Get Your Computer Ready for the New Year Too!
Get Your Computer Ready for the New Year Too! Organizing your computer should be as important as organizing your paper records each year. We all will take the time within the next few months to get our paperwork ready for taxes. We go through receipts—or search for them, we collect the W-2’s and 1099’s. We get set up from the beginning for the coming year of record keeping too. We pull out the bills and information from last year and...
Essential Guide to Outdoor First Aid & Medical Emergencies
Essential Guide to Outdoor First Aid & Medical Emergencies Medicine for the Outdoors is one of a few books that I own that I view as essential. I use it at home, and not just when I’m, say, hiking or camping in the wilderness. There is a ton of incredibly important information in this book for just about every medical emergency you could possibly think of. Do you know what to do if someone is choking? Not breathing? Unconscious?...
Planning For Getting Your Needs Met In 2017
How To Create New Years Resolutions. Getting Your Needs Met In 2017. I love spontaneity and having fun don’t you? However, planning is an essential part of achieving success in business and in our personal life. Learning how to create and set goals, prioritizing,and planning for success is important. If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll probably end up somewhere else. You might arrive at a place you had not intended to get...
Mitford Marriages: Pamela Mitford and Derek Jackson
Mitford Marriages: Pamela Mitford and Derek Jackson. Pamela Mitford is probably the least known of the six sisters. She’s often thought of as ‘the quiet one’ and certainly she was less scandalous than most of her sisters but nevertheless she married a man who was not just a millionaire, he was also a war hero and a brilliant scientist. Pam had not been without admirers. She had been briefly engaged to Oliver...
Choose Life – A George Michael Diary
As we say a fond goodbye to George Michael, Andy Royston remembers the hairspray days. Enjoy What You Do. “Do you, enjoy what you do? If not, just stop – don’t stay there and rot…” It had been a mad year. I’d spent most of it living in a South Manchester bedsit, wasting time on a year out of college. Way too many nights had been spend on dank dance floors and working (badly) on my day job running...
Strong and Steady – The Best Reggae of 2016
Artist and designer Andy Royston picks his three favorite reggae albums of 2016 “Now that I’ve introduced myself in the context of Rastafari consciousness, wellness, awareness, it is safe now to say ‘I am woman’ and all of the other things that means… playful, colorful, light, nurturing and to show sisterhood.” Janine Cunningham (Jah9) 2016 may have been a tough old year in lots of ways, but this year reggae more than...
Jimmy Buffett – The Road to Key West
After a year in Nashville, it was becoming clear things were not working out. Jimmy Buffett had moved to Nashville in late ’69 with a new wife and a promise of a music deal, but after a year it was falling apart. Out of work, his marriage already failing, his touring band breaking up within weeks… Things weren’t good. People were talking him up well enough. A local writer said “Jimmy’s music isn’t...
The Curious Life and Death of Empress Elisabeth
Who was Empress Elisabeth? The Curious Life and Death of Empress Elisabeth. Elisabeth, or Sisi as she was known, wasn’t destined to be the Empress of Austria but that became her role, nevertheless. She was born into the royal family of Bavaria – her parents were both related to the upper-crust of Europe. It was the fact that her mother, Ludovika, was the sister of Sophie, the mother of Emperor Franz Joseph that sealed her...
Want Your Own Personal Drone?
Now you can own one with this DJI Phantom 3 Professional Quadcopter. Even though we knew it was coming, I thought it might be a little farther down the line before drones became this accessible, but DJI has made it a reasonably priced reality. It comes fully ready to fly. It’s easy to learn with a few test flights. What would you do with it? Where would you take it? If you like cutting edge technology, a drone is...
Did Prince Charles send Harry to rehab?
Did Prince Charles send Harry to rehab? There is a persistent rumour abounding that in January 2002, the then teenaged Prince Harry of England was sent by his father, Prince Charles, to rehab because Harry had been exposed by the newspapers for ‘smoking drugs’. In other words, having a joint at a local pub. This is, according to a recent book, totally nonsense. It was (apparently) a typical example of the...
Maud Gonne
Maud Gonne: English Eccentric For those who have heard the name of Maud Gonne, they probably have an idea that she was an Irish political activist. It’s true that she was pretty vocal in Irish politics but she was actually English, born in Surrey. She had a curious career but she is probably remembered most for being: The woman who had sex by her baby’s grave She had the child in 1889 in Paris. The father was her older...
Baked Brie Cheese
It’s the holiday season and we are in full swing for a Christmas that will just be the best one ever. Who doesn’t love all the food and friends, the excited chatter and family rekindling old times as the new times are happening. It is the best part of the whole “Christmas Scene”. The other best part is all the food that is brought by friends and family to share. Food has to be one of the best ways of telling people that you love them....
Wonderful Star Wars Christmas Decorations
The new film, ‘The Force Awakens’ means that everything to do with Star Wars is chic and totally in! Did you know that you can buy amazing Star Wars Christmas decorations? From baubles for the Christmas tree and really funky R2D2 lights, to free standing giant figures of your favorite Star Wars characters ready to decorate your garden. This is a great time to resurrect the Star Wars mania with the new saga on the horizon, so why not...
