tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34410512663783056512024-02-19T01:34:51.315+00:00Diary of a Mummy Misfit BlogPosts from author AMANDA EGAN - See book links belowAmanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.comBlogger334125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-80368740558751505182021-01-06T17:09:00.001+00:002022-08-01T15:18:22.256+01:00The View From my Virus Soapbox<p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->Anyone who used to be a regular reader here, in the days
when I used to blog EVERY DAY, is probably having heart failure at my
return!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, it’s been a while but there
have been various reasons for that.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To begin with it was time related – between writing books/working
on the musical adaptation of 'Stilettos & Stubble'/self promoting and also caring for my mum, there just never seemed to be
enough hours to sit down and write a regular post.
</p><p class="MsoNormal">Then I got to the point where there just didn’t seem to be
anything of any interest to blog about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I guess I lost faith in myself and along with it my mojo - what would be
the point of blogging about baking sourdough bread from scratch or the benefits
of cupboard sorting during lockdown when so many others were already doing it?
</p><p class="MsoNormal">Having said all that, the last few days have made me realize
that I want my voice back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Watching TV,
listening to the radio, popping on to Twitter or Facebook: everyone has an
opinion on what our world is going through right now and we all want to be
heard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course we do – we’re scared,
we’re confused and we’re seeing our lives change in ways we never imagined
possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through this fear and
confusion, I see people going head to head in battle with their differing
opinions – some more vehemently than others, some convinced they have the whole
situation sussed and some who, quite frankly, shouldn’t be allowed out in
polite society EVER – let alone during a lockdown.
</p><p class="MsoNormal">So, with my newfound voice, here’s my take on our new world
– you won’t all agree and that’s fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>All I ask is that I’m treated with the same respect that I would treat
someone with a differing opinion.
</p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">NONE
of us know where this virus came from or how long it’s here for but it IS
real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those claiming it’s a hoax or
a conspiracy made up by the big guns for a ‘re-set’ need to spend a day in
a hospital or lose a loved one.</li></ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">NONE
of us know how it will affect us personally unless we’ve had it. Yes, it
can be as mild as a cold or flu for some but, old or young, it can still
be a killer or leave long term effects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Those refusing to believe it can be serious are simply sticking
their heads in the sand.</li></ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">NONE
of us know for sure if masks work to protect us but if you refuse to wear
one or refer to them as ‘face nappies’, PLEASE just stay at home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want you in my face and I
definitely don’t want to hear your opinions on how your human rights are
being taken away. Tell that to my mum’s generation who wore gas masks,
shivered in air aid shelters, lived on rations for years and were
evacuated away from their loved ones.</li></ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">NONE
of us can possibly say that we envy Boris Johnson his job. He’s not
perfect and I’m not a fan but would any of our current politicians have
done a better job?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one in our
history has had to deal with a situation like this and I think we have to
remember that, to a certain extent, Boris is just the face and the
voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He ISN’T the sole policy
maker - he has advisors, decisions are made and then he delivers the news.
His bumbling, upper-class, pompous twang doesn’t do him any favours but
that’s simply who he is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t
think we can hold him wholly responsible for the mess we’re in – one man
does not run our country and it would be naïve to believe that.</li></ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">NONE
of us enjoy Lockdowns but the reason they’re not working is because of the
selfish few who don’t believe that they apply to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rise in cases, particularly over
Christmas, speaks for itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
virus hasn’t got out of control by people going for a walk or taking a
quick trip to the supermarket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
advice, if you’re REALLY anti-lockdowns is, the quicker you do as you’re
told, the quicker they will come to an end. Human rights again?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell that to the old lady you infected
in the supermarket because you chose to party over Christmas and then
refuse to wear a mask. Honestly. I’m sick of excuses and sick of the ‘I’m
alright, Jack’ attitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> ‘all in this together’ because
of the selfish brats who refuse to play by the rules. Yes, RULES.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think you’ll find that for society to
remain civilized, they’re kind of a necessity.</li></ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">NONE
of us know how quickly the vaccine will be rolled out or how effective it
will be. Boris was wrong to put figures and a time-stamp to the first
tranche – if he fails, he’ll be under attack again but he’ll also be
criticized for being evasive if he doesn’t. Will he never learn?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My personal thoughts on the vaccine as a
dreaded anti-vaxxer?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you want to
go ahead and have it, I have no issue with your choice so please respect
mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personally, I think it’s too
soon to be sure of side effects, allergies, efficacy and the need/timeframe
for re-inoculation. Also, as stated in last night’s press conference, it
is now recognized that vaccines cause viruses to mutate, so where does the
merry-go-round end? I’m really happy for those who see it as a passport to
freedom without questioning it at all but, just occasionally, I’d like to
see people interviewed on mainstream TV or radio who have a different
point of view – I feel they (we) are being silenced and that worries me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m also slightly confused as to how vaccinating
the elderly and vulnerable is going to get our country back to some kind
of normality, as we’ve been promised.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These aren’t the people who have been spreading the virus, are
they? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Am I missing something here?
Surely the young, the healthy and the Covidiots will continue to help the
virus grow.</li></ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">NONE
of us –politicians, the general public or even the scientists– are definitive experts
on this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a completely new
strain of virus that we are learning more about every day. We can spout our
views and opinions until the cows come home but, at the end of the day, it
changes nothing. Right now, Covid-19 is the boss of everyone whether you
believe in it or not. </li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal">There.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stepping off
my soapbox.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’d like to leave
comments – feel free. If you’re rude or offensive, they won’t be posted.
Healthy debates welcomed but not abuse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the words of our Queen – ‘We WILL meet again’ but I think we need to
be adding the next line now – ‘Don’t know where, don’t know when’! </p>
Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-89905146870384462012019-11-11T14:49:00.001+00:002019-11-11T23:13:44.897+00:00Back to the 70's Fundraiser for Age UK, WandsworthWe survived! (Although try telling that to our legs!). My fundraiser for Age UK in memory of my mum was a fantastic success and all the guests said what a great night it was.<br />
<br />
We raised £1,350 which, considering we had to pay for the venue, the entertainer, the decorations/props and some of the food, I'm delighted with. Every penny will go to help the elderly in the borough of Wandsworth so huge thanks to all those who helped make it possible (raffle list and contributors at end of this blog).<br />
<br />
As our usual venue closed down we hosted this year's event at St Mary's church hall, Putney. Wow! Such friendly and helpful staff and the space lent itself fantastically to our 70's theme. You'll see from the pictures that we managed to transform it into a funky disco and it was lovely to see so many guests turn up in costume.<br />
<br />
As with each event we learn from mistakes - this year's being ... NEVER do the catering again! Pappa Ciccia, Fulham kindly delivered deliciously hot, fresh pizzas for each table so we totally over-estimated the food that we prepared and served. Thankfully, son's fianc<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">é</span>e took to the web and found a hungry student who was having friends round and she came to collect the mound of leftovers the following day!<br />
<br />
Next year we're hoping to host a Hollywood Night - I just need to find the perfect venue, a generous caterer and, hopefully, a wealthy sponsor!<br />
<br />
Enjoy the pictures ...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpnYG_XKrVVEb2K13RJBQbZglQZ2_GnQW2x7QxHaAyfqQnrLH6hIxyrCMvtYa5sdlTc2k8kReMPxYuSphLnklQxuA_FeTgW1vsye8HQ7nod4Lmu9x85oEHxNP7Swn7xROS5KKXnGcoeU/s1600/me+and+ben.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpnYG_XKrVVEb2K13RJBQbZglQZ2_GnQW2x7QxHaAyfqQnrLH6hIxyrCMvtYa5sdlTc2k8kReMPxYuSphLnklQxuA_FeTgW1vsye8HQ7nod4Lmu9x85oEHxNP7Swn7xROS5KKXnGcoeU/s320/me+and+ben.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With son before we set off - I am still removing glitter today! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKhHzAchF9KXoQFK3qyt44muSL4AseXhfM4iJd2lcB2tZ3FsfNYP4X9lkWzKU-AEKDY1fM98Bspi08UqVTuYhrOpyyWh84ECLceKIChlAoahs_imaxXYeGINbLwvz4ntr33OgJbOssS0/s1600/me+and+r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKhHzAchF9KXoQFK3qyt44muSL4AseXhfM4iJd2lcB2tZ3FsfNYP4X9lkWzKU-AEKDY1fM98Bspi08UqVTuYhrOpyyWh84ECLceKIChlAoahs_imaxXYeGINbLwvz4ntr33OgJbOssS0/s320/me+and+r.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready and waiting for the guests - my husband, the game show host!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAKFfzU2J7bh5ZfAmVllulfrJSKHYwAGaLJk16bfbtdo6zsG_nOJbGw4M0tnH2P9IDlXlye96bIgobtwdk_kSOfJRQ_6iJboOTzZ35Kp4HnvMh8YgoWv4MpcbqTZLAOTqyCcYdAYzVEM/s1600/welcome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAKFfzU2J7bh5ZfAmVllulfrJSKHYwAGaLJk16bfbtdo6zsG_nOJbGw4M0tnH2P9IDlXlye96bIgobtwdk_kSOfJRQ_6iJboOTzZ35Kp4HnvMh8YgoWv4MpcbqTZLAOTqyCcYdAYzVEM/s320/welcome.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Welcome table</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nKTLsyh4WE1VEN5eDSaWr4qYMjknx79dtmgDe2hwn7-DnNTUrtXiZAhd7yBG5Cc2Wu8GAGFuBX842TpeRGK71lPAPk0NrGOEYbsct-zcYt-e3A97ZMYYNqDISB6NsC4OVaVnDaq15YU/s1600/windows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nKTLsyh4WE1VEN5eDSaWr4qYMjknx79dtmgDe2hwn7-DnNTUrtXiZAhd7yBG5Cc2Wu8GAGFuBX842TpeRGK71lPAPk0NrGOEYbsct-zcYt-e3A97ZMYYNqDISB6NsC4OVaVnDaq15YU/s320/windows.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Son did a great job of the windows featuring my album covers from the 70's</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhocunoAUNqrzcTv5Y17fi9e-MbdfwRGO4Un-jiFaKPX_-oWTHK3A6i8OWDEPcJxVbZ-xctQx1QrXlA37jJjVEWmqgTgStfksgpv6CIMVG6b5Cn9Iu_25fb1-LfZzcH3BDbMcMXXlfw1kE/s1600/raffle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhocunoAUNqrzcTv5Y17fi9e-MbdfwRGO4Un-jiFaKPX_-oWTHK3A6i8OWDEPcJxVbZ-xctQx1QrXlA37jJjVEWmqgTgStfksgpv6CIMVG6b5Cn9Iu_25fb1-LfZzcH3BDbMcMXXlfw1kE/s320/raffle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The raffle table alongside the cupcake lottery and guess the weight of the cake</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijm7VwzQm_1_BdFc85YCTYyZ3j6tzgj75DWjkBuBsBF33pn38I6qQrB_n5apjEfKea13_VYuChQ-kI-FTNo8eSn0kXfMg0wKbRANHzCZR_J29MnCG0Eks6cElYZhwxH4Qm0341A4f5-Fg/s1600/guests.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijm7VwzQm_1_BdFc85YCTYyZ3j6tzgj75DWjkBuBsBF33pn38I6qQrB_n5apjEfKea13_VYuChQ-kI-FTNo8eSn0kXfMg0wKbRANHzCZR_J29MnCG0Eks6cElYZhwxH4Qm0341A4f5-Fg/s320/guests.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guests settling in</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mrKv8HvGaSt6jbKZ8tQVFE00GIUqeWRkGRvmmtjG1H_Mx4SxCfPyi0QnjZTApofv4C8AOFlK4xcb1YksfZDq8w_4IQrGeL6OYuD5JM7ixZ9oD0lZ3kuLB9OKoFOvTiOkjoPF7fJ4yPs/s1600/dancing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mrKv8HvGaSt6jbKZ8tQVFE00GIUqeWRkGRvmmtjG1H_Mx4SxCfPyi0QnjZTApofv4C8AOFlK4xcb1YksfZDq8w_4IQrGeL6OYuD5JM7ixZ9oD0lZ3kuLB9OKoFOvTiOkjoPF7fJ4yPs/s320/dancing.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YMCA - of course! Entertainment by 'Babette'</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHdmjJFDrX6k4yxDePum-NYt68tjHg27ZeLKWss2uR_PBUBsHZRe8VYKMHRqrpIba2J4e4EMpASSgcDoo7flMucmYl6xw0OEDXpnIcsB220Wjt1ukk55dSpQjrA7pjLtE4mWsyZNRKHA/s1600/kiki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHdmjJFDrX6k4yxDePum-NYt68tjHg27ZeLKWss2uR_PBUBsHZRe8VYKMHRqrpIba2J4e4EMpASSgcDoo7flMucmYl6xw0OEDXpnIcsB220Wjt1ukk55dSpQjrA7pjLtE4mWsyZNRKHA/s320/kiki.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our barmaid - son's fianc<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">é</span></span>e</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Special thanks go to:<br />
My long suffering but incredibly supportive husband.<br />
Son and fianc<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">é</span>e for all their help on the day and running the bar - guests commented on the beautiful bar staff!<br />
My sister and her husband for their cash donation. <br />
Elizabeth for making all the table runners and a fantastic cake for 'Guess the Weight' and also providing and cooking all the sausages and helping to set up and clear up along with Judy, William and Marylou.<br />
'Fenella' for help transporting food and providing all the cupcakes for the lottery.<br />
Toby for all his help with the raffle.<br />
My friend Mireille (sadly missed this year) for her contribution to the raffle.<br />
Twitter friend, Putney Man for 4 raffle prizes.<br />
Emma and all at Age UK, Wandsworth for their support and the beautiful orchid I was presented with.<br />
Our entertainer, Babette - she sure knows how to get a crowd on their feet. <br />
Berni and Tim at St Mary's church for being so helpful and cheery. <br />
<br />
And all of the following for their raffle contributions:<br />
<br />
<b>DOOR PRIZE - Crowne Plaza Hotel, Battersea - overnight stay and use of spa facilities for 2</b><br />
<b>THE SPENCER PUB, PUTNEY - Dinner voucher (£50)</b><br />
<b>COOK - £20 voucher</b><br />
<b>A TIME TO HEAL, Glasgow - pamper hamper </b><br />
<b>THE PHEASANTRY, Kings Road, Chelsea - 2 x £15 live show tickets</b><br />
<b>KINGSTON LODGE HOTEL:</b><br />
<b>- Sunday lunch for 2 (£40)</b><br />
<b>- Afternoon Tea for 2 (£30)</b><br />
<b>CANNIZARO HOUSE, Wimbledon - Dinner and wine for 2</b><br />
<b>TASTECARD - membership for a year (£40)</b><br />
<b>THE DANCE LAB, Putney - beginners dance course for 1 mth for 2 (£100)</b><br />
<b>AVENUE COOKERY SCHOOL, Putney - £40 voucher</b><br />
<b>HEADMASTERS - cut and blow dry (approx £40)</b><br />
<b>CHISWICK HOUSE - entry vouchers for 4 (approx £30)</b><br />
<b>THE FLOWER YARD, PUTNEY - flower arrangement</b><br />
<b>JOE BROWN PERSONAL TRAINING - Assessment / sports massage / nutrition</b><br />
<b>CAFÉ FLEUR, Wandsworth - £15 voucher</b><br />
<b>BILLS RESTAURANT - £40 voucher</b><br />
<b>HOME SW15 - cocktail making class for 4 (£120)</b><br />
<b>OLIVER BONAS - £20 voucher</b><br />
<b>DALEY FITNESS - gym membership for 1 mth</b><br />
<b>BARRY LOUVAINE TATTOOS - £100 voucher</b><br />
<b>OH LA LASH - set of semi-permanent lashes (£85)</b><br />
<b>WATERMANS ARMS, Barnes - 2 separate prizes of meal for 2 with wine</b><br />
<b>THE STYLE LOUNGE, Wandsworth - blow-dry and manicure (£65)</b><br />
<b><i>Personal donations</i>:</b><br />
<b>£50 Gap voucher x2</b><br />
<b>£50 H&M voucher x2</b><br />
<b>Bottle of Tequila & Cognac</b><br />
<b>Bottle of Port & Calvados</b><br />
<b>NEOM hand and body lotion (£22)</b><br />
<b>Picnic Rucksack with Prosecco</b><br />
<b>House of Yoga, Putney - 2 x 1 month free trial (£35 each)</b><br />
<b>Pappa Ciccia - pizza donations for the night </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
And finally ... A shameless plug but a girl's got to eat! I have a new novel and a new Christmas novella out. Both on <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amanda-Egan/e/B0054E7IF2/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_4?qid=1495797185&sr=1-4" target="_blank">Amazon</a>. If you like a romcom, check me out! I have lots of them to offer. <br />
<b></b>Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-57550581928454227002019-09-25T12:33:00.000+01:002019-09-25T19:01:26.909+01:00New release - it's been a while!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh_EBFV3CsR6DicbplzxNHEIjMEKxxveFtw_ps-3HLyZVeQliprucudnqh0EztSnoLYvsqAHlRREfO5IJbbTIK-X46Ts5SESdp5hP58fxWpfszkFO6B0HfvD6mM_5mxpLkBo-V9NWOkb4/s1600/Book+Cover+%2528Front%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1119" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh_EBFV3CsR6DicbplzxNHEIjMEKxxveFtw_ps-3HLyZVeQliprucudnqh0EztSnoLYvsqAHlRREfO5IJbbTIK-X46Ts5SESdp5hP58fxWpfszkFO6B0HfvD6mM_5mxpLkBo-V9NWOkb4/s320/Book+Cover+%2528Front%2529.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I know, I know it's been FOREVER since I brought out a new book but there are reasons for this which I'm unable to share for the moment. As soon as I can, I will. Promise.<br />
<br />
Anyway, <i>'Half as Good as You'</i> is now available for pre-order on Amazon and will hit your Kindle on 4th October. The paperback version will be available shortly, once I decide whether to publish through Lulu or Amazon.<br />
<br />
If you read it and love it, PLEASE leave a review - your words help to sell mine. If you've enjoyed any of my other books, I'd be really grateful for even a one line review. They really DO make a difference.<br />
<br />
Right ... here's the blurb ...<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="color: black;">The day after discovering her
husband’s infidelity, TV make-up artist Fizz finds herself knocked off her feet
(quite literally!) by a passing stranger in the busy Covent
Garden rush hour. </span><span style="color: black;"> </span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="color: black;">Rescued by an elderly gentleman,
an unusual friendship forms, a mystery lottery ticket appears and Fizz realises
that she’d never really been as content in her marriage as she’d allowed
herself to believe.</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="color: black;">With the arrival of two new men on
the scene, how long will it be before Fizz hits the jackpot?</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black;">And the links for <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Half-as-Good-You-ebook/dp/B07YBCLT84/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=half+as+good+as+you&qid=1569410916&s=digital-text&sr=1-1" target="_blank">UK Amazon</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black;">And <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Half-as-Good-You-ebook/dp/B07YBCLT84/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=half+as+good+as+you&qid=1569410989&s=digital-text&sr=1-1" target="_blank">USA Amazon </a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black;">Just £1.99 - less than a coffee and will last longer! </span></div>
Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-30314048694450076292019-04-01T19:47:00.000+01:002019-09-23T22:50:03.204+01:00Pirating is Theft - end of.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dear Travis McCrea of Ebook Bike</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s not often that I blog now as there never seem to be
enough hours in the day when you earn an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">honest
living </i>but this particular post needs to get out my system before I
self-combust.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Working as an Indie writer is an incredibly tough job and,
in the past, was a worthwhile career.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The way that Amazon has changed how they pay us has made it increasingly
difficult to earn a living and so I really don't need any spanners in the works.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, with a constant battle on my hands to get my books seen,
talked about, sold and reviewed, imagine my fury when it came to light that you
are stealing my work and giving it away for free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your opening line on your FAQ page is:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Imagine a world where authors can make money by giving digital versions
of their books away to their reader.</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This makes NO SENSE TO ME!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>HOW?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can the theft of my
books be making <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">me</i> any money?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you have a stash of cash owing to me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think so somehow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve asked you this many times on Twitter and
you choose not to answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder why.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The truth of the matter is, every book you give away is
taking hard earned cash from my hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So all the years, months, weeks and hours of blood sweat and tears that
I pour into my work are given away, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">without
my permission</i>, for nothing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And how do you justify this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Oh, it gets better and better!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You set yourself up as a Reverend of:</div>
<h1>
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Missionary</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> Church</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> of Kopimism</span></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The followers of the religion are called <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Kopimists</span> from <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">copy me</span>.
