John Simpson - Back to Basics in 2024 part Two

Please pop along and pay me a visit, i will hopefully talk about books read, bought and copious pots of tea. If this sounds interesting, come and have a look.

Hello everyone, this is my Thirteenth year being part of this wonderful group. I am John, 60 years old and married to Karen for 39 years and counting. We have two lovely children, Rob and Amy. Rob lives with his Fiancee Louise, daughter Hannah who will be 12 in February. Amy married Andy in 2015 and they now have a cat called Combie and Elliott who was born on Star Wars Day. We also have a mad Cat called Felix and we love him, he is nearly Four.

Please come along and leave a message and let's see what fun we have.

I love books and currently have 3,151 books on my shelves, and this doesn't include my Cricket collection which stands at about 480 books. While reading I do enjoy the odd pot or two of tea.

CURRENTLY READING

I just love Big Books, these are my 1000+page reads so far with more to add.

1.Shogun by James Clavell, 1243 pgs
2.Gai-Jin by James Clavell, 1578 pgs
3.Noble House by James Clavell, 1435 pgs
4.War & Remembrance by Herman Wouk, 1171 pgs
5.Whirlwind by James Clavell, 1343 pgs
6.Centennial by James A. Michener 1100 pgs
7.The Covenant by James A. Michener, 1080 pgs
8.Sarum by Edward Rutherfurd, 1344 pgs
9.Homeland by John Jakes, 1138 pgs
10.Russka by Edward Rutherfurd, 1007 pgs
11.A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth, 1474 pgs
12.Love and War by John Jakes, 1019 pgs
13.Texas by James A. Michener, 1508 pgs
14.My Life by Bill Clinton, 1000 pgs
15.Child of the Phoenix by Barbara Erskine, 1086 pgs
16.Voyager by Diana Gabaldon, 1059 pgs
17.The Journeyer by Gary Jennings, 1219 pgs
18.Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton, 1144 pgs
19.Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton, 1235 pgs
20.Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon, 1185 pgs
21.Wicked by Jilly Cooper, 1007 pgs
22.The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon, 1412 pgs
23.London by Edward Rutherfurd, 1299 pgs
24.The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, 1076 pgs
25.A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon, 1391 pgs
26.World Without End by Ken Follett, 1111 pgs
27.Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey, 1,015 pgs
28.The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer, 1,056 pgs
29.An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon, 1,065 pgs
30.New York by Edward Rutherfurd, 1017 pgs
31.Hawaii by James A.Michener, 1130 pgs
32.The Company by Robert Littell, 1281 pgs
33.The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F.Hamilton, 1225 pgs
34.Spangle by Gary Jennings, 1276 pgs
35.Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell, 1024 pgs
36.Alaska by James A. Michener, 1073 pgs.
37.Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson, 1180 pgs.
38.Chesapeake by James A. Michener, 1132 pgs
39. 4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster, 1070 pgs.
40. The Wheel of Fortune by Susan Howatch, 1156 pgs.
41. The Neutronium Alchemist by Peter F. Hamilton, 1259 pgs.
42. The Naked God by Peter F. Hamilton, 1244 pgs.
43. The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy, 1104 pgs.
44. The Source by James A. Michener, 1032 pgs.
45. Against The Day by Thomas Pynchon, 1220 pgs.
46. The Stand by Stephen King, 1325 pgs.
47. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, 1006 pgs.
48. Harlot's Ghost by Norman Mailer, 1401 pgs.
49. Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith, 1073 pgs.

BOOKS READ IN JANUARY BY JOHN
1. A Column of Fire by Ken Follett, PB - 885 pages.
2. Last Day of School by Jack Sheffield, PB - 335 pages.

BOOKS READ IN FEBRUARY BY JOHN
3. The Bookshop Murder by Merryn Allingham, PB - 245 Pages.
4. The Noise by James Patterson, PB - 421 Pages.
5. Before the Coffee gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, PB - 213 pages.
6. Date with Evil by Julia Chapman, PB - 451 pages.
7. All The Broken Places by John Boyne, PB - 367 pages.
8. The Inn by James Patterson, PB - 363 pages.

BOOKS READ IN MARCH BY JOHN
9. The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel, PB - 587 pages.
10. Murder Before Evensong by The Reverend Richard Coles, PB - 358 pages.
11. Private Delhi by James Patterson, PB - 383 pages.

BOOKS READ IN JANUARY BY KAREN
1. Murder at the Castle by Chris McGeorge, PB - 376 pages.
2. Seeds of Murder by Rosie Sandler, PB - 259 pages.
3. Murder Most Royal by S.J. Bennett, PB - 356 pages.
4. Theft of the Iron Dogs by E.R.C. Lorac, PB - 292 pages.
5. The Three Dahlias by Katy Watson, PB - 366 pages.
6. Hope of Innocence by Caroline Dunford, PB - 233 Pages.
7. Last Day of School by Jack Sheffield, PB - 335 Pages.

BOOKS READ BY KAREN IN FEBRUARY
8. Murder at the House on the Hill by Victoria Walters, PB - 345 Pages.
9. Fell Murder by E.C.R. Lorac, PB - 237 pages.
10. The Thirty-One Doors by Kate Hulme, PB -
11. Making It by Jay Blades, PB - 288 pages.

BOOKS READ IN MARCH BY KAREN
12. The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods, PB - 434 pages.
13. The Key to Deceit by Ashley Weaver, PB - 292 pages.
14. The Cherrywood Murderers by Penny Blackwood, PB - 437 pages.
15. Three Card Murder by J.L. Blackhurst, PB - 345 pages.
16. The Perfect Passion Company by Alexander McCall Smith, HB - 385 pages.
17. Suddenly at his Residence by Christianna Brand, PB - 240 pages.

BOOKS READ BY JOHN IN APRIL
12. Creature Comforts by Trisha Ashley, PB - 400 pages.
13. The Joy and Light Bus Company by Alexander McCall Smith, PB - 230 pages.
14. Close to the Bone by Stuart MacBride, PB - 542 pages.
15. Hidden in Plain Sight by Jeffrey Archer, PB - 318 pages.
16. A Wanted Man by Lee Child, PB - 524 pages.

BOOKS READ BY JOHN IN MAY
17. The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett, PB - 897 pages.
18. The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman, PB - 408 pages.
19. The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods, PB - 431 pages.

BOOKS READ BY JOHN IN JUNE
20. Cause of Death by Patricia Cornwell, PB - 370 pages.
21. Fifty Fifty by James Patterson, PB - 382 pages.

BOOKS READ BY KAREN IN APRIL
18. Once Upon a Tome by Oliver Darkshire, HB - 242 pages.
19. The Dog Sitter Detective by Antony Johnston, PB - 288 pages.
20. The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonie Swann, PB - 412 pages.

BOOKS READ BY KAREN IN MAY
21. The Grey Mask by Patricia Wentworth, PB - 297 pages.
22. Murder on the Ballarat Tram by Kerry Greenwood, PB - 175 pages.
23. The Man who Got Away by Lynne Truss, PB - 287 pages.
24. Murder at Church Lodge by Greg Mosse, PB - 363 pages.
25. A Murder Inside by Frances Brody, PB - 305 pages.

BOOKS READ BY KAREN IN JUNE
26. The Joy and Light Bus Company by Alexander McCall Smith, PB - 238 pages.
27. A Year in the Chateau by Sarah Levy, PB - 430 pages.
28. A Song of Comfortable Chairs by Alexander McCall Smith, PB - 230 pages.
29. Blotto and Twinks and the Death of a Dowagers Duchess by Simon Brett, PB - 202 pages.

