My Week in Review to the 8th July

I am linking up with The Sunday Post hosted by Kimberly at The Caffeinated Reviewer.
And in bookish news, I am linking up again with Book Photo Sundays over at Ronyell's Rabbit Ears Book Blog.

Phone box book exchange! 

This fabulous book exchange is at the lovely South Lytchett Manor Campsite, just outside Poole in Dorset and ideally located for catching the ferries to France. I can't remember which books I swapped here now but there was a pretty good selection. I first blogged this photo in the post A good campsite near Poole in Dorset in November 2016.

Super exciting news this week! We've put our Torquay flat up for sale so if you know anyone who would love to live in (part of) a converted Victorian villa in the Devon sunshine, please direct them to The RightMove listing! I've got a few pieces of furniture up for sale too if you fancy a gander at My Gumtree listings!


On a totally unrelated topic, it's great to actually be able to get mail again. If only for a short while (hoping the flat sells quickly!). This week I received two custom-sewn bras which, I think, are the most comfortable I've ever worn.  They are actually a belated birthday present because I got an Etsy voucher back in May. After much deliberating on my part as to what I wanted to spend it on - so many pretty things! - Sarah at KookyClothing got my order. I emailed my measurements, Sarah emailed photos of various fabric combinations, I chose, she sewed and the beautifully wrapped parcel arrived yesterday. Mine are pink/pink stripe, like the photo below, and a grey/blue. I love that the bras are reversible to show off all the colours and that they are far easier to get into than sports bras. The bras are also described as Yoga Tops and they're certainly supportive enough for a Yoga class - and to dash for a bus too. Having suffered from uncomfortable bras for Far Too Long, I'm delighted with these KookyClothing ones and am more than happy to recommend them. Sarah ships worldwide!

I'm proud to have caught up with all the Comments on Stephanie Jane and Literary Flits - Yay Me! (That was Thursday evening mind, and now it's Sunday morning) Huge thanks to everybody who takes a moment to tap out their thoughts! I am loving visiting back to discover new-to-me books and also a smattering of new-to-me blogs. Do feel welcome to include your blog links in your Comments, especially if your Blogger profile doesn't link back to them. There's a couple of folks I haven't been able to find.


On my blogs this week:
My Week in Review to the 1st July
#PlasticFreeJuly 2017-18: The Habits that Stuck
Artisan Rainbow - Notebooks
WorldReads - Five Books from Belgium
50/50 Friday - Best/Worst Book in June

Heroes And Villains by Angela Carter
Venetia by Georgette Heyer
A Study In Shifters by Majanka Verstraete + #Giveaway
On the Fault by Ronald J. Wichers + #Giveaway + Guest Post
Disbanded Kingdom by Polis Loizou
A Long Blue Monday by Erhard Von Buren
The Art Of Travel by Alain De Botton

Around the blogosphere:
vvb32 reads posted her WorldReads from India
Lindsey at Treading My Own Path has a Guide to Reusable Produce Bags for #PlasticFreeJuly
Camillea discusses Medusa for I Heart Characters
Mary Anne Yarde is looking at Victorian superstitions

And finally a brilliantly terrible joke which I spotted via Michelle Hillyard's Facebook page:

Have a great week :-)

Artisan Rainbow - Notebooks 

My Week in Review to the 15th April

Thank you Adrienne! 

I am linking this post up with The Sunday Post at Caffeinated Reviewer.

A day later than usual because yesterday, being the 15th, was time to refresh my Giveaway Linkup. This monthly post showcases all the giveaways I am running alongside ones I've spotted elsewhere. Feel welcome to add your own links too! If you haven't already entered, good prizes at the moment are Two SciFi PBs from K E Lanning which closes on the 19th and my copy of Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga which closes on the 23rd. Don't miss out!

A new blog series started on Tuesday: I'm #ReadingWomen!
And Friday had my Top Ten Etsy Finds which, this month, were all Storage Solutions. You Need this BespOak Interiors bookcase!

I got a lovely book post parcel again this week - two weeks running! - this time courtesy of my sister who sent the three pictured at the top of this post. I realise I am behind the times with not having already embraced The Little Book of Hygge, but now I've read it I love that there's actually a named fashion which suits how I already like to live. My hyggeligt endeavours included reading lots of books while lounging on my vintage chaise longue. I also baked a Banana Cake, made Lentil And Mushroom Veggie Burgers, and made a batch of Chickpea Tofu. And all without emigrating to Copenhagen!