A "Kopimist" or "Kopimist intellectual" is a person who has
the philosophical belief that all information should be freely distributed and
unrestricted. This philosophy opposes the monopolization of knowledge in all
its forms, such as copyright, and encourages file sharing of all types of media
including music, movies, TV shows, and software.</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So you are somehow trying to justify your act of theft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unbelievable!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It doesn’t end there though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Your girlfriend @malkarii_ is a charity fundraiser for St Jude’s Hospital,
Memphis. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, no, no!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sorry, but this doesn’t sit well with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You @travisvancouver boast about the plane
that you’ve bought and the yacht trips that you’ve taken with MY money - because
your ‘religion’ doesn’t believe in copyrighting and you’re under the misguided
impression that it’s your right to share <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">my</i>
work for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">your</i> gain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can’t expect us to believe that your
girlfriend doesn’t enjoy that illegal lifestyle to some extent.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I too raise funds for charity and I know that my reputation needs
to be whiter than white.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve watched
her video on Twitch and I feel for her but she openly admits that what you are
doing is ‘shady’ and has asked you to take the website down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any connection with you and your dodgy deals
will not show @malkarii_ in a good light - she needs to be rethinking her life
choices and who she keeps company with if you continue to ignore her requests
and she wants to maintain her credibility and integrity.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i> need to
own up to the fact that you are a thief and a liar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On your interview with BBC Radio, you claimed
that Ebook Bike was set up <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">with</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">for </i>writers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d like just ONE writer to come forward and
agree with this statement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are </i>these writers who helped to set it
up and how do they gain financially from it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The only writers I’ve heard voice an opinion, are those who are being
ripped-off.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I thought long and hard before writing this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are two trains of thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some authors are keeping quiet as they don’t
want to give you oxygen to grow, others are livid and doing everything they can
to bring you down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indies
are the ones who are particularly disgruntled as we don’t get an advance to
keep us going - but what the traditionally published authors need to realise is
that, if their books continue to be given away without their permission, their publishers
will see a fall in sales and may not re-sign them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It affects us all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">won’t</i>
be silenced, especially when I read that a sixth of ebooks that were downloaded
in 2017 were pirated because of the likes of you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why should I keep quiet?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you crept into my house while I was
sleeping and stole all of my worldly goods I wouldn’t let you get away with it
- this theft is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">no different.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t have a plane or fancy yacht trips around the English Bay
of Vancouver
and you know why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because I’m helping to
pay for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i> to enjoy those
privileges.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Shame on you. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enjoy
the publicity while you can but I don’t think it will last for long. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Time to get your thinking cap on and come up
with a new scam.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
May you get your just desserts in heaven <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Reverend McCrea.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
PS: To those authors and publishers who choose to keep
quiet, I respect your opinion but I’m choosing to speak out for the underdog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t believe that by writing this I will encourage
more people to pirate books - honest people don’t - but I do feel that it needs
to be talked about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This isn’t just
affecting Indies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s affecting traditionally published
authors and will go on to affect the publishing world, just as it did with
pirated music, unless people make a noise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t believe that this is a time for anyone to sit on their laurels,
hope that it will go away and leave other people to do the dirty work and deal
with it on their behalf.</div>
Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-43682705994799568302018-11-11T18:48:00.001+00:002018-11-12T16:03:44.234+00:00Swinging Sixties<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
It's over! Months of work, numerous dramas and several sleepless nights but it's finally behind us - the fundraiser in memory of my lovely mum for Age UK, Wandsworth.<br />
<br />
I'm tired to the point of nodding off at the laptop so I'll let the pictures do the talking. Suffice it to say, we had a ball - everyone said it was the best yet - and raised £2,702.35 with more money to come from the sales of the last of the Christmas goods I made.<br />
<br />
Here goes ...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJEcV3t3SEyrfPwgZLD38Sfgpi4Y722Xy6vkfG_RqquwKQPX_DXHqt3KX0Z41EczX7tHqqQQ7PtzdEG5ehn522ld_SSUs1aREcsIZTZ9LOxErbWFOCyad_ZAj92s4d1ROFBUyoDfLGcc/s1600/60%2527s+me+roy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJEcV3t3SEyrfPwgZLD38Sfgpi4Y722Xy6vkfG_RqquwKQPX_DXHqt3KX0Z41EczX7tHqqQQ7PtzdEG5ehn522ld_SSUs1aREcsIZTZ9LOxErbWFOCyad_ZAj92s4d1ROFBUyoDfLGcc/s400/60%2527s+me+roy.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The Misfits, ready to party like it's 1960</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHqurBEuoIBS8-yoFPKr1ODy7OR5oQC7tMo_LMI3JnNSIyx2EeLnoUri4uETJyS-dEtKozqVs37JOPds9SQ2vmt7DxxPz8gPEKVO4Exiy_UjCKMAkakHi4SXUO0yGcsfP0DimVLg_NNg/s1600/ben+alan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="466" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHqurBEuoIBS8-yoFPKr1ODy7OR5oQC7tMo_LMI3JnNSIyx2EeLnoUri4uETJyS-dEtKozqVs37JOPds9SQ2vmt7DxxPz8gPEKVO4Exiy_UjCKMAkakHi4SXUO0yGcsfP0DimVLg_NNg/s640/ben+alan.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Son and Austin Powers!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Op2twqd2yjQqhsBjQSxzXdAaPx21CzUvHCfX8iaf1CvdnYjHdPkcK5V0LwWdSBtcTAUmMgmKiEnLvrzpw_Fg1yxLGfsvLwQzV_t6OhiJlt-G2J0L6z_9SBfc4HQMxeB1aQ9WEB_H514/s1600/roy+mireille.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="466" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Op2twqd2yjQqhsBjQSxzXdAaPx21CzUvHCfX8iaf1CvdnYjHdPkcK5V0LwWdSBtcTAUmMgmKiEnLvrzpw_Fg1yxLGfsvLwQzV_t6OhiJlt-G2J0L6z_9SBfc4HQMxeB1aQ9WEB_H514/s640/roy+mireille.jpg" width="310" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
With Marianne Faithful</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMGl4rFpPgQy3DyfAVgO6Eg7pTJSkxT6-uHvmpZZekClMZlfewRhSGwA7rGBThaU6_3j6iqE2kp9NZez7F4WI71mLDiVLaa909cH7IINXuFd17r8nvA1F-23B4wO1Fki34pDdsYdqdNV0/s1600/dover+house+rd+singers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1316" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMGl4rFpPgQy3DyfAVgO6Eg7pTJSkxT6-uHvmpZZekClMZlfewRhSGwA7rGBThaU6_3j6iqE2kp9NZez7F4WI71mLDiVLaa909cH7IINXuFd17r8nvA1F-23B4wO1Fki34pDdsYdqdNV0/s400/dover+house+rd+singers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hippy Table</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
The Kitsch Kittens</div>
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Entertainment - they were FAB-U-LOUS!!!</div>
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They sure knew how to work the crowd.</div>
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Grooving!</div>
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Check out our 60's lighting</div>
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One of the kittens got carried away!</div>
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Mr Misfit & I made a VW photo booth</div>
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The number plate was P3GGY </div>
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for my mum</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Over 30 raffle prizes.</div>
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The lovely Emma at Age UK won the dance class vouchers </div>
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that I'd been coveting and she donated them to me!</div>
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Mr Misfit and I are heading off to ballroom and Latin American</div>
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dance for a month.</div>
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The cupcake lottery raised</div>
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almost £100</div>
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Lovingly made by 'Fenella' </div>
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My Christmas mini market raised lots so </div>
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my months of handicrafting paid off.</div>
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Anything left is going to Age UK for them to sell.</div>
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An A Board to welcome the guests</div>
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My neighbour donated an almost new TV which we held </div>
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a blind auction for.</div>
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It raised £50 and the highest bidder then donated it</div>
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back to Age UK for them to sell or give to an</div>
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elderly person who may need one.</div>
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Our groovy welcome table</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_lRk7X3G5U2U4uleJAvh0bOgjOPDXKp73eNC0cmZ4tZbE89KQzQpmFy56lLafXtA_uhpgKjpExwjLtn7RBNjbsO50lxWHxRvZDSReTDLtNw5awhhX4smNHpSEizX9bJvD8w9v-WH5o4s/s1600/peace+alfie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="466" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_lRk7X3G5U2U4uleJAvh0bOgjOPDXKp73eNC0cmZ4tZbE89KQzQpmFy56lLafXtA_uhpgKjpExwjLtn7RBNjbsO50lxWHxRvZDSReTDLtNw5awhhX4smNHpSEizX9bJvD8w9v-WH5o4s/s400/peace+alfie.jpg" width="193" /></a></div>
Alfie having cuddles in his cool bandana</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3Uo5372cn_dSeooZPjsjBBXo68Hlo2WNNzuxb8d76o2UDlPBTzBAcykYkB-_JHBIs7TF6d-U23VnSAVG8x1b6-rtGEPqwfAqsQfVWHbsfeguGzw_oq6_mI-vfhDBrp61eTPrE8gUopA/s1600/roy+fruit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="575" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3Uo5372cn_dSeooZPjsjBBXo68Hlo2WNNzuxb8d76o2UDlPBTzBAcykYkB-_JHBIs7TF6d-U23VnSAVG8x1b6-rtGEPqwfAqsQfVWHbsfeguGzw_oq6_mI-vfhDBrp61eTPrE8gUopA/s400/roy+fruit.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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A last minute arrival of a fruit basket so I</div>
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auctioned it and raised another £20.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeX8EuJR93Zs9y-UazceG6MNZ5fd1dWaDSR6vXSBTyp7fR4agG5MRi88omH4i37ntFtc2F9a8p6EUDTQy0xlaiHublvmuB5iotRkFTfC4jSpQZq3mda-qoCe2SyguGM_iHT4FtQtrnYIc/s1600/mireille.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1316" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeX8EuJR93Zs9y-UazceG6MNZ5fd1dWaDSR6vXSBTyp7fR4agG5MRi88omH4i37ntFtc2F9a8p6EUDTQy0xlaiHublvmuB5iotRkFTfC4jSpQZq3mda-qoCe2SyguGM_iHT4FtQtrnYIc/s400/mireille.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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My lovely Twitter buddy who travels</div>
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all the way from Glasgow with her equally lovely partner.</div>
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Invaluable help!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLZe_DWREnWvJqcIMiZS_U13eIBjc3wk4XOSnxF1RUBIPCDAKb7ZxFnk9x5PDAE6NiG3nXQzB5CQV8NAG88BHxQnYFbRMpr2KLbuOXlM4Bi0DXfDb7NFQzFsKAdl9gAeO8Z8pUHssapo/s1600/mum+pic+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLZe_DWREnWvJqcIMiZS_U13eIBjc3wk4XOSnxF1RUBIPCDAKb7ZxFnk9x5PDAE6NiG3nXQzB5CQV8NAG88BHxQnYFbRMpr2KLbuOXlM4Bi0DXfDb7NFQzFsKAdl9gAeO8Z8pUHssapo/s640/mum+pic+2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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The night wouldn't have been complete</div>
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without a pic of my mum in the 60's</div>
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Huge thanks to all who helped - you know who you are - and to Mr Misfit, I couldn't do any of it without you.</div>
Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-5888798837555285942018-06-29T19:32:00.001+01:002019-11-11T17:56:09.265+00:00This post has been deleted due to the free publicity it was giving to a dishonest company - Yamal Alsham Restaurant.Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-26957793739899574582017-11-12T17:28:00.002+00:002017-11-15T14:42:31.024+00:00Blimey! It's the 1950's!Last night saw the culmination of months of work for my third fundraiser in memory of my mum for Age UK, Wandsworth.<br />
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Friends, family and strangers (some who came last year and are fast becoming friends!) donned their 50's finery and sang and danced their way back to the era of leather jackets, swing dresses and pedal pushers.<br />
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We raised just over £1,100 and I think everyone who attended would say that it was a night to remember - the pictures speak for themselves. As usual The Telgraph Pub, Putney, provided a great back-drop for the event and I look forward to working with them for next year's 60's night.<br />
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Special thanks go to my wonderful husband, my son and his fianc<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">é</span>e, Mireille and Alan, Toby and my side-kick 'Fenella' - I couldn't have done any of it without you fabulous people.<br />
<br />
Also,
thanks to Emma at Age UK, who came with a couple of her friends and set
the dance floor on fire with their glamour and moves!<br />
<br />
A rather picture-heavy blog, but these capture the mood of the evening:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRNpGqra97QUg5n7rn5RNRFJmzsahVzHCba-e9ahJ-IJCTFRHMrgeMvmnxEJhaoZqXghIh4PA8aFB3Z9uQYSOD2nqfZSdYnIKfhYBPHxf-DpCwpKTTKF61eGW-R_GbZWCSvoMUrOrVMs/s1600/A%2526R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRNpGqra97QUg5n7rn5RNRFJmzsahVzHCba-e9ahJ-IJCTFRHMrgeMvmnxEJhaoZqXghIh4PA8aFB3Z9uQYSOD2nqfZSdYnIKfhYBPHxf-DpCwpKTTKF61eGW-R_GbZWCSvoMUrOrVMs/s320/A%2526R.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">College freshman and the Grease monkey</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtybve8KI8X7l72LieVNkuXc9E3rtfI_R6IdOUuoVQzFQ4hvRukveGdoZXW8X11WOkCpZzBziutdh_xNyzAUMIm5_gUnVl4fGHjSTdcRDCml1ESFcySc0GLU6tHHciD_G61L2TV6eHJyA/s1600/age+uk+girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtybve8KI8X7l72LieVNkuXc9E3rtfI_R6IdOUuoVQzFQ4hvRukveGdoZXW8X11WOkCpZzBziutdh_xNyzAUMIm5_gUnVl4fGHjSTdcRDCml1ESFcySc0GLU6tHHciD_G61L2TV6eHJyA/s320/age+uk+girls.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fabulous Emma from Age UK and her posse</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3LWY_W4w9n22uGJxjs_uxNjesw83ugFDqpk-9G5IpvNypEFt0Ox7qezWCUM1P6MiI9mtJyODnu8e7gWDjDshekA2EAn8Hbq7mj6TmQGQz5dacS9hta4k7ns-rFdfJDHqiqdUf5b8bBA/s1600/alfie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3LWY_W4w9n22uGJxjs_uxNjesw83ugFDqpk-9G5IpvNypEFt0Ox7qezWCUM1P6MiI9mtJyODnu8e7gWDjDshekA2EAn8Hbq7mj6TmQGQz5dacS9hta4k7ns-rFdfJDHqiqdUf5b8bBA/s320/alfie.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He had a gingham bow-tie on in that fur somewhere!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGav5N3LdCUA-MDBINHo6THX-78A95E1RhYtV7_NySo3qb3gXtsiE2gf5HCrgxtiQShgtjD9N5OCTHHuQFq8imwcctD2QLW4wLmEDTqxNrV1hg6X7uY2G11-hTdpDw1SgFjbnOoqiZ_I/s1600/ben.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGav5N3LdCUA-MDBINHo6THX-78A95E1RhYtV7_NySo3qb3gXtsiE2gf5HCrgxtiQShgtjD9N5OCTHHuQFq8imwcctD2QLW4wLmEDTqxNrV1hg6X7uY2G11-hTdpDw1SgFjbnOoqiZ_I/s320/ben.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My baby!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcOIxU9sLSf9-MaBlxMp0Cb9nA427-A_jAssVediI8l_ah6vCxWOk-nFlQ_bW6sXpILLv0Ho6jqvh0S3PgLGFgA4Nldi2VLlqdjwfKckBRhJ4UHVy7DfEYg9FnliRBz3cDQe5nFUO_1w/s1600/boys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcOIxU9sLSf9-MaBlxMp0Cb9nA427-A_jAssVediI8l_ah6vCxWOk-nFlQ_bW6sXpILLv0Ho6jqvh0S3PgLGFgA4Nldi2VLlqdjwfKckBRhJ4UHVy7DfEYg9FnliRBz3cDQe5nFUO_1w/s320/boys.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boys! He-e-e-y!!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu75hKRFNz7G1RoEyh125H1uXnuSYT-OvBHRV2Nv20hzZ1S_zrdT1K6NwDmPo7yd8fzaLBk9D2YwK2Vi8GhiSHQO5pOpnqxE-KKQF7qLpqSwCC3BHRykuACj35flFwk1d5B9hlSP7qTKY/s1600/cupcakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu75hKRFNz7G1RoEyh125H1uXnuSYT-OvBHRV2Nv20hzZ1S_zrdT1K6NwDmPo7yd8fzaLBk9D2YwK2Vi8GhiSHQO5pOpnqxE-KKQF7qLpqSwCC3BHRykuACj35flFwk1d5B9hlSP7qTKY/s320/cupcakes.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stunning cup-cakes from 'Fenella' raised £93</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1366SbcLcFRuidWWd8IiIOxfD5Ft1sOLHSIBku7ozD73Mn3QPlgKfai7nXd08IDeQT4FdYbURlott-9s6rhbM5DrbKqiNwfYZuVxRkT5LvtuAG6vNOH4v9peFXPed_nAd9ksSWAgdqI/s1600/dancing+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1366SbcLcFRuidWWd8IiIOxfD5Ft1sOLHSIBku7ozD73Mn3QPlgKfai7nXd08IDeQT4FdYbURlott-9s6rhbM5DrbKqiNwfYZuVxRkT5LvtuAG6vNOH4v9peFXPed_nAd9ksSWAgdqI/s320/dancing+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grooving!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkT7HwW9wEY66uu5A8-VN1Y4NNbG9iP5FI-R9brOhm4TlAwTXUgq8439MR1Jb7cwnaXeyKKD13CJagkz6GP1bX39Cn_ECjKqzllT9-Oh4IKerrguvMLzuSOgC_OGtXgnSx7NmvU4MEpFk/s1600/table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkT7HwW9wEY66uu5A8-VN1Y4NNbG9iP5FI-R9brOhm4TlAwTXUgq8439MR1Jb7cwnaXeyKKD13CJagkz6GP1bX39Cn_ECjKqzllT9-Oh4IKerrguvMLzuSOgC_OGtXgnSx7NmvU4MEpFk/s320/table.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The table settings</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfKD3HQ_Mi2JZGwMEXV099cr9hxdBwB-cJskIHzm2zB5tSi1sLmLxjP7qEdj0u6Lw8_AZqztao1WA9j29UxYfsm_ALgnFkD06GxBEEqUFAZnB4EBTo0nY3-6zLFfju_6B8r8bGAwHe7U/s1600/robarts+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="960" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfKD3HQ_Mi2JZGwMEXV099cr9hxdBwB-cJskIHzm2zB5tSi1sLmLxjP7qEdj0u6Lw8_AZqztao1WA9j29UxYfsm_ALgnFkD06GxBEEqUFAZnB4EBTo0nY3-6zLFfju_6B8r8bGAwHe7U/s320/robarts+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my men</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNBr3ymtRnQ28nxOZyk5AjVgALMmHRQLCgi93INGsOACGlTwcT7EUZ-gsRLAYh9bqxrdkqcOJZobn4B3_8ospYEJ_UQx5o7AfjZCDUJyrZV2vRSKPAP780UEcUh9kPRdpUKV1z1ZPi2Po/s1600/robarts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNBr3ymtRnQ28nxOZyk5AjVgALMmHRQLCgi93INGsOACGlTwcT7EUZ-gsRLAYh9bqxrdkqcOJZobn4B3_8ospYEJ_UQx5o7AfjZCDUJyrZV2vRSKPAP780UEcUh9kPRdpUKV1z1ZPi2Po/s320/robarts.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not quite Danny and Sandy!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2PL7Vnb1AehgkJnrh2B50v9amLLx1HlO4JO-t5MlXXOlipu6wkN9aKmQ4xBW_8fr6MMleAjB3W2cVMaj9fSkA4znEPPguqzP402fff6Vi_ZdTyq7ZR8rgFJ5ymE9_DZ57wRQCcLjdALU/s1600/stand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2PL7Vnb1AehgkJnrh2B50v9amLLx1HlO4JO-t5MlXXOlipu6wkN9aKmQ4xBW_8fr6MMleAjB3W2cVMaj9fSkA4znEPPguqzP402fff6Vi_ZdTyq7ZR8rgFJ5ymE9_DZ57wRQCcLjdALU/s320/stand.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The welcome stand that took me months and will now go to the dump.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsaZyx-f4c2jloNtsNrl4ikPTOPuiZHRF5RnyVeVTed9K55jfbfdYV9CAWJE4-OMzF8kGNqsJcUYQwM3wOx9GJ5HiTU95xalTciXWUevbJDw7hqoHYxKosMP5x8YbJIyCRbYAplOG8R4/s1600/table+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsaZyx-f4c2jloNtsNrl4ikPTOPuiZHRF5RnyVeVTed9K55jfbfdYV9CAWJE4-OMzF8kGNqsJcUYQwM3wOx9GJ5HiTU95xalTciXWUevbJDw7hqoHYxKosMP5x8YbJIyCRbYAplOG8R4/s320/table+1.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having a breather after air-guitaring</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfv48XPdoceMfiH8PM9MRmWgYzJC8UsXtqHwryc0gVq_UF8tDqltlVpH1cfrfF8DTQLXKThBeUDBAYRCtCWdAn9AHtS5foHdnWoC8iCbTq3l1T5ofMnyPmD9DydvgNTSa7w_rQpaTdQ9c/s1600/table+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfv48XPdoceMfiH8PM9MRmWgYzJC8UsXtqHwryc0gVq_UF8tDqltlVpH1cfrfF8DTQLXKThBeUDBAYRCtCWdAn9AHtS5foHdnWoC8iCbTq3l1T5ofMnyPmD9DydvgNTSa7w_rQpaTdQ9c/s320/table+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for the raffle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsYlmFnoSJLK43PYcEHQnCXW8-KvoHW3JSyaH_NsHOUnsQ8Xll59PavpA8bL4pzK5pbq3yqVZKdGw52cI25SXdJP2w48MuGIPvP9BQ_G_5dwrwFSW3EKXBQRr9yDWxISeHJOE2vbCx4U/s1600/pearly+queen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsYlmFnoSJLK43PYcEHQnCXW8-KvoHW3JSyaH_NsHOUnsQ8Xll59PavpA8bL4pzK5pbq3yqVZKdGw52cI25SXdJP2w48MuGIPvP9BQ_G_5dwrwFSW3EKXBQRr9yDWxISeHJOE2vbCx4U/s320/pearly+queen.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 50's aren't complete without a pearly queen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytkPjmR1FRsjX4nbBMypvxJOUysMrSYzkbHMJu8sDAJXjAB2ZNe_bsmBbgaR_2g8GiLfNwrkg3BdyhU0_3CMsLXxvL3Om5aNohjqgH2RZr9c89vShHzdDI9D5yobaC6FyHb8k-fjr73I/s1600/plate+dish+diner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytkPjmR1FRsjX4nbBMypvxJOUysMrSYzkbHMJu8sDAJXjAB2ZNe_bsmBbgaR_2g8GiLfNwrkg3BdyhU0_3CMsLXxvL3Om5aNohjqgH2RZr9c89vShHzdDI9D5yobaC6FyHb8k-fjr73I/s320/plate+dish+diner.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peggy, my mummy - the black and white photo of her was in the 50's on her honeymoon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCploi3NddpFZPF8t__XItIJPnZWfQiHR-GGmlmQs62jbNfYtidFtafwQnUlzws_ezDiN8xM41wQi5keqIK1pykcq-kSTzrd9Setw_SpuIHbaEGRB7mmwf0Y66sE1D5ElHxFr2rN1c1Y/s1600/R%2526A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCploi3NddpFZPF8t__XItIJPnZWfQiHR-GGmlmQs62jbNfYtidFtafwQnUlzws_ezDiN8xM41wQi5keqIK1pykcq-kSTzrd9Setw_SpuIHbaEGRB7mmwf0Y66sE1D5ElHxFr2rN1c1Y/s320/R%2526A.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Which karaoke number shall we do?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChXjinsPud3T0qrtDAa821XEH2NXEmXJMCZMe11Y3yXVu5FEIcVtAwKLU1BhzSlrH7CkfyMDESWKq4vSTqNKHz1tzx1SeoArQevCHS33o7vwyg3nSC-5kFDAyDoWZbRbBoLjzJMwWI1w/s1600/raffle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChXjinsPud3T0qrtDAa821XEH2NXEmXJMCZMe11Y3yXVu5FEIcVtAwKLU1BhzSlrH7CkfyMDESWKq4vSTqNKHz1tzx1SeoArQevCHS33o7vwyg3nSC-5kFDAyDoWZbRbBoLjzJMwWI1w/s320/raffle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The raffle table</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfD88bT6UaFe3sxDYoc2QVk3fcvs8NpVkeEYwwxT7Ewc-_W09mFJfpPeI8Olvgu4lzbupFOnAbAbTnZcsNxnm3KUrelvuwIvn8r4bVCT-k2-lL-BXO3k2_t_TCZxkRqLifcmhOG9zf9Vc/s1600/me+and+pandy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="576" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfD88bT6UaFe3sxDYoc2QVk3fcvs8NpVkeEYwwxT7Ewc-_W09mFJfpPeI8Olvgu4lzbupFOnAbAbTnZcsNxnm3KUrelvuwIvn8r4bVCT-k2-lL-BXO3k2_t_TCZxkRqLifcmhOG9zf9Vc/s320/me+and+pandy.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rush to get ready but we made it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6p2Hdph0w0nyXaPCDJ31pm_Q_zQ9Etsf45vGaUmHcHAGskKPoECdQIcqby40rk5gW6wRZrcpjkIP9HubTfMOyFZP_nfS1BP0C-xPd3GqKWORHKllUU3i_20mpjImk0tDUrnG4zJhBelY/s1600/leo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="533" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6p2Hdph0w0nyXaPCDJ31pm_Q_zQ9Etsf45vGaUmHcHAGskKPoECdQIcqby40rk5gW6wRZrcpjkIP9HubTfMOyFZP_nfS1BP0C-xPd3GqKWORHKllUU3i_20mpjImk0tDUrnG4zJhBelY/s320/leo.jpg" width="177" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out the 50's baseball boots!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBFWM5_qrayMc5fX-4YsfNUaLuBCW_7a4MvSWC3TzbB5_z2GjTpZb5X3eY4-AgqktmW2X0MZcM1UhPirE16zi0Oabnt4xMR951ejvA0Mhuti3keIMu-VwJsf1MChUnRLR640h74l7kQ4g/s1600/kiki+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="576" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBFWM5_qrayMc5fX-4YsfNUaLuBCW_7a4MvSWC3TzbB5_z2GjTpZb5X3eY4-AgqktmW2X0MZcM1UhPirE16zi0Oabnt4xMR951ejvA0Mhuti3keIMu-VwJsf1MChUnRLR640h74l7kQ4g/s320/kiki+2.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty in Pink</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbCuEz4S7wt-Q8_ZZXG0Fc7J5jK6BZNDMxxIzJtZxthjpF5OCVuH5EzrvBYeYjZHn4CQNnYzyW16UPbO2UgRLJQUMiQYbEonygNuqh2imCOKM0q0PJuBTCqR6qzUwijDirGhTfU7BIs8/s1600/karaoke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbCuEz4S7wt-Q8_ZZXG0Fc7J5jK6BZNDMxxIzJtZxthjpF5OCVuH5EzrvBYeYjZHn4CQNnYzyW16UPbO2UgRLJQUMiQYbEonygNuqh2imCOKM0q0PJuBTCqR6qzUwijDirGhTfU7BIs8/s320/karaoke.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karaoke for the brave ones</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglaoBo-sdNHzd7Xtbz_vXOzg2q0G38cdUkrbohj1UTJySKcvQ3p3aFqo-FANjSiLxF_W7mYJ8IOkyrpJ_0S5_VpOhqGmKb2f2-0DbdpX6felcHiJeYiVWsBOVH7KIGM7ljLJF-C2vViVI/s1600/guests.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglaoBo-sdNHzd7Xtbz_vXOzg2q0G38cdUkrbohj1UTJySKcvQ3p3aFqo-FANjSiLxF_W7mYJ8IOkyrpJ_0S5_VpOhqGmKb2f2-0DbdpX6felcHiJeYiVWsBOVH7KIGM7ljLJF-C2vViVI/s320/guests.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tense raffle moment</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKqd7hL5B6atC5q_adkLOERirb3oeVZI0t_R42O57L10gD7UGUKno7PntRBpWLzIo8d1xaa9WbkzgYKA8FZfKL_OVpsuZ-xICSW-wEC9dlNE36JIggZJWwWJTM92QRvPw-eIXWNSc1yxQ/s1600/guests+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKqd7hL5B6atC5q_adkLOERirb3oeVZI0t_R42O57L10gD7UGUKno7PntRBpWLzIo8d1xaa9WbkzgYKA8FZfKL_OVpsuZ-xICSW-wEC9dlNE36JIggZJWwWJTM92QRvPw-eIXWNSc1yxQ/s320/guests+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A winning ticket!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugFsiEqxfXMTJruayTS8XrCE37CS3_e47QIcjyNhIXbeTaDTetUAHjiFZ8BTYYdDlN3eoEZJuGEzS01IWkSzmtcNdcTpILdk9_zXZhXjYPRuiNepYFA4TkZUHhvriTZSvgY1I5hT6rbM/s1600/girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugFsiEqxfXMTJruayTS8XrCE37CS3_e47QIcjyNhIXbeTaDTetUAHjiFZ8BTYYdDlN3eoEZJuGEzS01IWkSzmtcNdcTpILdk9_zXZhXjYPRuiNepYFA4TkZUHhvriTZSvgY1I5hT6rbM/s320/girls.