Lots of work this autumn on the Allotments

After many weeks of picking all the vegetables from the plot, it has now become bare and all that remains is the last few strands of a once tall runner bean plant and some potato sprouts.

We have just spent the weekend at the plot tidying up the areas that have been overtaken by weeds and planting for the new growing seasons, onions, garlic have already been put in and will be put in one row a month to ensure that there is continuous growth and then after a trip to Notcutts bright and early on Saturday morning, we brought three blueberry bushes which will fruit in July, August and September and one loganberry plant (which we realised is a cross between raspberry and blackberry!).

 Loganberries (Can't wait to pick them)

On Monday, I had the unenviable task of creating the fencing and putting chicken wire across the fencing to hold the new fruit bushes and the existing fruit to encourage growth in the correct directions, upwards and along instead of along the floor as happened this year as we forgot to put some up!

City Council Parks and kids using them

Do the parents of Birmingham feel that their local parks are a fantastic free resource over the summer holidays/half term?
Are the kids and the local residents making the most of the open space?
Do you people feel safe in their local parks?


This is an old piece of writing, an email i did to someone about the summer ativities...

After spending the afternoon in Grove Park, Harborne, for Grove Park family Fun day and Sports day run by Birmingham City Council Youth Services and ASB team. I spoke to a number of people in the park to ascertain whether they were enjoying their afternoon in the glorious sunshine and all the resources that had been put on by Birmingham City Council.

The answer to question one is yes, the parents that I spoke to said that the Grove Park that was on most peoples doorstep was a fantastic resource for kids. Most people lived on the estates and roads around the park and after receiving an invite or saw the posters advertising the event. Residents went on to tell me that it was the first time since the last major events 3 years ago that they had been to the park.
To say I was flabbergasted was an understatement, I practically lived in my park when I was growing up. So the answer to Q2, NO people are not making the most the facilities available.
When I delved further, I answered Q3, because of 2/3 events that have happened over the past few years in the park, they do not want their kids coming there or they are afraid of the youths that congregate in the park around the play area.

What can be done to improve the perceptions of individuals in area?

• Being educated that they were random attacks, communication from relevant personnel, more events like fun days and sports days to get people in the parks....

Is it just isolated to Harborne and Grove Park?

• No, I don't think it is unfortunately, perceptions of the incidents has overcome people common sense

Feedback was given to the organisers, so lets hope for more days as it was a fantastic success!

Karin Slaughter - Kisscut

BOOK REVIEW



Synopsis:

Saturday night dates at the skating rink have been a tradition in the small southern town of Heartsdale for as long as anyone can remember. But when a teenage quarrel explodes into a deadly shoot-out, Sara Linton - the town's paediatrician and medical examiner - finds herself entangled in a terrible tragedy. What seemed at first to be a terrible but individual catastrophe proves to have wider implications. The autopsy reveals evidence of long-term abuse, of ritualistic self-mutilation, but when Sara and police chief Jeffrey Tolliver start to investigate, they are frustrated at every turn. The children surrounding the victim close ranks. The families turn their backs. But when a young girl is abducted, it becomes clear that the first death is linked to an even more brutal crime, one far more shocking than anyone could have imagined. And unless Sara and Jeffrey can uncover the deadly secrets the children hide, it's going to happen again...

Personal Review:

I am a big fan of Karin Slaughter and have read a lot of her more recent books and when I spotted this book at the local charity shop I knew I was going to buy it.

Quick entry in the first scene and the beginning of the twists and turns in the first chapter, very typical Karin Slaughter, the action is quick fire and the storytelling is made for the page turner that develops.

The story itself was very detailed and the content of domestic abuse unravels and you start to suspect it is maybe the usual suspects then the twist that all is not as it seems, false identities, friends and families working together. All this makes for a very good read and a brilliant read that last me all of a day of reading!

Aldi, Lidl, Netto. Money Saving Experts!

Cutting down on the weekly shopping budget in these tough times is easy as far as i can see, that's what Aldi, Lidl, Netto, Home Bargains, Iceland and other low cost stores are for! Aren't they?
   

The first and only low cost food store was in Selly Oak (Aldi) and has been for approx 10 years primarily for students but more recently we have had a new Aldi built in Northfield and Edgbaston, does this mean more people are using them or are Aldi getting wise before the rush starts?

