THE CHALLENGE!

Lady M loves champers!

 Hello Everyone,

Lady M here. I, like all I you, watch the news and feel over emotional, afraid, disbelief, sadness and despair. As I wrote last week, I just cannot believe what is happening in the Ukraine 🇺🇦 and my heart goes out to its people who are ‘lost’. Today, I shed tears as I saw a teenager being interviewed in Poland. Her father had spent 24 hours driving her to the border and safety. He was forced to return and fight for his country. They had said goodbye and she does not know if she will ever see him again. What if this were you? Could you bear it? First Covid restrictions and deaths, now this. Sadness permeates the world. We need happiness and positivity in order to survive.

With that thought in mind I am offering you THE CHALLENGE again.

                                                       ***********************

So what makes you smile? What makes you happy? What do you enjoy? What makes you get up in the morning? What makes your life worthwhile?

Here are Lady M's favourite things that make her smile and decide that life is worthwhile and then she will challenge you. Think about Maria in “The Sound of Music”, when she is sad she thinks of her favourite things and then feels happier.

Tram riding, watching peeps and the world go by and book signing

First, beautiful books. She has the Charles Dickens collected works; the green leather bound edition bought in the early seventies. They were the first items she purchased when she started teaching, She paid for them over a period of time at £2 a month. She has not read all of them yet but they sit on the shelves in her lounge and she adores just looking at them. Then, there are all her other books amassed over the years in her upstairs library. They make her smile each morning. She loves all of her books especially the ones she writes. The proof copies all sit on the shelf by her fireside chair where she can admire them and smile at the achievement. There are peeps who say that books are a waste of money. She says, Philistines!


Then, there are childhood memories. It seems the older she gets the more she remembers them. She was brought up on a hundred acre country estate. Life in such a situation is hectic; always too much to do... livestock, gardens, the country house, land. All always needing attention and it was a case of all hands on deck 24/7. It's only in recent years that she realises how fortunate she was to have that experience and the memories.  Walking in the private woods. Rearing the pheasants (her responsibility!) Later she would hear the shooting and know they had met their fate; that was the way it was. Sitting by the boathouse reading books, (her favourite place.) Her lovely Jack Russell Terrier, Sally. Lambs taking their first bleat. Birthday parties and fun. The annual week's holiday at the seaside. Village life. Brownies. Guides. Sunday afternoon cricket matches. Chorister. Church bells on a Sunday morning. The smell of freshly mowed grass. The hum of the combine harvester.

Watching her father wash sheep here

Plants! In his latter years her father would bring her plants each time he visited. She now spends hours each spring, repotting and taking cuttings to keep his legacy alive. She still has one of the original plants from 1986 which refuses to die. It has been repotted three times, grows, is cut down and then regrows. Such fond memories of a devoted and perfect father. A man she idolised.

Other things which make her smile in her retiring years are the thoughts of ice cream, chocolate, pizza, chips, paninis, wine and more wine! Lattes, sunny days, warmth, jewellery, new clothes, bubble baths, candles, music, flowers, reading, board games, birds chirping in the trees heralding each new dawn, butterflies

What does she enjoy doing? Visiting the cinema, libraries, taking afternoon tea, tram riding, art galleries and museums. She has a thirst for knowledge and loves quizzes, learning anything new. She spends hours watching the pigeons and other feathered species feeding from her bird table. It is strategically placed so that she has the perfect view from her chair.

Food? Yes, please!

Holidays? Yes please. She hates the hassle of airports and getting to places but adores it when she reaches her destination. She loves experiencing foreign cultures. Her favourite place is Paphos and the harbour. It is her second home. Souvenirs? Oh yes. She buys fridge magnets from every place she visits. Then, in the mornings at home she can remember the wonderful places when she staggers to the fridge for milk in her coffee.

   

Paphos sunset

Another thing she likes is her little red car. It lives in its own apartment. Others call them garages. They have travelled many miles together and seen many beautiful sites.

She is a great believer in taking new experiences and adventures.

