Watching a ballet

Number two to be ticked off my 30 before 30 list is watching a ballet.

I had tickets to see Coppelia at the Bristol Hippodrome, and dragged my friend Ams along with me - so that I wasn't the only ballet virgin in the room! (also she brings sweets when we go to the theatre, so is a good person to take!)

I will admit that I was pretty apprehensive about going to the ballet. I had prepared myself to not enjoy it, and to get bored trying to follow the story. However my experience was completely different, as I really enjoyed it!

When I told a few friends I was going to see Coppelia they told me that it was a good one to pick as my first ballet, as the story is easy to follow. They were right! It was about an inventor who makes a life sized doll, which one of the guys in the village thinks is real and become infatuated with, setting aside his lover. She then dresses as the doll, making people think it has come to life.

I was so impressed with the dancing, and how graceful the cast were. I am very clumsy, could not imagine ever being that graceful! And standing on tip toes looks really hard!

Ams and I only showed our ignorance about the ballet once, when we tried to leave after the first act, not realising that this ballet had three acts and two intervals!

All in all it was an enjoyable night, and I would be up for going to another ballet :)

Flying a glider

I have ticked the first thing off my 30 before 30 list, and flown a glider!

My godfather belongs to a gliding club, and I have been saying for months that I would go and fly with him. But life just got in the way, and we could never decide on a date when we were both free. Well, a few weeks ago his club held a family and friends day, and miraculously I was free, so jumped at the chance!

I had never seen a glider close up, and couldn't believe how small they are! I was also really intrigued by the fact that the glider is attached to a rope, which a machine pulls so it goes up in the air. The rope then drops off, and the glider does what you would expect - glide!

My instructor (think his name we Brian) spent a while attaching a parachute to me and showing me how it worked. He said: 'If I say bail out and you say what? you will be talking to yourself.' Needless to say this filled me with confidence! He then jumped in the back of the glider, which really confused me! I didn't realise that the instructor sat behind the learner!

For my first flight I was told to sit back and enjoy the views, and get used to how a glider feels. It was strange! You get a fast rush as you are towed along the ground and up into the air, and then it is really peaceful. I was expecting the landing to be bumpy, and braced myself, but it was quite smooth really.

The second time around I was allowed to control the glider and fly it! The controls are very sensitive, and you only have to move it gently. I am quite rough, and when he told me to turn to the left I yanked it hard and almost sent us into a spin! Once my instructor had recovered the glider and got his nerves back he let me try again - this time I was much more gentle.

I really enjoyed the experience, and would love to go again! The next time my godfather said he will send me up with someone who will do some aerobatics!

30 Before 30

Everybody has a scary age right? That age that you think will never arrive, until suddenly it is there – lurking just around the corner. Well my scary age has always been 30. The big 3 0! When I was in junior school I had this teaching assistant who was 30, and I just remember thinking ‘woah, that’s old’. To be fair I was 10 at the time, so anything over the age of about 20 was old to me! But suddenly I am rapidly approaching my 29^th birthday (September if anyone is interested!), and the prospect of turning 30 is becoming much more real.

I have always loved a challenge, and thrive on doing new things. I feel it keeps me interesting – and young! So I have decided to compile a list of things to do before I’m 30. Things I have always wanted to do, but never got round to it. I am calling it the 30 Before 30 project.

So, I have one year and two months to complete my list. When I tick a goal off I will write about it (which will also give me ideas for my blog). Lets see if I can tick off all 30. Ready, set…..go!

1: Gamble on a roulette table in Las Vegas

2: Get married

3: Fly in a helicopter

4: Buy myself a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes

5: Have a ride in a hot air balloon

6: Own an elephant onesie

7: Find the perfect little black dress

8: Have my photo taken in front of the Golden Gate Bridge

9: Go up the Eiffel Tower

10: Have a Disney day, re-watching all my favourites

11: Learn a new skill/hobby

12: Visit Stonehenge

13: Name a star after me

14: Fly in a glider

15: Re-read some of my favourite children’s books

16: Visit the Grand Canyon

17: Climb Glastonbury Tor

18: Learn a new dance

19: Sketch something

20: Cycle the Strawberry Line

21: Sew something/make something

22: Go to the cinema alone in the middle of the day

23: Learn how to change a tyre

24: Watch a ballet

25: Cook a three course meal by myself

26: Write a short story for children

27: Go Ape

28: Try Zorbing

29: Hit a bullseye in archery

30: Buy myself something pretty from Pandora

Who is that in the bear costume?!

Looking good as the Critical Care Bear!

Who is that in the bear costume?!

This blog post finds me looking a little different that I usually do - and it is all down to my new job.

I made it my resolution to blog more, but it seems like life has got in the way slightly! Since my last post, more than a month ago, a lot of things have happened - most noticeably starting a new job. I am now the PR and Media Officer at Great Western Air Ambulance Charity, and three weeks in I am loving it :)

My first week was quite daunting. There was so much to remember and learn, and I went home each night with a headache. I think I had forgotten what it was like to be the new girl, as I was at my last job for five years. But things have now started to click into place, and I am really enjoying my new role!

