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A walk in a park

January 25, 2021 By chippy minton 4 Comments

Folly - remains of Netley Abbey

Looking to expand our repertoire of “walks withing five miles of home”, Mrs Chippy and I recently explored the public footpath through the Cranbury Park estate.

map of walk through Cranbury Parlk

The Chamberlayne family of Cranbury Park once owned much of the land in what is now Eastleigh town centre.  The names are preserved in the names of Cranbury and Chamberlayne Roads, and the Chamberlayne Arms pub.  I think that Desborough and Nutbeem were something to do with the estate as well, but I forget what. [Read more…] about A walk in a park

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Tags: Covid-19, daily exercise, walking

Launches in Lockdown – Part 1

January 22, 2021 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

From a writing viewpoint, 2020 had the benefit of:-

1. Zoom.
2. Being able to have some writing events thanks to Zoom!

The major disadvantage was the lack of our usual writing events. This was something I discussed with YA writer, Richard Hardie, last week. He has faced the challenges of the pandemic as author and publisher (see link at the bottom of this post).

But writers and publishers still had books to launch, so I thought I’d look at how authors, including me, managed this during this strange period.

A huge thanks to all of the writers taking part in this series. They have all shared fabulous insights and something that comes across from what they share here is where one way is not possible, others will be.

That is something positive from 2020 I think.

Feature Image – Launches In Lockdown Part 1. Image created in Book Brush using an image from Pixabay

[Read more…] about Launches in Lockdown – Part 1

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Tags: authors. writing events, book launches, book promotion, lockdown, marketing, online, writing advice, Zoom

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 154)

January 17, 2021 By Rick Goater Leave a Comment

Another family wedding; two new ducks; Gran – “extraordinarliy fit”; a Yorkshire Dales holiday; the car and caravan are sold; “God bless the Queen”; Serpentine in Cornwall;  Julian runs a 10,000m ‘PB’; a morsel of family history, and missing Brother.

April 10th 1977:  After Barry and family depart Chandler’s Ford for their home in Bushey, Gran:

… had just settled to a lonely afternoon and evening when Beverly and Ricky appeared, a delightful surprise.  I gave Ricky Brother’s microscope and he was so pleased to have something which had belonged to Norris.  They suggested that they would take me to the Caravan to get papers etc. that I had forgotten before, and I let Ricky take the South Moth Books and brought the Readers’ Digest Bird book for Geoffrey who always asks to see mine when he is here.  Ricky then asked if I would like a ride round the Forest and I led the way to Ladycross of happy memories of my last outing with Brother.  We saw a Stonechat on the way and, passing Hatchet Pond, I showed Ricky where the Bog Orchids grow as he has never seen them.  We stopped at “our gate” at Ladycross and went for a walk, so that I could show Ricky and Beverly the Lungwort, also new to them.

“I let Ricky take the South Moth Books”.
[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 154)

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Tags: Chandler's Ford, Chandler's Ford Today, family, Hiltingbury, Hiltingbury Road, history, Joan Adamson, Joan Adelaide Goater, local interest, memory, nature, writing

How clear is your windscreen

January 16, 2021 By chippy minton Leave a Comment

using phone as sat nav

I admonished (in the nicest possible way) a friend this morning for inappropriate positioning of her mobile phone on her windscreen.  As the friend was Madame Editor, she instructed me (also in the nicest possible way) to post something about it.  So here goes.

using phone as sat nav
Image by Dariusz Sankowski from Pixabay

The Department for Transport guidelines divide the windscreen into two areas. Zone A is “a vertical area 290 mm wide, centred on the steering wheel and contained within the swept area of the windscreen.” Zone B is the rest of the windscreen covered by the wipers. [Read more…] about How clear is your windscreen

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Tags: driving, law, mobile phone, sat navs

Richard Hardie, Authors Reach, and Lockdown

January 15, 2021 By Allison Symes 7 Comments

It’s fair to say 2020 was challenging. Next week, I’ll be starting a new series called Launches in Lockdown. Fellow writers and I will share our experiences of launching books during what has been one of the strangest periods in modern history. (I wish I could say I was exaggerating).

There is another side to this coin. How did 2020 impact publishers? I thought I’d talk again to local YA writer and publisher, Richard Hardie. He has a good view from both sides of the fence.

Feature Image – Richard Hardie, Authors Reach, and Lockdown. Image created in Book Brush by Allison Symes (image there from Pixabay)

[Read more…] about Richard Hardie, Authors Reach, and Lockdown

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Tags: Authors Reach, book fairs, book shops, book signings, creative writing, lockdown, online events, publishing, Richard Hardie, writing and publishing dilemmas

A Quiz from Local Walks in Chandler’s Ford

January 12, 2021 By SO53 News 4 Comments

Pooh's sticks in Chandler's Ford

If you have been doing your socially distanced walk locally, you might have discovered some new things. Today we have 3 questions for you:

  1. Where can this milestone be found n Chandler’s Ford?

Where can you find this milestone in Chandler's Ford?
Where can you find this milestone in Chandler’s Ford?