 

So, now that she has shared her personal delights with you she offers you... THE CHALLENGE!

Until next week, enjoy whatever it is you enjoy and tolerate the rest of your life.

Yours, Lady M 

                                                  

The Game of Life

Lady M kite flying in Paphos. A happy day in her game of life! 

Howde Peeps,

Donald and I are still with you and trying to find posts to cheer you up. This Covid thing is still with you and causing chaos. We know that Lady M see life as a game in which we can never win but she  always remained positive when the dice throws her low numbers. Right now, it's throwing everyone low numbers. So please enjoy rereading this, stay positive until the dice begins throwing double sixes again. Love S and D xxxxx

                                                          *******************

Hello Everyone,

Lady M still here and is feeling philosophical, positive and nostalgic while working on the present theme for her blogs, namely Life.

It all started on that day when she thought about her age. Life is definitely a game which we all play. We have no choice. We are automatically included on the day we are born rather like being the car, dog, top hat or other token placed on Go on the Monopoly™ board. Someone else threw the dice and decided on our starting number. However, unlike Monopoly™ there are no winners in the game of life. (The pic of daffs on the left? Lady M likes it).

So, we are born, and we begin to move around the board of life. If we are lucky we may find ourselves living on Mayfair or perhaps our destiny is to remain on The  Old Kent Road.

 Our first memories are of that so called glorious period of childhood or the age of discovery. We discover the difference between right and wrong, we discover that we have needs like sustenance, we learn how to communicate, we learn that humans wear clothes, we learn how to behave. Our gathering of knowledge begun in those early months before we even walk is the beginning of a lifetime of learning. There will be talk of that place called school where education is drummed into the brain; much essential learning for what follows childhood... adulthood. The dice will be thrown again. Where it lands will determine our education. We will go through this stage because Time and Tide wait for no man. During those years the dice may be thrown again and throw things into confusion. Maybe, one of those factors determined by fate of the dice like moving, redundancy, death, divorce, or other changing circumstances will change everything. As children we are not in control and cannot change where the dice lands. Of course, other factors play a part in the lives of different individuals. The country and place of birth will have an effect on opportunities and chances.

Lady M likes this place

 We move round the board of life. If we break the rules it is Go to Jail. Alas, unlike Monopoly™ there is no get out of jail free card. Sometimes. it may seem as if life is easy or we are on the Free Parking spot. This will not last for long.

 Another  throw of the dice and we are either in higher education and still learning for some career or other or we are in the work place and struggling to pay the bills. At some stage we will pass Go and have a windfall. Hopefully, more than £200. For others, it will be a low score and a sad lot in life... homeless, refugees, poverty, poor health.


A few more years pass by and we move on to another phase after another throw. What has the dice given us... a partner, a marriage, children? We are parents but we don't feel prepared. It all seemed so easy in those lazy, hazy, crazy days of childhood. What do we do? We muddle through and do the best we can.

 The pic? One of her memories from afternoon tea at The Tower Ballroom in Blackpool. Another happy day for her. It reminds her of a German phrase she learned, Abwarten und Tee trinken. Simply means, wait and drink tea. When the dice are conspiring against us all we can do is wait and hope. Or, many find consolation, support and hope in their faith whatever it maybe. Our faith or religion is a personal choice. We may be born into a specific one but in later life it will be our choice or determined by the dice. Those children grow up and throw their own dice. Our lives have changed again. We are moving faster round the board. We question why we are playing this game. Could or should we have made different decisions? No! We wait for the inevitable.

A good attitude to the game of life!

Those final throws determine how we spend those last days of mortality. The final waiting game. I have a friend who lives in a retirement village. He said that they referred to the village as 'God's waiting room.'

Yes, I confess, although I do not reside in such a village yet I am in that waiting room. The dice has given me some good numbers and some bad ones over the years but somehow I have survived. They say that wisdom comes with age. I don't know. I was born a genius! But what I do know is that we will never win in this game so the best we can do is enjoy it, particularly the good times, and be happy as we float round the board.

Next week, Lady M will be challenging you!