We do a weekly shop at Sainsbury's for the more hard to get items, items that the low cost, high turnaround shops can't and won't stock as this would mean items having a longer shelf life.
Food is increasing in price, i was reading the other day an article on food prices and was shocked to see basic items and how much the price has risen:

Baking Potatoes up 60%
Cereal Crops up 40%
Baked Beans up 64%

I was totally shocked but we have not really see these because we started using Aldi, at the turn of 2011, anfd due to the basics all coming from here we have not seen the price increase in fact we have seen out weekly shopping bill decrease by nearly £20 per week and we seem to buying more items compared to before.
Experts warn that the prices will keep rising over the next 10 years and with all the other bills increasing too, the pinch is really starting to hit home.

We are veggies, therefore our diets not consist of all the more expensive meat products that most of the population buy and I am constantly hearing that meat is more expensive. Instead of complaining about the cost, do something about it, do you really need the best cut?
No you don't make the change, get a less expensive cut or less expensive meat and do something different with it! Simple!

But is not just food though, discount stores are everywhere...groupon, wilkinsons, home bargains. The list goes on!

Holiday

Sorry for no post for a week! Not like me, I'm usually doing at least one a day but I have celebrated my 26th Birthday whilst sunning it up in Turkey for the week.

We had all sorts of problems on the way to airport! Credit Card bill came and had a shock to find non-authorised payments made, therefore late to take Cats to cattery and then we left the wallet at home so had to rush back to get it!

We made the flight by 10 minutes and only because we decided to check in before going to Park and ride did we make it!

Flew in from Brum to Dalaman on 17th and had hour long transfer to Fethiye to the SW of Turkey, this is a newish resort and the roads were awful. We had an all-inclusive package and it was a bargain in the scheme of things!

Staying at Lykia Botanika Beach and Fun club resort, here's a link to the website and a couple of pics: http://www.lykiabotanika.com/giris_en.php



Private Beach:


First time, i have been to turkey and thought the place was wonderful lots of culture, history and the views were amazing.

Some of the people though left a but to be desired! They seemed to be pushy, arrogant and self centred, the perfect example: we went to market on Tuesday in fethiye and they were targeting British people, letting most other people past and it showed grabbing us, shouting at us, we could not even look and i like to browse before i buy.

My biggest problem with everyone we encountered in turkey and i would have a problem with it anywhere, i go on holiday to spend their currency that is why we used bureau de change before we go, I DO NOT WANT TO BUY STUFF IN STERLING!!  just to help their bank balances as they get a good exchange rate. moan over!

Highlight: On my birthday, we did 12 island boat trip, the whole day was spectacular, we had great fun and would recommend to anyone. it cost us £20 each from our rep but you can get it from £10 if you go direct. we stopped at 4 islands in total, Calis, Gocek, and two others cant remember names of but all were different.

Rugby World Cup

So then, the semis have now finished and the long awaited Final is less than a week away (only because its at 0900 BST is it less than a week technically).

Lets have a quick overview of this penultimate weekend of World Cup action.



Wales V France - Well as a home nation, I was supporting Wales. Wales looked really good, the French dominated the beginning of the match but good defence. Then, the idiot of a referee ALLAIN ROLLAND, (Irish eyes were NOT smiling on him!) sent off Sam Warburton for a dangerous tackle. I am not saying Warburton shouldn't have been disciplined, yes Penalty yes to yellow but to send him off NO NO NO! Rolland destroyed all hope of Welsh comeback I thought then the French went awol for the second half, they have to thank Parra for his kicking in the first half because Wales were fantastic and hold their heads high.

I would can not wait for Wales to get Third Place they have been the better team throughout compared to France and have been harshly beaten



New Zealand V Australia - Two Words - Quade Cooper! What the hell, New Zealand born, Australian player and it showed. He obviously went out on a one man mission to make sure that his country of birth won this match. He was shocking, he dropped the ball, he miskicked, he threw silly passes...well just about everything he touched went wrong. New Zealand, lets not take anything away from them, they dominated possession 80% at one point, were big powerful runners, kicked intelligently. Really good Southern Hemisphere team, the best in the world. Yes, I would say so.



Something spooky could happen next weekend....in 1987 New Zealand hosted and Won the RWC, they beat France. In third, Wales and Fourth, Australia.
Well, the ties have been set up for the same finishes will it happen....time will tell.

