Tag Archives: funnies

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up – 22nd – 28th June – #Heatwave, Big Band Era, Out of Africa, #Spices #Accents, Summer Book Fair, Shortstories, Funnies.

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Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord..

I know some of you have been enduring record temperatures and even here we have had some scorchers. It is not often we get the fans out we brought back from Spain but I have one next to me night and day at the moment.  I am not complaining as early mornings and evenings are very pleasant.

I did wonder how Babycat would get on in the heat but he was very sensible, during the day in and out from under the thick hedge and I made sure he had plenty of wet food and water. Not much fun with a fur coat but during the summer he spends his life outside sleeping at night in the safety of his purpose built house. Another couple of months and he will be back on the bed upstairs moaning about the wet weather lol.

I received another lovely review this week for Tales from the Irish Garden from Balroop Singh and another terrific boost for the book.

You can read Balroop’s review along with the others for the book: Goodreads Tales from the Irish Garden.  

On the blog front.

It is five years since I last shared the letters from America I sent to my parents about our adventures over the two years we lived in Houston. I was going to put them in a book but to be honest I think they might be better enjoyed as a series again… I hope… they start on Tuesday and will continue for the next ten years…. only kidding… next two years lol.

My thanks as always to the amazing contributors for their posts and support.

William Price King joined me for a Big Band era and on Friday another in the Chart Toppers and Blockbuster series and we are delighted you are enjoying along with us.  You can catch up with William on his own Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies will be back with another post in her series on ageing July 6th. On her own blog her monthly writer’s tips and as always her Sunday Book Review and this week it is for The Destination: Harbor Pointe – Book 3 by D. L. Finn   D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor was here on Wednesday sharing recipes for Fajita Spice, Tahini, Peanut Butter and Hummus..this week the second part of spicing up your food and.on her own blog Carol shared  the most recent of the cuisines of Peru. CarolCook 

Malcolm Allen was here on Monday with a rewind of his funnies… always entertaining.

Thomas Wikman was here on Thursday with a very interesting exploration of accents and how hard it is to lose even when you learn another language. Amazon US

And my thanks to you for all your support during the week.

Music Column Retro- The Big Band Era with William Price King and Sally Cronin – 1940s – Georgie Stoll with Judy Garland, Victor Young with Dick Haymes, Tommy Rall

Chart Toppers and Blockbusters 1980s with William Price King – “What’s Love Got To Do With It” and Out of Africa

The Cookery Column Retro with Carol Taylor #Fajita Spice, #Tahini #Peanut Butter #Hummus

Comedy with Malcolm Allen Rewind – Book Groups and Bank Heists

Thomas Wikman’s Superfacts – #Accents are very difficult to lose

Book Review – #Noir #Crime #Thriller – Dead Jealous by Alison J. Moore

Posts from last six months of 2025 – #Poetry #Tanka Love at First Sight by Gwen Plano

#Memoir #Teaching Pete Springer, #Memoir #Leonbergers Thomas Wikman, #Christmas #Cookbook Carol Taylor

#Shortstories #Life Alex Craigie, #Ireland, #Contemporary #Recipes Mary Crowley, #Shortstories #Flash Janet Gogerty

#Romance #France #Artists J. Arlene Culiner, #Romance #PostWWII Jan K Sikes, #Western #Romance Silverhills’ Rescue by Sandra Cox

#Murder #Mystery Noelle A Granger, #Mystery #Thriller Anne Louise O’Connell, #pyschological #family Stevie Turner

Smorgasbord Authors in the Sun – #Summer #Spain #Rain – Skyhorses, ‘Los caballos del cielo’ by Sue Wickstead

Host Sally Cronin and the Social Media Team – Loan Repayment and Bathroom cleaning

 

Thanks very much for dropping in today and I hope you will join us again next week.

 

 

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up – June 15th – 21st – Blogger Meet Up, Big Band, Chart toppers, Cuisine Pakistan, Book Review, Summer Book Fair, Funnies

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Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

I hope you have enjoyed your week so far… it has certainly thrown up one or two surprises for us.

One being the email I received earlier in the week from lovely blogger and author Cheryl Oreglia. 

Cheryl and her husband Larry were on a cruise around the UK stopping off at various points and taking to the road on their cycles. Those of you who are familiar with Cheryl’s Living in the Gap posts will know this intrepid couple are well known for their road trips with its ups and downs!

Anyway the surprise was they were going to be in Ireland from Wednesday and would like to meet up if possible. You bet it was!  We arranged to connect on Friday at Powerscourt house, gardens and distillery for lunch.  And had the company of the garden’s crows for our photographs.

It was such a delight to spend what was a far too short a time with this wonderful couple..Here are just  two of photos taken when the sun popped out at just the right moment. From left to right… Larry, Cheryl and David.

Hopefully not the last time we will meet but certainly something we will treasure.

Toni Pike very kindly posted a wonderful review for Tales from the Irish Garden to her blog on Friday which finished the week on another high note…. Thanks so much Toni ♥

Book Review – Tales Irish Garden by Toni Pike

My thanks as always to the amazing contributors for their posts and support.

William Price King joined me for a Big Band era and on Friday another in the Chart Toppers and Blockbuster series and we are delighted you are enjoying along with us.  You can catch up with William on his own Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies will be back with another post in her series on ageing July 6th. On her own blog an exploration of toxic relationships and walking away from them.and as always her Sunday Book Review and this week it is for the exciting thriller Two Graves by Terry Tyler   D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor was here on Wednesday exploring the cuisine of Pakistan and this coming Wednesday she will be sharing recipes for Fajita Spice, Tahini, Peanut Butter and Hummus...on her own blog Carol shared  the most recent of the cuisines of Panama. CarolCook 

The Big Band Era with William Price King and Sally Cronin – 1940s – Nat King Cole, John Scott Trotter and Bing Crosby, Bob Fosse

Chart Toppers and Blockbusters 1980s with William Price King “Beat It” and Amadeus

A-Z World Cuisines with Carol Taylor Reblog – Discovering the Cuisine of Pakistan…traditionally known as Sapta-Sindhu-Land of seven rivers…

The Alexander Technique – Part Three – Standing, Sitting and Walking Correctly by Sally Cronin

#AmericanHeartland #Stories The Immigrant and the Outlaw by Joy Neal Kidney

#Life #Redemption #Respect – Gravy by Alex Craigie

Shortstories- #Fantasy – The Girl and the Bear by D.L. Finn

#Romantic #Thriller Joy York, #Noir #Crime Alison J. Moore, #Murder #Mystery Sharon Marchisello

#SocialHistory #Compassion #Audio Elizabeth Gauffreau, #Love #War #Courage Apple Gidley, #History #SouthAfrica Pat Spencer

#Historical #Prehistoric #Trilogy Jacqui Murray, #Medieval Patricia Furstenburg, #WWII Paulette Mahurin

#Life #Shortstories #Poetry – Beem Weeks, M.J. Mallon and Sally Cronin

Share an Excerpt – Boost one of your books – #Supernatural #Paranormal #Thriller Five-Toed Tigress by T.W. Dittmer

Host Sally Cronin and the Social Media Team – Kindles, Air Fares Nutritional Advice.

Thank you for dropping in and I hope you will join us again next week… 

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up June 8th – 14th – Gratitude, Music, Thai Noodles, Funnies, Book Reviews, Summer Book Fair, Authors in the Sun, bloggers

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Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

I hope you have had a great week and thanks for dropping in today. A mixed week again here with one day with wind, sunshine, downpour, sunshine, hail storm, sunshine then calm at 8pm.  Welcome to mid-summer lol.

But I was considerably brightened as always by the generous support of members of our writing community..

My thanks to Laura Lyndhurst who has given Life’s Rich Tapestry some TLC with a wonderful review which has given both the collection and its author a wonderful boost…and you can find her review and all her others on her Reviews Page

And delighted with the review for The Missing Pieces by Yvette Prior which she posted on her blog on Friday. A wonderful start to the weekend to discover another visitor happy to have explored the garden and its inhabitants. Tales from the Irish Garden

And another wonderful review from Thomas Wikman also on his blog on Friday with his take on the shenanigans in the garden… fantastic and Thomas will be back with us on June 25th with another of his Superfacts articles The Magical Irish Garden Sanctuary

My thanks as always to the amazing contributors for their posts and support.

William Price King joined me for a Big Band era and on Friday another in the Chart Toppers and Blockbuster series and we are delighted you are enjoying along with us.  You can catch up with William on his own Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies will be back with another post in her series on ageing July 6th. a reblog of her most recent post in the series..and as always her Sunday Book Review which this week is Bogie in a Human World: Life, Love and Letting Go – Book 3 by Cheryl Spears  D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor was here on Wednesday sharing recipes for Thai Noodles and on Wednesday she will be exploring the cuisine of Pakistan…you will find plenty to enjoy in Carol’s archives. CarolCook 

Malcolm Allen was here on Monday with more of his terrific funnies.

And if you have missing the photos of a certain someone…

Thank you so much for your support and shares this week again..it is always appreciated. 

he Big Band Era with William Price King and Sally Cronin – 1940s – Harry James with Helen Forrest, Charlie Barnet, Dean Collins

Chart Toppers and Blockbusters 1980s with William Price King – “Rosanna” and Terms of Endearment

The Cookery Column Retro with Carol Taylor -#Thai #Noodles

Comedy with Malcolm Allen 2026 – Tech Support and Irony

The Alexander Technique – Part Two – #Posture, #Backpain #Ergonomics by Sally Cronin

#Psychological #Thriller Two Graves (Revenge Book 3) by Terry Tyler

Book Reviews Retro – June 2025 -#Poetry Joy Neal Kidney, #Thriller Laura Lyndhurst, #Thriller Stuart Woods, #Poetry John Dolan

#Contemporary Laura Lyndhurst, #Psychologicalthriller Toni Pike, #Psychologicalthriller Terry Tyler

#Shortstory – #Supernatural Yvette Calleiro, #Paranormal #Historical #BoerWar Roberta Eaton Cheadle, #Action #Supernatural #AncientEgypt Audrey Driscoll

#PsychologicalThriller Lisette Brodey, #Thriller #Familysaga Judith Barrow, #Supernatural #Suspense John W. Howell

Authors in the Sun – #Mystery – Halloween Justice by Sharon Marchisello

#Childhood #Sanctuary ST. Edmund’s Priory by Noelle A. Granger.

Smorgasbord Funnies 2026 – Host Sally Cronin and the Social Media Team – The Corn Maze and Guardian Angels

A small selection of posts I have enjoyed this week and I hope you will head over to enjoy in full.

Jacqui Murray is on a monumental mission to research and outline her next trilogy in the journey across the human evolution and in this update she whets our appetite for what is to come and explains some of the major earth events that accompanied this next journey.

Head over to find out more about the next project: The Shadow of the Giants

Patricia Furstenberg shares her review for what sounds like a wonderful short story collection set in France…One Morning in Provence by Lorna Fergusson..

Head over to enjoy Pat’s review: One Morning in Provence by Lorna Fergusson..

There are not many in our community who are not in touch with Jennie Fitzkee and her wonderful approach to teaching and storytelling. In this post she steps back in time to a schoolhouse in Groton New England which dates back to the late 1700s. As part of the a real life experience for young students who spend the day with Jennie in her role as Schoolmarm.. brilliant.

Head over to enjoy this trip back in history: Jennie the Schoolmarm

And finally a re-telling of Jack in the Beanstalk by Jim Wright which will have you firmly on the side of someone totally unexpected…

Head over to consider the verdict: Regarding certain bean related allegations.