Gifts for Cooks
Looking for a great and unusual gift for someone who loves to cook and bake? Not on the High Street offers a wonderful range of fabulous and stylish gifts that are perfect for the cook – amateur or professional. What’s more many of them can be personalised. This makes them so very ideal as a gift because your recipient will know that you really care and took the time and trouble to choose the perfect gift. A great example...
Quiche for Christmas
Quiche for Christmas What’s versatile enough, filling enough, and tasty enough to tide your family over ’til Christmas dinner? Why, quiche, of course. What’s perfect for a quick breakfast, a formal Christmas brunch, a simple lunch, or a light supper after a busy day? Once again, quiche comes to the rescue! With our simple quiche recipe you can bake it the day before and reheat to serve, or put the ingredients...
Thinking of Others This Christmas
Thinking of Others This Christmas Every year it seems we all rush around shopping, decorating, baking, in the full swing of the Christmas Season. Do you stop to think how many are unable to do the same this year? If I’m honest, it’s too easy to look past the faces of those in need. Thankfully there is still time for me to have an attitude adjustment. Christmas is all about giving. It is my goal to share that fact with those who...
Fearless – Taylor Swift
Long before the fame and the glory and the VMA glamour turned her into the big superstar we know there was this honest-to-goodness teen talent. One look at this fair young swan and you know she was about to take off and really fly to the stars… On that video, though she was maybe 18, sitting with her buddies in a tour bus and doing a live spot for an Oregon country radio station.The kind of radio station you pick up on that long...
Great Gifts for Travelers: My Favorite Things
Great Gifts for Travelers: My Favorite Things. Travel Halo Mask Product Description: This is fantastic for long flights. This mask will definitely help you to sleep in comfort. It’s a special mask that is filled with Microbeads, has pads at the back that keeps your head from rolling around and it includes a free bag and earplugs too. You can remove the mask when you don’t want to sleep and use it as a headrest. eBags Pack-it-Flat...
Giving green and socially conscious gifts just got a whole lot easier
If you found this page, you’re probably like me–scouring the web for just the right holiday, birthday or special occasion gift that is also eco-friendly and manufactured without child labor or near-slave labor. I am thrilled to report that this year, giving green gifts and socially conscious gifts that are beautiful and well-made is easier than it’s ever been. Below are my top ten web sites for wonderful,...
Otis Redding
In the summer of 1967, it seemed that singer-songwriter Otis Redding had everything going for him. His career was really taking off and he’d bought a ranch where he lived with his wife and three children. In the autumn of that year he even purchased his own plane. He hoped that the new airplane would mean that he and his band would be able to travel more easily between gigs. On December 9th, they played for a television show in...
Christmas Plants and how to care for them
Christmas Plants and how to care for them. Christmas is a wonderful time of year and I’m sure that as your company comes to visit, they may also bring you a gift of flowers or plants. Plants make a beautiful hostess gift and they are certainly a seasonal gift. But once you have it, what do you do next? Well let me help you just a wee bit. First off, you want to take it out of any wrappings of cellophane, get a nice dish to put under...
The Incredible Luci Solar Powered Lights
We love Luci! The inflatable, waterproof solar lighting system. The internet is a-buzz – the Luci solar lights are getting great reviews everywhere. Increasingly we are all appreciating the value of using nature’s resources such as the sun to harness energy and that’s exactly what the Luci does. You can see more details in the video below but suffice it to say that these incredible naturally-powered lights are...
Was Dorothy Kilgallen murdered?
Was Dorothy Kilgallen murdered? She died in 1965 so it’s likely that you don’t remember her. But in the middle of the twentieth century, Dorothy Kilgallen was a true media star. She was a journalist with many more strings to her bow. And it may be that her journalistic investigations were the cause of her untimely death. What’s My Line? Despite being a well-known journalist, gossip columnist, crime reporter, actress...
Elvis and Hawaii
Two years ago, my mother, sister and I were headed off to Hawaii. It was a dream trip that I never in my whole life expected to make. But it was a time of healing and renewing our shrinking family’s bonds, that made this trip what it was. My brother had passed away earlier that year. During the many site seeing expeditions along the way, I can remember thinking to myself, that these islands truly are paradise on earth. Everything was...
The Winecoff Fire of 1946
The Winecoff Fire Disaster of 1946. During the early hours of 7th December, 1946, Arnold Hardy took an iconic and award-winning photograph that was to become a symbol of the worst hotel disaster in the United States. Arnold was only twenty four years old and had just relocated to Atlanta. His great hobby was photography and to make ends meet, he was trying to get part-time work as a newspaper photographer. His camera was not...
