Wednesday 30 May 2012

Letter Boxes - Regency Style

We're touring the West Country right now and our latest stop is the lovely, unspoiled Lyme Regis. Lyme is famous for its Cob that featured in The French Lieutenant's Woman. Less well known is the fact that Jane Austen spent two seasons in a charming town that's changed little over time.

We're staying at the original Post Office, now turned into a guest house. Jane wrote to her sister Cassandra whilst in Lyme and would have posted her letter in the box that still survives and which I'm leaning against in this picture. I'm hoping some of her genius will rub off on me!

Can anyone explain why there are both vertical and horizontal slots in the box?

Wendy

Saturday 12 May 2012

A Gipsy's Life ...

We split our time between home, which is Andorra, a small principality high up in the mountains between France and Spain, and Florida. There's a lot of good things about change that I enjoy. What I absolutely hate is having to leave this behind  -


Jake is my much loved rescued mutt. He's very adaptable and will be well looked after here in Florida during our absence for the summer by a lovely lady who has an aged Sheltie in need of a companion. I know he'll have a great time but it still kills me to have to leave him.

Behave yourself Jake. No chasing those tabby cats opposite your Aunt Holly's house. You know they fight back and have sharp claws.

I'll miss you baby but I'll be back before you know it.

Wendy

Wednesday 2 May 2012

Chocolate and Roses Bloghop





Many years ago, before the invention of the wheel and when the internet was just a twinkle in Microsoft's eye, I got married. I was far too young and totally unprepared for the er...ups and downs of married life. We didn't argue, throw things or anything like that. Perhaps it would have been better if we had.

After four years I ran home to Mum, as you do in such situations. My husband had never been demonstrative, or prone to romantic gestures - that was part of the trouble. So you could have knocked me down with the proverbial feather when the following day the most amazing arrangement of flowers arrived at my mother's door.

 
 The card simply said, I love you and we need to talk. He was right, we did. We should have done long before. I went back eventually but several years later it was over for good.


I hear he got married and had children. Perhaps that's what was wrong. I couldn't give him any. Wherever he is now, I hope he's well and happy.


I've never forgotten those flowers.


I guess we were different people then. A bit like the heroine in my latest Regency Romance, published by Carina Press, The Perfect Impostor. As the title implies, she's pretending to be someone she isn't, which leads to all sorts of complications. Leave a comment on this blog, along with your email address, and you could win a copy of the book.


Good luck and thanks for stopping by.


Wendy
 

Here is a list of other Chocolates and Roses participants, visit their blogs to enter to win additional prizes:




Here's the legal mumbo jumbo:
- Entering this contest means you have read, understood, and agree with all rules and regulations stated.- Entrants must be 18 or older (or age of majority in your country) to enter and to win.- No purchase necessary.- Void where prohibited.- All stated rules are subject to change without notification or reason given.- Chances of winning vary widely based on the number of entries received.- Prize is as stated. No substitutions or exchanges.
- Contest host is not responsible to misrepresented/mistyped email addresses, spam filters, mailer daemons, and other internet wackiness that may crop up at the time of winner notification.


- Winner is final.- Contest Starts 00:01ESTMay 5th and Ends 12:59EST May 9th and open to International participants- Winner will be notified via email no later than 10:00EST May 10th -Respond by date to collect prize is 14 day, 12:59EST May 24th