Look what I just picked up!

Today I found these 2 beauts in a charity shop... for 50p! The Fever by Diane Hoh and The Boyfriend by R.L. Stine

I loved reading the Point Horrors as a teenager,  and have recently fancied reliving my youth and reading them again.  So imagine my luck finding them today.

Well chuffed :)

Did you read the Point Horrors when you were younger? What did you think?

Dee

The End (a short story by me)

I entered this into a short story competition. The prompt was:

A man who lives alone sees a set of footprints leading away from his house the morning after a heavy snowfall.  Prompt was written by Lee Child for Writers Digest. 

I didn't win but wanted to share it with you guys. Let me know what you think, any comments welcome ;)

The End

It had been days since he left the house. The memories had been flooding in lately, they seemed to be coming as bad as the snowstorm was. He couldn't think straight with the images in his head, so he'd lay in bed with his journal at his side, switching between writing and staring out of the windows, watching the snow fall.

'The images are back. Flashes of Miriam and Char are being etched into my mind. I can't do anything, I can't eat, I don't sleep, I can't think properly. All I can think of is them. Good memories of course, but then I feel happiness, and suddenly feel guilty that they're not here. I shouldn't be happy without them.'

The pills were gathered in a small cup on his bedside table, an unopened bottle of whisky along side it. He hadn't touched them, but wanted to keep them close, just in case.

'I dropped asleep for a little while earlier, I can't even remember closing my eyes. But I must have been sleeping, as I was dreaming, Dreaming of them again. Char was there, holding my hand, skipping in the grass. Miriam was sitting on a blanket, reading, she kept glancing towards us and smiling. I remember that day, I remember it like it was yesterday'

It had been 5 days now, he had to get out. He would rather have stayed, but the fire was dying, and he needed more wood. He grabbed his thick winter coat, shoved on his boots, and made way for the door. As he opened it, he noticed how much snow had actually fallen lately. The storm had calmed, and was nowhere near as bad as it was when it first appeared, but the snow fell very slightly still. He was just about to brace the cold, when he noticed a footprint. No, not just one, a set of footprints walking away from his door.

'What the...' he asked himself.

Who made these prints? He lived alone, and no one had visited him. He hadn't left the house for almost a week so they weren't his. Someone had been here, someone tried to break into his house? No, they couldn't have, he would have heard something, he'd hardly slept a wink. Something rustled further ahead, then he heard a laugh, and he was sure it was the laugh of a child.

I almost did it, I almost swallowed the pills. I want it to be over, I want to see them again. I can't carry on with this heartbreak'

Surely a child wouldn't be out here alone? But again, the laugh came. Whether it was growing curiosity, or concern over the child, the man walked ahead, following the footprints. He wanted to know what was out there, who was out there, and what kind of person would leave a child out here all by themselves. He got to the end of his walkway, when he saw something behind the bush ahead. A flick of light, a swish of a blue dress.

'Child? Come out. I won't hurt you. Are you alright?', he shouted.

The child appeared, she looked very much like his Charlotte. Petite, beautiful, happy. He neared her, slowly, just to make sure she wasn't hurt. But what he saw when he got closer, made him stop breathing. This girl didn't look like Charlotte, it was Charlotte.

'Daddy', she smiled.

The man collapsed to the floor, his knees sank in the snow. Charlotte ran to him, fell into his arms. The man clung to her, stroking her hair, tears dripping onto her dress.

Char, my baby girl. How are you here, I don't understand'.

'You don't need to understand Daddy, you just need to take my hand and know that we're going to be together always now. Mummy is waiting too', she whispered.

They stood together, took hold of each others hand, and walked. A light shone at the end of the street, and in it stood his wife. The man had never felt this much happiness, such a big cloud of guilt and sadness had lifted, as he looked at his beautiful family and smiled. Never again would he be alone.

Back at the house, his body lay in his bed, cold. No one would find him for a long while. A small cup lay on the floor, alongside an empty bottle of Whiskey. And even though the mans face was so blue, you could see the happiness in his smile.

Wednesdays Words are here!

Hi All!!

I've decided a random post once a week to just rabble on about anyrhing would be good on my blog, especially as I've not been reading lots lately so haven't been posting much. So in order to keep my blog going here is Wednesdays Words where I will post my thoughts on whatever is on my mind at the time! It sometimes may not make a great deal of sense lol, but sometimes I don't make much sense anyway! Hope you'll all keep checking it out :)

Anyway.....

