To The Batmobile!

Coming to a Tesco near you and starring 'New kid on the Lego Block'...... Jamie 'Junior' J Man!

It's the movie of the summer, the one they all want to see......find it near the checkout....

It's

THE LEGO MOVIE

Jamie 'Junior' J Man is a movie star extraordinaire. Just five years old and he sure looks good in a Lego suit. This is Jamie's first starring role but he has had small parts in 'Mr.Tickle Tickles Again' 

and 'Mr. Grumpy's Grumpy Day' in which his Grandad was the male lead.

His Auntie Tracey, a slim young lady of 27 (I know, but I'm the one writing it, so go with the flow) was quoted as saying " Aye we're reet proud of our Jamie." 

His Grandma was busy cutting cheese into lego size bricks!

Jamie's parents were unavailable for comment as they are too busy earning pennies to pay for the jam sandwich and ice-cream lifestyle to which the young man would like to become accustomed.

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Jamie obviously gets his acting talent from his Mum! (Ahem!)

Here she is at about the same age, playing a 'Lonely Little Petunia in an Onion Patch'.

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                                                                                                      Tracey

Life's A Beach

I love beaches. Not sunbathing...can't be doing with that. Just beaches. The sea, the smell, the sound of the waves and the birds and preferably with a cool breeze and a comfy seat. Bliss! It is the only place I have ever felt truly relaxed. (Mentally relaxed...before you all jump in with "waddya mean...you're always relaxed, you never do anything.")

Sitting on this wall would be a perfect example. Living in one of those houses would be heaven.

I cannot stress this enough....my idea of paradise would be looking at that view every single day.

This beach is Slapton Sands in Devon by the way. I haven't been there....but I have been here....

This is Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall where we went on a family holiday when I was a teenager. Look at us...Oh my, look how thin we all are. I don't know who took this picture, but I'm glad none of us was any taller!

Sorry about the quality of these......they are photos of copies of photos.

We also lived by the seaside for a while in Southport. My Mum and my Sister were both born there and Mum lived there until she was twelve. I lived there from ages five to twelve when we came back to Blackburn.

Southport Beach on a calm day...............

............Southport Beach on a not so calm day!

There will be more to come about Southport, but for now I just wanted to share my love of beaches.

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Fact of the Day

In 1934, King George V had 1,500 tons of sand barged up the Thames to London from Essex. It was dumped onto a mud flat between The Tower of London and St. Katharine's steps. It was known as 'Tower Beach' and could hold up to five hundred people at a time and was usable for five hours a day at low tide

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                                                                                                      Tracey

Man On The Moon

Forty-five years ago today (20th July 1969) Neil Armstrong took one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind as he descended from Apollo 11's Lunar Module. Together with Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins he made history on the first manned trip to the moon. As I was only six and a half years old at the time, I'm afraid I don't personally remember any of this but I can imagine what an awesome event it must have been.

Fact of the Day

Buzz Aldrin was the first man to have a wee on the moon!!

Fact of the Day (2)

When they returned to the module Buzz Aldrin accidentally broke the switch for the ascent engines...Uh Oh! However they managed to get going with the help of a ball point pen....Phew!

Fact of the Day (3)

The cost of this mission was said to be $25.4 billion, which in today's money would be about $150 billion, (£93 billion) that's a lot of Marks & Spencer's Cheese & Ham toasties...

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                                                                                 Tracey

Too Darn Hot?

Er....what happened to the heatwave? I was assured by the weather lady that it was going to be preposterously hot yesterday and today. Yesterday was dull, dull, dull....there was a thunderstorm during the night and today it's raining! You would think that in 2014 they'd be able to do a better job of predicting these things...what with all the technology they have. I'm not entirely sure why I'm complaining. I hate being hot. I'm a big girl. (What? You hadn't noticed? Aw shucks, thanks.) Anyway, in a heat wave or even a normal hot day...I have a permanently wet fringe and turn a delightful shade of cherry tomato red. Even lifting an arm to have a drink of water breaks me out in a sweat! So I can't say I'm looking forward to this heat wave when it finally gets here as I've no doubt it will eventually...and if you can't reach me it'll be because I've melted!

Ann Miller singing 'Too Darn Hot' from the film 'Kiss Me Kate' (with incredible dancing)

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There's nothing we British enjoy more than complaining about the weather, and this about sums that up.

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Just because it's cute!

                                                                      Tracey 

Do You Want To Be A Princess?

Does every little girl want to be a Disney Princess?

Unfortunately I'm more like

Ursula the villainess from 'The Little Mermaid.'
She's more my body type!
Ha! Ha!

Never mind, I suppose it could be worse.....

This one frightens me even now!

The most popular princesses at the moment are surely Anna and Elsa from Frozen, which has become the biggest and highest grossing animated movie of all time! Not least, I believe, because of the songs, which are wonderful.

Particularly 'Let It Go' which needs (as my sister assures me) to be ramped up to top volume and sung at the top of your voice...not caring whether you can sing or not. Go on, have a go, you know you want to. Click below and I've even done the words for you.

LET IT GO

The snow glows white on the mountain tonight

Not a footprint to be seen

A kingdom of isolation

And it looks like I'm the queen

The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside

Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I've tried

Don't let them in, don't let them see

Be the good girl you always have to be

Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know

Well, now they know

Let it go, let it go

Can't hold it back anymore

Let it go, let it go

Turn away and slam the door

I don't care what they're going to say

Let the storm rage on

The cold never bothered me anyway

It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small

And the fears that once controlled me can't get to me at all

It's time to see what I can do

To test the limits and break through

No right, no wrong, no rules for me

I'm free

Let it go, let it go

I am one with the wind and sky

Let it go, let it go

You'll never see me cry

Here I stand and here I stay

Let the storm rage on

My power flurries through the air into the ground

My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around

And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast

I'm never going back, the past is in the past

Let it go, let it go

And I'll rise like the break of dawn

Let it go, let it go

That perfect girl is gone

Here I stand in the light of day

Let the storm rage on

The cold never bothered me anyway
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Did you enjoy that? You're welcome.

