Dear readers, please be assured that I’m not mad. It’s only January and I’m talking about Selwood’s Christmas tree – their bright, stunning tree that gives us a glimmer of hope on those endless cold, dark evenings.
While I processed a backlog of my Chandler’s Ford Today emails today, I came across an email from Richard Bright, the owner of Selwood. [Read more…] about Why am I Talking about Selwood’s Christmas Tree in January?
The new year begins, and that morning Gran is uplifted, writing:
I was delighted… when my kitchen spider, who has lain inanimate for weeks without food on her great batch of eggs, suddenly descended on a silken thread to the window-sill and then ascended again with tremendous agility to her eggs. I thought she had been dead a long time and was overjoyed to find her well and active.
[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 76)
The origin of stories is an interesting one in itself – oral was king long before print became a reality. It had to be given the lack of literacy as we know it now but what I find great is that the oral tradition is still hugely important and will remain so. This to me implies a consistent flow of stories over the centuries and long may that continue. The world of stories should not remain static (otherwise it will stagnate and what stagnates dies). [Read more…] about The Story of Stories – Ali Baba
Right now is the height of the pantomime season and I’m looking forward to seeing The Chameleons’ production of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves soon. It should be great fun (as Robin Hood was before). One common element to pantomimes is the use of magic. It comes in somewhere to make the character change directions or to rescue them from what seems an inescapable problem.
So let’s pretend the fairy godmother has turned up for us and, being the kindly soul she is, offered us three wishes. What would you go for? Firstly, the ground rules (you knew there would be some, bureaucracy gets everywhere!). [Read more…] about Three Wishes
Over the years, you pick up many useful writing tips and then you need to work out which are the most useful to you. Following on from an earlier CFT post of mine about writing tips, I thought I’d take a look in greater depth at why I use the tips that I do.
In general, I don’t look at those tips for playwrights, given that’s not my specialism, but one that is aimed at them (read your work out loud) is good advice regardless of what type of fiction you write. It also works well for non-fiction given it can help you pick up on whether your prose flows as well as you thought. So how do you deduce which writing tips are the most useful? [Read more…] about Tried and Tested Writing Tips
Some of my post-Christmas traditions include riding on the Watercress Line, having a day trip to Dorset and walking along West Bay beach, enjoying a New Forest walk, and catching up with members of the family who live a little further away. Have ticked those all off for this year and a good time was had by all.
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year celebration. Many best wishes for 2019 from us all at CFT! [Read more…] about Winter Traditions
Newfoundland dogs are primarily designed for water activities. Although many breeds can be successfully trained for water work, such a Labradors and Spaniels who work as gun dogs, the Newfoundland is distinguished by its size and strength, which together with its webbed feet, double coat which assists buoyancy, renders it suitable for boat work and water rescue. Additionally, their swimming stroke is closer to a breaststroke, with the front legs moving sideways rather than a doggy paddle, which means that they appear to glide through the water without splashing at considerable speed. [Read more…] about Newfoundland Dogs Water Work in Chandler’s Ford
It is the season of parties, not to be left out, we are arranging one. Is it any different in Sri Lanka?
Sri Lankans do not seem to plan their diaries too far ahead nor do they always respond to invites but they turn up on the dot. There is no angst about who to invite and there is no angst about who should come. If you have friends staying, you take them along. [Read more…] about Party
It may be me becoming more cynical but isn’t every year described as a “momentous year” somewhere in the media? Certainly you’ll hear a lot of that phrase in the next few days!
It is true 2018 has had its moments but it will be overshadowed by 2019 and whatever happens with Brexit. And that is as political as I want to get! [Read more…] about Year End Review 2018 – Allison Symes
Merry Christmas and Happy New year to all our writers, readers, contributors, and friends ……
It’s a brief message – I want to thank you all for writing, reading, commenting, and sharing our articles. [Read more…] about Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Chandler’s Ford Today
Almost time to start eating the Christmas cake – but first I better make it.
