I DON'T SUPPOSE.....

…..I even need to tell you what happens on a Wednesday morning now!  For those who may be reading my Blip for the very first time, every Wednesday I am on a live radio programme called “Girls About Town", for Swindon 105.5, a Community Radio Station,  when we chat about anything and everything and often have a special guest.

However, this morning it was just Verity and me - but - and those who know me will understand what I mean - we had no problem chatting for two hours, interspersed with songs from various artists including Wet, Wet, Wet, Kylie Minogue, Elvis Presley and Del Shannon, to name but a few.  If you are interested in listening to the Podcast, then just click on this link and search for “Girls About Town”.

We chatted about all sorts of things including “Things a Woman Should do Before She’s 50” but as we said, anyone can do anything at whatever age, so never let age hold you back!  I must say that I was impressed that Verity said she had changed not only a plug, a fuse and a lightbulb, also a tyre - she is a woman of many talents!  In my collage is our obligatory “selfie” and I even managed to get the Swindon 105.5 logo in the shot.  

To get into the Radio Station on a Wednesday morning, I go through Liden Library, and within the library is a café area called Odey’s Café.  I was pleased as I walked through the library this morning to find a book on the “Books for Sale” trolley that I had been thinking of buying, “Birdsong” by Sebastian Faulks - and it only cost me 50p.  What a bargain!  

I picked it up and was looking for someone to pay, so when Natalie, one of the volunteers, said she could take the money for me and then hand it to the librarian tomorrow, having checked with Angie, another volunteer, who was in charge today, so I was delighted.  I stayed for a few minutes and chatted with them before going into the studio and told them I would give a “shout-out” for the café on the programme, which of course I did.

The café helps to raise money for the Open Door Centre in Swindon - hence the name “Odey’s” - a day resource charity that supports adults with learning disabilities, who may also have a physical disability or mental health issue.  It’s great to know that vulnerable members of our community are able to help and be supported in this way and it was obvious that Natalie was very much enjoying being in the café this morning. 

I know that many of those who attend the Open Door Centre also go to a “Special Friends’ Church” which is run by members of our Church and other volunteers, at Lawn Community Centre, on a Wednesday evening and when we hear about the things they do, it’s obvious that they have a great time.

One thing that we did speak about for sometime on the programme is the fact that tomorrow, 5th March, is World Book Day, when children and young people of all ages will be encouraged to read together at school and expand on their love for books;  the charity also encourages children (or should that be their parents?)  to create props and costumes of their book idols and wear them to school.  

They didn’t have anything like this when I was at school nor when our boys were younger, but Verity and I were reading a humorous article which pointed out that many parents don’t even know about the dressing-up side of World Book Day until the evening before - i.e. this evening - so at least if parents were listening to our programme, they had more warning!

Mr. HCB and I love books - in fact, we really should get rid of some of the hundreds we have, and if you come to our house, you will see that we “live” this quote:

“Fill your house with stacks of books, 
     in all the crannies and all the nooks.”
Dr. Seuss