Joy Fielding - STILL LIFE

BOOK REVIEW



Brief Description:
Beautiful, happily married, and the owner of a successful interior design business, Casey Marshall couldn't be more content with her life. Until a car slams into her at fifty miles an hour, breaking nearly every bone in her body - and plunging her into a coma. Lying in her hospital bed, Casey realizes that, although she is unable to see or communicate, she can hear everything. As the visitor gather at her bedside, she is horrified to discover that her friends aren't necessarily the people she thought them to be - and that her accident might not have been an accident at all. As she struggles to break free from her living death, Casey determines to find out and somehow expose the truth. Whatever it takes.

My Personal Review:

I was recommended this book from a friend, and it was given to me from this person. I had been given really good reviews on how there was lots of twists and turns, the old style Whodunnit type of book.
Well, it really did nothing for me. The offender was obvious from pretty much the start, there was no really build up to the climax and the rest of the book was Carey in a coma with people talking to her and she had her own voice and responded to the comments made.
I have passed it on, not giving my full opinion as some people really would enjoy this but just not me. I want a page turner, i want to not known who dunnit until the last few pages, the last chapter.

Extract from my Book

PROLOGUE

0700 hours 19^th June 2011

Officers were crammed into the smallest briefing room in the entire station, The Sam Waters Room, Birmingham City HQ Police Station. More officers entered the room which held an oval wooden table in the centre with 10 chairs around; for a normal tasking meeting this would be sufficient, with the 32 officers now present it was like a tin of sardines. All of the chairs were pushed under the desk tightly and everyone stood or leaned against the nearest wall or piece of furniture, trying to have individual conversations with the closest person was verging on impossible.

Luckily for people’s eardrums, Detective Chief Inspector Holland wandered in and then stood to address his troops for the forthcoming days work.

“Good Morning, getting straight on with things; gathered from recent intelligence linking Human Trafficking gangs to a number of addresses across the Birmingham South area, Operation Safeguard has been put in place to raid and secure a number of addresses...”

“….he said exactly the same bloody thing yesterday, why the f…” sitting at the back of the room chatting was probably not a good idea.

“…is there a problem PC Bradford? My fucking problem is that we are now a person down in 1:7 nominations. Get changed and meet me in my office NOW!” the usually calm persona was broken. DCI Liam Holland knew one thing no-one else did, they were going to be busy today and tomorrow, especially now, and another officer will be needed.

DCI Holland allowed the officers to murmur for a moment and then cracked on with the evidence presentation; this contained a map of the addresses to be raided, pictures of the suspects and video footage of some exchanges made with the suspects.

After a moment of composure, “Everyone else, good luck for today, remember you are all working towards my promotion from DCI” He chuckled to himself as he walked back to his office, recently his fast track promotion had come to a slow halt.

4 addresses were raided on the Operation Safeguard that morning, there was series of arrests for numerous offences from human trafficking, prostitution, drug possession and cultivation and evidence bags were filled from all the locations. All the addresses held links with a local gang who have targeted the quiet suburbs of Birmingham for their operation.

DCI Holland had no interest in any of these addresses; all he wanted to learn about when he called Operational Support Unit Sergeant Thompson was from 65 Winding Lane, where the intelligence was led to believe that it was a storage house for the larger cultivation plants related to the rest of the raid. DCI Holland had been using an intelligence source that had been giving information since Liam Holland was a beat sergeant on the local policing team. The source was meant to be at 65 Winding Lane and to be arrested for some minor offences.

“Address was checked, there were no signs of life in the premises. Had been lived in but not for at least a month. Following from the intelligence from the premises, we seized approximately 5 VHS recordable tapes from the living room area.”

“Good, very good. The Intel was very strong then, your team did well today with the whole series. Scene from 65 Winding Lane has been secured and forensics requested?”

“Yes, Yes, Sir, I don’t see the requirement for forensics at the address and it was not in the original notes for the address...”

“…the requirement is there, please just go along with the request and update me with the results. Thank you, Sergeant Thompson.”

DCI Holland had found from a number of the addresses checked one further residential property kept popping up and the interview conducted gave more details. This was the one address to check and this would be completed tomorrow, the address check would be completed by his team with him leading, he knew that this was going to be the big one, but he didn’t expect to find what was in store for him.

Ebooks v Publication

First of all let me start with my view point on Ebooks then lets onto the main issue in this blog.

I love to read, and I love read off a freshly picked book off my bookcase, I love to be able to flick through the pages, I love to lie back in bed or on the sofa and get stuck into a good paperback novel.

