chesilbeach Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Just catching up on all the Doc Martin talk … I don't actually watch it, although I've seen the odd clip here and there, but we went on holiday a couple of years ago to the village where it's filmed, Port Isaac in Cornwall. Our cottage had a view over the village, and I could see Doc Martin's house from our window! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 3, 2015 Author Share Posted February 3, 2015 We are teapots .. but then we are turning into a coffee nation I think. Think I read somewhere recently that sales of coffee were outselling tea Certainly when out and about .. coffee is outselling tea by two cups to one or something but that's a bit different. Easier to get decent coffee out than decent tea .. and the coffee houses are often more convivial places to be (plus they do the sort of coffee that can't be easily achieved at home .. whereas .. anyone can make a pot of tea ) I think you must have been instinctively drawn to Doc Martin .. with his love of dogs and coffee drinking and whatnot .. you sensed a kindred spirit That's a bizarre and even somewhat worrying information re: sales of coffee vs tea!! I never would've thought this day would come! You are the tea nation, always have been, always will be! This is definitely news to me! Yes, I was drawn to Doc Martin somehow! I didn't even mean to watch it, the telly was just on and I took a look at it and then couldn't pull myself away! Luckily the show's on channel 1 which means that the show's episodes are on the channel's website to watch and I could catch the start of the episode. The show's one of the very few that I now watch religiously And it's a great wonder because I used to dislike Martin Clunes, but now I positively adore him! I like it that he loves dogs so much (And to think that Doc Martin despises them!!! So that was definitely not what drew me to him.... But maybe I instintively knew that the actor is quite the opposite ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 3, 2015 Author Share Posted February 3, 2015 (edited) Just catching up on all the Doc Martin talk … I don't actually watch it, although I've seen the odd clip here and there, but we went on holiday a couple of years ago to the village where it's filmed, Port Isaac in Cornwall. Our cottage had a view over the village, and I could see Doc Martin's house from our window! That is so cool!! I'm positively and wickedly jealous! The scenery is pretty amazing. Not only is the architecture completely different from the Finnish one, but it's such a lovely hilly place and the views to sea... It would be a nice place to live in! On another note.... I got a package from BookDepo today, and I knew it must be from poppyshake because she 'warned' me she'd sent me something. Bloody hell!!!!! It's A Dog's Life by Martin Clunes!! I already PMd Kay and told her that I've actually borrowed the book from the library but haven't started it yet, partly because I've leafed through it and it seems like such a great read that I would just find it incredibly annoying to read it and love it and then to have to take it back. I don't want to give it back! But now I can because now I have my very own copy Thanks poppyshake! Edit: The copy I now own is a lot nicer, as well, because it's a bit bigger and it's such a soft, nice one. Not like the library copy! Ooooh!! Edited February 3, 2015 by frankie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Glad you like it frankie hope you enjoy it when you get to reading it. Hope Mr Clunes won't be a disappointment for instance .. I'm sure he won't .. seems like such a nice chap and he loves doggies .. how could he be bad? You must visit Port Isaac .. that would be so cool. We must contrive it somehow .. I'd love to go too. Yes .. somehow we'll fit it in on your whistle stop tour I think it's all the young people turning us into a coffee nation .. the whippersnappers! I am tea through and through (only have coffee when out) but Alan is a half and halfer .. depends on how he feels. Coffee has rocketed in popularity .. thanks probably to Mr Costa and Mr Starbucks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I have to say, I've definitely changed to a coffee drinker while I'm out since the advent of Starbucks and the like. However, I've also found that if I find a local independent café, that nowadays they try much harder with providing decent tea in order to compete, so I can easily get the teas I like there, and will more often than not go for tea rather than coffee there. My local does a lovely choice, including English Breakfast (which let's face it is really just ordinary tea), Assam and Ceylon, or I can also get a good green tea or peppermint tea, which I prefer on really hot days (not that we get many of those over here ) Edit: Oh, and if you're going to Port Isaac, count me in! I love it there … well almost anywhere in Cornwall is good for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Gosh didn't we have iced coffee once last year Claire on one of our days out? We must have had a really hot day Yes .. we're all going to Port Isaac .. that's settled then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Gosh didn't we have iced coffee once last year Claire on one of our days out? We must have had a really hot day Yes … in fact it was so hot, our second drink was a soft drink Yes .. we're all going to Port Isaac .. that's settled then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Yes … in fact it was so hot, our second drink was a soft drink I should have written this on the calendar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 3, 2015 Author Share Posted February 3, 2015 Glad you like it frankie. hope you enjoy it when you get to reading it. Hope Mr Clunes won't be a disappointment for instance .. I'm sure he won't .. seems like such a nice chap and he loves doggies .. how could he be bad? You must visit Port Isaac .. that would be so cool. We must contrive it somehow .. I'd love to go