2. Where can you find these pooh sticks in Chandler’s Ford?

Pooh sticks in Chandler's Ford
Pooh sticks in Chandler’s Ford

[Read more…] about A Quiz from Local Walks in Chandler’s Ford

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Tags: Chandler’s Ford community, guessing game, humour

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 153)

January 10, 2021 By Rick Goater 6 Comments

Resumption of local walks; a new dress for £6.99; paid with a joint;  “a concoction of my own”; Ship Canal shares from Gilbert; Crossbills at Woodfidley; “dear old brother”; sadness and sympathy; friends and frustrations, and an ambition fulfilled.

January 12th 1977: Gran always looks forward to new stamp issues but today’s are not her favourite:

New stamps were issued today, Racket Games, Tennis, Badminton, Squash and Table Tennis, but I think they are spoilt by the “stroke lines” on them, which look like scribble.  I sent the usual to Penang and Australia.

Image courtesy of Andy Brenan.  Gran did not like the “scribbles”

On the 13th, she tells us that, “In northern, eastern and western areas it has been the worst Winter’s day for fourteen years, with snow in some places ten feet deep”.  It is frosty in Chandler’s Ford but rain sets in later and Gran walks to Hillside for the whist drive there, “… going in Wellington boots and my old, long tweed raincoat which Jane gave me over twenty years ago, and taking warm slippers with me”. [Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 153)

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Tags: Chandler's Ford, Chandler's Ford Today, family, Hiltingbury, Hiltingbury Road, history, Joan Adamson, Joan Adelaide Goater, local interest, memory, nature, writing

A Daily Visit by Royalty – and a Sumptuous Meal for a King

January 9, 2021 By Robbie Sprague 10 Comments

Kingfisher by Mike Lane FRPS

When I built the new Wykeham House in Hiltingbury I got the digger driver to dig out a large pond in the back garden, piling the spoil at one end in readiness to make a waterfall. This was the basis for our landscaping, planting and stocking once the lining and filtration system were in place. The day at last came when we flicked the switch and the water gushed and eddied down the waterfall. This comforting sound has stayed with us for the past fifteen years and it is a joy. When the water had cleared and the balance was right we stocked our pond with twenty golden rudd, some green tench, three black comets and three shubunkin – and the odd goldfish contributed by neighbours.

Herons
Heron-proofing the pond

Over the years, and thanks to the early morning visits from a hungry heron, we lost some fish – usually speared and left on the grass – so we had to find an ingenious way of heron-proofing the pond. At first, we didn’t mind the heron’s visits; seeing that majestic bird landing and taking off was exciting but he was greedy and cruel and had to be deterred. We strung fishing line across the pond and installed a water sprayer triggered by a motion sensor. So far, so effective………..

Every early summer there are a few days of frantic activity when the water froths like a cauldron and a month or so later a large shoal of small fry of mixed variety can be spotted and, over the years the fish population has multiplied alarmingly. [Read more…] about A Daily Visit by Royalty – and a Sumptuous Meal for a King

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Tags: Chandler's Ford, Covid-19, family, Hiltingbury, lockdown, nature, storytelling

Favourite Writing Exercises and Why They’re Beneficial

January 8, 2021 By Allison Symes 4 Comments

I use a variety of writing exercises to help trigger ideas for stories though a lot of these are also useful for generating thoughts for articles.

Feature Image – Favourite Writing Exercises. Image created by Allison Symes using Book Brush (images there are from Pixabay).

[Read more…] about Favourite Writing Exercises and Why They’re Beneficial

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Tags: creative writing, fiction, non-fiction, thinking outside of the box, writing exercises

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 152)

January 3, 2021 By Rick Goater Leave a Comment

An engagement is announced; a holiday is planned; Nastase – a “rotten sport”; Katie does well; sad news of “a kind and understanding friend”; Christmas dinner – but leave the washing-up; Rob is impressed on HMS Victory; birds on the Ibsley floods, and “one of the darkest threads of life”.

Book 165

On October 23rd 1976 Gran takes part in an outing with the Southampton Natural History Society, looking for fungi in the Otterbourne area – her first such outing since her hip operation, and at the end of the day declares it to have been a great success and to have thoroughly enjoyed it.  She had been given a lift there by a kindly but unknown couple, who saw her waiting at the bus stop, and had been brought home by S.N.H.S. members Pat and Peter Heppleston.

