Flaming Nora

This year, for various reasons (some too personal, some too dull, to blog) we're not going to far away places for our summer holidays.  No. We're having an English seaside holiday, a stay-cation at the seaside and I can't be more chuffed.

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here . This week the update comes with a very special Corrie wedding.

The last time I knitted anything was over 25 years ago. I had to go to youtube to remind myself how to cast on but it came back immediately and away I went with the knit one, purl one. Give me a few more days and I'll blog the finished article - it's a hat for my niece.

Since reading Phill Jupitus’ book about broadcasting and radio, it’s started me musing about what it is I enjoy about radio. And I’ve realised that I enjoy radio right now more than I’ve ever done in my life. So come with me, if you will, as I journey down a road of radio remembrance. My first radio memories are of Tony Blackburn on a Saturday morning with Arnold the dog. Radio 1 featured large in our house for many years, I grew up with the jingles of Radio 1. A vivid memory is of the large wireless we had at home that sat on the kitchen window sill, it was larger than a laptop is today. It had huge black buttons along the top and a black dial on the front. It was black and silver and it was always on at breakfast. Every time I hear Dean Friedman’s Lucky Stars I’m right back at the kitchen table with my brothers, eating porridge on a dark winter’s morning before we headed out to walk to school, the radio playing its soundtrack to my life. Of course, I didn’t realise that the...

My lovely man has now started his own blog.  It's called The Deep Dark Recesses of Sunny Jim and if that doesn't scare you off, then here it is.

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here. This week the update comes with Audrey Roberts and whiff of L'Oreal.

To the theatre this afternoon to see a matinee performance of The Jersey Boys . I'm a huge fan of musical theatre and wasn't disappointed in this fantastically slick production. With a strawberry ice-cream at half time, this was a smashing way to spend a weekend afternoon. Mind you, as good as The Jersey Boys was, it still comes second to this fantastic stage musical I saw last year.

I had a letter in The Guardian this week. It's second off last at the end of this web page if you'd like to read it.

Just finished reading Phill Jupitus' book Good Morning Nantwich, Adventures in Breakfast Radio . What a cracking read it was. I zipped through it, giggling out loud on public transport as I read it, which is always nice. But the best thing about the book is that he ends most chapters with a little playlist and there were many records I'd never heard of. And so I've spent a fair amount of time on youtube uncovering such delights as Lord Kitchener singing My Wife's Nighty . I'm a big fan of Phill.

Today, August 18th, this blog celebrates its fourth birthday. Flaming Nora!

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here . This week the update comes with cake.

I start off searching for a particular song that I haven't heard in ages and end up tripping and slipping my way back to my youth via youtube. And then emotion kicks in and songs are searched for that I know will cause a reaction, that reaction, tha t feeling. Some songs became a soundtrack to your life. Here's one of 'em from mine.

I'm a huge fan of Spain, Spanish culture and food and have just finished reading this wonderful novel set in London and Spain. It's The Olive Groves of Belchite , by Elena Moya Pereira and I enjoyed it tremendously, a truly gorgeous read that I highly recommend. When I've read a book and enjoyed it so much I usually Google the author. Not only did their personal website pop up but she goes on to explain all about the book, why it was written and even pinpoints the locations it uses. Wonderful stuff indeed.

  Having made Nigel Slater's carrot and coriander soup the other week I was asked for the recipe by friends but couldn't find it online. I've therefore scanned it in and am happy to share the link. Just click on the picture above to enlarge it.

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here . This week the update comes with a monk seal.