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hubbie drilled a lot of holes through those records to make the mobiles</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1O2_5uQ58akPLRmE2ZseyRqz_fJE-1v0bUZja_SA1Au_1sMUmQ1gB6zVo-NxFsWom0gkuIbIUcIx_Ri4UGZ1voBHizeOQ7eFHCJkLi6RAVrbUczdmLaSlDhCkUOWvtyZPX9HUFAn-gRs/s1600/freelands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1O2_5uQ58akPLRmE2ZseyRqz_fJE-1v0bUZja_SA1Au_1sMUmQ1gB6zVo-NxFsWom0gkuIbIUcIx_Ri4UGZ1voBHizeOQ7eFHCJkLi6RAVrbUczdmLaSlDhCkUOWvtyZPX9HUFAn-gRs/s320/freelands.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">50's sisters</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3b_Avz35dT147UnsBVXiszLr_lv7cO4Qim9m_4oUznFp4YMf9LVVR8MxXzin0ff-9hb6rAoTBzEiqyFw8p4glHWDo8lndeNea9xb1Zsim9C1jNBs_jI1sKKhhq77YhjQsv71c7s9nPMA/s1600/flowers+for+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3b_Avz35dT147UnsBVXiszLr_lv7cO4Qim9m_4oUznFp4YMf9LVVR8MxXzin0ff-9hb6rAoTBzEiqyFw8p4glHWDo8lndeNea9xb1Zsim9C1jNBs_jI1sKKhhq77YhjQsv71c7s9nPMA/s320/flowers+for+me.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Age UK won the flowers but presented them to me!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqtkrJTs5Vf8COJR5Y36u7_bGhpfBLVK6DSWfV8SXcZg-Xkkz6KaZErWqYpslsYuCX_BGCPXjAxKrhoLNnxsoF21TRITR4cqSvlki3FhtUxUH2Hlu_qxEtPelznYpyPHhu7H4zYY4UnS4/s1600/eliz+and+co.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqtkrJTs5Vf8COJR5Y36u7_bGhpfBLVK6DSWfV8SXcZg-Xkkz6KaZErWqYpslsYuCX_BGCPXjAxKrhoLNnxsoF21TRITR4cqSvlki3FhtUxUH2Hlu_qxEtPelznYpyPHhu7H4zYY4UnS4/s320/eliz+and+co.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glamour pusses</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0arZpGjjGbTCUb34hZVeeor8rTgfT12tMO2vYHwDwdlmhdCsz-TYwlYoBBZtMeVpnJwR2RsD4qYv8NsAOJBv9XSiatdqSXu2DHAC4OMgTftBlRI0PvVB3BWFrY9BEfccUysvt8l00o2c/s1600/eliz+and+boys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0arZpGjjGbTCUb34hZVeeor8rTgfT12tMO2vYHwDwdlmhdCsz-TYwlYoBBZtMeVpnJwR2RsD4qYv8NsAOJBv9XSiatdqSXu2DHAC4OMgTftBlRI0PvVB3BWFrY9BEfccUysvt8l00o2c/s320/eliz+and+boys.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My trusty raffle helper on the left</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhIMJ8zpITRTNZfkTqBgcK9jgbHuV0Ncnx5X82L5BLksMf-O3ADEqEP9VokUEue7r12tpwJG7IppYXHqBbiYmygOlTWYmBqNr_yMi5uBx1FFeBhN2Gavrq2zqQnxuixTkothk4FGlcEo/s1600/dancing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhIMJ8zpITRTNZfkTqBgcK9jgbHuV0Ncnx5X82L5BLksMf-O3ADEqEP9VokUEue7r12tpwJG7IppYXHqBbiYmygOlTWYmBqNr_yMi5uBx1FFeBhN2Gavrq2zqQnxuixTkothk4FGlcEo/s320/dancing.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Chrissie Cadillac' leads the revellers in a four-step</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBw69W4bQHSYnGcLYAFDWi6x8-X6WZ6Hjjp1KPXBsgfkiVlAj0sqDxX6iDGTd_yDRqPtxYKKDec2LxUGvVCuLL1cKePUm-G0iPN4mz2D-Aa0e9YdMb2AMh1YmQYX2u0CBeB1h5Pk4bAU4/s1600/diner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBw69W4bQHSYnGcLYAFDWi6x8-X6WZ6Hjjp1KPXBsgfkiVlAj0sqDxX6iDGTd_yDRqPtxYKKDec2LxUGvVCuLL1cKePUm-G0iPN4mz2D-Aa0e9YdMb2AMh1YmQYX2u0CBeB1h5Pk4bAU4/s320/diner.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dumped cabinet we found, transformed beautifully</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2KzX7gmArgEgZOe5w7QYa5eeVl6E7GKcuF3pxxbQwhnuD4gJ4Ojpu-N8yMPNKPs-EwQw2ymk8usU9-8R-vdT8j-nNCrlsyqN_iq-9Xf-wWnrOOtLLmFzMV58Gt4SUkiqrffV-Fr26vE/s1600/boys+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2KzX7gmArgEgZOe5w7QYa5eeVl6E7GKcuF3pxxbQwhnuD4gJ4Ojpu-N8yMPNKPs-EwQw2ymk8usU9-8R-vdT8j-nNCrlsyqN_iq-9Xf-wWnrOOtLLmFzMV58Gt4SUkiqrffV-Fr26vE/s320/boys+2.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They've got the Colgate look ...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPweTPvPrttvtLOzpd17Pm92Htz3wKDWj_LSlbotigq-z6oeKbomzJ6TpIpd90ekAGlJx1uYI-MP0NddPecqU6rADATGb5jo5z_asqDgLlJAMR4lDIqUwZ7xS2KXFQUfk2k6HuP3nMbkA/s1600/drawing+raffle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPweTPvPrttvtLOzpd17Pm92Htz3wKDWj_LSlbotigq-z6oeKbomzJ6TpIpd90ekAGlJx1uYI-MP0NddPecqU6rADATGb5jo5z_asqDgLlJAMR4lDIqUwZ7xS2KXFQUfk2k6HuP3nMbkA/s320/drawing+raffle.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With 31 prizes, the raffle takes forever</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-62338280646609346382017-08-30T19:14:00.000+01:002017-08-30T19:21:02.203+01:00France, the French et moi!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Eight days and 1,500 miles later, we're back from our French
holiday and I'm pleased to report that a fab time was had by Mr & Mrs
Misfit and L'Alfster (our dog). 19 years of waiting for an overseas holiday was worth it and we've now explored Calais, Beaune, Valence, Uz<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">è</span>s and Reims.</div>
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Lots of photos to follow but first a few anecdotes.</div>
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*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On arrival in Calais after braving the
Eurotunnel (not too bad at all for a claustrophobia sufferer!) we headed off to
the restaurant we'd decided to have lunch in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Using my rusty French I asked if we could eat there with Alfie and we
were led to a table where I asked for the menu.<i> 'Steak, frites, salade!'</i> I was told rather abruptly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OK!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
looked like we'd be having steak then!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We still have no idea why everyone else in the other part of the
restaurant was able to choose from a variety of dishes but put it down to the
fact that it was a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">very </i>French restaurant with no other <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Anglaise!</i></div>
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*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we left the
restaurant and headed back to our rather smart (borrowed!) car I gaily greeted
it with, 'Bonjour voiture!'<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> - </span>only to
realise that there was a French gentleman leaning out of his window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was greatly amused.</div>
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*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, braving the
use of my French I successfully booked us into our first stop-over hotel
in Beaune explaining that I was English but still managing to hold a decent enough
conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The receptionist however
decided that when I asked if I could smoke on the balcony or outside that she
would suddenly become my new best friend and speak English fluently!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <i> </i></span><i>'Of course!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of course!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm a smoker too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a problem!'</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><i> </i> </span>United by a foul habit!</div>
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*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dinner in Beaune
found us presented with a 69 page wine list!<br />
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">* Mr Misfit couldn't believe that the French word for swimming pool was 'piscine' - he seemed to think that would be an open invitation for abuse. </span></div>
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*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On leaving our
hotel the following morning, Mr Misfit decided to attempt a bit of French himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'Bonsoir' probably wasn't his finest hour but he insists
that was how she bid him farewell!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
somehow doubt it.</div>
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*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At a restaurant in
Uz<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">è</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span>s with the friends we were staying with, I popped to the loo and heard an exasperated English mum
in the next door cubicle with her son as he told her,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'Mum!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Mum!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I've peed all over the
seat'. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>When we met at the sink he went
on to say, 'It's good isn't it, 'cos I can say what I like and no one
understands me'.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn't resist!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked at him with a cheeky grin and said,
'Except <i>me</i>!'<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I've never seen a child
disappear so quickly behind a mother as he shrieked, 'I thought she was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">French</i>!'<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The mother thought it was hilarious.</div>
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*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking back
through the quaint backstreets of Uz<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">è</span>s, Alfie decided to do what dogs do on
pavements and we bent to put it in a poo bag - only to tread in a dollop that
another dog had left!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We then heard from
behind - from an English man - 'That was bad luck!' and his French wife added,
'When we saw you cleaning up after your dog, I commented, they <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">must </i>be English!'<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would seem the French aren't big on Pick
Up Le Poop!</div>
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*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Playing one of our
stupid games in the car - 1,500 miles <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is </i>a
long way - we decided on 'Would you rather?'.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I asked Mr Misfit if he'd prefer an extra nose on his forehead or one on
his bottom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His instant reply was on his
bottom because he could cover it up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Until the realisation of the smelly consequences hit him and he said, 'I
didn't think that one through, did I?'<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
laughed so hard, I lost most of my mascara and my stomach muscles were in
spasms of agony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then every few miles,
one of us would start chuckling and the whole Gigglefest would begin
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our friends'
beautiful house has steps and arches in unusual places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We developed a new way of getting from room
to room, especially at night, called The Uz<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">è</span>s Walk - a kind of dip of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the head with an exaggerated lift of the feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather comical after a couple of glasses of
rosé.</div>
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I managed to cross almost everything off my French Memories
list:</div>
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* Citron pressé swiftly followed by an orange pressé</div>
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* Pernod and water</div>
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* Steak et frites</div>
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* Oeuf Russe</div>
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* Gallettes with cheese, ham and egg</div>
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* Crepes</div>
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* Rilettes and French bread</div>
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* Deliciously stinky cheese</div>
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* French apricots</div>
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* Les Croustilles aux cacahuètes - or as I like to call
them' Peanut flavoured Nic-Nacs'</div>
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* Rosé wine with ice cubes - la piscine!</div>
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I didn't get the chance to savour mussels, tomato or
celeriac salad but I'll save those for next time. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGuv_tmM2vF68Kfig_m26wacvVBQQW_c1HTOuA6iBGrbAjsJXweiz8hwEXhvuVTmDEEgAQG5vNkMyObunDfMym_bwab8H2AzJZFHB3gw6mnbG0mfOb65MtSYMDzar3lqHLK-q_B-e1vk/s1600/france+6.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGuv_tmM2vF68Kfig_m26wacvVBQQW_c1HTOuA6iBGrbAjsJXweiz8hwEXhvuVTmDEEgAQG5vNkMyObunDfMym_bwab8H2AzJZFHB3gw6mnbG0mfOb65MtSYMDzar3lqHLK-q_B-e1vk/s320/france+6.jpe" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first stop-over in beautiful Beaune</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">. Spot the dog!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhbSk7WN59AVVf4VWHlln1SmzDc1juTtuRmHyGrZrrzkhRFRe3GYc3PaKdpFVXEnoJ4kX0tWuhoTMHz7MQE4P5DH1EjPl8Dnuf91FY9LQslRGSftoQM-DTzehvDhQ8yhFKJsOTDkccKhI/s1600/france+7.jpe" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhbSk7WN59AVVf4VWHlln1SmzDc1juTtuRmHyGrZrrzkhRFRe3GYc3PaKdpFVXEnoJ4kX0tWuhoTMHz7MQE4P5DH1EjPl8Dnuf91FY9LQslRGSftoQM-DTzehvDhQ8yhFKJsOTDkccKhI/s320/france+7.jpe" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome drinks at our friends' place in Uzes.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-EsjHtlTY-ybRR-CrRrWsKElX68jgbpulZ2mFsNb6SGy9-Nr_GCpICVt6pCQ6TwSLJsm7Jq-HcW9uXOxFEFEZIJxE0DYrlMyGeP5PaF9g4w9aE4LaFmubwtxIZTtd8iw-LpHNGoSVrBk/s320/france+4.jpe" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="192" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favourite doorway at their place</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBRzi4YqDpaqwk-3y8PxxWsjsFlX6BT0fyMDiraW5Jo8tIXoenCHjP87kS6JHWXNFIPqhxUltwJMxuW-iIOk53eLldZ66jQa4tSvmZ0b9k-S4QyjNwV5K9HWu706DVzuonXEHUvI01EA/s1600/france+14.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBRzi4YqDpaqwk-3y8PxxWsjsFlX6BT0fyMDiraW5Jo8tIXoenCHjP87kS6JHWXNFIPqhxUltwJMxuW-iIOk53eLldZ66jQa4tSvmZ0b9k-S4QyjNwV5K9HWu706DVzuonXEHUvI01EA/s320/france+14.jpe" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Their rather splendid pool</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGaYD3TJU5Wuv9NcwY5u75R8EkIBJ-v_WAnvFCzuUPiIGvZ1mL1ol2qTa7_VzsBRnHb5Bt1guf0KtCteKVqd3AURqJxbflhmZRYq1QqPmFR-6l7lBJrB0YepMBz8MNgRjICwj6l0eJ_Q/s1600/france+16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGaYD3TJU5Wuv9NcwY5u75R8EkIBJ-v_WAnvFCzuUPiIGvZ1mL1ol2qTa7_VzsBRnHb5Bt1guf0KtCteKVqd3AURqJxbflhmZRYq1QqPmFR-6l7lBJrB0YepMBz8MNgRjICwj6l0eJ_Q/s320/france+16.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning coffee and a paddle</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fJOmAQYKCr6gUPeT_Jo5Fk8s0GdlIvu-kgOFgG8R9uovI0xkw9jKMvvfJm56LQWtQJJ2smnEMJGQh6vvcB04Res4bQsx6W-XOECHFYxVjIi6FmoZHQpWQdeKr-g7YDI1Pq6jezwzBTk/s1600/france+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="576" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fJOmAQYKCr6gUPeT_Jo5Fk8s0GdlIvu-kgOFgG8R9uovI0xkw9jKMvvfJm56LQWtQJJ2smnEMJGQh6vvcB04Res4bQsx6W-XOECHFYxVjIi6FmoZHQpWQdeKr-g7YDI1Pq6jezwzBTk/s320/france+12.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favourite photo of me and Alfie heading into town</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXk8ffseUaNSaFN5XE1g_B1t3HYtBWXkKxNiDGhqZe8hmRFPoW2eKs1HXBAFaQzC7T_a5zaFYqWdyH2z5XHEWkfieRLH_SOd9dci-SkRSmfL6FF4b25BtxJbVe8faQUnARA5vvEkfIw0U/s1600/france+5.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXk8ffseUaNSaFN5XE1g_B1t3HYtBWXkKxNiDGhqZe8hmRFPoW2eKs1HXBAFaQzC7T_a5zaFYqWdyH2z5XHEWkfieRLH_SOd9dci-SkRSmfL6FF4b25BtxJbVe8faQUnARA5vvEkfIw0U/s320/france+5.jpe" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious artichokes for lunch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAc0EwCJgrrwmteDoMj04rdiBf3mc9LUZLTRjBWKLkL1e6-uwP9O-RXt-JdymVQg5kb4p1hRevrA_puygX_s_7GBRJtEj1E-lygPZTkmmf3l0AT9f95RhA3snvUW6dKh9O-rSJ7ZeHjOo/s1600/france+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="576" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAc0EwCJgrrwmteDoMj04rdiBf3mc9LUZLTRjBWKLkL1e6-uwP9O-RXt-JdymVQg5kb4p1hRevrA_puygX_s_7GBRJtEj1E-lygPZTkmmf3l0AT9f95RhA3snvUW6dKh9O-rSJ7ZeHjOo/s320/france+9.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monsieur Misfit braved L'Escargots!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhesNZ4II9nDGNCUA7gp0HZiDL-60QbTrQp9nw9QN440Xbb5sXZ-nY6F1QTYOylwYxlp4WvrzefR-4kTNpl-ngoTiWaM5Jvv2zeaZkxohxxsQt0un_7i8pEJby715XlATzjnhQQ7TVFxI/s1600/france+17.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhesNZ4II9nDGNCUA7gp0HZiDL-60QbTrQp9nw9QN440Xbb5sXZ-nY6F1QTYOylwYxlp4WvrzefR-4kTNpl-ngoTiWaM5Jvv2zeaZkxohxxsQt0un_7i8pEJby715XlATzjnhQQ7TVFxI/s320/france+17.jpe" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clearly content with the French food, wine and company.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbx-4By7Cexn6PGFNnm5QiSawhbxFhsIxcztpTvh0l4LXxirskKuB_U0kbrIk4wO3c8TmTX7lUSFdSfTHsV76KTr8WZi54UK3-zaZ2g3htE2ztHRKGi8ZVWh2l263VKkgk1bjgtP-5VKI/s1600/france+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="960" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbx-4By7Cexn6PGFNnm5QiSawhbxFhsIxcztpTvh0l4LXxirskKuB_U0kbrIk4wO3c8TmTX7lUSFdSfTHsV76KTr8WZi54UK3-zaZ2g3htE2ztHRKGi8ZVWh2l263VKkgk1bjgtP-5VKI/s320/france+11.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading back from town</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19uu7-zjoPZtWDK4MVTot-o69V05qtkxthnr73IMDj7v8T2Iqy9CHLywMfnwrBdaN3dPQktuAc4v4l74hs7Fq0Z3o-jzViv77Lt4cBQrOeOFWyWuFcVq6eo9VtZ_adanGYwe0mvaiOaQ/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1600" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19uu7-zjoPZtWDK4MVTot-o69V05qtkxthnr73IMDj7v8T2Iqy9CHLywMfnwrBdaN3dPQktuAc4v4l74hs7Fq0Z3o-jzViv77Lt4cBQrOeOFWyWuFcVq6eo9VtZ_adanGYwe0mvaiOaQ/s320/7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charming Uzes at night</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUvdb2KgdGqWk1A_AgVV_-guYp2pwS-kVokh_MaiuY3IR9w-iXvU1yKaoVrabd9ChcSPPKjxtDKIy_MH_w-lpIIWxkPRg9ZavE2sFmKXJSksUGnsEpexor104KMB35tXDNVteK6ls12c/s1600/france+2.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUvdb2KgdGqWk1A_AgVV_-guYp2pwS-kVokh_MaiuY3IR9w-iXvU1yKaoVrabd9ChcSPPKjxtDKIy_MH_w-lpIIWxkPRg9ZavE2sFmKXJSksUGnsEpexor104KMB35tXDNVteK6ls12c/s320/france+2.jpe" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L'Alfster by the pool. He attempted the first step in but no further!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFstpHyUcBV6pn6LcSurkTklGqXc0PJWQXOOlcjEgzqnJjVwDkxIC4u8fBwuDJ7N4ToJIb6OISNuf5Xg1UWDirDtXaSFxhU2zpkswcgxmPn2BGj1sGEcuK-xmqFkjGL7HEJDSJo7FLBuY/s1600/france+3.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFstpHyUcBV6pn6LcSurkTklGqXc0PJWQXOOlcjEgzqnJjVwDkxIC4u8fBwuDJ7N4ToJIb6OISNuf5Xg1UWDirDtXaSFxhU2zpkswcgxmPn2BGj1sGEcuK-xmqFkjGL7HEJDSJo7FLBuY/s320/france+3.jpe" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every street is unique and pretty</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZn5s7Wagc8XpqI1MX8rkQn8k21EJzUhT4Xm-TSuHd0_JnFkfKibe0fIFX8t4CAC6QHouhOKho_-XdMGJ2i5oa2LvqWU5TWyZU4hnJXqQPibBQ5183GZqAzvWrOjjrTmsIvTzYmczLDg/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZn5s7Wagc8XpqI1MX8rkQn8k21EJzUhT4Xm-TSuHd0_JnFkfKibe0fIFX8t4CAC6QHouhOKho_-XdMGJ2i5oa2LvqWU5TWyZU4hnJXqQPibBQ5183GZqAzvWrOjjrTmsIvTzYmczLDg/s320/4.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coffee in the sun</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNk23TpvdV4GhyphenhyphenCVpCwu_lWY68WUxAlffy58FywxQl-IYlOKrzBzLKKxLgbe4mq_HBj7L5kbYtESSMQvVRUvZTWkQr1sItwZvh4OHfNLRNWwFwMCaUefcWLdfy_2hkpMz8jG-S87zNl_g/s1600/france+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="960" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNk23TpvdV4GhyphenhyphenCVpCwu_lWY68WUxAlffy58FywxQl-IYlOKrzBzLKKxLgbe4mq_HBj7L5kbYtESSMQvVRUvZTWkQr1sItwZvh4OHfNLRNWwFwMCaUefcWLdfy_2hkpMz8jG-S87zNl_g/s320/france+13.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Valence avec my French Poodle</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKzcvVpWHQgRy5Js2wRaebgID9KlEzV_K9uRgsiHtPxn8B7kbq3fH10ncQbOH00_EHO_SRZ9oOCWyskveup-fQXVyPnkBgQfvuCxSMx-FFItuWN-XwedKZwCD6N-fVmpG1iZHcwPtg2s/s1600/france+15.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKzcvVpWHQgRy5Js2wRaebgID9KlEzV_K9uRgsiHtPxn8B7kbq3fH10ncQbOH00_EHO_SRZ9oOCWyskveup-fQXVyPnkBgQfvuCxSMx-FFItuWN-XwedKZwCD6N-fVmpG1iZHcwPtg2s/s320/france+15.jpe" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pool at final stop-over hotel in Reims. Not as grand as our friends' but very welcome in the heat.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDaKZ0NdEtHMW_QT8eZ89rR6vJiW9fWa8glB61gArZN66_8T9EjhmelrvhTMovynY_oq1fqNQnGxWb9sf-yLS1VXimTNlb9DoIy_6F-pGYi334HnNu4AV8qE1a7YTOFTPYamPP8wouj1g/s1600/france+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="576" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDaKZ0NdEtHMW_QT8eZ89rR6vJiW9fWa8glB61gArZN66_8T9EjhmelrvhTMovynY_oq1fqNQnGxWb9sf-yLS1VXimTNlb9DoIy_6F-pGYi334HnNu4AV8qE1a7YTOFTPYamPP8wouj1g/s320/france+10.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our holiday souvenir. 36 knobs to transform our kitchen. Or <i><b>Ker-nobs</b></i> as the shop assistant pronounced them!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-24903859846713039312017-07-25T17:11:00.003+01:002017-07-25T17:18:01.445+01:00No Sun, Please - We're British!OK. We live in England. I get that. I also get that you can't plan anything around the weather - I haven't been a Londoner for over fifty years without learning <i>that</i>. But when you've been planning an event for the end of July - after a heatwave - and the long-term weather forecast has been promising 'abundant sunshine' you kind of hope that you <i>just might</i> be blessed.<br />
<br />
Nope! The day dawned and we rose at 6am. The sun was <i>trying</i> to poke through the clouds but a quick look at the weather forecast told us what we'd been dreading. Rather than the gloriously sunny event I'd envisaged in the church grounds, we'd need to rejig and get the 40-odd stall holders inside the two halls.<br />
<br />
Thank goodness we did, because from about 11am set-up time until the end of the fair, the skies opened and refused to relent. The poor bouncy castle/carousel man (who had paid <i>me </i>to be there!) didn't have one customer and the ice-cream van sold 2 ice-creams!<br />
<br />
Despite that, locals braved the rain and paid their £1 entrance fee to enjoy the vast array of goods/activities I'd booked. My stallholders all told me they had a great day and many have emailed to say how well it was organised - how they couldn't have smelt the panic from me or Mr Misfit, I will never know!<br />
<br />
All in all, against the odds, it <i>was</i> a great day and we hit our £1K target, bar a couple of pounds. Would I do it again? If I lived in a country with a reliable climate, yes! I loved every second of the organisation and the <i>majority</i> of the day but I can't do with the stress of weather-watching! So, I think I'll be sticking to my evening events where we have a roof over our heads and the weather can do what it jolly well likes!<br />
<br />
Massive thanks go to:<br />
<br />
Costa Coffee - supplied 200 cups for tea/coffee<br />
BannerBuzzz - free banner<br />
Domino's Pizza - supplied staff and free pizza raising £67 for us!<br />
Little House of Baking - donated £20 despite being unable to attend<br />
Putney Women's Institute - donated half of their takings - £88.50<br />
<br />
And love & thanks to:<br />
<br />
Mr Misfit - for supporting my mad-cap idea and being as wonderful as ever. Also for making 4 A-boards and two directional signs for under £2!<br />
Ben & Kiki - for knitting (!) and running the kids' crafts / organising parking.<br />
Elizabeth - for making 'Guess the weight of the cake' and doing a fab job of running the cafe and bar.<br />
Virinder - for getting soaked on parking duty and general help.<br />
Bee - for coming all the way from Cambridge, running a stall, washing up and mucking in.<br />
Elaine - for selling almost all the jumble and making a child's day by donating her unicorn from the Tombola.<br />
Marylou - for running the Tombola and winning / sharing the cake!<br />
David - for getting soaked on the gate and engaging people with your winning banter! Also for organising the kitchen for our after-event meal.<br />
Victoria - for manning the cake/dog/sweet stall and looking after Alfie!<br />
Toby - the little whirlwind! Thanks for all that you did and for being so ready to help.<br />
Johnny - for the muscle work, turning up so early and bringing Sarah to spend money! <br />
Ann (my mum's vicar) - for letting us have the grounds and halls at a massively reduced price, for attending and for your donation.<br />
Putney Man - for attending and for your generous donation.<br />
Suzie - for setting up a table and buying nearly all the Prosecco!<br />
'Fenella' - for your support leading up to the event and the ice-buckets and bunting. Don't <i>ever</i> book a holiday again before consulting me!<br />