 

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will join us again next week.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up – March 30th- April 5th – Cat antics, Music, Easter Treats, New Books, Reviews, Indian Head Massage, Immunity, Influencers, Funnies

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Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

Happy Easter and I hope you are enjoying the holiday weekend. We have managed to contain ourselves when it comes to treats but spread them out over four days to have some everyday. It is not that I would not be totally happy to indulge but I have found with age it takes me a week to get over the sugar overload. Oh for the days when a box of chocolates was gone in a flash…

There has been some sunshine in the week and his majesty made the most of it and appeared at his regular specified meal times… 7.00, 8.00, 9.00, 10.00, Elevenses, 12.00 etc…you get the drift. He prefers picnics when the sun is shining and lies on the doormat awaiting his order. There are days when I feel like a MacDonald’s Drive Thru…

We are expecting Storm David to hit with very high winds for the next two days (no it is not my husband) so we have tied down everything that is likely to go airborne including the cat!

This current archive is now closed for submissions as it is very happily scheduled through to the end of May, so a stack of posts for you to enjoy from lovely members of our writing community.  My thanks to everyone who has participated and there will be another series towards the end of the year.

Delighted to share the news that Thomas Wikman who lives in Dallas, is going to be joining us as a contributor with a series of selected earlier posts from his very informative and entertaining series Superfacts. The first is scheduled for April 30th and is for all of us on Facebook.

My thanks as always to the amazing contributors for their posts and support.

William Price King joined me for a Big Band era and on Friday another in the Chart Toppers and Blockbuster series and we are delighted you are in the groove with us.  You can catch up with William on his own Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies Debby shared the third part of her travels and adventure in Puerto Vallarta covering the very frightening breakout of violence and the aftermath. Also her Sunday book review for  Celebrating Poetry by Cindy Georgakas     Debby will be back with us on Monday with her new series As We Age...something to look forward to.  D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor was here on Wednesday with some more homemade Easter treats for everyone to enjoy and will be here this week with the cuisine of the Netherlands – bring your appetite. You will find plenty to enjoy in Carol’s archives. CarolCook 

Daniel Kemp was here on Saturday with some of his funnies from the archives.

Thank you so much for your support and shares this week again.. amazing.

The Big Band Era with William Price King and Sally Cronin – 1940s – Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers

Chart Toppers and Blockbusters 1970s with William Price King – “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and The Sting

The Cookery Column with Carol Taylor – Easter celebrations around the World and Baked Easter Treats.

Open Mic Night with author Daniel Kemp – Caffeine and Eating in the Fifties

My Parents by Andrew McDowell

Acidity/Alkalinity pH Balance for Health Part Three The Plan – Project 101 Resilience by Sally Cronin

Massage Therapy, Essential Oils

Ancient Healing Therapies – Indian Head Massage by Sally Cronin

#Shortstories Hope, Fears and Realities: Stories, Poems and Personal Tales by Alex Craigie

#Cats #Memoir Slow Blink by Louise Ross

Book Review Round Up – March 2026 – Excellent reads by Yvette M. Calleiro, Laura Lyndhurst, Janet Morrison and Beth Haslam

A focus this week was to share book review posts so that as many authors as possible received a boost… so thanks to Carol Taylor, Denise Finn and Jan Sikes for participating and sharing their recommendations for outstanding books.

#Bookreviews for W.D. Kilpack III, Roberta Cheadle, Fiona Tarr and John Howell by Carol Taylor

Book Reviews for July 2025 ! #ColleenLConnelly #LindaBroday #NAGranger #DanAntion by D.L. Finn

Jan Sikes with her reviews for books by Elizabeth Gauffreau, Darlene Foster, Staci Troilo,Priscilla Bettis and Karina Bartow.

#Writing #Publishing How an Author and AI Became Creative Partners by Grace Blair

A small selection of posts I have enjoyed this week and I hope you will head over to read in full.

Those of you who enjoy Jennie Fitzkee’s posts about life in her classroom will be familiar with her teaching assistant Gloria. Gloria is currently on a field trip to England as the guest of author Willow Willers where she is enjoying the VIP experience and in this post it is the royal treatment..

Head over to enjoy Gloria’s latest adventure: Gloria meets a real grenadier guardsman

Fatherhood can be a daunting prospect, particularly if you are unprepared and Edward Ortiz celebrates his son’s 18th birthday with his reflections on his own childhood and his determination to be there every step of the way with his own son.. A post every man should read, and certainly an expectant father.

Read Edward’s heartwarming post on fatherhood: Eighteen years, one indescribable journey

Beth shares the incredible feat which I had not heard of before…taking place before the Internet it really did not receive the celebration it should have had. Steve Newman, 28, a freelance journalist, left his house in the town of Bethel, Ohio for a 4-year journey walking around the world on April 1st 1983.

Discover the adventures this intrepid traveller experienced: A man decides to go for a walk

Olga Nunez Miret reviews the latest release by Stevie Turner…Holding Hands... a romance with a lovely twist as it celebrates that being in the later stages of life does not preclude us from enjoying some of the sweeter things in life.

Head over to discover more about Stevie’s new book and enjoy Olga’s review: Olga reviews Holding Hands

And Patricia Furstenberg shared the fascinating Romanian history of shepharding going back 3,000 years… and a delicious Easter recipe for drob, a traditional lamb-terrine recipe.baked drob Easter Paste food Romania

Head over to enjoy both Pat’s post and her recipe: Romanian Drob, a Lamb-Terrine for Easter, its History, Symbology and Traditional Recipe #Im4Ro

The Job Applicant
A local business was looking for office help. They put a sign in the window, stating the following: “HELP WANTED: Must be able to type, must be good with a computer and must be bilingual. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.

A short time later, a dog trotted up to the office and saw the sign. He went inside and looked at the secretary and wagged his tail, then walked over to the sign and barked. Getting the message the secretary got the manager who looked at the dog and was surprised to say the least. However, the dog looked determined so he led him into his office.

The dog jumped into a chair and sat staring at the manager. ‘I can’t hire you. The advert says you must be able to type’. With that the dog jumped down from the chair and went over to another desk where there was a typewriter. He stood on his back legs and typed out a perfect letter, retrieved with his teeth and returned to the manager.

The dog jumped back into his chair and stared at the amazed man.

‘The job requires you to be good with a computer.’ The dog jumped down again and went over to the manager’s desktop and pushed him to one side. Again on his hind legs he created a spreadsheet and printed it off. By this time the office manager was pretty gobsmacked.

‘I appreciate that you have some outstanding abilities and are very intelligent. However, I still can’t give you the job.

The dog went out to the front office and reached up to pull the sign off the window.. He returned and put it on the desk in front of the manager with his paw on the line about being an Equal Opportunity Employer. The manager agreed. ‘

Yes, but the sign also says that you have to be bilingual’

The dog looked calmly at the manager and said ‘Meow’

 

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will join us again next week… Happy Easter.

Smorgasbord Weekly Round Up – 29th December – 4th January 2026 – Big Band Era, Chart Toppers, Blockbusters, Book Reviews, Funnies.

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Welcome to the first of the weekly round ups of 2026… I hope you have had a wonderful holidays and are raring to go in the New Year. 

Welcome to 2026 and time to have a look at some of the features coming up in the first part of the year.

A new series of Share an Excerpt of one of your books will be coming up with a promotional post on Thursday with all the details.

On Monday a new series from Geoff Cronin – another of his books Milestones along the Way with some tales from Waterford and the surrounding area.

I will be sharing more stories and poetry from Variety is the Spice of Life on Fridays for the next few weeks.

The focus for the health column for the first part of the year is the immune system. There are currently four major winter infections circulating and some Covid. The best health insurance is to invest in yourself and ensure you are providing your body with everything it needs to kick any opportunistic pathogen out as quickly as possible..

And of course there will be the regular columns from the amazing contributors.

William Price King shared two preview posts for his brand new series for 2026 Chart Toppers and Blockbusters. and we ended the year on a high note with a Big Band era which continues throughout the first part of the year.   Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies is now on her winter break until April but will be back with more of her wonderfully helpful posts… She will be joining me regularly for some funnies in the meantime and will be back on her own blog next week.  –  D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor will be back in the New Year with her cookery column and a replay of her A-Z cuisines. ..On her own blog she greeted the New Year shares her first post of the year with a look at what you can look forward to from her this year… and if you are still enjoying a drink or two, a terrific recipe with some healthy ingredients…. you will also find plenty of delicious recipes in her archives... CarolCook 

This week Terry Tyler shared the last of her 2025 funnies…always fantastic.

And Malcolm Allen was here yesterday with his first entertainment of 2026.

All the contributors were guests a the New Year’s Eve Party along with some music especially selected for each of them as a veyr small thank you for all they do.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Time to get the New Year’s Eve Party started – #Music #Friends #Contributors

The Music Column Series Preview – Chart Toppers and Blockbusters Christmas with William Price King – “New Year’s Eve” – U2 and The Holiday

The Big Band Era with William Price King and Sally Cronin 1930s – The Andrew Sisters, Artie Shaw and The Turkey Trot

The Music Column – Chart Toppers and Blockbusters 1960s with William Price King – Mack the Knife and The Appartment

Smorgasbord Posts from My Archives 2025 – #Memoir #Waterford #Ireland #History – The Colour of Life – The Dance Scene 1950 by Geoff Cronin

Variety is the Spice of Life – The Neighbourhood Watch and Key Words by Sally Cronin

Comedy Guest Spot – House Renovations and Savage Chickens with Terry Tyler

Comedy with Malcolm Allen 2026 – Apprehension and Proposals

So Shall Ye Reap: BOOK #2 of the REVENGE SERIES by Terry Tyler

Book Reviews – Round up for December 2025 – #Psycological #Crime Laura Lyndhurst, #Mystery #Family Karina Bartow, #Psychological #Thriller Lisette Brodey, #War #Love Apple Gidley, #Shortstories Lynette Cresswell. #Poetry Nicole Sara

Smorgasbord Funnies 2026 – Host Sally Cronin and the Social Media Team – Dog’s names and Marriage

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up – 8th- 14th December 2025 – Cat Memoirs, Carols, Big Band Era, Abba, Mexican Food, Fantasy, Ireland 1940s, Book Reviews, Christmas Book Fair, Funnies

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Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord, plus some festive extras.

I hope you have had a good week… apart from a lovely family lunch out we have been getting some projects finished so we can relax a bit over Christmas…

I did bump into someone famous when out for lunch… let’s see if he takes my request for a certain gift seriously….

In the meantime Baby Cat has decided to write his own memoir…and each morning he is to be found at the keyboard.  Little does he know that he has an important role in the next Tales from the Irish Garden and that his recollections of his life and deeds might vary quite considerably from mine!!

David decorated the Christmas tree this week and it has pride of place in our dining room.

To get you in the festive frame of mind…My thanks to Debby Gies for finding this magical flash mob…courtesy of Julien Cohen

“Together with Violin Phonix we gathered 100 musicians to perform a new orchestral version of Carol of the Bells for the inauguration of the Christmas Lights of the Comité du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in the heart of Paris, with the amazing sound of Devialet!”

On with the show….

As always my thanks to the wonderful contributors.

William Price King  On Tuesday it was time for the Big Band Era and the dances that were popular at the time. William was also here with his scheduled movie themes post on Friday. Before the end of December we will be sharing a taster of William’s new series for 2026… one I am sure you will enjoy very much.   Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies was  will be here on Monday with a round up of her most helpful posts this year in the health and safety series with links to the full posts if you missed them at any point.. Debby shared her thoughts on short stories on her blog this week and invites your opinion and you can also find her Sunday Book review for the lovely festive collection by D.L. Finn – Miracles & Ghosts Past –  D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor On Wednesday Carol took us to Mexico to enjoy their delicious cuisine and on Wednesday she will be sharing some exotic fruits. Over on her own blog you will find a fabulous recipe for home cooked Christmas Ham…and if you love cookies a recipe for Apricot,White Choc Chip and Almond Cookies with a Lime Drizzle…let the party begin. CarolCook 

And of course many thanks to you for your visits, shares and comments… they keep me motivated 

The Big Band Era with William Price King and Sally Cronin 1930s – Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, The Black Bottom

William Price King and Iconic Movie Themes – Mamma Mia – Waterloo, Mama Mia: Here We Go Again – Fernando

A-Z World Cuisines – Mexico… “The Land of the Sun”Traditional dishes and drinks…Tequila! with Carol Taylor

#Memoir #Waterford #Ireland #History – The Colour of Life – The Nuns At The Glue Pot 1946 by Geoff Cronin

Tales from the Irish Garden – Winter: Betrothals and Surprises by Sally Cronin

The Third Day of Christmas 2025 – Secret gifts, Bing Crosby, Cranberries and Mulled Wine.

