Great Expectations

 

    It's still a little crazy around here, with the date for us moving into our new home nearly upon us. Trying to pack up my books and photographs has been quite a challenge, but nearly done.

    One old book I came across, I want to share with you; it is a battered, old, abridged edition of Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens.

    The book itself has little, or no value; however what I found jammed amidst its yellowed, dog-eared pages filled me with joy. It was a sprig of dried heather, that my grand-mother gave to me, more than forty-years ago.

    As for the rest of my belongings I still have to pack, I have no real great expectations of finding another treasure like this.

 

Book publisher: Dean and Son.

Sleeping Like a Baby

   

Exhibit in National Museum Scotland, Edinburgh

    Regretfully, this week I have had little time to write, because I'm still trying to pack a lifetime of belongings into boxes for my move. I try to maintain a presence on social media as I find that if I don't my Blogger page views plummet, especially if I don't tweet.

    Whether it's the excitement, stress of moving, or lack of writing I have no idea, but my dreams this week have been extremely vivid and sometimes I've actually felt that I was part of some fantastic thriller plot. It's rather disappointing when I wake up in the morning to find that the only thrill I had to look forward to in the day ahead, was another mountain of cardboard cartons to fill.

  First thing this morning I wrote down last nights dream which was particularly life-like. The dream for once wasn't too crazy, it had a beginning, middle, end and I did remember even the small details. So, I can't wait to get my new study set-up to start writing and my new bedroom so I can sleep like a baby again.

    Have a great week!


 

   

 

Dusting Off The Bookshelves

 
 

    The BBC revealed this week as to the extent which libraries are being closed in the UK. Three hundred and forty-three, have closed over the last six-years, with a loss of 8,000 jobs.

    Two hundred and twenty-four, have been rescued by local communities and external organisations with fifteen thousand volunteers filling the place of qualified, experienced library staff.

    The volunteers, have stepped in because they know that the library is an important part of many communities. It's not just a place of where members of the public, adults and children alike can access, WiFi, find enjoyment from the thousands of books that are available, it's also a meeting place.

    Children go there to have stories read to them and adults can go along to meet up with like-minded people who want to chat about books in group settings, or be part of a writer's circle.

    Yes, the volunteers are doing the best they can, however, the expertise of the trained librarian is irreplaceable. They are not just book lovers they are the custodians of the written word and we shouldn't be pushing them aside as though they were dust gathering on the bookshelves.  

 


 

The Easter Hunt

You never know who you might meet!

Searching amongst the flowerbeds for the Easter Bunny's treat,

You never know who you might meet.

If at first you are fazed,

Do not give up. 

Because once you find his gifts of candy, chocolate and painted eggs you will be amazed.

Bursting open the shell represents the resurrection of Our Lord,

And the celebration of new life that the rising sun brings,

So pass the word

Happy Easter!

Step Into My World

    Alfred Hitchcock was the master of suspense without a doubt. He could take simple tales and create scenarios within his movies, that in my opinion only a genius could so realistically transfer from page to screen.

    In movies today there are a cast of thousands and special effects available to directors, that Hitchcock could only have dreamed of. But, nevertheless we sat biting our nails in anticipation, or jumped out of our skins while watching the plot unfold in Strangers on the Train, The Birds, Lifeboat, Psycho and Rear Window.

    This renowned director achieved what we as fictional writers strive to do with our written word and that is to produce an end product which allows the viewer, or reader as it is in our case to enter into our imaginary world.

    Whatever you're writing, reading, or watching this holiday weekend, have a great one!

Happiness

To be happy is to be blessed

And there are many ways it can be expressed

The happy children laugh, while they play in the park

The joyful dog wags his tail and denotes his contentment with a bark

The merry lambs gambol, embracing Springtime with the sound of a bleat

And the starry-eyed lovers run into each others arms when they meet

It's true that happiness must come from within and different things will give us pleasure

But, whatever makes you happy today, I hope you get a good measure

#poetry #InternationalDayofHappiness

Mary's Guise

Mary Queen of Scots, National Museum Scotland.

     I've been lazing around amongst other things for the last week, trying to recharge my batteries before I move home. I have managed to publish posts because I prepare ahead, however today's post should have been published last week. I had wanted to celebrate International Women's Day on March 8th, but my schedule got a little jumbled, while I chillaxed.

    International Women's Day, recognises women, girl's achievements, bringing to the forefront, the struggles they have gone through in the past and are still going through for equal rights and equality in our world today.

Linlithgow Palace, Mary's birth-place.

      In the 16th-century Mary Stuart, was crowned Queen of Scotland, in Stirling Castle at the age of nine-months. A Queen and female that would have a life full of drama and struggles.

Stirling Castle

         This young, beautiful, heir to the throne, protested innocence while being branded an adulteress and conspirator. Was this a guise by Mary? Or, was her unwillingness to stay in France following the death of her husband, her religious beliefs and being a female the only crimes that contributed to her execution at the age of forty-five.

Glassin Tower, Loch Leven, Kinross. Mary was imprisoned here

    Some of the things I've just mentioned are still used today, to justify women being sentenced to beatings and death by execution. It's days such as International Women's Day, that women and women's charities continually drive for reform and worth celebrating every day.