And to all those who contributed who would like to remain anonymous.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrzQOgoG_2VqkhAmVO6ESu4G5v6ou0Tq3qImSyJ4VOFwWlCrzvmsA3QUA0px53S8bVJk4unYcyZFLp1MYBrGPpEIiEVxSikDA3UIknZUmPD7jwRuoL9MwYLCpXCzHZLoiT94BM8yl5Fk/s1600/St+Marg+direction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrzQOgoG_2VqkhAmVO6ESu4G5v6ou0Tq3qImSyJ4VOFwWlCrzvmsA3QUA0px53S8bVJk4unYcyZFLp1MYBrGPpEIiEVxSikDA3UIknZUmPD7jwRuoL9MwYLCpXCzHZLoiT94BM8yl5Fk/s320/St+Marg+direction.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">When Mr Misfit put our signs up, the sun was still trying!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj431s3g4VdcGRlWA92_4ehdIY1wJx0HfEuDxdNuk9frTVsbOp4pHPjWlQmR6fGepjqyJCq3fmX-pme5HiIVUEvPSOzTOSTC4ZVL0ikc8rqrcSR0EIVqhz4mQdEcM5wKRl1Wb_rLL_1r1U/s1600/Banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj431s3g4VdcGRlWA92_4ehdIY1wJx0HfEuDxdNuk9frTVsbOp4pHPjWlQmR6fGepjqyJCq3fmX-pme5HiIVUEvPSOzTOSTC4ZVL0ikc8rqrcSR0EIVqhz4mQdEcM5wKRl1Wb_rLL_1r1U/s320/Banner.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our fantastic banner from BannerBuzz at the venue - the church where we married.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRc9uEqrgLX_yX_aCxS8y1RWivfhWv1EHUhvaPZNWyC4AbVmwF0Fg5ozPW2LuQsNXfP4wH9cBeaP3THeEbs3aw-ZGhgwWtgmDwjmkrBA-3qCNonXZ3rVcy3U3vRgbg4oVNhBhHprcKBEI/s1600/guess+the+weight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="497" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRc9uEqrgLX_yX_aCxS8y1RWivfhWv1EHUhvaPZNWyC4AbVmwF0Fg5ozPW2LuQsNXfP4wH9cBeaP3THeEbs3aw-ZGhgwWtgmDwjmkrBA-3qCNonXZ3rVcy3U3vRgbg4oVNhBhHprcKBEI/s320/guess+the+weight.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">One DE-LICIOUS cake.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhd4n_Dnkqgr6falQ2Vf6Bp0fFBVSvl2e13hucHY8he79tbvIuUdfGkAyV4uFWvcMr2k1qRc-s5tbXW9y8ePkqze_enonYNapSB_5E2n1j91H9a8H8iTDgmqD7TpUIYujlhQnZzhEoz0/s1600/A-boards.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="494" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhd4n_Dnkqgr6falQ2Vf6Bp0fFBVSvl2e13hucHY8he79tbvIuUdfGkAyV4uFWvcMr2k1qRc-s5tbXW9y8ePkqze_enonYNapSB_5E2n1j91H9a8H8iTDgmqD7TpUIYujlhQnZzhEoz0/s320/A-boards.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A-boards for under £2! - the cost of the hinges.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-t318hgAlZjEpecCJZOqO0s-6ey-8NMzFvB5ceHKUpCJWIbSP4i8FNnLOqKoIZScYNlKXoLlJUV9MW0XDYj_Wo1is9RaHFqAZUpfMT9LuVzABIX8JQHucOKozZ1ypv186i5_5OvLlbsw/s1600/20170722_135926.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-t318hgAlZjEpecCJZOqO0s-6ey-8NMzFvB5ceHKUpCJWIbSP4i8FNnLOqKoIZScYNlKXoLlJUV9MW0XDYj_Wo1is9RaHFqAZUpfMT9LuVzABIX8JQHucOKozZ1ypv186i5_5OvLlbsw/s320/20170722_135926.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hall One.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij1BYwE3jAAUy1MmFstWEPSyxtp_LLYt3UIhQGUfP1N4M0yyHuTMshubJ4ElUVAsZhv01XujCScFgdPKLmdqaBmhtWMVVxOjOI7uNcCMMr1MCvO3nYptth2_F6VvAC1G0rjOe8877gV6c/s1600/20170722_140002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij1BYwE3jAAUy1MmFstWEPSyxtp_LLYt3UIhQGUfP1N4M0yyHuTMshubJ4ElUVAsZhv01XujCScFgdPKLmdqaBmhtWMVVxOjOI7uNcCMMr1MCvO3nYptth2_F6VvAC1G0rjOe8877gV6c/s320/20170722_140002.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">From another angle.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1nLMn_ViVOqJ9sorF9KNmZIEaUQNNakHpxA1F5AX3D70qHU0J9jlrUWD7BSucsGpyzhBkLJUbEj11eoX4EhYAdRvVDVk6y29f0gWiU7X8NSIgE3VKUp45A2_5dqmayHdGc8LjcU1GpI/s1600/20170722_140020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1nLMn_ViVOqJ9sorF9KNmZIEaUQNNakHpxA1F5AX3D70qHU0J9jlrUWD7BSucsGpyzhBkLJUbEj11eoX4EhYAdRvVDVk6y29f0gWiU7X8NSIgE3VKUp45A2_5dqmayHdGc8LjcU1GpI/s320/20170722_140020.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Front of Hall One.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQqf4ZAZB7MMQMIxRe4-jR80jgoD45om-Lcx5xtu16iBYsJX2ifBxnzAk9oKPzDTC8d2mXRR6bQWtjNrJQtfi-L7iXHobRQaVyYA3pPJyXGM6iXIB-fm5ZdIWbHa0CTr3wEb23S4VsAw/s1600/20170722_140032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQqf4ZAZB7MMQMIxRe4-jR80jgoD45om-Lcx5xtu16iBYsJX2ifBxnzAk9oKPzDTC8d2mXRR6bQWtjNrJQtfi-L7iXHobRQaVyYA3pPJyXGM6iXIB-fm5ZdIWbHa0CTr3wEb23S4VsAw/s320/20170722_140032.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">From the back of Hall One.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NKrNUSQiFOL9XIq_WL-T7l_PuQHiabuj6Mlyha3xbCs3ycHNHYCs0H3l3n9lhRGZNoLd7-H7rjhaHxMQJ_cCcCO-eKW0mQ7RMWPuP206f2F9PYn1XrRPAdh4sWZ9_l2dxz5ptMG_pzg/s1600/20170722_140113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NKrNUSQiFOL9XIq_WL-T7l_PuQHiabuj6Mlyha3xbCs3ycHNHYCs0H3l3n9lhRGZNoLd7-H7rjhaHxMQJ_cCcCO-eKW0mQ7RMWPuP206f2F9PYn1XrRPAdh4sWZ9_l2dxz5ptMG_pzg/s320/20170722_140113.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hall Two.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeHX7k8CDipxoN5XufowOIyzwkx1IMhDqFOp_6mBm2f4z3gToloT05LDvK1MACeaV6ZbOPCwCmPPYTZNBiYEXEEQrQzGA0y0lLe7gk2sBz6GkCC0pxyOklnb3QWvcwieqvBte5s65fjJ8/s1600/20170722_140208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeHX7k8CDipxoN5XufowOIyzwkx1IMhDqFOp_6mBm2f4z3gToloT05LDvK1MACeaV6ZbOPCwCmPPYTZNBiYEXEEQrQzGA0y0lLe7gk2sBz6GkCC0pxyOklnb3QWvcwieqvBte5s65fjJ8/s320/20170722_140208.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">From another angle.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeZlP5CpeXO02Y_mH4AybC5NTnbgpWZ7YboPI0TqyJ_JIBFp1TiRzOqtb8NEaa26YK2v3RfrU2afkc5jtwU4gL2wCyB-UgFgkBwWePQRESZaGhFkJiqw7sUA6v8D7y_UQwRHPqAuA5A4/s1600/20170722_140745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeZlP5CpeXO02Y_mH4AybC5NTnbgpWZ7YboPI0TqyJ_JIBFp1TiRzOqtb8NEaa26YK2v3RfrU2afkc5jtwU4gL2wCyB-UgFgkBwWePQRESZaGhFkJiqw7sUA6v8D7y_UQwRHPqAuA5A4/s320/20170722_140745.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My lovely Twitter buddy, Bee, on the Mummy Misfit stand.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVLtp61_lXKOFtIK2pXTvkM7wkbwDH9Cee1yAbPwC0sJUh6vu-S0SJzOWFU-SCYXv0JgKoc1-aQM71UaHXrSn5Lqp5h8nSS5wo7gkCsxShsRdikisDuTzCWdQkGRugiZM2GpBPDvH3LI/s1600/20170722_142800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVLtp61_lXKOFtIK2pXTvkM7wkbwDH9Cee1yAbPwC0sJUh6vu-S0SJzOWFU-SCYXv0JgKoc1-aQM71UaHXrSn5Lqp5h8nSS5wo7gkCsxShsRdikisDuTzCWdQkGRugiZM2GpBPDvH3LI/s320/20170722_142800.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The BBQ in the rain!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvVpXQskriTPcUfp3YpX4vq-ev4fxvUnT8NhWDv_qI_t5VXEq2U94_HsIVAJUNCfnMhP_EA_L6XrMiqwVKSUa8jnoaDRICrtZlEsYIkeG6mYOhyu6U3v31pQ4srNXXM1AMQCOrfe5bms/s1600/20170722_142812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvVpXQskriTPcUfp3YpX4vq-ev4fxvUnT8NhWDv_qI_t5VXEq2U94_HsIVAJUNCfnMhP_EA_L6XrMiqwVKSUa8jnoaDRICrtZlEsYIkeG6mYOhyu6U3v31pQ4srNXXM1AMQCOrfe5bms/s320/20170722_142812.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Forlorn outdoors!</span></td></tr>
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Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-47970198118147032692017-07-17T14:06:00.000+01:002017-07-17T14:56:57.029+01:00Putney Summer FairThose who follow my blog will know that I lost my mum last year and wanted to find a way to celebrate her life. As a Putney resident for most of her life and a volunteer for Age UK's Be-A-Friend scheme (even in her 80's!) I decided that supporting Age UK, Wandsworth would be the most fitting way to pay tribute to her.<br />
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Last year's Vintage Evening was a massive success - you can read all about it <a href="http://mummymisfit.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/my-fundraising-evening.html" target="_blank">here</a> - and it spurred me on to hold a Summer Fair this Saturday 22nd July and a 50's Evening in November.<br />
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Years of organising school events has given me the experience but going solo has been a real learning curve. Basically I need about 3 carbon copies of myself and Mr Misfit, along with the lovely friends who have volunteered their services on the day.<br />
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I'm feeling quietly confident, a tad frazzled, excited and terrified - all in equal measures. I'm also doing regular sun-dances to ward off any threatening clouds.<br />
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So, if you're a Putney resident pop along and introduce yourself to the wild-eyed, manic one - I may well be in the bar!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjrmqZTnihSyYlmtVV4WH6sVT96FXo5jsrB5-r95sBQ6m_6rGrJrMwk2gfFIcbZQZyst6ZJouphsaTjV4XfB4k_g8zfFvta7dMo2_x5bsk4_osHwgjmT5bAo7ZS67d-R8uwCVMOIqU9s/s1600/summer+fair+main.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjrmqZTnihSyYlmtVV4WH6sVT96FXo5jsrB5-r95sBQ6m_6rGrJrMwk2gfFIcbZQZyst6ZJouphsaTjV4XfB4k_g8zfFvta7dMo2_x5bsk4_osHwgjmT5bAo7ZS67d-R8uwCVMOIqU9s/s320/summer+fair+main.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br />Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-15407929552484340692017-06-28T15:32:00.000+01:002017-06-28T15:32:09.465+01:00Launch Day ... and a Misfit MysteryAs if you didn't already know, today is publication day for 'Gettting To Know Me' and I'm a tad excited.<br />
<br />
But something has got me a bit hacked off.<br />
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A friend of a friend went to download one of my books based on recommendation, searching on my name alone. Imagine her surprise when she found out that it was ... and I use this term lightly ... porn. Exceptionally badly written porn.<br />
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Not only that, but this OTHER Amanda Egan has posted all of her trash on MY Goodreads page so, to all intents and purposes, they look like I've written them because they also link to my author profile. Not good.<br />
<br />
In trying to Google this elusive Amanda Egan, there is nothing - and I mean NOTHING - on the web about her. Suspicious, huh?<br />
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We have now contacted Goodreads to ask them to trace the person who posted them on the WRONG page and in the meantime we have our detective hats on - something we're rather good at.<br />
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I wouldn't like to think that someone is doing this with malicious intent to damage my hard-earned reputation but if it turns out to be the case this person needs to know that we are like dogs with bones and they won't get away with it - and there will be consequences.<br />
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So ... readers beware. I do not, and never will write porn or erotica and if I did, it would be a damned sight better than the dross this person is churning out.<br />
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Rant over! Go download a decent read <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Getting-Know-Me-Amanda-Egan-ebook/dp/B0732M9PF8/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">here</a> and I'll get back to my sleuthing.Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-70475642577685323912017-06-02T14:38:00.000+01:002017-06-26T11:03:48.325+01:00My new Summer Read - "Getting to Know Me"Well, here we are at last. New book, new release date, same old nerves!<br />
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My TWELFTH full-length novel will hit Amazon and Lulu on Wednesday 28th June.<br />
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In the meantime, here's the cover reveal, blurb and first chapter.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15ISQZOSbkFtMcl7XY9mectuD-dDuas5eekDVd96YMc1-jXUUKKVPdtBhr1F7QKFTxOAbuL_TQ2zrcIEcQXenaRhzAshYaLJSur4BJDYAbom9iriv9fvcnRIn1E8pj_ImcjX0wbd3FnM/s1600/Front+Cover+PNG+for+Lulu.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1119" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15ISQZOSbkFtMcl7XY9mectuD-dDuas5eekDVd96YMc1-jXUUKKVPdtBhr1F7QKFTxOAbuL_TQ2zrcIEcQXenaRhzAshYaLJSur4BJDYAbom9iriv9fvcnRIn1E8pj_ImcjX0wbd3FnM/s320/Front+Cover+PNG+for+Lulu.png" width="223" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-GB"><i><b> </b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><u>THE BLURB</u></b></i><span style="font-family: "adobe garamond pro bold"; font-size: 14pt;"><b><i> </i></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "adobe garamond pro bold"; font-size: 14pt;"><b><i>Penny seems to have the perfect life.</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "adobe garamond pro bold"; font-size: 14pt;"><b><i>A fantastic job on a country manor estate</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "adobe garamond pro bold"; font-size: 14pt;"><b><i>with lodgings thrown in and a fit boss</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "adobe garamond pro bold"; font-size: 14pt;"><b><i>who's more like a friend.</i></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "adobe garamond pro bold"; font-size: 14pt;"><b><i>Everything about her is highly organised.</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "adobe garamond pro bold"; font-size: 14pt;"><b><i>Except for affairs of the heart.</i></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "adobe garamond pro bold"; font-size: 14pt;"><b><i>When conventional methods fail, how far</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "adobe garamond pro bold"; font-size: 14pt;"><b><i>is she prepared to go to find herself a husband?</i></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "adobe garamond pro bold"; font-size: 14pt;"><b><i>At the risk of jeopardising her friendships</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "adobe garamond pro bold"; font-size: 14pt;"><b><i>- and indeed her livelihood -</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "adobe garamond pro bold"; font-size: 14pt;"><b><i>can she learn to listen to her heart</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "adobe garamond pro bold"; font-size: 14pt;"><b><i>rather than her head to discover that ...</i></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "adobe garamond pro bold"; font-size: 14pt;"><b><i>... love is what happens while you're</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "adobe garamond pro bold"; font-size: 14pt;"><b><i>busy making other plans? </i></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "adobe garamond pro bold"; font-size: 14pt;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></i></b></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">* * * * *</span> </span></i></b></span></div>
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</div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "freestyle script"; font-size: 22.0pt;">Chapter One</span></b> </span></i></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">A word of
advice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sitting on the loo in a
nightclub at three a.m. after a bottle of wine, three glasses of champagne and
a tequila slammer is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not </i>the ideal
place to have a light-bulb moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trust
me, being surrounded by other women's hen night vomit, trails of discarded
toilet paper and empty tampon tubes really <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">isn't</i>
the environment you want to be in when you look in your handbag and realise
you've messed up.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Monumentally.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">And all because
of the wrong bloody evening bag.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">*****</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">That afternoon at
work had been totally manic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had it been
quieter I might not have found myself perched on a clammy toilet seat
contemplating my rather dodgy future, because I'd have had the time to head
into town and pick up the beaded clutch I'd ordered to go with my outfit for
the coming evening.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">But no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the minute I hit my desk, problems after
problems reared their ugly heads until by the time it got to two o'clock, I knew
that there was no way I'd be enjoying the relaxing afternoon off that I'd
planned.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">So I put in a
quick call to best friend Evie and mumbled my request through a mouthful of
'egg and stress' sandwich - as my dear mum used to call them. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">'Sorry, Pen,' Evie
interrupted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'I can't understand a word
you're saying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you been to the
dentist or something?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or maybe you're
having some sort of attack at the realisation that you need to call this
ridiculous farce of a marriage off.'</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Ignoring the
wedding lectures that had become part of her daily routine, I carried on
regardless.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">'Hmmph, cang u
... gulp ... splutter ... collect ... bag ...'</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Swallowing down
the hurried bite I'd taken, I continued, 'Oh, Evie!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorry, it's batshit mad here today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I haven't had time to scratch and I'm just
wolfing down my lunch before I faint from hunger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just wondered if you'd have time to nip
into <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Accessorize</i> and pick up the bag
I ordered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'll be lucky to get away
from here before six tonight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bloody Logan is driving me up
the wall!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don't know <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what</i> he'll do when I'm on honeymoon.'</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">As Evie agreed to
run my errand for me and I hung up, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bloody
Logan</i> - my boss - appeared in the doorway, clearly having heard what I'd
said and smiling in the way that only he can, mud on his wellies, holes in his
cashmere jumper and unruly curls going in all directions.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">'What will I do
when you're on honeymoon?' he repeated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Hmm,
well now, let's see shall we, Penny?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
shall mope and mourn, dragging myself around the estate with ashen face and
sunken eyes and the business will more than likely go fun-bags up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then you shall return to the fold, wave
your magic wand over everything and all will be restored to order.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you'll</i>
probably realise the error of your ways and be asking me for advice on divorce
proceedings because, let's face it Perfect Penny, you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i> being a bit of a tit.'</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Opening my mouth
to defend myself, I was stopped in my tracks when he leaned over my desk to
wipe a crumb from the side of my lips.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">'Got a stray bit
of cress there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a good look.'</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Licking the
offending morsel from his finger, he turned to leave adding, 'By the way, Ma
wants to see you up at the manor before you go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Something about a wedding present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I told her not to bother 'cos it won't last but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i> know Ma - can't tell her anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My </i>gift
to you will be a shoulder to cry on and the name of a good lawyer - you can
thank me later.'</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Stuffing the last
of my sandwich defiantly in my mouth, I pulled a face behind his back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why </i>did
everyone have such a problem with my impending nuptials?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">*****</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">There are a few
things you should know about my job, my boss, my life and how I'd come to be considered
(A) Miss Perfect and (B) Momentarily deranged.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Living and
working in a small village on the outskirts of Oxford was like a dream come true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Landing the position at Grangeford Manor was
everything I could have hoped for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was challenging, varied and fun, allowing me the scope to stretch myself and
implement new ideas and initiatives - more of that later - and I'm not blowing
my own trumpet here but, had it not been for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">some </i>of my brainwaves, Logan and his family might not have been
sitting <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">quite</i> as prettily on their
threadbare silk cushions as they were now.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Anyway, I
digress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grangeford Manor is the humongous
house that sits at the back of approximately ten acres of stunning Oxfordshire
land in an area called Sunningford. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With
more rooms than I care to count, it houses Logan in the left wing and the rest of his
family everywhere else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Literally </i>everywhere else - scattered
like confetti after a windy wedding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Various
staff help to keep the manor running smoothly - I use this term lightly, as
chaos seems to be the major force of The Newton-Barr family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On occasions, Logan's brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews
and other assorted waifs appear for short - occasionally longer - stays and I
never quite know who might pop into my office at any given time with some weird
request.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact once Christiana, Logan's youngest sister,
asked me to call the doctor for the morning after pill as she was so hung-over
her eyes couldn't focus on the phone that her hands were too shaky to hold.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">That's</span></i><span lang="EN-GB"> the sort of job <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I </i>have!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">But my main role
is the organisation and running of the estate's converted barns - one of which
is my office, another my home, four permanent rentals and three holiday
lets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, there's never a dull moment
and the responsibility for these, combined with the events we now offer up at
the manor, keep me chasing my tail like a dog with mange.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Logan and I have
a great working relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He can fly
off the handle and appear distracted and curt sometimes but I've always known
how to throw calming waters on his raging fire and, most of the time, we share
easy banter and muddle along quite nicely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lady Finola, his mother, often joked that we were like an old married
couple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To which I'd blush and Logan would mumble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He's my boss and my friend - that's all,
except things became complicated for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Anyway, the family was always telling me that they didn't know what
they'd do without me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My eye for detail,
my efficiency and what they called my natural knack for troubleshooting and muck-cleaning
when the shit hit the fan, had got them out of many a scrape over the years.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">'She's just perfect!</span></i><span lang="EN-GB">' was
the line I'd hear the most.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which,
funnily enough, was what my parents always used to say about me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's a lofty description to live up to but my
mission in life has always been to simply do my best and never let people down.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Years of being a Brownie, Guide, milk
monitor, prefect and Head Girl are deeply ingrained in me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I make no apologies!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The first seven
years here were the happiest I'd ever been.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A new start, a fab career and salary all with stunning digs thrown
in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My social life had never been
better, dating came easily to me and I generally had a high old time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meeting Spence was the icing on the cake - or
so I'd thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was also settled in a
great job, had the same OCD tendencies for order and precision as I did and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">seemed</i> to share a similar set of
values.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, Logan never took to him but I became used to
his snide comments and allowed them to run off me like water from Donald and
Daffy, who liked to come and waddle around in puddles outside my barn door.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">It wasn't until
my mother became unwell that I started seeing Spence through Logan's eyes - a little too pristine to hang
around and witness the ugliness of impending death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In short, when the going got tough, the tough
became a wet fart and scurried off with a stream of pretty poor excuses faster
than a priest could read the Last Rites.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Logan and his
family on the other hand, couldn't have been more accommodating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing that my poor mum had a morbid fear of
dying in hospital, they converted one of the barn rentals so that she could
live out her final months in comfort and with me never more than a moment
away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They employed a nurse for the
times that I couldn't be there and, towards the end, they recruited a temp for
my job so that I could be by her side the whole time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through their kindness I had the comfort of
being with her when she passed and for that I will always be grateful.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Suffice it to
say, losing my mum took its toll.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
life suddenly seemed to have got stuck on the pause button and I was
scared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An only child, with no other
family to speak of, my mother had been my one constant and, still reeling from
Spence's abandonment, I found myself questioning the point of anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OK, so he probably hadn't been The One but,
drained from the trauma of my loss, I felt like an anchorless boat, bobbing
around in a turbulent sea with no idea of the direction in which I should be heading.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">What is it the
experts say about grief?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don't make any
hasty decisions for at least two years?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yeah, well I didn't listen to<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> that</i>
one, did I?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">life</i> wasn't<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a mess - and watching someone you love
die before your very eyes makes you question your own mortality - I didn't <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want</i> to die alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn't want to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">live</i> alone so I made the decision to take the bull by the horns and
get me a husband - even if it meant paying for one.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">*****</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The rest of the
afternoon leading up to my hen night flew by in a haze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any trips to the hairdressers or nail bar in
preparation for my so called big send-off, flew out of the window as I juggled
calls from prospective holiday renters and meetings with cleaning contractors
or caterers for various upcoming events.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Logging out of my
computer at just gone six, I figured I'd have just enough time for the quickest
of showers before heading off to meet the girls at the restaurant we'd booked
prior to hitting a club.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'Erm ...