BOOKS BOUGHT IN JANUARY
1. Making It by Jay Blades, PB.
2. Gifts by Laura Barnett, PB.
3. The Three Dahlia's by Katy Watson, PB.
4. The Piranhas by Harold Robbins, PB.
5. Cross Down by James Patterson, PB.
6. Out of Sight by James Patterson, PB.
7. Postcards from the Beach by Phil Tufnell, PB.
8. Cricketers of My Times by A.A. Thomson, HB.
9. University Tales by Jack Sheffield, HB.
10. Forty-Five Years of Ranji Trophy Vol II (1960-1979) Ed by P.N. Sundaresan, HB.
11. South African Cricket 1947 - 1960 Vol IV by Brian Bassano, PB.
12. The Wisden Book of Test Cricket Volume 1, 1877-1977 Ed by Bill Frindall, HB.
13. The Wisden Book of Test Cricket Volume II, 1977-1994 Ed by Bill Frindall, HB.
14. Hope for Tomorrow by Caroline Dunford, PB.
15. Cry Baby by Mark Billingham, PB.

BOOKS BOUGHT IN FEBRUARY
16. Rapture in Death by J.D. Robb, PB.
17. The Cherrywood Murders by Penny Blackwell, PB.
18. Steve Smith's Men by Geoff Lemon, PB.
19. The Girl from Cotton Lane by Harry Bowling, PB.
20. A Merry Mistletoe Wedding by Judy Astley, PB.
21. The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods, PB.
22. The Zig-Zag Girl by Elly Griffiths, PB.
23. The Locked Room by Elly Griffiths, PB.
24. A Rising Man by Abir Mukherjee, PB.
25. The Late Train to Gipsy Hill by Alan Johnson, PB.
26. An English Murder by Cyril Hare, PB.
27. Death on the Trans-Siberian Express by C.J. Farrington, PB.
28. The Winter Guest by W.C. Ryan, PB.
29. The Wyndham Case by Jill Paton Walsh, PB.
30. The Widow of Bath by Margot Bennett, PB.
31. The Maid by Nita Prose, PB.
32. The Thirty-One Doors by Kate Hulme, PB.
33. The Hidden Years by Rachel Hore, PB.
34. Homecoming by Kate Morton, PB.
35. Countdown by James Patterson, PB.
36. Fire Sale by Sara Paretsky, PB.
37. Hard Time by Sara Paretsky, PB.
38. The Ice Child by Camilla Lackberg, PB.
39. The Broken Souls by Jack Kerley, PB.
40. The Death Collectors by Jack Kerley, PB.
41. Blood Brother by Jack Kerley, PB.
42. A Plague of Heretics by Bernard Knight, PB.
43. Behold, Here's Poison by Georgette Heyer, PB.
44. Thinking of You by Jill Mansell, PB.
45. The Traitor Queen by Trudi Canavan, PB.
46. The Love Child by Rachel Hore, PB.
47. Suddenly at his Residence by Christianna Brand, PB.
48. Three-Card Murder by J.L. Blackhurst, PB.
49. The Man Without Qualities by Robert Musil, PB.
50. The Novel by James A. Michener, PB.
51. Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas, PB.
52. A Death in the Parish by The Reverend Richard Coles, PB.
53. The Perfect Passion Company by Alexander McCall Smith, HB.

BOOKS BOUGHT IN MARCH
54. The Little Bookshop of Lonely Hearts by Annie Darling, PB.
55. We'll Meet Again by Anton Du Beke, PB.
56. Killer Instinct by James Patterson, PB.
57. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas, PB.
58. The Murder Game by Tom Hindle, PB.
59. A Very Lively Murder by Katy Watson, PB.
60. The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonie Swann, PB.
61. One Summer in Tuscany by Domenica De Rosa, PB.
62. The Dog Sitter Detective by Antony Johnston, PB.
63. Once Upon a Tome by Oliver Darkshire, HB.
64. The Story Collector by Iris Costello, PB.
65. Death at the Chateau by Ian Moore, PB.
66. The Secret by Lee Child, PB.
67. Private Rome by James Patterson, PB.
68. The Tastemaker by Tony King, PB.
69. The Wedding Dress Repair Shop by Trisha Ashley, PB.
70. A Clock Stopped Dead by J.M. Hall, PB.
71. The Bookbinder of Jericho by Pip Williams, PB.
72. The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson, PB.

BOOKS BOUGHT IN APRIL
73. Lord Roworth's Reward by Carola Dunn, PB.
74. Rock with Wings by Anne Hillerman, PB.
75. One of our Minister's is Missing by Alan Johnston, PB.
76. Murder at St. Savior's by Merryn Allingham, PB.
77. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas, PB.
78. A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas, PB.
79. The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai, PB.
80. Date with Justice by Julia Chapman, PB.
81. The Winter of our Lives by Sara Barnes, PB.

MARCH'S READING STATS

Books Read....................... 3

No of Authors.................... 3

New Authors...................... 2

Male Authors..................... 2

Female Authors.................. 1

Pages Read....................... 1328

Daily Avg........................... 42.84

Book Length avg................. 442.67

POTS OF TEA...................... 281

Books on shelves at 1-3-24 - 3135
Books added in March - 19
Books read in March - 3

Revised book total - 3151

Pages to read at 1-3-24 - 1,275,448
Pages added in March - 7,423
Pages read in March - 1,328

Revised total pages to read - 1,281,543

Thread is now Open.

Happy new thread John!

>15 Owltherian:, Hi Lily my dear, thanks for visiting my humble thread, first visitor, yay.

>16 johnsimpson: You're very welcome John. I hope you have a good day or are already having one!

Happy new thread John!

>17 Owltherian:, Hi Lily my dear, not too bad a day, i have finished a book and put this new thread up and cleaned two fountain pens that had shimmer ink in. These needed cleaning as the feed was blocked as is the case with shimmer inks.

I hope that you are having a good start to the day my dear and enjoy the rest of the day.

>18 quondame:, Hi Susan my dear, thanks for stopping by dear friend.

>19 johnsimpson: I am having a great day, almost done with school, so that's a plus.

Finished book 12 of 2024 just after lunch today, Creature Comforts by Trisha Ashley, PB - 400 pages.

IS THERE SUCH A THING AS 'HAPPY-EVER-AFTER'?

After causing a terrible accident, Izzy Dane's life has lurched from one disaster to another. The final straw is when she realises that she and her fiance Kieran want completely different things in life.

Swearing off men, she returns home to the cosy village of Halfhidden, to stay with her eccentric Aunt Debo and her motley bunch of canine friends.

But it turns out that Halfhidden is full of surprises - and one very dishy newcomer who makes Izzy's quest for answers rather more complicated than she could ever have anticipated....

>21 Owltherian:, Hi Lily, always good when School's done for the day although it is a long time since my Schooldays.

>23 johnsimpson: Yeah, although i do have to stay until 4:30pm for a book club i am in.

>24 Owltherian:, Hi Lily, staying until 4.30pm for a book club is better than having to stay for a subject that you don't like.

>25 johnsimpson: Thats very true, and we are reading the whole Scythe series.

Happy new thread, John!

Karen O

>27 klobrien2:, Hi Karen my dear, thanks for stopping by.

Happy new thread, John!

Happy new thread!

Hiya John, i think my day has just gotten worse.

Happy new thread, John!

Happy new thread, John.

Happy new thread, John. Hope to see you and Karen later in the year.

Happy new thread, John.

Happy New Thread, John!

>29 FAMeulstee:, Thanks Anita my dear.

>30 thornton37814:, Thanks Lori my dear.

>31 Owltherian:, Thanks Lily my dear.

>32 drneutron:, Thanks Jim Mate.

>33 jessibud2:, Thanks Shelley my dear.

>34 PaulCranswick:, Thanks Paul, looking forward to seeing you and Hani, mate.

>35 figsfromthistle:, Thanks Anita my dear.

>36 vancouverdeb:, Thanks Deb my dear.

Not a bad start to April, my reading is getting better and i seem to be finding more time to come on here at the moment.

As it is Wednesday, we have Elliott for his usual overnight stay but the weather hasn't been good so he hasn't been able to play and run around the garden.

Happy new thread, John! I hope you have a great time with Elliott despite the weather.