In the engine of a Boeing 747

One of the highlights has to be dressing up as the Critical Care Bear - our new mascot! It is really hard to see where you are going in the costume, as the only eye holes are in the nose. This meant I had to be guided into position. The photo shoot at the airfield saw me hoisted up into the engine of an unused Boeing 747 - quite an experience I can tell you! It was a very good job I was in the bear suit, as I didn't look very lady-like!

Chilling in the helicopter

We also visited the base, and it was very amusing to see the look on the crews faces when I walked in! This part of the day involved more unlady-like hoisting, as I was squashed into the pilots seat of the helicopter for a photo. There is really not much room in there at the best of times, let alone when you are wearing a giant bear head and huge boots! 

With pilot John, paramedic Vicki and doctor Tim

I am enjoying learning more about the air ambulance, and seeing just how important it is that people support the charity. Here are a few things that I have learnt:

*GWAAC is one of the few air ambulances who work to the gold standard Critical Care Model, which means rushing a critical care paramedic and critical care doctor  to the scene. Essentially we are a flying Accident and Emergency Department, bringing the hospital to the patients.

*The team fly seven days a week, 365 days a year and attend more than 100 incidents per month.

*We provide one of the busiest air ambulances in the UK.

*Within five minutes of a 999 call to our base the aircraft is in the air, and no more than 20 minutes later the team are anywhere within the region that we cover. This means that one patient in five – a patient otherwise expected to die – survives.

*We receive no funding from the Government or the National Lottery, which means we rely entirely on the generosity of the people we serve to continue operating.

So as you can see, a really worthwhile charity, and one that needs your support!

I am looking forward to a busy year with the charity, with lots of exciting projects to get my teeth into! And I am such there will be a few blog posts on what we get up to :)

Farewell journalism - it's been a great six years!

In three weeks I will be leaving the Bath Chronicle behind and starting a new job. In fact, I will be leaving the world of journalism behind, and moving into a different position. I am going over to the other side, and will be the press officer for Great Western Air Ambulance.

I am feeling hugely excited about this. Don’t get me wrong, I have been a journalist for six years, and have loved all of the experiences that this has given me. I have done so many things that I would never have done before, and interviewed lots of celebrities. But now I feel like it is time for a change, and I am looking forward to helping this wonderful charity to continue the great work it does.

I thought I would sum up some of the great, weird, fun, and just plain crazy things I have done in my time as a journalist.

Top Five moments

This was a hard category - as there were so many to choose from! But here are five of my most memorable moments:

*Interviewing shoe legends Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik.

Me and Jimmy Choo!

Me and Manolo Blahnik!

For as long as I can remember I have loved shoes, especially Jimmy Choos. So when he arrived in Bath in 2009 and I got to interview him I was over the moon! I spent hours the night before picking out my best shoes to wear, and when I met him he said ‘nice shoes.’ So my cream heels from Faith are Choo approved! I was disappointed that when the interview was published he didn’t send me a pair of shoes as a thank you - but meeting the great man was the chance in a lifetime! Three years later I got the chance to interview another shoe legend, when Manolo Blahnik was given an honorary degree at Bath Spa. Once again I took ages to decide what pair of shoes to wear!

*Covering the Weston Pier fire

When the pier at Weston-super-Mare burnt down it made national and even international news. At the time I was the reporter on the Weston and Worle News, so I was sent to cover it. I remember waking up, putting the TV on while I ate my breakfast, and seeing the pier on fire! Cue a mad dash down the motorway, where you could see the smoke. I was there all day, talking to people who had loved the pier, watching the firecrews tackle the blaze, and attending a press conference by the owners who vowed to make it bigger and better than ever. A lot of people loved that pier, and I am glad that the owners kept their promise, and rebuilt it. At the end of the day it took me ages to find my car, as I had parked it in a rush down a side street and hadn’t made a note of the name!

*Swinging sixties makeover

Ready to part sixties style

In August 2009 an exhibition was held at the Assembly Rooms in Bath called Story of The Supremes From the Mary Wilson Collection. It was dedicated to the clothes worn by The Supremes, one of the most well-known Mowtown bands of all time. As part of this they were offering people the chance to have a sixties makeover - and I jumped at the chance. I wore clothes that I had found in my dressing up collection (basically a number of large bags which hold all of my fancy dress costumes), and had my hair and makeup done. The result? A massive beehive which was put together by more than 30 hair clips and half a can of hairspray. Seriously, I thought it took me ages to get ready for a night out, imagine if I was in the sixties, and had to build that beehive every evening! And taking my hair down that evening took ages!

*Making cakes for Mary Berry

Not many people can say they have baked caked for the legend that is Mary Berry!  I was due to interview her on an unrelated matter when the idea was put forward that some of us bake cakes and get her to taste them. Now, I am not the best cake maker – I tend to just chuck things together and hope they taste ok. I avoid baking, and only do it when I have a cake sale for Sunshine Radio. So the thought of making something for Mary Berry to taste was scary! I opted for biscuits, as I thought they would be the easier option. An evening and one destroyed kitchen later and I had a chocolate chip cookie in the shape of a bear for her to taste. She was really lovely, and up for trying it. Her comments were ‘It tastes lovely, but the bear looks a little obese!’ I will take that! Great British Bake-Off here I come!