My Mum’s Christmas Pudding Recipe
My Mum’s Christmas Pudding Recipe. We’re quite traditional with our Christmas meal but, our Christmas pudding is a little different. A lot of people don’t like it; it can be dense, have lots of crunchy currants, taste burnt or overdone and perhaps seem steeped in too much alcohol. That’s the difference, though similar in some ways, my mum’s Christmas pudding recipe is light, full of juicy, tasty fruit and...
Gifts for Animal Lovers: Elephants
Love elephants? Great gift ideas. Are you looking for gift ideas for someone who just loves elephants? I have found an online collection that features almost one thousand items – all of which feature elephants. There are some incredible pieces of jewellery – both modern and traditional. The photograph on the right shows a lovely example. There are other items to wear too,including some gorgeous elephant print scarves. But...
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. Film Review
We were so lucky to be invited by Lord Hughes to the House of Commons to watch a pre- screening of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom because my husband was a ANC freedom fighter when he was a young man. It was a sombre event because Nelson Mandela had died only a couple of days before, but it was a fitting tribute to this great man. We watched Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom in the Grand Committee Room, which was the very room where Nelson...
Gourmet Gifts: Cooking Classes
The perfect foodie gift: Fun culinary classes. Something I think many of us have in common is that we’d love to improve our cooking skills, knowledge and techniques. How wonderful it would be to be able to serve new and exciting dishes to our families and guests. The classes provided by Sur la Table are run by expert chefs and take place in many locations. There are lots of themes too. Choose from seasonal courses, baking, the...
Gifts for Animal Lovers: Turtles
Turtle-themed gifts: For good luck. In many cultures and societies turtles are considered to bring good luck so what better gift than turtle-themed products? The articles you see on this page are all make by artisans all over the world and are made from sustainable or recycled materials. The sculpture you see here, for example, is a carved coconut and its base is made from sustainable albesia wood. It is hand carved in Bali by an...
Book Review: ‘The Lie’, by Helen Dunmore
The year is 1920 and Daniel returns to his Cornish village after his wartime discharge from the army. He is badly traumatised by the loss of his best friend, Frederick, blown to bits in No-Man’s Land in France. Daniel’s mother, a widowed cleaner, has died during his absence, and her rented cottage has been reclaimed by the landlord. Daniel, rootless and unemployed, is drawn back to the memories of his childhood friendship with...
Formula One: Fathers and Sons
Formula One Trivia. As far as I’m aware, and at time of writing, there have been fifteen Formula One drivers whose sons have driven in Grand Prix races. If you know of more, please let me know in the comment section below. (And see below for the list – before you look though, can you name them all?) Personally, I would love to live long enough to see the daughter of a Grand Prix racer (preferably of a female driver) lining...
Solving the Mysteries of Choosing a Kindle
Solving the Mysteries of Choosing a Kindle If you’re new to the world of ebooks and ereaders but tempted by the idea of buying a Kindle reader, you might find yourself asking, “Which Kindle should I buy?” or even “Should I buy a Kindle?” or “What’s the difference between a Kindle reader and a Fire tablet anyway? Help!” It’s no wonder you might be confused. When Amazon’s...
Curried Butternut Squash and Pear Soup
You will think you have died and gone to heaven after tasting this soup. For our Thanksgiving meal, my son called to say ‘Mom, don’t make any soup! Amy and I will bring it already made!’ Well, I never pass up an opportunity to try something new, so I accepted their offer graciously. To say it was delicious, is an understatement! This soup was a knock out! It presented beautifully and tasted divine. I’m thinking that my son...
Bjork’s Vulnicura: An Emotional Release
I was one of the first to turn on to Bjork’s extraordinary solo talent. And I mean this literally – I was listening to her first album ‘Debut’ several months before its official release. Working on the fringes of the British music scene it was not unusual to find oneself holding pre-press or advanced copies of albums before public release. I’d written a good few music reviews for listings magazines and...
Behind the Scenes: Royal Wedding 1947
The wedding of Princess Elizabeth & Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The 20th November, 1947 was a day that the population had been looking forward to. The recent war was still fresh in everyone’s memory. Rationing was still enforced. Towns and cities still showed the battle scars inflicted by the German bombs. So everyone was looking forward to the royal wedding – a happy occasion full of pageantry and romance -to bring...
Book Review: The Gifts of Imperfection, by Brene Brown
Book Review: The Gifts of Imperfection, by Brene Brown. Accepting Imperfection: It is a Gift. Have you ever had that feeling that no matter how much you do or how hard you try, you are not enough? I know I have, and for more years than I should have! If you’ve felt that way too, this book is for you. It’s an easy to read book that nevertheless provides amazing insights into accepting yourself and loving yourself and living...
Gift Ideas to Help Those in Need
A Helping Hand for those in need Would you like to do a little something to help the homeless or those in need? Drive around any city these days and you can’t help but notice how many people there are in need of help. Read the paper or watch the news and you grow more aware that plenty of them are families who for one reason or another are homeless or barely getting by. I don’t know about you, but sometimes the numbers...