The Fourth Day of Christmas 2025 – White Christmas, Singing Parrot, Champagne, Cava and ‘Zero’ Alcohol options.

#Psychological #Suspense Too Far Standing Still by Lisette Brodey

Book Review – #Mystery #Family – Undeveloped Memories by Karina Bartow

#Shortstories Miracles and Ghosts Past: by D.L. Finn, #Poetry Rhyming Dreams by Nicole Sara, #Poetry #humour #Life #Love – Arrhythmia by John Dolan, #Poetry – Life is Like a Mosaic: Random Fragments in Harmony by Sally Cronin

#France #Househunting – Fat Dogs and French Estates, Part 3 by Beth Haslam, More Manchester Than Mongolia: by Jacqueline Lambert, #Memoir Repacking for Greece by Sally Jane Smith

#Fantasy Poseidon’s Atlantis Adventure: The Human Hybrid Experiment (Atlantis Book Series 1) by Grace Blair, #YA #Fantasy #Scifi The Quest for Orichalcum by Jemima Pett, #DarkFantasy #YA – Tale of the Seasons’ Weaver by D. Wallace Peach, #YA #TimeTravel #Historical New Yesterdays by Jim L. Wright

Hosts Sally Cronin and Debby Gies -Christmas Stories and Presents

Jan Sikes shares her final Monday Meanderings for the year… and pays tribute to author Joan Hall who suddenly died on December 6th. A shock to us all and she will be very much missed. Also some thoughts on Jan’s blogging plans for next year.

Head over to catch up with Jan’s life and plans: Jan’s Monday Meanderings

Carol Balawyder shares her insightful review of D.G.Kaye’s book The Real Stages of Grief, a book I can highly recommend as a guide to one of life’s events none of us is fully prepared for.

 

Head over to enjoy Carol’s review: Review for The Real Stages of Grief

Laura Lyndhurst with a thought provoking post on friendship, online and offline and how sometimes honesty is not necessarily welcomed.

Head over to add your thoughts: Friendships online and in real life.

John Howell shares one of his feel good stories and this time the physical, emotional and mental benefits of singing… not just when we are in the shower but when we sing with others in harmony.

Head over to read this interesting post: John Howell and more Good News

This time of year is definitely cookie time… and Dorothy Grover Read experiments with her mother’s recipe for delicious  oatmeal goodies.

Head over to pick up this recipe that the whole family will enjoy: Sylvia’s Oatmeal Apple Rum Cookies

 

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will join me again next week. 

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Weekly Round Up – 1st – 7th December – Pets and Christmas, Big Band Era, Footloose, Curry Recipe, Ireland 1944s, Short Stories, Christmas Book Fair, Funnies

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Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

I hope you are all beginning to enjoy the run up to Christmas. I am avoiding buying some of the festive treats until the last week, as I know they won’t last for long and certainly not for the next 18 days…However, I did get some stollen this week and we have had a piece a day with our coffee and it certainly hit the spot.

And if only they could talk… and my absolute favourite Christmas video and something to get you in the festive spirit…Pets Add Life

And on the subject of fur babies…the cold weather has encouraged a certain someone to create some nests in places he has been banned from… until of course someone leaves a door open to forbidden rooms such as the laundry room, where my spare duvets are stored.

On with the show….

As always my thanks to the wonderful contributors.

William Price King  On Tuesday it was time for the Big Band Era and the dances that were popular at the time. William was also here with his scheduled movie themes post on Friday.   Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies was  will be here on December 15th with another of her health and safety posts … and you can catch up on any posts in the series you might have missed on this page The Health and Safety Series. Debby shared her adventures as she looks to buy a new car and you can also find her Sunday Book review –  D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor On Wednesday Carol shared a recipe for a warming and spicy curry…over on her own blog you will find plenty of lovely food and recipes in her archives and ways to make your kitchen greener and more sustainable. CarolCook 

And of course many thanks to you for your visits, shares and comments… they keep me motivated 

The Big Band Era with William Price King and Sally Cronin 1930s – Billie Holiday with Bunny Berigan and Count Basie, The Tango

Smorgasbord Music Column – William Price King and Iconic Movie Themes – Footloose – Footloose and Almost Paradise

Kozhi Milagu Varuval Recipe - Awesome Cuisine

The Cookery Column with Carol Taylor – For all you Hot Curry Lovers.

#Memoir #Waterford #Ireland #History – The Colour of Life The Digs In Dublin 1944 by Geoff Cronin

Tales from the Irish Garden – Winterising the Palace by Sally Cronin

Book Reviews – #Revenge, #psychological #suspense What Else Did You Do? by Laura Lyndhurst

#SocialHistory The Weight of Snow and Regret by Elizabeth Gauffreau, #Psychological #Family – When Things Go Missing by Deborah J. Brasket, #War #Family #Mystery BEELITZ-HEILSTÄTTEN: Where Ghosts Never Die by Marina Osipova, #Honour #Family #1950s – A Bold Bargain by Jan Sikes

Review Round up November 2025 – #SocialHistory The Weight of Snow and Regret by Elizabeth Gauffreau, #Anthology This Is How We Work: Yvette Prior and other authors, #Family #Mystery When Things Go Missing by Deborah Brasket, #Christmas #Fondant #Recipes – Something Fancy by Robbie Cheadle, #Dogs #Family The Rainbow Bridge by Alyson Sheldrake

#Retribution #Justice – Served Cold by Terry Tyler, #Psychological #Crime The Guilty Party by Laura Lyndhurst, #Military #Thriller #Paranormal – The Valley Walker by T. W. Dittmer, #Adventure #Thriller, The Guardian’s Legacy (Coin of Time Book 1)by Luciana Cavallaro

The First Day of Christmas 2025 – Memories, Mince Pies, Music and Eggnog

Christmas and Martyrdom: St. Stephen's Day | The Sound

The Second Day of Christmas 2025 – Status Quo, Good King Wenceslas, Christmas Pudding, Margaritas and Misbehaving Cats.

Hosts Sally Cronin and Debby Gies – Dogs and Therapy

Pete Springer features the children’s author Kate DiCamillo in a lovely post which shares her story… Faced with many rejections for her writing, she persisted with her dream and has now sold millions of books worldwide. Definitely a post to inspire.

Head over to read this amazing journey by Kate DiCamillo: Pete Springer with a story of perseverance

Denise Finn shares her latest book reviews for books by Staci Troilo Joan Hall, Robbie Cheadle, D.G.Kaye and Sue Wickstead.

Some books to add to your reading list: Denise Finn with some December reviews

Pete Johnson, Beetley Pete had a post this week with some fascinating facts, many of which will leave you amazed… I know he would love to hear from you.

Prepare to be amazed: Pete Johnson with Facts and Stuff

A new to me blog but one that I am enjoying very much… in this post by harythGr8…a beautiful reflection on life. And for dog lovers some delightful images

Enjoy some wonderful words and images: The place beyond maps where words become home

Olga Nunez Miret treats us to one of her comprehensive reviews for a book with a title that made me smile… Get a Life by Alan Poon… something I keep reminding myself to do..

Enjoy Olga’s review: Get a Life… a guide to finding a philosophy to live by

Another lovely post from Jennie Fitzkee… those of you familiar with her blog will know that Gloria is a teaching assistant who is much loved by the young students and over Thanksgiving she went travelling to stay with some of them… lovely.

Head over to join Gloria on her travels: Jennie Fitzkee shares Gloria’s Thanksgiving

John Howell shares a story that needs to be broadcast far and wide… we hear far too much about greed and corruption but this demonstrates that kindness is still alive and thriving even amongst strangers.

Read this awesome post: John Howell’s Good News Story

 

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up 17th – 23rd November 2025 – Blog series 2026, Big Band Era, Movie Themes, Fire Safety, Water Chestnuts, Ireland 1930s, Christmas Book Fair, Book Reviews, Funnies.

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Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord…and a few extras.

I hope your week has gone well.. we have had the first of the very cold weather this winter but we have had some sunshine. I have been busy scheduling the Christmas Book Fairs and also planning the series for next year.

The focus will be on building our immunity systems in January and February, as already there are four major infections circulating including this season’s flu which has resulted in a spike in infections.

I respect that there are occasions when we require medical intervention and medication, however, by building our relilience to opportunistic pathogens, we do go a long way to avoiding the need for that assistance. After the series on building our immunity systems, I will be looking at some of the more natural approaches to the more common illnesses. That is not to say I advocate anyone coming off their medication, or to stop buying over the counter products, but since many of those are based on natural herbs and other plants, I hope you will be interested to see what might be in your garden or available in organic formats which might be helpful.

My thanks to Robbie who shared her much appreciated review for Size Always Matters on The Simple Pleasures blog this week along with a delicious recipe for low sodium, low GI health bars. I hope you will head over to enjoy the post and copy down that recipe. Robbie Cheadle with a review and recipe.

And I was delighted to be featured on the blog of Yvette Prior this week where she kindly gave Tales from the Irish Garden a lovely plug. Yvette Prior – Anthology review and Tales from the Irish Garden.

On with the show….

As always my thanks to the wonderful contributors.

William Price King  On Tuesday it was time for the Big Band Era and the dances that were popular at the time. William was also here with his scheduled movie themes post on Friday.   Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies was here on Monday with another of her health and safety posts …this time making sure you are safe in your home by putting in place fire prevention protocols and you can catch up on any posts in the series you might have missed on this page The Health and Safety Series. Debby joined me on Thursday with some funnies. On her own blog Debby shared her November Writer’s Links.. all very helpful.. and you can also find her Sunday Book review and this week the delightful poetry collection Rhyming Dreams by Nicole Sara –  D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor On Wednesday Carol shared how to prepare and cook with Water Chestnuts with a delicious recipe and this coming week she will be exploring the cuisine of Lithuania…and you can find plenty of amazing recipes to enjoy in her archives . CarolCook 

Malcolm Allen was here yesterday with some new funnies….

And of course many thanks to you for your visits, shares and comments… they keep me motivated 

Music Column Retro – The Big Band Era with William Price King and Sally Cronin 1930 – Fred Astaire and Leo Reisman, Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields, The Blackbottom

William Price King and Iconic #Movie #Themes – Lady Marmelade and Come What May – Moulin Rouge

William Price King and Iconic #Movie #Themes – Lady Marmelade and Come What May – Moulin Rouge,

Safety and Awareness – #Fire #Prevention #Home #Escapeplan by D.G. Kaye

The Cookery Column with Carol Taylor – And these are? Water Chestnuts

#Memoir #Waterford #Ireland #History – The Colour of Life – James the Landlord 1939 by Geoff Cronin

Malcolm Allen Entertains – Sarcasm and Work Health and Safety

Tales from the Irish Garden – The Piglet Races by Sally Cronin

Smorgasbord Christmas Book Fair – Book Review – #Christmas #Fondant #Recipes – Something Fancy A Winter Wonderland Celebration Book One by Robbie Cheadle

New Book Spotlight – #Psychological #Suspense Too Far Standing Still by Lisette Brodey

-#Romance #Family #Italy – Finding Serenissima by Apple Gidley, #Colonial #History #Adventure Daniel Boone and Me by N. A. Granger, #Medievalhistory – When Secrets Bloom by Patricia Furstenberg

#Mystery – Murder at Leisure Dreams – Galapagos: A Giovanna Rogers Mystery by Sharon Marchisello, #Mystery #Vietnam Poetic Justice: by Dan Antion and Willow Willers, #Adventure #Travel Amanda in Ireland: The Body in the Bag by Darlene Foster

Hosts Sally Cronin and Debby Gies – Voodoo dolls and marriage one liners

Just a small selection of posts I have enjoyed reading this week.. I hope you will head over to enjoy them in full.

