Another Rainy Bank Holiday Monday

Here is my progress from the Egyptian picture. I'm doing this as a SAL with my friend Jo, and she is sooo much more faster than I am.... never mind. I love stitching on 16ct Aida.

We didn't really do a lot during the Bank Holiday - mainly due to lack of finances LOL. Went to a car boot sale today and got myself a big loot of books. 11 books actually, each one not more than 10 or 20 pence. And I got a nice selection from chick lit to fantasy, crime, vampires to biography. And my 'to be read' pile gets ever bigger ;-))

Tonight it's Britain got Talent - compulsive viewing for me. We all here love this show for the variety of it. Yes, I do now it's probably all pre-selected etc, but we still enjoy it enourmously. As for today's vote -- well, I hope Tobias Mead gets through, he was by far the best I think. Spelbound are unbelievable good acrobats, but in my opinion they are 'too professional' for this show.

Charlton Athletics vs Swindon

I went to my first ever football game in a big stadium yesterday . My colleague Georgina took me to see her team Charlton Athletics play. I especially wanted to treat DS Imran as Dan gets all the attention with his trip to the USA. I enjoyed it tremendously, the sthmosphere in the stadium was unbelievable.





-- Post From My iPhone

Bluebells at Beacon Wood

Despite the promises of the weatherman for this weekend, and despite a promising start this morning, it wasn't a very sunny day, but at least better that freezing and raining - though there was a bit of drizzle in the afternoon.

I took Bonnie for a walk in Beacon Wood Country Park, looking for bluebells. I wasn't quite sure whether they are still in bloom, as somehow in my mind I thought they are blooming in April. Maybe because it was such a cold few weeks ... anyway, they are in full bloom, and the woods look purple everywhere - beautiful. And the wild strawberrys are coming as well - this year, I should hopefully remember and forage them!  

BookCrossing / Sara Payne 'A mother's story'

A biography / memoir. Ghostwritten, but very thoughtful, an insight into the immense pain and devastation felt by the family of tragic 8 year old Sarah Payne.

It is a very factual account, telling us firstly about the Payne family - ordinary and by no means perfect, but so much love for their children above everything else. Then the tragic events - Sarah's disappearene and murder - and the aftermath including the hunt to the killer and eventually the realisation that he was somone living close by and a well known offender. Trying to continue with life, the breakdown of their marriage...Sara Payne come across as a woman who managed to find extraordinary inner strengh after her daughters murder, which she channels to fight for Sarah's Law (a law which would allow people to have the right if a known paedophile lives in their area).

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Well, this book is the first I will release in the 'wild' with book crossing ;-)) I did join Book Crossing quite some time ago, but never actually released any books. Space is just too limited, and I can't possibly keep all the books I'm reading, so I thought this is a good idea. I also like the idea of a 'world wide library' and to see where my books end up - if I ever get to see it. My favourite books I shall keep ;-))If not, never mind, I hope at least someone else will enjoy it. So, my books will be released on the train Dartford - London Bridge.

So tired this week...

There is almost no point showing my work from last week, I think I must have stitched about 2 or 3 lenghts of thread on the wedding picture. I still find it hard to work on the 'full' confetti' stitching. But the main problem was that I was travelling this week to work by bus (didn't have enough cash for the so much more expensive train ticket....). The problem with the bus is that it takes me about 3 hours one way to commute (instead of 1.5 hours on the train. Otherwise, I quite like riding on London Buses, and I only have to take 2 buses actually to get from my place to Central London. But on both buses I ride on for over 1 hour, almost from start point to finish point for each of them. And the traffic is just diabolical. It was nice though to sit on the top deck of the bus and just let the world go by and let your thoughts ponder. I quite like enjoy this, lots of interesting characters to observe.. if it wasn't for the time it takes. By the time I got home I was just completely shattered, and went straight to bed. What I found surprising is that there were many travellers on the bus like me who literally went from the first to the last stop on both buses - so there are obviously people who do this every day. Today, finally, I got my train ticket again, and how nice was that to travel. Gosh, I enjoyed it! I would have never said before I enjoy travelling on the train. But sitting on the train for 40 mins instead of 2.5 hours on the bus was bliss, I couldn't believe how quick my journey finished LOL.

Rainy and cold Bankholiday Monday - how unusual

I was hoping to finally sort out my garden today - mow the lawn (it hasn't been mowed since last autumn!), tidy the shed etc. Well, as always on Bankholiday Monday, it's freezing and raining, the wind is blowing cold as anything (temperature is 6 degree C brrrrrr). As it's been raining all night and frequent showers today, I sort of gave mowing the lawn a miss. At least I cleaned out the patio and some weeding in my small patch of herb garden.

There isn't much stitching to show from last week, I think I've only stitched about 2 or 3 lenghts of thread on the Lilliput Lane. But my first priority at the moment is to finish my very very very last assignment. 2000 words needed - 900 and counting!

Stephen King 'Misery'

StephenKing tells a story again from the eyes of a writer in his unique sense of horror.

Paul Sheldon is a commercial successful writer. He grew to detest his most famous creation - Misery Chastain - heroine of rather corny romance stories. She made him rich but turned him - in his opinion, in a writer without creati,ve juices flowing, boring samey work. But Misery Chaistain has a big fan base .... So when Paul has a car accident during a fierce snow storm, his number one fan Annie rescues him and takes him to her remote house. Annie starts to nurse him back to health, and even though Annie used to be a nurse, the word doesn't seem appropriate for her, indeed she has quite a few secrets which Paul will eventually discover. And Annie's motive is not entirely humanitarian.

When Annie finds out that Paul has killed of Misery Chastain in his latest novel in order to finally escape her, Annie is not at all pleased, indeed, she forces Paul to change the story to 're-surrect' Misery. And Annie certainly has her ways to make sure Paul does exactly what she wants - it's not at all Florence Nightingale at all. Paul finally realises that there is only one way he can come out of this alive - he needs to escape by any means, broken/  missing limbs or not.