KIZZY...

This was also one of my childhood favourites and a heartwarming tale.  It was a series televised in 1976, based on the book "The Diddakoi" by Rumer Godden.  It's available to watch on YouTube.

Kizzy lives in a gypsy wagon with her Nan and horse Joe, but her Nan dies and her people move on so she has to go and live in the village and attend the local school, which she hates and where she is viciously bullied.  She's no heroine- she can punch, scratch and throw a strop like the rest of them and is a royal pain in the butt when she stays with, firstly, the Admiral, at his big house and then Olivia, the local magistrate.  There is a happy ending, though, as the latter two marry and she becomes part of their family and gets accepted by her peers.

The ending, with the schoolkids wheeling in her gypsy mini-wagon, which they have lovingly restored after a fire, and leading in her new horse Joey (Joe died) brought a tear to my eye.  Lovely stuff!

COME BACK, LUCY...

Come Back, Lucy was aired on British television in Spring 1978, late on a Sunday afternoon.  It was about a young orphan girl who went to live with her uncle, aunt and boisterous cousins.  She gazes into a mirror and comes face to face with Alice, who used to live in the house a hundred years before.  Lucy slips across the time frame and befriends Alice but it soon becomes clear that Alice's intentions are malevolent.

I loved, loved, LOVED this show!  It was spooky and creepy and therefore right up my street.  I was only six at the time but wasn't in the least bit scared by it (I have read testimonies from children who were- what a bunch of wimps!)

They really don't make 'em like they used to.  I actually pity children today as the offerings available on TV seem lame by comparison.  Those who enjoyed this show will never forget the spine-tingling opening music and the opening scene....Lucy looks into a mirror, but when she turns and leaves the room her body stays gazing into the glass and you see the back of her head, Rene Magritte fashion.  Then the head turns and the face is missing!!!!

Lucy looks into the mirror...

Lucy turns but her head remains...

The head turns but the face is gone!

I remember my mother having to fiddle with the ariel to try and get a picture on our black-and-white TV.  Sometimes that wasn't always possible, and I do remember being very unhappy that I missed this show once due to poor reception.  But when I did see it, I would sit in front of the box eating my Knorr Knoodles (their version of the Pot Noodle) in prawn curry flavour.  It was a weekend treat and, to this day, I love prawn curry and noodles, although I tend to make a proper curry and not chew on something from a pot!

I bought the series on DVD.  I felt I had to before it disappeared forever.  The series has aged well, is something that will appeal to adults as well as children and is well worth the money.

DREAM STUFFING...

I absolutely loved this sitcom, which was aired on UK television on Friday evenings early in 1984.  It ran for only one series and was laugh out loud funny!

It was about two girls named Mo and Jude- one was unemployed and played the saxophone and the other worked in a factory.  It was set in a high rise London council block and the theme song was written and sung by the late, great Kirsty MacColl (possibly my favourite female singer ever).

Mo and Jude

I loved Jude's punk look!

Unfortunately, no-one seems to remember the series.  Another girl called Elaine, who I used to sit next to in English at school and who was INCREDIBLY brainy, used to watch it and we'd discuss it on a Monday morning, but surely we can't be the only two people who did?

I don't think it's available on DVD.  I've found the first episode on YouTube and will have a trawl for more recordings.

THE DREAM HOUSE by RACHEL HORE

THE DREAM HOUSE

BY RACHEL HORE

THE BLURB:-

Everyone has a dream of their perfect house...

For Kate Hutchinson, the move to Suffolk from the tiny, noisy London terrace she shares with her husband Simon and their two young children was almost enough to make her dream come true.

Space, peace and a measured, rural pace of life have a far greater pull for Kate than the constantly overflowing in-tray on her desk at work. Moving in with her mother-in-law must surely be only a temporary measure before the estate agent's details of the perfect house fall through the letterbox.

But when, out walking one evening, Kate stumbles upon the beautiful house of her dreams, it is tantalizingly out if her reach. Its owner is the frail elderly Agnes, whose story- as it unravels- echoes so much of Kate's own. And Kate comes to realize how uncertain and unsettling even a life built on dreams can be: wherever you are, at whatever time you are living, and whoever you are with...

THE REALITY:-

New York, New York, so good they named it twice, sang the song. The Dream House, The Dream House, so good I read it twice. That's exactly what I did, starting it again the minute I had finished it, as I liked it that much and wanted to absorb more of it!

Yet again, though, I find we have the problem of the person writing the blurb on the back of the book not having read the novel- I don't see how Agnes's story echoes Kate's own, not in the least.

The house and garden in the novel reminded me of the Plantation Garden in Norwich, which I visited last May. There is also a disused Plantation House. The author lives in Norwich, so I contacted her via her website, asking if that was indeed her inspiration. It wasn't, but I got a real sense of desolation whilst walking around the Plantation Garden and I found a sense of bleakness tripping out of the pages when Seddington House (The Dream House) was described. The author conjured up some very atmospheric feelings, not in the least a strong sense of deja-vu.  I think we can all relate to that "I've been here before..." feeling.

