HOLIDAYING WITH THE PETTY WITTER'S.

It was some time ago that NRI GIRL first talked about this challenge and though I had always intended to take part various things got in the way ...... by various things read computer problems. Still, better late than never, today I'm happy to bring you a post by our guest Flat Stanley. PW

Good morning/afternoon/evening wherever you are, its Flat Stanley here.


Friday 8th July.


Having arrived safely from Blogospere in the early hours, after a brief nap and a piece of Stottie Cake (not a cake at all but rather a type of flat bread traditionally eaten here in this part of the world) I was whisked off to a 40th birthday party - not just any birthday party though, a fancy dress birthday party with the theme of Dickens in which my hosts went as a flower seller (hence me with the flowers ..... oh and the almost finished drink) and The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come.

What a great night it was, lots of gothic style costumes, some Victorian story telling and singing AND a Miss Haversham inspired cake complete with sugar-spun 'cobwebs'. Oh and the 'natives' were so friendly, especially the birthday girl who seemed particularly pleased to meet me as the photograph below shows.

SUNDAY 10th July.

Tonight it was off to see The National Ukele Orchestra in concert at The Sage (that's the building not unlike a giant shell) with Mr PW before meeting PW and 'The Quiz Team' back at the Innisfree for last orders.

What a fantastic night, who would have thought the ukele could be so versatile - honestly, they played everything ranging from Hendrix, to Bowie, Black Sabbath to Wagner.


FRIDAY 14th July.

Today being the first day of Mr PW's holiday, we spent the afternoon relaxing by watching two DVD's. TRON:LEGACY and Invictus. 

I must say I enjoyed Tron but, like PW, thought it all a bit, well, like an advert for a computer game. Now, as for Invictus .... I know PW didn't really fancy this one but all three of us ended up watching it and thoroughly enjoying it.


FRIDAY 22nd JULY.

After a quiet day pursuing the books in the Petty Witter library, it was off to a birthday BBQ - not that I got too close to the flames you understand.

Another friendly lot I must say, there were kisses all round though I must say his 5 o'clock shadow tickled a little.

Well fed and watered out came the musical instruments with two of Mr PW's work colleagues on the drums and two playing guitars - one of them having written a song especially for the occasion.


SUNDAY 24th JULY.

My last evening with the Petty Witter's, Lisa from Germany arrives tomorrow for three and a bit weeks. 

Spent eating Italian food in a very nice little restaurant, Marco Polo's in Newcastle, I had the pleasure of meeting several other bloggers and their partners. One of them , the guest of honour, Grandmere Mimi (that's her pictured with me above) was even partly to blame for PW starting Pen and Paper for it was with Grandmere's and Mr PW's encouragement that PW began blogging.

HUSBANDLY EDITORIAL - NO MEDIA MONDAY TODAY AS HER LADYSHIP AS BEEN LAID LOW AND BEEN IN BED SINCE FRIDAY AFTERNOON. SHE IS FEELING A TAD BETTER TODAY SO HOPEFULLY NORMAL SERVICE WILL BE RESUMED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SHE WISHES ME TO APOLOGISE FOR HER LACK OF VISITING AND RESPONSE TO YOUR COMMENTS. I'LL CONTINUE TO POST THAT WHICH SHE HAS PREPARED, DAY TO DAY AND HOPE THAT SHE WILL BE UP AND ABOUT SOON. - HD

ANGEL INSPIRATION.

ANGEL INSPIRATION by DIANA COOPER.

Bestselling author Diana Cooper offers her wisdom on how, together, humans and angels have the power to change the world.

We are only now up to the presence of angels and their ability to guide us. Diana Cooper introduces us to the importance of them in our lives by drawing on countless stories of people who have had their own lives changed by the miraculous assistance of angels. These incredible accounts prove what a difference the divine messengers can make and are an inspiration to us all.

Everyone has their own guardian angel, there to help and protect whenever possible. Few of us yet understand, however, the healing and support these angels can bring and how to invoke their help. Diana Cooper introduces us to the whole hierarchy of angels and the special powers that we can call upon.

With exercises and lessons to encourage your angelic presences, Angel Inspiration not only brings you closer to your angel but helps change other people's lives too.
...... Outer back cover.

FIRST SENTENCE (Introduction): At the age of forty-two, I was getting divorced and was at the bottom of a deep black emotional pit.

MEMORABLE MOMENT (Page 108): Angels Of Love are those who help you to find lost objects. Just ask quietly for their help and they will return your possessions.