Jill Dennison shares good people doing good things..and the focus is on Scott Macauley who has been cooking Thanksgiving Dinner every year to those who are in most need of it.. including the homeless, the elderly living alone, students unable to go home for the holidays.. it began with 12 and now around 70 each year…What a great guy.

Head over to meet this extraordinary man: Good people doing good things Scott Macauley

With the cold weather this week my thoughts had turned to soup.. I love butternut squash soup but the best of the makes is around 5 Euros and I know I can make far more quantity with the fresh vegetable around at the moment, so turned to Dorothy Grover Read for one of her recipes… out earlier in the month… Perfect.

Head over to check out the recipe: Friendly winter squash Vintage Kitchen

Judith Barrow shares an amazing walk in mid-Wales and the story behind the dams built which displaced hundreds of people so they could be built… The Elan Valley. Stunning photographs.

Enjoy the guided tour: Elan Valley walks, photographs, memories.

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will join me again next week. 

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up – 6th – 12th October 2025 – Soundcloud Update, Blogger Weekly, Contributors, Music, Cookery Column, Ireland 1930s, Funnies, Book Reviews.

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Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

I hope you have had a great week… nothing much to report from here except for some progress made on my WIP Tales from the Irish Garden two… I will be focusing on this for the next few weeks and hope to have the book out in the spring.

An update on my soundcloud activities… my husband went ahead and subscribed for another year… so each week I will share some of the shorter recordings with you in the round up…I hope you enjoy… This one is a tribute to nature…Rain and the Wisdom of Trees.  You can listen to all the other recordings Sally Cronin Soundcloud

Laura Lyndhurst explores the anamolies we find in books, in the theatre, television dramas and films.. and even in the classics. Clearly in many cases there has been little or no research with a ‘never let the facts get in the way of a good story’ approach.

Add your thoughts: Books that Make you Thing: Re-search

Jennie Fitzkee shares a post about the power of reading aloud to children and in particular one student who years after leaving Jennie’s class is passing along that gift to his younger brother… another amazing story.

Head over to enjoy this heartwarming story: Mac Then and Now

As we approach Halloween, Teri Polen is sharing her annual horror fest and this week Diana Wallace Peach joined her for an interview and responds to her question…Have you ever felt like there may be someone – or something – else in the room with you even though you’re alone?

Head over to join in the scary moments: Bad Moon Rising with Teri Polen and Diana Peach

Robbie Cheadle, as always, brings images and words together in such harmony… a fabulous bouquet of flowers from a stunning garden.

Head over to enjoy Robbie’s images and poetry: October and the flower hour photography and poetry

Some great Monday funnies from The Story Reading Ape… some close to home.

Head over to enjoy the laughter: The Monday Funnies
 

As always my thanks to the wonderful contributors.

William Price King  On Tuesday in a break from our usual programming there is a special movie themes post especially for Jennie Fitzkee…. He will also  be here with his scheduled movie themes post on Friday.   Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies will be here on October 20th with her next post in the Health and Safety series, and you can catch up on any posts in the series you might have missed on this page The Health and Safety Series. In the meantime keep an eyes open for the launch of her latest release…On her own blog Debby shares her frustrations on the traffic and restrictions in Toronto with a possible change on the horizon and her Sunday Book Review . D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor will be here this week to explore the cuisine of the Lebanon. If you head over to her own blog you can find her book reviews for Robbie Cheadle, John Howell, W.D. Kilpack and Fiona Tarr. . CarolCook 

Malcolm Allen was here on Thursday with some new funnies on some heavenly expectations.

Danny Kemp entertained us again with a post from his archives on Saturday.

And of course many thanks to you for your visits, shares and comments… they keep me motiva 

The Breakfast Show with William Price King and Sally Cronin – Chart Hits 1950s – Chuck Berry, Debbie Reynolds, The Champs and Ritchie Valens

William Price King and Iconic #Movie #Themes – Somewhere Over The Rainbow – The Wizard of Oz, Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) – The Man Who Knew Too Much

The Cookery Column with Carol Taylor – Introduction and Egg Drop Soup

#Memoir #Waterford #Ireland 1930s – The Colour of Life – How the Stable Was Built 1936 by Geoff Cronin

Malcolm Allen Entertains – Boarding Passes and Sins

Open Mic Night with author Daniel Kemp – Mushroom Risotto and Economy Airlines…

Tales from the Irish Garden – Summer: Chapter Eleven – The Foxes by Sally Cronin

What’s In a Name? #Family #Love – Xenia – Beloved by Sally Cronin

The Obesity epidemic – Where in the Lifestyle can we Intervene? – Part Two by Sally Cronin

New Book Spotlight and my Review – #Adventure #Travel Amanda in Ireland: The Body in the Bag by Darlene Foster

#Memoir – Her Own Words: A Liverpool Mother’s Life: A True Story of Hardship and Fierce Heart by Veronica Kay – Edited by Robert C. Ryan.

#Mystery #Galapagos Sharon Marchisello, #Pets #Family Lauren Scott, #Honour #Family Jan Sikes, #Western #Romance #Family Nina Romano

Hosts Sally Cronin and Debby Gies – Shirley and a Dog and Cat share their diaries.

 

Thank you for dropping in today and I hope you will join me again next week.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up – September 29th – October 5th 2025 – Tech issues, Blogger Weekly, Chart Hits 1950s, Movie Themes, Libya Cuisine, Ireland 1930s, Shortstories, Funnies, Book Reviews, New Releases.

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Welcome to the round up of posts on Smorgasbord this week you might have missed.

I hope your week has been rewarding…we have had some ups and downs but nothing major, although WordPress has been playing up… I am unable to like or comment on some other WP blogs even when it shows me logged in… For many I am having to physically log in again to respond. So apologies if this has been the case. I can still share thankfully.

Then I opened a post that had gone out with a video attached and all it showed was a blank screen. I hastily checked the upcoming music posts and sure enough all the videos were blank. In the archives there has to be close to 1000 music posts and I have scheduled a great many through the year already. So you can imagine the sinking feeling I got as panic set in. David set too to see where the problem might lie. And it turns out YouTube has made some amendments and if you have an ad blocker as we do, then it was prohibiting use of the videos. So we had to effectively shut off the ad blocker and the videos all came back. Huge relief.

It looks like it might take some time for the ad blockers to catch up with this change so we can use again.

Last week I shared Baby Cat having decided that two suitcases might make a good bed and also an effort to prevent me wandering off without him. Turns out this has now become quite a popular spot, so I decided to upgrade the accommodation for him. As you can see it meets with his approval, especially as at the moment we have the tail end of a hurricane with gale force winds and driving rain raging around the house. He is not spoilt in the slightest!

Carol Taylor shares her book reviews from the last few weeks for Teagan Riordan Geneviene, Laura Lyndhurst and Rhys Dylan.

Head over to read Carol’s recommendations: Carol Taylor’s book reviews

Thomas Wikman shares a Dog’s Prayer…full of the sentiments and thoughts that we can attribute to all our wonderful dogs and other pets who have graced us with their presence in our lives..

Take some tissues: Thomas Wikman with A Dog’s Prayer

Pete Springer takes us behind the scenes when he was called up for jury duty… after some delays he is now on a case which he will then follow up on in a later post after it has been settled.

Join Pete on the case: Doing my civic duty part one.

Sue Coletta writing for Story Empire shares some excellent advice on how to respond to negative reviews and includes a cautionary tale about a case which certainly did not end well, for a reviewer and the author who took umbrage. And how not to take AI advice on the subject too seriously.

Sue Coletta profile image

Head over to find out more: Bad advice from AI 1 star reviews

Darlene Foster is celebrating the release of her latest book.. Amanda in Ireland: The Body in the Bag... I can highly recommend and my review coming up very soon.

Head over to read more about the book: Release day Amanda in Ireland 

As always my thanks to the wonderful contributors.

William Price King  William joined me for the latest Breakfast show with the of the retro shows where we step back into the 40s and 50s for the next few weeks. He was also here with his movie themes post on Friday.   Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies will be here on October 20th with her next post in the Health and Safety series, and you can catch up on any posts in the series you might have missed on this page The Health and Safety Series. In the meantime keep an eye open in the next couple of weeks of the launch of her latest release…On her own blog Debby shares her Sunday Book Review for A Virtuous Woman: A Novel by Kaye Gibbons   . D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor was here this week to explore the cuisine of Libya. If you head over to her own blog you will find her recommendations from the books she has read in recent weeks. CarolCook 

Malcolm Allen was here on Saturday with one of his posts from the funnies archives.

And of course many thanks to you for your visits, shares and comments… they keep me motivate 

The Breakfast Show with William Price King and Sally Cronin – Chart Hits 1950s – Doris Day, Elvis Presley, The Four Aces and Paul Anka

William Price King and Iconic #Movie #Themes – Gonna Fly Now – Rocky, Main Theme – Star Wars

A-Z World Cuisines – Discovering Libyan Cuisine: Traditional Dishes and Drinks with Carol Taylor

Posts from My Archives 1925 – #Memoir #Waterford #Ireland 1930s – The Colour of Life – The Art of Making Snares – 1934 by Geoff Cronin

 

Malcolm Allen Entertains Rewind – Earworms and Scratching Posts.

Tales from the Irish Garden – Summer: Chapter Ten – After the Festival by Sally Cronin

What’s In a Name? – Walter – Lost and Alone by Sally Cronin

The Obesity epidemic statistics – Part One – Finding a point to intervene in the life cycle by Sally Cronin

#Retribution #Justice – Served Cold: Book 1 of the Revenge Series by Terry Tyler

#Psychological #Crime The Guilty Party by Laura Lyndhurst

#Mystery #Family – Undeveloped Memories by Karina Bartow

#Psychological #Fiction Beyond the Fetters by Balroop Singh

#Humour #Life Bogie in a Human World: He’s a Cat. He’s Seen Things and He’s Not Impressed! by Cheryl Spears

 

Thanks very much for dropping in and I hope you will join me again next week.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up…18th – 24th August. – Wild Gardens, Out and About, 1940s hits, Movie Themes, Phone Safety, Kiribati cuisine, Book Reviews, New releases, Funnies

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Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

I hope you have had a lovely week… I know some of you are preparing for children or grandchildren to go back to school… always a busy time. We are still enjoying warm weather and some sunshine which is great.

During the year I have been taking photographs through the seasons for use with the upcoming Tales from The Irish Garden – The missing Pieces.  This includes the part of the garden we have sowed wild flowers to attract the bees and butterflies…today there were plenty of them enjoying themselves which is such a pleasure to see and to hear.

I have been out and about this week, very unexpectedly and delightfully surprised by a lovely post by Joy Neal Kidney, who has rather elevated my status…. and done a wonderful job of promoting both my books and the blog… I am glowing..

Head over not just because of my part in the post, but the delightful way Joy has put the feature together: Joy Neal Kidney gives me a glow up…

As you know until the summer book fair and the archive series is finished I am sharing a small selection of posts I have enjoyed each week on a page in the menu… the one disadvantage is that you cannot comment but that is fine because I would love you to comment on the bloggers own site.

This week I have added..Liz Gauffreau, Esther Chilton, Laura Lyndhurst, Thomas Wikman, Beth I Didn’t Have my Glasses On, Darlene Foster.

Head over to enjoy their posts...August Blogger Monthly

As always my thanks to the wonderful contributors.

William Price King  William joined me for the latest Breakfast show with the of the retro shows where we step back into the 40s and 50s for the next few weeks. He was also here with his movie themes post on Friday.  William is taking his summer break with his family but will be back at the end of August  Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies was here on Monday with her Health and Safety with an important reminder of our email and mobile safety. On her own blog she shared her August Writers links and check out Debby’s Sunday Book Reviews  . D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor This week Carol took us to Kiribati (The Gilbert Islands) to explore their cuisine.If you head over to her own blog you will find a wonderful archive full of posts on creating a green kitchen, the earlier posts of the A-Z cuisines and lots of food and recipes  . CarolCook 

Malcolm Allen took us to the doctor’s this week… and finds the humour in it..