Other super-good news is that our car, whose gearbox has been grumbly and getting worse for months (years!) appears - touch wood - to be fixed at last. Yay and Phew! It was becoming worrying to drive, especially towing the caravan, and we had planned for a worse case of having to buy either a new gearbox or a whole new car. However Nigel at Torquay Transmissions changed all the oil and did his Mechanic Magic and we can now drive up hills without fearing that we might not make it to the top. Important in a town built almost entirely on hills!

Around the blogosphere

Lindsey at Treading My Own Path discusses a plastic-free supermarket aisle where almost everything appears to be packaged in plastic.

Angela at Musings Of A Literary Wanderer asks If It's Hard To Fairly Review A Favourite Author?


Here's what you might have missed across my blogs this week. Click the images to visit the pages ... and don't forget to enter all the Giveaways!

	Artisan Rainbow	Literary Flits	Stephanie Jane
M O N D A Y
T U E S D A Y
W E D N E S D A Y
T H U R S D A Y
F R I D A Y
S A T U R D A Y
S U N D A Y

A Torquay lunch and a Poole Airbnb

Elaine's Airbnb, Poole 

I'm blogging tonight from Elaine's Airbnb in Poole, Dorset, where we are holed up awaiting our ferry to France in the morning. The main draw of the place for us is its proximity to the ferry port - a two minute drive to the end of the road! It's nice here too with a well thought out space which is a bonus! We've a large room with an ensuite shower room at one end and a little sitting area at the other. Elaine provided a range of teas and coffees plus there's croissants and fresh fruit for breakfast. The only downside is a couple of teenagers in the room overhead, but I can tell that they keep being shushed and hopefully they won't want to stay up chatting too late!

Dave and I are both excited to be off on our travels again. We had planned to stay in Torquay until after Christmas, but trouble with the next-door neighbour (now finally evicted) was stressful, plus a family bereavement means we're keen to put a line under this summer. What better way to do that than by cramming the car full and following the birds south for the winter!

We did organise ourselves a little treat before departure. Frognel Hall is a wonderfully named hotel fairly near to our flat. From the road it has an interesting roofline with many chimneys and we've often been curious about the place. Well last week, flyers were delivered advertising their Sunday lunches. We thought we would take the opportunity to enjoy a roast dinner and have a nose about. Stephen and Amanda are gracious and friendly hosts and Stephen cooks up a very good lunch. Dave had roast beef followed by blackberry crumble and I had the veggie option which was goat cheese tart, then bread and butter pudding. It's all charmingly traditional. We even took coffee in the lounge with the wood stove going. If you're in Torquay any time soon, get yourself to Frognel Hall for your Sunday lunch!

Frognel Hall 

Exploring Cockington Country Park, Torquay

Dave found us a beautiful walk yesterday and I am glad we went straight out in the sunshine rather than leaving it until today when the rain would have put us off and the mist obscured all our views. We began at Nut Bush Lane which is right on the edge of Torquay and so always reminds me of the Tina Turner song Nutbush City Limits. An influence on the town planners? There is space to park three or four cars and we got lucky.

Our path led away behind the red dog waste bin which seemed sadly redundant as I noticed a couple of instances of dog walkers preferring to bag their animal's crap and then hang the bags from trees. Seriously - what is the point of that? Especially less than fifty yards from a bin. Sometimes I despair of people!

Fortunately such ugliness wasn't typical of our afternoon and we were soon walking through pretty green woodland and emerging onto open downland from where we had gorgeous views across valleys and out to sea. The existence of Cockington Country Park protects the agricultural and natural environment from house building - for the time being at least - and we felt lucky to have this expansive green space so close to our home. We intended to follow the John Musgrave Trail into Cockington village, but it is only sporadically signposted so we don't know if we were exactly on course all the time. There is a bewildering choice of footpaths, cycle routes and bridlepaths converging on Cockington. Does anyone know if a definitive map is available? The John Musgrave Trail was created by the Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust in partnership with the Ramblers Association, from a legacy left by John Musgrove who was a keen walker. It opened in 2006 and extends some thirty-five miles around Torbay. We have a lot more of it still to discover!

Instead of continuing across Torbay, our furthest outward point was around Scadson Woods which I think, at the moment, must be the best destination for wild garlic. The woods had their fair share of bluebells too, but the white garlic flowers stole the show. Their scent was incredible as well.