>37 johnsimpson: Heh, I found a book that isn't on LT yet! It's Lily and Ted by Lucinda Jacob

>40 alcottacre:, Hi Stasia my dear, it was a better day today and we got out to play football. I am not sure he has got the grasp of it yet as he gave me a red card for kicking the ball, he tended to throw the ball around and when i kicked it back at him, he told me to stop. He was more bothered about running around which suited me as he needed to get rid of some energy.

I will have to teach him about football and of course, Cricket.

Happy new thread, John! Glad to hear your reading has been good lately.

>43 bell7:, Hi Mary my dear, thanks for stopping by, another book nearly finished so April is looking good at the moment.

Hello John,

I am currently reading a BIG book and every time I pick it up I think of you. The one I am reading is just into the BIG book category at 542 pages, but it has taken me a long time to get close to the end. It is good to see you are getting back to the books while doing all those other things, including doctor visits. I have been cooking. I have had something to cook for everyday this week - starting with Easter. Somehow I thought I would have more time once I was retired.

Ditto, John. Whenever I pick up a BFB your name comes to mind. Reading 732 pager right now A Covenant of Water. I'm 20% in and it's just average, so far.

I might as well add my name to the list of people that think of John with "big books." I'm also reading one right now--1008 pages worth!

I started another BIG book today. This one is 558 pages. Again I thought of you when I started it.

John - Still hoping to read Good MRI news and updated treatment.

Yesterday, in Daedalus Book Catalogue, I read that there was a Female French spy (Good Guys side)
during WWII
with the code name "Hedgehog."

Happy new one dear John!!

>49 m.belljackson: I am reading The Wolves at the Door which is about an American Spy in France in WW2. It's good!

>45 benitastrnad:, Hi Benita my dear, i hope you enjoyed your BFB coming in at 542 pages and lots of cooking being done, Karen would love this.

>46 Tess_W:, Hi Tess my dear, i am glad to i evoke a memory when you pick up a chunkster, i have seen many people talk about The Covenant of Water that i think i must pick up a copy and i hope that it improves for you dear friend.

>47 thornton37814:, Hi Lori my dear, my love of chunksters seems to have left an indelible mark on fellow readers that you think of me when you pick one up. By the way, what book are you reading that is 1,008 pages long.

>48 benitastrnad:, Hi Benita my dear, by heck my dear, you have got the Big Book bug now, lol. Enjoy it dear friend.

>49 m.belljackson:, Hi Marianne my dear, not heard from the doctors yet although they did say it could take up to 3 and a half weeks for the results to get to them, i am going to give them a call on Monday as that is 3 weeks from having the MRI scan.

What a great code name for a spy.

>50 Berly:, Hi Kim my dear, thank you. The book The Wolves at the Door sounds really interesting, i look forward to reading what you thought about it.

Earlier today i had a thought about how long it will take me to read my TBR pile. IF i read 100 pages a day from today, and IF i do not buy or borrow another book (like that is going to happen, lol) then i would finish the last book on day 131 of 2059 and 56 days later i would be celebrating my 96th birthday, lol.

I wonder if this will happen?

Finished book 13 of 2024 last Saturday, The Joy and Light Bus Company by Alexander McCall Smith, PB - 230 pages.

Precious Ramotswe and Grace Makutsi, Gaborone's No. 1 Lady Detectives, do not always agree on important issues - one being the complex male psyche. Mma Ramotswe is reminded of this when her husband, J. L. B. Matekoni, is offered a daunting business opportunity; one which, if it fails, threatens their existing livelihood, including the detective agency. Somehow, Precious must guide her husband to the right decision, while being mindful of how much he wants The Joy and Light Bus Company to succeed.

Meanwhile, there are other problems to solve. A wealthy client's elderly father has changed his will, making his devoted live-in nurse a significant beneficiary, and the ladies are tasked with uncovering the woman as a fraud. And then there is the disturbing rumoured maltreatment of children living and working on a local farm, which Mma Ramotswe is determined to investigate.

Tomorrow morning i will be taking the car to Kwik-Fit in Wakefield as i need two new tyres as they are barely legal and they will check the other two tyres although one is definitely OK as it was only put on last September.

Because of the mileage i am doing at the moment, the car is saying that i am 4,000 miles over the next service point, it was only serviced in October and is not really due until September. I will need to call into the dealership to see what happens in this situation as it is a Motability car and therefore i do not pay for a service but this is a different situation to what i have dealt with since having a Motability vehicle.

>50 Berly: >53 johnsimpson: Hedgehog's actual name was Marie-Madeline Fourcade. In French, it was Herisson.

Amazing story on WIKI!

Happy newish thread, John. I hope you hear the results of your MRI soon!

Great to see Brook start the season like an express train, John. I hope we get some good weather and that the boys can get some game time. Coad and Fisher is a good opening pair.

Wishing you both a great weekend.

>53 johnsimpson: Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth

>60 m.belljackson:, Hi Marianne my dear, very interesting.

>61 Familyhistorian:, Hi Meg my dear, no news yet about the MRI, i will ring on Monday to see if they have received them.

>62 PaulCranswick:, Hi Paul, it was lovely to listen to commentary of Brook taking the bowling apart for his century and then another good knock at Bristol. I hope the weather improves and let's see what they do to the Dukes ball. Apart from some decent bowling from spinners with the Kookabura ball, Thomson from Derbyshire with a career best of 12 fro 201 against Glamorgan, it was the bat that dominated with six 200+ scores in the first two rounds and eight 500+ team scores. In 2023 there were only six 200+ individual scores and that has been matched already.

Now that we have the Dukes ball in hand, i expect slightly lower team scores and better bowling from the pace men. If i was honest, i would have waited to use the Kookabura ball as the weather was always going to be a problem after all the rain we have had.

On the weather front, it is so sad what has happened to New Road over the last six months and it is looking more likely that Worcestershire will have to find a new home, they cannot continue with all the flooding and the associated costs which could be better spent within the club. A lot of history at New Road but as King Cnut found out, water will always be a winner.

>63 thornton37814:, Hi Lori my dear, a very good book, my paperback copy was 1,076 pages.

>64 johnsimpson: And here's a book about your "beautiful spy" "Hedgehog" =

MADAME FOURCADE'S SECRET WAR!

Paul might like to add this one to his listing, with 4.2 Stars.

>68 m.belljackson: Feel free to add it to the list, Marianne.

.

Finished book 14 on the 15th April Close to the Bone by Stuart MacBride, PB - 542 pages.

STICKS AND STONES MAY BREAK YOUR BONES...

The first body is chained to a stake: strangled and stabbed, with a burning tyre around its neck. Is this a gangland execution or something much darker?

Someone's leaving little knots of bones on DI Logan McRae's doorstep, but he's got bigger concerns. Rival drug gangs are fighting over product and territory; two teenage lovers are missing; someone's crippling Asian immigrants; and Logan's been lumbered with an ambitious new Detective Sergeant and gained the unwelcome attention of the local crime boss.

When another body turns up, similarities between these murders and the plot of a bestselling novel seem like more than a coincidence. And perhaps those little knots of bones are more important than they look...

Finished book 15 on 19th April, Hidden in Plain Sight by Jeffrey Archer, PB - 318 pages.

Newly promoted Detective Sergeant William Warwick has been reassigned to the drugs squad. His first case: to investigate a notorious south London drug lord known as the Viper.

But as William and his team close the net around a criminal network unlike any they have ever encountered, he is also faced with an old enemy, Miles Faulkner. It will take all of William's cunning to devise a means to bring both men to justice: a trap neither will expect, one that is hidden in plain sight...

>65 johnsimpson: How frustrating to wait so long for the results.

Hope you have a great Friday

Always enjoyed Archer. I need to do some rereading!

Just checking out what you've been reading. Looks like it is thrillers.

