Trivia

Reading is the best thing in the world .. next to men

The Black Shuck - The Devils Dog by Piers Warren

 This is set up the coast from me in Blakeney, Norfolk, based on the Myth of the Black Hound, a good stimulating reed, characters were very good and likeable, i enjoyed it, living in Norfolk, it was so descriptive, I know the Watch House, Cley and Blakeney.  I could imagine i could smell the salt in the salt marshes, fantastic book.

Black Shuck - The Devil's Dog - a terrifying new supernatural thriller by Piers Warren set in the village of Blakeney on the North Norfolk coast. For centuries Black Shuck has patrolled the coastal paths of Norfolk - a spectral portent of death. But recent events have allowed the massive phantom dog to evolve, to metamorphose, into something altogether more horrifying. Gaining strength and powers by the day, Shuck has developed a gruesome appetite - a hunger the hell hound sets out to satiate ... Wildlife film-maker Harry Lambert needs a serious rest. His colleague and best friend is dead, his wife has left him and his career has derailed. A spot of bird-watching on the Norfolk coast should help... but when Harry stumbles into Black Shuck's territory, the fearsome beast finds what it was looking for ...

Black Shuck: The Devil's Dog - a terrifying new supernatural thriller
by Piers Warren set in the village of Blakeney on the North Norfolk coast.

Birthday No 1

Just found out that Harry Belafonte's Mary's Boy Child was No 1 on my Birthday, no wonder it is my favourite christmas song, but i prefer Boney M's version :)

Children's Stories From The Village Shepherd, Vol 1 by Janice B. Scott

I run Junior Church and had this book bought for my Birthday by my Mum, it is a series of short stories with a christian Moral, very interesting and informative.

Because I believe that God is in every part of life but does not intrude unless invited, these stories follow a similar pattern. That is, they are about God and Christianity, but they do not intrude unless invited. Above all, they are for enjoyment, because that too is what I believe about God -- that God should be enjoyed. -- From the Foreword This collection of heartwarming stories from the Village Shepherd is an ideal means for revealing deep truths of the Christian faith while at the same time entertaining and captivating readers. It is a journey through worlds of talking animals, imaginative characters, pixies and goblins, and regular, everyday life, learning important lessons on faith, love, family, and God. Some stories evoke laughter while others bring tears, but each will leave the reader better for the experience. Every tale is linked to a passage from the Bible, aiding readers in searching beneath the surface of the story and applying its wisdom to their daily lives. This collection is sure to be a treasured part of any library, appealing to the child in all of us

Snowglobe (TV 2007)

A young woman discovers a Christmas-themed dreamworld inside a magical snowglobe.

	Christina Milian	...	Angela Moreno
	Erin Karpluk	...	Claire
	Hilda Doherty	...	Mrs. Fionella
	Jason Schombing	...	Donny
	James Kot	...	Max
	Andrew Krivanek	...	Delivery Man
	Josh Cooke	...	Eddie

Christmas Reunion (TV 1995)

A lovely film


A story of two parallel lives in the past, the middle generation has passed away and there's no connection, between paternal grandfather and grandson.

Both stories contains a marriages which were contrary to the families involved. In the first the parents died in a car accident.In the other the father died in the war, and the mother when the child was born.

Almost half the cast has made this movie only yet the result is extraordinary. Being a romantic I had hoped for a total reunion, as the title imply, but this ending with its promise of something better, is even better. This film is a story for a pass-time, but can also give something to reflect about.

	James Coburn	...	Santa
	Edward Woodward	...	Colonel Phillips
	Meredith Edwards	...	Alf Boswell
	Myfanwy Talog	...	Edith
	Fraser Cains	...	Jake

The final Saturday before Christmas in Hunstanton....

STRUGGLING traders in Hunstanton have had a ‘heartbreaking year’ and are urging West Norfolk Council to help the town saying ‘we’ve never known it as bad as this’.

In Friday’s Lynn News, town centre manager Alistair Cox said Hunstanton had a loyal customer base and was performing above the national average for empty shops.
However, Kevan Fleming, owner of Legge’s in the town, said: “He’s painting quite a nice picture of it all but Hunstanton is experiencing extreme difficulty with a lack of footfall.”
Mr Fleming said problems stemmed from when Woolworths left the town three years ago. He described the store as ‘the heartbeat to Hunstanton’ and said when it closed it was ‘the biggest nail in the coffin’ for the town.
Mr Fleming, who has been in business in the town for 36 years, urged the council to plough some of the revenue it receives from Hunstanton back into the town.
He said: “The borough council gets a tremendous amount of money in car parking fees alone and we do not see any percentage come back to the same degree.”
Debbie Ward and Dawn Davies, directors of Jacksons shoe shop which has been in the town since 1984, echoed Mr Fleming’s views.
They said: “In 73 years of trading we have never known it so bad, we have survived many recessions but none as bad as this.
“We are one of the many businesses in Hunstanton that are fighting for survival.
“After three years of fighting we have had a heartbreaking year, we have had to lay off all of our staff, one had been with us 27 years. We have had to change our product line to try and increase our footfall. Whether it is enough remains to be seen.”
The businesswomen feel the town’s low rate of empty shops is unrealistic, as when shops become empty they are taken over by charity shops which pay reduced rates.
The traders urged Mr Cox to spend more time in Hunstanton, going around shops and talking to traders.
Mr Fleming said: “West Norfolk Council treats Hunstanton as the jewel in their crown for the summer months, but they seem to turn away in the winter and not look back until March or April.”
A spokesman for West Norfolk Council said: “We absolutely understand that retailers are facing enormous challenges at the moment and that is why we are organising three roadshows next year to engage with business and to work together to find ways to help keep our towns trading.”