My thanks to you for dropping in to like, comment and share… it is much appreciated.

On with the show… 

The Breakfast Show with William Price King and Sally Cronin – Chart Hits 1940s – The Andrew Sisters, Woodie Guthrie, Artie Shaw, Duke Ellington

William Price King and Iconic #Movie #Themes – Things Have Changed- Wonder Boys, Unchained Melody – Ghost

Health and Safety – #Mobiles #Email Digital Communications and Permissions by D.G. Kaye

A-Z World Cuisines – Kiribati…also known as The Gilbert Islands by Carol Taylor

Malcolm Allen Entertains – The Doctor will see you now!

#Memoir – #RoyalNavy – Life on the Ocean Wave – Part Five -1943 – 1946 – HMS Forth and captured U-boats, Ceylon, HMS Woolwich, Earl Mountbatten by Eric Coleman

Tales from the Irish Garden – Winter: Chapter Four – The Flight to the New Land – Sally Cronin

What’s In a Name? – Queenie – Coming back to Life by Sally Cronin

Book Review – #Mystery #Vietnam Poetic Justice: A Rascal Todd Mystery Featuring Brody Thompson by Dan Antion and Willow Willers

My recommended Books – #Supernatural #Adventure John W. Howell, #WWII #Thriller Allan Hudson, #WWII #Netherlands Paulette Mahurin

My recommended Books and One of Mine #Poetry #Grief #Memories Balroop Singh, #FlashFiction #Poetry M.J. Mallon, #Life #Love #Humour Sally Cronin

New Book Spotlight – #TV #Biographies – Wicked: The Men of Wicked Tuna by Andrew Joyce

My Pick of two of your posts from last six months of 2024 – #Teaching #Children – The Former Student – On Teaching by Jennie Fitzkee

 

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will join me again next week…

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up – 16th – 22nd June 2025 – House Anniversary, Chart Hits 2001, Movie Themes, Book Reviews, Short Stories, Podcast, Watercress, Funnies

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Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

I hope you have had a good week. Some lovely weather here and I have made good use of it in the garden… I intend to make the most of it.

We are celebrating being in our home for 9 years. It is now fully renovated with most of the necessary remedial work (it was a wreck) done in the first six months when surprisingly we managed with one bed, a table and chairs for our computers etc, 2 plates, 2 knives, 2 forks and 2 mugs… more or less. It was quite a shock to us when all our belongings and furniture arrived six months later. We got rid of about 50% right away and still have way too much.

Anyway, I can’t see us moving any time soon, especially as ‘he who must be obeyed’ has his local territory in the neighbourhood (I am talking about the cat and not my husband!).

The second year after we arrived and had cleared out all the old rotten trees and the overgrowth, I planted lilies in some pots and after a winter covered in a corner of the back garden they come up every year, last a couple of weeks only bringing such beauty with them… a reminder to make the most of every day as time can be fleeting.

Anyway… here are some updated photos of the house and garden…

And of course a certain someone…

As always my thanks to the wonderful contributors.

William Price King  William joined me for the latest Breakfast show with hits from the 2000s and was here with his movie themes post on Friday. William will be back from his short break this week.  Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies will be here with another post from her series Health and Safety on Monday 30th June. She also joined me for some funnies on Saturday. Check out her blog including her post about a long drawn out mission to get a small but vital medical procedure completed… and her Sunday Book Review  The Bookstore Keepers by Alice Hoffman –  D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor This week  Carol will be sharing the cuisine of Iceland...Check out her posts on her own blog and this week her Green and Healthy Kitchen with Cold Brewed Tea, Mango Chutney, Cranberry Honey Butter, Thai Mango Salad…. CarolCooks2

This week Terry Tyler joins us again with her special brand of humour… Terry Tyler Blogspot

Thank you for your visits and comments they mean a great deal.

On with the show….

The Breakfast Show with William Price King and Sally Cronin – Chart Hits 2001 Part Two – Train, Usher, Geri Hellewell, Depeche Mode

William Price King and Iconic Movie Themes – “Jailhouse Rock” and “To Sir With Love”

Comedy Guest Spot – #Aging – Health and Delusions

Tales from the Garden – #Fantasy #Magic – Chapter Three – The Last Emperor by Sally Cronin

Tales from the Garden – #Fantasy #Magic – Chapter Four – Pearly Girl and the Stone Band by Sally Cronin

What’s In a Name? – Ifan and the Black Sheep by Sally Cronin

Food Therapy Rewind- #Watercress – More Iron than Spinach by Sally Cronin

#Thriller #Suspense Standup Guy (A Stone Barrington Novel) by Stuart Woods

#Poetry #Inspiration #Nature – Gratitude & No Fairy Tale: Just Her Poetry Book Three by D.L. Finn

Poetic Justice: A Rascal Todd Mystery Featuring Brody Thompson by Dan Antion and Willow Willers

#Life #Reflections – Passing Through: Some thoughts on life and death by K. Morris

Romance #France #Artists – The Unpredictable Colors of Love by J. Arlene Culiner

Hosts Sally Cronin and Debby Gies – Sheepdogs and Senior Citizen Entertainment night.

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will join me again next week.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up – June 9th- 15th – Chart Hits 2001, The Graduate, Cuisine Ireland, Walnuts, Short Stories, Book Reviews, New Books, Funnies

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Welcome to the posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

I am back after my trip home to see my family and friends and was made most welcome and spoilt whilst I was there. The road and ferry trip went smoothly both ways and I clocked up 1000 kilometres. The Irish sea was kind thank goodness and I met some interesting people in the lounge which helped pass the three plus hours crossing time.

My home town of Portsmouth has changed very much in the last year or so. All the major department stores have closed in both commercial areas and there are a lot of vacant premises. Most of the large banks have gone as well and whilst I know this is the march of progress it is sad to see a once thriving city losing key services and retail outlets. There is still no shortage of bars and restaurants however, and what I did find was thriving back streets with smaller shops offering a wide variety of craft and fashion.

The sea front and the Historic Dockyard are still huge draws to the city for visitors and there are certainly plenty of activities to keep everyone busy.

I did see this wonderful piece of street art which definitely brightened the place up.

I did receive a lovely welcome home from David and Baby Cat but after a relatively sunny day Thursday, and some great garden time, the rain came in and a certain someone is now sulking in his penthouse garden room… he is very verbal about his discontent despite my insistence I am not to blame for the weather!

I am hopefully caught up on all the comments on posts I might have missed and this week my focus will be on scheduling the Posts from Your Archives already received from those participating and then the Summer Book Fair (summer where are you luv?). I hope you will enjoy both these series during the next two to three months.

As always my thanks to the wonderful contributors.

William Price King  William joined me for the latest Breakfast show with hits from the 2000s and was here with his movie themes post on Friday. William will be back from his short break this week.  Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies will be here with another post from her series Health and Safety on Monday 30th June. She also joined me for some funnies on Tuesday. Check out her blog including her Sunday Book Review  – Love Never Dies by Jamie Turndorf D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor This week  Carol shared  the cuisine of Ireland..and certainly did it justice…Check out her posts on her own blog and this week a concerning look at the chemicals in our food… with the focus on chocolate and heavy metals. A must read. CarolCooks2

Thank you for your visits and comments they mean a great deal.

On with the show….

The Breakfast Show with William Price King and Sally Cronin – Chart Hits 2001 Part One – Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Mýa, Pink and rapper L’il Kim, Kylie Minogue, Enrique Iglesias

William Price King and Iconic Movie Themes – Two hits from “The Graduate”

A-Z World Cuisines – Part 38… Ireland…Famous for it boiled bacon and cabbage, Guinness and fresh seafood…by Carol Taylor

Short Stories and Audio – Tales from the Garden – #Fantasy #Magic The Guardians of the Magic Garden by Sally Cronin

Tales from the Garden – #Fantasy #Magic – The Sanctuary by Sally Cronin

What’s In a Name? – Isobel -Hiding in Plain Sight by Sally Cronin

Food Therapy – #Walnuts – Not just any nut… by Sally Cronin

#Revenge, #psychological #suspense You Know What You Did by Laura Lyndhurst

Smorgasbord Book Reviews Revisited June 2024 – #Travel #Humour Jacqueline Lambert, #Thriller #Mystery John Dolan, #Comingofage #Thriller by Harald Johnson, #Thriller #Mystery Cath Staincliffe, #WWII #HongKong Siobhan Daiko

Smorgasbord New Book Spotlight – #Poetry #humour Arrhythmia by John Dolan

#Contemporary #Romance – Reunion: Coda: Book 2 of the Reunion Duology by Alex Diaz-Granados

My First Book #Inspiration #Poetry – Perspective by Annette Rochelle Aben

Hosts Sally Cronin and Debby Gies – TBRs and Excuse Notes

 

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will join me again next week.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up – 10th – 16th March 2025 – Chart Hits 1994, Iconic Duets, Short Stories, Carrots, Book Reviews, Amazing Bloggers, Funnies

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Welcome to the posts on Smorgasbord you might have missed this week.

Another week has flown by but at least this one has brought some sunshine… a little chilly still but Baby Cat and I have taken full advantage, although with his fur coat he can stick it out longer than I can… and also seems to have taken possession of my garden chair which means I have been relegated to a much older and less comfy one.  I know…. I am a sucker…but he is so cute.

As always my thanks to the wonderful contributors.

William Price King  William joined me for the latest Breakfast show with hits from the 1990’s and was here with his series of iconic live Duets on Friday.  Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies Debby joined me for some funnies this week on Thursday and is back in Toronto and this week shared part one of her adventure with more to come. Also her Sunday Book Review is back and this week it is for Deep Deceit by Anne Louise O’Connell .  D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor This Wednesday Carol is taking us to Georgia to explore its cuisine…On her own blog Carol shared the cuisine of a close neighbour of Thailand… Laos and also her Green and Healthy Kitchen covering  Fire Cider, Lentil Water, Lamb Hotpot, Skip Jack Tuna..Check out her posts CarolCooks2

Thank you too for your visits, comments and shares… they are much appreciated.

On with the show.

The Breakfast Show with William Price King and Sally Cronin – Chart Hits 1994 Part Two – Celine Dion, Prince, Wet Wet Wet, Corona

William Price King with The Live Duets 1980s and 1990s 1988 – Sting and Bruce Springsteen – Every Breath You Take, 1991 – Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles – Living For The City, 1991 – Elton John and George Michael – Don’t Let The Sun Go Down on Me

Life is Like a Bowl of Cherries – Falling in and out of love – Friday Night by Sally Cronin

What’s In a Name? Volume One – Brian – The Birthright by Sally Cronin

Smorgasbord Health Column 2025 – Food Therapy Rewind – The Exotic Carrot by Sally Cronin

#Africa #1980s #Apartheid – Sticks in a Bundle: The Decision by Pat Spencer

Smorgasbord New Book Spotlight – #Western #Thriller #Romance Reuben Hayes by S. Cox

Smorgasbord Coffee Morning – Author William R. Ablan invites Author Joy Neal Kidney for Coffee.

Author Andrew McDowell with Canadian Author Sharon Ledwith

Smorgasbord Poet of the Week 2025 – #MotherNature, Magic of Senses by Balroop Singh

Share an Excerpt from from your first or last published book – #Children’s #Paranormal #Fantasy – The Astral Gatecrashers: Bad Boy Wizard Book 1 by Annabelle Franklin

#Generosity John Howell, #motivation Brenda Marie Fluharty, #Inspiration Allan Hudson, #Review Jaye Marie, #Bluesky Hugh Roberts, #LibraryDonation Jennie Fitzkee, #Mexico D.G. Kaye

Smorgasbord Funnies 2025 -Hosts Sally Cronin and Debby Gies – Speeding Ticket and Three Wishes

Smorgasbord Blog Magazing Weekly Round Up – 23rd – 29th September 2024 – Out and About, Music, Health, Herbal Remedies, Cook from Scratch for Vit B3, Book Reviews, Funnies

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Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord

It is certainly autumnal around here and the rain has returned. Nothing like the amount suffered in the UK this week and certainly far from the devastation of the hurricane that has been hitting Florida.  Do hope wherever you are you have not suffered any damage or harm.