Hi! John asked me to let all of you know he will be offline for a while . His laptop died and he is looking for a new one . He let me know via Facebook Messenger. As soon as he can find a new laptop at a reasonable price , he’ll be back .

>75 vancouverdeb: Thank you for informing us, Deborah.
I was wondering what was going on, and if John had the results of his MRI.

>75 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deb.

Wanted to share my enthusiasm for Yorkshire's batting this season as all the top order are in the runs. If we can start to bowl teams out then promotion is on the cards.

Our best team:
Lyth, Bean, Masood, Root, Brook, Malan, Bairstow, Thompson, Bess, Fisher, Coad, Moriarty.

Hoping you are online again here soon, John!!

Hi John, hope you are able to get up and running sooner rather than later and that you have the results of your MRI by now!

Missing seeing you around on the threads! Hoping you find a good laptop soon! We miss you!

Hi everyone, the new laptop arrived a short while ago and now i am setup, i am back in action. Deborah was so good to pass the message on that my previous laptop had gone to electric heaven and then i was a case of finding a new one.

During my offline period, our holiday was due to be paid, Elliott celebrated his 3rd birthday (where has the time gone) and then Saturday just gone was Karen's birthday and i got the results of my MRI scan.

Elliott had a lovely birthday, mummy and daddy took him up to Brimham Rocks and they had a birthday picnic, he had a lovely time. The following day they all came over and we had another celebration with one present from us saved so that he could open it.

I contacted the Doctors about my scan results and was told by the receptionist that he would contact me on the following Thursday, this was on May 6th. The following morning while taking Karen to work, i got a call from the Doctors, apparently he was not happy with the long wat and could he ring me on the 9th in the afternoon, i said yes.

I was taking Elliott home when the call came, Elliott was asleep and i could take the call as i was on a minor road. The Doctor confirmed my suspicions that the nerves were being crushed more than they were in 2017, he also asked me how i was and i told him about the increased pain in my hips and thighs. He said he would be contacting the Spinal surgery unit asap and in the meantime IF i have problems with my bowel, i must go to the Accident & Emergency department straight away. Although he asked me if i had any questions, i said no and it was only an hour or so later that i thought, what sort of problem with my bowels. So far everything is ok in that department. The following day around 5.30pm, i got a message from Leeds Teaching Hospitals to say that they had received notification from my Doctor and i was on a waiting list for an appointment and they would ring me to arrange an appointment in due course.

Karen had a lovely birthday on Saturday, we drove to Monk Fryston to meet Amy and Elliott to let them take Andy home. Elliott wanted to give Grandma a birthday kiss and hug and once this was done we got back into our respective cars and we set off to Stokesley in North Yorkshire. This is a small market town and is lovely. Once parked up we wandered along the High St and found Chapters Deli and went in for breakfast before we had a good look around. I had a Full English which was delicious and Karen had Poached Eggs and a Sausage. The food was all local and very nice indeed. We had a good wander around Stokesley before we moved on to Northallerton, we had a nice time here before we set off for home.

I will end for now as we are going to Leeds Grand Theatre to see Pretty Woman tonight, Linda and Geoff went last Friday and said it was really good. It is going to be a late night as when we come out of the theatre we then have to drive over to Selby to pick up Andy and then make our way home, it will be probably be sometime after midnight when we get home. I will be back on here tomorrow evening when Karen is bathing Elliott and then putting him to bed. I will try and catch up with everything i have missed around the threads.

John - everyone's different, as we all know!!!

Yet, you might want to go to Linda (Whisper) who has had extensive experience with spine surgery -
she might have new ideas to consider...

Sending More Hope for Healing!!!

And letting you know that I finally finished MADAME FOURCADE'S SECRET WAR.

I avoid war, violence & thriller books, but was drawn to this one because of her Code Name "HEDGEHOG"
and your lovely pets.

Thank you All for the inspiration - this is an exciting and memorable take on Mr. Churchill's War
from the unique perspective of the French Resistance.
I got my copy from Abe.com - not sure if that works in England.

It's good to see you back on your thread! Especially that your pain is being given some attention.

>81 johnsimpson: Happy birthday to Karen!

Glad you finally have the results from the scan. Sorry to hear that your condition has gotten worse.

Have fun at the theatre!

Welcome back, John. I'm glad you're finally getting some answers about your spine. Your visit to Stokesley sounds very nice. I enjoy hearing about the places you and Karen visit.

I'm glad you are getting some answers and that it appears they are taking it seriously.

>81 johnsimpson: Glad to see a message from you, John.
I hope the appointment at spinal surgery wil be soon.
Belated happy birthday to Karen!

>82 m.belljackson:, Hi Marianne my dear, finally something is being done regarding my spine and associated pain issues, i have followed Linda's thread and all the trauma's that she has suffered. I am glad that you have finished your large book and that you enjoyed it.

>83 quondame:, Hi Susan my dear, i am so glad to be back on here and that my pain issues are getting the attention required.

>84 figsfromthistle:, Hi Anita my dear, Karen says thank you, she had a lovely day. Unfortunately the pains have got worse but hopefully things will improve a bit when i get seen. We had a really good night at the theatre last night, Ore Oduba, who won Strictly with Joanne Clifton played a number of parts, narrator, Hotel manager, orchestra leader among others and the two actors playing the parts of Vivienne and Edward were really good. I nearly didn't go but i am so glad that i did.

>85 lauralkeet:, Hi Laura my dear, i am so glad to be back on here and that i will be seeing specialists about my back and associated conditions. We have been to Stokesley before and it is always nice to pop back every so oft, i am glad that you like the descriptions of the places that Karen and I visit. It is always nice to explore parts of Yorkshire that we have never been to and to re-visit places.

>86 thornton37814:, Hi Lori my dear, yes finally i am getting things looked at and some answers.

>87 FAMeulstee:, Hi Anita my dear, i am glad to be back and posting and i hope that i am not waiting too long for an appointment with the Spinal Surgery team. Karen says thank you, she had a really lovely day on Saturday.

Great to have you back posting, John. I'm glad you found a lap top that suits you. Sorry to hear about the spinal pain and problems and I hope they can do something for the pain soon.

>92 vancouverdeb:, Hi Deb my dear, i feel so better now that i am back on here and posting. Just waiting now for the Spinal surgical unit to send me an appointment.

John, I took a deep breath before sending this message. I am so very sad that you are in such pain, and that nerves are compromised.

Please feel free to send me a personal message. I can share some thoughts. I really hope that surgery isn't needed. It is not unusual in these cases were one surgery leads to another to another.

As Marianne said, everyone is different. And, I will keep that in mind when chatting with you.
Much Love to you.

>81 johnsimpson: my previous laptop had gone to electric heaven
Oh dear, how sad. I have a huge problem with digitality....when I have to get a new phone, I just deplore having to organise the set up, the accounts, the everything. I am also in need of a new laptop soon and fear my ability to cope haha.

Meanwhile, your pain is not good news. I guess it's good to have the experts on the case, but living with it is another matter. I feel for you!

Keep your chin up dear fellow. You are a lucky guy having Karen with you and all your friends here think the world of you.

I hope to see you soon when I get back to the UK.

>94 Whisper1:, Hi Linda my dear, thank you for messaging, sadly we both suffer from constant pain, at the moment while waiting for an appointment with the Surgical Spinal Unit i am being careful. If i do very, very little, the pain is not too bad BUT if there is something that i have to do, then the pain increases. On the Bowel issue i got an insight last Friday when i had to go to the Orthotics dept for an appointment. I thought it was for a check on the footwear being made for me but it turned out that my impressions had been dropped and needed to be done again. The young lady was apologetic but i just said, these things happen. She asked how i was and i mentioned my MRI results but said i for got to ask at what point do i go to accident and emergency. She said in normal circumstances you end up with constant diarhorrea but i said in my case it is more constipation but when i try to push it is not really there. Karen has me on Dulcoease and Dulcolax to help and the Orthotist said to use my own judgement as to when to come to the hospital, at the moment things are not too bad but i am constantly monitoring my bowel movements or lack of. What a conversation.