*Lake District press trip

Meeting Peter Rabbit

During my time as a journalist I have been lucky to go on a few press trips. My favourite one was the first time we went to the Lake District. I have never been before, but since then have been a few times. It is so beautiful, whether you visit in the summer or winter (which was when we went for this trip.) We stayed at a beautiful hotel in Grasmere, visited the Beatrix Potter museum, and Wordsworth’s cottage. This was the time that we almost got stuck up a mountain, as we decided to climb it late afternoon, got lost, and only just made it down before it got dark!

There have also been many bizarre moments in my carer:

Freezing in our pjs!

* Standing in the middle of busy shopping centre in my pjs.

This was to launch a charity Midnight Walk, and saw us standing in pjs in a busy shopping centre with Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies. It was winter too – so we were freezing!

*Eating one of the hottest chilli sauces in the country.

At a chilli festival I got conned into tasting the hottest sauce. It was horrible – my mouth was on fire, and didn’t cool down for hours!

*Walking down snow covered slopes/ driving to cut off village

Just before I fell over.

A village cut off by snow? I was sent to investigate. The

result? I got my car stuck, had to abandon it and be picked up. Hills in Bath too icy to walk down? I  was sent to try them out. The result? A very sore bum!

*Tasting Bath’s thermal waters

I tasted the thermal waters of Bath that is believed to have healing powers. It tasted really sulphuric, not very enjoyable!

*Having a waltz lesson from 89yr-old waltz champion

I interviewed a lovely old man who was a Waltz champion. He was dressed in his tux for the interview, and insisted on spinning me around his living room!

*Being captured in a painting of people in the city

A student painted people of Bath and I was included! See if you can spot me!

People of Bath - can you spot me?

Being a journalist has been great! I am now looking forward to more adventures in my new job. 

Sunshine celebrates silver! :)

This blog is to celebrate the success of Sunshine Radio after we walked away with Silver in the Best Speech Package at the National Hospital Broadcasting Association awards! The entry, The Largest Helicopter Museum in the World, was put together by myself and Marcus Tripp.

 For those of you that are not aware of the Hospital Radio Awards, they are an annual celebration of the excellent standards found in hospital radio stations across the country. There are more than 200 individual member stations, and each entry is subjected to a rigorous judging process by a national panel of industry experts and NHS staff.

 Last year was the first year I entered, in the Female Presenter of the Year category. The awards ceremony was held in Blackpool, and I won Gold, which was amazing. I felt so inspired after that I vowed to enter again this year. I decided to go for another category, and along with Marcus went along to the Helicopter museum to put together a programme on it.

 The museum is the world's largest dedicated helicopter museum, and brings huge numbers of tourists to Weston every year. To some it may sound a bit boring, who wants to go and stare at bits of helicopters?! Well, I thought the same until I visited, and then I was pretty impressed! It is really interesting to see all the different types, and some of them are massive!

 The Helicopter Museum dates back to 1958, when the founder, aviation writer and historian Elfan ap Rees, began to build up a private collection of rotorcraft documentation and artifacts. Over the years his collection has grown so much that the museum was relocated to an aircraft hanger big enough to accommodate them. As Elfan said in his interview with us ‘Don’t start collecting things, as you never know where it could end up!’

 So Marcus and I went along to the museum, and interview Elfan, along with two lovely volunteers Rod and Stacey, (if you are reading this, thanks for talking to us!) Then came the hard work, editing more than an hours worth of material into a five minute clip for the judges. This was so hard, as we wanted to get the feel of the piece across, but only five minutes to do it in. It ended up taking us around six hours to put the clip together!

 For every category there are 10 finalists, who go along to the awards ceremony where bronze, silver and gold are announced. This year the ceremony took place in Bristol, which was handy for us! To be honest, I really didn’t think we would make the top three. The speech category in particular is very tough, so just to be in the top 10 pleased me!

 The awards ceremony was great. It was held at the Marriott Hotel, and we were given a three course meal, consisting of vegetable soup (which surprisingly I didn’t drop down myself), lamb shank, and a chocolate and orange sponge. I was sat next to Richard Smith, though only people who do hospital radio will know the name! He records shows from home which are broadcast to most of the hospital stations in the UK. I play his one minute trivia clips a lot on my show, so it was exciting to finally put a face to a voice!

 Then came the awards. I had drank quite a bit of wine by then (typical! lol!), and when they announced that we had won silver it took a few minutes to sink in! Sunshine chair Jo and I went up on stage to collect the award, and I was chuffed that I didn’t trip over my dress and didn’t drop the glass trophy! The judges comments on our entry were: “We found this entry amusing, informative and entertaining. We thought there was good interaction by all involved, bringing to life this most unusual of museums.”

 Funny that, as my presenter of the year entry last year was also described as amusing!

So yay for Sunshine! And bring on the 2015 awards in Newcastle. Now I just have to decide what category to enter!

From Tremelling to Durrant - changing my name

This week while signing a cheque I suddenly started thinking about signatures, and the fact that when I get married I will have to come up with a new signature. Up until now I hadn’t thought about it. It feels a bit strange that I will have to make up a new signature – as I have been using my current one for so many years. Come to think of it I can’t remember when I started to use a signature. How old are you when you start signing for things?! I can’t remember sitting down at the age of 10 or so thinking ‘right, I need to come up with a creative signature’. I wonder if I practised a few different versions, or if I just went with whatever came out when I put pen to paper?

