Followers

Wednesday 22 December 2010

Angel of East Anglia.

My article 'Angel of East Anglia' is being published in 'The Great War' magazine January issue. 

http://www.greatnorthernpublishing.co.uk/

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The programme 'Come rain, Come shine' starring David Jason on Monday night was another great drama for one of our favourite actors.  I hope that this is the first of many.  It showed him back with his Peckham accent, but this time he was a retired docker, again the genuine family man.  The programme left you wondering what happened to the characters next.  Looking forward to seeing more of this series.

Also next week actor Nicholas Lyndhurst appears as 'Freddie the Frog.'  Del and Rodney's Mum's boyfriend.  (Rodney's proper father).  We go back to the sixties with 'Rock and Chips'.  All about how 'Fools and Horses' originated.

We will always remember 'Fools and Horses' but it's good to see those two favourites moving on in their own individual ways.  These two dramas may turn out to be classic favourites just the same.   

Thursday 16 December 2010

Try a new genre for 2011

Try new genres in 2011,
Write about health and the beauty of Devon.
Create a crime solving detective,
With spikey hair and studs in both cheeks,
Try some poetry and tips for the week.

Whatever you do, write every day,
Send out ideas and maybe some jokes.
Animal stories and practical tips,
Write about finance or memorable day trips.

All in all it's just a plan,
I'll try to stick to it if I can.
New genres would be good,
Better that being stuck in the mud.

Some of my favourite web sites.

http://www.writelink.co.uk/
http://www.mslexia.co.uk/

Blogs I follow.  Patsy Collins.
                        Sally Quillford.
                         Teresa Ashby.
                      

Sunday 24 October 2010

Writelinkers magazine are looking for submissions for the Christmas magazine.  You need to be a writer member to contribute.

Details here.

http://www.writelink.co.uk/

Here is my non fiction article that I've sent in to the editors.  Good luck to everyone who has a go.




Nostalgic non-fiction for Write- linker’s magazine.


The School Nativity.



I never liked school, but it wasn’t so bad when we were given bright coloured paper and glue; that gooey white copydex with a big gungey brush attached to the bottle. There was something satisfying about cutting shiny paper up into strips then gluing them into a paper chain. I loved the competitive spirit involved finding out whose group had made the longest chain. The same shiny paper was made into Chinese lanterns of red and green, with gold triangles for windows that looked as if a light was shining inside. These activities enthralled me.



A day of creating Christmas decorations, including shining crowns for Kings, tinsel halo’s for the angels, and painting a crib for baby Jesus, co-incided with it being my turn to look after the classroom hamster. How exciting can an eight year olds life get? To this day, I can’t figure out how the shyest girl in the class got to play Mary in the nativity. Perhaps it was teacher’s plan to get me out of the background. As it happened, my secret boyfriend, secret as (in my head) was chosen to be Joseph. Schooldays just got better. Having the boy of my dreams holding his arm tightly round me in-front of the whole school, and the parents was pure heaven. All I remember was a great big “Ahhh.” Other than that I only heard angels singing and bells ringing.



From then on I felt more confident at school, as if I was somebody that mattered. Late in life, I watched my eldest son being Joseph. He walked down the aisle, clinging tightly to his ‘Mary’. Shepherds with tea-cloths tied with rope, Kings wearing shining crowns stuck together with copydex, angels adorned in tinsel. The words of, “Oh little town of Bethlehem.” Ringing around the hall, this is what makes Christmas special. Nothing touches the soul like the school nativity. This for me is the true meaning of Christmas.







Please alter or edit as needed.

Thank you.



Susan Jones.

Thursday 23 September 2010

Grape and Grain Poetry Competition.

Writelink have a poetry competition, Grape and Grain.

You can see my entry here.  Your votes and comments would be appreciated.

Thanks.

http://writelink.co.uk/grapeandgrain/entryDetail.php?id=120

Friday 27 August 2010

Just Doodling

I am putting together a poetry collection, called 'Just Doodling.'  This is a selection of poems written by me over the last few years.  It's good fun to do, and here is one of the poems that will be in the booklet.

THE FLOWER SHOP






Opening a flower shop on the estate,

What a mistake, was the general debate.



An old lady shuffled into sight, as I closed the door one night,

With a friendly smile and twinkling eyes.

“You’ll do well here.”

She told me that she cleaned at the Swan.



Two weeks later we had our first funeral order,

Relatives of Marion, who cleaned at the Swan.



I clearly remember her charming face,

The old cleaning lady who passed that day,

A spirit of goodwill who came to say,

“Keep cheerful, happy and bright,

Business isn’t built overnight.



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Her family worried about paying the bill,

Until,

On clearing her bungalow they found,

In Marion’s wardrobe a purse safe and sound,

Containing no less, a hundred pound.



