Chandler's Ford Today

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My Adventure in Wales – Zip World Velocity 2

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I’m sharing the video of my adventure in Wales recently.

I went up there to stay in a farm cottage for a week with my wife and daughter. My wife Val has Parkinson’s disease so it was a good change of scenery for her for a few days and it was the Thursday of our Holiday that we ventured out to Zip World.

A zip wire adventure in Wales - Andy Vining.
A zip wire adventure in Wales – Andy Vining.

I had booked in the date and time some day before so we arrived and I got my wife settled into the very nice restaurant there and the staff said they would look after her while I went on my adventure. [Read more…] about My Adventure in Wales – Zip World Velocity 2

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Places Leisure Community Celebration Day

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Places Leisure (the new leisure centre at Fleming Park) held a Community Celebration Day yesterday (17 February).  “You’re an active sporty type of person,” the editor told me.  “Go down and see what is there.”

Balloons around the main entrance
The main entrance – festooned with balloons for the Community Celebration Day

I tried to protest that a bit of running each week doesn’t necessarily define an active sports type of person, but actually was quite looking forward to the chance to go and have a look round the facilities. [Read more…] about Places Leisure Community Celebration Day

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Review the Watercress Line

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One of my favourite post-Christmas traditions is to ride on the Watercress Line between Alresford and Alton just after the end of the Santa specials and before New Year.

My family used the Santa specials years ago when my son was younger and the present given was always a good one. The downside is these Santa trains are very popular and booking early is a must (not a downside from the Watercress Line’s viewpoint of course) but now my son is older, we can avoid all that! The post-Christmas trains are also busy but not to the same extent and booking is generally not necessary. [Read more…] about Review the Watercress Line

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World Book Night 2016 and the 400th Anniversary of Shakespeare

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World Book Night is on 23rd April each year, this being the date of William Shakespeare’s birth and his death.

World Book Night also links to the day of the death of Cervantes (author of Don Quixote), Spain’s literary hero, St. George’s Day and UNESCO’s Day of the Book (which I think is a fantastic title). [Read more…] about World Book Night 2016 and the 400th Anniversary of Shakespeare

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My Top 10 Terry Pratchett Characters

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What is the best thing about fiction for you? The plot? The characters?

For me, the characters are everything.  The best plot in the world will fail unless it has the characters to “run” with it.

Do you prefer stand alone novels or a series? [Read more…] about My Top 10 Terry Pratchett Characters

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Top 10 Reasons to Love Books

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I have loved books, especially fiction, since I was very young.

My mother taught me how to read but was told off for it by teachers when I started school because she hadn’t done it in the correct way. I think these days she’d probably be given a medal. Mind, with all the issues in the news recently, I sometimes wonder how any of us of a certain age ever made it through the 1970s! [Read more…] about Top 10 Reasons to Love Books

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My Favourite Fairytales

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When I was very young, my father gave me The Reader’s Digest of Fairy Tales. These were in two hardback volumes and contained the original versions of the classic stories.

I still have these books, which are bound up with tape to stop them falling apart, as I couldn’t tell you how often I read them. There are also wonderful illustrations of the characters. [Read more…] about My Favourite Fairytales

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My Desert Island Books

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There are many Radio 4 shows I love but I am especially fond of Desert Island Discs.  My only problem with it is I would want to take at least 8 books with me to the fictional island, as well as the pieces of music.  Since I can’t arrange that, I thought I would share what I love most about stories and list some of my favourites.

One of the first things I pack when getting ready for going on holiday is at least one good book (I also take The Good Book but that’s another matter!).

A good story, whether it is a full length novel or a shorter piece, stays with you long after you have finished reading it.

Writers are lucky here as if it is their story. They get the pleasure of writing it (and reading it first!).

[Read more…] about My Desert Island Books

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What Has Chandler’s Ford Done for Me?

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How many lives do you have? One? Two (the one at work, the one at home for example)? Three (work, home, involvement in amateur dramatics or the church, say)?

I have had multiple lives in Chandler’s Ford but will focus on two: before becoming a dog owner and since then and before becoming a writer and since. Chandler’s Ford has influenced both. [Read more…] about What Has Chandler’s Ford Done for Me?

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Log Fires

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You must have lit fires when you were young and out in the country.

It’s frowned upon by adults but you have to do these things to learn.

The first lesson is that wet things do not burn. The second is that there is nothing as satisfying as something cooked on your own log fire. [Read more…] about Log Fires

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