On the 30th:

Barry, just back from the Scilly Isles, rang to tell me what a marvellous time he and the boys from Haberdashers’ Ornithological Society had enjoyed.  Barry had seen nine new species as well as many exciting but previously recorded ones, mostly American, but I cannot remember all he mentioned.

Many regular participants in the Scilly Isles birding scene during the 1970s and ’80s were sketched by another regular, Bryan Bland. This one was of Barry. Greatcoats were de rigueur for a while.

[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 152)

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Tags: Chandler's Ford, Chandler's Ford Today, family, Hiltingbury, Hiltingbury Road, history, Joan Adamson, Joan Adelaide Goater, local interest, memory, nature, writing

The Christmas Jigsaw Tradition

January 2, 2021 By chippy minton 11 Comments

partially complete jigsaw - marmite

One of my childhood family’s traditional Christmas holiday pastimes was to complete a jigsaw puzzle (or two).  Christmas presents generally included at least one puzzle.  This year’s Covid-19 restrictions on travel and socialising made it a good time to resurrect the tradition with my adult family.

There is something incredibly relaxing and therapeutic about tacking a jigsaw puzzle.  You can’t rush a jigsaw; it takes as long as it takes.  They are addictive too – once you’ve started you have to keep going.  One evening, Mrs Chippy and I had to remind ourselves that it was 11.30 pm and we really should be going to bed.  I have been known to stay up into the early hours in order to finish a puzzle. [Read more…] about The Christmas Jigsaw Tradition

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Tags: board games, Christmas, Christmas traditions, coronavirus, Covid-19, Eastleigh, family memories, lockdown, pastimes, puzzles, storytelling, tradition

Wellie’s Gardening Tips – January 2021

January 2, 2021 By Wellie Leave a Comment

This is a great time to plan what you would like to do in the garden for the rest of the year. Take a note book and walk around the garden. Look at seed catalogues for ideas of what to sow.

Red apples on a tree in the garden - image by kaboompics.
Red apples on a tree in the garden – image by kaboompics.

[Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips – January 2021

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Tags: Chandler’s Ford community, gardening, gardening tips, hobby, how-to, nature

Keeping us Cheerful – the Windmills of my Mind

January 2, 2021 By Robbie Sprague 7 Comments

Little windmills in the front garden

On April Fools’ Day 2019, I had the following letter published in the Daily Telegraph:

Sir,

Every lawn in my road has been devastated by crows frantically digging for chafer grubs. The day they started on my lawn I ordered two hundred and fifty children’s windmills and placed them over the entire grassed area of my front garden. That was five months ago and not one crow has ventured into our garden and our grass has flourished. These colourful windmills are a great source of entertainment for families walking up and down the street – one or two have even spread into neighbouring gardens.

Having had success, I decided to harness the potential of each windmill by modifying them to become miniature wind turbines, interconnecting them and linking them to the National Grid. The power that is generated reduces the cost of my electricity bill by approximately 25%.

In these challenging Brexit times when we all have to become more self- sufficient, I offer this simple, yet effective scheme to save your readers money – and to fend off crows.

Sincerely,

We have given away literally hundreds of windmills to little – and not so little – children.
“I ordered two hundred and fifty children’s windmills and placed them over the entire grassed area of my front garden.”

[Read more…] about Keeping us Cheerful – the Windmills of my Mind

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Tags: Chandler's Ford, coronavirus, Covid-19, family memories, good neighbours, Hiltingbury, humour, lockdown, publication, science, storytelling, writing

New Year 2021 – Apprehension or Hope?

January 1, 2021 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Did you see the New Year in? I don’t bother these days, to be honest. I treasure my sleep more but I must admit I’m not sorry to see the back of 2020. Along with the majority of the world’s population I would’ve thought!

Having said that, and despite cancelled author events etc., 2020 was a good year for me professionally. It is funny how things can work out.

Feature Image – New Year 2021 – Apprehension or Hope. Image created on Book Brush by Allison Symes.

[Read more…] about New Year 2021 – Apprehension or Hope?

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Tags: Chat and Spin Radio, cheering up others. hope, escapism, Hannah's Bookshelf, negative, New Year, North Manchester FM, podcast, positive, radio, The Writing and Marketing Show, things to look forward to, Wendy H Jones, writing

What to do in Lockdown

December 31, 2020 By Mike Sedgwick 6 Comments

The gazebo

A Happy New Year to all Chandler’s Ford Today readers. Is there anything to be happy about? The only good news is that I have had the first of my vaccination jabs against COVID-19 (the Pfizer-BioN Tech for the techies, I can even tell you the Batch number if you like). The next one is due on Jan 9th. Then, at the end of January, I shall be free, protected, like a modern-day knight in armour. The vaccine is 95% effective. Does that mean that, if I get COVID, it will only be 5% as bad as expected? Or does it mean one in 20 of us might get COVID? More important is, although I am protected, could I spread the virus to others?

