Enjoy the moment

Hope you’re all getting time to relax and catch up with family. That’s what I like best about this time between Christmas and New Year. Reflecting on how it’s been. For me it’s felt like and endless year, and things that happened a couple of months ago, seemed like much longer than that.

Now, it’s coming to the end of 2022, I’m quite glad to be getting used to not going out to work in a 9 – 5 job, and being a full time writer. I’ve always worked for myself in one way or another, so it’s great to have more time to get all my ‘stuff’ tidied up and organised, which is turning into a job in itself, me being one who takes a bag of books to the charity shop and comes back with another few more.

Looking forward to March when my latest pocket novel will be on the shop shelves. And still getting into the habit of writing every day, whether on the keyboard, or with pen and paper, my preferred way. Somehow it feels more like it’s real if the words have gone into a written form first then to keyboard, even though it takes longer, the end result comes quicker.

Enjoy a country walk, coffee and chat with a friend, or throwing the ball for your four legged friend. Living in the moment can make us realise that small moments in time will become memories for the future. For anyone caring for loved ones, hold them tight, tell them you love them. Don’t have regrets, be positive and enjoy everything you have now. Todays moments are tomorrows reflections.

When you find an old shelf, and it changes into a guitar, rock stars are go

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In the Garden

 

Having a relaxing Sunday in our garden. Me and Alan have been enjoying some quiet time smelling the flowers and doing not much other than having a chat and dinner on the courtyard round the back.

 

            Can you see how much I love petunias?

 

 

Alan’s off to the back yard after looking around our colourful borders. There’s a table waiting in the Courtyard Café.

Whatever you’ve got planned this week, have fun and don’t forget to smell the flowers.

 

Her Own Robinson Crusoe

This is what I’m off to read in the garden under the umbrella of course. It’s still hot here in Warwickshire, but before long I’ll be taking the plane journey with Serena off to the Caribbean. Better get a cool drink to go with it. It’s in the shops today.

Sophie had good news today as well, she got her first swimming certificate. Well done, little swimmer and  hope it’s the first of many.

She looks as proud as Grandma with her books doesn’t she? Well done, Sophie.

 

 

 

Updating the blog…

It’s been a few months since I updated the blog – here’s me and Sophie having a swing in our local park. Always great to spend some time together, and she’s growing into a clever little girl. Making cakes and loving her reading books and spending lots of time outdoors.

Swing-time

Making cakes for nursery

 

Marble Arch at dawn, for
any Fools And Horses fans

Two handsome chaps relaxing and chatting by the seaside.

Magic moments xx

Sly doesn’t want to get his feet wet today…

The building work on our house is finished for now, and we have a jukebox in the corner of the room so we can listen to fabby music all day long, when not at work. Alan retired this year, so it’s smashing to enjoy long walks in the afternoons together.

A quiet moment before we walk a bit further.

Now today it’s snowing and the scenery looks great. Funny how everything looks different coverd in snow and so glad it’s a day when I don’t have to go out to work.

Gathering sticks for a real fire

Mom and Dad’s dog – Tess

A couple of fun pics to finish with, and enjoy the festive season spending time with loved ones – More blogging news soon, I’m off to edit the last chapter of my latest pocket novel, more news on that later.

Billy and the blue jeans will be on tour next year

With Suzy on guitar:))

 

 

The Winner is…

Congratulations to Sally J, the winner of Murder in the Village. Alan drew your name out of the pepper pig pot a while ago.

Well done, Sally

 

 

The winner is…

Your signed copy will be on it’s way next week if you could email your postal address please. Or p.m me on facebook. Well done.

Thank you to everyone who had a go at winning my latest book. Jan, Honoria, Maggie, Nick, Rosemary, Amy and Navedeep.

Here’s the link if anyone would like to buy it, and there will be more giveaways on the blog later on. To enjoy the first in the series of Redington, that one is here.

If you’d like to see the other works I’ve done along the way, these are found on this link.

The garden is looking good at the moment, have a look at these.

You wouldn’t be surprised that I have an idea for a book with the word sunflower in the title for later on in the year. Still working on the Caribbean story, and looking forward to the RNA conference next Saturday. Have a good week, and more news after the conference.

Latest news

Here’s what’s coming soon, and there will be a giveaway on the blog, so watch out for that.

Looking forward to the RNA conference in July, and meeting up with other pocket novelists and romatic authors.

I’m busy writing my next story, which hopefully should be finished before long. I’m on chapter 10 of 15, and if you’d like a taster… of course you would, then here it is…

___________________

“I don’t feel guilty for keeping you here; you should be working, but I’m selfish and you wanted to know more about life in the Caribbean, so let’s compromise.” Broderick took her hand and smiled. “How about if I show you some of the more interesting parts of the island, and then later on, I’ll cook while you relax.” He pulled her towards him. “You’re fun to have around.” He laughed, “That’s when you’re not crowning my friends over the head with breakfast plates or spiralling yourself over the edge of my hammock and landing in heap on the grass.” Broderick stifled a laugh and offered his arm.

Serena forced her thoughts away from the beach, and linked her arm through his. “Don’t fret too much, you’re hardly keeping me prisoner. I could have gone back over to Neptune, and maybe I should have, because the longer I stay here, it’s as if…” She didn’t want to say it, but the island of a thousand shells was beginning to grow on her enormously and now that Agwe had taken the children back to the small-holding for a salad lunch with Daniel, she was all alone, with her own Robinson Crusoe.

