Dear friends. March is supposed to arrive like a lion and depart like a lamb. Unfortunately it has remained lionine. But I didn't let rain ruin the month. Highlights include a trip to Plymouth, John Singer Sargent art exhibition, a ballet and a retro 70s pop concert.
.png "Kookaburras, Cuppas & Kangaroos by S. Bavey")
Dear friends. Today I'm pleased to share the adventures of a Yorkshire Lass down under. Elizabeth Isle left 1960s England for Australia for the adventure of a lifetime. She was part of a cohort known as the "£10 Poms" who were encouraged to emigrate by the Australian government.
This charming memoir is written by Elizabeth Isle's daughter Sue Bavey. Today is my stop on the blog tour for Kookaburras, Cuppas and Kangaroos.
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Fueled by her spirit for adventure and with her £10.00 ticket in hand, Elizabeth Isle leaves 1960s England, determined to see it all, not just Australia and New Zealand, but as much as she can on the way, too. She surrenders her passport to the Australian government and must find work to support herself on the other side of the world from her family and friends. There can be no going back for two years. Join this intrepid young woman on the adventure of her lifetime. Share her amazing experiences, discover what exotic animals await, get travel tips and meet her new friends through her letters home and over plenty of cups of tea. Beware - the travel bug might prove infectious!
Sue Bavey had a lot of material to work with: her late mother wrote a travel journal and also sent airmail letters.
Elizabeth boarded the P&O ship SS Orcades on 6 February 1960, bound for Fremantle, Western Australia.
Three weeks later, Elizabeth was met by her mum's friend, "Auntie" Elsie Fawcett and her husband and son. They had also emigrated from England and had been farmers in the wheat and sheep belt. Now retired, it was agreed that Elizabeth would stay with Elsie (and budgerigar Joey) for six months while her husband went to India. She would have use of his car.
Elizabeth was thrilled to find a toy koala on the bed and roses and scent on the dressing table.
For the next three years Elizabeth's life is a whirl of holidays, travel and work. Her jobs included being a secretary, waitress and house maid. She makes many friends and after six month becomes "an independent Pom," living in boarding houses with other girls.
A two week camping holiday saw Elizabeth and her friend trying to put up a tent so badly that they were invited to stay in the house instead.
Holiday adventures included prawning and a very long trip around Tasmania. Her modes of transport included boats, buses, trains and hitch hiking. Coral "hats" were tried on during a trip to the Great Barrier Reef. A holiday in New Zealand saw Elizabeth travelling again on the SS Orcades.
After a swim in a dam, Elizabeth was horrified to find her clothes and towel had been eaten by ants while she was swimming.
She was bemused by the Aussie men carrying bags like the old-fashioned doctor's black bag, rather than briefcases. She also noted that the lorry and bus drivers all had a steel hand stuck out on a pole in order to indicate direction. "They drive like madmen here."
A Christmas was spent in Brisbane. "It seemed very strange to me to have Christmas in the middle of the summer heat - 101 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade - and also to have to get up at 4am on Christmas Day to see Cora and my uncle and exchange presents before they went off to milk their cows."
She was intrigued by all the wildlife and highlights included seeing an endangered marsupial called quokkas on Rat's Nest Island, and blue soldier crabs on a trip to Bribie island. "Look at them marching along like a little army, pincers at the ready!" she remarked.
Her ticket home cost £150 and she made the most of the trip, including stops at Tahiti and Florida, USA, and going through the Panama Canal.
Arriving home in July 1963 Elizabeth was thrilled to see her family. "What a sight for sore eyes they were. I felt deliriously happy and a little overwhelmed after being away for so long."
A very charming travelogue taking us back 60 years. The book will be enjoyed by all expats and Aussies, plus those whose families were also "£10 Poms."
Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/KookaburrasCuppasRoos
Sue Bavey (writing as S. Bavey) is a British mother of two teenagers, now living in Franklin, Massachusetts, having moved to the US in 2003.
Writing as S. Bavey, she won a gold award from Readers’ Favorite for her grandfather’s biography: Lucky Jack (1894 – 2000), which she wrote during COVID lockdown. She also has a number of non-fiction stories published in various anthologies.
A free prequel to Kookaburras, Cuppas & Kangaroos”, called “A Yorkshire Lass: The Early Years” is available for free download from www.suebavey.com.
Thanks to Rachel's Random Things and the author for the advance eARC in return for an honest review.