KEEP IT OR NOT?: Not.

Oh dear, a difficult one for me to review.

I was given this by an acquaintance who, knowing I gave my plants names, believed me to be very spiritual. Hmm, very spiritual? I am in that I enjoy learning about other people's faith and beliefs but, am myself, fairly sceptical about most matters spiritual and confess to finding some beliefs downright bizarre -and, sad to say, my feelings about those who believe in angels(grief I hope I'm not offending anyone)falls pretty much in this category.

So, as I said, this isn't the easiest of reads for me to give my honest opinion on - safest perhaps for me to stick to commenting on HOW the book was written as opposed to WHAT was written.

On thinking about Angel Inspiration I think repetitive is the first word that comes to mind, followed closely, if I'm being honest, by self-serving - the author rather annoyingly keeps repeating certain statements over and over again, only pausing to supply more 'evidence', evidence that, by and large, is supplied by those who have taken part in her 'Angel Workshop ....... 'good' advertising for the said event, don't you think, or is that me being too cynical?

Not all criticisms though, even though I found much of the book, a work book to all intents and purposes, err, strange and totally impractical (how many of us would actually ask our angel for advice before calling the plumber/mechanic as is suggested by the author?), I did like the way that it was set out, how each paragraph ended with a 'practical' exercise the author called service work (shame it was way too bizarre for me to take seriously, still, each to their own) and how the book ended with a section entitled 'Angel Exercises and Meditations'.

Not a book for me. I confess I did find certain ideas quite, frightening(?) No, that's not the word I was looking for. I did find certain things ....... worrying/troublesome and, at times, did have my concerns that this was written with the vulnerable in mind, that the reader was being instructed on how to get in touch with their angel ..... and if that angel did not respond? Well, though the author never actually said so directly, to my mind it was strongly implied, that this was down to the individuals lack of faith.

Number 82 in my 100+ Reading Challenge.

BEST FRIENDS FOREVER.

BEST FRIENDS FOREVER by JENNIFER WEINER.

Addie Downs and Valerie Adler will be best friends forever. At least that's what nine-year-old addie believes when Val moves into the house across the street. But in the wake of betrayal during their teenage years, Val is swept into the popular crowd, while mousy, sullen Addie becomes her school's scapegoat.

Fifteen years on, Val has found a measure of fame and fortune as the local weathergirl, Addie meanwhile, lives alone in her parents' house, looking after her troubled brother and trying to meet Prince Charming on the internet. She's just returned from Bad Date No 6, when she hears a knock at her door. There, on the step, is her long-gone best friend, bllod on the sleeve of her coat. 'Something terrible has happened' she tells Addie. 'Can you help me?'
..... Outer back cover.

FIRST SENTENCE (Chapter 1): Don Swansea came awake in the darkness, not knowing for a minute who he was or where.

MEMORABLE MOMENT (Page 95): ....... 'You had two parents who loved you ...... ' Her voice caught. 'You had everything.'

KEEP IT OR NOT?: Not, I shall be passing this onto several other people though.

Hmm, I started off not really enjoying this book, only for the characters to grow on me (some as mould grows on a damp wall) as the story progressed ..... shame then that the book ended so weakly.

Not a novel it is easy to categorise - in part, as the title suggests, a 'best buddie' read, in part a crime/thriller and in part a romance, I couldn't help but feel that this had too much going on.

More strong on the character front than on plot, I did enjoy the way the main players developed even if I didn't altogether relish the victim mentality of Addie. How I wish that for once we could have an overweight lead who was strong and not portrayed as a bit of a loser, someone whose life only begins when they start to shed the pounds.

Anyway,

An ok read, not as light and a frothy as I had expected but still too much of a chick-lit read for my liking, Best Friends Forever was a typical summer read, almost, dare I say it, falling into Mills And Boons territory in the way in which (whoops! I very nearly included a spoiler), even according to some of my friends who are huge Weiner fans this is not one of the authors best books.

A free book purchased from a weekly woman's magazine, I paid P&P only, Best Friends Forever is book number 76 read for the 100+ Reading Challenge.

TRIPWIRE.

TRIPWIRE by LEE CHILD.

Digging swimming pools by hand in Key West, Florida, Jack Reacher is as tanned and as fit as he's ever been. A local girl says he looks like a condom filled with walnuts. Being invisible has become a habit. He doesn't want to be found.