Well there it is, my whole life I have and will continue to buy books from a bookshop, Amazon or any other shop that sells a book made with paper.

I can not stand the idea that Ebooks have taken away the excitment of looking round for the next installment of whoever and whatever, you now can download the book in minutes.

I would like to point out that all these comments refer to fiction where its the excitement of waiting, and holding that book in your palms.
If I want to learn anything I will continue to search Google!



Now that has been covered onto my little conscience issue, as i have pointed out I love paperbooks.
I have been doing some research into publication and all I am reading as advice seems to be go Ebook route, get yourself established and then once your name is known to the audience move from Epubs to paper.
I dont like this idea but then I want to feel that others can enjoy my blood, sweat and tears from the past 12 months. Read my novel, get my novel, my name known to wide world.
Due to the fact I am writing a blog, shows I hope that I am not a technophobe I know that things have moved on and publication through the old routes are no longer the norm but seeing my Book in Waterstones or else where would be so much better! Isnt it!

Do I send my book to all the people I think will snap my book up first, and get rejected (I know that you have to be reject at some point and it makes you a better writer) and then if only then I am unsuccessful go Ebooks?
Or do I go straight into Ebooks?

Tess Gerritsen - The Killing Place

BOOK REVIEW



I has been a while since I have read a Tess Gerritsen, I started reading them methodically with first book when I initially discovered her at the local library.
Since then, I have been missing her books as they come out and have found lots of other authors but when I was given this one by a family member thought I would get straight in there as I had finished my last book.
This is part of the Maura and Isles series but not as you would expect them, they are not working together but almost against each other.
There are themes of cults, corruption and pure survival as Isles goes off on a mislead adventure and becomes embroiled in all the things her character is not known for. She loses all her usual calm and collected demeanour when the life she knows starts to disappear all around her.
Maura is the only one that still believes her friend is alive, as the tale develops she is the only one that can save her from the mess she is in.

Personally, I would recommend this to most people I know, but a bit of advice would be read at least one other Tess Gerritsen before starting on this. Really well written and very gripping as the book progresses.

Distractions...Joey and Bubbles!

Since my post about Writers Block and not being able to write for more than 45 minutes and having distractions. I have learnt from this and have devised a plan!



I have found that I can use 45 minutes to my advantage! I do what I can in that time frame and then once I get distracted, go and be distracted.
Once this is over with Back to writing....why did I not think of this before!

I have been doing so much more now in the past few days then I have done since forever!!

But these two lovely little creatures, Joey (white) and Bubbles (Black) are the main culprits for the distractions in the last two days
They insist on sitting on my lap and flopping, wriggling to find a comfortable place and sleeping, yesterday I did no writing for 3 HOURS as they both had a go at sleeping on me at the same time!!! NOT IMPRESSED (well, OK it was very nice of them!)

I am going to utilise today and catch up with the writing that I lost out on yesterday....but first I need to check the emails, eBay, facebook.

More procrastination before I get on with it...damn it!!

Cyber Stalking

After loading up my computer, i go through my usual routine: emails, BBC news, eBay (if i have anything on there) and then i check Facebook and Twitter.

I didnt add anything to my page, no photos have been added or tagged, so was it a wasted journey onto the websites? Well I dont think it was, i checked what others are doing at the moment, who had a good weekend, what ppl had for dinner last night etc.

Have these websites become a norm in everyones life, that you have to log on and check what others are doing even if you dont add anything, or do ppl just log on and because they have the need to add silly comments to a photo or a status just to validate their existance for that single day?
Lets define social networking as per the dictionary; Social Networking - The use of a dedicated Web site to communicate informally with other members of the site by posting messages, photographs, etc.

There are so many of them now!


Next time you log onto any of the social networking site ask yourself this question: Is this social networking? Or is stalking?

 

Hard Working

After the weekend off from writing I am now raring to go with writing some more on the journey to finishing my book...

I wish I was in a get up and go mood but I am instead in a state of tiredness. I have done just done three late shifts over the weekend finishing last night and I do not really want to do anything except sit in front of TV and slob out!



The solution is I have scribbling away when I can some notes here and there, I have SOOOO many loose pieces of paper and I am going to write some stuff off them and see how we go.

I am actually finding things easier the more I write, I am getting into my book and the ideas keep flowing once I have written a section I suddenly have lots of brainwaves about where to take it next. But is this a FRIEND OR FOE?