Rachel Hore's novels seem to have a theme of the heroine exiting a bad romance and walking into a better situation and this book is no different. The gradual breakdown of Kate's marriage (sorry, spoiler alert!) is nicely documented as Simon, hypocrite that he is, struggles to adapt to the life he has chosen. I'm glad Kate left him behind, despite there being children involved, as it seemed that they outgrew one another.

It was endearing reading about Agnes's life, the roaring twenties, the loss of her great love affair, the intricacies of her nearest and dearest and how they were all complexly involved and why one side of the family was sidelined from her father's, and her, will. Her devotion to her home was unwavering and I loved reading about her collections and the house itself. The mystery of her missing “son” certainly made for a page turner, but it would have been nice to find out how Harry's half of the locket came to be found in a shop in Norwich. On the other hand, maybe it's nice for the author not to spell everything out, and to let the reader make up his or her own mind.

There was a good mix of believable characters and lifelike situations for the reader to chew on and a decent balance of tragedy and happiness. Also, thanks for the family tree- it certainly made my life easier as this family is complex!

As I was brought up in Norfolk, it's good to have places I can relate to mentioned. It helped with shaping the novel in my mind. On that note, I must make a point to read less and write more- I know reading other novelists' work is good from a learning point of view but I need to slack less and get on with my own writing, although sometimes I lack motivation- an agent and a publisher would be nice and, I think, deserved.

The Plantation Garden, Norwich.

I thought this might have been the inspiration for The Dream House but I was wrong!  The gardens are well worth a visit.  I did find that they had a real sense of loneliness, though.

SEEING GREEN ON ST. PATRICK'S DAY...

I'm not Irish but always go and celebrate St. Patrick's Day anyway- if you can't beat 'em then join 'em, etc. etc!

These are the shoes and this is the top that I'll be wearing later...

The shoes came from Ebay and I can't remember what they cost but it wasn't a lot- somewhere between £9 and £13 would be a good guess.

I designed the top when at the factory in India, on business for one of my jobs.

We showed it to Bay Trading (now, sadly, non-existent) and Jane Norman ( now, sadly, much reduced) but they didn't want it, so it hung in our showroom for AEONS until I saw it being bundled into the charity bag and quickly rescued it.  Although it's a sample size 12, it has a shirred back so I can fit into it...just!!!!

My partner (who is of Irish descent and who will be partying with me tonight) calls it my Biarritz top.  I believe that's what they used to call this triangular praline chocolate in the Quality Street tin, before renaming it simply, "The Green One."

TOLHOUSE MUSEUM, GREAT YARMOUTH

HERE IS A REVIEW I PUT ON TRIP ADVISOR- AS I MENTION, IT HELPS IF A TOURIST ATTRACTION IS ACTUALLY OPEN!

I've visited Great Yarmouth several times in recent years and will be there again from May 20th to May 27th. We wanted to visit the wonderful Tolhouse Museum as it has been five years since we last went inside. 
Imagine my dismay when I checked the website and found out that it only opens during school holidays. What's that all about? What is the point of having a paying attraction if you're very selective regarding when you open the doors? Adults want to visit museums too, you know. And why is it always closed on Saturdays when that day has the potential to be the most busy? I know that economic times are hard and am not suggesting that it's open 24/7 but would it be too difficult to open, say, one day during the week and one day at the weekend, even if only for limited hours such as 11-3? Or maybe even opening on request, via previous arrangement.
Companies moan that they can't attract enough interest, but they do actually have to be open for customers to walk through the doors! The great Yesterday's World is now, sadly, no more, as is the Amazonia Reptile House and the Winter Gardens have long been obsolete. I can see the Tolhouse Museum going the same way if it does not sort this out.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g190788-d4761766-r356230517-Tolhouse_Museum-Great_Yarmouth_Norfolk_East_Anglia_England.html#

The Tolhouse Museum replied to this post, offering to open up, at my convenience, so that my partner and I can see inside the museum.  What excellent customer service!  I've emailed dates and I hope they reply.

THE INNOCENT by POSIE GRAEME-EVANS

THE INNOCENT

BY POSIE GRAEME-EVANS

THE BLURB:-

London 1465: an alien, foreboding place for fifteen-year-old peasant girl Anne, arriving to work as a servant in the household of a wealthy merchant. Danger and menace lurk around every corner, for Anne's rare beauty provokes jealousy, lust and intrigue.

As England awakes from the nightmare of the War of the Roses, a charismatic new king is on the throne. Yet peace is fragile- there are those close to the Crown with traitorous minds and murderous intentions.

Possessing an extraordinary knowledge of herbs and healing, Anne soon finds herself at the dangerous heart of Court affairs. However, one man at the Palace has less honourable plans for her. As forces stronger than any healing powers take hold, Anne is left trapped in an impossible position- to serve her Queen or fulfil her King's desires?

THE REALITY:-

Wow, wow and wow again, I loved loved LOVED this novel! One reviewer (mentioned inside the cover) said she was surprised to find herself burning the midnight oil as she couldn't wait to turn the page and get to the next chapter and it was exactly the same for me!