So when a private detective comes nosing around and asking questions, Reacher is not pleased. Especially when he later finds the guy dead. With his fingertips sliced off. Why was he so determined to find him? What does the vicious Wall Street honcho Hook Hobie have to do with it? And what about the reappearance of a woman from Reacher's own troubled past.
....... Outer back cover.

FIRST SENTENCE(Prologue): Hook Hobie owed the whole of his life to a secret nearly thirty years old.

MEMORABLE MOMENT (Page 219): It was his favourite chair, chosen in the way men choose things, for comfort and familiarity rather than for style and suitability.

KEEP IT OR NOT?: A reading group book, the 75th read in my 100+ Reading Challenge, I shall be returning this.

"Like a condom filled with walnuts"? Pleaseeeeee. So Cheesy  but then this just about sums up the whole of this novel for me.

The 3rd outing for ex-military policeman Jack Reacher though this read well enough as a stand-alone novel.

On the face of it this read like many an American thriller except for some reason it didn't feel quite right to me - small wonder than that Lee Child isn't an American writer but an Englishman writing as an American - and not very convincingly in my opinion.

Far too long, at over 500 pages I felt this novel could have been much, much shorter if only the author hadn't dedicated so much time in describing things - ok, so some of it was interesting, one might even say necessary, but to take almost 5 pages to describe how the one-armed villain undressed for bed was surely over 4 pages too long.

It wasn't only the length of the book that had me struggling either as, to be honest, I found I couldn't connect with any of the characters and found Hook Hobie (the villain)in particular to be unconvincing. Bordering on being a pantomime baddie, he seemed to come across almost as a parody of what a villain should be. And as for the plot - rather plodding and not as action packed as I had hoped, I couldn't help but be disappointed as I had heard such wonderful things about the author.

Not to my taste then but hey ho each to their own, I know Lee Child's has a huge following including it turns out all of the members of my reading group who all enjoyed this book.

NOT AS GREEN AS I AM CABBAGE LOOKING.

It was reading 'A' Simple Blogger's  WINDOWS ALERT POST that reminded me of the two 'computer' scams doing the rounds here in England (and, more likely than not, elsewhere).

The first involved a telephone call in which I was informed a virus was, as we spoke, attacking Pooter (for those of you not in the know this is my name for our computer). Hmm, really? None too concerned, I knew we had good protection, this woman then went onto explain that, even worse than a virus (no, surely not!!!!!), someone, somewhere, was, at that precise moment, hacking into our online banking account with the intent of not only stealing our identities but emptying the said account. Now I was getting a tad concerned. But not to worry, help was at hand, all I had to do was take out extra protection and, surprise, surprise, this woman could do this for me now, all I had to do was hand over all our banking details. Now, to use one of my late nana's expressions, 'I'm not as green as I am cabbage looking' and, of course, I didn't give out any details (why was I even momentarily worried? For a start we don't do any banking online) but to be honest this woman was so plausible that I could quite understand how someone might be tempted to.

Anyway,

The second scam happened some weeks later when I was informed via email that a long-lost relative of Husband dearest's had died kindly leaving us quarter of a million pounds in their will BUT in order to get this we had to send the firm of solicitors involved a few thousand pound in order for them to make an international monetary transfer and to 'finalise the deceased last wishes' - all very emotive stuff even if no such relative existed.

But, alas this wasn't the last we heard of it. Now, contacting us via our home telephone, this 'solicitor' did his very best to convince us that this was indeed a genuine relative who, if we were unable to be contacted, had left instructions that this money was to go to a local donkey sanctuary - good, I love donkeys.

Once again, all very plausible, it was amazing (not to mention frightening) how much information this individual had dug up about Hd.

What then the coincidence of having watched a report the night before reading A's post in which one of these 'Scammers' (I'm being polite here) tried to justify their actions.

Was it his fault that people were so greedy that they were taken in by 'these things'?

No matter that they were more likely vulnerable than greedy.

Wasn't it wrong that people presumed such awful things about him? After all he wasn't a rich man but a poor one who had a family, including a disabled child, to provide for.

OK, so it could be argued that we should never presume BUT wasn't he just as guilty for presuming that the individual he was targeting was greedy as opposed to vulnerable? That the person he was harassing was rich and without dependents, perhaps one of them a disabled child.

It makes you think, doesn't it?

A GOOD DAY FOR HAUNTING.

A GOOD DAY FOR HAUNTING by LOUISE ARNOLD.

Most people don't realise that an entire Ghost World exists alongside their own. They aren't aware that they walk with ghosts every day.

