Welcome

Hello to all you fellow motorhomers and welcome.
I hope you get as much fun reading this as I do writing it.







Tuesday 30 April 2019

A Serious Thought

One trundles along in ones own little or big bubble dealing with day to day ups and downs when
suddenly several seemingly small unrelated occurrences cause one to radically rethink

This has very recently happened to me.
I am not sure how to proceed.
Suggestions are most welcome.

Over a period of several days random items of information have come to my attention

It all started with reading the Radio Times.
A review of the programme on Netflix narrated by David Attenborough remarked how distressing the programme was because it kept mentioning how the habitat of various animals which were filmed was disappearing at an alarming rate.

Then I saw a trailer on the TV about a forthcoming programme which shows satellite images of the earth over several years. It was frightening how big many towns and cities had grown across the world and how much light pollution there now was.



Just before Easter I went away in the motorhome for a few days. 


Wherever ones goes new buildings are being erected; usually houses.


Over Easter I visited a friend. On driving back to her house I had a brief glimpse of a partially completed road.  She told me it was part of extensive housing development which was going to demolish the nearby greenhouses.  Not long ago these greenhouses produced 85% of cucumbers consumed by the UK.  Now many of the greenhouses are empty and derelict (not a pretty sight) and cucumbers are now imported from Holland.  When I was told this Brexit immediately came to mind.

When I return home and finally caught up with the news the top story was the demonstrations in London to highlight various environmental issues.  I was pleased to think that so many people were concerned enough about the environment to protest in such a visible way.  However, though it is admirable to protest and bring issues to the attention of those in authority  it is important that a viable alternative solution is offered.

My reservations about the demonstration is the solutions suggested.

It is hypocritical to suggest places around the world like the rain-forests in Asia, the coastal area of Polynesia, the jungles of South America and the plains of Africa are more important than less well areas such as the UK countryside.

What right do we have to build on our countryside yet tell the people of Africa they cannot develop their land.

As an individual we have little influence.  Together we can make a difference as Yuval Noah Harari, the author of Sapiens emphasizes by joining an organization.

So become an environmentalist by protecting our countryside.  


Join CPRE (Campaign for the protection of Rural England)

www.cpre.org.uk

It is only £3.00 a month

Then and only then we can look at the wider issues


Monday 29 April 2019

Magazines

It astonishes me how often the unexpected can result from unplanned, frequently incidental happenings.
(Maybe there is a lesson in this!)


My food shopping on this particular occasion was much quicker than usual.  As I had arranged to meet my daughter in the shop I decided to pass the time by looking at the vast range of magazines the store stocked.  I slowly moved along the aisle. What a plethora of magazines covering a huge rang of topics.



First I spotted "Practical Caravan" magazine.   As it was not in a cellophane envelope and having been told my book, "Wonderful Walks from Dog-friendly Camspites throughout the UK" had been requested by a caravan magazine as a prize, I decided to have a quick  flick through it.  Imagine my delight when I saw my book featured in it; but not as a prize. I looked around for someone to tell.  I could not find anyone whom I felt I could approach.


I then spotted "Practical Motorhome" and grabbed this to have a quick look.  Yes my book was in there too and the write up in both magazines  were almost identical and not bad.


Looking at the array of magazines I saw MMM (Motorhome Monthly Magazine).  It was encased in a large cellophane envelope and seemingly containing several publications in addition to the magazine.  There was no way I could check this magazine without buying it.

I was so thrilled at featuring in the other 2 magazines I bought both MMM and Practical Motorhome.


On arriving at home, a celebratory cup of tea was required whilst I savoured the moment.  I was browsing through MMM reminiscing about my contributions to the magazine .
(I had a momentary pang of despondency at not still writing for them.  I would have found it very stressful writing regular articles for the magazine and a book.  The book won out).

I was close to the end when again I spotted my book featured.  It was a thrilling moment.

I then read the review.
A good review but not especially clear.
This did not concern me too much.

It is an achievement just to be featured positively in a magazine, let alone three of them.

Whilst I was doing this my daughter was googling the book.  As expected it is on Amazon.

(I'm not a fan of that company because of their business practices and employee working conditions.  As a result I only use them if there is no other choice.
I have to consider them because so many other people do use them).

There is only 1 review on Amazon and it is not very favourable.  On reading the review it is because I did not include any campsites in the counties of Lincolnshire and Norfolk.  So all you people who have bought the book please go to Amazon and write a review.

Google also informed me that the book has been listed as a prize in a Dog Magazine; on checking this out it appears it is an instagram prize. It is difficult to find; this may be due to my ineptitude.

