Vignettes and Pets

[Oops...]

You should easily find a publisher - you are so talented. I often thought, during Fur Babies how valuable your script would be to PK and Primary School teachers in performing excepts for stage with the little ones taking on the various roles.

Another role I thought of for you - in my imagination - was what a wonderful scriptwriter you would be. I was imagining you picking up Baftas for best original screenplay for a movie on the life of Louis Vuitton - what an inspiration. Leaving home at 13 and literally getting to Paris on foot - the wicked stepmom he was escaping from and his internship and later success. You would write it beautifully.

See how much I think about you?! I can’t wait to buy all your books.

Thats such a lovely thing to say. All warm and fuzzy again now . I don’t know the story of LV but might look into it. Knowing me I’ll make him a dog though. Haven’t a clue how to find a publisher but will really make an effort to try to In very near future. I hope you are imagining yourself (and several others we know) mentioned in the foreword because you will deffo be there THAT I can promise you! Apart from my beautiful daughter no-one has ever encouraged me as much as some of the lovely women here (you all know who you are and that I just love you).

OOOHHHHH I wonder if I know her!? I was born in Christchurch, and travel in and out of there most days. You should definitely come to NZ for a tiki tour once we are over this little worldwide 'issue'.

Of course, most of my friends trotted over to the UK after finishing University. (Many of whom ended up in law firms).

Finally...I have a lyricist!!

YAY!! Double whammy for both of us

Wouldn’t it be amaaaaazing if you knew her? I can’t put her name up (obviously) but I think I can say she is a successful therapist (enormously useful during incarceration for over a year let me tell you )

 

[fedup90210]

Thats such a lovely thing to say. All warm and fuzzy again now . I don’t know the story of LV but might look into it. Knowing me I’ll make him a dog though. Haven’t a clue how to find a publisher but will really make an effort to try to In very near future. I hope you are imagining yourself (and several others we know) mentioned in the foreword because you will deffo be there THAT I can promise you! Apart from my beautiful daughter no-one has ever encouraged me as much as some of the lovely women here (you all know who you are and that I just love you).


YAY!! Double whammy for both of us

Wouldn’t it be amaaaaazing if you knew her? I can’t put her name up (obviously) but I think I can say she is a successful therapist (enormously useful during incarceration for over a year let me tell you )

If I did know her, it would prove what a small world it really is!
I used to love the saying "It's a small world...but I wouldn't want to paint it!" (Yes...weird, but true!)

I am going to head to beddy byes now - but sincere thanks to all of you for brightening up my evening. It's been wonderful to hang out with you all.

Hope everyone has a lovely day!

 

[MissMidnight]

@Miscanthus @Milking Keynes @MissMidnight - We may have to convene on Feng Shui again girls! It’s all up in the air Or is it better for now to stay here do you think? Maybe better here? Xxx

I’m happy to hang out here @Oops...

 

[Miscanthus]

Thank you for the recommendation! I will look into it. Speaking of books, my genre of the last year has been domestic noir, suburban paranoia. Ha! However, my friend sent me these two books yesterday and I welcome the departure. He said that Shuggie Bain is the most moving book he has read in years. Imagine your debut novel winning the Booker. The other book, Intimacies, is a collection of short stories depicting what it means to be a woman today described as ‘enlightening and enriching the heart’.
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If we are recommending books can I suggest The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare (think I've got her name right but can't work out how to do accent on the last e).
I loved it and they featured it in the book prog the other night and they all loved it too.

I love writing poetry (especially about dogs and cats). I try to write at least one poem every day; it’s a habit I got into when Covid struck and I was incarcerated. My goal this year is to try and find a publisher who likes poetry about Fur Babies. I’ve written all my life and never done anything with it. It all ends up in a drawer...I have written a musical about Jane Austen, another about Dogs and another one last Christmas with 104 pets of a forum I used to belong to. That was part musical part poetry/story. If I didn’t have to work I would happily write all day...It’s so lovely to just float off and let it pour down my arm.

You should definitely find a publisher! Will you use a pseudonym?