That jolly old lady who was fond of a whiskey,

And enjoyed to smoke,

Had saved up, and had the last joke.



The relief on their faces was plain to see,

First they cried, and then laughed at her frugality.

“You’ll do well here.” She’d said.

Thanks Marion,



We are doing well, and as you can tell.

Those who doubted we would,

Are stuck in the mud.

Unlike you,

Who knew,

Life is for living.



THE END.

Tuesday 3 August 2010

Grumpy pansy

Here is a picture of a grumpy old pansy at the bottom of our garden.  He didn't like having his picture taken, so he'll be most annoyed at being posted onto my blog. 

Reading another P.G. Wodehouse story.  Summer Lightening.  It's very funny, and is set at Blanding's Castle. 

I am proud to have my photograph of sunflowers on 'Acumen' website.  When you took out a subscription to the magazine, at the beginning of the year, it included a free pack of seeds from Sutton's of Torquay.  They've grown into giants of great beauty.  You can see it here.  http://www.acumen-poetry.co.uk/




Here is my poem, Greenhouse Wars.  Just for fun....


Greenhouse Wars



Winding round the wigwam canes, vines and leaves entwine.

Tomato plants with fruit on, coming along fine.



Derek swears he’s eating his, I don’t believe a word,

Unless they eat them green and that’s just absurd.



Keith on the allotment has eaten small green beans,

Small as in minute I think is what he means.



Pat and Maurice cut cucumbers last weekend,

So did I, but I won’t pretend It was the biggest, tasty all the same.



Now aubergines and chillies vie for breathing space,

Along with lettuce, basil and cabbage,



Tomatoes take priority now, as they’re the nicest to eat,

Potted marigolds deter the flies,

Resident toad eats the ground level pests.



Giant sunflowers wafting in the wind, standing guard,

Like majestic queens regally swaying on our back- yard.





Thursday 15 July 2010

No more burps.

No more burps.




If you love cucumbers, but suffer from the after effect of burping all afternoon, then you will love the variety of ‘burp less.’



While browsing through the seeds at Dobbie’s Garden Centre earlier this year, I came across a variety that I hadn’t heard of before. I took home the seeds, and planted them in a tray of compost then watered them in, and placed them on the shelf in the greenhouse.



In no time at all twelve shoots appeared. I gave them a sprinkling of water each evening, and as they increased in size, they were re-planted into larger pots. Several weeks on into the season, I was able to plant two of the cucumbers into full sized containers. One is on the yard, and the other in the greenhouse, to see which grows best. The instructions on the packet say, ‘indoors or outdoors.’ I’ve tried both to see which works best.



There were more cucumbers than we needed, so when we went to the car boot, the ‘burp less’ cucumbers were sold on at a pound each.



So far both plants are full of bushy green leaves, full of yellow flowers, and covered in baby cucumbers. The proof will be in the eating though.

Saturday 3 July 2010

Gardening Article.

I'm planning a gardening article called.  'No more Burps.'  This is refering to a cucumber plant that is milder than the traditional cucumber, and apparantly doesn't repeat as much as those big crispy green ones.  More on this later. 

Wednesday 14 April 2010

P. G. Wodehouse.

Reading P. G. Wodehouse, and enjoying the books a lot.  Blandings Castle is hillariouse from the first page.  Just finished reading Dr. Sally which was equally enjoyable.  I would say to anyone who hasn't found P.G.Wodehouse yet, to take a book out of the library.  You'll be hooked.

Thursday 25 March 2010

signatures.

Using a signature on the end of emails is a good way to promote your blog or website.  I now have a link to this blog on all emails. 

Wednesday 24 March 2010

Just doodling

I'm putting together my first collection of poetry.  Called 'Just doodling.'  To see a list of poems call back here in a day or two.  There is a dedication to my three children, called 'Being your mum.'  Also Scratchcard Annie and Rich is a Feeling are in there.

Just sent a short story to Take a Break, entitled 'Seeds of Friendship.'  A story about a man who's lost his wife, and an interfering neighbour tries to get him to join in her committee groups, and trips.  It's only when the nagging wife's husband passes a cup of tea over the fence, and brings a more subtle approach, that the widower realises that he was missing a friendship.  They plant seeds together, and nosey parker gets on with what she does best.  Organizing everything and everybody.  Turns out she makes scones and biscuits for her hubby and Walter, so all ends up well. 

Wednesday 3 March 2010

Scratchcard Annie.

I was pleased to hear that my poem 'Scratchcard Annie' will be in this issue of Quantum Leap poetry magazine.  The poem was an idea from a real character who is addicted to scratchcards.  She goes like clockwork every day. 

Thursday 11 February 2010

Holiday Article.

I won the January competition for writing about a recent holiday.  You can see the complete write up here.


http://www.bluechipvacations.com/blog




Looking forward to spending the Marks and Spencer voucher.