too. Yes .. somehow we'll fit it in on your whistle stop tour I think it's all the young people turning us into a coffee nation .. the whippersnappers! I am tea through and through (only have coffee when out) but Alan is a half and halfer .. depends on how he feels. Coffee has rocketed in popularity .. thanks probably to Mr Costa and Mr Starbucks You would've been hard pressed to find a book I would've loved more! =D You know what I like.... Well done!! I don't think Martin Clunes (why do I always refer to him by his full name, sounds daft =D) will disappoint. I watched a bit of the TV series he was in, re: dogs, and he'd taken his Labrador to an obedience training course, and the dog was all over the place and Martin was so embarrassed. I laughed my ass off =D Yes we must definitely visit Port Isaac, me thinks! I'm dreadfully bad at geography (even Finnish geography... let alone foreign countries...), so you have to tell me whether Cornwall and Port Isaac are close to your neck of the woods? Whippersnappers Are those related to hipsters? The first time I heard the word 'whippersnapper' was on a Skunk Anansie album and I had no idea what it meant. I think I had an inkling, from the context, but I also think that I asked about the word on here at some point and someone told me what it was all about. The things I learn on this forum... I could write a book on the subject!! Oh Alan, he's a good man, for being a 'half and halfer'. You are so dear that I can forgive you for not being as much... I have to say, I've definitely changed to a coffee drinker while I'm out since the advent of Starbucks and the like. However, I've also found that if I find a local independent café, that nowadays they try much harder with providing decent tea in order to compete, so I can easily get the teas I like there, and will more often than not go for tea rather than coffee there. My local does a lovely choice, including English Breakfast (which let's face it is really just ordinary tea), Assam and Ceylon, or I can also get a good green tea or peppermint tea, which I prefer on really hot days (not that we get many of those over here ) Edit: Oh, and if you're going to Port Isaac, count me in! I love it there … well almost anywhere in Cornwall is good for me Even though I'm a dedicated coffee spokesperson, I do like it that the independent cafés over there are doing solid, good, drinkable teas. When in Rome.... When I come and visit, I must try lots and lots of tea. And make you guys drink the same, so you can tell me if it was any good. What would I know about tea? And yes, you are definitely coming with us to Port Isaac! You can be our guide, having been there before. I don't suppose you're chums with Clunes by now? Gosh didn't we have iced coffee once last year Claire on one of our days out? We must have had a really hot day Yes .. we're all going to Port Isaac .. that's settled then Oooooh iced coffee.... Glug! Yes … in fact it was so hot, our second drink was a soft drink What was that then? Long Island Iced Tea? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I hate tea - bleurg! Give me a good, strong, black coffee any day! I like blini with smoked salmon on it - although I haven't had it for a long, long time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 3, 2015 Author Share Posted February 3, 2015 I forgot to add in my post about the Martin Clunes book that the package included one of those new Book Depository bookmarks. Remember when they had this competition last year, where you could design your own bookmark and send it to BD and then the customers were able to vote for the ones they liked in the contest? The bookmark in my package said that it was part of a set designed by the BD customers How cool is that! If you want to take a look at the winners in the competition, go visit this link. The one I received is the second from left, top row. Designed by Tze-Chiang Lim, from Australia! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Even though I'm a dedicated coffee spokesperson, I do like it that the independent cafés over there are doing solid, good, drinkable teas. When in Rome.... When I come and visit, I must try lots and lots of tea. And make you guys drink the same, so you can tell me if it was any good. What would I know about tea? Ooh, we could have a proper tea party … not that I'm calling any of us Mad Hatters, but what could be better than a real tea party? And yes, you are definitely coming with us to Port Isaac! You can be our guide, having been there before. I don't suppose you're chums with Clunes by now? Sorry, didn't quite manage to meet up with Martin, but I do know where the best chip shop in the village is What was that then? Long Island Iced Tea? No, it was elderflower pressé, and absolutely delish on a hot summer day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 3, 2015 Author Share Posted February 3, 2015 I hate tea - bleurg! Give me a good, strong, black coffee any day! My kindred spirit Although I don't necessarily hate tea... I just don't drink it, unless I'm ill. And then I have to have sugar and milk! I like blini with smoked salmon on it - although I haven't had it for a long, long time! It's really good, isn't it! And now you're making me hungry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I'm making me hungry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 3, 2015 Author Share Posted February 3, 2015 I'm making me hungry! Serves you right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I am treating myself to a packet of salt and sweet popcorn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 3, 2015 Author Share Posted February 3, 2015 Ooh, we could have a proper tea party … not that I'm calling any of us Mad Hatters, but what could be better than a real tea party? Oooh, a proper tea party! With one of those thingies for nice sandwiches and cakes... The ones with the different 'layers'. I'm thinking of a word with tear/tier? And I want cucumber sandwiches, like they had in The Importance of Being