My Birthday 2011

My Presents

Bob - Kindle, with conversion software and 200,000 ebooks
Debbie - Nouget, Angel Bookmarks, Sister Plaque, Carribean Twist
Micheal and Hana - Owl Bookmark
Kevin - Ferrero Rocher
Kinga - Glass, Drink and Choc set
Jenny - 2 Mrs Beetons Books
Mum - Vest, 2 Books Childrens Stories by the Village Shepherd, Vengeance Lies in Wait by Janice B Scott
Steven and Jude - Toiletries and Plant
Hilary Letch - Plant

My Cards

Eve Eates
Bob
Joanna Fort - Handwritten message - 'I know it's a windy passage at the moment I pray you will come to a safe haven soon.
Ray, Miriam and Penny
Mum and Dad
Debbie
Micheal and Hana
Jenny and Andy
Steven and Jude - Message from Charlotte 'I love you Nan you are the best nan in the world'
Ian and Jo
Marge and Ernie
Mary and Dave
Kevin and Kinga - Personal Message from Kevin 'I want to take this opportunity to thank you, you have always been there for me, through everything, helped me get through the darkest parts of my life, i know i joke around a lot, but the truth is that i wouldn't be where i am today without you, you are the best mum i could wish for .............. So Thank You.
Sandra and Terry

This evening i went to Stevens and Judes for tea, we had jacket potato spread and steven made me a birthday cake with shoes on it he he

Boudica by Manda Scott

A very well written and colourful book the characters are very well thought out and described, a brilliant read.

In AD 60, Boudica, war leader of the Eceni, led her people in a final bloody revolt against the occupying armies of Rome. It was the culmination of nearly twenty years of resistance against an occupying force that sought to crush a vibrant, complex civilization and replace it with the laws, taxes and slavery of the Roman Empire. Gloriously imagined, BOUDICA: DREAMING THE EAGLE recreates the beginnings of a story so powerful its impact has survived through the ages, recounting the journey to adulthood of Breaca, who at twelve kills her first warrior, and her sensitive, skilful half-brother Ban, who carries with him a vision of the future that haunts his waking hours. In the company of a supreme storyteller, the reader is plunged into the unforgettable world of tribal Britain in the years before the Romans came: a twilight world of Dreamers and the magic of the gods; a world where horses and dogs and the landscape itself become characters in their own right; where warriors fight for honour as much as victory. Above all, it is a world of passion and courage and spectacular, heart-felt heroism pitched against overwhelming odds. Manda Scott's BOUDICA will tell the extraordinary, resounding story of Britain's first and greatest warrior queen, the woman who remains one of the great female icons - to read it is to discover our history, to learn about ourselves and our heritage

David Cameron says the UK is a Christian country

David Cameron has said the UK is a Christian country "and we should not be afraid to say so".

In a speech in Oxford on the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, the prime minister called for a revival of traditional Christian values to counter Britain's "moral collapse".
He said "live and let live" had too often become "do what you please".
The PM said it was wrong to suggest that standing up for Christianity was "somehow doing down other faiths".
Describing himself as a "committed" but only "vaguely practising" Christian, the PM admitted he was "full of doubts" about big theological issues.
'Don't do God' But he staunchly defended the role of religion in politics and said the Bible in particular was crucial to British values.

How religious is the UK?

• Christian: 72%
• No religion: 16%
• Muslim: 3%
• Hindu: 1%
• Figures from 2001 Census
• In British Attitudes Survey in 2010, 43% were Christian and 51% no religion

"We are a Christian country and we should not be afraid to say so," he told the audience at Christ Church.