The pre-winter jobs are underway in the garden but I am doing nothing about all my plant pots until there is a dry gap for a couple of days. They are looking a bit bedraggled at the moment but the winter plants are in the garden centre now and they will soon be looking their best again.

I am not sure where September went but I think having Covid at the beginning did not help. I was still taken by surprise to suddenly see Halloween being promoted online and in the stores… how did this year get there so quickly?

The excerpt series is going well with posts scheduled so far into the last week of October so lots of great books coming up. If you would like to participate and have been promoted here before, please get your 500 words and the link to your selected book as soon as you can so I can get you included. email me at sally.cronin@moyhill.com

My thanks to Allan Hudson for his feature yesterday with a brief excerpt from Size Always Matters and some background to the reason for the book and my writing process.

Head over to join us: The story behind the story with Sally Cronin

Also my thanks to Carol Taylor, Jan Sikes  and Terri Webster Schrandt. for their wonderfully supportive reviews on Goodreads.

As always my thanks also goes to my friends who contribute to the blog

William Price King  William joined me for the Breakfast Show on Tuesday and his series of iconic Duets on Friday. You can also find William – Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies will be here with the next in her series Life Lessons 101 on October 14th On her own blog Debby shared a link for her previous in the series on how words can be so powerful  and her Sunday book review The Bookstore Sisters – Book 1 of the Once Upon a Time Bookstore Stories by Alice Hoffman D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor was here on Wednesday joining me for our Cook from Scratch for vitamin B3 deficiency. She will be here on Wednesday with the next in her World Cuisine A- Z and this week it is Dominica…On her own blog  my thanks as always for her reposting of the Smorgasbord health posts. CarolCooks2

On Thursday Malcolm Allen shared this month’s funnies… and they certainly are…

Also coming up this week.

Sharing an excerpt from their books this week are Pat Spencer and Winona Kent, new books from Pamela Wight and Karina Bartow. A reminder of September’s book reviews, Herbal medicine sharing the benefits of peppermint, the second post in the Holding Back the Sands of Time series, a review for Eve Chase on Saturday and the first chapter on Sunday of Just an Odd Job Girl.

Thanks very much for all your visits, comments and shares this week…. and on with the show.

The Breakfast Show with William Price King and Sally Cronin – Chart Hits 1983 Part One – Marvin Gaye, Toto, Irene Cara, David Bowie

William Price King with The Duets – #1980s – 1983 – Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney – Say, Say, Say, Philip Bailey and Phil Collins

Smorgasbord Health 2024 with Sally Cronin and Carol Taylor – Cook from Scratch to prevent nutritional deficiency – Vitamin B3- Cauliflower Cheese, Chicken, Mushrooms, Peanuts, Sunflower Seeds

Malcolm Allen Entertains -Alexa and Mod Cow Disease

Sam, A Shaggy Dog Story Rewind – Chapter Fourteen -Teeth Cleaning and Reflections on Life by Sally Cronin

#Antiaging #Quality of life – Holding Back the Sands of Time by Sally Cronin

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The Medicine Woman’s Treasure Chest – Herbal Medicine – Make Thyme in your life for this versatile herb for health and cooking.

#Romance #France #Artists – The Unpredictable Colors of Love by J. Arlene Culiner

Smorgasbord New Book Spotlight – #Contemporary #Romance – Anchored in Embo by Christine Campbell

#Crime #Family #Scifi – Tracks of Infinity by C.S. Boyack

#Romance #Paranormal Saddled Hearts (The White Rune Series Book 3) by Jan Sikes

#Supernatural Adventure The Last Drive by John W. Howell

#Children’s #Paranormal #Fantasy – The Astral Gatecrashers: Bad Boy Wizard Book 1 by Annabelle Franklin

 

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up – 24th – 30th June 2024 – WIPs, Haiku, Chart hits, Duets, Summer Music Festival, Stress, Chile Cuisine, Allergies, Book Reviews, Funnies.

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Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

I hope the week has gone well for you. Some sun and rain this week and the garden is looking suspiciously green for this time of year… but lovely to see the flowers and roses doing so well. If they are happy then I am happy.

I have been somewhat preoccupied this week with final revisions for my upcoming release in a few weeks. I have handed it off to my in-house technical department and await the first look at the formatted version and cover when it can be fitted in. It has been nearly two years since my last release and so I am excited to get this one out in to the world. Now time to get on with the fantasy collection for nearer Christmas.

I have not been writing any poetry for a some time as I got this current project on the go but it is a while since I shared my haiku images and so will include some in the round ups for the next few Sundays.

As always my thanks also goes to my friends who contribute to the blog

William Price King  William joined me for the Breakfast Show on Tuesday and his series of iconic Duets on Friday. You can also find William – Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies was here on Monday with the next in her series Life Lessons 101 and this week she explored the stress we place on ourselves, particular writers who now have much more of a role in publishing our books.  On her own blog Debby shared her thoughts on why there is an increasing popularity for memoirs, not just for celebrities but for people living interesting lives from all backgrounds and her Sunday book review for the excellent Building The Beast by Jacqueline Lambert at D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor was here on Wednesday with the next of her A-Z  World Cuisines and this week Chile. Head over to check out her archives packed with recipes and green initiatives for the kitchen and my thanks to her for the reblogs of the health posts this week.    CarolCooks2

Malcolm Allen was here this week with another of his entertaining posts

Thanks again for your support this week… as always appreciated.

On with the show…

The Breakfast Show with William Price King and Sally Cronin – Chart Hits 1976 – Part Two – ABBA, Lou Rawls, The Bee Gees and The Four Seasons

William Price King with The Duets #1970s – 1976 – Marilyn McCoo Billy Davis Jr – You Don’t Have To Be A Star (To Be In My Show), Elton John and Kiki Dee – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

Smorgasbord Summer Music Festival 2024 – Katrina and the Waves, Grease, Stevie Wonder, Percy Faith

Life Lessons 101 – Self-Imposed Deadlines and Stress – One Day at a Time by D. G. Kaye

A-Z…World Cuisine… Part 13 – Chile…where Curanto is the National Dish…by Carol Taylor

Malcolm Allen Entertains – Clock Towers and Lifeguards

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Sam, A Shaggy Dog Story Rewind – Chapter One – In the Beginning

Family Health A-Z – Allergies and Intolerances – Part Two – #Dairy #Leaky Gut by Sally Cronin

#WWII #Romance The Hong Kong Saga Book 1 – The Orchid Tree by Siobhan Daiko

#Shortstories #Paranormal – And the Grave Awaits by Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Author News and Reviews – #Haiti #Thriller Mark Bierman, #Action #Supernatural #AncientEgypt Audrey Driscoll, #Malaya #1950s Apple Gidley

#BookLaunch – Build Your Platform: A video & A Poem by Cindy Georgakas

 

Thank you for dropping in today and I hope you will join me again next week.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up – 3rd – 9th June 2024 – Upcoming Release, Music of the 70s, Iconic Duets, Carbon Monoxide, Book Reviews, Star bloggers, Funnies

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Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

I hope everyone is well. Not a great deal to report from the home front. Some lovely days which have enticed me away from the desk and into the garden to catch up on my reading.

It was European elections here in Ireland this week so a day off on Thursday for most, being a UK citizen I can’t vote in the EU elections but I was able to cast a vote in the local elections which enabled me to do my bit. We are very lucky here, with Gorey only a few kilometres away with 5 major supermarkets, great health care including an out of hours Caredoc set up which is an absolute advantage. There are some young but dedicated counsellors on the docket with some great ideas on how to improve services.

My next book is off being formatted and in the next few weeks I will share more about it. I can tell you it is non-fiction and is a revised and extended follow on from Size Matters. It is 30 years since I began my weight loss journey and 23 years since I published my journal and the programme I designed to lose 154lbs in 2 years. I went on to qualify as a nutritional therapist working with hundreds of clients since 1998, not just for weight loss but also lifestyle related health issues, couples with fertility problems and elderly men and women who wanted to halt the progress of aging.

This led to becoming a nutritional consultant on English speaking radio in Spain followed by my own health show and Sunday show on local radio in the UK. I have continued to research nutrition and anti-aging as it is enlightened self-interest!

The new book will build on the first book and include additional elements based on my research into weight loss and health in general. It is also a celebration of my thirty year weight loss journey and the career it led to.

I appreciate that if you are a regular visitor to the blog you will have read most of the content over the last 12 years but I do hope to reach a new audience and perhaps encourage others not to become part of the every growing obesity statistics and to make the changes needed.

For those who enjoy a little more fantasy than fact… there will be another Tales from the Irish Garden later in the year.

Anyway I will do a post in the usual way when the book is available.

On that note, please let me know when you have a new book available on Amazon either for pre-order or to buy. I usually schedule posts a couple of weeks in advance so I can focus on my own writing, but I can often move things around. The more notice the better. With pre-order posts it is usually better to schedule a couple of weeks ahead of the availability date. Too far ahead and readers might put off buying it until nearer the time and then forget!

If you have been promoted here before all I need is the Amazon link either for your home country or UK or US. The posts have a set format so I will get what I need from Amazon etc. You can send the link via sally.cronin@moyhill.com

If you are new to the blog, then it is helpful to have any blog, website or social media links as well as the Amazon link. I will take care of the rest.

As always my thanks also goes to my friends who contribute to the blog

William Price King  William joined me for the Breakfast Show on Tuesday and his series of iconic Duets on Friday. You can also find William – Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies will be here on Monday June 24th with the next in her series Life Lessons 101. This week Debby celebrated a special birthday which according to her facebook is 119 or thereabouts… she doesn’t look a day over 25, whatever she’s on I’ll have some.  You can catch up with her own posts this week including her review for The Otford English Dictionary by John Dolan  D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor will be here on Wednesday with the next of her A-Z  World Cuisines and this week Canada. Head over to check out her own A-Z this week which is for Iceland.takes us to Iceland where there is a head to tail approach to food, which might not suit everyone but certainly ensures the entire animal is not wasted.   CarolCooks2

Thanks again for your support this week… as always appreciated.

On with the show…

The Breakfast Show Rewind with William Price King and Sally Cronin – Chart Hits 1975 Part One – Labelle, 10CC, Bee Gees, Gloria Gaynor

William Price King with The Duets #1970s – 1974 – Mockingbird – Carly Simon & James Taylor, Donny and Marie Osmond – Morning Side of the Mountain

Life’s Rich Tapestry #Family #Rejuvenation – Onions by Sally Cronin

Family Health A-Z – Arthritis (osteo and gout) by Sally Cronin

Carbon Monoxide the silent killer by Sally Cronin

#Murder #Mystery N.A Granger, #Nostalgia #History Alex Craigie, #Crime #Thriller Fiona Tarr, #Romance #Venice Tonya Penrose

Author News and Reviews – Yvette Calleiro, Sandra Cox, John Dolan

#Mystery #Paranormal Marcia Meara, #Italy #Mystery #Romance Christa Polkinhorn, #Historical #WWII Marina Osipova

#Education #Bullying Buddy not Bully by Mary K. Doyle

Smorgasbord Blogger Weekly – June 8th 2024 – #Bookreviews Diana Peach and Yvette Calleiro #MemorialDay Jennie Fitzkee, #Crows Janet Gogerty, #Recipe Chef Ronit Penso, #Writing Beem Weeks

Hosts Sally Cronin and Debby Gies – Crocodiles and Absentees

 

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will join me again next week…

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up – 22nd-28th April 2024 – Travel News, Hits 1970s, Iconic Duets, Funnies, Cardiovascular system, Book Review, Bloggers.

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Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

A glorious sunny day here and it will be with us for the start of the week anyway.. Once I have cleared the decks I shall be outside pottering in the garden and probably enjoying a book in my lounger.