While pondering this I went on to Wikipedia (the fountain of all knowledge) where it states that a signature is something that a person ‘writes on documents as a proof of identity’ and is not to be confused with an autograph which ‘is chiefly an artistic signature’. Right – so can I have an artistic signature? I don’t want it to look boring!

When I marry I will be Laura Jane Durrant (that is actually the first time I have written that!). My signature at the moment is L J Tremelling written in quite a swirly way. Do I keep the style and just change the surname? Or do I go for something totally different?! When planning a wedding a new signature is not top of my list of things to plan/worry about. But now I have thought about it, it is definitely something I need to think about.

It feels strange that I only have just over a year left as a Tremelling. I like my Cornish name – it stands out, and I am proud of my Cornish background. It has an early medieval English origin, and is a locational name from Tremelling, a place in the parish of St. Erth, Cornwall. Tre means settlement and melling means miller. So my surname means house of the miller. Locational surnames, such as this, were originally given to local landowners, and the lord of the manor. My granny always said you can tell a Cornish surname by the rhyme: “By Tre, Pol, and Pen, Ye may know most Cornish men".

Changing surname will be strange, but at least I have a nice one to change to. I like Durrant. At school I was always the last to be called, as my name started with T. I am moving up the alphabet! Imagine if your future husband had a surname Pratt, or something similar!

Right, that is enough rambling from me. I am off to practice my new signature!

xx

Sunshine Radio up for awards!

My New Year got off to a great start when I woke up to the news that Sunshine Radio has been shortlisted in two categories in the National Hospital Radio awards!

For those that don't know much about these awards they are held to recognise all that is great in hospital radio stations across the country. Run by the Hospital Broadcasting Association they have a number of categories, and are hospital radio's equivalent of the Oscars! So to be shortlisted in two categories is fantastic!

Best Speech Package

The first category we are up for is Best Speech Package for our feature on the Helicopter Museum in Weston. This category recognises excellence in speech-based programming or interviewing skills.Marcus and I went along and interviewed the founder Elfan Ap Rees, volunteers and visitors. I remember the first time I went here, it was with my parents and I wasn't that keen to go. I mean, a big hanger full of helicopters - what a boring way to spend my Saturday! Well, I was very surprised! It was actually really interesting, and the size of some of the helicopters is unbelievable! There are a number of helicopters in the museum that can not be seen anywhere else in the world, and we are lucky to have them on our doorstep. We thought a feature on the museum would be very interesting for the patients, and it is an added bonus that we have been shortlisted in the speech category.

Special Event

The next category we have been shortlisted in is the Special Event section, which recognises a one-off programme or event that does not form part of a station's day-to-day output. We entered our 35 years 35 songs piece, which was presented and put together by Nick. Last year Sunshine Radio celebrated 35 years of broadcasting, and Nick came up with the idea of playing one song from every year of the stations history. Every volunteer picked two songs, and recorded a short piece on why they liked the songs, and memories associated with it. This was a real team effort, and something very different from the sort of thing that you usually hear on hospital radio. A lot of work went into this, and we were very proud of the end result, which is why it is so great that it has been shortlisted.

Finally I am up for Fundraiser of the Year. This category has no shortlist, so people are nominated, and the winner revealed on the night. I have been the Fundraising Officer for Sunshine Radio for four years, and have spent the best part of that time coming up with crazy schemes and bullying people to take part! When not on air in the studio I can usually be found waving collection tins and sign up forms under people's noses!

Gold for Female Presenter of the Year in 2013

Last year I won Female Presenter of the Year, and attended the award ceremony in Blackpool. It was a great night, with a lovely three course meal, and the chance to celebrate the achievements of hospital radio volunteers across the country. Some people feel that hospital radio is not that great - is just a bunch of people talking rubbish into a microphone pretending they are DJs. This could not be further from the truth. It is so worthwhile, and has been proven to cheer patients up. For our wardround request show we visit patients on the wards and ask them what songs they would like to hear. You could be the only visitor a patient gets, and a five minute chat with you can really brighten their day. So can the fact that they get to request a song that can have great memories for them, and then share it with everyone else in the hospital. I remember last year I was in the canteen about half an hour before my show, Talk of the Town, next to a group of elderly men in wheelchairs. One man asked another if there was anything on television or radio that would cheer him up tonight. The man replied 'Talk of the Town by that Laura is on Sunshine Radio tonight. She is absolutely crazy, but makes me laugh!" His words have stuck in my mind to this day, as this is the reason I give up my time to do what I do. If I can make just one person smile then I have done my job. The most important thing for Hospital Radio is the patients. The awards are a little extra thing, and a way to thank and praise these volunteers.

The award ceremony takes place in Bristol on March 29. I am very excited - please keep your fingers crossed for us!

Oh, and before I finish what do you think of this dress? I was wary about wearing a long one, as I am clumsy and will probably trip over it, but I fell in love with the style! Couldn't decide on a colour at first,

Decisions, decisions!

but a poll on facebook put the blue out on top, so think I will go for that one :)

xx

New year - new start

Ready to blog!