Kids songs in my house. Oh my word they are annoying me at the moment! Both of my children have been diagnosed with autism, and have very repetitive behaviours. Which means if a song is in their heads, it will be sang continously throughout the day :/

My daughters favorite songs at the minute are 'Living On A Prayer', 'Because We Can' by Bon Jovi, and 'Every Road Leads Home To You' by Richie Sambora. I know I should be grateful that she's no longer singing Old MacDonald all day long, and of course I'm a massive Bon Jovi fan, but hearing these songs 256 million times a day, I'm starting to sing them all day too! I swear I woke up this morning and automatically started with 'Tommy used to work on the docks...'. 

 

Not kids songs I know. One kids song that's really really irritating me though is 'The wheels on the bus'. I'm sure when I was younger it had like 3/4 verses, now there seems to be around 10! Whoever keeps adding all these extra people on this bus needs to stop (and check their health and safety issues, as I'm sure that many people on that little bus isn't allowed!). Chloe gets confused with some words sometimes and was singing this the other day, and said 'the Mormon on the bus says shh shh shh', took me a while to figure out she meant woman lol :)

 All we hear all day is nursery rhymes or songs from kids programmes. And don't get me started on Christmas songs! Chloe has been obsessed with them since august! Christmas lasts one day and I've been hearing 'Jingle Bell Rock' for 5 months!

Phew! My first random post, and I hope it went down well.

How do you feel about Children's songs? Any you love or hate? Does your child like to sing chart songs? I'd love to hear from ya in the comments!

 

Until next Wednesday guys, have fun and keep singing! 

Dee xx

A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard

A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard 

I haven't read a book like this in a long time, pretty much since having my children as it makes me so much madder than it used to. I guess that's the being a parent part.

Anyway, I read this over the last few days, and it has had my heart wrenched.

On 10 June 1991, eleven-year-old Jaycee Dugard was abducted from a school bus stop within sight of her home in Tahoe, California. It was the last her family and friends saw of her for over eighteen years. On 26 August 2009, Dugard, her daughters, and Phillip Craig Garrido appeared in the office of her kidnapper's parole officer in California. Their unusual behaviour sparked an investigation that led to the positive identification of Jaycee Lee Dugard, living in a tent behind Garrido's home. During her time in captivity, at the age of fourteen and seventeen, she gave birth to two daughters, both fathered by Garrido. Dugard's memoir covers the period from the time of her abduction in 1991 up until the present. In her stark, compelling narrative, Jaycee opens up about what she experienced, including how she feels now and the struggle to re-build her life after eighteen years in captivity. Garrido and his wife Nancy have since pleaded guilty to their crimes.

This book was so horrific, that I had to stop a couple of times and remind myself that this is real, this actually happened, it's not a work of fiction. And then each time I really remembered that this was real, I cried. I cried a lot during this book. The awful, disgusting things Jaycee had to go through, at just 11 years old, and giving birth at ?!!! I'm just so glad she was found and is now living a good life with her daughters, and has been reunited with her mother.

The book is kind of in 2 parts, at the end of each chapter Jaycee has written a reflection. I enjoyed reading these parts as it shows Jaycee has overcome some of the awful things she endured.

The last half of the book descibes Jaycee becoming free, and returning home. It sounds like Horses have played a good part in her recovery, and I'm so happy that now she is free.

An awfully sad and horrifying book of every mothers worst nightmare, and every child's terrifying hell. But Jaycee has grown into a wonderful lady and has 2 great daughters and a brilliant family who support her in every way.

The Spare Room by Helen Garner

The Spare Room by Helen Garner

Helen has little idea what lies ahead when she offers her spare room to an old friend of fifteen years. Nicola has arrived in the city for treatment for cancer. Sceptical of the medical establishment, placing all her faith in an alternative health centre, Nicola is determined to find her own way to deal with her illness, regardless of the advice that Helen can offer. In the weeks that follow, Nicola's battle against her cancer will turn not only her own life upside down but also those of everyone around her. "The Spare Room" is a magical gem of a book that packs a huge punch, charting a friendship as it is tested by the threat of death.


I read this in practically one sitting, only 175 pages long so it didn't take too long to read. I really enjoyed it. Was really glad I found this in a bookshop, in their sale bin, for 24p!

Nicola and Helen have know each other for years, so when Nicola asks to come stay while she has some alternative therapy to combat her cancer, Helen is happy to say yes. She does up the spare room for her friend. What you find in the book is a strained relationship. They love each other, but Nicola's attitude towards the treatment starts to really bug Helen. Helen does no believe the treatment will work, and thinks it's all a sham, which is why she keeps her mouth shut, and tries to be there for her friend.

