tag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-361454 2009-11-09T12:52:28+00:00 A newly retired, ex-commuting book and opera-aholic personal assistant living in the oldest recorded town in the UK, Colchester TypePad tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451935569e20120a6657c42970b 2009-11-09T12:52:28+00:00 2009-11-09T20:49:38+00:00

As you know, I recently read Demobbed by Alan Allport, a fascinating insight into the problems of returning servicemen coming home to find that they were strangers to their families, their children were frightened of this 'strange man' and had...

Elaine Simpson-Long tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451935569e20120a6602eae970b 2009-11-07T16:32:00+00:00 2009-11-07T16:32:51+00:00

Every now and then I have a fit. That is the only way I can describe it. Today was one of those days - a fit of domesticity came upon me. Why? I really don't know, I never know when...

Elaine Simpson-Long tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451935569e20120a6acb3b4970c 2009-11-05T18:27:47+00:00 2009-11-05T20:44:48+00:00

After my recent review of Demobbed I was delighted to receive an email from Alan Allport thanking me for my 'generous' review - nothing generous about it at all, I thought it was an excellent book and a fascinating piece...

Elaine Simpson-Long tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451935569e20120a6a603f4970c 2009-11-03T23:25:14+00:00 2009-11-04T16:10:04+00:00

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ A couple of years ago I was sent an email with a video attached. This video turned out to be all about Simon's Cat and within ten seconds of it starting, I was reduced to helpless laughter. Simon Totfield,...

Elaine Simpson-Long tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451935569e20120a6a0ab9a970c 2009-11-02T18:17:17+00:00 2009-11-02T18:23:27+00:00

This is going to be one of my meandering posts - be warned so log out if you want to. Took myself off to the doctor today re The Back. Decided that it might be time to go as it...

Elaine Simpson-Long tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451935569e20120a6471e6f970b 2009-11-01T16:06:17+00:00 2009-11-01T22:24:09+00:00

"The path was fringed with the purple and golden flowers of early heat, stone crop, broom, clematis, cistus......thistles held out ribbon petaled flat blossoms, blossom like yellow and green starts ...the path took me downwards, out of sight of the...

Elaine Simpson-Long tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451935569e20120a694d770970c 2009-10-30T19:37:36+00:00 2009-10-30T19:39:31+00:00

Well I have done it again. A few months ago I was crawling about my flat looking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame and now I am in exactly the same position with the same problem. My back. Getting ready...

Elaine Simpson-Long tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451935569e20120a683be78970c 2009-10-28T21:12:01+00:00 2009-10-28T21:20:56+00:00

This book is manna for all Christie aficionados, of which I count myself as one. First read her when I was about 13 and have been reading and re-reading ever since. Last year I read and reviewed an excellent biography...

Elaine Simpson-Long tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451935569e20120a67cbff0970c 2009-10-27T19:25:41+00:00 2009-10-27T19:28:41+00:00

Sleepless night, migraine, and then taking my mother shopping so no post today I am afraid. Shattered. Here is a pretty pic instead. Also, have spent rather a lot of time watching House, Series 6. Ahem

Elaine Simpson-Long tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451935569e20120a669e5b4970c 2009-10-26T15:43:49+00:00 2009-10-26T15:48:26+00:00

As regular visitors know, as well as reviewing books and chatting about opera and music, I also delight and thrill you all with forays into my life, what I am doing, where I am going, weddings, births etc etc and...

Elaine Simpson-Long