So we are already a good week and a half into 2014. A new year, a new, fresh start. Yesterday was the day that most people break their New Years resolutions. So how are you all doing? Still going to the gym everyday, letting no chocolate what-so-ever pass your lips, and watching every penny you spend so that you can manage your finances better? Or have you crumpled. Totally given up and comforted yourself during the most depressing month of the year (in my opinion) withy a big slice of chocolate cake and a glass of wine. Don't worry if you have, you are not alone!

For New Years eve I spent it in my house for the first time in absolutely years! We were going to go out, but the price to get in places, together with the price of a taxi home and drinks all night was just too much. So we invited some friends over, and said goodbye to 2013 with Chinese, champagne and games. And you know what....it was great! And it was made even better the next morning when I woke up to find Sunshine Radio had been shortlisted for 2 categories in the HBA awards, but more about that in another post.

Did I make any resolutions? No. I don't really bother with them, as I usually end up breaking then. In fact I think I have only kept one in all the years I have been making them, and that was the one I made for last year to keep my nails nice and stop biting them. So what I have done instead is to make some goals for 2014, things I would like to achieve for the year. If they happen great, but if not I am not going to beat myself up about it. My goals for the year are:
*Decorate our house, to make it feel more like ours
*Improve my blog, post more and get it out there.
*Save money for the wedding
*Improve my fitness and overall health.

So there you go, four very achievable goals for this year.

What a 13-year-old me wrote on my old bedroom wall

Number one is going well. We are only just into 2014 and already we have decorated 2 rooms. I have cheated slightly, as we did the living room before Christmas, but it is done, along with our bedroom, which is purple and I have sneaked in some elephant stuff :) These rooms went relatively smoothly, as most things I did were supervised by Joe. Though there were nearly purple footprints all over the bedroom after I managed to put my foot in a paint can while painting on my own! I managed to hop to the bathroom to wash it off, and catastrophe was averted! On another note, does anyone actually enjoy wallpapering?! Painting I find quite relaxing, but wallpapering is stressful! Luckily we are just doing one feature wall in each room, so not too much to do! We have also written a little note under the wallpaper in each room, to find in years to come when we redecorate. We did this when I was a kid at my parents, and it was fun when I found it and read what I had written :)

The other view of the living room 

One view of the living room

The purple bedroom!

Number 2 I am working on. If you enjoy my blog please share it....I want more followers!

Number 3.....the wedding! I am so excited about this, but March 2015 seems ages and ages away! People tell me it will go fast, but I am not believing that! So we need to save save save to pay for it! There will be more posts on the wedding planning I am sure, as I have come to the conclusion that I don't have a clue where to start! Any help or tips from married people out there greatly appreciated!

These are getting quite a few outings now!

Number 4 is going well so far. After a strenuous circuits class last night I am feeling fabulous today! I have set this goal before, and failed. But this year I know I will succeed as I have Ams to motivate me, and me to motivate her. We are going to help each other, and it is so much more enjoyable going with a friend.

So there you go. The first blog of 2014. Hope you enjoyed reading it, and stick with me through the rollercoaster that I am sure this year will be!

xxx

Top 100 books challenge: 55. A Suitable Boy

1474 pages is the reason that my blog has been so quiet recently!

I have been busy reading A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth, on the train, at home....whenever I had a spare few minuets really. As I am so busy (and getting even more so in the run up to Christmas) it has taken me quite a while to finish this book.

I enjoyed it very much! It was nice to escape the UK, and travel to India, where we see the frantic attempts of Rupa Mehr to marry off her daughter Lata to ‘a suitable boy’. ThIs book shows the struggle Lata faces, between marrying for love, or to keep her family happy.

The idea of arranged marriages is one that I cannot really understand. I can see that parents want the best for their children, but I could never marry someone I did not love. For Lata it is a hard choice. She falls in love with a fellow student called Kabir, but he is a Muslim while she is Hindu, and her mother is horrified at the prospect. Here begins her hunt for the perfect man for her daughter, and we see them travel across India to find him.

Along the way we are introduced to Lata’s family, each with their own lives and stories to tell. Lata’s sister Savita was married to Pran, chosen by her mother. She grew to love him, something that Lata has been told will happen to her when she marries.

I felt a bit sad when I had finished the book. When I first picked it up the size of it was pretty daunting. Just carrying it around all day in my bag gave he a sore shoulder! But when I was a few chapters in I got addicted to the family, and felt like I was becoming one of them. Sitting on the train on a dark, dismal ride to work I was transported to a sunlit living room drinking tea with Rupa. Instead of waiting for my car to be fixed at the garage I was walking in the garden with lata discussing which man she should marry. When I finished the book I felt a little lost, as these characters had been with me for a while!

I won’t spoil it and tell you what Lata decides to do. Instead I will leave you with a quote from The Sunday Telegraph, which is printed on the book and sums up the way I feel:

“Make time for it. It will keep you company for a lifetime.”

Rating 10/10

Top 100 books challenge: 99. The Princess Diaries

The film of this book stars two of my favourite actresses, Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway, so I enjoyed watching it. However I had never read the book. I usually like to read the books before I see the film version, because they came first, and so much usually gets changed in the journey from print to screen.