Once i know more about the situation, i will get in touch dear friend.

Sending love and hugs to you my very dear friend from both of us.

>95 LovingLit:, Hi Megan my dear, i have to admit i don't like having to get a new phone or laptop with all the setting up and making sure that i have got everything sorted out but in this case it was quite simple, i was very impressed. I was more worried about the setup as i had no warning that the old laptop was going to just die on me.

The pain is a nuisance but having had it for so many years it is something i have got used to. The last eight months have been the worst i have known, the painkillers i am on are not really touching the pain and what with my neck pain and the constant clicking, it is like Tinnitus, the joints are constantly clicking like a baby playing with wooden blocks. Add to this the pain in my thighs and hips which has gradually got worse, all this led me to demand a new MRI scan and now it is just a matter of waiting for an appointment to be seen by the Surgical Spinal Unit and with nearly Eight Million people waiting for appointments in the NHS, it could be a while, add to this that i read that the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust is in the Red to the tune of £110 million, not good.

Sending love and hugs to you and the family from both of us my dear friend.

>96 PaulCranswick:. Hi Paul, mate, while i have got Karen and the kids and all my friends on here on my side, i am happy and the pain eases in my mind. All i can do is wait for an appointment and then take things from there but in the meantime i have our Madeira holiday to think about and celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary.

I look forward to seeing you when you are in the UK mate and send condolences for the Championship final result. It seems that Leeds have had a Wembley curse since winning the 1972 FA Cup Final, hopefully you will go up as Champions at the end of the 24/25 season mate.

Sending love and hugs to you and the family from both of us dear friend.

Hi John--Glad you are digitally back among us -- you were missed! I am so sorry that the pain has gotten so much worse, but I am glad you have the results back and hopefully something can be done soon to make things better. Hang in there. And Happy Belated Birthday to Karen!!

My own offline life got away from me and I see you have been away as well. Glad you got your new laptop.

I am so sorry about the pain and always amazed with how you cope.

Belated birthday greetings to Karen!

Good to see you back posting, John. I hate new tech too and I'm putting off getting a new phone because of that, but needs must. I glad you finally got your MRI results and hope you get in for an appointment soon. Is your big anniversary trip very soon?

>100 Berly:, Hi Kim my dear, thanks for stopping by and it says so much that my friends missed me on here. Just having to deal with the pain until i get an appointment to see them, Karen says thank you for the birthday wishes.

Sending love and hugs from both of us dear friend.

>101 witchyrichy:, Hi Karen my dear, it is nice to be back posting and thanks for stopping by, the pain is a nuisance but there is not much i can do about it, sadly there are till little jobs i need to do so i just take my time and hope the pain is not exacerbated by doing something. Karen says thank you for the birthday wishes.

Sending love and hugs from both of us dear friend.

>102 Familyhistorian:, Hi Meg my dear, thanks for stopping by and it is so nice to be back posting albeit a bit haphazardly, new tech is always a bind as things change so much between having to get new tech. I am hoping that my wait for an appointment is not a long one. Our anniversary trip is 49 days away, not that i am counting but this is being done for me by the media as we fly out the same day as the Paris Olympics start.

Sending love and hugs from both of us dear friend.

APRIL'S READING STATS

Books Read....................... 5

No of Authors.................... 5

New Authors...................... 0

Male Authors..................... 4

Female Authors.................. 1

Pages Read....................... 2,014

Daily Avg........................... 67.13

Book Length avg................. 402.8

POTS OF TEA...................... 289

Books on shelves at 1-4-24 - 3151
Books added in April - 9
Books read in April - 5

Revised book total - 3155

Pages to read at 1-4-24 - 1,281,543
Pages added in April - 3,517
Pages read in April - 2,014

Revised total pages to read - 1,283,046

BOOKS BOUGHT IN MAY.
82. A House for Mr Biswas by V.S. Naipaul, PB.
83. The Time of the Transference by Alan Dean Foster, PB.
84. The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese, PB.
85. Agatha Raisin, Dead on Target by M.C. Beaton, PB.
86. The Book Share by Phaedra Patrick, PB.
87. MCC in India 1976/77 by Christopher Martin-Jenkins, HB.
88. Murder at Church Lodge by Greg Mosse, PB.
89. Murder at Bunting Manor by Greg Mosse, PB.
90. The Coming Darkness by Greg Mosse, PB.
91. The Coming Storm by Greg Mosse, PB.
92. The Dubrovnik Book Club by Eva Glyn, PB.
93. Death at Victoria Dock by Kerry Greenwood, PB.
94. The Green Mill Murder by Kerry Greenwood, PB.
95. Blood and Circuses by Kerry Greenwood, PB.
96. Tackle by Jilly Cooper, PB.
97. The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman, PB.
98. Murder at Maybridge Castle by Ada Moncrieff, PB.
99. Dagger of Death at Honeychurch Hall by Hannah Dennison, PB.
100. The Enigma of Garlic by Alexander McCall Smith, PB.
101. Three Women Disappear by James Patterson, PB.
102. Traitor's Gate by Jeffrey Archer, PB.
103. Alex Cross Must Die by James Patterson, PB.

BOOKS BOUGHT IN JUNE
104. Sharpe's Command by Bernard Cornwell, PB.
105. Yesterday's Houses by Mavis Cheek, PB.
106. Sahara by Clive Cussler, PB.
107. Dark Winter by Andy McNab, PB.
108. Deep Black by Andy McNab, PB.
109. Ultimate Weapon by Chris Ryan, PB.
110. Land of Fire by Chris Ryan, PB.
111. Strike Back by Chris Ryan, PB.
112. Blackout by Chris Ryan, PB.
113. Who Dares Wins by Chris Ryan, PB.
114. Firefight by Chris Ryan, HB.
115. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, HB.
116. A Walk in the Park by Jill Mansell, HB.
117. Rumour Has It by Jill Mansell, HB .
118. Straight Talking by Jane Green, PB.
119. Mr Maybe by Jane Green, PB.
120. Jemima J by Jane Green, PB.
121. Desire by Louise Bagshawe, PB.
122. The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell, PB.
123. Things I Want my Daughter to Know by Elizabeth Noble, PB.
124. Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella, PB.
125. The Girl Next Door by Elizabeth Noble, PB.
126. All you Need is Love by Carole Natthews, PB.
127. Last Known Address by Elizabeth Wrenn, PB.
128. Valley of the Templars by Paul Christopher, PB.
129. I'll be There for You by Louise Candlish, PB.
130. Mother of Pearl by Maureen Lee, PB.
131. Eloise by Judy Finnegan, PB.
132. Any Way you Want Me by Lucy Diamon, PB.
133. Bad Heir Day by Wendy Holden, PB.
134. Azur like it by Wendy Holden, PB.
135. Pandora's Diamond by Julia Stephenson, PB.
136. Two for Joy by Patricia Scanlan, PB.
137. The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult, PB.
138. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picouly, PB.
139. Do not Disturb by Tilly Bagshawe, PB.
140. Beautiful People by Wendy Holden, PB.
141. Sun at Midnight by Rosie Thomas, PB.
142. The Model Wife by Julia Llewellyn, PB.
143. The Point of Rescue by Sophie Hannah, PB.
144. Loyalty by Martina Cole, PB.
145. The Year of the Locust by Terry Hayes, PB.
146. Dear Neighbour by Jane Claire Bradley, PB.

MAY'S READING STATS

Books Read....................... 3

No of Authors.................... 3

New Authors...................... 1

Male Authors..................... 2

Female Authors.................. 1

Pages Read....................... 1,736

Daily Avg........................... 56

Book Length avg................. 578.67

POTS OF TEA...................... 303

Books on shelves at 1-5-24 - 3155
Books added in May - 22
Books read in May - 3

Revised book total - 3174

Pages to read at 1-5-24 - 1,283,046
Pages added in May - 7,579
Pages read in May - 1,736

Revised total pages to read - 1,288,889

Finished book 16 on the 27th of April, A Wanted Man by Lee Child, PB - 524 pages.