"Let me be clear: I am not in any way saying that to have another faith - or no faith - is somehow wrong.
"I know and fully respect that many people in this country do not have a religion.
"And I am also incredibly proud that Britain is home to many different faith communities, who do so much to make our country stronger.
"But what I am saying is that the Bible has helped to give Britain a set of values and morals which make Britain what it is today."
Mr Cameron said people often argued that "politicians shouldn't 'do God'" - a reference to a comment famously made by former No 10 spin doctor Alistair Campbell when Tony Blair was asked about his religion.
"If by that they mean we shouldn't try to claim a direct line to God for one particular political party, they could not be more right," the PM said.
"But we shouldn't let our caution about that stand in the way of recognising both what our faith communities bring to our country, and also just how incredibly important faith is to so many people in Britain."
Mr Cameron also said it was "easier for people to believe and practise other faiths when Britain has confidence in its Christian identity".
"Many people tell me it is much easier to be Jewish or Muslim here in Britain than it is in a secular country like France," he said.
"Why? Because the tolerance that Christianity demands of our society provides greater space for other religious faiths too.
"And because many of the values of a Christian country are shared by people of all faiths and indeed by people of no faith at all."

Heat Wave by Richard Castle

This is based on the TV series Castle which i enjoy, but i did find the book disappointing, i didn't relate to the characters, and got confused between characters, i found the storyline most disjointed.

A New York real estate tycoon plunges to his death on a Manhattan sidewalk. A trophy wife with a past survives a narrow escape from a brazen attack. Mobsters and moguls with no shortage of reasons to kill trot out their alibis. And then, in the suffocating grip of a record heat wave, comes another shocking murder and a sharp turn in a tense journey into the dirty little secrets of the wealthy. Secrets that prove to be fatal. Secrets that lay hidden in the dark until one NYPD detective shines a light.

Mystery sensation Richard Castle, blockbuster author of the wildly best-selling Derrick Storm novels, introduces his newest character, NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat. Tough, sexy, professional, Nikki Heat carries a passion for justice as she leads one of New York City's top homicide squads. She's hit with an unexpected challenge when the commissioner assigns superstar magazine journalist Jameson Rook to ride along with her to research an article on New York's Finest. PulitzerPrize-winning Rook is as much a handful as he is handsome. His wise-cracking and meddling aren't her only problems. As she works to unravel the secrets of the murdered real estate tycoon, she must also confront the spark between them. The one called heat

Chuck it all

From a book i am reading "Heat Wave" by Richard Castle

It is just the way i feel - "Did you ever get hit with a big shock, and then when you think you can't deal with it, you work through it, and then ahem, and then just when you do, out of nowhere comes another crushing blow, and then another, and then you reach a point where you just say, what the hell am i doing? and then you fantacise about chucking it all, not just the job but life" - That is just the way i have feel :(

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

I have wanted to read this book for quite some time, eventually i got hold of it and was most disappointed, it had all the elements i enjoy for a good read, crime, fantasy, supernatural, however, i found the characters very shallow and couldn't get to grip with them, i kept losing track of the plot, eventually i gave up.

My name is Peter Grant and until January I was just probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right-thinking people as the Metropolitan Police Service (as the Filth to everybody else). My only concerns in life were how to avoid a transfer to the Case Progression Unit - we do paperwork so real coppers don't have to - and finding a way to climb into the panties of the outrageously perky WPC Leslie May. Then one night, in pursuance of a murder inquiry, I tried to take a witness statement from someone who was dead but disturbingly voluable, and that brought me to the attention of Inspector Nightingale, the last wizard in England.

Now I'm a Detective Constable and a trainee wizard, the first apprentice in fifty years, and my world has become somewhat more complicated: nests of vampires in Purley, negotiating a truce between the warring god and goddess of the Thames, and digging up graves in Covent Garden . . . and there's something festering at the heart of the city I love, a malicious vengeful spirit that takes ordinary Londoners and twists them into grotesque mannequins to act out its drama of violence and despair.

The spirit of riot and rebellion has awakened in the city, and it's falling to me to bring order out of chaos - or die trying. Which, I don't mind telling you, would involve a hell of a lot of paperwork.

Christmas Cupid

Sloan is beautiful, stylish, and on the fast track to success at her public relations firm. After her client Caitlin dies and becomes her own personal ghost of Christmas past, present, and future; she finds out first hand that her unethical ways needs to change and reuniting with a past jilted lover may be the answer. Sloan is beautiful, stylish, and on the fast track to success at her public relations firm. After her client Caitlin dies and becomes her own personal ghost of Christmas past, present, and future; she finds out first hand that her unethical ways needs to change and reuniting with a past jilted lover may be the answer.