@Miscanthus @Milking Keynes @MissMidnight - We may have to convene on Feng Shui again girls! It’s all up in the air Or is it better for now to stay here do you think? Maybe better here? Xxx

If we went OT in a thread that didn't have a topic there's no hope

 

[fedup90210]

If we are recommending books can I suggest The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare (think I've got her name right but can't work out how to do accent on the last e).
I loved it and they featured it in the book prog the other night and they all loved it too.


You should definitely find a publisher! Will you use a pseudonym?

That book looks wonderful @Miscanthus ! I'm definitely keen to read that, and I see that our local library has it on order, YAY! In the summer I did a food law course, and we spent a lot of time considering poverty, and food insecurity, so my interest is already piqued.

Regarding the 'acute accent' (aka "little flicky thing" for me), I just google it, copy and paste. Et voila - Abi Daré! (We have exactly the same issue with certain Māori words, and I'm always going onto the Māori dictionary online and copying/pasting. I have just discovered (rather too late in my life to be 'comfortable' admitting it), that there is a Māori keyboard option on the computer - oh what a wonderful thing - because, as we say in NZ, "macrons matter".

Has anyone read The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris? It's on my hit list... I can't remember who mentioned it, but it sounded fascinating to me.

@Oops... I will gladly purchase anything that you publish!! Surely Tattle Life could create a publishing company? Looking forward to your next offering. xx

 

[Miscanthus]

That book looks wonderful @Miscanthus ! I'm definitely keen to read that, and I see that our local library has it on order, YAY! In the summer I did a food law course, and we spent a lot of time considering poverty, and food insecurity, so my interest is already piqued.

Regarding the 'acute accent' (aka "little flicky thing" for me), I just google it, copy and paste. Et voila - Abi Daré! (We have exactly the same issue with certain Māori words, and I'm always going onto the Māori dictionary online and copying/pasting. I have just discovered (rather too late in my life to be 'comfortable' admitting it), that there is a Māori keyboard option on the computer - oh what a wonderful thing - because, as we say in NZ, "macrons matter".

Has anyone read The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris? It's on my hit list... I can't remember who mentioned it, but it sounded fascinating to me.
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@Oops... I will gladly purchase anything that you publish!! Surely Tattle Life could create a publishing company? Looking forward to your next offering. xx

Thank you!
Yes, I have read Tattooist...you should read it.
A book that was really thought provoking for me was The Choice by Dr Edith Eger. A third of the book is on the same topic but it looks more widely at choices.

 

[Milking Keynes]

If we are recommending books can I suggest The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare (think I've got her name right but can't work out how to do accent on the last e).
I loved it and they featured it in the book prog the other night and they all loved it too.


You should definitely find a publisher! Will you use a pseudonym?


If we went OT in a thread that didn't have a topic there's no hope

Your last sentence is IT in a nutshell... v confused tbh. Re the book - I will look into it asap. Daré - just keep your finger on the e then slide to the accent you choose. Cannot believe I just gave you techy advice - ha!

Thank you!
Yes, I have read Tattooist...you should read it.
A book that was really thought provoking for me was The Choice by Dr Edith Eger. A third of the book is on the same topic but it looks more widely at choices.

I have read Tattooist as well - v good book.

 

[Miscanthus]

Treading carefully here as I don't know who Dorcas the dishwasher dog belongs to, but is there a photo of this gorgeous creature? I love a spaniel - any type, any time. I so miss my Toby who died a few years ago. I often think that if I were ever to get another pet, that it would surely have to be another 'spannel'.

I'm wondering about another matter (while I leave #beangate to run its course), is anyone here interested in water colour painting? My daughter and I (Miss M(6)), have been working on some bits and pieces - mother dearest (that's me), has only graduated to drawing thick lines - I don't know why, but it's quite therapeutic. My actual question is - can anyone recommend a good YouTube account that might possibly teach me how to paint a simple watercolour floral? (Messy, imperfect type of things). I've had a wee poke around myself, but recommendations are always worthwhile.

Also - a question for @Miscanthus (I'm sorry to do this, because the question is related to your job, so please feel free to not respond if you're not in the zone, I will not be offended) - our property is on a hill, and I'm a keen gardener - do you know of any Instagram accounts or YouTube accounts of people who have gardens on hills?