When you're as big and rough as Jack Reacher - and you have a badly set. freshly busted nose - it isn't easy to hitch a ride. At last, he's picked up by three strangers - two men and a woman.

Within minutes it becomes clear they're all lying about everything - and there's a police roadblock ahead. There has been an incident, and the cops are looking for the bad guys...

Will they get through because the three are innocent? Or because they are now four? Is Reacher just a decoy?

Finished book 17 on 13th May, The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett, pb - 897 pages.

A TIME OF CONFLICT
It is 997 CE, the end of the Dark Ages. The King's grip on the country is fragile and chaos reigns. A young boatbuilder dreams of a better future after a devastating Viking raid shatters the life he hoped for.

THREE LIVES INTERTWINED
A Norman noblewoman follows her husband to a new land only to find her life there shockingly different; and a capable monk at Shiring Abbey has a vision of transforming his humble home into a centre of learning admired throughout Europe.

THE DAWN OF A NEW AGE
Now, with England at the dawn of the Middle Ages, these three people will each come into dangerous conflict with a ruthless bishop, who will do anything to increase his wealth and power, in an epic tale of ambition, rivalry, love and hate.

>112 johnsimpson: This sounds interesting - I it may start a bit before King Hereafter but the setting and cultures are very close.

I absolutely hope that there is something major that the Dr.s can do for you. And soon.

Finished book 18 on 22nd May, The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman, PB - 408 pages.

IT IS AN ORDINARY THURSDAY AND THINGS SHOULD FINALLY BE RETURNING TO NORMAL.

Except trouble is never far away where the Thursday Murder Club is concerned. A decade-old cold case leads them to a local news legend and a murder with no body and no answers.

Then a new foe pays Elizabeth a visit. Her mission? Kill.... or be killed.

Can the gang solve the mystery and save Elizabeth before the murderer strikes again?

Finished book 19 on 30th May, The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods, PB - 431 pages.

ON A QUIET STREET IN DUBLIN, A LOST BOOKSHOP IS WAITING TO BE FOUND...

For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.

But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. By unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder... where nothing is as it seems.

Finished book 20 this morning, Cause of Death by Patricia Cornwell, PB - 370 pages.

AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER IS FOUND DEAD IN VIRGINIA'S ICY WATERS....

New Year's Eve and the final murder scene of Virginia's bloodiest year takes Scarpetta thirty feet below the Elizabeth River's icy surface. A diver, Ted Eddings, is dead, an investigative reporter who was a favourite at the Medical Examiner's Office. Was Eddings probing the frigid depths of the Inactive Shipyard for a story, or simply diving for sunken trinkets? And why did Scarpetta receive a phone call from someone reporting the death before the police were notified?

The case envelops Scarpetta, her niece Lucy, and police captain Pete Marino in a world where both cutting-edge technology and old-fashioned detective work are critical offensive weapons. Together they follow the trail of death to a well of violence as dark and forbidding as the water that swirled over Ted Eddings.

Wow! Lots of new books purchased , John. I really enjoyed The Lost Bookshop earlier this year, and I'm glad you did too. I have read the first in the Thursday Murder series, but Dave read all 4 earlier this year.

John, I am thinking of you and am so sad that you are dealing with pain. I'm glad you have Karen to walk this journey with you!

Please keep me posted regarding the outcome of your tests.

Much Love

>117 vancouverdeb:, Hi Deb my dear, most of the June books were given to me, a friend posted on Facebook if anyone wanted four boxes of books before they went to the recycling centre, i messaged him and picked them up. I went through the boxes, one was old cookbooks and the rest were a mixed bag. I pulled out 39 and then Karen and Amy had a look at what i had left on Sunday.

The Lost Bookshop was really good and i thoroughly enjoyed it. We have the 4th Thursday Murder Club book but that is being saved for our holiday.

Sending love and hugs dear friend.

>118 Whisper1:, Hi Linda my dear, Thank you for your lovely message, i don't think i could carry on as i am without Karen by my side, she knows my limits and helps as much as she can, bless her. Thank you for reaching out to me, it is much appreciated as you know so much about being in pain long term.

Once i have my appointment and have seen the specialists i will let you know what the outcome(s) are dear friend.

Sending love and hugs dear friend.

Last Wednesday we took Elliott to Blackpool, we were staying overnight at a nice little B&B Hotel not far from the South Pier and a short distance from the promenade. Elliott was so excited when we told him last Sunday, he asked if Blackpool had a tower and i showed him photos on my phone.

We took Andy home and picked Elliott up from their house, we had a slight delay getting to the motorway but once we got going, everything was fine. We stopped off at Birch services for a pit stop, we all had a bite to eat and we had a coffee and Elliott had a soft drink. Not long after leaving the services, Elliott fell asleep and so missed out on trying to spot the tower from the M55. As we got into Blackpool, Elliott woke up and a short time later we arrived at the Marsden Hotel.

Leon, the owner helped me get to the carpark behind the Hotel and then helped with our bit of luggage, his wife Christine introduced herself and gave us our room key and told us the relevant bits of information we needed. We got into our room and after we had got a few things out, we set off out to start and find the Elmer Sculptures.

We had purposely come to do the Elmer trail, 71 Elmer Sculptures had been made and were scattered along the promenade and town centre. I had downloaded the app so that we could record each one that we found, it also recorded how far we had walked and the number of steps we took. One of the Sculptures was sponsored by the firm Amy works for, SSCL and so we needed to find this one.

We found a couple quite quickly as we wandered towards the tower, Elliott was in awe when we pointed it out to him and we had promised him that we would go up the tower. We stopped off for a coffee and a cake before continuing our walk. He loved the new Flexity trams that were trundling up and down the promenade, the tramway has been in existence since 29th September 1885 and extends to Eleven miles from Starr Gate to Fleetwood Ferry. We got up to the Central Pier and he wanted to have a go on the Trampolines before going on the large bouncy castle. After he had been on both we crossed over the road to a cafe for a coffee to warm up, although the sun was out, there was a bitter wind coming off the Irish Sea and the tide was in so we couldn't go on the beach.

After our coffee break we wandered up to the Coral Island amusement centre and he played the 2p slot machines with some of the 2p's Amy had given me. After a while we set off to the tower, we got there and found out that due to work on the lift and the wind, we couldn't go up, Elliott was heartbroken and cried and cried, it was as if his world had fallen apart. Grandma assured him that Grandad would bring him and that we would go up the tower, a bit of a cop out for Grandma as she is not keen on heights but would have gone up for Elliott. I told him that we would come back one of these Thursdays and go up and he was pacified.

We left the tower building and went into Waterstones bookshop, Karen let him pick up a couple of books and he wanted a cuddly Elmer and i selected a couple of books, afdter this we saw another Elmer Sculpture before going into the shopping centre where we found two more. After i had logged them on the app and taken photos, we went into Costa Coffee for a coffee. After we had finished we made our way back onto the promenade and went to the tram stop to get a tram back to the South Pier, Elliott loved his ride on the tram. I bought a day rider ticket for us so that later on we could come back out and get the tram back up so he could go into the Coral Island complex to spend some more 2p's.

Elmer Sculptures

Elmer

Elmer

Elmer

Elmer

Elmer and Elliott

Elliott trying to push the Elmer Rock together.

Elliott going to stroke Elmer's trunk.

Elliott, Grandma and Grandad with Elmer on the bench.

Elliott sitting on the 1st one he found.

Lovely pictures John!

>132 SandDune:, Thank you Rhian my dear.

We got the tram back to the South Pier and then made our way back to the hotel. Once back in our room, we unpacked a few more things and i made us a pot of tea while Elliott played with Elmer and some of his cars that we had brought with us. We had another pot of tea and then got freshened up and left the hotel to go and have something to eat.