What has happened to the prize in the Caravan Magazine?  I was unable to find any evidence of this.

Googling my book and name definitely makes me feel like an author as both books appear on various sites.

The most prestigious, though not necessarily the most effective, is The Guardian Bookshop where you can find "Wonderful Walks..." book.

Now I just need to sell them in significant numbers.



Wednesday 24 April 2019

House Bound 2


Though I wrote this on 25th March 2019, somehow I forgot to actually publish it. 


The weather forecast for this coming week promises fine sunny weather.  This is exactly the type of weather I like to go out and about with Pearl in my motorhome.


I seriously thought of going despite the fact that Pearl is in season.


My outing this morning convinced me it was not a good idea.

We were on our customary walk with female doggie friends of Pearl's.

Whilst we were walking around the field we met up with a male doggie friend.  Despite him being being "done" or "firing blanks" he was very interested in Pearl.  More disturbingly Pearl quite enjoyed his attentions.


Such a scenario does not bode well for outings to unfamiliar places, people and dogs even if such outings exhausted her.


Conclusion;

Wait until Pearl's season has finished and hope the weather is still good.

Thursday 11 April 2019

Thwarted

Pearl's season was almost finished so I decided to plan a trip.


No worries about the state of the motorhome.  I had found someone to clean the outside of it.  What a fabulous job he did.


Surely deciding where and when to go would be easy. 

I had a list of the campsites I wanted to visit.  Deciding which one to go to was difficult.  I was unsure how far to travel and how long it would be convenient for me to be away.  Another factor was the proximity of other campsites I wished to visit.


Having finally made a decision, contrary to my usual custom, a few days in advance of my intended stay I phoned to book a pitch.  I was staggered to  be told the campsite was still closed for the winter season and it would more than a week before it opened. 


This rather took the wind out of my sails. 

Then the curse of emails.  I had to attend to some urgent matters regarding the upcoming book signing. (More about this in the next blog).


Finally all was quiet and I could get away.  I eventually decided where to go. I phone the campsite to book a pitch for the next day.  I was told they would have to look and they would phone me back.


I waited and waited not sure quite what to do. Uncertainty is a major de-motivator.  Ultimately I phoned them twice more only to be told they was insufficient space for me.   Now to find somewhere else.  My third choice campsite was much more efficient and accommodating.  Yes they had space for me.

Then the evening before I was due there was a family setback.  As a consequence I decided to delay my departure by 24 hours.

All this shilly-shallying meant I missed the best of the sunny weather.  I just hope all goes well for tomorrow and the next few days are not too cloudy

Monday 1 April 2019

Read of the Month (April 2019)



So it is the first day of another month. April.

As it is April I was tempted to suggest an "April Fools" book.  
Unfortunately I could not think of an appropriate one.  

I decided instead to review the "Read of the Month" books to date. 
I was surprised to discover that there are 5 "Read of the Month" books and 1 extra.  

They are;-

November 2018 "Read of the Month"

      
The Secret Life of Bletchley Park 
by 
Sinclair McKay


This tells the story of the  secret work which took place during WW2.  It is extremely interesting and thought provoking.  If the opportunity arises do go and visit Bletchely Park. It is an amazing place.


December 2018 "Read of the Month"


23 Things They don't Tell you About Capitalism" 
by 
Ha-Joon Chang


Well it is a commentary upon current political thinking.  I read it long before Brexit and Trump but it seems even more relevant now.


January 2019 "Read of the Month"



Cream Teas, Traffic Jams and Sunburn 
by 
Brian Viner.


An engaging and enjoyable read especially if British.  It is at time very amusing.



February 2019 "Read of the Month"


"Authentic Happiness" 
by 
Martin Seligman

I am generally skeptical of books like this. However if you are scientifically inclined and can overlook the "Self-help" section a very enlightening book.



March 2019 "Read of the Month"


 The Veiled Kingdom 
by 
Carmen Bin Ladin

The book is not especially well written but I found the content so mesmerizing this did not matter unduly.  It gives an insight into a world which I have very little experience of but which occupies many column inches in the Western press.  It made me really thankful that as a woman I live in the "West".



Extra Book


Quiet Heroes 
by 
Rita Cosby.

 It recounts some of my father's experiences during the war. My father came into the book because Rita's father and my father met up in a "hospital" and became buddies doing everything together until peace-time.

If you are thinking of buying any of these books please DO NOT use Amazon.  I do not like their working practices (exploiting the customers; underpaying their workers; failing to pay ethical taxes).  Support bookseller, especially British ones like