Until then, just remember that you cannot win. It is impossible but have a great week anyway! If the dice throws a double six and you win the lottery my number is... 😃😇😉😊😁

Yours, Lady M

Sofia's Choice 3...The Introduction to her book "Life is..."

Howde Folks,

Sofia here with Donald for our third week. After last week's serious post we have decided to share another poignant one with you. We remember her writing the intro to her amusing little booklet of quotes on life with a few of her words of wisdom thrown in. She wrote it after another terrorist attack and we feel that, once again, lessons can be learned from some of her writing. Please read and digest. Next week we will return with a humorous post, we promise you!

                                                 *********************************

"It is June 4^th, 2017. I am writing this introduction while listening to the melodic tones of Take That singing ‘Manchester we are strong’. They are performing at the tribute concert, One Love Manchester. Yes, I’m a woman so I can multitask! Thirteen days ago a suicide bomber detonated a homemade bomb at the Manchester Arena as people were leaving the Ariana Grande concert. Twenty-two innocent people, including many children and teenagers, were killed and more than a hundred injured. The attacker was Salman Abedi, born in Manchester, with parents of Libyan origin. Ariana’s reaction was to return to Manchester for this tribute concert.

Terrorism is the scourge of the twenty-first century and with the advent of social media the world was aware of the Manchester attack within minutes. Foreign leaders all made their customary speeches to ‘stand with Manchester’. The world unites on these horrific occasions and this was the worst in the UK since the London bombings on July 7^th , 2005 when four Islamist extremists detonated three bombs on the London Underground and a fourth one on a bus. This attack resulted in fifty-six deaths (including the attackers) and over seven hundred injured people.

This was the second attack in the UK in two months. On March 22^nd, Khalid Masood drove a car into people on Westminster Bridge. He ran out of the vehicle into New Palace Yard and stabbed an unarmed police officer before he was shot by a police officer. The incident resulted in six deaths and forty-nine injured people. Then, the rest of the globe supported London.

This morning, I, on auto-pilot, switched on the television to see a ‘BBC breaking news’ on the screen.  Another terrorist attack at 10.08 yesterday evening on London Bridge. The third attack on British soil within three months. A white van had been driven into crowds crossing the bridge. Three males emerged, carrying knives, and moved toward restaurants stabbing as many people as they could saying, ‘This is for Allah’. At 10.16 pm their reign of terror was over. After eight minutes of freedom the police arrived and shot the three attackers. During those few minutes they succeeded in causing eight deaths and forty-plus injured people, some critical.

Have these ISIS people, who claim to be of the Islamic faith, ever read the Koran? Each Surah begins by stating that Allah is compassionate and merciful. Allah does not condone merciless killings. How often have we heard Muslims claim that these terrorists do not belong to their religion? Islam is a religion of peace.

At the moment I can see Robbie Williams singing ‘Angels’ and a crowd of fifty thousand people smiling and singing along with him. This is defiance. Some of the audience were present on that fateful night but are not prepared to surrender to terrorism. President Trump has called terrorists ‘losers’. I compare them to the classroom bullies who are basically cowards and can never be allowed to win. As Friedrich Nietzsche stated, ‘That  which does not kill us makes us stronger’. This audience are strong and united.

At present the UK seems to be the terrorists’ main target. At this sad time I am sure the people of France feel the emotion with us as they remember their attacks through 2015- 2016 in Paris, Nice and Normandy. Who could ever forget the slogan ‘Je suis Charlie’ after the attack on January 7^th, 2015 at the Charlie Hebdo magazine office when twelve people were killed? Germany and Belgium, our other close European neighbours, have suffered from ISIS attacks in Berlin, Wuerzburg, Ansbach and Brussels. Iraq, Turkey, Libya, Egypt, Canada, Australia and America…yes, it is a global problem. Tunisia… a prominent and memorable attack by a lone assassin on western tourists at a hotel in Port El Kantaoui in June, 2015. This shooting was at one of the most unlikely places… a beach where people were relaxing and enjoying a holiday. It resulted in thirty-eight deaths and thirty-nine injured people. The assassin was killed by the police.