Penny?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here ...' </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Logan</span><span lang="EN-GB"> had appeared in the doorway and was shuffling uncomfortably.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'Take this towards your evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still think you're off your tiny little
rocker but ... well, have a good one and have a drink or three on the
family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With any luck a few bottles of
bubbly might give you the clarity you need.'</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">He handed me two
envelopes and prepared to leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'Oh,
and by the way, Ma's conked out after too many lunchtime G&T's so she said
she'll see you on Monday but that I should give you this.'<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pointed to the pink envelope in my hand
along with the brown one which clearly contained money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'She apologised for forgetting that she had
it but said that you know what she's like and ...'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">I'd ceased to
hear any other words that came from his mouth as the familiarity of the
handwriting on the pink envelope was etched on my brain.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">It was from my
mum.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">*****</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'What d'you mean,
you didn't <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">read</i> it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could you resist?'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Evie had arrived
at my barn after work in an attempt to do something with my hair when she'd
heard that I'd had to cancel my salon appointment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bane of my life, my curls turn to frizz
if not completely tamed and my best friend knew how cranky I'd be if I headed
out for the night looking like a blonde Ronald McDonald after a trip through a
car wash.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'It just didn't
seem the right time,' I explained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'I
didn't want to rush it as that didn't seem fitting and I didn't want to be
upset before tonight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean, let's face
it, nothing's exactly gone according to plan for tonight, has it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No pampering, no down time and no sodding
evening bag to go with my outfit either.'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'Look, Pen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I've <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">said</i>
I'm sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was running late myself and
the shop had just shut by the time I got there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">did</i> remember to bring that
sequinned one that you bought for the launch party up at the manor and then
loaned to me for Drew's wedding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm not
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">totally </i>useless - and you have to
remember, we can't all be as organised as you. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come on, have another glass of fizzy and let's
get going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's not every night I get to
be head hen to my best friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let's
make this a night to remember and when we get back later, I'll be here when you
read your letter from your mum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You're
right, it's probably better that way.'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">*****</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Fast forward a
few hours and we're into the toilet scene again - my moment of spending a penny
as another dropped, shall we say.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">I'd left the
dance floor desperate for a wee and a make-up repair after much raucous dancing
and laughing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Hovering over the
toilet seat - years of having 'germs' drummed into me by Mum - I rummaged in my
bag for a tissue after discovering that the paper dispenser next to me was
empty.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">As I pulled it
out, something came with it from an inside pocket - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">damn Evie for bringing this bag for me -</i> my world tilted on its
axis, my legs turned to jelly beneath me and my buttocks landed slap-bang on
the cold, damp loo seat.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Mum would <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> have approved.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Studying my find
in my hand, time stood still and my heart almost stopped with it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">A Polaroid photo
taken up at the manor's launch four years previously. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crinkled and a little torn at the edges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A snapshot in time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In many ways, history - in other ways still
so very much the present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Him and me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">My <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">boss</i> - and what I suddenly realised had
been my secret and buried crush for more years than I cared to remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But sadly not the man I was about to head
down the aisle to in a week's time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Because - and
prepare yourself - I'd never actually set eyes on the man who I was due to
marry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, I'd been sent an image in an email but
that was the sole extent of my visual knowledge of him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">And in a flash I
could at last see why everyone had declared me totally bonkers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My decision to take control of my life and
force things that should come naturally suddenly seemed like a bad idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A very bad idea indeed.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><i><b>If you enjoyed this taster, 'Getting to Know Me' is now available to pre-order ahead of its release this Wednesday. Grab a copy now by clicking on the link below.</b></i></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><i><b><br /></b></i></span>
<span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Getting-Know-Me-Amanda-Egan-ebook/dp/B0732M9PF8/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank"><i><b> UK</b></i></a></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Know-Me-Amanda-Egan-ebook/dp/B0732M9PF8/ref=la_B0054E7IF2_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1498471286&sr=1-14&refinements=p_82%3AB0054E7IF2" target="_blank"><i><b>USA </b></i></a> </span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/d/Getting-Know-Me-Amanda-Egan-ebook/B0732M9PF8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1498471360&sr=1-1&keywords=getting+to+know+me+amanda+egan" target="_blank">AUSTRALIA </a></span></div>
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Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-15339253116755316852017-01-07T11:36:00.001+00:002017-01-07T11:36:22.920+00:00The Little Things<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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On this day, last year, I shared a
very special meal with the most important woman in my life. My lovely mum, of
course.<br />
<br />
It wasn't in a fancy-schmanzy
restaurant with bubbles and fawning waiters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We weren't dressed up to the nines, knocking back the wine (our
favourite tipple).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was on the side of
her bed at her bedside cabinet, in the cosiness of her bedroom, with her
tucking into fish and chips that my husband had prepared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember he'd over-cooked the criss-cross
chips as (for obvious reasons) life was a little chaotic at the time but my mum
wolfed them down like a woman possessed declaring that she was starving!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We laughed and joked and, for a while, I let
myself believe that all would be well in the world.<br />
<br />
Just that afternoon she'd been
visited by an acupuncturist who seemed to have worked her magic and prior to
that we'd been giggling with my sister as we tested our mum on her times
tables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Boy, was she good at those!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Years of war-time schooling that drummed them
into you were to be thanked for that.<br />
<br />
After her meal, she said she
wanted a wash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn't to know but this
was to be the last time I would pamper and preen her - a full wash from the
sink as she perched on the loo seat, legs and arms moisturised with new smellies
she'd received for Christmas, a clean nightie and then back into bed where she
cheekily 'ordered' cheese and biscuits because she was still 'starving'!<br />
<br />
The next day, quite calmly, she
called us all in to say her goodbyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
wouldn't have thought it possible for someone to be so clear-headed about the
fact that it was time to leave the world unless I'd witnessed it for myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She knew - it was as simple as that - and she
wanted to make sure that she'd said what she needed to.<br />
<br />
Heart-breakingly sad but, at the
same time, so lovely when you think of how many people don't get the chance to
plan and say their farewells and then leave this world from the comfort of
their own bed surrounded by love.<br />
<br />
I guess the point of this piece -
other than to honour and remember my mum - is to say take the time to do little
things with those you love because you just never know if it's going to be your
last chance.<br />
<br />
I treasure that evening with my
mum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will be etched in my heart
forever and tonight I'll raise a glass to her and I know that she'll remember
why I'm doing it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbw196H-MQKljGOGwTs7knn2WesmKlJkcUSNlFsLbZD68F-vtPuscEECNruK9MOomPodtK-e2V834EqAByGyi_sVRLCi6HzFImaS7rBtPX5WotLc49j3kbUftLWZ-TCfzg5j6IHLlBjg/s1600/memory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbw196H-MQKljGOGwTs7knn2WesmKlJkcUSNlFsLbZD68F-vtPuscEECNruK9MOomPodtK-e2V834EqAByGyi_sVRLCi6HzFImaS7rBtPX5WotLc49j3kbUftLWZ-TCfzg5j6IHLlBjg/s320/memory.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-8286614874938021442016-11-14T14:20:00.000+00:002016-11-14T14:20:40.351+00:00My Fundraising EveningSaturday 12th November was the culmination of months of hard work and saw us holding our Age UK fundraising Vintage Evening at The Telegraph Pub, Putney. I felt that I needed to find a positive in losing my lovely mum earlier this year and, as she volunteered for Age UK into her early 80's, this seemed the most fitting way. She also loved a good party and a glass of wine so I know she would have approved!<br />
<br />
It was a massive success and I believe that all of those who attended would agree. Many people said that it should be made a yearly event so I guess we must have done something right and when a complete stranger approached me and told me that my mum would have been very proud, I must admit I felt very touched.<br />
<br />
The Prosecco flowed, 'For The Boys' got everybody singing along and then we hit the dance floor and shimmied to tunes of the past until midnight.<br />
<br />
The event raised just over £1,300 (including raffle sales - see list of generous contributors below) and every penny will be winging its way to Age UK Wandsworth. HUGE thanks to all who donated and took part.<br />
<br />
So ... a pretty heavy-on-the-photos blog but I think they speak louder than words. Much love and thanks to my photographers Mireille and Elizabeth and also for their help. Also to my lovely 'Fenella' for her raffle-ticket-selling-skills!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSuCoqF8GsFl-LYePc3LN-rD95_a_9SVnW1NCVdL3q4LX05hhB2KWlzX3HgXNKYrQQvRZtg7DiYIpjNfEJxoGqC3vHQncburvpFczNHtogbNy_upaf4mxiw8TXGDFRaNGfVdQEE8KWz0/s1600/Roy+5.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSuCoqF8GsFl-LYePc3LN-rD95_a_9SVnW1NCVdL3q4LX05hhB2KWlzX3HgXNKYrQQvRZtg7DiYIpjNfEJxoGqC3vHQncburvpFczNHtogbNy_upaf4mxiw8TXGDFRaNGfVdQEE8KWz0/s320/Roy+5.jpe" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our welcome table, including a picture of my mum in her 20s.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYB_mpk-3lMG5n8SwyN_A8fxFIoPrwrnAO1HKJQ5eXBU1-6Dry86EpFgFBNuDAPzcfBcUiNnAV4HScOLigBT6E7MEN3EbBYgwnLApSwYaGDkTAe1-7sV0ifjEeZ5pRyTehplARsuL4Ns4/s1600/20161112_151628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYB_mpk-3lMG5n8SwyN_A8fxFIoPrwrnAO1HKJQ5eXBU1-6Dry86EpFgFBNuDAPzcfBcUiNnAV4HScOLigBT6E7MEN3EbBYgwnLApSwYaGDkTAe1-7sV0ifjEeZ5pRyTehplARsuL4Ns4/s320/20161112_151628.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Checking in table with cardboard gramophone made by</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Mr Misfit and coveted by many!</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXjBHxRstZ_ysFlOYSesOKjbLJFG_JVaNFQFQwFTK1t8NDx3EkyIyXJH-iW-3NOEunpLehZADR8VQKWOwJbM87tT-7ZJ1SswNzz4jHsZV0zLh7HWjJfYNHBPsebxbN5S1FSVfBvrp5Di4/s1600/20161112_191604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXjBHxRstZ_ysFlOYSesOKjbLJFG_JVaNFQFQwFTK1t8NDx3EkyIyXJH-iW-3NOEunpLehZADR8VQKWOwJbM87tT-7ZJ1SswNzz4jHsZV0zLh7HWjJfYNHBPsebxbN5S1FSVfBvrp5Di4/s320/20161112_191604.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and in close-up</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fapmR5f_BZvjcseIWwQI3xXamskl3kfJ2M79lQ8XXmPQSVp92dZZ4FeE6QrIOuHiAaut_HbaJJE2V2YlhYDZ6a-gF2WwlLB1S-4nk7B57DTJrKzPJ4eFt4Ysf9PITzqhCJezQJc_c5o/s1600/20161112_191653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fapmR5f_BZvjcseIWwQI3xXamskl3kfJ2M79lQ8XXmPQSVp92dZZ4FeE6QrIOuHiAaut_HbaJJE2V2YlhYDZ6a-gF2WwlLB1S-4nk7B57DTJrKzPJ4eFt4Ysf9PITzqhCJezQJc_c5o/s320/20161112_191653.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The heavily laden raffle table - over 30 prizes!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiznwJosFPNs4DgG_Y_OrRXIhveksUsViFn-YXgzMy8-FfZ62oaXNO_QAJ-dXnyU8R4ZxPte8ib-EPy5JdoiDsz7zUysTF1XLkn3WH38FW8zGROqCF7wf7_hz6YkrJl-IjsZUv1TREA6ns/s1600/20161112_184045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiznwJosFPNs4DgG_Y_OrRXIhveksUsViFn-YXgzMy8-FfZ62oaXNO_QAJ-dXnyU8R4ZxPte8ib-EPy5JdoiDsz7zUysTF1XLkn3WH38FW8zGROqCF7wf7_hz6YkrJl-IjsZUv1TREA6ns/s320/20161112_184045.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
With my partner in crime (Mr Misfit is NOT happy with this pic because it makes him look every type of old)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlOBy9cURiejoeovXEcJhfjMY7Iwd3Gs1iRNoGBrkVTKpkWwfQiccujS8gBTMoloRcMwg0SBd6InpAZOKWYZf12YORa_lYnTCC8hJ8HNf3rDuIHlteS2DS6mVGWMlgRyKPM1IvxQQyRw/s1600/20161112_184606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlOBy9cURiejoeovXEcJhfjMY7Iwd3Gs1iRNoGBrkVTKpkWwfQiccujS8gBTMoloRcMwg0SBd6InpAZOKWYZf12YORa_lYnTCC8hJ8HNf3rDuIHlteS2DS6mVGWMlgRyKPM1IvxQQyRw/s320/20161112_184606.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
My Twitter buddy Mireille who flew from Scotland</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and worked her little socks off.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOy5w1SDQUqvEKE9GB5YUC9mt4KUmQu7dPvIwRR0_tFCnb2lbqOM4OlEtZTNYLOK9UqzGPHEvQZc9xjFaWNSFX_6F0tDa_kuVHUtOpoJVKZtfio6STRUNqoze0UzcUugtCw_tyXfi5v0/s1600/20161112_183939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOy5w1SDQUqvEKE9GB5YUC9mt4KUmQu7dPvIwRR0_tFCnb2lbqOM4OlEtZTNYLOK9UqzGPHEvQZc9xjFaWNSFX_6F0tDa_kuVHUtOpoJVKZtfio6STRUNqoze0UzcUugtCw_tyXfi5v0/s320/20161112_183939.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HIDEOUS photo of me but it's what it was all about!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-PtbZ0IePPYyJIleIvj50Dgs2IgK_5J7qsYitX8pEDM2nJhoi9jF9T2EtQeV8jbwRZT6X6dGITOoI-u4ycC_RthTdNIo_goIa2ekQBtQj6sPZODmxWPabi9JAnTgTgrA7R6M7ToKsSg/s1600/Montage+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-PtbZ0IePPYyJIleIvj50Dgs2IgK_5J7qsYitX8pEDM2nJhoi9jF9T2EtQeV8jbwRZT6X6dGITOoI-u4ycC_RthTdNIo_goIa2ekQBtQj6sPZODmxWPabi9JAnTgTgrA7R6M7ToKsSg/s640/Montage+1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The guests embraced the theme and came in their finery. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-kNxJIbLIC_hQkNsOsdA8VU-T3vIFze3BKb-dpTdJshFdN3RecMDEDaPt87L9tcGEzfzAF4PnviT0yVXyObFE7dkEeOb-BS43LTv6FyYrNI7s2_zHb_Yd8CLitEZgBcaBija7atTSkiE/s1600/Montage+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-kNxJIbLIC_hQkNsOsdA8VU-T3vIFze3BKb-dpTdJshFdN3RecMDEDaPt87L9tcGEzfzAF4PnviT0yVXyObFE7dkEeOb-BS43LTv6FyYrNI7s2_zHb_Yd8CLitEZgBcaBija7atTSkiE/s640/Montage+2.JPG" width="370" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> We were delighted to welcome a party from The Dover House singers.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnjAoX1A4mwvhes9OeGAr9cxDmjHFUhNUTyPiRWN3suiyZkx_PtLsm8lWJrVUCTtiyRZV-8NCKanm2qGzGElhe13MSqVkUo4lJ0bCp0ML5iHxou1Luf5Uh9laU4W28n14e8tgSMdBW94/s1600/Roy+4.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnjAoX1A4mwvhes9OeGAr9cxDmjHFUhNUTyPiRWN3suiyZkx_PtLsm8lWJrVUCTtiyRZV-8NCKanm2qGzGElhe13MSqVkUo4lJ0bCp0ML5iHxou1Luf5Uh9laU4W28n14e8tgSMdBW94/s320/Roy+4.jpe" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Son Ben and his fiancee Kiki</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_Cw9mX2KvRsTkBdlp1p5yoLckcDlyzBJ8eLRz0z_ub6ul4U7lgx5SF0L9GU2uyoNKVf9hWKU-0kM-BuIdpQB4VeI-J0DMVFFe-tUpFzJ3tSHQDjh-Ec5r_fhnlHkxOWJdvjbKxAp0og/s1600/Montage+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_Cw9mX2KvRsTkBdlp1p5yoLckcDlyzBJ8eLRz0z_ub6ul4U7lgx5SF0L9GU2uyoNKVf9hWKU-0kM-BuIdpQB4VeI-J0DMVFFe-tUpFzJ3tSHQDjh-Ec5r_fhnlHkxOWJdvjbKxAp0og/s400/Montage+3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tables set and ready for action</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQhN9skGl90Hhuqu2S2hdfYw7V-OqbA_Ql9cmx_9G9MombPcX-cXr-yCi-43AdMEC6AE23kY6Jdgm2ktNQuW8M2EMLFxiy_4MtVaKGxJWSKD19jDl-p-2xO0B_qIUALlQ6qTsXG3mslI/s1600/20161112_201836.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQhN9skGl90Hhuqu2S2hdfYw7V-OqbA_Ql9cmx_9G9MombPcX-cXr-yCi-43AdMEC6AE23kY6Jdgm2ktNQuW8M2EMLFxiy_4MtVaKGxJWSKD19jDl-p-2xO0B_qIUALlQ6qTsXG3mslI/s320/20161112_201836.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Round 1 of the Wartime buffet</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYCOwc7BlOQw42ShVSy_-pvvqB1r3nMBLpaofBAs-bwr2qjUPJxNUSQONAKhMpDxmutj0p83BqdLentzZHjtXVPSVoqcXB2MpgBSr6OEeZWTxfzGEJkTiSsLl3suhLrNyc1aHIUjTU4Y/s1600/Eliz+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYCOwc7BlOQw42ShVSy_-pvvqB1r3nMBLpaofBAs-bwr2qjUPJxNUSQONAKhMpDxmutj0p83BqdLentzZHjtXVPSVoqcXB2MpgBSr6OEeZWTxfzGEJkTiSsLl3suhLrNyc1aHIUjTU4Y/s400/Eliz+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
'For The Boys' giving it their all.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Audience participation included playing the spoons (on bottoms!), The 'Hokey Cokey'</div>
and 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes'. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FRZFgOycVBqV4P7IvH3mQ5wtCx-OAI4jY3fSsfACSza4eqLUbgSWqbqf65qHdLyUyyHCUFNi5TuOWS-bCzstNDoMBYhiigOojS5RVGGFwMTevfcDZs8gICAYB9qMV1zvk1OPfJjlF4I/s1600/Vintage+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FRZFgOycVBqV4P7IvH3mQ5wtCx-OAI4jY3fSsfACSza4eqLUbgSWqbqf65qHdLyUyyHCUFNi5TuOWS-bCzstNDoMBYhiigOojS5RVGGFwMTevfcDZs8gICAYB9qMV1zvk1OPfJjlF4I/s320/Vintage+1.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Daughter-in-law-to-be treated us to</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a song from 'Grease' </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0UbxP0M6d6PjRgnzMKa_sM2BXae4-jXGVuUxIwTOTQ6tJuUuAxEhCRWTDmC-KvFAcz4GVya7JBAzcvkQPgJxDbXZQFxCNhrJ_eHA5r0FHvORV7CE4qKbAyu4IpPQhRW52hxPKXquRbss/s1600/Vintage+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0UbxP0M6d6PjRgnzMKa_sM2BXae4-jXGVuUxIwTOTQ6tJuUuAxEhCRWTDmC-KvFAcz4GVya7JBAzcvkQPgJxDbXZQFxCNhrJ_eHA5r0FHvORV7CE4qKbAyu4IpPQhRW52hxPKXquRbss/s320/Vintage+2.JPG" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Sadly there are no pictures of the dancing action.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Photographer and son flopped after the event!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My feet are still recovering.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl02Ojg0FbZi5ESEg82gfweG4yQhi5DnWqPs6m3E9zbJPYMBdnqxd_io_nFIZ0seBrvwN215_Klh2hf0_6TwuG4cYAHM74HRyz0zb0OGBW6F02iKQI4VGFKAH1mZFtkSez4RYhhbnrDd4/s1600/mum%2527s+88th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl02Ojg0FbZi5ESEg82gfweG4yQhi5DnWqPs6m3E9zbJPYMBdnqxd_io_nFIZ0seBrvwN215_Klh2hf0_6TwuG4cYAHM74HRyz0zb0OGBW6F02iKQI4VGFKAH1mZFtkSez4RYhhbnrDd4/s320/mum%2527s+88th.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
The reason behind it all.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Cheers to my lovely mum. </div>
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Raffle prizes donated by local businesses.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- A year's subscription to Tastecard (£29.99) Save £100's on meals.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- Bill's Restaurant' voucher (£50)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- 'Headmasters' hairdressing voucher - cut and blow dry (£45)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- 'The Avenue London Cookery School' voucher - 'Simple Suppers' (£60)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- 'Cook' voucher (£20)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- 'The Flower Yard', Putney - flower arrangement</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- 'London Grace Nails', Putney - goodie bag (£33)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- 2 adult day passes for Red Rover City Cruises (£33.50)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-left: 9pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- 2x bottles of Sipsmith's Gin (RRP: £20) and 1x London Cup (£19.50) - THREE SEPARATE PRIZES</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- Oliver Bonas voucher (£20)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- Dance Lab, Putney - voucher for 2 for a 4 week Beginner's Course (£100)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- Dinner for 2 with wine at The Telegraph, Putney</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- Large box of luxury chocolate macaroons from 'Drop Dead Chocolates' (£29.95)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- Voucher for Côte Brasserie, Wimbledon Village (£60)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- Pamper night with arm & hand massages, wine and chocolates for up to 15 guests at L'Occitane, Putney</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- A 'Well Being' hamper from 'A Time to Heal' Glasgow (includes a voucher for Pizza Express)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- Wagamama vouchers (£45)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- Waitrose voucher (£25)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- Voucher from Award winning 'Village Butchers' Southfields (£25)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- Magazine subscription with iSubscribe - glossies delivered to your door (£20)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- Ed's Diner voucher (£30)</span></span></span></div>
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</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- 3 x vouchers (SEPARATE PRIZES) for dinner for 4 at The HG Wells, Worcester Park</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- One month's gym membership with Nuffield Health, Wandsworth (£73) PLUS Personal Trainer voucher (£50)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- Goody bag from 'Planet Organic' (£40)</span></span></span></div>
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</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- Delta Force Paint-balling entrance for 10 (£100) To buy own paintballs.</span></span></span></div>
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</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- Sainsbury's voucher (£20)</span></span></span></div>
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</span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 9pt 0pt; text-indent: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- Itsu Japanese food voucher (£20)</span></span></span></div>
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</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">- Fuller’s Brewery tour and ale tasting for 2 (£24)</span></span></span></div>
</div>
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Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-49730211746238829442016-10-23T21:30:00.000+01:002016-10-23T21:48:19.353+01:00My Week and its LessonsMr Misfit was admitted to hospital this week. I won't go into details but a check up at the hospital on Monday (after a reaction to some medication) saw him admitted there and then, and surgery performed on Friday.<br />
<br />
Finding myself suddenly without my partner in crime, and bearing in mind that we are together 24/7, taught me a few things.<br />
<br />
* Not driving for 6 months, is a bad move. When you then HAVE to get back behind the wheel, your confidence is shot.<br />
<br />
* When a friend then offers to drive you to the hospital in her Porsche to re-acquaint you with the route, do a quick finishing school course. Legs were everywhere, bum and back contorted in a very unladylike fashion.<br />
<br />
* Getting back in your own car and negotiating London traffic after such a long break is actually as easy as falling off a bike. IF you have petrol in the car. Getting petrol - after possibly five years - wasn't so hard either.<br />
<br />
* NHS nurses still range from FANTASTIC to WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THIS PROFESSION?! If someone calls at 8pm to ask if their loved one is back from surgery, DO NOT say, 'He's not back yet, ring in the morning.' Also, don't send someone to surgery with no wrist band and such a poor command of the English language that the forms you should have filled in days ago leave you asking, 'What is <i>dental crown</i>? What is <i>cap</i>?'<br />
<br />
* Hospital food <i>can</i> be astonishingly good. Either my husband has become institutionalised or he hates my cooking because all I ever hear about is how good his meals are.<br />
<br />
* Parking at a hospital is bad for your blood pressure. THIRTY minutes of driving around looking for a space almost hospitalised <i>me</i>!<br />
<br />
* You learn who your true friends are and how far they will go to keep your pecker up and offer company in their own ways. Visits, meals, drinks, texts and calls have kept me sane through a tough time.<br />
<br />
* Being a self-employed writer is a Godsend. I've earned money without needing to worry about working.<br />
<br />