I can not imagine being in this situation, but I can imagine believing anything will work, to get rid of the nasty illness that is killing you.

I really felt for Nicola, especially during the last few chapters after the argument/raised voices with her, Helen and Nicolas niece.

I thought the book described feelings very well indeed. I could truly feel everything Helen went through, changing sheets, making beds, bathing her friend, and everything else she had to do. But it's what you would do isn't it? I like to think if I was in that position I would do it.

Good book, lovely story, sad in places, funny in others.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

WARNING! SPOILERS!!

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Charlie is a freshman. And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it. Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix-tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But Charlie can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.


I started this last night, and finished it this afternoon. It made me cry.

A wonderfully moving book about 'Charlie', a shy, socially awkward kid. I say 'Charlie' as he uses this as an alias. The book is basically a journal of letters 'Charlie' writes to a 'friend'. The 'Friends' name is never mentioned, which I actually liked.

Charlie meets Sam and Patrick, who become his friends, and show him the world. He delves into drugs, sex, alcohol and society.

Charlie is a great character. He is extremely bright, and loves to read. He mentions lots of his favorite books, some of which have now been added to my 'to-read' list. But he is very shy and quiet. He has traits which reminded me at first of someone with Aspergers Syndrome. I have 2 young children with autism, and the social awkwardness Charlie experiences, and the way he talks, made me think he did have Aspergers. You later find out whats happened in his life. Charlies aunt died when he was younger. he loved his aunt a great deal, and finds it very hard to talk about her without becoming very upset. He makes it well know how much he loved his aunt, and how he blames himself for her death.

He loves Sam, actually no, he is in love with her. And eventually in the last pages of the story, he kisses her, and she kisses him back. But as she moves things on, Charlie stops her, as he remembers his aunt touching him when he was younger. This prompts a meltdown, and his parents find him naked, watching TV, unresponsive. Charlie ends up in hospital.

There is a poem in the book, which I have just found out is real, and was written by a 15 year old boy 2 years before he took his own life. This just makes it a little sadder:

 Once on a yellow piece of paper with green lines
he wrote a poem
And he called it "Chops"
because that was the name of his dog
And that's what it was all about
And his teacher gave him an A
and a gold star
And his mother hung it on the kitchen door
and read it to his aunts
That was the year Father Tracy
took all the kids to the zoo
And he let them sing on the bus
And his little sister was born
with tiny toenails and no hair
And his mother and father kissed a lot
And the girl around the corner sent him a
Valentine signed with a row of X's
and he had to ask his father what the X's meant
And his father always tucked him in bed at night
And was always there to do it

Once on a piece of white paper with blue lines
he wrote a poem
And he called it "Autumn"
because that was the name of the season
And that's what it was all about
And his teacher gave him an A
and asked him to write more clearly
And his mother never hung it on the kitchen door
because of its new paint
And the kids told him
that Father Tracy smoked cigars
And left butts on the pews
And sometimes they would burn holes
That was the year his sister got glasses
with thick lenses and black frames
And the girl around the corner laughed
when he asked her to go see Santa Claus
And the kids told him why
his mother and father kissed a lot
And his father never tucked him in bed at night
And his father got mad
when he cried for him to do it.

Once on a paper torn from his notebook
he wrote a poem
And he called it "Innocence: A Question"
because that was the question about his girl
And that's what it was all about
And his professor gave him an A
and a strange steady look
And his mother never hung it on the kitchen door
because he never showed her
That was the year that Father Tracy died
And he forgot how the end
of the Apostle's Creed went
And he caught his sister
making out on the back porch
And his mother and father never kissed
or even talked
And the girl around the corner
wore too much makeup
That made him cough when he kissed her
but he kissed her anyway
because that was the thing to do
And at three a.m. he tucked himself into bed
his father snoring soundly

That's why on the back of a brown paper bag
he tried another poem
And he called it "Absolutely Nothing"
Because that's what it was really all about
And he gave himself an A
and a slash on each damned wrist
And he hung it on the bathroom door
because this time he didn't think
he could reach the kitchen

This is really titled 'To Santa Claus and Little Sisters', and just reading it again has made me cry. I've heard this has been cut from the movie, which is a shame. Chbosky didn't tell what the poem was, or who it was from. But my interpretation is that it was Michaels suicide note. Michael was Charlies friend who committed suicide.

This was a fantastic book, which really pulls at your heart, as you seem to really feel for Charlie. His letters bring out all his emotions and feelings, and you start to truly understand how he feels.