I was pleased to see that all the paths we walked were well-trodden, cycled and ridden. The more people who use an area such as this, the more likely it is to preserved for the purpose. The paths closest to Cockington Craft Centre and the village would be the easiest for disabled access, but even further afield I think they would be acceptable for pushchairs and Tramper mobility scooters as long as the frequent short-but-steep gradients could be overcome.

I knew we were close to the estate's centre when we began to spot rhododendrons through the trees and then saw the restored Gamekeeper's Cottage. We had visited here last summer so made our way directly to the Cafe for a cup of tea and generous slice of Red Velvet cake. It was getting late in the afternoon so we didn't linger long before continuing our circuit back towards Nut Bush Lane. I did notice a couple of artworks outside the Cafe that are part of a Sculpture Trail. The works are there until the 10th of September and I intend to return to see the whole Trail. I am also tempted by the monthly Food And Craft Market which takes place on the last Sunday of each month and features locally farmed foods and unique handmade crafts. The next Market is on the 28th of May.

Exploring Torbay's UNESCO Geopark - Hope's Nose

Hope's Nose, Torquay 

Often when on walks Dave and I find ourselves wishing for the guidance of a pop-up Expert - as happens on the TV programme Coast for example. Whenever an interesting historical ruin or geological feature hoves into view, the presenter is always greeted by someone who can explain the site. In contrast we make observations, wonder about it and invent a plausible explanation, but usually walk away absolutely none the wiser. This seems especially true in the UK. French and Spanish regional councils seem far more proactive at putting up explanatory signs - often multilingual - as part of walking tourist routes. It's a cheap way to attract visitors after all.

However, on a Torquay walk from our home yesterday, I was delighted to not only visit an important geological site, but also to be given lots of clear information about what we could see! I didn't realise until we moved here that the English Riviera is designated a UNESCO Global Geopark because of the extensive geological landscape: "A landscape untouched by glaciation, revealing stories unseen elsewhere in the world. Stories of tropical seas and scorching deserts, raised beaches and drowned forests, hippopotami and mammoth, straight-tusked elephant and sabre-toothed tiger, cave bear and earliest man." There's an incredible story to be discovered here, understandable even for a geology novice like me, and I am excited to learn more.

If you are around Torbay at the end of May and beginning of June this year - the half-term holiday week - check out the range of events being put on in Torquay, Paignton and Brixham. There's a calendar on the Geopark Website. Entertainment ranges from a Sculpture Trail at Cockington to prehistoric modelling at Brixham, cookery at Occombe Farm to street art fossils at Torre Abbey. Most events look to be kid-focused.

Yesterday we visited the charmingly named Hope's Nose which is within a half hour's walk from our flat and visitable all year round. If you go there yourself make sure to pause by the noticeboard at the roadside. I took photos of the half dozen or so geological sights which include different eras of ancient limestone and sandstone rocks as well as layers of fossils and a raised beach. It's all things that I would be unlikely to identify alone, but the clear photographs on the board give a clear indication of what to look out for. There's also beautiful views out to sea.

Do you like my new haircut?!

New hair! 

After having pretty much ignored my hairstyle since we departed England in the autumn, it (unsurprisingly by now) really needed a good cut! I considered going back to e-Hair, but before I had gotten around to booking in I spotted a notice at the Roma Salon offering a free haircut so I popped in there to get more details.

I met Georgia who looked at my mop and didn't run away screaming so I booked in. Free appointments can be booked for Wednesday or Thursday afternoons and I did need to leave a £10 deposit which was returned at the end of my appointment. As a trainee, Georgia did apologise for being slower than the fully-trained hairdressers, but I always felt confident with how my haircut was progressing and I am delighted with the end result! Even Dave said he thinks this is the best style I have had in the fourteen years he has known me - praise indeed! I did ask how much I would have paid, had I paid, and the wash (with deliciously marzipan-scented Aveda shampoo), condition, cut, blow-dry and straighten would have been £21 off-peak or £32 salon rate. I liked the atmosphere at Roma and love my new style so I will definitely be returning to Georgia to maintain this look - considerably more often than every six months too!

If you choose to give Roma Salon a try, please mention my name (Stephanie Burton) when booking! The salon is on Torwood Street in Torquay.