I hope everyone is well and happy! Pray for me...I am about to immerse myself in 'equity' lectures for several hours. (Although, I might be back before you know it... #easilydistracted)

I'm not sure I can help with your You Tube queries. I've looked and if you search watercolour flower painting for children there are some nice videos but you've probably seen them.
As for the latter, if you have any specific questions I'm sure either @Oops... or I could help. Pinterest is a good source of ideas too.

 

[fedup90210]

I'm not sure I can help with your You Tube queries. I've looked and if you search watercolour flower painting for children there are some nice videos but you've probably seen them.
As for the latter, if you have any specific questions I'm sure either @Oops... or I could help. Pinterest is a good source of ideas too.

Ooh, thank you so much for your reply! I ended up finding some wonderful tutorials in the end, and today I went out and purchased some round tipped brushes, and Miss(6) and I have been happily practising leaves! (I can really see the difference in natural hair versus synthetic in terms of ease of use - I suppose it's those more flexible fibres).

Regarding the garden, Charlie McCormick came up on my insta feed the other day - I completely forgot about him, and didn't realise that he had a hill garden, but I would be grateful for any recommendations for similar style hill gardens on Pinterest!

We are up on a hill, and there is a road approximately 100-150 metres in front of our house which is on the flat, (for context, we are on 10 acres). The neighbours across the road have subdivided (nothing major, it just went from a 70 acre block down to 5 x 10 acre plots) and we look down onto their property, as it is all on the flat. I am wanting to create a bit of screening for privacy (both for us, and for the new neighbours so that they don't have to look up at our house). I have been musing the possibility of popping a hornbeam hedge in which I keep trimmed at 4-5m. (I think this would cope with both the clay soil, as well as the moist environment of the Oasis system that we have (septic) with drip irrigation, which is within the border of our property. (There's a hill paddock between our fence and the road). We have an incredible view of the Southern Alps, so I want it all - a bit of privacy, but also to not block the mountain view.

I have also been wondering about creating a ha-ha, although this might be a 'pie in the sky idea'! I can imagine that it would be horrendously expensive, but the lie of the land lends itself to it.

I lust after Laura's garden on Garden Answer, and even Monty Don, who I see slide their spade into the earth, and don't hit a rock after 2 centimetres!

Difficult to explain - don't feel under any pressure to try and fix the problem - it's nice to share with friends though.
(This might give you an idea. This is taken from our front verandah. You can see how exposed we are to the road, because we have essentially plonked our house in the middle of a paddock. There's the road that I mentioned, and the neighbours property across the road).

Thank you!
Yes, I have read Tattooist...you should read it.
A book that was really thought provoking for me was The Choice by Dr Edith Eger. A third of the book is on the same topic but it looks more widely at choices.

I will definitely put that on my list as well! Looks fantastic.

 

[Geranium]

Tattooist - a really good read

 

[fedup90210]

To anyone who's interested - we've got a bit of a blood moon/supermoon/eclipse thing going on over here tonight. It's actually pretty cool. (Tempted to play 'Total Eclipse of the Heart', but I think an early night might be in store before I get that way inclined).

 

[Geranium]

W

To anyone who's interested - we've got a bit of a blood moon/supermoon/eclipse thing going on over here tonight. It's actually pretty cool. (Tempted to play 'Total Eclipse of the Heart', but I think an early night might be in store before I get that way inclined).
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Wow!! Thanks for sharing that. It's spectacular.

 

[Milking Keynes]

I think that sounds like a wonderful goal! You are delightful and talented, I can tell.

We only went into lockdown for 4 weeks in New Zealand, so I can't quite appreciate how incarcerated you must have felt. Having said that, for those glorious weeks (which I adored - uh...apart from sitting exams with hubby and kids at home), I made sure to take the aforementioned hubby and kids for walkies on the farm. It was so good! So blessed to have the space, and we were treated with the most gorgeous autumnal weather. (Here's a pic from one of our walks below).
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I used to do the odd bit of singer/songwriting stuff, but I always struggled with the 'lyrics' part. If I could write (which I can't), I would very much like a shed just like Monty Don's, where I would exile myself, (away from distracting things and people), and console myself with the tip-tapping sounds of an old typewriter.