Tom Golden is the only one who knows, the only one who can see them.

But when his friends start becoming visible to everyone else, he realises something somewhere has gone very wrong. Can he put it right before the two worlds collide?

..... Outer back cover.

FIRST SENTENCE (CHAPTER 1): You know how some people are utterly proficient liars?

MEMORABLE MOMENT (Page 118): 'There's no medical reason that humans can't see ghosts. It's all to do with that grey ... squishiness .... you carry around in your bony skulls.'

KEEP IT OR NOT?: Not though I will be passing it on to Niece #2 (13).

Grief, one of those books that could be summed up in one word ........ BORING. Alas I don't really like using that word so will substitute it for ......

• Uninteresting
• Mundane
• Trite
• Vapid.

Overlong and with very little action I really didn't enjoy this read.

Ok, so it was the 3rd book in a series and to be fair it might (though I very much doubt it) have been more readable if I had read any of the previous books as there were a number of references to characters and events that I had no knowledge of.

And talking of references ......

There were several references to films, trends and language that I think many readers may have difficulty understanding and that these references may age the book prematurely.

The plot was rambling, the characters weak and, to my mind at least, unoriginal - apart from the quotes from movies as mentioned above, several scenes put in mind of scenes from Harry Potter and two of the characters bore more than a passing resemblance to characters from the books, only not as well written.

So were there any redeeming features?

I like books that lead to discussions and I think several instances in this novel could lead to interesting discussions on what it is to be 'normal' and what it is to be seen as being different.

There were some funny moments, just not enough and none of them laugh out loud.

A Book Exchange read, this was the 80th book read for my 100+ Reading Challenge.

SONIC BOOMS, STRIP SCRABBLE AND MORE.

A great gadget and perfect for Halloween.



Being used to sleeping in silence, deaf folk require a bit of help waking up in the morning. (They) can't rely on your typical sound-based alarm clock, blaring out dull intermittent bleeping sounds.

(They) need an alarm clock with a vibrating pad that slots under the pillow to gently buzz (them) awake. But now in a brazen attempt to bring the sense of a low-budget horror film to (their) morning routine Connevans (specialist suppliers of equipment for the deaf and hard of hearing) have started selling the SONIC BOOM SKULL which promises to 'wake the dead' as well as the deaf and comes complete with a 'bone crushing' vibrating pad and, on opening your eyes, the piercing gaze of a red-eyed skull that most be pressed to turn on the snooze function. - Charlie Swinbourne, The Guardian (17/10/2011)

Only as old as you feel .....

PENSIONER FORCED TO ABANDON RECORD BREAKING ATTEMPT. Peter Dowdeswell has broken more than 350 records for speed eating and drinking – but in the end, he was undone by a single beer.

The world-beater has been forced to retire after suffering back and shoulder injuries as he tried to sink a pint while being held upside down.

The 71-year-old, who once downed a pint of champagne in 3sec, was dropped twice by two men who were employed to hold his legs during the attempt. - Aidan Radnedge, The Metro (17/10/2011)

I've heard of Strip Poker BUT never Strip Scrabble.

SCRABBLE PLAYER DEMANDS STRIP SEARCH. This year's World Scrabble Championships almost became embroiled in controversy after one of the players demanded his opponent be strip-searched when England's Ed Martin was accused of hiding the letter 'G' during a game.

Mr Martin's opponent Chollapat Itthi-Aree made the accusation after the letter went missing during their game.

 The Thai player wanted tournament officials to take Mr Martin into the toilets to have a full strip search. However, his request was denied and Mr Martin proceeded to win the game in Warsaw, Poland, by a single point. - Aaron-Spencer Charles, The Metro (17/10/2011)

Oh dear!

DRIVER LEFT IN A TIGHT SPOT AFTER SATNAV BLUNDER. A lorry driver ended up with a face as red as the cab of his truck after a satnav blunder left him stuck in a narrow alley in the village of Bruton, Somerset.

The driver, who remains anonymous, was delivering soft drinks in the sleepy village and was searching for a parking space when his lorry became stuck between a house and an estate agents.

Thanks to the lane's steep incline, he was unable to reverse back up the street and had no choice but to stay put and endure the taunts of the locals, who found the whole incident much more amusing than his boss. - The Metro (20/10/2011)

PLEASE NOTE : Wherever possible I will endeavour to bring you the links to articles I have used in my Media Monday posts but this is not always possible.

THE READER.

The 74th book read in my 100+ Reading Challenge ......