The War of the Roses is not a period of history that I know a lot about and I always find it great when you can learn something from a novel (although I am aware I'm reading fiction and that artistic licence always plays a major part). I did do some cross referencing with my Kings And Queens Of England factual book and it made the story make more sense and come to life better

I found this in a charity shop in Margate, started reading it but then put it down in favour of What The Nanny Saw, my previous read. Why, I do not know. That book was nothing special and this was magnificent. With drama, tension, love, lust, a plot that kept moving along and interesting, real, believable characters (including the downright unsavoury- urgh, Piers- you were a vile, hateful, wicked man and Corpus, you were simply gross) I simply adored this work. I love my historical royals and enjoyed reading about court life in fifteenth century England- truth seemed to meet fiction seamlessly. I believe it's the first in a trilogy and I will certainly be keeping my eyes peeled for the follow-ups and might even acquire them from Amazon.

As a self-published author, I have to do my own proof reading and, despite having read my copy MANY times, always seem to find a new (although small) error in my work the next time I take a look at it.  So it was pleasing to see spelling mistakes and words running together in a properly published novel (wicked, I know!!!!) 

The tale developed easily, with lots of intriguing sub plots and an interesting ending, and although I kind of second guessed what note the final chapter would end on, it won't stop me wanting to find out more about Anne and her ventures. This was my first introduction to Posie Graeme-Evans and I don't think it will be my last!

WHAT THE NANNY SAW by FIONA NEILL

WHAT THE NANNY SAW

BY FIONA NEILL

THE BLURB:-

Nanny required to take care of busy professional London family.

When penniless student Ali Sparrow answers Bryony and Nick Skinner's advertisement her life changes overnight.

She is capitulated into the privileged and excessive world of London's financial elite. At first everything is overwhelming- from twins who speak their own language to a teenage girl with weight issues, and a son almost Ali's own age. Then there is Bryony, who has one eye on her dazzling career and the other on Ali's failings.

When boom turns to bust and a scandal erupts that suggests something corrupt has been hatched behind the Skinners' front door, their private life is suddenly public news. And as Ali becomes indispensable, she realizes she's witness to things she probably shouldn't see.

But is she principled enough to keep the family's secrets when the press come prowling for the inside scoop? Or will she dish the dirt on the family who never saw her as anything other than part of the scenery?

THE REALITY:-

It took me a while to get into this book. Maybe I simply read it at a particularly bad time- I did not need to hear about the privileged lives of upper middle class professional people when I myself am struggling (my novel is far better than this- why I have not yet got an agent or publisher, I do not know). The way I see it, it's so much easier to 'get on' when you have the background, old school tie and contacts to move seamlessly forward into your chosen career. If you are working class, like me, you very often don't, and the big bad world can seem confusing and overwhelming. Mind you, one thing this class of people seem to have is an arrogance; a kind of expectation that getting a good job is a God-given right. I must say, I also share in that arrogance- I think that a person who has studied at further education level for four years or more, and who has applied themselves to getting a degree, or equivalent, is entitled to a good job. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean wandering in at director level on £60,000 a year; just that they should be fast tracked and not given the work of a sixteen or eighteen year old school leaver to do, and earn a better salary than said people, commensurate with their qualifications. To me, qualifications DO matter- I find the people who say that they don't tend not to have any.

Rant over, now back to the book. The main characters of Ali and Bryony did not particularly enthrall me and it's a sad indication that the dog, Leicester, was probably one of the more interesting characters, what with his dirty protests and his penchant for dumping in peoples' shoes (yes, the lavatorial always makes me laugh!) The twin boys and Izzy, the daughter with the eating disorder, were also good characters, but the person who made the best copy was Foy, the old boy who started and finished this novel. The book wasn't totally boring and there were some fun scenes that remind you that these people are only human, such as where Nick almost gets caught masturbating over computer porn by Ali and where Sophia throws beetroot soup over her husband and calls him a cunt (see, I told you I like the base!) The lives and stories of the other foreign nannies and housekeepers who work for these people were nicely documented and poignant.

It was interesting that the address of the house where Ali works was noted as being 94 Holland Park Crescent on page 6 and then 97 Holland Park Crescent on page 506. Continuity differences like these grate on my fucking nerves! Mistakes do happen- every time I re-read my novel I find a small discrepancy, but my excuse is that I haven't (yet) had the joy of having a professional editor work on my book, and I suppose it is 320,000 words long so you are going to find mistakes. But What The Nanny Saw is properly published and editorial teams need to sort things like this out.

I enjoyed learning about the workings of the financial world, via Nick's dealings, and think his downfall and subsequent investigation could have been expanded upon as it would have made interesting reading. The ending was a finishing point, as such, but a bit nondescript- it was so forgettable that I read it before going to bed but had totally forgotten it by the morning and had to re-read it. I can't even remember whether Ali did dish the dirt on her former employer, or not. I suppose you'd call this book a nice summer beach read, and I would give another book by this author a go, but with extreme trepidation. Unlike some, I'm all for giving people a chance or two.