I am busy at the moment getting ready for my trip next Sunday 5th May to see my sisters and brother. I am catching an early ferry across to the UK and then driving 250 miles to Portsmouth. I am hoping that unlike other trips during the week, being a Sunday there will be a lot less commercial traffic and roadworks which have extended the trip from four and half hours to over six. I drive back to Wales the following Sunday working on the same logic and catch the ferry home on the Monday.

I remember with fondness the days I would through some spare undies, a lipstick and my toothbrush in a case and head off into the unknown with anticipation. These days the planning involved is a little more extensive. Despite David being very self-sufficient I do like to leave him stocked up for food while I am away to save him having to shop, then there is the cat to consider and the birds who get fed every day… There are quite a few more lotions and other essentials to pack ‘just in case’ despite there being a multitude of shops the other side that stock them. Then the laptop needs to be backed up and chargers to be packed for various mobile devices.  Thank goodness I am not flying lol… I would probably not get through security.

The blog will be stocked up with the regulars while I am away and whilst I might not be on social media as much, I will be checking in and responding to comments. If you don’t see me for a day or two when I am travelling don’t worry ‘I’ll be Back’

Anyway…I am looking forward to seeing my family and they have a full agenda… plus I get to see my best friend and his wife too which is a bonus.

As always my thanks also goes to my friends who contribute to the blog

William Price King  William joined me for the Breakfast Show on Tuesday and his series of iconic Duets on Friday. You can also find William – Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies will be here on Monday with the next post in her her new series Life Lessons 101… this week Dating: Then and Now… You can catch up with her posts this week including her monthly Writer’s Links and her Sunday Book Review a short story, Cut and Thirst by Margaret Atwood. D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor will be here on Wednesday with the next of her A-Z  World Cuisines and this week The Bahamas. Head over to check out her own posts including a celebration of Earth Day. CarolCooks2

Malcolm Allen was here onTuesday with some fun from Down Under.

Thanks again for your support this week… as always appreciated.

On with the show…

The Breakfast Show Rewind with William Price King and Sally Cronin – Chart Hits 1972 Part One – Roberta Flack, Don McLean, Elton John, Helen Reddy

William Price King with The Duets – #1960s – 1969 – Zager & Evans – In The Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus), Diana Ross and The Supremes & The Temptations – I’m Gonna Make You Love Me

Malcolm Allen Entertains #Marriage #Anniversaries and #Positivity

This Year’s Focus – Cardiovascular Disease – The Circulatory System – Part Three – The Healthy Eating Plan by Sally Cronin

Free plastic waste recycling illustration

Plastics invading our bodies and its impact on our planet by Sally Cronin

#Italy #WWII #Romance #Historical The Tuscan Orphan by Siobhan Daiko

New Book Spotlight – #Travel #Humour – Building The Beast: How (Not) To Build An Overland Camper (The Wayward Truck Book 1) by Jacqueline Lambert

#Life #Ambitions #Passions – Take it to the Limit by Melanie McGauran

#Writing What Draws Readers into a Story by D.L. Finn for Story Empire

Healers Pet Care Front Body Wrap AnxietyVest 300x 300

– Pet Holiday Anxiety Issues? Pet Copywriter Tricia Perry

Thursday Thoughts -#Snakes #Death #Dusting Tiffany Blue Snake. Dust and Emily Levine by Carol Taylor

#Writing through the generations: The Silent Generation – by Gwen M. Plano on Story Empire

Kitten peeking 400 x 400

Pet Holiday Anxiety Issues? Pet Copywriter Tricia Perry

Blogger Weekly – Book Reviews Toni Pike, #Interview Marcia Meara and Darlene Foster, #Cosymysteries Carla Loves to Read, #Shakespeare Rebecca Budd, #Laughter Pete Springer

 

Thanks very much for dropping in today and I hope you will join me again next week.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up – Spring planting, Hits of the 1970s, Iconic Duets, Heart Health, Book Reviews, Blogger Spotlight, Funnies

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Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

Finally it is spring….I managed to get my planting done in the front and the back garden and was able to sit and enjoy the first warmth after what has been a long, wet and windy winter. Even our cat’s bungalow got a make over and I had to laugh the other day when he arrived back to see his new garden and he inspected all the plants. Here is a small taste of how things are taking shape.

I have been so honoured to have been featured this week by two amazing authors on their blogs. It gives you such a boost to be on the receiving end of this kindness and has made my week extra special.

Joy Neal Kidney surprised me with a lovely feature and I do so appreciate her kindness and boost for Variety is the Spice of Life

Head over to enjoy Joy’s lovely feature: Variety is the Spice of Life

 And Jacqui Murray made my day on Friday with this review for Flights of Fancy and a boost for Sam, A Shaggy Dog Story...

Head over to read Jacqui’s review:Story Collections

And many thanks to Gwen Plano for her lovely review for What’s in a Name…Goodreads

As always my thanks also goes to my friends who contribute to the blog

William Price King  William joined me for the Breakfast Show on Tuesday and his series of iconic Duets on Friday. You can also find William – Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies will be here on Monday 29th April with the next in her new series Life Lessons. You can catch up with her own posts this week including her Sunday Book Review and this week for the 2nd book in the compelling series SFV series Darkness by Terry Tyler.  D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor will be here on Wednesday 1st May with the next of her A-Z  World Cuisines and will be taking us to The Bahamas. Head over to check out her extensive archives of food and sustainability related posts CarolCooks2

 Thanks again for your support this week… as always appreciated.

On with the show…

The Breakfast Show Rewind with William Price King and Sally Cronin – Chart Hits 1971 Part Two – Bill Withers, George Harrison, The Doors, Aretha Franklin

William Price King with The Duets – #1960s – 1968 – Simon and Garfunkel – Mrs. Robinson, Marvin Gaye & Tammy Terrell – Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing

A-Z…World Cuisine… Part 8 – Belgium – Chocolate, Mussels and Waffles by Carol Taylor

This Year’s Focus – Cardiovascular Disease – The Circulatory System – Part Two – Common problems with blood-vessels by Sally Cronin

#Thriller #Suspense – The Keeping Place by Mae Clair

#Memoir Repacking for Greece: A Mediterranean Odyssey (Packing for Greece travel series) by Sally Jane Smith

Growing Bookworms – War in Children’s Literature: yes or no? #childrensliterature #warbooks by Robbie Cheadle

– #Life – Writing Is Yoga For The Brain by Cheryl Oreglia

#Absence #Life #Heart – Where Have You Been, Springer? by Pete Springer

#Writing – Do you think your #writing isn’t good enough? Dealing with your fears (Part 2) by Deborah Jay

#Ireland #Dublin Thursday Doors: James Joyce in Dublin by Darlene Foster

#FoodSustainability Sue Dreamwalker, #Poetry Robbie Cheadle, #40th Jennie Fitzkee, #DogOwnership Thomas Wikman, #DesertB #Bighorns Cindy Knoke

From the Family Archives – #RestaurantBills and #Billpaying

 

Thanks for dropping by today and I hope you will join me again next week. Sally ♥

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Weekly Round Up -9th – 15th October – Chat Eau, Big Band, Barbra Streisand, Spirits, Green Kitchen, Fairy Stories, Book Reviews, Aromatherapy, Funnies-

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Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

A week in our world’s history that has shocked, horrified, divided and has the potential to do so for the foreseeable future. I try to keep my personal opinions regarding world events to myself, as I have no wish to enter into debate about such a polarising issue.

But I will say this. There is no place on our earth for innocence to be targeted in such a way on either side. Surely we have evolved as a species by now to be able to resolve issues without violence. World Peace has now become a trite and overused ‘wannabe concept’ that seems even further away than it did 105 years ago at the end of the First World War. For the sake of our younger generation we need to do a great deal better.

There are many quotes about war and innocence but film director Oliver Stone.. keeps it simple but succinct.

The first casualty of war is innocence….

 

On the home front.

Several months ago a cat starting turning up on our doorstep first thing in the morning.. and we noticed if we got up in the night for anything she was on the doorstep sometimes at 3 or 4am.. We didn’t want to encourage her as we assumed perhaps that her owners we leaving early for work and letting her out, but as the days passed she got thinner wanted to find somewhere to sleep during the day.. She was clearly hungry so we began to feed her once a day to begin with, then she began to have supper too.

I have experience of feral cats having rescued an old male tom (Henry) from under a bush in our garden where he had crawled to die. He went on to live for another 3 years happily teaching our dog Sam about cats and friendship, and finding a mate who he brought home one day pregnant. She had two strapping sons and the family lived outside in our large garden kipping in the shed and they would deliver dead rats on a regular basis to my front door mat in return for cooked chicken and rice!

Henry’s missus with her two lads waiting for lunch outside my office

We also fostered kittens after Sam’s training from Henry.

Anyway… our latest adoptee accepted some careful handling but was pretty handy with her claws. However over time she gentled down and being very clean, we let her in and she discovered a sheepskin rug on our landing that she decided would make a great spot on a rainy day…as is common here as you know. We have to keep doors firmly shut as her preference is any bed she can find lol. She has not had kittens despite several roaming toms showing their attraction… so we assume at some point she has been neutered.

Anyway, she is still an outside cat who loves to roam, but we wanted to ensure she always had somewhere warm and safe to sleep at night and to nap during the day. I started by putting a large plastic recyling box on its side with a folded up towelling bath mat that provided shelter from the rain and allowed her view her territory.

David then saw online that there were many people around the world who had also been adopted by feral cats and had built shelters. So he designed a new home for her which she loves whilst still popping in on very wet and windy days to make use of the upstairs sheepskin rug.

Her house has a roof terrace with a mat, a covered porch with a mat inside and windows for a full view of her territory, and an inside bedroom which is insulated with polystyrene and panelling to stop her scratching it and it has a cut up fleece of mine that gets maid service everyday.

Chat Eau in the garden – with a little face pressed up against the window napping….

As I write this the weather is bright but very cold and after her breakfast she went to the door to the hall and after some playtime shot upstairs where she is happily esconced until second breakfast about midday.

She is not a cat who likes to sit on your lap, but loves it if you sing to her and stroke her face gently.. she has begun to purr in the last couple of months and like a dog wags her tail when she is happy. She has brought something special into our lives and we are happy she has chosen us.

Next week

I am off on my road trip on Tuesday by ferry and driving to see my sisters and brother for a week. The first road trip on my own as David as several projects on the go and also has cat and bird feeding duties!. Looking forward to it and I know the route very well, although will have my navigator app helping out.

I have stocked the blog with the regular posts although you will forgive me if I don’t respond to comments every day whilst travelling and enjoying all the activities my family have planned for my visit. I will respond eventually. I hope you enjoy the posts.

As always my thanks to my friends who contribute to the blog…

William Price King joined me this week for the Big Band Era with Percy Faith, Rosemary Clooney, Johnny Mercer and Jimmy Slyde.  On Friday the next post in the series about the timeless music by Barbra Streisand . You can also find William – Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies​ was here on Monday with her next post in the Spiritual Awareness column and this week how even babies and toddlers seem to able to connect to spirits such as with ‘Imaginary Friends’  On her own blog Debby shared her Sunday Book Review for
Stockholm by Catherine Steadman #shortstory #psychothriller – earlier in the week a post about how challenging it is to have Thanksgiving as well as a poignant anniversary.. and more about her Kindle saga…Head over to …D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor was here on Wednesday with her next post in the Green Kitchen series. Carol is on a blogging break but you can explore her archives CarolCooks2

Thank you as well for your visits and ongoing support, it always appreciated. Sally ♥

The Big Band Era with William Price King and Sally Cronin – 1940s – Percy Faith with Rosemary Clooney, Johnny Mercer, Jimmy Slyde

William Price King – Life and Music of Barbra Streisand Part Three -collaborations in the 1970s and 1980s

Spiritual Awareness – Child Innocence and ability to see Spirit, #Imaginaryfriends by D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor’s Green Kitchen Rewind – Plastic Free, Buttermilk Bread, Buying Bulk, Stuffed Mushrooms, Grow Your Own, Conservation.