Upcoming gigs and theatre trips

In a complete change of plan, we are now not going to see Ocotillo in Glastonbury on Wednesday although the gig is still happening so if you find yourself nearby, step into the Hawthorns in the evening! Having driven to Bristol and back this weekend, we just couldn't face another four hours in the car! Instead we will be staying very local and strolling to T.O.A.D.S. production of Death In High Heels at The Little Theatre on St Mark's Road in Torquay. We were last there for the excellent comedy One Man Two Guvnors last summer. Now we will see a thriller set in 1930s London. Behind the glamour and gossip of a small Regent Street couture fashion house, secrets and lies are rife, and when a murder happens this fuels more gossip and lies! The play begins tonight, the 24th April and runs all week. Tickets are available online or via the theatre Box Office and we're going on Thursday!

Rebecca Loebe 

Saturday night will find us at Starcross near Exeter to see Austin, Texas, musician Rebecca Loebe alongside young singer-songwriter Luke Jackson who is from Canterbury in Kent. We saw Luke play once before, back in 2012 supporting Paul Brady at Lewes Town Hall (of all places!). Rebecca's music is pretty new to us although we know Austin friends of hers well so we are looking forward to discovering her songs. The Devon gig is at St Paul's Church in Starcross from 7.30pm on Saturday the 29th of April. Tickets are available for £11 online or will be £12 on the door.

You already know from last month's roundup that we're going to see the Hot House Four at Wellies Wine Bar in Torquay on the 4th of May and Charlie Dore at Kingskerswell Parish Church on the 20th of May (more details of these two here). I was also excited to see a Rachel Ries gig briefly advertised for the Crown And Sceptre in Torquay, however sadly due to illness all gigs at this venue are cancelled for the foreseeable future. Rachel Ries, performing as Her Crooked Heart, does have another Devon gig though so we will be venturing to Kingsbridge on the 27th of May to see her. The venue is essentially a house concert and will be held at a barn called The Hatch. Contact wheelwrightmark@gmail.com for more details and to reserve your seat!

So that's our live entertainment for April and May so far. Let me know if you're coming to any of these too and in the meantime, have a scroll through these South West gig listings from WeGotTickets and see if anything else catches your eye!

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Early bluebells in Torquay

Bluebells at Meadfoot Green 

Did you have a good Easter? We treated ourselves to slices of homemade Simnel cake from a stall at Torquay Indoor Market and managed to resist the allure of chocolate eggs. I might look to see how much the unsold ones have been reduced by when I pop to the Co-Op later though! I learned that Torquay's branch of Thornton's is closing down in a couple of weeks so there might be good bargains there too. There's a 60% off sale at Thornton's online!

I have enjoyed rediscovering my way around Torquay over the past couple of weeks. Those of you who know my appalling sense of direction will understand how much of an achievement it will be for me to actually learn the whole town! Just before the Bank Holiday weekend Dave and I walked down to Meadfoot Beach where there were actually people - mostly children admittedly - swimming in the sea. In April! Madness!

Looking over towards Thatcher's Rock 

We paused to look out to sea and wondered at what appears to be wall remnants on Thatcher's Rock. Does anyone know if it was ever inhabited or is this just how the rock has eroded? And why is it called Thatcher's Rock? Travelling always brings up more questions than answers, even when I travel at home.

Cutting inland from the far end of Meadfoot Beach, we turned into Meadfoot Green parts of which are anything but green at the moment. Apparently the water board have been digging trenches. The ground is now refilled, but awaiting grass seed. We crossed one of the wooden plank bridges into the woodland and I was delighted to find bluebell carpets. I always think of them as a May flower because I generally see them around my birthday, but here in the English Riviera at least, they are already putting on quite a show. Coincidentally, in my brilliant Rebecca audiobook that I am currently listening to, the second Mrs de Winter had been discussing Maxim's opinion of bluebells the day before we saw ours! Even more profuse here are a white variant that I think are probably Spanish bluebells, not the rare albino British ones. They are eyecatching too, but in a different way and didn't have the same ethereal quality as the blue ones.

White bluebells 

We're back in Torquay!

Toulouse street art 

We're back in the UK now with everything unpacked - except for our wooden draining rack which I forgot from the caravan. Fortunately The Kitchen Shop on Torquay seafront had a replacement! Three day's driving up through France was pretty tiring, but the ferry journey was mill pond smooth again so I was very happy about that. My spirits lifted as soon as we got home and I remembered just how much we love our new Torquay flat. It's not so new now of course! The views are still gorgeous and we see the big wheel has gone back up. It had just been taken down when we departed.

