Excitement for the grandchildren on the day of a visit to Marwell Zoo. Parents primed, grandparents had the tickets but it was raining stair rods. So we went to the Pub for lunch. As the bill was paid, the air cleared and the sun came out.
Many people have mixed feelings about zoos and I am one of them. There is nothing to beat the thrill of seeing a wild animal in its natural surroundings even if it is only a glimpse. [Read more…] about Visit to Marwell Zoo and Animal Conservation
I visited the National Gallery again. I always feel uneasy about the place and have never worked out why. Do you have a sense of unease?
It is a national treasure and we are proud of it but it is not like Nelson’s Column and Trafalgar Square. [Read more…] about National Gallery and the Prince
I met Felicity Fair Thompson of Wight Diamond Press at the Isle of Wight Weekend Writers’ Conference, which she ran from 2000 to 2005. The conferences were held in Sandown.
I also met Gill James, later of Bridge House Publishing, at one of these conferences and she became the publisher for my first accepted short story, A Helping Hand in the anthology, Alternative Renditions. Wheels within wheels so to speak… [Read more…] about Life as a Small Publisher: Allison Symes Talks to Felicity Fair Thompson
The early 1980s.
Telephones were attached to the wall by lines; an international call meant going through the operator – and was very, very expensive; a television remote control meant getting your child to walk over to the set to change the channel; the Intercity-125 was the epitome of modern train travel; Torville and Dean ice skated to victory; Sheffield was famous for its cutlery; children sat O-levels and CSEs – and organised protests to complain about school rules that they didn’t like; people who were out of work were “on the dole” and claimed “social security”; [Read more…] about Theatre Review: Thornden School: The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾
Hut Wood is one of those delightful bits of countryside that is just on our doorstep, yet few people seem to know about.
Well, there is an excuse – it’s managed by the Forestry Commission, but even their website doesn’t admit to its existence.
The wood lies to the west of the road from Asda in Eastleigh to Chilworth, just before the bridge over the M27 link road. [Read more…] about Delightful Hut Wood – Have You Been Yet?
Gill James and I met at the Isle of Wight Writers’ Conference, which was run by Felicity Fair Thompson from 2000 to 2005.
This was a weekend conference based in Shanklin or Sandown with guest speakers. There was a special speaker after the main Conference dinner on the Saturday night. David Nobbs (Reggie Perrin) and Raymond Allen (Some Mothers Do Have Them) were just two of the after dinner speakers who entertained us all. [Read more…] about Life as a Small Publisher: Allison Symes Talks to Gill James
Wednesday was the first showing of the Chameleon Theatre Company’s Fawlty Towers.
I got to see it on Tuesday night at a free “press screening” and a special night to entertain the elderly from our local nursing homes in Chandler’s Ford.
Here is my review of the show. [Read more…] about Review: Fawlty Towers by Chameleon Theatre Company
I’ve loved Doctor Who since I was a child. I was gripped by the stories, terrified by the Daleks (while at the same time enjoying every moment of being terrified!) and couldn’t wait to tune in to the following week’s edition.
As I was growing up you had one story spread over several parts and it seemed an age before I was to find out if Tom Baker, “my Doctor”, was going to pull the leads apart that would lead to the destruction of the Daleks in Genesis of the Daleks. [Read more…] about The Doctor Who Experience by Allison Symes
I met Richard Hardie, walking Benji, whilst walking my first dog, Gracie, in the Hiltingbury Recreation Ground. Not only did we have dog walking in common, we soon discovered we shared a love of books, especially Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, and creative writing.
Richard and I have work in The Shambelurklers Return, which is raising money for the National Autistic Society and is available in W.H. Smith in the Fryern Arcade of Chandler’s Ford. [Read more…] about An Interview with Author Richard Hardie by Allison Symes
While I was interviewing local author, Richard Hardie (author of Leap of Faith and Trouble with Swords), we discussed favourite books and writers. Then came the sad announcement of Sir Terry Pratchett’s death after a long battle with a rare form of Alzheimer’s.