Everyone should read this.

Bucket List! Do you have one?

So after reading the book 'The Further Adventures of an Idiot Abroad' by Karl Pilkington, and it all being about doing stuff from the top 100 bucket list, I've been thinking about it.

Do you have a bucket list? Have you done many things from it?

I don't have one. But below is the one Karl used for his adventures, which is made up of the most common 100 things from peoples bucket lists.

Have you done any of these stuff?

1. Fly in a fighter jet
2. Climb Sydney Harbor Bridge
3. Spend a night on your own private desert island
4. Drive a Formula 1 Car
5. Ride the Rocky Mountaineer train in Canada
6. Fly in a helicopter over the Grand Canyon
7. See elephants in the wild 8. Explore Antarctica
9. Climb Mount Everest
10. Travel into space
11. Ride a camel to the Pyramids
12. Travel the Trans-Siberian Railway
13. Catch sunset over Ayres Rock
14. Go wing-walking on a bi-plane
15. Climb Mount Kilimanjaro
16. Come face-to-face with mountain gorillas in their natural habitat
17. Gamble in Las Vegas
18. See orang-utans in Borneo
19. Spot a polar bear on the ice
20. Swim with dolphins
21. Get into the Guinness Book of World Records
22. Watch a Sumo match
23. Drink a beer at Oktoberfest
24. Participate in La Tomatina
25. Cross a country on a bike
26. Master a musical instrument
27. Spend a night in a haunted house
28. Meet someone with with your own name
29. Ride the world’s biggest rollercoasters
30. Scuba dive at the Great barrier Reef
31. Complete a bungee jump
32. Paraglide from mountain
33. Go ice-climbing
34. Skydive from a plane
35. Experience base jumping
36. Meet the Dalai Lama
37. Research your family tree
38. Go up in a hot air balloon
39. Try a jet pack
40. See a space shuttle launch
41. Meet your idol
42. Cycle a leg of the Tour de France
43. See the northern lights
44. See the glaciers before they melt
45. Learn a martial art
46. Get a complete makeover
47. Learn another language
48. Drive a Cadillac along Route 66
49. Leave a job you hate
50. Become a vegetarian for a week
51. Stand at the North or South Pole
52. Visit every USA state
53. Be part of flash mob
54. Visit the Seven Wonders of the World
55. Explore the Galapagos Islands
56. Spend the night in an igloo
57. Spend 24 hours in a jungle
58. Stand on the international date line
59. Learn to fly a plane
60. Go Storm-chasing into Tornado Alley
61. Get a tattoo and/or piercing
62. Invent something
63. Ride something bigger than a horse
64. Build your own house
65. Skinny dip at midnight
66. Run a marathon
67. Join the Mile High Club
68. Be an extra in a film
69. Protest at a demonstration
70. Run with the bulls in Pamplona
71. Canoe up the Nile River
72. Continue your gene pool
73. Write a novel
74. Visit Angel Falls in Venezuela
75. Trek the Inca Trail on Machu Picchu
76. Climb Mount Fuji
77. Sleep under the stars
78. Ride the gondola in Venice
79. Have lunch with the Queen of England
80. Walk the Great Wall of China
81. Do some charity work
82. Experience a full moon party
83. See Mount Rushmore
84. Go on an African safari
85. See the statues on Easter Island
86. Touch an iceberg
87. Shake hands with Pope
88. Climb an active volcano
89. Go to Burning Man Festival in California
90. Partake in a Japanese tea ceremony
91. Float in the Dead Sea
92. Jump from a cliff into sea
93. Swim the English Channel
94. Take part in a fire-walking ceremony
95. Drive or ‘mush’ a dog sled
96. Spend the Fourth of July in the USA
97. Go whale-watching
98. Live with the Masai people
99. See the wildebeest migration in the Masai Mara
100. Hunt with tribe


I've done 4! And they are the easy ones lol!

Get a complete makeover
Done this when I was 18, me and a friend won a makeover. It was fab! Sounds cheesy but we loved it, the photos came out gorgeous! Didn't buy them though, they were a rip-off!

Leave a job you hate
Yes I left a job I hated, my first job working at a clothes store when I was 16.

Get a tattoo and/or piercing
I got my eyebrow pierced when I was 16, didn't last long though as the skin over the bat grew very thin and I eventually had to take it out. I have a scar though! And I now have 9 tattoos!

Continue your Gene pool
Well this is done! I have my 2 gorgeous children, who have their problems, but are wonderful non the less, and I love them more than anything in the whole world!!!!