We stayed at a Lidotel in Toulouse on the first night of our homeward dash. If you book in here, it's important to specify Ramonville as the town on your satnav. There is a Rue Ariane right in the middle of Toulouse too - you don't want to go there! It was handy for an evening stroll along the canal, but we were underwhelmed by the hotel itself which felt worn and in need of a repaint. Our sink was blocked too. Also underwhelming was our dinner at the Buffalo Grill next door. We have happy memories of eating at a different restaurant in the chain just before Dave asked me to move in with him. They've gone way downhill in the intervening decade though!

The second day was a long drive from Toulouse to Tour and we liked our Ibis Budget hotel for that night. Only about three euros more expensive than the Lidotel, but much nicer looking with a comfortable bed and an excellent shower. We had a wonderful meal at a nearby Italian restaurant, Il Napoli. The hot goat cheese salad was gorgeous, Dave enjoyed his pizza, and we both loved our Cafe Gourmand / Tea Gourmand to finish - a coffee or tea with a selection of delicious mini desserts.

Neither of us sleep well in strange beds so we were both fading by Sunday. I had the extra dread of the ferry crossing too although that fortunately turned out to be unfounded. Having expected it to be a bit naff, we were both impressed by the Premier Inn in Poole. Probably the cleanest hotel room we've ever visited, certainly the biggest of this trio, and the bed didn't feel 'budget' at all. Admittedly Premier Inn was about 20 euros more than Lidotel and Ibis, but it felt like a different world! I slept really well so was refreshed for our Poole to Torquay drive on Monday.

And now we're back in our own home ready for a spring and summer exploring south Devon and, no doubt, further afield! Dave's just booked our Charlie Dore gig tickets at Kingskerswell for May and our Carrie Elkin with Danny Schmidt gig tickets for Torquay's Crown And Sceptre in June, and tomorrow we're off to Tavistock. Some people just can't stay still!

Toulouse street art 

Upcoming music gigs I'm eagerly anticipating!

Julian Littman and Charlie Dore 

I've just received my brand new Peter Mulvey album, Are You Listening, which I helped Kickstart back in February. It's fab and you should get yourself a download via Amazon US / Amazon UK!
We've only got another week on mainland Europe before we head back to Devon so are planning our entertainment once we return. Fortunately we've already spotted a half dozen or so appealing gigs during the next three months, some in Devon and some further afield, and I am going to tell you about the April/May trio here.

Charlie Dore is playing at Kingskerswell on the 20th of May. We discovered and I blogged about Kingskerwell Parish Church as a South Devon music venue last summer and I love the space for its wonderful acoustics. It's a bring-your-own-cushion venue with a lovely atmosphere and don't forget your cake money for half time. Having previously heard Charlie play at Hailsham Pavilion, I believe her music will perfectly suit Kingskerswell so this gig should be a real treat.
Charlie will be joined by Julian Littman and supported by Peter James Millson and Totnes Pop Up Choir. Tickets are £13.75 including booking fee and you can Buy Online Here. Check out the rest of the Kingskerswell season too.

I first discovered Kirsty McGee several years ago when I blogged for Theatrical Eastbourne. I love her voice and style. I supported her Those Old Demons Kickstarter too and now we plan to finally actually see her play live! Together with Robert Garson as the duo Ocotillo, Kirsty will be at the Hawthorns Hotel in Glastonbury on the 26th of April. I've tweeted the Hotel to find out how to buy tickets and hope they answer soon!

Thirdly is a band we don't know much about, The Hothouse Four, but they have a regular engagement at a very local-to-us venue, Wellies Of Wellswood. Their next gig is on the 4th May - the night after my birthday. They play Western Swing and American roots music which we both enjoy so we're planning to book a table and enjoy a good meal whilst tapping our toes.

So I have got these three gigs to look forward to when we get home, plus another three in June which I will tell you about closer to the time. In the meantime, have a scroll through these South West listings from WeGotTickets and see what catches your eye!