                                                                                                                                Tracey

Are You Feeling Sleepy?

I think I may have previously mentioned my propensity for taking unexpected afternoon naps! 

(and morning naps... and evening naps!)

So my lovely Mum made me this beautiful card.

I love it.

Thanks Mum.

My Dad also falls asleep at the drop of a hat....I probably caught it from him!

So, she made him one too.

Both my Mum and my Sister make beautiful cards. I keep trying to persuade Mum to do her own blog to show off her work. But so far, no luck.

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Fun Fact of the Day

Bubble wrap was originally designed to be used as wallpaper.

Marc Chavannes and Alfred Fielding were engineers who were working on a new type of textured wallpaper in 1957. They sealed two shower curtains together trapping a layer of bubbles. Although in the end it didn't work as wallpaper, Chavannes had a eureka moment when he was on a flight and for a moment it seemed to him as though his plan's descent was being cushioned by the clouds and the 

'bubbly wallpaper' became bubble wrap.

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Nap time!

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                                                                                               Tracey 

Bargain?

You know when you're shopping and you see something on offer (3 for 2) and you think Ooo and pick up two of the of the ones you know you'll eat....and a little voice in your head says Go on, try something different....it's free....it's got a long date. So, you pick a flavour you wouldn't normally entertain and off you go? Yes, you do know. Well I did that ages ago and put the resulting spoils in the cupboard where all three of them have sat ever since. Anyway, being a bit strapped for cash last week and looking for something to make a sandwich, the first two of my bargain buys went down okay....but later in the week, I was still looking at number three when I had sudden insight. I was hungry, there was nothing else....but I didn't want to eat it....therefore, I was probably never going to! Ladies and Gentleman may I introduce you to...... drumroll please!

Anybody fancy it? I can't offer you 3 for 2 but I can offer you 1 for free!!
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Yes....can we help you?
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Fun Fact of the Day

The average four year old asks over 400 questions a day.
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Fun Fact of the Day (2)


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                                                                                                            Tracey

Le Tour de Yorkshire

As the Tour de France comes to Yorkshire, perhaps we should address the language problems with a little translation guide. For instance 'Bonjour' is of course French for ''Ow do?' And 'Le cycle helmet' translates as 'T'at.' Some other translations you may be less familiar with are......
'Je suis tres excite' - 'I'm reet chuffed'; 'Les drugs pour l'enhancement du performance' - 'Chips'; 'Les cycle shorts' - 'Y'call them britches?' and finally my personal favourites.... 'La course a commence' - 'Sommat's 'appened' and 'Un accident terrible' - 'By 'eck' (typical Yorkshire understatement.)

Even the animals are dressing up for the occasion.

Buildings are getting makeovers as businesses prepare for an influx of tourists.....

.....hopefully tourists with deep pockets and an urge to spend 'le cash.'

(Yes, I thought that was really Nora Batty for a moment too...but it's a cardboard cutout!)

Let's not worry too much at the moment that this is a sport more complicated than cricket and more punishing than a five set tennis match with Novak Djokovic twice a day...every day, and just enjoy the fact that some great sportsman and lots of tourists are coming to these shores for a top notch sporting event.

                                                                                                                                 Tracey   

Pretty Wedding At Blackburn

Saturday, June 2, 1934

The marriage was solemnised at St. Michael's Church, of Miss Annie Partington, daughter of Mrs. Partington and the late P.C.  H. Partington, and Mr. John Hadfield, son of Mr. J. Hadfield and the late Mrs. Hadfield, the ceremony being performed by the vicar (the Rev. W. Bellwood, B.A.)

The bride, who was given away by her brother, Mr. John Partington, wore a gown of white satin and French lace, the dress being cut with train. Her tulle veil was surmounted by a coronet of orange blossoms and she carried a shower bouquet of Sylvia roses.

She was attended by Miss Isabella Parker, Miss Doris Walsh (friends of the bride) and Miss Vera Hindle (cousin). The elder bridesmaids were attired in dresses of sunshine yellow and crepe-de-chine and French lace with picture hats and shoes to tone, and carried golden irises. The junior bridesmaid was dressed in white satin with a pink and white floral head-dress, and carried a Victorian posy of pink and white carnations. The bride's mother wore a Lido blue floral dress with hat to tone, and carried a spray of pink carnations.

Mr. Thomas W. Partington and Mr. Albert Partington (brothers of the bride) carried out the duties of best man and groomsman respectively. Mr. Robinson presided at the organ, and the hymns sung were "Lead us Heavenly Father" and "The voice that breathed o'er Eden."

Following a reception, the bride and bridegroom went to Scarborough for the honeymoon, the bride travelling in a beige ensemble trimmed with beige fox fur. They are to reside at 35 Meadow Street, Blackburn.

Just Say NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!

There are many things we should 'just say no' to, but as the following pictures show, some people never learn.

Seriously...are you mad?

You have got to be kidding!

Even I'm not this desperate for a cuddle!

This would make a good stage on the Tour de France...it would sort the men from the boys.

I need to go for a lie down now......

                                                                      Tracey