THE READER by BERNHARD SCHLINK.

For 15-year-old Michael, a chance meeting with an older woman leads to far more than he ever imagined. Before long they embark on a passionate, clandestine love affair which leaves Michael both euphoric and confused. For Hanna is not all she seems.

Years later, as a law student, observing a trial in Germany, Michael is shocked to find Hanna in the dock. The woman he loved is a war criminal. Much about her behaviour during the trial does not make sense. Hanna must answer for a horrible crime, but she is desperately concealing an even deeper secret .....
...... Outer back cover.

FIRST SENTENCE (Chapter 1): When I was fifteen, I got hepatitis.

MEMORABLE MOMENT (Page 16): The outside world, the world of free time in the yard or garden or on the street, is only a distant murmur in the sickroom. Inside, a whole world of characters and stories proliferates out of the books you read.

KEEP IT OR NOT?: Not

On the face of it this wasn't a book I enjoyed. Beginning with the story of Michael Berg, 15, who is seduced by the much older (21 years older to be exact), Hanna Schmitz, the narrative then moves on to how many years later Michael follows the trial of Hanna who is accused of Nazi war crimes, before, finally, looking at just how Michael deals with the aftermath of his having found Hanna again under such circumstances.

A passionate, clandestine love affair which leaves Michael both euphoric and confused says the blurb on the back cover. No mention then of how it is abusive and leaves Michael quite emotionally damaged - or is that just me being over sensitive?

A short book but with lots to say, underlying the central theme of first love The Reader deals with many moral issues - not just the issues regarding the sexual relationship between Michael and Hanna but also issues concerning the Holocaust, as well as the more general themes of guilt and forgiveness.

Told almost like a memoir by Michael, I would have liked to have seen Hanna have a voice, to have heard her views, to perhaps have given her a chance to explain her actions..... if indeed their could be any explanation for such atrocities.

As I said, not a book I can say I exactly enjoyed, it made very disturbing reading in places, but I'm so glad I did read it if only for the amount of soul searching I did afterwards.

Though I think this a wonderful choice for my reading groups, I'd love to be able to discuss the wealth of issues The Reader threw up, I'm not convinced just what kind of a film it would make - for it has indeed been adapted into a movie starring Ralph Fiennes and Kate Winslet.

FIREWORK PLEA.

With Bonfire Night (the 5th of November) only a matter of weeks away can I make a plea ...... or two?

Firstly can I ask all of my friends in the UK to consider asking their local library/garden centre/vets etc to place this poster in their windows, on their notice boards, wherever.

Available, free of charge, from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society. who can be contacted by clicking HERE.

Secondly .......

Though I know that Bonfire/Guy Fawkes Night is not by any means an international event lots of countries have celebrations in which fireworks play a part and I know that many of you, my blogger buddies, have pets that are frightened by the loud bangs and you're not alone as statistics show that over 80% of pet owners have a pet who is afraid of fireworks.

Isn't it about time then that the firework manufacturers accept their responsibilities and publicise pet safety information on both their packaging and websites?

So how about calling on the government to make this a mandatory requirement?

You can do so by clicking HERE and signing the e-petition.

PS. Wondering about Bonfire Night/Guy Fawkes? Click HERE for further reading.

Oh and one more thing ...........

Could I also ask, encourage, nay, beseech you to sign this e-petition (click HERE)which urges the government to recognise the shocking decline in numbers of the British hedgehog and give the hedgehog the same legal protection as the otter, dormouse and red squirrel under section 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Apologies to my non-British blogger buddies who are not eligible to sign either of these petitions.

CITY OF VEILS.

CITY OF VEILS by ZOE FERRARIS.

The Victim.

On a scalding afternoon, the mutilated body of a young woman, half naked beneath her burqa, is discovered on a Saudi beach; soon afterwards a Western woman's husband vanishes without trace.

The Place.
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the City of Veils. A city of narrow streets and closed shutters, where nothing is what it seems; and the Empty Quarter - one of the most beautiful, yet unforgiving deserts on earth.

The People.
Miriam Walker, alone in an alien culture, desperate to find her missing husband. Katya, a forensic scientist battling the prejudices of a society full of sexual, religious and moral contradictions; and Nayir, devout muslim, desert guide, amateur sleuth - the man she loves.
...... Outer back cover.

FIRST SENTENCE (Chapter 1): The woman's body was lying on the beach.