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Tim Easton at the Crown And Sceptre, Torquay

We were treated to a second fantastic gig Upstairs at the Crown and Sceptre on Friday. Ohio-born Tim Easton, who now lives in Nashville, is a superb songwriter and guitarist, plus he can actually play his harmonicas tunefully! There weren't quite as many of us crammed in to see him as there had been for Kelley McRae a couple of weeks ago which was a shame on two counts. Firstly because Easton absolutely deserves full house audiences wherever he plays and secondly because having a little room to move seemed to encourage people to keep walking in and out to get more drinks, banging the door each time. Grrr! Fortunately our performer was a consumate professional and wasn't phased at all. He was even kind enough to say on his Facebook page that this gig had been his best performance of the tour so far!

Dave and I both loved Easton's style of Americana blues music so much that we splashed out his new album, American Fork, at the gig and today Dave has also bought a live album, Live At Water Canyon. The band sound on American Fork is great and adds new dimensions to the songs, but I think I like the pared-back one-man acoustic sound of the live album even more because this is pretty much exactly as we heard him.

Kelley McRae at the Crown And Sceptre, Torquay

Kelley McRae and Matt Castelein 

I've been manically crocheting a big custom order - more about that tomorrow! - so haven't had much blogging time this week, hence why this post about a lovely gig we went to on Friday is a few days delayed. We've discovered a second great gig venue, Upstairs at the Crown And Sceptre in St Marychurch.

The pub itself is a genuine traditional local with a good range of drinks. Their food is apparently excellent too. One bar was absolutely crammed when we got there and we could hear a small jam session coming from the other. Once the thirty-odd of us for the gig started to clear out upstairs, I'm sure it was more comfortable in the bars, but when we came back down at the end, the pub seemed just as busy without us! Upstairs is a small function room with assorted chairs and long tables. I loved the black and white timbered walls and the random decorative curios. Musicians have a tiny corner space and they were using mikes and speakers although, considering the space and the attentive audience, I'm not sure they needed to.

Crown And Sceptre, Torquay 

Singer-songwriter Kelley McRae tours with her husband, dobro player Matt Castelein, performing Americana music inspired by their travelling lifestyle. Like us, they like to be on the move and spent a couple of years touring America in a VW campervan - even more compact than our caravan! They are now based in our favourite American city of Austin, Texas. Neither Dave or I knew anything about the duo prior to seeing this gig advertised so we turned up having seen a few YouTube videos and trusting in the Crown And Sceptre's reputation for good music. We weren't disappointed! We were both impressed with their gorgeous harmonies and I liked the thoughtful lyrics to their songs. Matt's dobro guitar was a more unusual addition to the show and its sound worked well in the cosy space. I would certainly go to see Kelley McRae again!

Kelley and Matt have five more UK gigs in their The Wayside tour and you can see details on this page of Kelley's website.
The next gig Upstairs at the Crown And Sceptre is Tim Easton. The Facebook event page is here and we've already got our tickets!

Happy Birthday Dave!

Yesterday was my Dave's birthday!
Happy Birthday Davey!

I'd like to take this opportunity to pass on his thanks for all the messages, cards and presents he received. You all made his day!

We lunched at a new-to-us restaurant, Amici, which is on Torwood street in Torquay and serves Italian style cuisine. We were impressed! Firstly they blend a good Long Island Ice Tea cocktail which is Dave's favourite. He drank them on his 60th birthday in Austin, Texas, so had to have another yesterday. It's a tradition! Then we chose to share three starters expecting to also treat ourselves to a Chinese dinner in the evening so didn't want to be too stuffed. We had White Crab Bruschetta for one, Calamari Fritti and Funghetti E Panna Al Forno. All three were very good, but the simple mushroom dish was unexpectedly the highlight. As it turned out, we've had to reschedule the Chinese for later this week as Amici's food was not only delicious, but also so filling that we didn't bother with any dinner. Admittedly, a few Thornton's chocolates might have helped! Their Pudding Collection is gorgeous and is a limited edition intended for Christmas so snap them up quickly.

Excellent presents included Audio Technica headphones which are needed right now as Dave's got right back into music recording now that he has a room of his own and his old headphones are disintegrating more each day. We also both loved this olive wood chopping board which our friends Andy and Barbara got from The Rustic Dish. Isn't the wood gorgeous? It's far too beautiful to actually use! And the grain, to my eyes at least, resembles a man in a crown which seemed appropriate for a birthday boy! The 'Most Apt Card' prize goes to Steve and Frances for their brilliant choice. The design is by Pigment Productions and, although Dave was considerably more excited about his big day yesterday, it is still pretty close to the bone!