* Christmas shopping (online) is a great distraction and disposes of hours. <br />
<br />
* A free Word Search app on your Kindle can get you through those worrying hours of surgery. Who'd have thought it could take so long to find the word. 'Loo'! I was just willing Mr Misfit to come round just so that <i>he </i>could find it for me!<br />
<br />
But most of all, I've realised how much I miss my mum - do we <i>ever</i> stop needing them? - and how much we relied on each other. And, of course, how much I love Mr Misfit. He is such a huge driving force in my life and, without him, I feel as if my battery is missing.<br />
<br />
Roll on tomorrow and (hopefully) his return home - there's another word I can't find in my Word Search!<br />
<br />Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-65553651071949273842016-09-14T11:17:00.001+01:002016-09-14T11:22:36.223+01:00Wandsworth Charity Event<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]-->Anyone who knew my lovely mum would know that she was worth
celebrating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to mark her
passing in a positive and happy way - a way she would have been proud of.<br />
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As a Putney resident for most of her life and a willing
volunteer for Age UK
Wandsworth and their 'Be a Friend' scheme - even into her early 80's! - raising money for them seemed the
obvious choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine my delight when
I rang them to propose my fundraising idea and they readily remembered her and
sang her praises.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So ... Putney/Wandsworth/London residents, why not come and
join us at a local event that promises to be heaps of fun and all for a good
cause (click on picture below for details).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Age UK works tirelessly to support the
elderly. They recognise that growing old can be lonely but their vision is for
a world where everyone can love later life.</div>
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And if you can't be with us on the night but would like to
support my cause, please visit my <a href="https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Amanda-Egan-Mummy-Misfit" target="_blank">JustGiving</a> page and donate as little or as much
as you can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On behalf of my mum and the
elderly residents of Wandsworth, I thank you.<br />
<br />
</div>
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Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-4052904828110570432016-08-15T21:16:00.001+01:002016-08-15T21:18:33.748+01:00With thanks to Mr Cute <div class="MsoNormal">
About 18 months ago I decided it was time for us to have a
<a href="http://mummymisfit.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/a-shaggy-dog-story.html" target="_blank">dog</a> in our lives again, having lost our beloved rescue dog Ralfie back in 1997.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking back, it
could have been considered madness. I had an elderly mother to care for and two
cats - one who gave the impression that she'd never accept a canine intruder in
her house.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today we celebrate the first year of Alfie living with us
and I do it with much joy and a hint of sadness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I now know that I was led to him (and he was
led to me) for a reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Put quite
simply, I wouldn't have coped as well with the passing of my mum if it hadn't
been for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He's given me a reason to
get up, to smile and to feel love again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There's nothing quite like doggy kisses first thing in the morning when
you wake up feeling low.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I firmly believe that my dad popped the idea into my head on
the fateful day that I decided it was 'doggy time' again - he knew it would be
what I'd soon need in my life to help me through.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today reaffirmed that 'stuff' happens for a reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On Alfie's first anniversary with us, he more
or less re-enacted a pose that our much missed Ralfie did all those years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Right dog, right time, right place.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7DpbHaxr1tWdu9_kOrErB7wqL9HgM2WIhU2_SdixuGx98REVUWqLpYDtFVZqeiOjg3-sayYnwvrAuAsydqaBJSvmzgBpVxD9IbCtUp-hIqByFARFtok9Agk-wDrjkR3ZUOvR56XwPljE/s1600/Alf+and+Ralf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7DpbHaxr1tWdu9_kOrErB7wqL9HgM2WIhU2_SdixuGx98REVUWqLpYDtFVZqeiOjg3-sayYnwvrAuAsydqaBJSvmzgBpVxD9IbCtUp-hIqByFARFtok9Agk-wDrjkR3ZUOvR56XwPljE/s320/Alf+and+Ralf.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Ralfie to Alfie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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And furthermore, he was the inspiration behind my latest
novel, '<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kissing-Frogs-Dogs-Amanda-Egan-ebook/dp/B01H4OG9UY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1471286711&sr=1-1" target="_blank">KISSING FROGS AND DOGS</a>'. So thank you, Alfie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the love, the laughs, the hope and the
massive lump I have in my heart and my throat as I write this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a bundle of cute, you do a pretty good
job.</div>
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<br /></div>
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PS:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mrs Nervy Cat is
now totally cool with her new house-mate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It took a year, of her taking sanctuary in her 'penthouse' above the fridge, but we got there in the end!</div>
Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-67841229885556323802016-08-03T13:42:00.002+01:002016-08-03T13:45:43.905+01:00Broken Funny Bone<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->I'm not blowing my own trumpet here but I know that I have
many readers who eagerly await my June and December releases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thank them for their support and loyalty
and I owe them my best.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
At the moment I don't think I can deliver that.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh, I've been writing like a demon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>35,000 words of one novel and 13,000 of
another but ... I'm just not feeling it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don't think they're good enough and I won't ever put something out there
that I'm not proud of.</div>
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<br /></div>
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When my mum passed away, almost seven months ago, people
kept telling me to be kind to myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
the time, I didn't understand what they meant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now I think I do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cared for my
mum for almost nine years and now I don't know my life any more. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's different, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">beyond</i> different and that's going to take <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">some </i>getting used to.</div>
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<br /></div>
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If I had a regular job to return to where I had daily tasks,
routine and a structure, it would obviously be another story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But writing, especially light, fluffy chicklit,
is a whole different kettle of fish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
don't <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">feel </i>funny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don't <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">feel
</i>quirky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel grey, bleak and dull
- my readers don't want that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every
sentence is a struggle and the plots aren't allowing me to inject my usual sprinkle of humour.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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In short, I'm going to start being kind to myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm going to stop beating myself up and hold my hands up and say. 'It's OK to cancel my December release.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's better that way'. I'm also going to congratulate myself for finding the resolve to get my <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kissing-Frogs-Dogs-Amanda-Egan-ebook/dp/B01H4OG9UY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1470227957&sr=1-1" target="_blank">June</a> release out on time, against difficult odds.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I'm fortunate enough that, although I won't be physically
working, I'll still be earning a living from my other <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=ntt_at_ep_srch?_encoding=UTF8&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books&field-author=Amanda%20Egan" target="_blank">books</a> and I'll also have
the time to actively promote them and maybe blog a bit more.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
So, apologies to those I'm letting down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who knows, inspiration might strike and I
might ease myself in gently with a Christmas novella but, for now, I'm just
letting plots bubble in my head until I feel strong enough again.</div>
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As always, thanks to all those who have read my books and continue to support me - not only with my writing but also through a tough time.</div>
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Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-42265597911575998822016-06-21T13:06:00.000+01:002016-06-21T18:52:17.685+01:00KISSING FROGS AND DOGS - New release<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOYZvPtKuxHgZ0IY8NU8xxsOaMrNnzZ-IEYeNYIBdbdBZSWdJqd7qJA7mtOH1TEVouKcfSnCVzFs5yzHvI9gGPR_f6364gsT6r1oYuSIVEYOB2L0iP7h8S-HYLmWLDwBQc2V37eBKSgA/s1600/Front+Cover+JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOYZvPtKuxHgZ0IY8NU8xxsOaMrNnzZ-IEYeNYIBdbdBZSWdJqd7qJA7mtOH1TEVouKcfSnCVzFs5yzHvI9gGPR_f6364gsT6r1oYuSIVEYOB2L0iP7h8S-HYLmWLDwBQc2V37eBKSgA/s320/Front+Cover+JPG.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
Tomorrow (22 June) will see the release of my 11th full-length novel, <i><b>'<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kissing-Frogs-Dogs-Amanda-Egan-ebook/dp/B01H4OG9UY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1466507621&sr=1-1" target="_blank">KISSING FROGS AND DOGS</a>' - </b></i>and you can pre-order now for delivery to your Kindle as soon as it goes live! Also available in paperback at <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/amanda-egan/kissing-frogs-and-dogs/paperback/product-22762325.html" target="_blank">Lulu</a>.<br />
<br />
THE BLURB:<br />
<br />
<b><i>Daisy's given up on love.</i></b><br />
<b><i> </i></b><i><b><br />She's had the dirty done on her once too often and has put her heart on ice.
<br />
<br />A chance meeting with a sexy singleton leaves her kicking herself -
what a time to become a Born Again Virgin! - but when he suggests she
gets a dog for company, she can't begin to imagine the complications
that follow.
<br />
<br />Join Daisy as she falls head over heels with her four-legged friend,
discovers that not all men are mongrels and realises that sometimes,
once you stop looking, you'll find exactly what you've been searching
for.
</b><br />
<br /><b>‘KISSING FROGS AND DOGS’
</b><br /><b>Which one will lead to a fairy-tail ending?</b></i><br />
<br />
I'm often asked where I get my inspiration from and, with this book, the answer is easy. Around about last June I decided that<i><b> </b></i>the need for a dog in my life was too great to ignore anymore. The time was right and a niggling thought began to tell me that it was almost essential that I listened to my gut feeling. Much searching online, convinced that I'd find a dog who 'spoke' to me, and two months later a black bundle of fur, fun and love came into our lives in the shape of Alfie.<br />
<br />
I'm a firm believer that many things happen for a reason. Why was it suddenly the right time to take on another little life? For those who know me well, it's blindingly clear. Alfie came to help me during the difficult time of my mum passing and to remind me to smile through the grieving process. In short, he's been my saviour.<br />
<br />
So, that got me thinking about how a dog can change a life and thus <i><b>'KISSING FROGS AND DOGS' </b></i>was born. Alfie was by my side as every word was written. He was my buddy when I returned to work after losing my mum thinking I'd never get the book finished and he forced me to get up and get on with it - and on the days I couldn't, to just go walking until the block lifted.<br />
<br />
Without Alfie, there would be no book. Although don<i>'</i>t tell <i>him </i>that - he might want me to give him his share of the royalties to feed his addiction to Doggy Chocs.<br />
<br />
So without further ado, here's . . . <br />
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<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "freestyle script"; font-size: 22.0pt;">Chapter One</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black;"> </span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'I really think
that tonight may be the night, Grace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Women get a feeling for these things, don't they?'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">I was celebrating
my twenty-eighth birthday with my best buddy and a mountain of cakes,
sandwiches and Earl Grey tea at a posh hotel in Mayfair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We'd talked about doing it for years and,
with the money finally in my account from a particularly lucrative illustrating
job, I'd decided to treat us both.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Through a
mouthful of egg and cress, Grace replied, nodding enthusiastically, 'Oh, deffo!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Milo proposed, I practically said yes
before the question even had a chance to form on his lips - I just <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">knew</i> it was coming.'<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She rubbed her enormously pregnant tummy and
continued, 'Oooh ... pass me another smoked salmon sarnie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bubba's hungry today.'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Grace and Milo's whirlwind romance and almost instant baby making
had given me hope in the wilderness of single life and disastrous dates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Theirs was a classic love story that made
your heart flutter and your pulse quicken - every girl's dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In true tradition, their eyes had met across
a crowded bar and ... bam ... within a flash, they knew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no going back - they were done
for!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He'd bought her a drink, asked her
how many babies she wanted and within a week he'd proposed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one questioned it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were just so <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>He adored everything
about her and she reciprocated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their
happiness gave the rest of us saddo singletons the faith we needed to keep on
looking and to believe that love was out there for us <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">somewhere.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Shortly after
Grace and Milo married, I bumped into Reece -
quite literally. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was late for a
meeting with an author and their publisher, and my head was filled with pixies,
magic dust and flying unicorns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, I
hadn't been on LSD - my mind's <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">usually</i>
away with the fairies because that's what I do best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My speciality, as my friends call it, is
LaLaLand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's a cosy place to live and
certainly beats the real world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the
going gets tough, I sketch a mystical creature who bestows love on the world
and everything is sparkly and shiny again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Anyway ... I
digress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bumping into Reece shook me up
a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see, I'd convinced myself
that I'd have the same thunderbolt moment with the man of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">my</i> dreams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, as
best friends, hadn't Grace and I always spookily followed one another in the
patterns of our fortunes - good <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> bad?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Let me give you a
few examples so that you don't start to get the impression that I'm totally
loop-de-loop and I think you'll see what I mean:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">I lost my beloved
mum when I was only fifteen.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Grace lost hers a
year later.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">My dad remarried an
older lady - the lovely Elsa.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Grace's dad also
found love again - except he bought himself a rather young Thai bride on the
internet and was happily knackering and bankrupting himself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">My dad has since
passed away but he left me with the best stepmum I could have hoped for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grace's is OK too but she looks more like a
lady-boy and constantly pinches Grace's clothes and her dad's money.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">We both failed
our driving tests three times before we eventually passed, had our tonsils out
at eleven, had crushes on two separate boys called Tim when we were in the
sixth form and neither of us passed our GCSE maths despite numerous attempts.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">You <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">see</i>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So, once she met her Prince Charming, I just <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">knew</i> that it wouldn't be long before I followed suit and I was
ready and waiting, legs waxed and sexy underwear on ice.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">My collision with
Reece was just the way I'd come to expect my own love story to begin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lady Luck, fate, Cupid, or whoever had the
responsibility for the meeting of soul mates, had plotted and planned to lead
us both to that moment when we made our connection - in our case, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">my</i> head with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">his</i> back as I hurried through one of those stupid glass spinny
doors where you're <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">meant </i>to stay in
your own section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we both spewed out
the other side of it and I fell in a heap on the marble entrance hall, he bent
to pick up my bag, file, umbrella and mobile and I swear I heard angels
singing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bemused twinkle in his eye
set off butterflies I didn't even know I had - certainly far more than any that
had ever fluttered before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This </i>was it!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'Well, I've heard
of falling for someone, but this is ridiculous!' he said as he took my hand to
help me to my feet.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Corny?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Win me over?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i> think?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">My poor besotted
brain struggled to get through my scheduled meeting - not helped by the fact
that the book I'd been asked to illustrate was about a Princess bride and her
excruciatingly handsome Prince - because after helping me from the floor, Reece
had asked if he could meet me for coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just to see that I hadn't broken anything, he'd said with yet more of
that wonderful eye-dancing stuff.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">It had been
almost six months since that joyous day and I was walking on Cloud Ninety-Nine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was good looking, solvent, generous,
attentive, funny and rather good in bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The only downside was he worked a little <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">too</i> hard - always at weekends - and I worried that I might end up
being a lonely wife and mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A small
price to pay though for having him in my life, but I was sure that once the
first stunning baby came along he'd cut down on his hours a bit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'Where's he
taking you?' Grace asked as she devoured a slice of Madeira cake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'That could give you a better idea.'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'He's booked a
table at The Ivy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pretty special, huh?'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Grace smiled
approvingly, pouring more tea into our fine bone china cups.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'Oh yes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">does </i>seem like he might
be about to pop the question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you
got something new to wear?'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'I bought a
gorgeous little black dress and some killer heels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Figured I couldn't go wrong with those.'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'Lucky you!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn't get this bod anywhere near <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">anything</i> little right now - and as for
killer heels, just about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">any</i> shoes
cripple me at the moment.'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'Yes, well with
any luck, this time next year it'll be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">me</i>
complaining about those sorts of problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Oh, Grace!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can't wait!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why can't it be eight o'clock already?'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'Promise me
you'll ring me as soon as you can.'<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Grace was clearly as excited as I was and she suddenly looked all
dreamy-eyed as she stared far into the distance. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'Oh, I can just see it now - the candlelight,
the soft music playing in the background, you looking good enough to eat and
him all chiselled and groomed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He'll be
a little nervous - and you'll be cacking it - but he'll take your hand ever so
gently and then he'll utter those words ... <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bloody
hell</i> ... he's over there with another woman!'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">I'd been so
wrapped up in Grace's description of how things might play out, like a child
being lulled by a bedtime story, it took me a while to feel the impact of the
dropped bombshell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What on earth could
she possibly mean - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">over there with
another woman?</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Grace had
carefully placed her delicate cup and saucer onto the table and, as my eyes
turned to see where she'd been looking, I kind of wish I'd done the same
myself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Dropping Royal
Doulton porcelain on a marble floor makes one hell of a racket. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">*****</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Luckily we were
at a table where we could see them but were obscured enough by a giant pillar
for them not to be able to see us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
brought bile to my mouth to watch them but it had to be done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe she was his sister or just a
friend?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe we were over-reacting.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The kiss he gave
her as he got up was our first clue, swiftly followed by two kids who appeared
from a table behind him uttering the words, 'Bye Daddy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See you later.'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Pretty conclusive
evidence, I'd say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wouldn't you agree?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'Oh, Daisy!'<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grace looked positively sick - either with
sympathy or from excessive cake and sandwich consumption - and I pretty much
felt the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'What are you going to
do?'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">I could barely
think straight but I knew I couldn't just let him get up and walk out of the
hotel without him knowing he'd been rumbled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Gathering every bit of my courage and taking a massive breath, I stood
and began to approach the treacherous bastard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It would be cold comfort but I just wanted to see the look on his face
when he realised that his game was up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The woman I now
assumed to be his wife smiled pleasantly at me as I got closer to their
table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reece had his back to me as he
readied to leave and turned to see who she was acknowledging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He may just as well have had 'Guilty' branded
on his forehead - the colour drained from his face, he gulped, his eyes darted