MEMORABLE MOMENT (Page 385): The fairy tales he'd heard as a child always began with the words kan ya ma kan - it was, and it was not. He'd come to associate those words with the desert. One moment a foot would break the sand, and the next it would be gone, wiped away by an oblivious wind.

KEEP IT OR NOT?: A reading group read, I shall be returning this.

A so-so crime fiction novel, the only things that really stood out for me was the somewhat unusual setting of Saudi Arabia and the 'desert event'.

The desert event?

I really don't want to go into any more details for fear of including a spoiler BUT I will say that it involved a camel and, though the outcome didn't seem particularly realistic to me, it was very dramatic.

No, the thing that really appealed to me about City Of Veils was the details about modern life in Saudi Arabia - and, in particular, the life of the women, both Saudi and American. Fascinating reading I learnt such a lot about the culture and the gulf between the so-called fundamentalists and modernists.

Despite this being the second book to feature desert guide Nayir and forensic scientist Katya (I haven't read the first, Night Of The Mi'raj, though this didn't have any impact on my enjoyment of this novel)this was not the best written of books, and, as I mentioned before, though there were aspects to the story that I found unlikely, City Of Veils is never-the-less a tense read (once you get a third or so of the way  through) that has a touch of romance thrown in for good measure.

The 73rd book read in my 100+ Reading Challenge, I shall be certain to keep an eye out for the next book in this series.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

One of the things I love about Dorte's writing is the character names she comes up with. Take this SAMPLE SUNDAY POST in which she gives an extract from her novel THE COSY KNAVE ..........

Though Rose would rather swallow her own tongue than voice her agreement, Olivia Cadbury-Flake was not the only inhabitant of Knavesborough who thought it would have suited Mark Baldwin, or Sir Marco Bellini, to put in an appearance long ago.

Olivia Cadbury-Flake? What a great name and not too far removed from my own surname of Terry which, for those of you unaware, is, like Cadbury, the name of another chocolate manufacturer.

What is she wittering about now, you may well ask.

Well, it puts me in mind of a telephone conversation I had a while ago.

Having been asked to give my last name, I replied Terry.

"Kerry?" asked the woman on the other end of the line.

"No, Terry"

"Sorry, Mrs Derry"

"No, its Mrs Terry. Terry with a T"

"Aah, I see. I'm really very sorry Mrs Curry"

"No, its Mrs Terry, Terry with a T, Terry as in the chocolates"

"Aah, as in the chocolates, my apologies madam"

The result of this conversation?

Some days later I received a letter addressed to ........

Yeah, you guessed ....... Mrs Cadbury.

No, not Mrs Cadbury ........

It's Mrs TERRY.

MIRROR MIRROR.

A Book Exchange read, the 79th book read for my 100+ Reading Challenge.

MIRROR MIRROR by EDGAR J HYDE.

The Johnstone family buy an old mirror. Soon, the children of the household think they can see an image of a girl trapped inside it!

She is dressed in stange clothes and seems to be trying to communicate with the children. What is the mysterious story of the girl? And why is she trapped in the mirror!
..... Outer back cover.

FIRST SENTENCE (Chapter 1): Sophie stood, transfixed.

MEMORABLE MOMENT (Page 69): "Lucy, reflections are what you're supposed to see in mirrors, not horror stories."

KEEP IT OR NOT?: One for the shelves, I shall certainly be keeping this one.

Please excuse my rather short review of this one. It's not because I didn't like the book, far from it in fact, its just sometimes less is more and to say too much would be to invite the inclusion of spoilers.

A charming little read, somewhat old fashioned (I mean this in a totally good way and not as a criticism), as well as being enjoyed by today's children I can see this story being told to yesteryear's Victorian children such is its timeless appeal.

Highly recommended, I thoroughly enjoyed Mirror Mirror, my only complaint being the seemingly total lack of care shown for the welfare of puppy, Sweetie.

NOT EVERYTHING IS ALWAYS AS IT SEEMS - THE BIKE THAT THINKS IT'S A RECORD PLAYER AND A UFO THAT MAY BE A SEAGULL ANSWERING A CALL OF NATURE.

Whoops! I don't know quite how but I somehow managed to miss these first two howlers from previous Media Monday posts.

They pay someone for doing this job?

HOTEL BED INSPECTOR INSURES HER BOTTOM.Hotel worker Natalie Thomas' bottom is so good at detecting lumps in beds she is having her prize asset insured for £4million.

The 39-year-old from Luton, Bedfordshire, tests about 24 guest beds a day as ‘director of bed bouncing’ for budget hotel chain Premier Inn.