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Dear friends. As Easter approaches, and spring gets into its stride, I've created a good outfit for date night or for any of the seasonal festivities.
In my latest collaboration with Cotton Traders, I've found the perfect lightweight coat for spring and autumn, and a top quality pair of ivory trousers (pants) for all year round.
I'm wearing the wool-look Unlined Coat in Pale Rose (also available in soft sage). It comes in sizes 8 - 24, although sizes 24 and 20 in the pink are currently sold out. It's true to size, and it definitely looks like wool. It feels really soft.
My trousers are Cotton Traders' Textured Jersey Trousers in ivory. They're also available in navy. They're in two lengths, 27 and 29 ins. I'm wearing size 10, 29 ins (I'm 5'4). They need a heel at this length, but I prefer trousers to puddle over shoes, rather than have ankle or shoe showing too much. I would recommend sizing down. The 10 was a little large on me around the waist. Unfortunately they don't come in a size below 10.
Both pieces are very good quality. I like to have several coats in different colours and I keep them for years.
The trousers are very versatile, being white. They're an on-trend wider cut, and I can see myself coming back to them time and time again.
My husband prefers this kind of outfit for a date night to a dress or leather trousers. Like a lot of men he likes a natural look and this outfit is chic and clean, perfect for a restaurant or theatre. The pink boots, top (Kettlewell) and necklace give it visual appeal. My bag, in stone, is from Pom Pom London.
Spring as we're finding can be very cold for the first few weeks. An unlined coat is exactly the right weight for this type of weather.
What's your formula for a "date night" outfit? Do share in the comments. Scroll down below the link-up to find the comments box.
Disclosure: I was gifted with two items of my choice by Cotton Traders in return for an honest review. My editorial opinions are my own, and unedited by brands.
WowOnWednesday is one of the bigger link-ups, and you should see a boost in your traffic from IsThisMutton, a blog with a high domain authority.
Readers can find new blogs to enjoy and bloggers can find new readers. It's a win-win all round, provided you all visit posts that appeal to you, and share the love by leaving a comment or two.
What did women wear in the 1930s? From Nicole at High Latitude Style. One of my favourite decades!
Anna from @LookingFabFifty shared on Instagram her white dress bought in Amalfi in 2016
Beauty Favourite: Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter Review from Alison at Midlife and Beyond.
Dear friends. It's a sobering thought that when 10cc had their first hit, in 1972, I was 11. Many hits, and different band formations later, and I find myself in London's Royal Albert Hall, looking forward to hearing that amazing back catalogue.
We arrived early as we had a booking at one of the venue's restaurants, Coda by Eric Chavot. A lovely way to start the evening. As we made our way to the 3rd floor, we could hear "Cry" being performed by the group in a warm-up. It made me excited for the concert.
#StyleNotAge Challenge
Dear friends. The last Monday of the month means it's the Style Not Age challenge, and this time Anna from Anna's Island Style has challenged the collective to deliver an Ode to Iris.
Who else but Iris Apfel, the colourful businesswoman and celebrity who died recently aged 102.
A Year in the Garden, #sixonsaturday
Dear friends. Welcome to March in my "year of a garden." By March the garden is officially waking up and buds are bursting forth.
The picture at the top was taken this week, shortly before we set off for a bike ride. The daffodils and tulips are starting to come out. I like to stagger both of them by planting varieties that flower at different times.
I get very excited when I see the growth starting on favourite perennials like this phlox, I will trim last year's dead wood down.
I always order my spring bulbs from Peter Nyssen in August. It gives me something to look forward to. I used to have purple and yellow bulbs to go with the early flowering forsythia hedge. It's the only time I have yellow in the garden. Bu the hedge is very old, it was there when we moved in (2005) and it's quite woody and doesn't flower much now.
The books reviewed today, with one exception marked *, were all provided by NetGalley and the book publishers as advance copies, in return for an honest review.
Dear friends. Another month, another Tell Us About challenge. This time it's Family History, posed by Jill of Grownup Glamour.
I will spare you my family tree. I go back quite a long way in history with both the maternal Lovis's and the paternal Tyler's, but they were a very ordinary bunch. No royalty, baronets or celebrities.
I uploaded my DNA a few years ago, as soon as it became possible. DNA fascinates me. I'm always thrilled when long term cold cases are solved, thanks to evidence being carefully preserved.