	Chad Michael Murray	...	Patrick
	Ashley Benson	...	Caitlin Quinn
	Ashley Johnson	...	Jenny
	Christina Milian	...	Sloane Spencer
	Ryan Sypek	...	Jason

Christmas Town

Southern California realtor and single mother Liz McCann is a workaholic, much like her banker father Jack Travers. Her work leaves her little time to spend with her ten year old son, Mason, even during the Christmas holidays, much to Mason's dismay. Liz sees Christmas as a nuisance with which to deal, except for being able to use the holiday spirit of others to her business advantage. Despite Liz's feelings about Christmas, Mason is able to talk her into visiting Jack for Christmas, he who has just moved to a little town called Hollyville, which isn't located on any map. Upon their arrival in Hollyville, Mason immediately becomes enthralled with life in the town, especially at the mysterious N.P. Enterprises, and the Christmas spirit pervasive there, which he believes is more than just Christmas spirit. Liz, who is surprised to see Jack living a more relaxed lifestyle, just wants to continue on with her work via cell phone. But Jack, Mason, and the local café owner Kevin O'Reilly, who, like Jack just found Hollyville when his life wasn't going all that well, try to convince Liz that she needs to believe to make her life more meaningful.

	Nicole de Boer	...	Elizabeth 'Liz' McCann (as Nicole De Boer)
	Patrick Muldoon	...	Kevin O'Reilly
	Gig Morton	...	Mason McCann
	Garry Chalk	...	Jack Travers

Cancel Christmas

	Judd Nelson	...	Santa Claus / Kris Frost
	Justin Landry	...	Randal / Mr. Elfman
	Natalie Brown	...	Jeannie Claymore
	John Fleming	...	Adam Claymore

Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

I saw this book in the Library a couple of days after watching the film, so decided to have a read, it is very close to the film, however, it is a typical teen book, somehow couldn't get my teeth into it.

They said his uncle Ian died in a car accident. Alex Rider knows that’s a lie, and the bullet holes in his uncle’s car confirm the truth. But nothing can prepare him for the news that the uncle he always thought he knew was really a spy for Britain’s top-secret intelligence agency. Enlisted to find his uncle’s killers and complete Ian’s final mission, Alex suddenly finds himself caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse, with no way out. The original novel that started the worldwide phenomenon is now a major motion picture!

Christmas Tree Festival 2011

During the course of the year, we have been making decorations for an entry to The Christmas Tree Festival, which is this weekend.

The Railway Man by John Dean

I found this a very disappointing book, the characters were shallow and i got confused who was who, glad to have finished it.

When the opening of a railway museum is marred by the murder of a former railman, Detective Chief Inspector John Blizzard finds himself confronting some awkward truths. Not only does he have to consider the unpalatable possibility that his friends could be concealing vital information from him, but he soon discovers that the dead man's legacy is a dark shadow that spreads across the northern city of Hafton. In the end, though, John Blizzard has to confront a betrayal that he never thought possible

The Town Christmas Forgot

A lovely feel good movie.

The Town Christmas Forgot - About the Movie
An urban family that can’t seem to get along gets stranded in a remote, impoverished lumber town two days before Christmas. When they become involved in the town’s home-grown Christmas pageant, they not only help solve the town’s problems but learn to connect with each other just in time for the holidays.

	Lauren Holly	...	Annie Benson
	Rick Roberts	...	Charles Benson
	Azer Greco	...	Nolan Benson
	Torri Webster	...	Trish Benson
	Stephanie Belding	...	Samantha Bee
	Joe Pingue	...	Jeremiah Bee

The Night Season by Chelsea Cain

I wasn't overly keen, i felt their was very little depth to the characters, they just didn't seem 'real' to me. The storyline wasn't the best, although it was a very unusual murder weapon :)

The Night Season (Gretchen Lowell #4)

Oregon detective Archie Sheridan and local journalist Susan Ward team up again in this extreme weather thriller. As heavy rains pound Portland, apparent drowning victims keep surfacing on the Willamette River. While others tremble before the steadily rising waters, the sleuth and reporter come to the harsh realization that a serial killer is loose and hiding behind nature's merciless torrents. Chelsea Cain's fourth Archie Sheridan mystery (Heartsick; Sweetheart; Evil at Heart) builds its intensity and suspense by rapid cuts between the ominous gathering flood and the dangerous manhunt. One of our most talented young mystery writers.

Alex Rider: Stormbreaker (2006)

A surprisingly good film, thoroughly enjoyed it, a typical good versus evil though, no real surprises.

Alex Rider thinks he is a normal school boy, until his uncle is killed. He discovers that his uncle was actually spy on a mission, when he was killed. Alex is recruited by Alan Blunt to continue the mission. He is sent to Cornwall to investigate a new computer system, which Darrius Sayle has created. He plans to give the new computer systems to every school in the country, but Mr. Blunt has other ideas and Alex must find out what it is.

	Sarah Bolger	...	Sabina Pleasure
	Robbie Coltrane	...	Prime Minister
	Stephen Fry	...	Smithers
	Damian Lewis	...	Yassen Gregorovich
	Ewan McGregor	...	Ian Rider
	Bill Nighy	...	Alan Blunt
	Sophie Okonedo	...	Mrs. Jones
	Alex Pettyfer	...	Alex Rider