I am sure Americans shiver with horror at each new attack as they remember their horrendous attacks on The Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in New York, and The Pentagon on September 11^th, 2001. Three planes were successfully hijacked and hit their targets. A fourth plane did not reach its destination, thought to be Washington, as the passengers attempted to overpower the hijackers and the plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. This was the work of another extremist Islamic group, al-Qaeda. Total fatalities were 2,996 and over six thousand injured people.

When will our leaders actually admit that terrorism is not just a global phenomenon but our third world war? One hundred years ago The Great War, later to be termed World War 1, was coming to an end. It had been fought in various places in battles and by man against man; by soldiers on horseback or on foot using weapons of the era. Twenty years later in 1939 the world was at war again. It was a still a war with battles and fought by soldiers on battlefields, those men were fighting for freedom and a better future but it was a different type of war using new weapons of the time… aeroplanes and bombs. In addition to battlefields, it was a conflict fought from the air. Bombs could be dropped from above destroying buildings and causing maximum damage to both life and infrastructure. World War 2 was declared the war to end all wars but it does not seem to have worked. I believe there has only been a short period of time, (I read somewhere – fifteen minutes) when no country has been at war. There was Vietnam, Chinese Civil War, Arab-Israeli War, Indo-Pakistani War, Korea, The Falklands… to mention a few! All fought for a purpose, whether it be land, religion or freedom.

However, we are now in the twenty-first century and we have freedom, social media, technology and materialism in a way never known before. Maybe the pendulum has swung too far towards liberty and a tolerant society. As the last weeks have proved it is not safe to cross the road or go to a concert. Looking back to 2015, 2016, neither is it safe to go on holiday, travel on public transport, go shopping in the market, go out for a meal, sit on the beach or really do anything. We have become prisoners of war in a world where terrorists are the enemy. It is a different kind of war; a war where ‘attacks’ have replaced battles. Not a war where planes drop bombs from the skies or soldiers fight battles in fields. It is a war using twenty-first century knowledge and weapons. Knowledge of how to make simple bombs capable of great destruction is easily available on the Internet. Guns and knives are equally easy to purchase. Our enemies are Islamist extremists who believe that martyrdom is the will of Allah or maybe their heroes are the kamikaze pilots of World War 2. They are just using different methods to find their divine wind route back to Allah.

In these sad times we may ask what life is about. It is easy to be miserable and afraid. It is easy to change our routine but we need to be strong and continue with our plans. If we do that our enemies will not win. I, like most people on the planet, have become a great fan of social media and in particular, Facebook. During the last six months I have been posting daily. Firstly, it was Words of Wisdom and then I moved on to Life is…  Some of my thoughts were philosophical, others humorous. Sometimes I added photographs and emojis or I dedicated certain sayings to individual people. On a couple of occasions I even added a short story telling the inspiration behind the quotation, for example…Life is about turning left instead of right and having an adventure!

I noticed that I was getting a lot of those like clicks and friends seemed to be enjoying my humble daily offering. I had an idea… put all of my posts into a short book and publish them. I have placed one of the Words of Wisdom after every five or six Life is… quotations; some Life quotes have illustrations, either photographs from my albums or downloads from the Net under creative commons licence. All the acknowledgements may be found at the end of the booklet after information on my books.

I hope that those of you who have downloaded this will delve into it on the dark days and find that it puts the smile back on your face.

                                   *******************************

Just be sensible

 

Hello everyone

Lady M still here. This will be the last post on her impromptu series of Just. She hopes you have found them uplifting and helpful through any daily traumas. She's decided to conclude with being sensible. She's decided to cheat slightly and popped into the archives for a post she wrote at the beginning of the year. She's wondering if idiot has realized that they have been plastered all over the Internet. No, she has never seen idiot again as she has never had reason to drive along that road.  However, most peeps know that Lady M is a believer in karma and is aware of numerous occasions when peeps who have upset or crossed her in any way reap just desserts. Karma is her friend so perhaps idiot has received theirs. 😜



What will she be posting next week? She is reminded of a comment the great Charles Dickens made when he was writing Nicholas Nickleby. Originally, he wrote this work as a series for a paper and it was published in installments. An eager reader espied him and asked, "Mr. Dickens, what will Nicholas do next week?" His reply, "Madam, I don't know I haven't written it yet."