Luckily for us, there was a Wetherspoons pub at the end of the road and so we went in to have food, i opted for Sausage, Chips and Beans, Karen had Fish and Chips with Mushy Peas and Elliott wanted Tomato Pasta. I went and ordered and paid for our food which came with a drink and a short time later we had our food. Elliott tucked into his food with gusto and we both enjoyed our food. Elliott finished his and then looked at me and asked for some Sausage, i cut a couple of pieces off for him, he looked at me with disdain, he wanted the the remainder of my Sausage, i passed this over and it soon disappeared.

Once we had finished our food and drink, we left the pub and made our way across to the South Pier and the tram stop nearby. The tram arrived and we got on, showed our tickets and settled down until the tower stop was announced. We crossed the road and went into the Coral Island amusement arcade and Elliott had a lovely time. Once we were done, we could see that Elliott looked a little tired so we went back to the tram stop and got the tram back to the South Pier. The conductor checked our tickets and then he printed off a little ticket for Elliott which said, "I am a Roarsome passenger", Elliott thought it was wonderful. We got off the tram and he ran along the path to the front of the tram so he could wave to the driver. All day he had waved at tram drivers and they all gave him a wave back.

We got back to our room and Karen got Elliott ready for bed and read him his new books and he had some milk. I popped out for a cigar and when i got back he was still awake. Eventually we turned the lights off and within five minutes he was fast asleep.

I like Elmer's taste in apparel! Blackpool sounds like a very rewarding place to visit.

Wow! That's a great book score up above! How nice that they were all free of charge, too. Jealous. : ) Your recent reads are right up my alley. And I love all the Elliott and Elmer shots - so fun. Hope life continues to treat you well my friend.

That was a great Grandma and Grandpa trip with Elliott. The trip was a memory maker for sure.

>108 johnsimpson: A couple of my favourite books in your recent additions, John. A House for Mr. Biswas and A Covenant of Water.

Nice photos of your Blackpool jaunt. Not been there for the longest time. Blackpool always makes me think of my Gran and our day trips there together when I was a boy.

For his 40th birthday present my son-in-law had the opportunity to play the Mighty Wurlitzer in the Tower Ballroom, including being announced while rising up through the floor!

Lovely photo's of the Elmers, John.
So nice you two took Elliott to Blackpool :-)

>108 johnsimpson: Cranswickian purchasing there, John!! Are you two bad influences on each other I wonder??! ;)

Checking in on you, John! I have no idea who Elmer is, but I want one!

Love all the pictures and all the Elmers!

>114 johnsimpson: I just finished The Lost Bookshop and really enjoyed it!

>135 quondame:, Hi Susan my dear, apart from the Original Elmer the Patchwork Elephant Sculpture, the rest of the Sculptures designs had something to do with Blackpool or where they were to be situated. The trail ran from the 25th April to 9th June and will have helped with tourist figures in the early part of the holiday season.

As a child, i holidayed there with my parents from about 1965 to 1982, Karen and I had a Friday to Monday stay in October 1988 and we have had odd days in Blackpool since then. I remember happy times on holiday, we used to stay near the South Pier on Dean Street and the guesthouse is still going although it has changed since we stayed there. All i wanted to do was to go on the beach, go on a tram and see a show on the pier.

Blackpool has three piers, South, Central and North and all staged shows in the summer season and from the 1950' through to the end of the 1970's, there were 28 venues for shows, the most outside of London and attracted all the big UK stars of the times.

While staying in Dean Street, Mum and Dad made friends with a couple from Shipley, near Bradford and they had a daughter, Debbie, who was the same age as me. For about six years we all stayed at the Wescoe B&B the same week and we used to go to the Pleasure Beach amusement park together. Mum and Dad kept in touch with David and June and since i lost them i have kept in touch with them even if only by a Christmas card.

Sadly, Blackpool went downhill a bit with the advent of package holidays to Spain and it has lost some of its lustre, like most town centres over the last decade or so, there are lots of empty shop units but some of the old hotels on the front that went out of business and became run down and decrepit have been bought up and bulldozed and new large hotels are being built or in the process of being started on. The tram system that has been in existence since September 1885 and runs from Starr Gate to Fleetwood Ferry, 11 miles, has just opened a new section that comes off the main line at the North Pier and runs to the newly re-furbished Blackpool North Railway Station and the new hotels etc that have been built as part of the regeneration of Blackpool.

Blackpool were the first to have Electric lights on the promenade and from Eight lights in 1879 and, to called the Illuminations, now The Lights or The Illuminations run for 6.2 miles (10 km) and use one million bulbs. They used to run for 66 days from late August to early November but since 2020 the season has been extended to run until the New Year. Last year it ran from 1st September to 7th January and this year will run from 30th August2024 to 5th January 2025. Besides the lights, there is always a theme with light boards in the shape of Children's characters from lamp posts and then there are Tableau's as you go beyond the North Pier towards Bispham.

I only found out recently that Two of the old Boat Trams were bought by Muni in San Francisco and run on the North Street Railway and i believe Two more have been acquired, the Two in service have been changed from Cream and Green to Cream and Red.

It is well worth Googling Blackpool, The Illuminations and Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Blackpool Trams and Buses up to the 1980's, nowadays new Flexity trams run with the old trams used on weekends on Heritage runs and special lit up trams out for the Illumination season.

I do hope this of interest to you my dear friend.

>136 Berly:, Hi Kim my dear, what a bonus the free books, Elliott loved the Elmer Sculptures and his cuddly Elmer is now a favourite of his. It was lovely to see Blackpool through his eyes, the joy he showed reminded me of how i felt on family holidays there from 1965 to 1982.

>137 benitastrnad:, Hi Benita my dear, as soon as i heard about the Elmer trail i knew we had to take him and Karen decided that we needed an overnight stay to do it justice. Seeing as he only has one set of Grandparents now, it is crucial to give him some lovely memories and it was so nice to see Blackpool through his eyes, it reminded me of my family holidays there from 1965 to 1982 and the excitement of being at the seaside.

>138 PaulCranswick:, Hi Paul, mate, glad that i have acquired a couple of your favourite books. The Blackpool jaunt was brilliant, seeing Blackpool through his eyes reminded me of my family holidays from 1965 to 1982, the excitement of being at the seaside, the trams and smells of the sea, cockles, whelks etc and of course, Fish and Chips.

>139 CDVicarage:, Hi Kerry my dear, what a fabulous 40th birthday present to play the Mighty Wurlitzer and be announced while rising up through the floor.

>140 FAMeulstee:, Hi Anita my dear, the Elmer's were fabulous to find and look at and as soon as i knew about the trail, i knew we had to take him and then Karen decided that we had to stay over night, the memories of the trip are very precious to us all.

>141 LovingLit:, Hi Megan my dear, most of that haul were freebies courtesy of an old school friend of mine. I do think we are bad influences to each other, lol.

Hi John - which are your favorite Elmer books?

>142 alcottacre:, Hi Stasia my dear, Elmer the Patchwork Elephant is the product of author David McKee, first published in 1968 and there are a total of 44 books, sadly David passed away on 6th April 2022 at the age of 87.

The Sculptures are to be auctioned off on 27th and 28th of June at Blackpool Tower, all proceeds will go to Brian's House Children's Hospice. The bidding for each one starts at £3,000.

>143 witchyrichy:, Hi Karen my dear, glad you liked the Elmer photos and enjoyed The Lost Bookshop, i loved it.

>144 johnsimpson: John. thank you for sharing some of what Blackpool means in your own history and the history of your region. I see that there is a lot for me to learn about it.

>154 quondame:, Hi Susan my dear, i hope that if you have a look, you find it interesting dear friend.

Finished book 21 of 2024 on 13th June, Fifty Fifty by James Patterson, PB - 382 pages.

IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GOOD DETECTIVE.... WHEN YOUR BROTHER'S A SERIAL KILLER.