The Princess Diaries is aimed at teenagers, mainly girls who still have the secret dream of becoming a princess. What young girl doesn’t? Growing up I was convinced I would marry Prince William (had to go for the elder brother so I could be Queen one day!) Now that his marriage has put an end to that I am focusing on the younger Royal....well I have never made my love of ginger hair on men a secret!

The story follows teenager Mia, who finds out she is actually a princess, and heir to the throne of Genovia. Understandable this news shocks her, as does the plan for her to begin princess lessons with her grandmother, the Queen of Genovia.

I enjoyed this book, it was easy to read, which after a long day at work is perfect for the train home!There are a few differences from the film, but not big enough to spoil it for me.

It got me thinking about if I found out I was a princess. You never know, Mr T could be a secret prince in a faraway land! (I do have a very overactive imagination!) If I was Queen here are the five rules I would introduce:

1 Tuesday’s would be cancelled - worst day of the week

2 Jelly tots would be free on the NHS, they cheer people up

3 Peter Andre, Phillip Schofield and Ron Weasley would be given Knighthoods for services to entertainment

4 Instead of a corgi the royal pet would be an elephant called Percy - who would wear a little purple hat.

5 Every month there would be a bank holiday weekend - and it will be illegal for anyone to work on it.

Seriously imagine Queen Laura - I think it would be fabulous darling!

Rating: 8/10

Top 100 books challenge: 27. Middlemarch

Life is too short to read books that you are not enjoying.

This statement applies to this book, and I have to admit that I only got half way through before giving up. I just could not bring myself to read anymore of it. I am the sort of person who always tries to finish books, and hate the thought of leaving one half read. However on this occasion I was bored and confused, and could read no more of it.

The main problem I found was the amount of characters that flit in and out of the story at various intervals. The characters first names are used once, then they are referred to as Mr so and so, and Miss so and so. This made me blur them into one, creating confusion as to who was who, and who was related to who.

The prose is quite long and winding. I have nothing against that usually, indeed some of my favourite novels are written in this way. But I found the writing in this book long winded. I found my attention drifting off while reading it.

Now for my confession....I never knew George Elliot was a woman! I had heard of the author, and had said I needed to read one of the books, but always assumed it was a man. It was only while googling the name for this review that I realised the author was a woman!

So there you go, I may not have finished the book, but I learnt something I never knew about the author!

Rating: 2/10 (based on only reading the first half)

Top 100 books challenge: 93. The Colour Of Magic

One word springs to mind to describe this book...disappointing!

I was quite excited when I looked at the Top 100 list to see quite a few Terry Pratchett books on there. I liked his books as a child, even acting in a play of The Wyrd Sisters (where I played the fool would you believe it?!) It has been a while since I picked one of his books up, and it looks like my tastes have changed, as I did not enjoy this one!

The colour of Magic is the first two Discworld novels and follows the exploits of Rincewind, a wizard who is expelled from Unseen University, who is forced to act as a guide for Twoflower, a property insurance salesman and the Discworld's first tourist. They visit many strange places, and meet random people along the way.

I found the plot very random, and my attention began to drift. I found it hard to concentrate on the story, and was constantly checking how many more pages I had to go until I reached the end. I was determined to finish the book, as I have vowed to read all of the books on the list. One of the only good things about this story is that it is short, at about 250 pages.
I enjoyed some parts of the book, for example the bit in the dragon cave, but there were too many parts I didn’t like. I enjoy fantasy books, but I found this one hard to get into, with a plot that didn’t interest me. Sorry Mr Pratchett. I only hope the other books you have written on the list are better!


Rating 3/10

Top 100 books challenge: 33. The Pillars of the Earth

The Pillars of the Earth focuses on the building of a cathedral in the town of Kingsbridge, England, and is set  in the middle of the 12th century. It gives an account of things that happened at the time, like the sinking of the White Ship, and the murder of the  Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket. However it is told through the eyes of fictional characters.

I loved the way that all the characters in this book were interlinked, and we saw how their paths kept crossing. In the first part we meet so many people, and hear all their stories separately. There was Tom Builder and his family, who move from place to place trying to find work, as Tom is intent on building the most beautiful Cathedral the world has ever seen. Then there are the monks, lead by the determined and clever prior Phillip. We also hear of the evil William Hamleigh, who thinks nothing of murdering innocent people, and the brave Aliena who is determined to avenge her father and carry out his dying wish. Later in the book all the characters are intertwined, and we see who helps who, and who is there to cause distress and problems.

There are some pretty gory scenes in the books, mainly with William Hamleigh, who is an arrogant man who is determined to be named the Earl of Shiring. He destroys anyone who gets in his way, murdering innocent villagers, and raping young girls. I detested William, and was pleased to see that he got what he deserved in the end.

The hero of the book for me was the ginger Jack Jackson, who carried out his stepfather Tom Builder’s wish to build a grand Cathedral and saved the town by building walls when it was under attack from William Hamleigh. I also really liked Prior Phillip, who is a fair and clever man, and also there to offer help and advice to those who need it.