Prince Charles
Prince Charles: The writers’ moneymaker Here’s a cool way to make money. Write a book that contains ‘revelations’ about that famous British soap opera, the royal family. Publicise some of its more extreme stories. It doesn’t matter if you’ve simply made them up -newspapers do it all the time. Pretend, if you like, that this is authorised by Prince Charles. Never mind that it’s not true. Claim...
Book Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane, by Neil Gaiman
Book Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane, by Neil Gaiman A Clever Author and a Clever Novel. What a wonderful and unique story. This was my first Neil Gaiman book, but it won’t be my last. The Ocean at the End of the Lane was a beautifully written by an author who is clearly a master of the craft. It’s hard to put this book into a category, just as it is hard to describe the events in the book. I wouldn’t consider it...
President John Kennedy: Health Issues
President John Kennedy: Health Issues. In the year after President John Kennedy was assassinated, an eminent historian began a new project of oral histories. He asked people to record their memories on tape of the late president. He approached Kennedy’s widow, Jackie, to take part in the project and she agreed. There were three reasons for this. The first was that she knew it would help her in coming to terms with her husbands...
Molkky: A Great Outdoor Game
Molkky: Europe’s most popular outdoor game. Coming from Finland, Molkky is a game that is fun, can be played anywhere and is planet-friendly. It can be enjoyed by all ages, all skill levels and, unlike other games, can be played by small or large groups of people. What’s more, it’s stylish, safe and sustainable – oh, and great fun to play. The fabulous Molkky The game is a cross between skittles and the...
Kitchen Nightmares UK: The Ship & Anchor
The Best of Kitchen Nightmares UK: ‘Shrek in a Frock’. If you’ve watched USA episodes of Kitchen Nightmares with Gordon Ramsay, you’re missing out if you haven’t seen the UK versions. They are so much better – and funnier. And it’s hard to choose a favourite but after much deliberation, I’ve decided on the episode featuring Mike and Caron Ciminera of the Ship and Anchor pub in Wales is...
Joni and Jaco
Andy Royston takes a look how an unexpected musical collaboration – between folk singer Joni Mitchell and electric jazz genius Jaco Pastorius – created their finest music. He was an innovator. He was changing the bottom end of the time, and he knew it. Joni Mitchell – Musician Magazine It’s all in the hands; in order to get that sound, you have to know exactly where to touch the strings, exactly how much pressure...
My old friend Malcolm X
A teenage Andy Royston picked up a copy of The Autobiography of Malcolm X and it made a huge impression. Almost 40 years later, and now living in Florida, he revisits the book to figure out if it still impresses. “Malcolm X’s autobiography seemed to offer something different. His repeated acts of self-creation spoke to me; the blunt poetry of his words, his unadorned insistence on respect, promised a new and uncompromising...
SS City of Cairo
The sinking and discovery of the SS City of Cairo In 1942, the SS City of Cairo was steaming from Bombay towards England. It was carrying a cargo of 1000 tonnes of silver. The money was headed to His Majesty’s Treasury to bolster up the war effort. But on November 6th, it was spotted by a German U-boat. As a result, the ship was torpedoed and sank to the ocean floor – complete with the silver. Almost seventy years later,...
The Magus: John Fowles
The Magus: John Fowles. The Magus is one of my desert island books -one I can read again and again.I’ve probably read it half a dozen times – at least. My reading of this book has spanned many years. It’s a book that has been largely misunderstood, in my opinion. Many reviewers get this book completely wrong – especially the amateur reviewers at Amazon. I’d truly recommend that you don’t read them...
Decor: A Sunrise Palette
How to pick accessories and décor colours. Did you know that interior designers use a simple trick when they are coordinating décor in the rooms they design? Often, their cues come from artwork. For example, let’s take the gorgeous sunrise artwork below. Designers take a prominent item that will be displayed in the room. This is often a painting, a spectacular photograph or sometimes even a textile such as a tapestry or an...
Did You Know? Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth II: A few facts you may not know. Do you know how the queen starts her day? At 8 am her dresser enters the royal bedroom and places a tray with Earl Grey tea by the bedside. At the same time, the corgis rush into the bedroom. Then the dresser opens the heavy curtains wide to ensure that the light streams in. At 9 am the queen walks through her sitting room and into her dining room and enjoys a comparatively frugal...
Pumpkin Spice Eyeball Cupcakes
Make pumpkin spice cupcakes with eyeballs for Halloween! These were fun to make. I cheated and used a box mix which you can pick up at your local grocery store or if you shop online at Amazon Grocery. It comes with the mixtures for the cupcakes and the frosting. The frosting is orange is a decadent color for fall and the Halloween holiday. Making these cupcakes are really pretty easy. Just follow the directions and you can’t go wrong....
The Red Cross
There isn’t a symbol more recognizable in the world than that of the Red Cross. Today we have the Red Cross and the Red Crescent but both of these formidable institutions all started out under the banner of the Red Cross. In 1864, Jean-Henry Dunant, a Swiss national, and humanitarian began what would become the Red Cross. But the start of the Red Cross was much earlier than that. Dunant was a business man and he travelled throughout...