Outrage on Cooper Street

On Saturday, 8^th December, I attempted to get my car from Treddles Lane onto the main road. I am driving along Cooper Street as a car is coming up Park Street and wanting to turn left so I continue along Cooper Street and turn right into the final small section of that road. There is a parked vehicle at the top on the right, one half way down on the left facing me with the engine running ready to move. Another car is parked at the bottom end on the right. So, I proceed, overtake the middle car, move back to the left and try to pass the parked car at the bottom of the road. By now, there is another car behind me and the one I’d overtaken has been able to leave the street. Unfortunately, the bottom car was too near the middle of the road for me to pass. I gesticulated expecting person to move over so that we could both move and the one behind me as well. Person sat in car like a statue. I try again. Person still like a statue. Weird! 

Then, person gets out of car comes over to me and shouts, “You just had to push through, didn’t you.” WHAT! How was the car in the middle going to get out if I didn’t move down? Fly over me and the other parked vehicle? Was person serious? I am a little stunned. Next, person locks car and says, “I’m going home. I only live there.” I’m thinking, shall I do the same? I could walk round the corner and leave my car. Now. I watch Judge Rinder and that word he uses frequently comes to mind… STUPID! Anyway, why would I want to be as childish as person?

I get out and talk with lady in the car behind me. She asked why person didn’t just move over; she wanted to call the police. Then person would probably have got either a caution or £60 ticket for blocking the road. I explained that I lived round the corner and this type of situation was a regular occurrence. It would take time for them to arrive and by then our roads would probably be at gridlock. I suggested it would be easier if she reversed and went down Park Street. She was silent, probably thinking why should she. I pointed out that I was totally blocked in and couldn’t go anywhere. She, being sensible, took the reversing option and I followed her. When person saw me moving person came out of house, probably thinking how clever they had been. But has a person who cannot see the whole road situation even got a driving licence? There’s a thought!

The law in the UK states that we wear seatbelts while driving and I am law abiding citizen. So, after reversing I stop conveniently by person’s off-road parking area. Now, I’m a senior citizen and can be a little slow. Seatbelts have to be fitted correctly. Person has now pulled up behind me so I look in mirror, wave and smile. I don’t think person was very pleased because person got out of car and proceeded toward mine presumably thinking of giving me another bol….ing! Oh dear, I drove off before person got opportunity, waving and smiling. How to deal with stupidity!

Btw, I’m the one who has emailed the council requesting yellow lines in our streets before a child is injured or killed when leaving the local school.

So, peeps be happy, lucky, nice, smile but always be sensible and between us we will make the world a better place.

Love Lady M

                                                                                   

Just be nice

Hello Everyone,

So far in my impromptu 'Just' series of posts I have suggested that peeps be both happy and positive while keeping a smile on visages. This should help them to have a better day and encourage others to follow their lead. This week I am suggesting that peeps go out of their way to be nice and kind toward others.

You may well ask, why be nice when peeps are horrible and nasty to you? When they are toxic, jealous and bitter toward you or have stabbed you in the back more times than you can remember? You are probably asking if I live in the real world. Er… have you met my family? Being nice makes you the better person and helps you get through the day and difficult times. Whatever personal problems you may have, and who has not got problems or issues, you need to survive in our ever changing society. Being nice aids survival and helps to make the world a better place.

Anger or resentment solves nothing. It results in hostilities. Just sprinkle a little kindness instead.

Most religions promote kindness and you tend to find that peeps who have strong religious beliefs regardless of the religion, Christianity, Judaism, Sikhism, Islam or Buddhism to mention the main ones, have a faith which makes them happier and in that faith there is a creed which promotes kindness toward others.