A great holiday company to book with.

Wednesday 3 February 2010

words with Jam competition.

There's a new ezine called words with jam.
Competition is flash fiction, 500 wds.  The competition is being run by Lorraine Mace, and judged by Simon Whaley. 

Wednesday 27 January 2010

Writelink Springtime competition.

A poem I've written for a springtime competition.



Springtime.




The best time to sell your house they say,

So I’ll de-clutter some junk, and then feng shui.

Chuck out old trainers piled in the hall,

Paint magnolia wall to wall.


The rest can be seen here. 

Springfever competition.  Have a look and vote for my poem please....

http://writelink.co.uk/springfever/entryDetail.php?id=46

photo acknowledgement.  Simon Howden freedigitalphotos.net


Tuesday 26 January 2010

Rock and chips.

Great comedy on Sunday night, written by John Sullivan.  Set in the sixties with great music, and laugh out loud comedy.  Also very moving.  Hope they make a series of it.

Just been updating my writing progress so far. 

Thursday 21 January 2010

2010 The year of my pen.

This is my slogan for this year.  I'm proud to say that my first acceptance of the year is a readers' letter in my favourite magazine 'Mslexia.'  I wrote about how the magazine and diary inspire me, and lo and behold it's there on the letters page of the Jan/Feb/March issue.  So hope that's the first of many.

  Off to write a poem now for writelink spring fever competition.

  Check out this great website for writers.

http://www.writelink.co.uk/

Tuesday 12 January 2010

Brixham. My 50th birthday.

Just entered a competition with a holiday company.  We have to write out the holiday, and put some photos with it.  Here is my article, and accompanying photos.  Wish me luck. 

Susan Jones


January 11th 2010



Holiday in Brixham.



Alan and I have just got back from a week in Brixham, Devon. While the whole country has been under a snow-drift we had clear skies and snow free footpaths. The smell of fish fills the air, along with seagulls cry and the salty tingle of the sea. To arrive there is a breath of fresh air before you begin to explore the place.

We stayed at Pilot’s Rest; a modernised fisherman’s cottage overlooking the harbour, and recently redeveloped fish market. The property is comfortable for a couple, and was the ideal place to celebrate my fiftieth birthday.

Walking towards Paignton along the harbour front, you come to the battery gardens. Sit down and enjoy views of Torquay ahead and Berry Head to your right. Benches are dotted every few yards. It’s fascinating to read the inscriptions of who the bench is in memory of. As it’s just after Christmas, quite a few of them had gifts of flowers and wreaths draped on them which was touching to see. Steps leading down into Fishcombe Cove bring you onto a beautiful pebble and shingly beach. It was great to have it to ourselves, and we took chance to skim stones into the sea. The cafe and toilets weren’t open as its January, but from March onwards you could get a snack there. In-fact it had a sign saying business for sale, Oh how lovely it would be to run a cafe on Fishcombe cove.

Not to be missed is a visit to the Battery museum which is at the top of the steep hill as you leave the cove. A group of extremely knowledgeable, interesting gentlemen will talk you through each picture and piece of equipment they have on show for you to see. It was open on Friday and Sunday, while we were there, and my husband left as a signed up member of the battery heritage group.

Walking towards Berry Head, if you take the top road, the views looking back down on the harbour are spectacular. It’s easy to see how the vicar of the local church Henry Lyte was inspired to pen the words to ‘Abide with me’ from his home up there. St. Mary’s church bells ring out this tune which is amazing to hear while browsing round the shops. The absolute gem of Brixham for me is the outdoor sea swimming pool. Open from May onwards, it has a nearby cafe and picnic area. I must get a flowery bathing hat ready for next time we visit.

Our son lives in Torquay. He recommended the Harvester. Large car park, amazing views of the Riviera, superb steaks cooked to perfection. My salmon was scrumptious. Good value and excellent meal. In Brixham harbour, the Buller’s Arms looking out onto the Golden Hind with that roaring fire was very welcome.

Don’t go home without some fish from the harbour shop. That’s what this town is all about.


Sunday 3 January 2010

Off to Brixham

Getting ready for a week in Brixham, Devon.  This is a birthday treat from husband Al, so packing and checking we've got all neccessities, like parking ticket, warm clothes etc.  The company we've booked with also run a competition.  You write about your holiday, then email it to them when you get back.  So I'll take notebook and pen and see if inspiration strikes.  Also taking my knitting.  A peach coloured jumper that will be cheerful for the spring.  Must remember to get a new memory card for my digital camera.  Off for a lovely Italian coffee now in the new perculator... Mmmmm...

Friday 1 January 2010

Happy New Year to anyone who reads my blog.  Sitting by a roaring fire, nibbling cheese biscuits, and drinking ginger ale.  Now off to watch willie wonka and work out some ideas for the mslexia story competition.