photos from The Woolworths Virtual Museum

that's the wonder of good old woollies ...

I don't know about you, but I want Woolworths to stay as it is, a shop which sells good quality products at reasonable prices, and offers great value for money. Don't get me wrong I love to mooch around the top end shops, but I rarely buy anything, my pleasure when it comes to spending is to grab a bargain or two?



Who else remembers the sweet counters in Woolworths? One memory of mine as a kid back in the late sixties, early seventies, was standing marvelling at the vast expanse of sweets (pic 'n mix) in the Worthing branch. On occasion, my grandparents would take me and my brother into town, and if my memory serves me right, after deliberating for ages we were allowed a bag each!

Steve, this is for you -

The immaculately polished white Hillman Hunter!

Parking outside the Berkeley (such a long trek into town) - revs of the engine and several maneouvres!

The flask of milky coffee in the glovebox, to drink before coming home!



Who else remembers the display of vinyl 45s and 12 inch singles on the shelves of Woolworths? Back in 1981 when I was studying a secretarial course at college, my friends and I would pop into the Broadwater branch most lunchtimes, and on most days I would come out with a single or two, many of which now have a home in the loft!

Click on The Woolworths Virtual Museum for lots more memories, remember Winfield their own brand?

Let's hear of any memories you may have of good old Woolies!

my photos

magazine swap ...

Lisa at Periwinkle way back in August organised a magazine swap and I was paired with lovely Adrienne from Some Of A Kind in the US. Due to me having boring old job commitments and Adrienne being busy in her life, we didn't get to exchange until well into October.

Thanks Adrienne, I have really enjoyed looking through Southern Living, a mixture of home, garden and recipes, and Gardening How To, which includes an article on making a lovely bamboo planter using Sempervivum, and one on colourful Coleus, a plant which I am definitely going to introduce into my garden next summer.



Along with the magazines Adrienne included this lovely card with a recipe for Chocolate Tea Cake with an orange glaze. I can definitely see those cup measures being dusted off and coming out of the drawer!

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remembering mum on her birthday ...

Today along with my step-dad, on a chilly but sunny afternoon, we take a trip to the crematorium to visit mum's plot. Included in the present for her birthday, a posy, are pretty Asters also known as Michealmas Daisies, just like in the photo above. Her ashes lie in a beautiful area of countryside just north of the South Downs, with wildlife abound, where I am happy in the knowledge she is peacefully at rest.

When someone dies we miss them very much, always and forever remaining in our thoughts.

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bread and butter pudding ...

Turn waste into delicacies!

Originating from the early 17th century, bread and butter pudding is one of Britain's oldest and well-loved puddings. Having fallen out of favour back in the 1990s, this pudding is now definitely back on the menu.

Many celebrity chefs have made claim to having re-invented this pudding by adding all nature of fancy ingredients, why, in my book you really don't need to. To me the whole point of making this is to use leftover bread and cheap store cupboard ingredients, and the recipe I use is one from the Victory Cookbook by Marguerite Patten.

- The celebrations for VE and VJ days in 1945 might well have been the time when the farmer's wife would decide to make a real bread and butter pudding with butter and shell eggs - a rare extravagance - an excerpt from the book. Such humble ingredients, all of which we very much take for granted nowadays.

6 slices of white bread spread with butter
3 oz (75g) sultanas
3 eggs
2 oz (50g) sugar
1 pint (600ml) milk

Layer squares of bread and butter with the sultanas in a 2 pint (1.2 litre) pie dish. Beat the eggs with the sugar, add the milk and then pour over. I always allow to stand for about 30 minutes before baking in the oven (150oC, Gas Mark 2) until just firm.

Some restaurants serve this pudding with cream or extra custard, you really don't need to, it is moist enough to eat as it is, warm and straight from the dish!

my photos

the downs link stage 5 ...

bramber - steyning - henfield

We are early to bed and early to rise, so it is no sacrifice for us to get up, out and about as day breaks, this way we get to see a lot of wildlife waking up too. Just as we set off on the stretch from Henfield a large fox ran out in front of our path, a real beauty. In the blink an eye it had disappeared into the undergrowth, so unfortunately I wasn't able to get a photo.



The Downs Link follows former railway lines, and just south of the station site in Henfield is a small housing estate aptly named 'Beechings', a reference to Dr Beeching who was the minister responsible for railway closures in 1966. The last passenger train left Steyning carrying a wreath on its buffers which read 'in loving memory of the faithful'.




The White Hart public house dates back to the 17th century, with low beams, candlelit spaces and an inglenook fireplace.



A picturesque red tile and brick building, T Miles and Son, blacksmiths.

Gold is for the mistress
silver for the maid
copper for the craftsman cunning at his trade.

Good! said the Baron, sitting in his hall
but iron, cold iron
is master of them all - Rudyard Kipling

where do you blog from?

Way back in August I asked you where you blog from? With 60 votes the results were, Australia (6), Canada (9), Europe (8), UK (22), USA (11) and other (4).

Well I blog from West Sussex and I am Sussex born and bred, having during my life lived in three different villages all within close proximity around the county.



I spent my childhood and teenage years in and around the village of Angmering. The hand-coloured postcard above shows the village green and Arundel Road circa 1905. Having altered somewhat over the years, back in the early to mid seventies, this is the very hill I walked up every day to primary school, first stopping off at the small sweet shop at the bottom for a daily supply of chews, candy cigarettes and a copy of Twinkle!



For a couple of years or so, I lived in the village of Clapham. Luckily we lived on a hill, many a time in the winter my mini wouldn't start and I had to jump it on the clutch! The postcard of a watercolour above, shows the church of St Mary the Virgin circa 1845, the porch on the west wall has since been removed.



Finally the village of Lancing, credited as being the largest village in England. The postcard above shows a group of children on North Road, identified from left to right as Eadie Green, May Merriott, and Olive Cooper holding Bessie Oram. Little Croft Penfold almhouses are on the extreme right. Hand-coloured postcard circa 1910.



This is my 200th post! To celebrate I am having a giveaway, the prize being the heart-shaped card/photo holder above.

To have a chance of winning I would like you to leave a comment telling me which county in the UK you live, or if overseas which area or state you live in? It's as easy as that!

I shall look forward to drawing a winner on Sunday 30th November, so good luck to everyone, wherever you happen to be around the world.

Marie at Marie Chantal is celebrating her 200th post too!

these three kittens ...

So lucky their meows were heard. These three dear kittens were recently found dumped in a wheelie bin in the Worthing area.

Who could do such a thing?

Cruelty or desperation?

my photos

the downs link stage 6 ...

shoreham-by-sea - botolphs - bramber

Over the past couple of months on a Sunday, we have been out and about on our bikes. We have been cycling the different stages of the Downs Link which starts at the Coastal Link at Shoreham in West Sussex and finishes at St Martha's Hill, near Guildford in Surrey.



The old toll bridge which crosses across the River Adur at Shoreham has recently undergone a major refurbishment, after the ravegings of time and the weather, have finally over the years taken their toll. Built in 1781 to replace the ferry, this last remaining example of this type of bridge has thankfully been given a new lease of life, due to lots of hard work and fundraising by local people.



A very handsome heron, with rather a proud look on his face, guards the Coastal Link path.



To Upper Beeding, engraved on an old wood stump. Handy directions for the cyclist and any insect passing by!



Arriving in Bramber, a pretty village which often wins the accolade of best kept village in the South East.



The remains of Bramber Castle, which is now owned and managed by The National Trust.



Another scene from the village of Bramber, showing the Castle Inn Hotel and a very pretty flint front building, both adorned with very pretty hanging baskets.