Natalie is tasked with testing how comfortable each of the chain's 46,000 beds is, spending around 20 minutes on each one. - The Metro (03/10/2011)

Way to go Mrs Ormiston.

100-YEAR OLD REQUESTS A STRIPPER FOR HER BIRTHDAY. When Clare Ormiston’s relatives asked her what she wanted for her forthcoming 100th birthday, they weren’t prepared for her cheeky reply.

The centenarian-to-be wasn’t content with just a card from the Queen and some nice classical music – she wanted a male stripper instead. - The Mirror (05/10/2011)

Feats per Minute.

(Photograph courtesy of The Mirror Opinions)

"What's a record player player?" asked Niece #2 (22)

BFeats Per Minute (Fiets being Dutch for bicycle) is a bike and record player combined.

The innovative Dutch design was unveiled at the Dezeen event at the London Design Festival.

Find out more at www.featsperminute.com. - The Guardian (11/10/2011)

Is it a bird or is it a plane OR is it a UFO? You decide.

PROOF THAT UFO'S EXIST OR A SEAGULL HAVING A POO? Surely even the most excitable UFO enthusiast would have realised what this flying object was, but this 'mysterious' seaside snap has just been unveiled at a conference hosted by The Cornwall UFO Research Group.

Dave Gillham, who founded the group in 1995, said of the picture, taken on August 1 from Black Head at Trenarren: 'There appear to be two trails of water beneath the object which look as though they are falling from it in to the sea

'It could be the object has just emerged from the sea.'

But other observers have a more prosaic explanation - it’s a seagull going to the loo. - Hayden Smith, The Metro (10/10/2011)

Aah, taking a bus ..... the only way I'd ever finish a marathon. Not that I'm condoning cheating but you have to admit this is funny .... or is it just me who thinks so?

MARATHON RUNNER ADMITS HE CAUGHT A BUS. A marathon runner has been stripped of his medal after catching a bus to the finish line.

Rob Sloan claimed third place in the Kielder Marathon after completing the 26.2 mile course in an impressive time of 2:51:00.

But suspicions were raised by fellow runners bemused that they had not seen Sloan pass them during Sunday’s race.

After initially denying any wrongdoing, Sloan admitted to hopping onto a bus at the 20-mile mark because he was feeling tired. He then re-emerged from a wooded area of the course and picked up the bronze medal. - Anita Singh, The Telegraph (12/10/2011)

Nothing quite as scary as an old, arthritic dog.

POSTIES SCARED OF OLD, ARTHRITIC DOG. Royal Mail threatened to stop delivering letters to a pensioner because the postmen are scared of her dog – who is 15, deaf and crippled with arthritis.

Ann Ryan,72, believes she was targeted by Royal Mail because her harmless pal Bobby (wait for it) barked at a postman. - Paul Byrne, The Mirror (13/10/2011)

Mince pies that smell of Christmas trees?

CELEBRITY CHEF'S LATEST CREATION. Last year he caused chaos at the checkout when his Christmas puddings containing a whole candied orange sold out in weeks. Now Heston Blumenthal, the celebrity chef, is aiming to replicate the pudding’s success with a mince pie that smells of Christmas trees.

The chef, who is famous for mixing science with cooking, has invented a puff pastry mince pie that releases the scent of pine when it is heated up and sprinkled with a special sugar.

 As well as smelling of Christmas trees, the pies contain apple puree, lemon curd and rose water in additional to the traditional mincemeat. - James Hall, The Telegraph (13/10/2011)

Looser, note how the man is not identified in order to save his flushes blushes.

Being trapped in a toilet seat sent a drunken man around the u-bend when he called on the fire brigade to help.

The 26-year-old had been playing a game with his drinking mates to find items that could fit over their heads when the idea backfired. (PW says please do not try this game at home)

He had the brainwave of putting a loo seat over his head, but decided to see how far it would go over his body.

But the fun turned into a nightmare when it became lodged around his torso. - Lisa Hutchinson, The Sunday Sun (16/10/2011)

PLEASE NOTE : Wherever possible I will endeavour to bring you the links to articles I have used in my Media Monday posts but this is not always possible.

BEFORE THE KNIFE.

BEFORE THE KNIFE by CAROLYN SLAUGHTER.

Growing up in remote British protectorate (now Boswana) in the heart of the Kalahari Desert, Carolyn Slaughter was inspired by the stark beauty of her childhood home. All too soon, this magnificent and isolated landscape would become a refuge for a six-year-old with nowhere to turn. Neither her mother, doomed by depression and guilt, nor her sister could shield her from the most terrible of violations. In the end she would learn not only how to survive but how to save her soul.
....... Outer back cover.