__________________________

Hope that makes you want to know more. It does me, so I’d better get on and finish it.

The garden is looking fab, and we have lettuce quite often, but a bowl of chips pops in with it now and again. There’s flowers on the tomato plants and mini cucumbers on the mini-munch variety. Our little grandaughter loves to help water them and is our number one tester of strawberries. She has to eat at least six or seven to see if they’re suitable for the rest of us.

Enjoy the sunshine and more garden photos when the sunflowers are out.

Anyone for lettuce?

We’re fully stocked with salad leaves. At the moment it’s all year round lettuce, spinach and rocket leaves available in the kitchen garden. And growing on we have yellow courgettes, mini munch cucumber, tomatoes, money maker are my favourite variety. As well, we have normal cucumber, green courgettes, dwarf beans, and dwarf peas, lots of herbs and tons of strawberries with heaps of flowers on them as well.

Good job the garden is looking rosy as we’re having the house re-vamped and it’s going to be a bit of a building site during the summer months

Front border

 

In writing news, this will be available soon.

And I’m busy working on my next pocket novel, which is a romantic story set in the Caribbean, so off there now. So I’m going to have some chopped pineapple to eat while I’m sailing away… Up to chapter 6, and more news on that as it develops.

Enjoy the lighter nights and mornings. It’s getting light at half past four in the morning now when I go out to my cleaning job.

And the great thing is I’m all done by coffee time.

Springtime

Are you seeing signs of springtime around and about? Here’s a few pictures I captured in the garden earlier that show it’s only a matter of time before we have an explosion of colour and prettiness abound.

Hope you enjoy the array of springtime flowers.

Do you remember I was going to have a wardrobe chuck-away? Well I have thrown lots away, and taken pics of things I’m keeping to see what I’ve got and what I need to buy, if anything. Jeans and a top would be good, also maybe some new gym gear. Didn’t realise how many floral dresses I have, but it’s obvious how much I adore vintage clothing, and I quite like the boho look with things like this.

This top and skirt always feel special and go great with black boots.

I also like knitted jumpers, here’s one (in red) I made earlier. I’m lucky as our Mum loves knitting and keeps me supplied with some classical creations. The blue one is called Miss Marple, so I might be on the trail looking for clues later this week.

I found this in a vintage shop in town and had money knocked off because the lady knows our Son, good to have friends in the right places. I wear it with this jacket.

A pair of wedges in the same colour and a bright pink belt tops it all off.

And… the winner of the book giveaway is… the lovely, Rosemary Gemmell.

Well done, and thanks to all who entered. The book will be on it’s way to you early in the week, Rosemary.

Have a great week, and enjoy the springtime.

Riviera days

Just back from a few days in the English Riviera.

This time we found time to go on the Torquay Eye, that’s the view from the top.

We also had chance to check up on the country estate, it was in a bit of a state, but the gardens are fabulous. Anybody know where it is? Well worth a look around to see how elaborate the building is and the gardens are spectacular with a team working on them all year round.

To this is the house, and these are the gardens… isn’t it fab? And talking about fab, this was the treat to end a lovely few days. (Below)

Sunny Afternoon was opening in the Princess theatre, Torquay on the last night of our hols.

The story of how the Kinks began and their rise to fame, and how they got banned from America after a short time. Great music and towards the end, the cast of young people who had danced and sang the story took a bow and the Kinks played Lola, sunny afternoon, dedicated follower of fashion and lots more. The whole thing was written and narrated by Ray Davies, lead singer. Well worth the price of the tickets, and those songs stay in your mind for quite a while.. La la la Lola, la la la la Lo – oh la… and days is one of my fave songs as well. This was the same ending we saw, only ours was better.. Go and see it if you get chance. Have a great week. I’m working on my third pocket novel.

 

Cosmic

From the oxford dictionary

The universe seen as a well-ordered whole. ‘he sat staring deep into the void, reminding himself of man’s place in the cosmos’

 A system of thought.

‘the new gender-free intellectual cosmos’

An ornamental plant of the daisy family, which bears single dahlia-like flowers and is native to Mexico and warm regions of America. (And some gardens in the Midlands)

 

A few months ago, I was given a book to read and inbetween the pages was a pack of free seeds from a gardening magazine. Now seeing as it would have been rude not to plant them, I had a vast amount of cosmos plants within a week or two. They grow quite quickly and end up taller than I could have imagined. They remind Alan of stars and when they sway in the wind, I can see what he means. Wonder if that’s how they were named? From now on, I’ll be planting a tray of cosmos every year.

It’s that time of the year when I had a trip to the hairdressers, so here’s my snazzy new look with a shorter, more snappy style. Don’t expect it’ll stay like it for long, so you have to get a photo don’t you? Enjoy the crispy days of autumn, and make the most of this lovely spell we’re having.

Sue’s new hairdo

Alan having a break from car cleaning

 

Popped in to the library while I was waiting for my appointment at the hairdressers, and look what I found on the shelves. Not only that, when I looked at it, they’ve given it a strong covering of thick plastic, and from what I can see it’s been well read. I’m sure several people have taken a trip to the Norfolk village.

Have a great weekend, and if you can, pop into your local library. They need our support otherwise they might be gone one day and that would be tragic.