Anyway enough writing on here and on with the book!

My Life with Dylan Book Review

Finished 30th September 2011

'My Life with Dylan Thomas, Double Drink Story'



Synopsis: Caitlin Macnamara married Dylan Thomas in 1938. They lived in Wales and had three children. In this biography, she reveals their life together and their "solemn duty to surfeit themselves limitlessly with drink, to wild extinction".

Publisher: Virago Press Ltd

Published: 05 June 2008

Format: Paperback 208 pages

ISBN 13: 9781844085187

Review: I found that the book was very honest, it shows how much Dylans' drinking was affecting not just him but all the people in his life, and his fame was the main trigger for his drinking. He got too famous too quickly and this caused a turbulent relationship between them. It covered all of Caitlins past before Dylan, her lifestyle and her relationship with Dylan. But most frank for me was how she still battled alcohol after Dylans death and she went on for another 20 years still battling with alcoholism.

Chasing the Dead Book Review

Finished reading 2nd October 2011

'Chasing the Dead by Tim Weaver



Synopsis:
One year ago, Alex Towne's body was found.
One month ago, his mother saw him on the street.
One week ago, David Raker agreed to look for him.
Now he wishes he hadn't.

Mary Towne's son, Alex, went missing six years ago. Five years later he finally turned up - as a corpse in a car wreck. Missing persons investigator David Raker doesn't want the work: it's clearly a sad but hopeless case of mistaken identity brought to him by a woman unable to let go of her son. But haunted by a loss of his own, Raker reluctantly agrees.

Big mistake.

For as he digs deeper, he discovers that Alex's life was not the innocent one his mother believed. Buried in his past are secrets that were never meant to be found - and dark, dangerous men willing to kill to protect them.

Soon Raker will discover that there are things far worse than death . . .

Review: I went into reading this book on the back of grabbing some books off a shelf at the local charity shop, I was not expecting great things from it as I thought when reading the synopsis its going to be a ghost story and it has been put in the crime section by mistake.
Wrong first impressions all the way. The plot is gripping, the characters well thoughout and easily likeable.
For me it was a crime novel that pricked up my ears, opened by eyes and gripped me from start to finish. I enjoy a novel where we get down to the nitty gritty from the start, hook the read in and keep that hook right until the end, and this was right to the last page. You thought that it was all done when Alex Towne is found but then flicking through the remaining pages, hold on there is still quite a bit left and then the real reason for the disapperance of Alex is explained! The story line about a secret place somewhere buried deep in the twists, and lies is excellent and well executed to keep you hooked throughout.
David Raker is a very easily likeable bloke, whose wife has just died and does not really want to do some work on the anniversary. You get to know the hero as a person straight away and this really help. If I was Tim Weaver and I had written this as my first book, I would stand proud and shout from the roof tops to everyone that cares to notice.
I can't wait to grab the next edition of the Raker mysteries!

New week at work

Today is the first day back this week, shifts eh? I feels really weird starting a week at work in the middle of the week, everyone else is winding down for the week, thinking about the weekend! I am just revving up for the 5 days ahead and thinking about things I can do next week when i am off.

It was tough going today getting started was difficult especially when I have been off for the last set of working days and have the rest days as well. I was greeted by 25 emails mostly circulars about lost property and other things not relevant to me but then after deleting all of them I had 3 left! Thats a lot of junk emails wouldn't you say.



Getting the replies sent back to acknowledge was easy work then the clan started to arrive and had to have a catch up being off work for a week, lots of gossip to get!

Onwards with the work I suppose at that point, went to a meet and greet at a local community centre, had some tea, some more tea and some chats in between...well quite a few actually, today was a success on that front makes a change.

That was me sorted for the day, write the report with all the conversations I had and off home after a meeting with some of the others to change strategies etc very exciting.

I was faced with the tough cycle home, this would not normally be a problem but 10 days of no cycling has left the old legs tired and not up to standard and then there is the gale force winds but as you guessed I made it back safe and sound!

Glad its not raining yet, but at least I have that to look forward to but on the scale of this person (hopefullly)



Going to do some housework (yes men can do this!), cook dinner (I love cooking, not your typical male specimen!). Once this is completed, it is off to write some more for the book, its getting there but wish it was quicker as explained in previous blog I can only write for a period and then I have to do something else!