Richard and I share a huge admiration for the Discworld novels. [Read more…] about Sir Terry Pratchett 1948-2015: An Appreciation from Chandler’s Ford
The kids have gone out for a ‘Works’ evening. That means mountains of chips, steak and sticky toffee pudding all washed down the gullet with tsunamis of lager and rioja. They would not be well the next day.
So, as often before, we have our lovely 20 month old granddaughter to look after for the night. My wife is a super Nana and takes it all in her stride. All went well until 4.00am when my wife got up. Not for the baby but for the Norovirus which had struck. [Read more…] about Why Don’t They Say They Are Nappies?
People blog about, talk about, write about and visit Fryern Arcade in Chandler’s Ford so there must be something good about it.
Shortly after Fryern was opened in 1967, Ian Nairn, an architectural journalist wrote in the Observer (October 8th 1967) about Fryern and compared it with a similar development, the Fairwater Centre, in Cwmbran, South Wales. [Read more…] about The Good and the Bad of Fryern Arcade
Let’s have a look at the Bible during Lent.
How many of the Ten Commandments do you know?
Most people can probably remember that there’s one about graven images, one about killing (actually it’s murder, but that’s a whole different argument) and coveting (because the first time they heard it they had to rush for a dictionary to find out what “covet” meant”).
Here they are: [Read more…] about How Many of the Ten Commandments Do You Know?
It is a truth universally acknowledged that Pride and Prejudice is the greatest of all Jane Austen’s works.
It is a blueprint for romantic comedy and Elizabeth Bennet remains one of my favourite literary heroines, being quick witted and intelligent at a time when that was not particularly welcomed. (It isn’t always welcomed now in some places, unfortunately). [Read more…] about Jane Austen: An Appreciation by Allison Symes
For my latest suggestion of places to go for a day out I’m going to turn to what I call the New Forest’s best kept secret – mainly because I’d never heard of it until a couple of years ago.
Blashford Lakes, near Ringwood, is a set of former gravel quarries that have been flooded and turned into a nature reserve. It is run by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. [Read more…] about Days Out: Blashford Lakes
Books can be dangerous because they deal in ideas so I reckon the two most dangerous places in Chandler’s Ford are our wonderful library and W.H.Smith at Fryern since one lends out books and the other sells them!
It is also fantastic that, especially after the loss of The Arcade Bookshop, we have another bookseller and our library is a real asset. May both keep going from strength to strength.
[Read more…] about Book Review: The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
Last weekend we watched The Wizard of Oz pantomime, performed by the Chameleon Theatre Company from Chandler’s Ford.
It was a hilarious show, directed by Geoff Dodsworth.
I interviewed the audience (er, my teenage son Ben, who did a review of The Ladykillers by the Chameleons last year). [Read more…] about Review: The Wizard of Oz by the Chameleons
Today Chandler’s Ford Today is going to honour one of our regular commenters with The Official Pedant Award.
The winner is Ruby.
Ruby has made 76 comments on Chandler’s Ford Today so far.
In the current Private Eye Issue (No. 1384, 23 January to 5 February 2015), Ruby (or better known as Ruby Barefoot) has made it to Pedantry Corner. [Read more…] about Ruby: Winner of the Official Pedant Award
Here’s the first of what may become an occasional (or very occasional) series of suggestions for days out.
It’s my opportunity to recommend places that you might not otherwise hear about, or think of to visit.
My rough criteria will be that it has to be doable as a day trip, and have admission charges that won’t break the bank – [Read more…] about Days Out: Pendon Museum
The most difficult job in television must be producing an advert that people will watch.
When the adverts come on, most people get up to make a cup of tea or visit the loo or maybe start to argue about what to watch next.
There have been some notable adverts worth watching. The first UK commercial TV advert was for SR toothpaste [Read more…] about The Voice And A Raven