Mom’s Outside Pumpkin Decor
Decorating with pumpkins is my favorite when autumn arrives – from inside to outside. I love all the big toothy grins they greet you with. I love the lighted ones the best. There so bright and cheerful. I have a bunch of lighted pumpkins inside as well a special big one outside. It’s fun to sit in the dark with all of them smiling at you; it even makes it a little bit spooky. Traditional Memories My Mom had this big...
Halloween Harvest Festival
Harvest Festival Activities. Harvest Festivals are lots of fun to attend during the Autumn season. It’s a family fun activity! The Pleasant Valley Tree Farm it located in near Menomonie, Wisconsin. It is a place that decorates for Halloween and Christmas each year; I’ve been to both but featured in this article is the Halloween Festival. Spooky Ridge Trail This is where you can take a fun spooky trail walk where you see...
Will we ever know the truth about Wallis Simpson?
It’s a famous story, of course. In the 1930s the King of England was the unmarried Edward VIII. When he ascended to the throne, he had a long-time mistress, Wallis Simpson. Although many members of the public believed that the king should be able to marry whoever he wished, the establishment were horrified at the possibility of their monarch marrying an American divorceé. Famously, the king announced his abdication, declaring...
Cheryl’s Ghostly Flower Pot Decor
BOO! Ghost Flower Pot. There’s a ghost spooking around in my fall flower pot. It might just say BOO to frighten you. Who you gonna call to help catch this spooky ghost? I know…..Ghostbusters! I found this ghost stake decoration in this photo at my Connections Goodwill Store where I live. It was right up my alley for making a Halloween flower decoration. Its always fun to go shopping at your local Goodwill cause you find...
The Charge of the Light Brigade – an eyewitness account
On the 25th October 1854, during the Crimean War, a brigade of British officers and cavalrymen, commanded by the Earl of Cardigan, rode into a Balaclava valley, seemingly to reclaim artillery cannon captured by their Russian enemies. However, because of a miscommunication, they rode into the wrong valley – and into slaughtering cannon and musket fire on three sides. Of the five regiments involved, making a total of 670 officers...
American Horror Story: Coven
American Coven Story – Season 3 is for you if you’re looking for a Halloween present, or something to do on Halloween that is way over the top. It’s great if you’re in the mood to be totally spooked out too. I am not one for horror I am so easily terrified! It doesn’t take much to send me running for the bed covers. Images live with me forever. So I didn’t actually watch it – I heard it – and I was...
Biology for Kids: SmartLab Toys Squishy Human Body
When my son opened this Smartlab Toys Squishy human body on Christmas morning he was so delighted that he laughed out loud! A human biology book with a gooey body to dissect! Just perfect for a 8 year old – it really can’t get better than that! This book/toy was an instant success. It’s great because he learned the names and relative size, shape and function of the major organs of the human body, and where they sit in the...
Dressing Your Dog for Halloween
Halloween dog costumes that benefit Breast Cancer Research. Does your dog enjoy being dressed up? If so, there are some wonderful articles for you to choose from to make sure that he or she enters into the ‘spirit’ of things for your Halloween parties or festivities. You can choose from the more subtle gesture – such as the cute Halloween-themed bandana you see here – to full and fancy costumes. But the great...
Savory Jazz Treasure Trove Revealed
This week sees the long-awaited release of mythical and legendary Savory jazz recordings that had been rotting away in an Illinois basement for the better part of 50 years. Andy Royston tells the story… The story of the Savory Recordings begins and ends with the same man, Loren Schoenberg, now the director of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. Back in the 1980s Schoenberg played tenor sax, and in his 20s had already played...
Procrastinators Unite: A Series About How to Overcome Procrastination and Performance Anxiety
Procrastinators Unite: A Series About How to Overcome Procrastination and Performance Anxiety. By Stacey J Nelson Ph.D. Why People Procrastinate and Experience Performance Anxiety People habitually postpone tasks or procrastinate for a variety of reasons. Some of the reasons might be; “the fear of failure” or “the fear of success” or in other words, “the fear and responsibility of being successful”. A chronic procrastinator might be...
The Love Life of the Eleventh Duke of Marlborough
The love life of the eleventh Duke of Marlborough. The eleventh Duke of Marlborough died on October 16th, 2014. The chances are that few people – apart from his family and friends – noticed it in the news. I mean after all, wasn’t he just some boring English aristocrat? Well, I suppose the answer is yes, but his life – and his love life – was really quite fascinating. The story of his life –...
Spooky Spider Cupcakes
Spooky beady eyed spider cupcakes are a fun Halloween treat. Everyone will love these spooky but cute creatures. Making these cupcakes was a lot of fun. I’ve never made anything like them before; not even the type of frosting on these. I’d never have thought to use Kool-aid in my frosting. Sure enough it turns out with a lighter, fluffier consistency with a fun flavor. This frosting was a orange dream; tasted like orange...