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What a glorious setting!

Don't quote me on the Lucy Caldwell fan - never fear! I look forward to hearing your review! (Our library doesn't have a copy - but you never know, they might get it in at some point - we are really quite "in the sticks" way over here in NZ).

My eldest daughter (Miss 19) has decided to take a 'gap' year, and work, instead of continuing her study, having completed High School last year. She's found a few part-time jobs, one of which is gardening, and she's absolutely loving it! I have to say that it is a great joy for me to see her get such pleasure from something that I love so much also. (My mum has a 3 acre garden, so I suppose it's a family thing now).

I tried my hand at spring onions and tomatoes this past summer. Turns out that they really benefit from being watered. Maybe next time. I shall plant some carrot seeds one day and think of you and your lovely daughter.

In the meantime - here are some flowers from me to you.

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Thank you for my beautiful flowers - I’ll post a pic of daughter’s prospective harvest of carrots

 

[Milking Keynes]

To anyone who's interested - we've got a bit of a blood moon/supermoon/eclipse thing going on over here tonight. It's actually pretty cool. (Tempted to play 'Total Eclipse of the Heart', but I think an early night might be in store before I get that way inclined).
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Wow - I read about it featuring on the Manhattan skyline too.

 

[fedup90210]

W

Wow!! Thanks for sharing that. It's spectacular.

@Geranium It's cool eh guys!? This next one was about half an hour ago. We're just getting into the bit where it changes colour. Hubby just woke Mr(7) for a wee lookie - that didn't go well! #toosleepy He didn't bother trying with Miss(6)!

@Milking Keynes - oh wow! There's some awesome pics of it on the internet in the U.S. I don't know about you lot, but I always feel that it's pretty cool that the moon and sun that you guys see/experience is the same as what we see and experience. It kind of brings the world together for me. (That was a bit deep).

 

[Milking Keynes]

@Geranium It's cool eh guys!? This next one was about half an hour ago. We're just getting into the bit where it changes colour. Hubby just woke Mr(7) for a wee lookie - that didn't go well! #toosleepy He didn't bother trying with Miss(6)!

@Milking Keynes - oh wow! There's some awesome pics of it on the internet in the U.S. I don't know about you lot, but I always feel that it's pretty cool that the moon and sun that you guys see/experience is the same as what we see and experience. It kind of brings the world together for me. (That was a bit deep).

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Amazing - did it actually turn red when it changed colour?

 

[fedup90210]

What a glorious setting!


Thank you for my beautiful flowers - I’ll post a pic of daughter’s prospective harvest of carrots

We are so blessed where we live! We're not wealthy people, but I tell hubby all the time that we are "rich" in regards to our environment. We actually don't explore the whole farm nearly as much as we should. Weird isn't it? Drive up driveway, get out of car, go into house. Don't look left or right...too busy!

I eagerly await the prospective harvest of carrots! How long ago did she sow the seeds? I love carrots. Need to figure out when to get onto that.

Amazing - did it actually turn red when it changed colour?

It's kind of an orangey/red colour at the moment. As it turns out, hubby has just sent me the most recent pic! (How lucky that I can give you 'live updates'!) Actually - thank you for caring!

 

[Milking Keynes]

My crystal ball predicts there will soon be carrots galore

 

[fedup90210]

My crystal ball predicts there will soon be carrots galore
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I absolutely love that, and what a beautiful scarecrow! A perfect size for the garden! (May I ask how old your daughter is?)
She's done better than me when it comes to spacing the carrots! I tend to squish mine in and then they have to be thinned, and it ends up being such a faff!

 

[Milking Keynes]

I absolutely love that, and what a beautiful scarecrow! A perfect size for the garden! (May I ask how old your daughter is?)
She's done better than me when it comes to spacing the carrots! I tend to squish mine in and then they have to be thinned, and it ends up being such a faff!

She’s 16 - this is a new venture for her. I struggle to keep a pot of basil alive so I’m no help!
Eta - the teeny pots behind them are sunflowers but they are determined not to show themselves.