FIRST SENTENCE (Chapter one): I was going to say that my first memory of our life in Africa was at Riley's Hotel in Maun, at the top of Botswana, on the edge of the Okavango Delta.

MEMORABLE MOMENT (Page 187): What is the meaning of all this hurting, missy, why all the time falling down and breaking bones? You should be in charge of yourself better by now. When I was your age, in Nyasaland, I was in charge of a whole herd of goats and three cows.

KEEP IT OR NOT?: I have several family members waiting to read this.

Another memoir, I read this one because just lately I have read a few novels set in South Africa which gave a glimpse into its history and culture and I wanted to read something a bit more factual.

Reading the blurb on the back cover I had assumed that this was the story of yet another woman's dysfunctional family with South Africa as a backdrop. Not so, as though Carolyn did talk of her mother's depression and the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father, she did not dwell on it and concentrated more on her experiences of growing up in South Africa, frequently moving home and being schooled in various boarding schools some of which were to prove less than desirable, others downright abusive.

Beautifully written, Carolyn's description of her childhood experiences being brought up in pre-independent Africa during the years of colonial rule paint a wonderful, yet sometimes stark, picture of the African landscape and just how she grew to identify with its inhabitants, running, as her mother saw it, quite feral.

All in all, a good read, though Before The Knife did contain elements of sexual and emotional abuse and as such was a difficult read at times it somehow managed to fall short of being too bleak or voyeuristic, elements that all too often leave me feeling uncomfortable reading such memoirs.

A supermarket purchase, this is the 71st book read for the 100+ Reading Challenge.

OFF BALANCE?

I was at an ATM (cash machine) yesterday when a little old lady asked if I could check her balance. So I pushed her over.

 Thanks to MadPriest.

AN EDUCATION INTO ....... FAIRIES.

By popular demand today's post is all about faeries or to use my preferred spelling fairies.

Used to describe a supernatural being, the word actually comes from the French word faerie and, along with faery, fay, and fae, is often used to describe the wee folk, the good folk or the people of peace. 

Around for much longer than many of us would believe, fairies, perhaps best described by the Greek word Daimon (meaning Spirit), have actually been around since ancient times.

So what does a fairy look like, how would we know one if we were to see one?

Well ..........

Though generally invisible to the human eye, many of us would describe a fairy as a tiny, magical being with wings (perhaps like Tinkerbell of Peter Pan fame) BUT I'm sure you won't be surprised to know that traditionally there are all kinds of fairy in folk lore. All shapes and sizes, some fair of face, others ugly, grotesque to look at, different types of fairy had different types of magical powers.

Different types?

Yes, though generally attributed to either being a result of nature OR to being demonic creatures, there are several different types of fairy - leprachauns, gnomes, trolls and goblins included - which is why it is difficult to actually describe one.

OK, so lets stick with the modern vision of a fairy, small, kindly, flitting from one flower to another in a shaded glade complete with 'fairy rings'.

No, let's not. 

The 17th century fairy was commonly associated with the Devil, malicious towards humans, it was said they could prolong winter OR withhold the rain causing drought, turning a good harvest to dust. It wasn't until the 18th century when the fairy became less associated with evil, when they became reconnected with nature, that we began to think of them as the Flower Fairy which is the form most of us envisage today when we hear the word fairy.

That sorted, where would one go to meet a fairy?

Fairyland? But, of course, in order to see into Fairyland one would have to ......... 

• Wear ones coat inside out OR
• Closing ones right eye, peer through the left eye OR
• Wear a posy of primroses OR
• Carry a four-leaf-clover.

If not Fairyland, how about standing inside a Fairy Ring OR touching certain standing stones? OR maybes you were born at night (I was) and can sometimes see fairies as they move about - a 'power' those born during the day do not have. OR maybes you are the seventh child of a seventh child.

Enough of where to see a fairy, given that this is primarily a book blog what about the term Fairy Tale?

More often than not about ordinary people who sometimes get caught up in magical events many of the best known Fairy Tales do not actually have fairies in them.

Why then do we call them Fairy Tales?

Popular in France in the 17th century many such stories were described as 'Conte de Fee' which roughly translates into English as Fairy Story. 

PS Please let me know which Folk Lore creature you would like me to post about next, the Mermaid OR the Banshee?