Walking Dead T Shirts and Halloween!
It’s almost time to dress up and scare the living daylights out of your unsuspecting neighbours. Let’s start off with some Walking Dead quotes to get you in the mood: ‘Don’t look back, Carl’ – Rick ‘You can’t think forever. Sooner or later, you gotta make a move’ – The Governor ‘You walk outside, you risk your life. You take a drink of water, you risk your life. Nowadays you...
Tricks & Treats, The Ultimate Halloween Book
Do-it-Yourself Halloween Ideas Halloween crafts are so much fun to make, even more so when you can do them with your children. Its a wonderful way to play together, a craft your child can enjoy making plus feel pleased with the accomplishment when it’s finished. That’s why I love this book, Tricks & Treats – the ultimate Halloween book, by Deborah Harding, published by Reader’s Digest. Personally I enjoy...
Taking The Rap – When Broward got Nasty
”It is an appeal to dirty thoughts and the loins, not to the intellect and the mind.” Jose Gonzalez, Federal District Court – Southern District of Florida On Monday, February 26th 1990 a Broward County Deputy Sheriff walked into his local record store, Sound Warehouse on Oakland Park Boulevard, and bought a cassette tape by 2 Live Crew. The recording, As Nasty As They Wanna Be had been released in 1989 alongside a...
Cotton Rules for Today’s Baby – Aden + Anais
Swaddles and Blankets You’ll Love For several years now, more and more parents are insisting on cotton. Why? Not only because the natural fabric is safer on their baby’s soft, sensitive skin, but also because cotton is a sustainable product. You find many moms and dads laundering cloth diapers, seeking clothes that are cotton, and purchasing bedding that will breathe. It’s a fairly easy way to be environmentally friendly. With...
Fire Chief Costume, For Halloween or Anytime
What Child Doesn’t Want to be a Fireman? Little boys and girls can be real-life heroes with this Fire Chief costume. Ever since I saw my friend’s grandson dressed as one, with his hat and boots, while carrying his blankie, it’s been top on my list for dress up days. Kids look up to firemen. Many want to be one when they grow up. They admire not only the uniform they wear, but all the gear they use too–including the...
Edward Guillaume – the murderous clown
Edward Guillaume – the murderous clown. On 9th October, Edward Guillaume, known as Polidor the Clown, could stand it no longer. He was sixty nine years old and his forty nine year old girlfriend claimed that he was too old for her. He took and ax and buried it in her throat. He then stabbed her repeatedly with kitchen knives.I guess he was upset. Once a famous clown, he had reached the end of his tether. In the 1930s he had...
Wilco – An appreciation
Andy Royston explains his musical travel companions… There’s some part of my brain geared toward making songs up, and I know it’s collecting things and I know when I get a moment to be by myself, that’s when they come out. Jeff Tweedy – Wilco Picking out a favourite band or musician out of the many thousands I’ve seen, or listened to seems impossible. But when traveling – the one time I can...
R101: Disaster in the air
R101: The disaster that ended the British airship programme After the First World War, it was clear to see that despite Germany’s losses, one of their strengths had been the dirigible or airship. Their Zeppelins, virtually silent monsters, had been able to fly unseen over British land and drop bombs in places which were otherwise inaccessible. This technology was embraced by other countries. Air travel had many advantages but in...
FitKicks Shoes: Next Best Thing to Barefoot
Fitkicks Footwear: For girls on the go. I have to let you know about my latest discovery. I always prefer not to wear shoes whenever possible, but it’s not always practical. These fabulous FitKicks shoes are the next best thing – they protect your feet, are non-slip and waterproof and are so comfy. They look stylish too and are available in several colours. The comfort quotient is incredible, they are so easy to clean and...
Rockers & Rollers: Brian Johnson
From Brian Johnson of AC/DC: An autobiography with a twist. This is really such an excellent book. It was tailor-made for me and it might be the same for you. At the very least, it’s a wonderful autobiography of a boy growing up in northern England and making the big time in a rock band. But it’s so much more. Even if you’ve never heard of Brian Johnson (really?) – even if you hate rock music (really??)...
What Really Happened to the Mary Celeste?
In 1872 a Canadian ship, the Dei Gratia, spotted another ship close by in the North Atlantic Ocean. The crew thought that there was something odd about the ship so they approached and boarded. They found a mystery that still endures. Although the ship, the Mary Celeste, was fully seaworthy, there was no-one on board. There were no signs of a struggle or attack, no damage and very little was missing from the craft except its lifeboat...
Need Halloween Ideas? Here’s a Book with 101
Craft Ideas for Any Age Get a head start on Halloween with this terrific book. Published by Better Homes and Gardens in 2000, Halloween: 101 Frightfully Fun Ideas offers 168 pages of fun and unique ideas. The cover alone attracted my interest. It show a pumpkin decorated with curled soldering wire. I find decorating pumpkins more fun than carving them, though that is mostly because of a lack of carving skill. I am amazed at...