I use the trusted recipe I’ve been using for years – and my mother used before me. It comes from an old and well-used recipe book. [Read more…] about Baking the Christmas Cake
On November 21st 1955, Gran is surprisingly sanguine about the unwelcome developments on her doorstep:
This afternoon I finished the Poppy calendar and decided this is the one for Mary. Somehow it looks like hers. The sun was still shining, burnishing the tips of the trees opposite here, whereon a few last golden leaves are clinging, and giving a beautiful sheen to the velvet-dark Yew trees, which, thank God, are still standing. But the opposite wood is pitiably thinned and a little township is springing up where once I gathered blackberries and vetch, and listened to the warblers, watched the Siskins and saw the first Brimstones in Spring. Soon I shall have to roam far afield for the glories that have been on my doorstep for over twenty-seven years. But I am very grateful for the years in which I have known them.
[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 75)
Image credit: Jill Mayes [Read more…] about Chandler’s Ford Saturday Guessing Game (23)
Regular listeners to Radio 2’s Simon Mayo programme will be familiar with the Confessions slot where listeners write in with their admissions of guilt for past misdemeanours. With the imminent departure of Mr. Mayo from the station, I no longer have an opportunity to bring my Christmas confession before the nation. Instead I seek forgiveness from the good readers of Chandlers Ford Today.
As we approach the weekend of Christmas carol services, I am reminded of this shameful event from when I was a child of ten or eleven. [Read more…] about A Christmastide Confession
One of the things I love about this time of year is that it is a wonderful time for stories. The weather’s cold and grim, it can be getting dark by 3.30 pm (which I find depressing), there’s not much on TV, so what could be better than keeping cosy and warm while reading a good book?
Naturally the publishers try to tap into this. It is with very good reason the Christmas book market is a major “pay day” for publishers and long may that continue. Book sales now should help fund the discovery of other writers and fabulous books later. [Read more…] about Christmas Stories – Allison Symes
By Andy Milner
Christmas is a busy time of year for most charities and the Jubilee Sailing trust (JST) is no exception.
Having enjoyed a lovely day at the Chandler’s Ford Joint Charities Christmas Market, we also attended the Romsey Christmas Market and most recently the Winchester Christmas Market in the stunning setting of Cathedral Close. [Read more…] about Sailing into Christmas with the Jubilee Sailing
On October 21st 1955, Gran tells us that tomorrow will be a full day:
…for I leave home …for London where later I visit the British Empire Naturalists’ Association Jubilee Exhibition at Kensington Museum, in which my flower paintings and Jane’s collection of birds’ feathers will be on view. I shall stay at Kingston for the night and go on to the London B.E.N.A. field outing on Sunday…
The journey by train early the following morning frustrates her; to start with, the train is six minutes late, and, she adds:
…throughout the journey, steamy windows within the carriage, smoke from the train without on one side, and the fact that I could not get a corner seat, all contrived to restrict my observations to the very minimum.
[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 74)
I’ve been writing my Christmas cards this weekend. I’ve been using pretty much the same Christmas Card list that I’ve used for the last few years and it always strikes me that it contains a couple of anomalies.
Firstly, there are the people for whom our only communication is the annual Christmas card. Should I still bother sending them cards? Secondly, there are the people I know won’t send me a card. Should I still bother sending them cards? [Read more…] about Christmas Cards
Today’s guessing game we would love to hear about your Christmas memories.
[Read more…] about Chandler’s Ford Saturday Guessing Game (22)
On 1st December, it was my great joy to travel to London once again to meet up with fellow Bridge House Publishing/Cafelit/Chapeltown Books authors at the annual celebration event. On the way up by train, I enjoyed my usual routine of writing stories on my phone app and getting quite a bit of work done by the time I got into Waterloo. [Read more…] about Celebrations, Crackers, Chapeltown, and Cafelit – London 2018