Christianity, for example, spoken by Jesus in Matthew's Gospel Ch 7 v 12, In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. 

There is also a famous song If I can help somebody … the lyrics of the chorus are -  

If I can help somebody, as I pass along, If I can cheer somebody, with a word or song. If I can show somebody, that he's travelling wrong. Then my living shall not be in vain.

Apparently, mental health issues are at a premium in the modern world and more peeps are seeing suicide as the only way out. A simple act of kindness, being a friend can make all the difference. The title of this blog is Look After Each Other.

As a last thought on kindness, you never know when you are someone's last hope. 

Life was meant to be wonderful, an adventure and glorious experience to be enjoyed and not endured. Just a few pretty pics to show how beautiful life can be... a sunset, animals, snowdrops and a village church.

Be kind. Be nice.

Lady M 

London!

                             

The red double decker and Big Ben

Hello Everyone,

My final capital city is my home one... lovely London! Enjoy!


1. London is the capital of the United Kingdom.

2. It is situated on the River Thames.

3. In this city you will find Westminster Palace and Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and Hyde Park.

4. It is home to the Chelsea Flower Show; the world's most prestigious flower show.

5. It is where one may experience a civilised ritual steeped in tradition and take tea at the Ritz.

6. Samuel Johnson said,
"The man who tires of London tires of life. For there is in London all that life can afford."

7. London suffered a terrorist attack on July 7th, 2005.

8. It  hosted the 2012 Olympic Games.

9. In 1665, there was an outbreak of Bubonic plague killing more than 70,000 people in London

10. In 1666, four-fifths of the city was destroyed in the Great Fire which began in Pudding Lane. Samuel Pepys gave a vivid accountof the fire in his diary

11. It is the city which has 'Cockneys' in its East End. To be a true Cockney you must have been born within the sound of the church bells of St Mary-Le-Bow in Cheapside.

12. Charles Dickens lived at 48 Doughty Street, Holborn from 1837-1839; during that time he completed Pickwick Papers, wrote Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby and Barnaby Rudge and his house has been preserved as a museum.

13. A musical highlight from this city is the annual Promenade Concerts at the Royal Albert Hall which take place between July and September.

14.There are more than 50 theatres largely in the West End of London and this area has become known as theatreland.

15. Wimbledon is the home of tennis.

16. Lord's Cricket Ground is the hallowed capital of cricket.

17. Wembley Stadium is the football home.

18. London Bridge was sold to an American in 1968 for more than £1,000,000. It is now a tourist attraction in Arizona!

19. Crystal Palace was the world's first major prefabricated building of iron and glass, built for the Great Exhibition of 1851 in Hyde Park. After the exhibiton, the palace was moved and re-erected in Sydenham, South London but was destroyed by fire in 1936.

And finally, number 20:

A famous feature of this city is its red double-decker buses!

So, as this is the holiday season whether you be visiting a city, beach or staying at home remember to have a good book at your side!

"Time & Tide" wait for no man, so have "No Regrets"; always "Stay in Touch" and "Look After Each Other"!

Thought for the week: Both great love and great achievements involve great risks!

Yours, Lady M

Tokyo

Hello Everyone,

TOKYO!

1. Tokyo is the capital of Japan.

2. It is on the east (Pacific Ocean) side of the island.

3. Tokyo is one of Japan's 47 prefectures.

4. Before 1868, this city was known as Edo, and many of the inhabitants still think of themselves as Edokkos (children of Edo).

5. It is in Asia but separated from the Asian mainland by about 100 miles of sea.

6. The main language is Japanese, although English is spoken in Tokyo and the other main cities.

7.Shintoism and Buddhism are the main religions.

8. The International dialling code is 81.

9. The currency is the Japanese Yen.

10. The Japanese love seafood and like to eat it in its natural state; a favourite is sushi.

11.The Tsukiji Fish Market is a predawn institution and highly active market providing around 90% of the fish eaten in Tokyo

12.Chopsticks are the common eating utensils. (An artistic way of eating which I'm still trying to master!)