like a cornered animal and I could almost hear his sphincter pucker.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He deserved it, and a whole lot more, and it
was on the tip of my tongue to reveal the whole sordid story there and then -
to let his, really rather pretty, wife know what a cheating heel he really was.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">But then I saw
his kids - two girls, wide-eyed and innocent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Probably Daddy's girls who believed that he was the best man in the
world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realised then that I couldn't
do it to them, I couldn't rob them of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A vision of my own dear dad popped into my head and I had to swallow
down a mounting sob.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was because of
him that I'd followed my chosen career path.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Years of bedtime stories filled with dragons, magical people and fantasy
lands read in his myriad of voices had given me a vivid imagination and a
dreamy outlook on life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In light of
recent events, maybe <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">too</i> dreamy, but
I couldn't shatter these little girls' lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I may have drawn many wicked witches but I would never be one.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'Reece!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How lovely to see you,' I said as lightly as
I could manage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grace later told me that
it was Oscar worthy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then turned to
his wife and added, 'Hi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm Daisy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reece and I worked together years ago.'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'Pleased to meet
you,' his wife replied, offering her soft and beautifully manicured hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'Was that at Newton Pierce?'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'Yes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, that's right,' Reece cut in
hurriedly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'Good to see you again,
Daisy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where are you working now?'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Taking my final
look at him and meeting his gaze head on, I replied, 'Oh, I don't work any
more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm married with two kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know … these things happen, don't they?'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The colour
returned to his face in a flush but he was unable to answer and I was done with
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just needed to get out while my
dignity was still in one rather fragile piece.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'It was nice to
finally meet you,' I said to his wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>'Reece used to talk about you so much,' I lied with my last reserve of
fake jollity and then, as I turned to walk past Reece, I mumbled loud enough
for only him to hear, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'May you rot in hell,
you stinking piece of crap'.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">As birthdays
went, it wasn't the best I'd ever had. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">*****</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Grace insisted
that I went home with her and stayed for dinner with her and Milo.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'You can't be
alone and miserable on what should have been your special day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's unlucky.'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Unlucky?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>Not much more can go wrong, can it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I thought I'd be betrothed by now and instead I'm single once again and
feeling like a complete and utter mug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
hold you two wholly responsible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it
wasn't for the fact that you and Milo had
given me such unrealistic expectations, I'm sure I wouldn't have been quite so
gullible.'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">'That's a bit
unfair, Daisy,' Milo said gently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'We were as surprised by it all as you
were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The right man's out there for you
somewhere though - you just have to believe.'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">As Grace placed a
bowl of ice-cream with a lit candle for me to blow out, I said, 'Well, I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">don't</i> believe any more and ...' extinguishing
the candle with a violent huff, added, 'You wanna hear my birthday wish?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wish that my heart becomes like stone and I
never let another man take me for a ride again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I'm <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">done </i>with love!'</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><b><i>I hope you enjoyed the taster - and remember, you can</i> <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kissing-Frogs-Dogs-Amanda-Egan-ebook/dp/B01H4OG9UY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1466507621&sr=1-1" target="_blank">pre-order</a> <i>NOW! Also in paperback at <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/amanda-egan/kissing-frogs-and-dogs/paperback/product-22762325.html" target="_blank">Lulu</a>.</i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0WXBVRQOhJpW_6DXAmrRQ3uqwcp-54SzIKabf8RJZb5_DrORflZJE5GqOd8H2SoAhcx4EzFqTwZgeNpT5fInrE9zec9rZ21o4Tk3Ctxc2CX-33tTFjJqyoim-XifA7GXQ9LrJs8THXN0/s1600/Alfie+with+book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0WXBVRQOhJpW_6DXAmrRQ3uqwcp-54SzIKabf8RJZb5_DrORflZJE5GqOd8H2SoAhcx4EzFqTwZgeNpT5fInrE9zec9rZ21o4Tk3Ctxc2CX-33tTFjJqyoim-XifA7GXQ9LrJs8THXN0/s320/Alfie+with+book.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alfie has his copy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-49601432329201624732016-05-01T22:19:00.000+01:002016-05-01T22:19:41.843+01:00Happy Birthday Mr MisfitThe lovely Mr Misfit will be 60 next week so we obviously had to celebrate in style. After too many parties in the house, involving weeks of work and food prep, we decided to take the easy route and book a room in a local pub and let them take on the hard graft. Food, booze, clearing up - sorted!<br />
<br />
We booked the fantastic double act <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ForTheBoysSingalong/?fref=ts" target="_blank">'For The Boys' </a>- after seeing them regularly at <a href="http://www.thegeorgetavern.co.uk/" target="_blank">The George Tavern </a>- for a vintage singalong and decided the ideal theme would be 'Dress in the Era of Your Choice'.<br />
<br />
For decorations we decided on good old British and Aussie bunting (Mr Misfit's roots) with some flags for waving (<span class="st">à</span> la Last Night of The Proms) and some photos of the Birthday Boy through the ages.<br />
<br />
'For The Boys' did a fab job of getting everyone singing along to classics from the 30's to the noughties and then we handed over to our son for the dance tracks.<br />
<br />
It was most definitely a night to remember, with friends embracing the theme and turning up in their finery. We had everything from cowboys to flappers, French Revolution through to the 70's <i>and</i> a Madonna! <br />
<br />
Many photos below but I think, on this occasion, they speak louder than words.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9g_iekBJ1_y8VkD0v4N4iUkKDNldBli24FH7hYhhnvAR_Ly14hkH03PIQggbcHwpt1L6-7-oAFua_Hux9mAKeK4Kf1dHR1XGqLqXARROZwhJucrVpD6NtpMsvYoRLAVQRmDKX4ebv-M/s1600/20160430_170642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9g_iekBJ1_y8VkD0v4N4iUkKDNldBli24FH7hYhhnvAR_Ly14hkH03PIQggbcHwpt1L6-7-oAFua_Hux9mAKeK4Kf1dHR1XGqLqXARROZwhJucrVpD6NtpMsvYoRLAVQRmDKX4ebv-M/s320/20160430_170642.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It had to be a Mummy Misfit dress, didn't it (?) complete with my Godmother's ORIGINAL 1940's astrakhan stoal.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIyu04Q7rZWtpvDRoSePhMYlLiMoRnyL75f-QF_Aet460v3wGTGVFfRtRIBpQG6jmCU9gf5pWrsEm8bO7n9Dm6RSsTrr3sMGAW07MVrwfHj-cUym_z-yV9SDrL8GI0081Cv9PXyYBVl8/s1600/20160430_173503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIyu04Q7rZWtpvDRoSePhMYlLiMoRnyL75f-QF_Aet460v3wGTGVFfRtRIBpQG6jmCU9gf5pWrsEm8bO7n9Dm6RSsTrr3sMGAW07MVrwfHj-cUym_z-yV9SDrL8GI0081Cv9PXyYBVl8/s320/20160430_173503.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Misfit with 1960's Nonteen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsZM1GyiRP7aCgxNvcILrbt_wkZvnszYHOBWL_hTh6UuN0lOKfdZu2aWOh0SkS97wf0-5TrYbgrWwzSqrddZlX39XCAygfZwbK6Eb2F0qJCZXyJMsJqUpPEh-FC7fT_6NR_RK19InQgf8/s1600/20160430_174600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsZM1GyiRP7aCgxNvcILrbt_wkZvnszYHOBWL_hTh6UuN0lOKfdZu2aWOh0SkS97wf0-5TrYbgrWwzSqrddZlX39XCAygfZwbK6Eb2F0qJCZXyJMsJqUpPEh-FC7fT_6NR_RK19InQgf8/s320/20160430_174600.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and the Alfie dog in his matching Misfit bandana.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8gOTrCLTyoxi8bQDtI6NckrWDNCGDNRmEF6iU2CKApnGG6fODPp3GJSGON5oUH1YeQ-5MI343xqu1pyfnYc4vRGPTssIauEvwMTYm9Iu2wj6dS3MvoPtn5PG1k_jliS5kTrXIxxLyYY/s1600/20160430_174655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8gOTrCLTyoxi8bQDtI6NckrWDNCGDNRmEF6iU2CKApnGG6fODPp3GJSGON5oUH1YeQ-5MI343xqu1pyfnYc4vRGPTssIauEvwMTYm9Iu2wj6dS3MvoPtn5PG1k_jliS5kTrXIxxLyYY/s320/20160430_174655.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With my Mr Misfit birthday boy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMvDCKuiKgQ8Z-FXBzmMz3QJTURcbD22z6YQ2Tjt-0BUFw7lDaw95KYXnjaX_6P1KC2gUnJnXrGUptPZMum4K6By_hJQq38AvIrWYghwz-qh6bQGQjWEym1FeXqvE6XuPk9kbNM0LE9uM/s1600/20160430_195301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMvDCKuiKgQ8Z-FXBzmMz3QJTURcbD22z6YQ2Tjt-0BUFw7lDaw95KYXnjaX_6P1KC2gUnJnXrGUptPZMum4K6By_hJQq38AvIrWYghwz-qh6bQGQjWEym1FeXqvE6XuPk9kbNM0LE9uM/s320/20160430_195301.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"For the Boys" - our entertainment, always ready for the camera!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjaeTtTtOPZNc2fvBe1LHKpi-2yXxHH_DWKfhsUGs78cOOHQlTJgRRmD7xycdmyyVenLU40Naq8duvEAEapHPXkCU7g1S-C8NT48AAUUsiaft1z3WrtuwpxdDPs5aBqocfL18X8DCWpw/s1600/20160430_221013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjaeTtTtOPZNc2fvBe1LHKpi-2yXxHH_DWKfhsUGs78cOOHQlTJgRRmD7xycdmyyVenLU40Naq8duvEAEapHPXkCU7g1S-C8NT48AAUUsiaft1z3WrtuwpxdDPs5aBqocfL18X8DCWpw/s320/20160430_221013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leading everyone in 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes'</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyh0-je9g0RJpFJm2pl-i3bh6I_HQ76OuGzMgC5n8tfBiLI4gW6VK9rRr3vn4inZPk21LiGdlJwu98imd8bsPtOoTt9zF2hqfIhyphenhyphenCiKZ2CfXo80EWIoYnBsZtZMebrt-A5Wn8pa6gKbtY/s1600/20160430_222028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyh0-je9g0RJpFJm2pl-i3bh6I_HQ76OuGzMgC5n8tfBiLI4gW6VK9rRr3vn4inZPk21LiGdlJwu98imd8bsPtOoTt9zF2hqfIhyphenhyphenCiKZ2CfXo80EWIoYnBsZtZMebrt-A5Wn8pa6gKbtY/s320/20160430_222028.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting into the British spirit!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWiXpGGTfhYM-A3I0WB9EwcJO1-MJ481PomhxgT5dQ2tsjBzwPX8YRrVVBg_IlmWreBhlDYMrnYqgUvEXdcCEXAQ98-aJJ_Ap6ncBtMqmc3SpuL-3Ovd58WtNMxCIGNHxr0nI7xF5wdk8/s1600/20160430_222209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWiXpGGTfhYM-A3I0WB9EwcJO1-MJ481PomhxgT5dQ2tsjBzwPX8YRrVVBg_IlmWreBhlDYMrnYqgUvEXdcCEXAQ98-aJJ_Ap6ncBtMqmc3SpuL-3Ovd58WtNMxCIGNHxr0nI7xF5wdk8/s320/20160430_222209.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A good ol' Sing-a-long</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSyM2vkNfEj1vTG_xFEY8WQYow1ta8AJytrMHhK-ljdC3yXLsAUObBaGH40ktHrkATMFLa5pHXk0O_siV4hLTQlTIfuFHQWN3GEoOo9l5tlOLK7RQRLb08dTAvEKGBYccmJeiayhuEhQ/s1600/Amanda+%2526+Alfie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSyM2vkNfEj1vTG_xFEY8WQYow1ta8AJytrMHhK-ljdC3yXLsAUObBaGH40ktHrkATMFLa5pHXk0O_siV4hLTQlTIfuFHQWN3GEoOo9l5tlOLK7RQRLb08dTAvEKGBYccmJeiayhuEhQ/s320/Amanda+%2526+Alfie.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big night, little dog ...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6alOqhL7GIJ3kmVGR70D48UaAWm0jfAaXk-8AOfDhNS1aW0HL4k2IgkR5zrhKr00OSmiadnHSrAmrrJke71eaiLi40qVDX9jucIr9BKZUvm8qPB9CuOCQqkON-wgw7Skp1m3GEjhYZSE/s1600/Ben%252C+Amanda%252C+Jerram+%2526+Roy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6alOqhL7GIJ3kmVGR70D48UaAWm0jfAaXk-8AOfDhNS1aW0HL4k2IgkR5zrhKr00OSmiadnHSrAmrrJke71eaiLi40qVDX9jucIr9BKZUvm8qPB9CuOCQqkON-wgw7Skp1m3GEjhYZSE/s320/Ben%252C+Amanda%252C+Jerram+%2526+Roy.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The three of us ... and the new James Bond.</td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_pjrGnOeuKqrQYAU8l5Mnqr_Ac2twd5RQ-bvU_QbJOkvKz-yAqCk2JNfyBxDIiBJAF7e1BCyyBG-0cLzS8-T8NKeQJJ8YIz0U8_9OJUr0ED2sx432wa2nPOuFXmk53l2iJrqtDiKh1vw/s1600/Eliz+%2526+Mary+Lou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_pjrGnOeuKqrQYAU8l5Mnqr_Ac2twd5RQ-bvU_QbJOkvKz-yAqCk2JNfyBxDIiBJAF7e1BCyyBG-0cLzS8-T8NKeQJJ8YIz0U8_9OJUr0ED2sx432wa2nPOuFXmk53l2iJrqtDiKh1vw/s320/Eliz+%2526+Mary+Lou.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sexy sirens</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgde31lB1MwbBUYlhuNVrII7U3ykbL36nfw0rEBF1byo4pviQAKwfk5lifri491psiH_0AtEjRhFOe8Ghuca4KL7fE1khcAMIYRS6iai5Rt0BBAunWwmvSzfIZkr09UGOds_PIVxAQkelE/s1600/R+bday+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgde31lB1MwbBUYlhuNVrII7U3ykbL36nfw0rEBF1byo4pviQAKwfk5lifri491psiH_0AtEjRhFOe8Ghuca4KL7fE1khcAMIYRS6iai5Rt0BBAunWwmvSzfIZkr09UGOds_PIVxAQkelE/s320/R+bday+2.jpg" width="176" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make love, not war</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK8qcEkvHlj6WaHZgrsaNcrWm_kqnSmnzbUpJcB9vHC8IkI5QvwmxJD3K4MDdK2zpu_R_6HfH7zm8x6QMlEBZWBZTPAHnKy18BE8JXNsihacv5zHoPTHWEaJevPq0emTNkW0sbwhGGV5M/s1600/R+bday+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK8qcEkvHlj6WaHZgrsaNcrWm_kqnSmnzbUpJcB9vHC8IkI5QvwmxJD3K4MDdK2zpu_R_6HfH7zm8x6QMlEBZWBZTPAHnKy18BE8JXNsihacv5zHoPTHWEaJevPq0emTNkW0sbwhGGV5M/s320/R+bday+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's always the photo-bomber ...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0EzxJVDlyPvf4olVAoSR0BSwGMSUtjSkYIBsfPH5_Fd2Oj_Jmpk8uNlM0sCEv3aHtzDdKDyghjrLvqWZiFbLwju39fj5D7Bx5wyfeke5eqQgzpLKe5_HP9iUB9XSqd3AYmj6F9Fj2t_o/s1600/R+bday+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0EzxJVDlyPvf4olVAoSR0BSwGMSUtjSkYIBsfPH5_Fd2Oj_Jmpk8uNlM0sCEv3aHtzDdKDyghjrLvqWZiFbLwju39fj5D7Bx5wyfeke5eqQgzpLKe5_HP9iUB9XSqd3AYmj6F9Fj2t_o/s320/R+bday+10.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the nice girls love a man in uniform</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZgyRq3bIhqzXx2YVacn0R857YSY_LeqyPXkXhRQH1176pMiA4goAi7HW5c630Ecp9ZcZIbDmhaza1cfWRo5w8k-vdj-I49bKr4G-d3LJNdJLZVbT5zNCR7iBsDmDv_XEj_kiTmc36dc/s1600/R+bday+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZgyRq3bIhqzXx2YVacn0R857YSY_LeqyPXkXhRQH1176pMiA4goAi7HW5c630Ecp9ZcZIbDmhaza1cfWRo5w8k-vdj-I49bKr4G-d3LJNdJLZVbT5zNCR7iBsDmDv_XEj_kiTmc36dc/s320/R+bday+8.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr Misfit over the years</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJYgFWxMBCf9aQ9XpPraGKvMwOfJ1DKnidRGnUvoG9dXr3C2KKauPOm1y2tIbfibhVkV7puj5ZCNHv51Kb2IqBX6chDRR4vvMg9kRycKXlekL7WZo4nxz9ncRmlpg8bzMlutXNhkurz4/s1600/Eliz+%2526+Co.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJYgFWxMBCf9aQ9XpPraGKvMwOfJ1DKnidRGnUvoG9dXr3C2KKauPOm1y2tIbfibhVkV7puj5ZCNHv51Kb2IqBX6chDRR4vvMg9kRycKXlekL7WZo4nxz9ncRmlpg8bzMlutXNhkurz4/s320/Eliz+%2526+Co.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saints and Sinners</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkkhoEuCzBv_Bi-3AlmfeR8BylwoBGcchgM9Ygn6jb-rJH-h8drQDkPBZ-fCuwXj9LkKFZwusGpLyDOJ2qE6EzeJPI5OdQDTBzYf2voa3xIo6d2P-r0IioJp9pjmbtFE-UtztRORdD2XA/s1600/R+bday+4.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkkhoEuCzBv_Bi-3AlmfeR8BylwoBGcchgM9Ygn6jb-rJH-h8drQDkPBZ-fCuwXj9LkKFZwusGpLyDOJ2qE6EzeJPI5OdQDTBzYf2voa3xIo6d2P-r0IioJp9pjmbtFE-UtztRORdD2XA/s320/R+bday+4.jpe" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Howdy Pardner!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1WDzBrLEM9dZf-RzRaJfYd-EPfmMqnwy9tSjVm_ljkecjxKMJkTdnxqzoKpmucu-IfEF9YovjNP-u_BGVX1nkvLuegEK-pjCtSKToCaU7gXvH2034E0dfAbFYoPp1U4ly1rkeI_ZZu8/s1600/R+bday+14.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1WDzBrLEM9dZf-RzRaJfYd-EPfmMqnwy9tSjVm_ljkecjxKMJkTdnxqzoKpmucu-IfEF9YovjNP-u_BGVX1nkvLuegEK-pjCtSKToCaU7gXvH2034E0dfAbFYoPp1U4ly1rkeI_ZZu8/s320/R+bday+14.jpe" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Twitter Girls</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfJM0zLMEOWYHe1r4mHc0C69F2DkXyLK3nidsLG2cGZJOHxjAWk_uOgweoNH4h4lQpOVWLkJGbiav2Qlal1zvXd2DBpcJYx8xn95-hDgV41BREV3iHjqM3-OOjusKexqAJcBqqOCvk0s/s1600/Crowd+scene.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfJM0zLMEOWYHe1r4mHc0C69F2DkXyLK3nidsLG2cGZJOHxjAWk_uOgweoNH4h4lQpOVWLkJGbiav2Qlal1zvXd2DBpcJYx8xn95-hDgV41BREV3iHjqM3-OOjusKexqAJcBqqOCvk0s/s320/Crowd+scene.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very British (and Australian) Affair</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NyFcQg_kGBF6Rxoi8GAk2FCuj1Da1i-LOYZl0nppg1Ay25SIopUBP-PpYc-BQeLVjmRSgPeDtxk32YVBgx1gjPy9FYgCVZvaRG_HJdN66r7d9Bs-BQ5om-b19Ymnk6WIc6rRR9nZhU8/s1600/R+bday+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NyFcQg_kGBF6Rxoi8GAk2FCuj1Da1i-LOYZl0nppg1Ay25SIopUBP-PpYc-BQeLVjmRSgPeDtxk32YVBgx1gjPy9FYgCVZvaRG_HJdN66r7d9Bs-BQ5om-b19Ymnk6WIc6rRR9nZhU8/s320/R+bday+12.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In full swing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMx872SKWoMNasu_ML_ipHShW6zDYZOgeKcTLX_D89baS1wHtibTEMAgbt9FdEkecSIqmOubWyM9m4ySNwq4suUi5iEwb3rNYfxv5vwiK1AVttssqiyp9bAa1V0u8e08WFlnoFrwU_8Y/s1600/Jerram+%2526+Phil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMx872SKWoMNasu_ML_ipHShW6zDYZOgeKcTLX_D89baS1wHtibTEMAgbt9FdEkecSIqmOubWyM9m4ySNwq4suUi5iEwb3rNYfxv5vwiK1AVttssqiyp9bAa1V0u8e08WFlnoFrwU_8Y/s320/Jerram+%2526+Phil.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yin Yang Bonds</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicEql8fp7O41WTvnSFxFMHy3GOJRD8NrLKKAAkKLfzQyT6X8Kg51QlX5BbK7hpJnvIzWno-8x2aWaeg00K0fNYgxV2RwY2sfhxpXqyxaTorRgFOUjKw-ZefAE1kgFpEttiKqukWcuOkyk/s1600/20160430_222841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicEql8fp7O41WTvnSFxFMHy3GOJRD8NrLKKAAkKLfzQyT6X8Kg51QlX5BbK7hpJnvIzWno-8x2aWaeg00K0fNYgxV2RwY2sfhxpXqyxaTorRgFOUjKw-ZefAE1kgFpEttiKqukWcuOkyk/s320/20160430_222841.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr Misfit takes the cake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG78HOWAaCXuKaeFPd34ZbEyiUoJnAQfXUx8A3cVyUgbed8w-9ElXMVLMu5GsMCQ7POxiYq8n6yNST2oLMaHFQr9hame9kTEW5AUgZMLCJwccZOsKfn73APAEg_gFmsAU7FLar21SAyQQ/s1600/20160430_231835.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG78HOWAaCXuKaeFPd34ZbEyiUoJnAQfXUx8A3cVyUgbed8w-9ElXMVLMu5GsMCQ7POxiYq8n6yNST2oLMaHFQr9hame9kTEW5AUgZMLCJwccZOsKfn73APAEg_gFmsAU7FLar21SAyQQ/s320/20160430_231835.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wasn't he a cutie?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxaJgTX6LaWjZxhZPxDPHZEHfW1SXg9aywLD1oh-KLR-gBUqzafzx5lDaRp760iSXpTiSA4u2MvV8914f7zeZ3dELmBRb_7IWAtcFNSSFhxlvVBtraHIVvS1gc7wH8LfWx3ATV1E4d5c/s1600/20160430_222659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxaJgTX6LaWjZxhZPxDPHZEHfW1SXg9aywLD1oh-KLR-gBUqzafzx5lDaRp760iSXpTiSA4u2MvV8914f7zeZ3dELmBRb_7IWAtcFNSSFhxlvVBtraHIVvS1gc7wH8LfWx3ATV1E4d5c/s320/20160430_222659.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doing 'New York, New York'</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinOjB2tBJyvjLvF15fBVMUfkfR06wGAGPe0fTyGRMveONOMvr6P1B6ii4-B1Y2gL7ySwPcQyHXES5n1T5v3SkLOSl3kQ9vTyTTm0toiaRGCwr9LY7uT1sfIbAEXoXgG5v2YN-ACdQwMO4/s1600/Amanda+%2526+Mirrielle.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinOjB2tBJyvjLvF15fBVMUfkfR06wGAGPe0fTyGRMveONOMvr6P1B6ii4-B1Y2gL7ySwPcQyHXES5n1T5v3SkLOSl3kQ9vTyTTm0toiaRGCwr9LY7uT1sfIbAEXoXgG5v2YN-ACdQwMO4/s320/Amanda+%2526+Mirrielle.jpe" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Misfit and Madonna</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7DqXkKFli5mWaTAwAL5Ii5oqIKXvbQPDDpk4dMFNTKuv_fN-SfXARYDzbBdybVuZkDfXM0dLRd-cQbx08d7g8XhKiquOB79ZE-JctrkAOsSMc-j1CXzrQtyj0G2Vdvlsx4L-9lMRpoQ/s1600/Roy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7DqXkKFli5mWaTAwAL5Ii5oqIKXvbQPDDpk4dMFNTKuv_fN-SfXARYDzbBdybVuZkDfXM0dLRd-cQbx08d7g8XhKiquOB79ZE-JctrkAOsSMc-j1CXzrQtyj0G2Vdvlsx4L-9lMRpoQ/s320/Roy.jpg" width="274" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Over and Out" - Mission accomplished.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-83002879023366602852016-03-29T15:42:00.001+01:002016-04-07T21:15:21.926+01:00In Rainbows ...<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->Apologies for the blogging break but ... well, between
trying to hang on to my sanity <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> </span>get a book finished, I haven't
really felt up to it.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today though I <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i> </span>have a story that I want to share
with you. It's something that happened yesterday that made me realise that my
mum is with me all of the time and she <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will</i></span> find ways of showing me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We need to go back in time a bit to get the full picture, so
bear with me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I lost my dad when I was eighteen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a Daddy's Girl, this was tough and I would
cry myself to sleep at night longing for him to visit me or, at the very least,
give me a sign.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then I had 'the dream' ...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There were huge fluffy clouds and the most amazing light -
pretty corny so far, huh?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poking through
the clouds was a stunningly vibrant rainbow but it was actually an arched
ladder and my dad was at the top of it with a paintbrush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned and looked at me - he was really
happy and clearly pretty chuffed with himself - and I asked what he was doing
up there.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
'This is what I <i>do</i> now,' he said simply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'I paint the rainbow.'</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, as he was a painter and decorator during his time on
earth, this seemed a perfectly logical explanation and - in the time honoured
tradition of bad story-telling - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I woke up!</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But ... I woke up happier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He'd given me that sign I'd asked for. Even my son, as a child, used to point to the sky and say, 'Look what Granddad did!'</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So imagine my surprise thirty-four years later when my
lovely mum called us to her bedroom to say her final goodbyes and within the
hour a rainbow had appeared in her back garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You couldn't make it up, could you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My dad was there, ready to take her to be safe and he was telling us he
loved us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsN1CKTvXTdQKolcRMwWUco_8dFraNrgckRibPqxyFgiw_y6o2ylR7VUCypkxUpKKeIE6c4LKwobgtZduWS2eEpfpBdMRFgamdrFtYFUNjiFNeYPxuWqdxCA_yWnQfUjxBul9LrHfrs6s/s1600/Dad+Rainbow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsN1CKTvXTdQKolcRMwWUco_8dFraNrgckRibPqxyFgiw_y6o2ylR7VUCypkxUpKKeIE6c4LKwobgtZduWS2eEpfpBdMRFgamdrFtYFUNjiFNeYPxuWqdxCA_yWnQfUjxBul9LrHfrs6s/s320/Dad+Rainbow.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Dad's rainbow in my Mum's garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then yesterday I was going to a friend's for lunch and I was
dreading it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mum would always come
along with us and sit and chat to his elderly mum and it just seemed <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wrong</i></span>
going without her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our friend had been
thoughtful and set the table in a different room to where we would normally eat
so that we didn't feel like there was an empty space and we had a lovely lunch
- but it still felt odd.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When you're grieving, you become adept at painting on a
smile and chatting as if you haven't got a care in the world but suddenly I
found that I was smiling and really <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">feeling </i></span>it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because I'd looked out over my friend's back paddock and there she
was - only this time with my dad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
MASSIVE, vivid rainbow ... and later the shadow of a double rainbow by its side, which Mr Misfit joked wasn't as bright because she hasn't been 'up there' long enough to earn her stripes!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFRULFf5DkX88pq5FZPwdDzig1RacAfMg2iFIp8az0rq9fhiQavmJoaMu-9iw5rGWV5zfNVvD-LLsLoiZTzLY01yIiuW0_qoEnpAclJwBZDrDZ1T-j4f10p3lT3ww02UtBeQK0uvKEi4/s1600/mum%2527s+jerram+rainbow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFRULFf5DkX88pq5FZPwdDzig1RacAfMg2iFIp8az0rq9fhiQavmJoaMu-9iw5rGWV5zfNVvD-LLsLoiZTzLY01yIiuW0_qoEnpAclJwBZDrDZ1T-j4f10p3lT3ww02UtBeQK0uvKEi4/s320/mum%2527s+jerram+rainbow.jpg" width="192" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
She was looking over me, after all!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thanks Mum - as always, you were there when I needed you and
I hope I did the same for you too while I was lucky enough to have you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I found this song - says it all.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-72853639276692656092016-02-04T19:43:00.003+00:002016-02-04T19:45:00.939+00:00GriefGrief.<br />
Such a short word.<br />
But it hurts.<br />
Sometimes.<br />
Other times it leaves you numb and feeling like you're looking down at yourself - a bit like you're detached from your body or waking up from a nightmare.<br />
<br />
My lovely mum is gone. How did that even happen? Silly question. She was 88, had come to the end of her journey and ... pffft ... passed. But at 51, I wasn't ready. There was still so much to say and so much I THOUGHT I could do for her. I was wrong. Time ran out and that stinks.<br />
<br />
So what does grief and the stupid grieving process mean to me?<br />
<br />
* feeling like my life will never be the same again. And of course it won't.<br />
* hating the fact that my life will never be the same again. And panicking.<br />
* lying in a bath until it goes cold because I don't see the point of getting out.<br />
