for her wonderfully unique stories and to DORTE at DJS KRIMBLOG her fascinating, often humorous, short story series.

THE PAPA FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS also goes to two blogs - my 'old' favourite CHITRA'S MY PILGRAMAGE and, the more recently found, RENNYBA'S TERELLA.

And finally, THE PAPA FOR CONTRIBUTION TO FILM, I award to TRACI at I'D LET MY KID SEE THAT a brand new blog started just 4 days ago though Traci is also known on Pen And Paper for her blog 38 AND GROWING.

My thanks to each and everyone of you for all the support you have shown me over the short time that Pen And Paper has been up and running. May you all have a happy and healthy 2010.