Sam Blue stands accused of the brutal murders of three young students, their bodies dumper near the Georges River. Only one person believes he is innocent: his sister, Detective Harriet Blue. And she's determined to prove it.

Except she's now been banished to the outback town of Last Chance Valley (population 75), where a diary found on the roadside outlines a shocking plan - the massacre of the entire town.

And the first death, shortly after Harry's arrival, suggests the clock is already ticking.

On the Thursday of our visit to Blackpool with Elliott, we had a good start. Elliott slept through until just after 7am, Karen got him a drink and then filled the kettle and made us a pot of tea before she woke me up. We watched BBC Breakfast news and checked our phones before we got up, washed and dressed, Elliott was excited for the morning ahead.

Once we were ready, we packed everything else away and then went downstairs for breakfast. Having been in and out of the hotel and only seen the living room and bar at the front of the hotel and the staircase, we were unsure of where we would have breakfast. It all became clear when Christine came out of a door that we thought was through to their quarters, we followed her and passed another door, the kitchen and then a large dining room.

We picked a table and Elliott decided he wanted to sit next to Grandma and then Christine came and asked if we wanted tea or coffee and juice. We ordered tea (of Course) and juice and then Karen went to the bench that backed onto the kitchen and got cereal for Elliott. Christine came back with out cups, saucers, teapot and milk and then took our breakfast order. I ordered a full English breakfast, Karen had Egg, one Sausage on toast and a Sausage for Elliott. Karen had got Elliott too much cereal, so i finished it off before my breakfast arrived. Not only did Karen get toast but she also got a piece of fried bread which she gave to me to go with my piece of fried bread.

I finished my breakfast and ordered toast for us and we had this between us while Elliott finished his Sausage. Once we had all done, we went back up to our room, i got the car keys and with help from Leon, i got the car out of his small car park and parked just up the street. I left the car and went back up to our room and with help from Karen, we brought out belongings down to the lounge. We took our case and the buggy and Elliott to the car and while Karen got the car open and put things in the boot, i went back for the rest. As i got to the car, i went to step off the kerb when my right ankle went numb and my left hip gave way and i fell onto the road, landing heavily on my right knee and a bit softer on my left. The pain shot through me and i was more bothered that i had not torn my jeans, i checked my knee and it was badly grazed and bits of fine gravel had left red indentations in my skin below the cut area. Karen continued to load the car while i popped back to the hotel with our key and i went to see if Christine had anything to clean my knee up.

She asked me what i had done and i then ended up explaining all about my back, the pains in my hips and thighs and that my ankles sometimes go numb at inopportune moments. I cleaned my knee up, gave her our room and front door key and thanked them for our stay. I then made my way to the car, Karen had got Elliott fastened in his seat and we got in and made our way onto the road on the sea front. After a very short drive i spotted some on street parking and we parked up, just a short walk from the Waterloo Road Tram stop. I paid for my parking with my card and we made our way to the tram stop.

We had a short wait for our tram and once it had arrived and we got on, i bought two day rider tickets and we settled down to our journey. I told Karen that we would go up to the North Pier as that was where i thought the Elmer done up as a tram was situated. Elliott enjoyed the longer ride on the tram and before long we had arrived at the North Pier stop. Not far from the tram stop was the Elmer tram, we took a photo and i logged it on the app and we walked over to the pier. Elliott wanted a ride on a fixed amusement ride, it seemed to go on forever, he certainly go his monies worth. Once he was done, we walked down the promenade and spotted some more Elmer's, photo's were taken and all logged on the app. We had a look inside the tourist information office and once back outside, Elliott decided that he wanted a wee. We found a grate to wee into when a man sat nearby said he would open up the Wedding chapel exit as their was a toilet there, Karen took Elliott in, he had his wee and then they came out, we thanked the man and Elliott said thank you as well.

We continued wandering down the promenade finding Elmer's until Karen decided that we should go and get a drink. We crossed over the road and found a gift shop that sold Rock and Elliott spotted a car ride nearby, Karen went to pick some rock and i took Elliott to the ride and put money in and off he went. The ride finished and we joined Karen in the shop, Elliott said he didn't want any rock but wanted some marshmallows. Once we had everything, we went and paid and then went and found the Costa Coffee and we had a coffee and Elliott had some juice and some Chocolate Flapjack.

Once we had finished our rinks and food we had a wander around the Town Centre looking for a toy shop, we found one but it had rather expensive collectables, Elliott was a little disappointed but i told him there was one not far from the tram stop we got on. We made our way back to the Coral Island amusement arcade so that Elliott could have a last go on the 2p slots. Between us we won a few tokens and as we were leaving the machine, two old ladies came up o us and gave Elliott a long strip of tokens, Elliott thanked them, bless him. He had a go on the racing car game and then we made our way to the Token exchange area. At this point Elliott only had tokens to the value of 280 points, in front of us were two young girls aged about 10 or 11, they spent their tokens and were given a slip to the value of 220 points. As they turned around they spotted us and i am not sure if they heard that Elliott hadn't got a lot of points, but they walked over and gave him their slip, we thanked them and Elliott went over to them and thanked and hugged them. This now meant that Elliott could get something decent for 400 points and a bottle of Bubble mixture with the remaining 100 points.

We left the arcade and made our way to the tram stop, we had a short wait and then the tram arrived, we got on and travelled down to Waterloo Road. We got off and made our way to the toy shop, we had a good look around and Elliott asked if he could have the remote controlled Land Rover. It was on offer and we said yes as he had been a very good boy during our trip. We left the store with the Land Rover and went next door to Notarianni Ice Cream parlour, this was established in 1928 and is a go to place for Ice Creams. We all had a a Vanilla Cone and found a bench to sit down and eat our ices. Once we had finished we made our way back to the car, i strapped Elliott in and we set off for home, and just like his Uncle Robert, he fell asleep just before we reached the M55 out of Blackpool.

>158 johnsimpson: I'm so glad you were in sufficiently good condition after your fall to enjoy more holiday activities, though very sorry you took a fall.

I've been out of town, and it looks like you've been posting a lot! Looks like you all had a great time with Elliott.

>159 quondame:, Hi Susan my dear, to be honest i was surprised that i didn't have too much pain although i had to move the car and park on the sea front and the tram stop was quite near to where i parked, add to this i was able to sit on the tram stop seat until the tram came and then we had a nice journey up to the North Pier before i had any real walking to do.

>160 thornton37814:, Hi Lori my dear, i had a bit of catching up to do and then i had a couple of long posts of our overnight trip to Blackpool with Elliott to show him the Elmer trail and some of the 71 Elmer Sculptures along the sea front and town centre.

We had a lovely time with Elliott and he loved it, it was nice to see the resort through his eyes and i could wistfully look back to my family holidays there from 1965 to 1982.

Hi John! I was so behind I had to skim part of your thread. Lovely pictures of the Elmers! And it’s obvious Elliott has been enjoying them and your trip. So nice for him to have an outing with his grandparents, and for you to see it all through his eyes.
Glad your fall didn’t result in a lot of pain for you.

Hi Ella my dear, Elliott really enjoyed his trip. When we told him about the trip on the Sunday before we went, he was so excited and asked if their was a tower, we told him there was and i brought up pictures on my phone to show him. He then asked if he could go up and i told him we could and Karen said we would all go up even though she is not good with heights, he was so, so disappointed when we couldn't go up due to the wind and that the lift was having work done on it, you would have thought his whole world had disappeared.

The staff on duty were so good to him and Karen promised him that Grandad would take him back to Blackpool to go up the tower and since then Karen has said she will come with us even if she only goes to the coffee shop for an afternoon tea.

It is a real shame that only one set of Grandparents can take him on outings, the memories garnered will last a lifetime and it is so lovely to see things through his eyes, they are missing out on so much.

The fall didn't give me too much pain and i have had no bruising luckily.

Sending love and hugs to you and Marc, my dear friend.