Earnest! Sorry, didn't quite manage to meet up with Martin, but I do know where the best chip shop in the village is That's alright, I will give you some time to befriend him, I won't be visiting this instant... And okay, I could also settle for chips No, it was elderflower pressé, and absolutely delish on a hot summer day. Elderflower... Sounds completely exotic and unfamiliar but I'd drink it! I am treating myself to a packet of salt and sweet popcorn! I just had popcorn a while ago, what a coinky dink! I treated myself to it after having done some writing re: my uni paper But I'm already hungry again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 (edited) #6. First Term at Malory Towers, #7. Second Term at Malory Towers and #8. Third Year at Malory Towers by Enid Blyton Blurb from the omnibus called The Early Years at Malory Towers: Darrell Rivers is off to a new school, the famous Malory Towers. How is she going to fit in, let alone find her way around? And what adventures will she have? Join Darrell and her new friends as they learn about boarding school life. Along the way there will be lessons, quarrels and sporting contests, teachers to play tricks on - and plenty of mischief, mayhem and midnight feasts! Thoughts: I still claim that there were no midnight feasts in the first three novels (there are more books to the series) and I'm very disappointed and I feel cheated! I found out about the book series on this forum some years ago, and it was probably in reference to boarding school novels. Or maybe it was about Enid Blyton. Anyway, I added the first book on my wishlist. I've read Enid's mystery books as a kid (my favorite series being the Five Find-Outers) and as I love boarding school books, I was very exited about the series. The Joensuu library didn't have any copies though, so I kind of forgot about the series. When I moved to Espoo and was checking out the children's section and bumped into Blyton's novels, I remembered it again and was happy to find out that they have copies at the libraries over here! I wrote about it in this log and chesilbeach was quick to comment and ask if I'd want to do a mini read-a-long on the books and then lots of other people wanted to join us, too You can find the Malory Towers group read thread here. As I've discussed the book in that particular thread, I won't go into details in this review. I liked the books I read, I gave them each 3/5. I'm happy I read them and what I particularly liked about them was the very diverse set of characters Enid had come up with. Would I re-read them? Probably not. I think if I'd read the books as a child, I would've enjoyed them more and would've really loved the nostalgia trip. 3/5 Edited February 6, 2015 by frankie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 #9. Chasing the Dead by Tim Weaver From the blurb: It starts out as a sad but hopeless case of mistaken identity. A year after the death of her son Alex, Mary Towne is convinced she's seen him alive – and she wants missing persons investigator David Raker to find him. Reluctant at first, but haunted by a loss of his own, Raker eventually agrees. As Alex's life begins to unravel in front of him, Raker discovers it wasn't the innocent one his mother believed. Buried in his past are dark, dangerous secrets that were never meant to be found – and a sinister group of killers willing to protect them, whatever the cost. Thoughts: Well well well... It started out decently and I was making myself comfortable, in order to enjoy a good thriller. I felt bad for David re: his loss. But then... I only have complaints about the rest of the novel. First, David's loss is being discussed and it's been made out to mean something in this or that respect even though it really has nothing to do with anything. Second, the whole idea behind what's going on is very poorly explained and not convincing at all. Third, there are twists in the novel but they are either poor ones or not in the least bit plausible. The last one made me sigh and roll my eyes. And fourth, the writing wasn't all that impressive, either. I wasn't on tenterhooks. I so wanted to like the book and I'd already checked out if they have the other books in the series at the library, but one can't always win. The first dud of the year. Not very happy that it's so early in the year... 1/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Aww. Well at least it can only get better from here, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 (edited) Aww. Well at least it can only get better from here, right? That's right, and it has already gotten better! I'm loving my current read, The Case of the Missing Books by Ian Sansom Edit: Just saw the ratings for the novel on Amazon, I can't believe it's gotten such mixed reviews Well well! Edited February 6, 2015 by frankie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 (edited) I had a library experience just now that almost made me tearful... Well that's an overstatement but I did get a bit of a scare! Before Christmas I borrowed a bunch of The Men from the Ministry CDs from a small library in Helsinki, as I was visiting that area and wanted to check their library and found episodes there that I couldn't find at my own Sello library in Espoo. I didn't have time to listen to them, though. When one of them had been reserved and I had to take it back, I thought I'd take them all back at the same time. I checked the CD cases as I always do, to see that all the CDs were there and I hadn't placed any of mine there in the cases. Then, shock and horror, one of the CDs was not the one that it was supposed to be according to the case! It was a different TMftM CD! I panicked, wondering if I'd taken some of those CDs back already and had mixed two CDs. But I thought that's not possible, because I always check and double check. Partly because I want to do things right by the library and partly because of my mild OCD on the subject I went to the library last week and returned all the CDs except for the one, which I took