* forgetting to get dressed. Again, what's the point?<br />
* constantly saying sorry. 'Sorry Mum. I could have done this or I should have done that.'<br />
* wondering when I'll feel 'normal' again.<br />
* not wanting to feel 'normal' again.<br />
* trying to find 'me' in a new routine.<br />
* not having a routine.<br />
* making excuses to myself for not going back to her house.<br />
* (<i>this is a bad one - don't think I'm totally evil, please</i>) looking at old people and asking why they're still alive and my mum isn't.<br />
* contemplating 'What's it all about?' Is she really with my dad now? Is she really finally at peace and happy?<br />
* asking myself if I'll ever write again. How can I immerse myself in a world of fluffy fun and frippery when my heart is black and heavy.<br />
* knowing that my mum would give me a good telling off and tell me she was proud of me and FORCE me to write again.<br />
* praying that the 'Oh no' feeling will stop and I'll wake up one morning and see some joy again and a reason to get out of bed.<br />
<br />
THAT'S what grief means to me.<br />
<br />
On the upside ... I've lost a stone in weight and truly know that I am feeling this pain because I had the best mummy ever.<br />
<br />
And she will help me find my way.<br />
<br />
Somehow.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvI0dEW237lD0ixyXDpaOshw2_o_lZiEK4IwjY1LXB0iX4MPI0ho1L7QWsbuwANzmdv01M1ndxG7ciyP9_ccirpCnKym_iJfJqnydZC6KAJ2PNyu4JutJvphb3Ru8DDJLl72LGHE5Fb0/s1600/mum%2527s+88th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvI0dEW237lD0ixyXDpaOshw2_o_lZiEK4IwjY1LXB0iX4MPI0ho1L7QWsbuwANzmdv01M1ndxG7ciyP9_ccirpCnKym_iJfJqnydZC6KAJ2PNyu4JutJvphb3Ru8DDJLl72LGHE5Fb0/s320/mum%2527s+88th.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With my Mum on her last birthday</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-13829298414775167702015-12-02T20:27:00.003+00:002015-12-02T20:33:43.132+00:00When Data Protection failsWhen does Data Protection cease to be in the interests of those it claims to protect?<br />
<br />
Well, let me tell you a little story ...<br />
<br />
Today was <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Catnaps-Flapjacks-Amanda-Egan-ebook/dp/B018E9X6FY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1449087902&sr=1-1" target="_blank">book launch</a> day for me so Mr Misfit and I headed to our lovely <a href="http://www.thespencerpub.co.uk/" target="_blank">local pub</a> on Putney Common with The Alfie Dog for a quick lunch and a glass of wine. As we crossed the common we spotted two lads on a scooter chucking (what I thought was) a bag of rubbish. Grumbling and complaining about their lack of consideration for our environment, we approached it. It was only when we got closer that we realised that it was a hand/baby changing bag. Once we realised that the bag contained a purse, bank cards and car/house keys it was too late. The little b*stards had done a runner before we could get their number plate.<br />
<br />
SO ... off we headed to the pub where the young barmen were very helpful, offering the phone and advice.<br />
<br />
Far more helpful than the police when we called 101.<br />
<br />
'We don't deal with lost property.'<br />
<i>Erm, it's not lost property, it's clearly a theft (or possibly a mugging and the poor woman could be bleeding to death somewhere?!)</i><br />
<br />
Furthermore, they only took details of where the bag had been dumped and OUR contact numbers - not the victim's name or address, which was on her driver's licence.<i> </i><br />
<br />
We then asked if they could contact her via the DVLA, knowing they have access to their records.<br />
Nope!<br />
Really? Wouldn't that make sense? Give her a call, put her mind at rest and stop her cancelling her cards or having her house locks changed?<br />
<br />
OK. So, following their guidance (I use that word loosely), we called NatWest and asked if THEY could give her a call. We were then told that they could only report her card as stolen. Even when we explained that we didn't expect for them to give us her number, all we wanted was for them to contact her and say we had her bag, bank cards and HOUSE keys - with her ADDRESS - we hit a brick wall.<br />
<br />
Madness!<br />
<br />
It seemed easier to head to her house - basically giving up on a world that has gone PC to the point of obstruction.<br />
<br />
No-one home.<br />
<br />
Left a note and our mobile number.<br />
<br />
Eventually we received a call from a police constable who told us that he was with the lady who was terrified that the b*stards might have broken in to her home with her house keys. No sh*t, Sherlock!<br />
<br />
To cut a long story short, we have now delivered the bag back to the frazzled mum and, had the system worked more efficiently, she might not have had QUITE such a crappy day. She told us that the police were just leaving her house and telling her that she'd need to have all the locks changed, at considerable expense, when she just happened to see our note in the letterbox.<br />
<br />
She called us her 'angels'.<br />
<br />
If it wasn't for 'angels' like us and if the bag had fallen into the wrong hands, the police and the banks would have been partly responsible for the possible outcome. Surely authorities should act while the trail's still hot and realise they have it within their power to shorten the victim's agony by reuniting them with their precious belongings as quickly as possible and prevent any further angst.<br />
<br />
God help us if the man in the street has more common sense than those whose duty it is to 'protect' us.Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-15804476652976870302015-11-23T19:36:00.001+00:002015-11-23T19:41:19.072+00:00There’s a new Cat Café in Town<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<b>FANFARE PLEASE ... !</b><br />
<br />
'Catnaps & Flapjacks' is now
available to pre-order from Amazon for your Kindle.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br />
Release date is still
WEDNESDAY 2nd DECEMBER but if you order now it can be on your Kindle the minute
it goes 'live'.<br />
<br />
<b>DOUBLE FANFARE ... !</b><br />
<br />
Cover reveal, including the
back cover/blurb for the paperback which can soon be bought at Lulu.com.
Details to follow shortly.<br />
<br />
Here's my lovely new cover ... </div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKyIkb-HU_dJ0oVvPyTwG5b5qcw9b6k4OYSdb9KLzOAqwglb1RbC5rX3SyGhO3rELgr44YRjTOanpEJoF3VDIpB0UUZ0uDdknLJ5k5wb12R8_S6nS4TOrWdTbj2F4it2GMeb-L0zxkuM/s1600/Front+Cover+-+PNG+for+Lulu.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKyIkb-HU_dJ0oVvPyTwG5b5qcw9b6k4OYSdb9KLzOAqwglb1RbC5rX3SyGhO3rELgr44YRjTOanpEJoF3VDIpB0UUZ0uDdknLJ5k5wb12R8_S6nS4TOrWdTbj2F4it2GMeb-L0zxkuM/s320/Front+Cover+-+PNG+for+Lulu.png" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[Click to Enlarge]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div dir="ltr">
<br />
<span id="goog_1264970768"></span><span id="goog_1264970769"></span>... and the blurb on the back:</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFYXukTN6Vw3azfaJRqhuG3MGnfsAnmiULZgboiLDeheV39CVB9BefbXTiPLBUViC75qnV1Yt0korIvcwrMB2TP-xfxC2QRtON74nzcPnfHEKP0P63wrnB-CBCJ75sKrg2bonUSpemLKo/s1600/Back+Cover+-+PNG+for+Lulu.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFYXukTN6Vw3azfaJRqhuG3MGnfsAnmiULZgboiLDeheV39CVB9BefbXTiPLBUViC75qnV1Yt0korIvcwrMB2TP-xfxC2QRtON74nzcPnfHEKP0P63wrnB-CBCJ75sKrg2bonUSpemLKo/s320/Back+Cover+-+PNG+for+Lulu.png" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[Click to Enlarge]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br />
Kindle copies can be bought NOW in the <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Catnaps-Flapjacks-Amanda-Egan-ebook/dp/B018E9X6FY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1448306963&sr=1-1&keywords=catnaps+%26+flapjacks" target="_blank">UK</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Catnaps-Flapjacks-Amanda-Egan-ebook/dp/B018E9X6FY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1448306878&sr=1-1&keywords=catnaps+%26+flapjacks" target="_blank">US</a> (elsewhere please check your local Amazon site)</div>
Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441051266378305651.post-14793939342510665282015-11-12T11:29:00.000+00:002015-11-12T11:40:11.284+00:00Pull up a Seat at 'Catnaps & Flapjacks' !As promised, here's the blurb and the first chapter of my next release, <i><b>'Catnaps & Flapjacks'</b></i>.<br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB">If you're tempted to read
more, it will be available to pre-order on Amazon
for Kindle from 25 November for release on 2 December. It will also be out in paperback at Lulu.com from the beginning of December.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><i><b> </b></i></span> <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><u>THE BLURB</u> </b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Abandoned and fostered as a
babe-in-arms,</span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I've spent my life yearning to
belong.</span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Pregnant at 16 by the boy I loved, I
thought I'd found my happy place.</span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">How wrong I was.</span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Becoming a grandmother at 34, I
believed my daughter and granddaughter</span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">were all I needed - along with the
cats I cherish in my café.</span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Wrong again!</span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Suddenly people from my past are
crawling out of the woodwork</span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">and hot men are coming along like
buses.</span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Grab a coffee and a cake at</span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">'CATNAPS & FLAPJACKS'</span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">and snuggle up with one of my
fur-babies</span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">as my story unfolds.</span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">* * * * * </span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "freestyle script"; font-size: 22.0pt;">Chapter One</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">‘So, after ogling
his cute little buns for approximately two hours, five minutes and nineteen
seconds - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> that I was counting or
anything - he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">finally</i> came over and
spoke to me.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Ross was putting
the finishing touches to our last batch of cupcakes and filling me in on his
night at a newly opened gay bar he’d been so excited about visiting.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">‘And …?’ I asked
as I wiped down the surfaces and checked that we were on schedule for opening
time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">‘Oh Ellie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could have cried!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, little tears of pain <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">did</i> spring to my eyes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could have stripped<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> paint</i> with his breath.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
paused and wiped his hands on his frilly pinny, emblazoned with the sequinned
words <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘Diva on Duty!’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>As he shook his head with a huff, he
continued, ‘You know what it reminded me of?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Remember that time Rupert had his gammy tooth and it cost you a fortune
at the vet?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">exactly</i> the same rancid stench.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Oh yes, I remembered
it well and the smell, combined with the memory of the bill, almost brought
tears to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">my</i> eyes too.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">‘Not your dream
man, after all then?’ I stated obviously as I removed my dirty apron and
replaced it with a clean one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Still …
plenty more fish in the sea, eh?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">‘In the sea? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pfft!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
reckon he had a whole shoal of dead ones hiding under his tongue!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Uggh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I could vom just thinking about it.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Poor Ross had
been looking for ‘lurve’ for as long as I’d known him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not the type for endless one night stands,
his dream was to settle down with Mr Reliable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He hankered for cosy nights in front of the TV, weekends in the country
and the ideal of living with and being cherished by his soul mate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">‘I give up Ellie!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m going to die a lonely old man surrounded
by cats and stinking of pee and flea spray.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">‘Ross!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">stop</i>
it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re thirty years of age - you’re <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> going to die lonely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And anyway, I wouldn’t let you.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Smiling bravely,
Ross sighed and said, ‘Well as lovely as that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i>, Elles, I think we need to remind ourselves that you don’t have
the necessary qualifying equipment so you kind of fall at the first
hurdle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And anyway, you’ll no doubt be
married to the sensible Stefan by then - I don’t think he’d take too kindly to
me muscling in on the act, do you?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Opening my mouth
to reply, I quickly closed it again as I realised it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wasn’t </i>the time to tell Ross about Stefan’s proposal the previous
night or my lacklustre reaction and the confused feelings which seemed to have set
up camp in my head, leaving me tossing and turning into the early hours.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">No. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed to come to terms with the whole idea
before I discussed it with anyone - in particular my prickly and stubborn
daughter, Poppy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">That was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not </i>a conversation I was looking forward
to.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">*****</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">‘Well as long as
you don’t expect me to call him <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dad</i>,
it’s up to you what you do.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Poppy was in her
usual ‘shut-down mode’ as she handed cubes of cheese and cucumber to her good-natured
three year old, who was happily flicking through a sticker book whilst chewing
and humming.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">‘Ria!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will you please just <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">eat</i> and stop messing about,’ my daughter reprimanded unnecessarily
- and I found myself, not for the first time, wishing that she’d just lighten
up a little. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Stroking my granddaughter’s
head and winking at her, I soothed, ‘You’re a good girl, aren’t you Sweetheart?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eat up for MumsMum,’ I encouraged, using her
pet name for me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">I was rewarded
with the smile that never failed to melt my heart - a smile I couldn’t imagine
life without.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">And yet becoming
a granny at the tender age of thirty-four had come as quite a shock - but what
right did I have to judge?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poppy had
simply followed in my foolish footsteps and fallen pregnant before she’d even
hung up her school uniform.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, we’d
both ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">got caught</i>’ - as my
headmistress had so delightfully put it - at the age of sixteen as a result of
our first foray into the complicated world of sex.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">That was where
the similarities ended though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My ‘happy
accident’ had actually been premeditated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I'd been in love, believed I was being loved in return and I'd planned
to create a little being who would feel cherished and wanted - one who would
become the centre of my universe.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Yes, I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">knew</i> how Poppy had come to be and I also
knew how close we’d been, how happy and carefree she’d been until the day she
fell pregnant.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">That was the day I
lost her, when she pushed me away and refused to let me - or anyone else - in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost four years later, I was none the wiser
about the father or the circumstances behind how it happened. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a story she still wasn’t prepared to
tell.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">*****</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">I’d lost count of
the foster carers I’d stayed with by the time I was thirteen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’d begun to morph into faceless, nameless
blobs who offered me a bed, put a roof over my head and food in my stomach. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They did their jobs well and I couldn’t fault
them but, although they cared, they didn’t love.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">To be fair, most
of them weren’t given the chance to even <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">start</i>
to love me, as the authorities seemed to think that it was perfectly acceptable
to move me from pillar to post at the drop of a hat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time I’d reached ten, I was an old
hand - after all, I’d been offloaded since I was a few months old - and so I
developed the knack of living out of a suitcase - what was the point of
unpacking only to move on again?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">There were always
reasons for my upheaval - some that I could understand and others that made no
sense to a young, vulnerable girl in desperate need of stability and a family
to call her own - but I learnt to spot the signs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My social worker Pat would arrive with her
briefcase and folders, there would be muffled chat in another room and then
she'd join me for ‘The Pat Chat’.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Over the years I’d
heard it all - foster mum was going into hospital, foster dad had changed his
mind, foster mum was pregnant, foster parents had decided to adopt a baby and
wanted to devote all of their time to their new child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed that nobody wanted me ‘for keeps’
and that hurt.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">But at thirteen,
everything changed - at least that’s what I’d thought at the time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Arriving at 21 Flaxton Avenue
on that bitterly cold December afternoon had felt different - I had no idea <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how</i> but it just had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the sprinkling of snow on the
pavements and the black ice on the roads, I’d felt warm and cosy for the first
time in my life and I liked it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Eric and Eileen
had welcomed me with open arms and I’d stood in awe, gaping at their gaudily
dressed Christmas tree, which was surrounded by enticing looking parcels and
boxes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">‘Father Christmas
came early this year, my love,’ Eileen told me with an easy grin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Lots of goodies under there for you - and
not too long to wait now!’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">She’d then taken
my hand in hers, ordered Eric to get the hot chocolate ready and told me she’d
show me to my room and help me to unpack.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">For once, I didn’t
question the logic in taking all of my things from their cases and placing them
in beautifully scented, lined drawers as I looked at the comfy duvet on my
pretty bed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">I was
staying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was home.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">*****</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">In their mid-sixties,
my new foster parents had devoted their lives to caring for children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their flock-papered walls proudly displayed
photographs of all the lives that had come into theirs - some for short stays,
the majority until they were old enough to leave and care for themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of them were still in contact with Eric
and Eileen - one big happy family.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">To name just a
few, there was Adrian who lived just around the corner with his wife and son,
Maggie who had moved to Ireland
but often came back for visits and Lillian who popped in every day on her way
home from work.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Sometimes I could
be found engrossed by their little ‘Rogues Gallery’ as Eileen affectionately
referred to it, and Eric would come in and tell me stories about them that made
me laugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved to hear about each
child and the funny or naughty things they’d got up to and Eric was a great
raconteur - although Eileen would often chuckle and give him a telling off
with, ‘Oh <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eric</i>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s not how it happened at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do </i>exaggerate
so.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">In short, I’d
never been happier and the icing on the cake was when I started at Newton High
School and met Lauren.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">It had been a
happy coincidence that we both started attending the school in the January term
- two lost souls, nervous and terrified, we’d taken comfort in one another and
instantly hit it off. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">By the end of
that first term we were inseparable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Weekends, holidays and after school would see us at one another’s houses
- chatting, studying, practicing our make up skills, confiding our secret
crushes or listening to music.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">But the thing
that really sealed the deal on our friendship was our mutual passion for
cats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As much as I grew to love Eric and
Eileen and felt comfortable taking Lauren home, the time I spent at her house
was treasured because there were always cuddles of the furry variety.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Major Tom - the
fat tabby - and Madonna - the slinky tortoiseshell - gave their love unconditionally
and I soon became besotted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we
found out that Madonna was expecting kittens I could think of nothing
else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">had</i> to have one.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Of course, after
two years of living with Eric and Eileen I knew that they were pushovers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If something made me happy and it was within
their power to make it happen, then they would allow it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">When I got the
call from Lauren at just gone three o’clock one morning, Eric dragged himself
from his bed and drove me bleary-eyed, in his tartan pyjamas, to see the tiny
mewing scraps just after Madonna had delivered them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">I knew the minute
I set eyes on Pebble that he was the cat for me and Eric nodded in agreement,
dabbing at his eyes with his sleeve like the big softie I’d grown to love.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">‘He’s a fine
cat,’ he declared with a nod.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’ll have a happy home with us.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">I couldn’t
possibly have known that within a year, Pebble would be back living with Lauren
and that I would, once again, be without love.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">*****</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Eric and Eileen
were killed instantly in the motorway accident that was to change my life
forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two days after my sixteenth
birthday, when I was riding on the crest of a wave and had well and truly
shaken off my insecurities, they’d set off to visit Eileen’s elderly aunt and
never returned.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The authorities
swung into action again and, being considered a ‘difficult age’, I was allowed
to stay with Lauren and her parents for a while before I was moved on to
interim care.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">And so I went back
to living out of a suitcase - no one <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really
</i>wanted a sixteen year old and I just had to accept that while dealing with
the grieving process at the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Having Eric, Eileen and Pebble in my life I’d learnt how to love and be
loved, and suddenly nothing made sense any more.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Maybe I didn’t
deserve that privilege.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, my
birth parents had abandoned me hadn’t they?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I began to believe that it was all my fault that I'd be alone and
unloved forever.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Then I met
Robert.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 9.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 9pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><b>* * * * *</b><i><b> </b></i></span></div>
Amanda Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03107950894507528876noreply@blogger.com0