Tuesday 30 November 2010

When you're Rich!

I was talking with my friends the other day and in conversation said that if I was ever rich enough I would have a chauffeur. One of my friends smiled and said, 'I'm not as expensive as you I'd just wear brand new knickers ever day!' To which my third friend sighed, 'I'd have clean sheets on my bed every single day.'
So what would you indulge in if money allowed?

Wednesday 24 November 2010

All Things Bright and Beautiful!

Living in the hot sun with little rain, means plants have to be pretty robust. Here are a few that live in the little wall gardens down our drive. By the way the bananas belong to our neighbour, I have my eye on them turning yellow!












Sunday 21 November 2010

First Gift - Blog Hop!

Hello and welcome, please take a seat and I'll pour the wine, do help yourself to the cup cakes, homemade of course. This is my first Blog Hop and was not sure what to expect, but having read several of your wonderful stories I am glad I came along. For my First Gift, I am going to go back to my childhood days. I hear you sigh, yes it was a long time ago, but despite the advancing years, I do still remember!
I was very young and had just started school, I was given a large parcel, it was wrapped in crepe paper and I was so excited at having such a large gift. Excitedly I pulled off the coloured paper and was surprised to see a small child sized bag. It was black and had the maps of the word printed all over it in lots of different colours. I was very pleased and immediately thought I could get my dolly in there and take her to to school, but as my little hands clasped the zip to open my new bag, to my disappointment the zip broke. Despite cries from my mother that she would get it sorted, I didn't mind. For years I carried around that little bag with the maps of the world and its broken zip until the entire bag fell apart ....I loved it!

Saturday 20 November 2010

Inspiration!

Inspiration! What inspires you to sit down and write? Is it the need to write a best seller or the need to write because you love writing or because you have the time and a vivid imagination? There are probably many good reasons that have you putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboards, but whatever the reasons that have your creative juices flowing what brings out the passion in your writing? Is it sitting at your desk, fingers racing across the keyboard whilst listening to your favourite music or are you curled up in your most comfortable chair with the TV quietly chatting away in the background? Some of the best sellers have been written in environments that would have our eyebrows knitting together and wondering. For me, I like to sit outside in our pergola lounge, I love being outside and should we ever live again in a colder climate, I would definatley have to have a conservatory with a big comfy chair. Just being able to see outside changes my thoughts and mood and gives me the inspiration I need to sit down and write. But we are all different and that is why there are so many wonderful books out there, so what inspires you to write and do you have a special place you love to go to?

Sunday 14 November 2010

Mashing the Tea!

I’ve been thinking about the different words used to convey the same things. These thoughts came about as I was writing one of my character’s many dialogues. As I stepped into her shoes, I realized that she would say words that would not necessarily be understood by someone who had not come from the same part of the UK as she had. I was brought up in Yorkshire, though spent many years living in Suffolk and Surrey before moving to live in Holland. Even to this day we still ‘mash’ the tea in our house. Despite my husband being from Surrey, he's adopted some of my sayings! By the way, for those who have no idea what ‘mash’ the tea is, it is making the tea of brewing the tea.

Other little words now spring to mind, I still tend to say ‘our’ as in any member of the family. For example, ‘It’s our Nigel’s birthday.’ Other little words stick in my mind too, when we lived in Suffolk they always referred to Yorkshire puddings as ‘batter puddings.’ They called little girls ‘my maid’, which I still use, a lovely term of endearment. In Holland we learnt the value of being a family. You didn’t address cards, notes or email to Mr & Mrs Blog or Pat & Sue, but to Family Blog. So if you see a card addressed to you as ‘Family…’ you know where it came from!
 
I love using my local words and learning new local terms and sayings. What about you? Do you have sayings that are used only in your area, if so maybe you will share some of them with us!

Thursday 11 November 2010

Rain Drops!

This lovely specimen I grew from just one tiny pod!

Happy to live with very little water!

Despite the heavy rain shower we had moments ago, there is little evidence of any of it on our plants. These are just two of the hot climate plants we have in our garden and I am sure they are smiling having drank all the rain so quickly!

Monday 8 November 2010

Too Much or Not Enough!

A question I was asked they other day and that was how much and how often should you Blog? I admit to having no idea!

I tend to go for short Blogs and maybe once or twice a week. Blogs that give a glimpse into what I am doing so you can learn a little more about me and the world (be it at times fantasy!) I live in. I like to do it this way because I want my visitors to read whatever I write and hopefully enjoy, maybe smile, but equally importantly will come back for more - I add this last point with fingers crossed!

I know we all have so much to read and keeping up with our reading lists is pretty manic at times. So I thought I’d put the question to you; you now know my Blogging thoughts, what are yours? Do you like to write lots or a little, often or occasionally?

Thursday 4 November 2010

Best Backup a Writer Can Have!

















There's nothing like good support when you are working hard on your WIP sitting at your laptop. Our latest rescue puppy, found that despite having a cosy bed of his own, being close to mum was the best yet! So whilst I perch on the edge of my chair, trying to work on my latest novel, Barney makes himself comfortable.