A really interesting read, and a book that I was disappointed to reach the end of! This book is a classic example of good triumphing evil, with the good coming out on top and the evil getting what they deserve in the end.

Rating 10/10

Top 100 books challenge: 72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists

I had quite mixed feelings about this book. There are two main aspects to it. The first is the  interesting story, about the lives of working class men during the early 1900’s. The men are  painters and decoraters, and are in an increasingly desperate situation regarding lack of money and work. Work is scarce and competition fierce, and many are often out of employment for months at a time.

The other part of the book is the big political influence, which is prominent throughout. The characters are portrayed as  hypocritical Christians, and workers who think that a better life is not for people like them. They throw themselves into back-breaking work for poverty wages in order to generate profit for their masters, and believe that there is nothing better for them out there. Their only purpose in life is to be allowed to work, and keep their family from starving, and they believe that what is good enough for them will be good enough for their children when they grow up.

The characters in the book fall on two sides, socialists and libralists. The hero of the book is Frank Owen, a socialist who believes that the capitalist system is the real source of the poverty he sees all around him. He tries to educate his friends and make them see his views, and often gives long, preaching speeches to them. However many jeer him, and refuse to listen. They believe that they are not worthy of better things, and distrust their own views, preferring to rely on those who are their ‘betters’.

I enjoyed finding out more about the lives of the men and their families. It was quite hard reading about their struggles to put food on the table as, although this is a fictional book, it is based on true events and situations. Sometimes the political part took over too much, with pages and pages of socialist/libralists arguments. This was too much, and for me spoilt the book as I found myself drifting off. It was good to know the background, but the book went into to much detail, which succeeded in boring me.

Rating 4/10

Moving house - managing to arrive in one piece!

It feels like it has been a long time since my last blog (that wasn't a book review) so I thought it was about time I gave everyone an update of what has been going on in my life! For those that are interested, make a nice cup of tea and read on :)

The major thing that has been going on (and the cause for my drawn out cold, and stress) is that Joe and I moved into our new house! It is our first house together, as I don’t count the flat that we were living in before. Most of you will know about the problems we had with our neighbours, but it is fair to say that they made the whole 10 months we spent in that flat a misery. Excessive complaints about noise and banging on walls I could cope with, but what sane person superglues someone's lock shut? Or rings every two hours through the night? It is hard for me to believe that there are people like that in this world, and I have come to the conclusion that they are mental! It was upsetting for both Joe and I, as we couldn’t understand why they took such a dislike to us, and that they put so much effort into pushing us out of the flat. But I have now resolved to no longer talk or think about them. We spent most days moaning about them, worrying what they were up to, or stressing about what they would do next, so now I finally feel we are free! I do just want to say a hug thank you (and sorry!) to everyone who I contacted in tears about them, or moaned to. The sympathy and disbelief you expressed helped me to realise that it was not anything that we were doing wrong, we are nice people who did not deserve this abuse. Also, thanks for all the revenge ideas, even though we will not carry any of them out, they did entertain us both when we desperately needed a laugh!

So, on to the new house, which we love! It is so nice to come home from work and relax in a stress free environment. I still can’t believe that it is all ours, and we are free to do as we want! The move went well, which considering Mr T helped is a miracle! He has a habit of ‘helping’ and actually hindering. Two examples of this both rest with my sister and her moves. The first was when we both came home from University. Jodie and I went to the same one (big up Worcester Uni!!) at the same time, and so Mr T had to move two girls and all their stuff home. So I suppose it is no wonder that the poor guy had an ‘incident’. While packing our stuff into the car he put Jodie’s in the roof box and mine in the car, to avoid confusion over what belonged to which daughter. Genius you say?! Mr T using his head?! Well that would have been the case if he remembered to lock the roof box. The result is that all of the Christmas presents Jodie bought her friends were lost somewhere on the M5 between Clevedon and Worcester. It ended with some cow in a field probably wearing a brightly knitted scarf, and Mr T having to pay to replace everything lost. So did he learn from his mistake? Nope! A few years later when Jodie and her boyfriend Ben were moving into a flat together in Bristol the ever helpful Mr T was keen to get involved. They set off in the car with all their possessions, but less than an hour later I received a call from the very long suffering mothership asking if there were any drawers for the chest at home. Mr T had pulled up at the flat with the chest of drawers....minus the bottom two. When I said they were not at home the only other suggestion was that they had somehow come off the chest and ended up in a field by the motorway. How no-one in the car noticed is still a question we ask today!

So with his track record it was with a somewhat wary heart that I accepted Mr T’s offer of help. But *fan fare and trumpets* there were no accidents or damages!! There was the odd scrape on furniture, but apart from that, all arrived in one piece. It is true that we only moved 5 minutes down the road, but it is still impressive! The only casualty of the day was Mr T himself, who cut his finger. But he manages to cut himself on an almost daily basis, so we just handed him the plasters and let him get on with it!

The house move has kept me busy, what with packing, unpacking and general tidying/sorting. I have also been suffering from a cold and cough for more than 2 weeks! I have been feeling run down, and lacking in energy, which probably hasn't helped. But I have started drinking this new green powder, which looks gross but actually tastes ok! My friend Ams recommenced it, and said she felt amazing after about 2 weeks. I am on day 6 of drinking it now, so hoping to see the results soon! I will keep you posted.