Lyrics: Don McLean’s American Pie
Lyrics: Don McLean’s American Pie. What is Don McLean’s song American Pie about? I think that most of us would say that it’s about the death of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper in 1959. The song coined the phrase ‘the day the music died’ which, since the song was released, has come to describe that February day. Other than to confirm that certain parts of the song refer to Holly, Don McLean...
Grand Prix Gourmet: Malaysian Peanut Sauce
Malaysian Peanut Sauce This versatile recipe can be used as a dipping sauce or as marinade. If you’re going to use it to marinate foods, they’ll need to be in the sauce for about half an hour so that the flavours can mingle. Longer is even better. If you’re intending to grill the food, use bamboo skewers.Soak them in water for about an hour before you cook. This way, they won’t catch on fire. This sauce keeps...
Richard III: The Final Battle
Richard III: The Final Battle. In 2012 the battle scarred bones of Richard III were unearthed. Three years later the sealed tomb has finally been unveiled at Leicester Cathedral. This event followed a week long funeral-fest which included a procession from Bosworth Field to Leicester Cathedral for a ceremony with everything from speeches to songs to second cousins 16 times removed and ending with an eye roll from Ashdown-Hill –...
Halloween Ties
Halloween: Elegant yet spooky ties. Not everyone like to get dressed up in ridiculous garb when Halloween comes around. But nevertheless, you can still show that you’re celebrating the day in a more subtle and stylish way with these speciality ties. Or maybe you’ve got to work on Halloween and your position doesn’t exactly allow you to dress like a gorilla or a pirate? You can still show that you’re in the...
Book Review: ‘Still Alice’
“They talked about her as if she weren’t sitting in the wing chair, a few feet away. They talked about her, in front of her, as if she was deaf. They talked about her, without including her …” There have been many non-fiction books and articles written on the impact of Alzheimer’s disease. But sometimes it takes a work of fiction to really connect. Still Alice, by Lisa Genova, published in 2007, is such a book. It captures the slow...
Monaco: The Prince and the Cabaret Singer
Princess Charlotte of Monaco: the illegitimate heiress to the Grimaldi family The Grimaldi family, who have ruled the tiny principality of Monaco for hundreds of years, have a chequered past. But one of the most interesting characters is Princess Charlotte. In the 1890s, the ruler of Monaco was Prince Albert I. He was a fascinating chap and his particular interest was the emerging study of oceanography. He was very much a pacifist but...
Ben E King: Another Great is Gone!
Ben E King: Another Great is Gone! The music industry has lost another one of it’s great artists. If you were ever in the market for a song about friendship and love, then you know you would have to include Ben.E. King’s Stand by Me, in your repertoire! Ben E.King was born Benjamin Earl Nelson, on Sept 28, 1938. When he was a young lad his family moved from North Carolina to Harlem in New York. At the tender age of 20 Ben Nelson and...
Procrastinators Unite
A series of articles about Overcoming Procrastination and Performance Anxiety. By Stacey J Nelson Ph.D. New monthly meetings and Motivational Training in Delray Beach, and Boca Raton starting soon! See if you qualify to attend if you believe in the “Procrastinators Code Of Ethics”. People habitually postpone tasks for various reasons, including the “Fear of Failure” rejection, or the unconscious “Fear and...
Who Killed Elsie Frost: Man Arrested
Fourteen year old Elsie Frost was murdered on October 9th, 1965. Almost fifty one years later, on September 27th,2016, police announced that they had made an arrest. Elsie’s brother and sister had contacted the BBC in 2014 asking them to help them to have the unsolved case re-opened. BBC journalist and broadcaster Jon Manel took up the cause. The West Yorkshire Police re-opened the case and assigned fourteen officers to...
Why Airbnb is not Illegal
Airbnb is not illegal – anywhere. It seems that everyone has been writing about Airbnb for some years now. And because the company is often in the news, it’s certainly a good way to get hits to your website. But that’s not why I’m writing this…. The reason for this article is that, because I am an Airbnb host, I’m often hearing statements such as ‘Airbnb is illegal where I live’ or...
Martha Stewart: Vegetables
Getting the most out of vegetables with Martha Stewart. Whether it’s entertaining, home decor, crafts, home cooking or most lifestyle subjects, Martha Stewart is without doubt today’s home guru. And in her latest book, she tackles something most of us should do more often – cook and serve glorious fresh vegetables. Of course, the wonderfully photographed recipes all have that magic Stewart touch and there’s a...
Deborah Mitford: The Duchess of Devonshire
Deborah Mitford: The Duchess of Devonshire. The famous Mitford sisters, born in the earlier part of the twentieth century, are endlessly fascinating. You may have read about Unity Mitford and how it’s said that she gave birth to Hitler’s illegitimate child. The other sisters were equally fascinating and, in some cases, equally scandalous. Deborah however,was the youngest of the sisters and although she didn’t totally...