to the customer service and told them I had a problem, the CD being the wrong one. The librarian took some time but did find a note saying somewhere in their virtual database that at the library where I'd borrowed the CDs from they had the other CD case and the other CD. Meaning, the two contents had been mixed and put in the wrong cases. She said she'd make a note of it and that it was all settled. I thanked her and sighed of relief. However, today I got a call from a random number, but as it was a 09 number, I knew it's from Helsinki and therefore not some person trying to sell me magazines or whatever. I managed to google the phone number and turned out it was the Helsinki library They hung up just before I was going to answer it, knowing who was calling. Well I thought they'd call back, and forgot about it. Then I went to the library to collect a few reserved items, and when I was trying to borrow them with the automatic machine, it said that I had used a faulty pin number. I thought it was odd... I went to the desk and asked them about it, and they investigated and said it's because there seems to be some sort of problem with a CD I'd returned. They told me to contact the number. I said 'I suppose I'm to leave these reserved items here then...?' and the guy was nice and said he would make an exception for me because the items had already traveled to the library from other libraries. What a nice fellow! When I got back home, I called the Helsinki library immediately. A man picked up, someone who didn't speak Finnish as their first language. And the line was so odd! Whenever he'd say nothing, the line got really quiet and I would think the line was dead. But when he started saying something or when he did something, I could hear the line. It was so annoying! And he didn't seem to get my point: that I'd returned a CD that held within it a wrong CD. He said well why don't you take the right one to the library. =D I had to explain that it's because I got the wrong CD to begin with.... And then he wanted my library card number. The numbers are odd: they all start with 2 and then they have 00000. Five 0's. My card continues with 20, etc. and when I said 'two zero', the guy asked 'two zero more?' and I said 'yes, two, zero'. And when he got quiet and took his sweet time I realized he must've thought I said 'two zeros', meaning 00, instead of two and zero. At this point I was rolling my eyes and sighing quietly... =D Finally he got it right and then he took his sweet time again, and then he said that oh yes, I've just found the other CD case and the right CD, and it's as you said: we do now have them all, and the librarian who took in your CD earlier just didn't notice that there was a special notification for further proceedings. Thank you lord, finally! I'm cleared of all charges...! =D It might seem like a small thing, and it is. But it's related to another thing I've noticed: the libraries in the south don't do any kind of number coding for CD and DVD material. In Joensuu, each CD and DVD is given a specific number and it's easy to just check them. It takes more time to return the CDs and put them on the shelves because you have to go through them all to see that the numbers match. But it's beneficial because if you hit the number series in the database, you can see what's going on. I don't know if you can do that with the ones over here, what with the CDs and DVDs lacking the codes. I think it's risky! [Edit: And if they always checked the code numbers, they wouldn't put CDs in the wrong cases to begin with, for people to then borrow them. Although of course customers could've mixed the CDs up at the library, when looking at them. One never knows.] And good on the Sello librarians being so up to date on things, knowing where to look and how to sort things out, and the guy making that exception for me. I think my library's the coolest. Oh and I found out that there's a library book clearance sale at the Sello library this Sunday. I'm really not happy that I found out about it... I also almost ran into a guy I went on a few dates with last September. Blergh! Seeing him made me feel a bit sad, I guess I'm still somewhat sad that he found someone else, even though it wouldn't have worked out with him in the end. Blergh!! Almost forgot! One of the reservations was More Fool Me by Stephen Fry!! I thought I was still long in line, but apparently not! I really thought I had to wait another month or two at least, but it's here, it's now, it is! Oh dear (But the best thing about the day was that the sun shone for the first time in at least a month or maybe even two. It was gorgeous! I actually went out and the sun was getting lower and I had to walk around and find a higher place so I could see it and it could see me, and then when I finally reached a good spot, there were clouds I felt like one of those storm hunters. But I was hunting for the sun rays. It was fun I managed to catch a few. What a gorgeous day! ) Edited February 6, 2015 by frankie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melodious Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 That sounds like a big fuss but I hope it's finally resolved. Here's to the nice guy for letting you take your reserved items Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 That sounds like a big fuss but I hope it's finally resolved. Here's to the nice guy for letting you take your reserved items I hate it when things like that happen, especially when I got the wrong CD in the first place. And especially when I love libraries. If it were some other instance and establishment, I wouldn't take it so personally I <3 libraries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 At my local library every item has a unique code so that if there are multiple copies of an item they know which one is assigned to which borrower. Sounds like you had a right nightmare but at least it's sorted out now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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