Apart from that I have been busy organising Sunshine Radio’s birthday celebrations. The station turns 35 next month, so look out for a post on that!

Top 100 books challenge: 62. Memoirs Of A Geisha

Wow, this is such a good book! It gives such a detailed look into the life of a geisha  popular geisha district of Gion in Kyoto.

The story follows Chiyo Sakamoto, who is taken from her home at the age of nine and sold to an okiya (geisha boarding house) to become a geisha. We follow her progress, from first wanting to run away, to her meeting with the chairman and becoming determined to be a geisha. 

I found it really fascinating to learn all about geishas, and the training the girls take to become one. The characters in this book are fictional, but the things that happen really did happen to young girls in Japan. The life of a geisha can be portrayed as glamorous  attending many parties, and meeting wealthy, important men. However as we see from Chiyo's story the reality is quite different.

Geisha have to forget their past, and change who they are. This starts with their name, Chiyo is called Sayuri. She then has to lean how to act, and how to treat men as a geisha.

Through Sayuri we watch a possible career path of a geisha, from the innocence of youth to the life of a geisha, where every move you make is analysed for fear of how it could appear to the clients. 

Sayuri is taken under the wing of Mameha, who nurtures her talents and grooms her to become the most sought after geisha in Japan. She is the one who renames her Sayuri, and starts a bidding war for the right to take her 'mizuyage', her virginity. 

I did feel quite sickened by the fact that girls as young as 13/14 were forced to lose their virginity to much older men. And also the fact that they have to flirt with them, in order to find a wealthy 'danna', a man that would fund a lavish lifestyle for them in exchange for 'favours'. But as you see in the book this is the only option for the girls, without their life as a geisha many would be on the street. If Sayuri couldn't bring in enough money she would have been left as a maid in the house, or even worse thrown out onto the streets. 

As it is she goes on to become one of the most successful geisha in Japan, making enough money to support herself.

Rating 10/10

Top 100 books challenge: 41. Anne Of Green Gables

Many people were quite surprised when I said that I hadn't read Anne of Green Gables. Especially as it was also a popular television series. Like many other books it had been on my ‘to read’ list for a long time, and I am pleased that I finally got round to reading it.

Like most people I am sure I fell in love with the orphaned Anne (spelt with an ‘e’ don’t ever forget!) The way she sees joy and beauty in everything around her was so lovely, and her vivid imagination and talkativeness meant that I could really picture Green Gables.  Anne takes much joy in life and adapts quickly, thriving in the close-knit farming village and her adopted family of siblings Matthew and Marilla. Her talkativeness initially drives the prim,  Marilla to distraction, although Matthew falls for her charm immediately. Anne says that they are 'kindred spirits'.

I loved the way Anne looked for kindred spirits everywhere, and her silly mistakes also made me giggle. In particular when she serves her friend wine, thinking it is raspberry drink, and ends up getting her drunk. Anne gets into many scrapes, but this brings life and laughter to Green Gables, and soon Matthew and Marilla can’t imagine life without her.

Anne of Green Gables reminded me of my childhood, when I could make dens, and play games with friends using my overactive imagination. I also got into many scrapes, much to the despair of my mum, which is why I love Anne so much.

I really enjoyed living Anne’s life with her. Throughout the book you go on a roller coaster ride, and experience the ups and downs with Anne. When I go to the end I felt sad that it was over, until I realised that there are more books in the series.

I also really liked Gilbert Blythe! Especially when he gave up the school so Anne could have it and stay home to look after Marilla. Poor Gilbert, Anne held one massive grudge against him, for the carrot comment! When writing this blog I googled Gilbert Blythe, and found this list of why no man will ever live up to him. Have a look and see if you agree.

Rating 9.5/10

*12 Reasons No Man Will Ever Live Up To Gilbert Blythe*
1. He is cocky and confident. It annoys Anne at the beginning, especially when he teasingly calls her “Carrots.”

2. He’s persistent. Throughout the entire first book, he continuously shows his regard for Anne, even as she coldly rebuffs him.

3. He’s heroic. He rescues Anne from a pond.

4. He’s not only very smart, but he also respects Anne’s intelligence. The two compete for scholarships, good-naturedly, on his part.

5. He’s selfless. When Anne’s father-figure, Matthew, dies, Gilbert gives up his teaching position in Avonlea so that Anne can work close to home.

6. He’s patient, even when, during college, Anne is refusing to recognise the fact that she is in love with him.

7. He is ardent. When Anne refuses his proposal, he says: “Your friendship can’t satisfy me, Anne. I want your love.

8. He is hard-working. After Anne rejects him, instead of throwing himself into a rebound relationship  he instead concentrates on work and wins a scholarship to attend medical school.

9. He is a good communicator. Anne and Gilbert spend a few years apart after getting engaged, and he writes her long letters.

10. He grows up to be an excellent doctor and everyone in the community admires and respects him

11. He is an amazing father, kind and patient and attentive to all of his children.

12. He is affectionate throughout his entire marriage to Anne, calling her “Anne-girl” and buying her flowers.

(Slight spoiler alerts

for the other books - but I am excited to read them!)