Miracle on the Hudson
Captain Sullenberger and Flight 1549. People all over the world remember the events of January 15th, 2009. But many people have an even greater reason to remember that day – the 155 people who were travelling on a routine flight from New York to Charlotte and their families. The 150 passengers were a normal mix of ordinary people. The youngest person on board was a babe-in-arms – the eldest was a lady in her eighties,...
The Real Peggy Sue
Who was the real Peggy Sue? Which is Buddy Holly’s most famous song? I’m not sure but Peggy Sue must be up there. But who was the real Peggy Sue? Peggy Sue Gerron was the girlfriend of Buddy Holly’s drummer, Jerry Allison. As she recalls,the inspiration for the song arrived in the middle of the night and Buddy called his manager, Norman Petty, saying ‘I’ve just written a song and named it after...
Pirates: Myths and and legends
What were pirates really like? ‘Pirate’ – what do you see in your mind’s eye when you read the word? Do you imagine a chap like the one on the right? The wooden leg, the obligatory parrot perched on one shoulder, the cutlass, the hook hand, the cutlass, – were pirates really like that? (I prefer the Johnny Depp look myself, but never mind that….) For many of us,our idea of what pirates were like...
The Clifton Chronicles: By Jeffrey Archer
Jeffrey Archer: A bit of a villain? The first book I read by Jeffrey Archer made me think that the man must be a bit of a villain. That book was Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less and like many others, I decided that if the author had the sort of mind that could create a book like that, he could also do well as an master criminal. Over the years, history has shown that yes, Mr Archer is certainly a bit of a lad. He has been involved...
Everlasting Lies by Barbara Warren: Review
Everlasting Lies: An intriguing novel. Author Barbara Warren has created a novel that will captivate you — and leave you wanting to hear more from her. Set in the early part of the twentieth century, the book takes us through the life of one man and his family as events take him from the north of England, to the horrors of France in the First World War and eventually to an exotic lifestyle in India. Charles disowns his parents...
Margaret Lockwood
Margaret Lockwood. A Modern Woman from a Bygone Age by Lyndsy Spence At the height of her fame as Britain’s ‘queen of the silver screen’, Margaret Lockwood exuded brains, beauty, and a bawdiness which threatened to undermine the censorship board across the Atlantic. Yet, despite her exotic pairing of dark hair, light eyes, and a strategically placed beauty spot on her cheekbone, she was lamented as having...
John Lennon: By his family
John Lennon: By his family On December 8th., 1980 John Lennon was shot as he entered his home at the Dakota Building in New York. And still today we are fascinated by the story of this man who started out singing with his group (The Quarrymen) in Liverpool, morphed into the ‘Beatle John’ and then became one of the most well-known people on earth. Millions of words have been written and I’m inclined to suspect that a...
Game of Crowns by Christopher Andersen: Awful Book!
A truly terrible book. I’ve reviewed hundreds of books and my usual style is to review only books that I enjoy. But today I’m making an exception and writing about a book that is, quite honestly, terrible. It’s the first time I’ve ever done so. The reason for this is that the book is written by a best-selling American author and so-called ‘specialist’, and this supposedly factual book is a...
Queen Elizabeth II: The longest serving monarch
Queen Elizabeth II: Longest serving monarch On 9th September 2015, Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning monarch in British history. On the date, she had been on the throne for almost sixty four years. At that time, she was eighty nine years old. She surpassed the current record holder, her great-grandmother Queen Victoria, who was on the throne for 63 years 216 days. You might admire the royal family or it may be that you...
Avicii’s Amazing Achievement
Avicii’s Amazing Achievement. Avicii’s work is a perfect example of quality modern dance music. This article explains why I like Avicii so much. I write my own songs and I make electronic music and Avicii is definitely one of my idols. He was born in 1989 in Stockholm, Sweden and his name is Tim Bergling. He is an electronic musician, DJ, and a record producer. Avicii is his stage name. The genre of his music is electronic dance music...
Classic Movies: A Matter of Life and Death
A.K.A Stairway to Heaven starring David Niven. Made in 1946, this fabulous film takes place in England during the Second World War. It has become a true classic, mainly because it is very different to most other films made at that time and also those made about the war. It stars the wonderful David Niven and when the film begins we see that he is an air force pilot in a burning plane – somewhere over England. All his crew have...
Gifts for Pizza Lovers
Gourmet pizza gift ideas. If you are looking for gifts for the gourmet pizza cook or pizza eater, then I have found a perfect selection of goods that they will absolutely adore. For the pizza connoisseur there are some wonderful,practical – and tasty – ideas that will make cooking and eating pizza even more of a delight. Prices start at under ten dollars but there are also some deluxe items such as the specialist mini...
Michael Who? – When England Beat Germany
“Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans win.” Gary Lineker Fifteen years on, Andy Royston remembers a memorable day in English football history, and a mad Florida house party. One sunny day back in 2001 I was minding my own business in a Florida swimming pool just a linebacker’s throw from the Gulf of Mexico. A friend had just come back from the beach holding a hammerhead shark...