More important still is that the AstraZenaca vaccine is now approved and is more robust in that it is easier to store and distribute.

Vaccine Image via Kaboompics
Vaccine Image via Kaboompics

Party Outdoors

[Read more…] about What to do in Lockdown

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Tags: Chandler's Ford, coronavirus, Covid-19, family memories, Hiltingbury, lockdown, publication, science, storytelling, writing

Rumours of a cancelled Christmas have been greatly over-exaggerated

December 20, 2020 By chippy minton 7 Comments

Headlines across many of the today’s Sunday papers have been along the lines of “Christmas is Cancelled”, “The virus that stole Christmas” and other such hyperbole.  No, Christmas is not cancelled; Christmas has not been stolen.

December 25, Christmas Day, will still arrive this Friday.  OK, it may arrive in a different way than expected and we may have to spend a couple of days this week in reassessing and rearranging our plans.  But arrive it will surely do.

Negative language such as “killed”, “cancelled” and “ruined” gives pessimistic connotations to the thought of a scaled-back Christmas.  So rather than a problem, let’s see this as an opportunity. [Read more…] about Rumours of a cancelled Christmas have been greatly over-exaggerated

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Tags: Christmas, Christmas 2020, lockdown

Festive Afternoon Tea

December 20, 2020 By chippy minton 2 Comments

Christmas may unexpectedly be being scaled back in many households, but there is still time to give yourself an indulgent treat.

Following the success of the takeaway afternoon tea in the summer, the Blackbird Café at Pavilion on the Park (Kingfisher Road) are offering a festive afternoon tea, available for delivery in the local area up to Christmas Eve.

Two rounds of sandwiches, a small Yorkshire pudding with beef and horseradish, a pig in blanket, two slices of cake (one fruit, one sponge) and a mince pie.  A Christmas cracker is also supplied, and a tea bag for the essential accompanying beverage.  Gluten-free and vegetarian options are available. [Read more…] about Festive Afternoon Tea

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Tags: blackbird cafe, Christmas, pavilion on the park

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 151)

December 20, 2020 By Rick Goater 2 Comments

Heat and drought; no more sticks; the Schneider Trophy; back on the bike; a resignation; disapproval at a banquet; trying to save Beattie’s field; a new bird at Keyhaven; “Granny” Pickford is 90, and budgie match-making.

The 1976 drought continues and Gran writes on August 8th, “Oh for a few days of gentle rain!”.  Two days later she has a dental appointment and writes gratefully:

It was very hot indeed and the surgery was not yet open – it was ten minutes to two – so I went into the V.G. stores… I asked if I might wait in the cool shop and was kindly offered a stool to sit on by the cold counter.

And she adds that, “Trying to water the garden is a heart-breaking job in this driest Summer since 1727!” [Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 151)

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Tags: Chandler's Ford, Chandler's Ford Today, family, Hiltingbury, Hiltingbury Road, history, Joan Adamson, Joan Adelaide Goater, local interest, memory, nature, writing

O Tidings…!

December 18, 2020 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

The title for this week’s post comes from the old Christmas Carol, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen of course and the moment I hear it or sing it, I automatically think of Dickens (and from there to his wonderful story, A Christmas Carol).

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

[Read more…] about O Tidings…!

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Tags: angels, Christmas carols, Christmas flash fiction stories, communication, Nativity, news, shepherds, tidings

‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’ – Churches Together in Chandler’s Ford

December 13, 2020 By Churches Together in Chandler's Ford Leave a Comment

Christmas 2020 - God is with you, with me, and with us.
https://chandlersfordtoday.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/CT-Oh-Come-All-Ye-Faithful-2-1.mp3

Usually at this time of year musicians and singers from the Churches of Chandler’s Ford join forces to serenade Christmas shoppers in our local ASDA with a selection of carols. This year COVID restrictions and regulations have meant it is not possible but instead we were invited to provide a carol for the store radio in December.

This very familiar carol , with a modern twist is an invitation to gather joyfully to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Gathering and Joy may feel in short supply this year but Christians everywhere believe that when God came in Jesus to share the sufferings of humanity he showed his love for us and that is a cause for celebration.

Whoever you are with this Christmas, God is with us. We invite you to share in the comfort of this. We wish you a joyful Christmas.

Christmas 2020 - God is with you, with me, and with us.
Christmas 2020 – God is with you, with me, and with us.

[Read more…] about ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’ – Churches Together in Chandler’s Ford

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Tags: Chandler’s Ford community, Christianity, Christmas, church, churches together, community, history, local interest, religion, tradition
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Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

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Reviews of local performances and places

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