Shirley Hughes

I have recently finished reading Susan Hill's 'Howards End is on the Landing'. I won't write a review as many other people have featured this book on their blogs. One of the chapters is about Picture Books and the pleasures of reading aloud to small children. This prompted me to venture up into the loft to find and revisit some of the books my daughter and I used to enjoy reading together. Amongst her favourites were any (or should I say all) by Shirley Hughes. Looking at these books again I am reminded of all the wonderful hours cuddled up together reading and looking at the amazing illustrations.

Alfie and Annie Rose were always favourites but Rosie's absolute favourite was 'Dogger'.

Oh, the relief every time we read it when Dogger was reunited with his rightful owner having been sold at the school fair! My son bought me Shirley's biography many years ago and I shall enjoy reading this again too.

High Days, Holiday and a Birthday

Well, you may have noticed I haven't been blogging for AGES. But I am back!

High Days - a visit to the National Trust Hardwick Hall whilst visiting friends who live in Leicestershire. This is the new hall which Bess had built in 1590

having only lived in the old hall for a few years. This is now a ruin but you are still able to walk up to the top.

Holiday - We recently returned from a week's holiday in Madeira. What a wonderful place! Everyone we knew who had been there said how much they had enjoyed it. We did too! One day we took a minibus right to the top of the mountains.As you can imagine the views are spectacular. We were certainly a long way up!

The weather was perfect. It was lovely to be back into summer clothes. This was taken on the morning we left to come home, back to such dreadful weather.

Birthday - Yes, another birthday has been and gone. My daughter surprised me with a day out in London, lunch in a very nice restaurant, then tickets to the Royal Albert Hall to see Gilbert O'Sullivan who I have loved for many, many years and I didn't even know he still did tours. (For you younger readers, he sang 'Alone Again Naturally'). We had a fantastic view from one of the boxes.

I have always love the perfume 'Diorissimo' ever since someone gave me some 40 years ago!

With some birthday money I decided to buy some perfume but this time to have a change. However, having tried about 20 different ones in John Lewis I came away with my old favourite, I just love it more than any other. Do you have a favourite scent?