13.The street life in Tokyo is spectacular at anytime of the year with different acts - acrobats, magicians, brass bands, jazz, dancing. . .

14. There are numerous festivals celebrated throughout the year.

15. The traditional dress is the kimono.

16. It is also a city where the Geisha girls may make a public appearance.

17. The Sumida River forms a strip with a number of sights on the banks from temples to museums and the Hundred Flowers Garden.

18.It is a modern city with skyscrapers but also a city proud to show its past. In the backstreets it is possible to see numerous temples, shrines, Buddha images and statues.

19.On Valentine's Day, (February 14th), it is the custom for women to give men gifts of chocolate!

20.'Cherry Blossom' time! When winter ends and spring begins it is time for the cherry blossom celebrations in Japan. People flock to parks and temple gardens to see this beautiful sight of pink and white petals. Ueno Park is the best-known venue in Tokyo, home to over 1000 trees.

Thought for the week: -Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away! (anonymous)I cannot think of a better comment to describe cherry blossom time.


Love Lady M xxxxx

Just how much excitement can a girl take?

Hello Everyone,

Lady M still here! Sofia and Donald are taking a mini break but I expect they are enjoying themselves.

After last week's thought of  Life is what you make it, I thought I would tell you that at the beginning of the year I decided to try and find something new, exciting or different to record in my diary every day. We have had two months of 2012 or 60 days of the year. What have you done that is really exciting or new?

I will share with you a few of mine. . .

I became a pensioner.
Put two of my books on Kindle.
Learnt about Kindle and digital books.
One day I made an appointment with Laurence Fox at 3pm!
Joined You Tube.
Experienced Luton Airport.
Went round a sweet factory in Geriskipou.
Had clandestine meetings with my Bohemian lover.
Enjoyed a talk on Life in Cyprus. Thank you, Henk.
Visited a Craft Fair in Coral Bay.
Streaked through Pafos town.
Won £3.20 on the Euro Lottery. I will not allow it to change my life
Took an excursion to Famagusta, St. Barnabas Monastery and Salamis.
Have over 500 friends on FB.
Had another birthday! Get over it!
Downloaded Nook onto my PC. Very proud of that achievement.
Had a health risk assessment and discovered I was still alive.
Started a new novel...

Care to share anything you have done this year?
Or care to join me on my next streaking trip?

Thought for the week: Tomorrow is not promised to us, so make the most of today!

Stimulating September 4

Hello Everyone,



I hope you've enjoyed the quizzes during September. This will be the last one as October is looming on the horizon . . .



1. Who wrote 'War and Peace'?
LEO TOLSTOY

2. What is the capital of Egypt?
CAIRO

3. What is the currency in Egypt?
EGYPTIAN POUND (E£)

4. Which is the shortest month in the year?
FEBRUARY

5. What is a baby lion called?
CUB

6. In which winter sport is a broom part of the equipment?
CURLING

7. Who was the idol of the Indian masses shot by a fanatic in 1948?
MAHATMA GANDHI

8. To whom do the Falkland Islands belong?
GT. BRITAIN

9.In Germany which places are famous for a)perfume, b)china, c)pottery?
A)COLOGNE B)DRESDEN C)MEISSEN

10. In which book does Louisa M Alcott introduce the four March sisters for the first time?
LITTLE WOMEN

11. Who painted The Hay Wain?
CONSTABLE

12. Who was assassinated on the Ides of March, 44 BC?
JULIUS CAESAR

13. Who is the patron saint of carpenters?
ST. JOSEPH

14. Which TWO planets are nearest the sun?
MERCURY & VENUS

15. Which acid is present in vinegar?
ACETIC ACID

16. If I were a philatelist, what would I be collecting?
STAMPS

17. What is the Roman numeral for 1,000?
M

18. Which famous Quaker in 1671 founded one of the American States?
WILLIAM PENN

19. If I were taking a boat ride on the River Seine, which city would I be visiting?
PARIS

20. In No Regrets what was Joanna's occupation?
TEACHER

Thought for the week: Each Day Brings New Opportunities!