Dear friends. The summer dress season is almost upon us. You'll already find a guide to finding the best trousers, and skirts, for your shape on Is This Mutton. Now it's how to find the right dress.
We'll look at each shape first and then discuss patterns and lengths, followed by what we're seeing so far as the spring/summer trends.
Dear friends. Today's book spotlight is about a single mother who's trying to do her best but feels under pressure from others. It's a very good contemporary read. It's my stop on the blog tour for A Good Enough Mother by Sheila Norton.
Mia is telling me a story. It’s about a princess, who lives in a castle, on a street that bears a remarkable resemblance to ours. About a kind old lady who’s the queen. I’m distracted for a moment by her little hand softly slipping into mine. My daughter. My angel.
But then she says something that pulls me from my reverie. She says that the queen doesn’t treat the princess well. She punishes her and doesn’t let her eat anything.
Helen, my neighbour, has been so good to me. And more importantly, she’s so good with the children. Surely this is just another story of Mia’s, just make believe.
Because if it’s not, maybe my dad was right all along: I was never good enough to be a mother, and I’ve let my precious children down in the worst way possible.
A heartbreaking and uplifting story about the choices a mother makes for the sake of her children, perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Emma Robinson and Kate Hewitt.
Jess is a young mother of two, struggling to make ends meet and find affordable childcare. She split from her brutal husband and is estranged from her father, so she really is on her own.
Jess lost her mum as a teenager and none of her friends is in the same situation, so she has no network of fellow mums. This leaves her vulnerable because she can't ask anyone for parenting advice. When Helen and Robert move in, middle aged parents of grown up children, she's thrilled when they take an interest in the children. They start collecting the children from school and nursery and then progress to looking after them.
But things turn a bit sinister. Jess feels her decisions are being questioned and undermined. They're buying vast amounts of toys. Meanwhile her daughter's sightings of "Daddy" in the vicinity - even though Mia hardly knows him - cause more alarm, .
The situation seems very real. Jess comes across as a caring and determined mum trying to do her best while juggling 101 things. The children are adorable, particularly 4 year old Mia and her sayings.
Norton keeps the story going with just enough twists and turns to force us to carry on reading.
An excellent contemporary read.
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Sheila Norton lives in Chelmsford, Essex and part-time in Torquay, Devon. She is the author of 25 books so far, covering several different sub-genres of contemporary fiction.
She is now being published by Boldwood Books, writing emotionally-charged family-based novels, the first of which, 'A Good Enough Mother', was published on 13 March 2024.
Loved this book!!!!!… Addictive. There was no way I was putting it down, I literally started reading the book around 10am and couldn't put it down until around 4am. Hahaha I'm so glad it was the weekend!!!!… I definitely recommend it!!!’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A breathtaking novel about motherhood… I felt angst, tension, compassion, empathy, surprise and suspicion…. Do not miss this novel, especially if you enjoy reading about families and their realistic struggles and moments of joy…. Grabbed my heart… Phenomenally emotive.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A masterpiece story of a family finding their way… Hit all the feels for me and I was invested in the story from the beginning to the brilliant end. My emotions ran wild throughout this story and I would love to see this become a Netflix hit.’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A remarkable tale depicting a family's journey through the complexities of emotional challenges. Norton's storytelling kept engrossed me from start to finish, leaving a lasting impact… Truly captivating.’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A really great read. I really enjoyed this story… Beautifully written and a mother’s love for her children shines throughout the book as Jess struggles to make a home for them all and keep them safe.’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I LOVED this book. I was so drawn in by the weird dynamics between Jess and the neighbours.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Dear friends. It's ironic that one of the things we worry most about is sleep. Once we start worrying about not getting enough sleep, or the best quality, the thoughts keeps us awake.
Today's post is a sleep special with plenty of tips and research to help you get a good night's rest. I've got some tips that help me to sleep, plus Mr Mutton reviews a top rated duvet from Simba.
Dear friends. There was a Clark's shoe factory in Plymouth, where I grew up, so I was intrigued to discover this historical fiction novel. It gives some interesting background on the Clarks family, who were Quakers. Woven throughout the book are the factory processes handled by the three women and their families at the centre of the story.
It's my stop on the blog tour for The Clarks Factory Girls at War by May Ellis.
Dear friends. There were lots of different activities to share for February. The month went very quickly, unlike January which was endless.
I've picked up from Jan 26.
Progress on my #WordoftheYear, Laughter, is at the bottom of the post.