– Tales from the Irish Garden – The Betrothal Gift by Sally Cronin

#Aromatherapy – #Eucalyptus – Respiratory, Fevers and Pain by Sally Cronin

– #Romance #Mexico Answering The Call by Parris Afton Bonds

#Italy #Mystery #Romance – Letter from a Cave: The Mystery of a Letter found in a Cave in the Swiss Mountains Uncovers a Heartbreaking Love Story during World War II by Christa Polkinhorn

New Book on the Shelves – #Historical #Irish – Golden Boxty in the Frypan by Pat Spencer

#Historical #Biography Leora’s Dexter Stories: The Scarcity Years of the Great Depression (Leora’s Stories) by Joy Neal Kidney

#Supense #Romance That Darkest Place: Riverbend Book 3 by Marcia Meara

#Murder #Mystery – Secrets of the Galapagos by Sharon Marchisello

#Parenting #Sightimpairment – Daddy Won’t Let Mom Drive the Car: True Tales of Parenting in the Dark by Jo Elizabeth Pinto

Hosts Sally Cronin and Debby Gies – Women, relationships, Wi-Fi and a Good Night’s Sleep…

Hosts Sally Cronin and Debby Gies – Sermons and Last Respects

 

Thank you for dropping in and I hope you will join me again next week..Sally ♥

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Weekly Round Up – 2nd – 8th October 2023 – Big Band Era, Barbra Streisand Tales from the Irish Garden Podcast, Aromatherapy, Book Reviews, New on the Shelves, Funnies

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Welcome to the round up of posts you may have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

I hope the week has treated you well.. On the home front it has been busy with the installation of the solar panels on Tuesday. This required quite a bit of work in advance by the in- house property maintenance manager (aka Husband) in the roof space, and we prepared ourselves for a day of electricity disruption.

In fact it all went very smoothly with the three man team working through from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m with minimum breaks. The electrics were put in place whilst the scaffolding was erected and the frames for the panels added to the two roof areas being covered. They were added in the afternoon and by the time the guys left we were already generating electricity despite an overcast sky.

Over the week even though we have had only brief episodes of actual sunlight the panels have produced enough power for our basic needs and in fact, some is directed to our hot water heater which has not required any other imput, and we have also generated enough to pass back to the national grid earning us credit on the power they provide.

The technology has certainly come a long way in recent years, and I know many people in the northern Europe tend to think solar panels are a waste of time and I was one of them… I am a convert now and with the rising price of energy, having this throughout the year despite cloudy skies for most of it, is definitely a bonus.

Although it will of course take some time to cover the outlay, we do receive a grant towards the cost and because of the savings on the electricity bill it will be a lot quicker than it used to be.

We are staying put for a while but if and when we sell it will be a selling point for anyone coming in and if they have an electric vehicle we also had charging point installed which is fed by the panels.

Anyway, we are certainly very happy with the outcome and will be eagerly awaiting our electricity bill at the end of the month to see the actual savings.

As always my thanks to my friends who contribute to the blog…

William Price King joined me this week for the Big Band Era with  Nat King Cole, Les Brown Orchestra with Doris Day, Peggy Ryan  On Friday the second post in the series about the the amazingly talented Barbra Streisand . You can also find William – Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies​ is here tomorrow with her next post in the Spiritual Awareness column and this week how even babies and toddlers seem to able to connect to spirits such as with ‘Imaginary Friends’  On her own blog Debby shared her Sunday Book Review for the harrowing memoir of childhood manipulation Her Alibi by Mary. L. Schmidt.  Head over to …D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor will be here on Wednesday with her next post in the Green Kitchen series. Carol is on a blogging break but you can explore her archives CarolCooks2

Daniel Kemp was here on Thursday with a selection of funnies from his Facebook page, and as usual they hit the spot!

 Thanks very much for dropping in during the week and the ongoing support.. Sally ♥

On with the show….

The Big Band Era with William Price King and Sally Cronin – 1940s – Nat King Cole, Les Brown Orchestra with Doris Day, Peggy Ryan

William Price King – Life and Music of Barbra Streisand Part Two – 1960s/1970s Films and Music

Tales from the Irish Garden Rewind – The Royal Banquet – The Royal Visitors Arrive by Sally Cronin

Essential Oils and Aromatherapy – Oils, origins, uses – Clary Sage and other oils it blends with by Sally Cronin

#Crime #Mystery – Her Scorched Bones: An Australian Outback Crime Novel (Opal Fields Book 3) by Fiona Tarr

September Round up – #Poetry Lauren Scott, #Western #Romance Sandra Cox, #Romance #CountryMusic Jan Sikes, #Thriller Georgia Rose, #Poetry Balroop Singh

#BreastCancer Awareness #Shortstory – The Perfect Breasts by Cara Bertoia

#Fantasy #Thriller Secrets Held Against Evil: Book Four in the Dreamer’s Alliance Series by Dan Antion

#Fantasy #Humour The Misunderstood Angel: Branyrd the Angel Series Book 1 by J.E. Spina

#Coming of Age #Paranormal Tina’s Diary: 1997 by Stevie Turner

#Family #Parenting – The Gift: Harbor Pointe Series Book 2 by Gwen M. Plano

Strange Hwy: Short Stories by [Beem Weeks]

#ComingofAge, #Family #Relationships – Strange Hwy: Short Stories by Beem Weeks

#History #Romance – A Room in Blake’s Folly (Blake’s Folly Romance Book 1) by J. Arlene Culiner

#Memoir #Travel – Volcanic Adventures in Tonga – Species Conservation on Tin Can Island by Ann Göth

Another Open Mic Night with author Daniel Kemp – October 2023 – Entertaining Foods and Plastic carrier bags

 

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will join me again next week.. Sally ♥

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Round up -13th – 19th February 2023 – Birthdays, Archive Posts, Big Band Era, Quincy Jones, Heart Health Online Dating, Foods ‘Q’ , Podcast, Book Reviews, Funnies

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Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord

I hope the week has treated you well. We where out to lunch on Monday to celebrate my 70th birthday and the treats spilled over to Valentine’s Day, even after 43 years still something we like to celebrate.

This week is my 2nd eldest sister Diana’s 80th birthday so cause for more celebrations in the family. The three of us are all in February, and my brother slipped into March. A busy time of year for parties.

It is also my blogging anniversary today and hard to believe that it is 11 years since I signed up with WordPress… time really does fly when you are having fun.

Apart from a lovely lunch on Monday I have also been out and about this week…with the lovely Robbie Cheadle talking about poetry, sharing one of my favourites and one from by latest collection, plus a wonderful review from Robbie for Variety is the Spice of Life. Thanks to Kaye Lynne Booth too for her hospitality on Writing to be Read.

I hope you will head over to read the post: Writing to be Read : Interview with Robbie Cheadle

If you would like to share two posts from your archives in this current season please let me know if you are happy for me to delve into your archives to select them. I am currently scheduling for the first week in April. It would be lovely to have a few more.

As always my thanks to my friends who contribute to the blog…

William Price King joined me this week for the Big Band Era with Billie Holiday and Bunny Berigan, Count Basie and The Tango…Also the next post on the life and music of the incredible Quincy Jones You can also find William – Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies​ was here on Monday with a repeat post from her series on relationships in time for Valentine’s Day. Online dating is big business and whilst many find love, many also find scammers and Debby offers some practical advice on how to stay safe…She also shares one of the posts from her archives on the subject of telecommunications.  Despite being on her winter break in Mexico she is still visiting posts and commenting, not just here but around the writing community. Follow the link to Debby’s blog to browse her archives …D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor was here on Wednesday with her A-Z of food and the letter ‘Q’. In her Monday Musings Carol looks at another antibiotic alternative.. Grapefruit Seed Extract  look at food packaging and in particular takeaway containers and some lovely music from Oliver. – Catch up with this post and her other posts this week Carol Taylor’s Weekly Round Up 12th -18th February

Thank you very much for your visits, comments and shares to social media, as always it is appreciated ♥

On with the show…..

The Big Band Era with William Price King and Sally Cronin 1930s – Billie Holiday with Bunny Berigan and Count Basie, The Tango

William Price King Meets Music Legends – #Musician #Producer #Humanitarian Quincy Jones Part Two 1960s

D. G. Kaye Explores the Realms of Relationships – Online Dating – Staying Safe

Carol Taylor’s – Culinary A – Z Rewind – ‘Q’ for Quince, Quail, Quenelles and Quesadillas

Podcast #Poetry #Flash Fiction – Dolphins and Winning by Sally Cronin

Blocked artery 3 - Baloon inflated

The Body our Greatest Asset – The Heart – Part Two – Angina, Arrythmia and Valve disorders by Sally Cronin

Book Review #ComingofAge, #Family #Relationships – Strange Hwy: Short Stories by Beem Weeks

Previous Reviews from 2022 – #Fantasy #Adventure – Wreck of the Lanternfish by C.S. Boyack

The Grass is not Always Greener – #Tech Woes – From #Rogers to #BellCanada and Back by D.G. Kaye

#Recipes from around the world: Prawn pasta bake by Robbie Cheadle

#AuthorPromotions #NewBookPromotions The Story Reading Ape

#Thriller #Sci-Fi #Religion – Redemption: A Father’s Fatal Decision by Gwen Plano

#FinancialThriller – The Dish Dog by Peter Davidson

Sally’s Favourites – Valentine’s Day the lighter side of Romance.

Sally’s Favourites – Ipads, Kale and a Shaggy Cake Story

 

Thank you so much for dropping in today and I hope you will join me again next week.. Sally

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Weekly Round Up – 12th – 18th December 2022 – Ice skating, International Carols, Old Souls, Podcast, Book reviews, Christmas Guest posts, Funnies

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Welcome to the round up of posts on Smorgasbord you might have missed this week.

I hope your week has gone well and I am sure you are busy with your holiday preparations. We have gone from white, frosty and Christmasy to gale force winds and driving rain overnight. I am not complaining as I will take a wet road over an icy one any day.

Although a few weeks away I am making preparations for my 70th, not a party but to renew my driving licence which is the age we have to do it here. It used to be you had to produce a medical certificate at 70 but they have just moved to 75 which is one step out of the renewal. To renew online however I have to go to a local office tomorrow with all my IDs and prove my identity, which gives me a card which enables me to avoid going 20 miles to the nearest licence office. I also get a free travel card when I am 70 which I can use on any public transport including all buses and trains. So whilst there may be a few more cracks in my face than last year, there are definitely benefits of turning 70.

I will however forgo any invitation to compete in Dancing on Ice as yesterday proved that I might not have the aptitude I used to have on roller skates. I went out to pour warm water in the bird bath, and next thing I knew I was flat on my back, having slipped on the ice that had accumulated around the bird bath during their ablutions. I was wet through from the bucket of water I was still carrying, and startled crows circled me calling out in distress. I assume it was concern that the human who spends copious amounts of money and time feeding the garden birds, and the crows when they can get at it, was lying injured on the ground. I suspect however it was excitement at the sight of the largest piece of road kill they had ever seen… possibly an early Christmas gift!

Anyway, I broke my fall with my wrist and apart from various bruises from top to tail I have escaped with another lesson learnt. Throw the water in the bird bath from a distance when the hose is frozen.

This week I will be sharing the final Christmas book fairs including new book news for John Howell and Dan Antion, there will be festive music, videos and funnies with a couple of short stories, book review and the round up over the holiday weekend.

Contributor News this week.

William Price King has been sharing some wonderful international carols this week and there will be more festive music on Tuesday and Friday…and on New Year’s Eve a party  with music from William and some special guests .  You can also find William – Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies​ was here on Monday morning with the next post in her Spiritual Awareness series – Old Souls.. It was amazing to read the comments and discover how many of you resonated with the post.  Over on her own blog you can find Debby’s own exciting news of her latest release Fifteen First Times: Beginnings: A Collection of Indelible Firsts and you can read all about that in the promotion post that went out here this morning. On Debby’s own post you will find December’s very useful selection of writer’s tips, and the Sunday book reviews... for Robbie Cheadle and D.L. Finn. Follow the link to Debby’s posts …D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor will be back after Christmas with the next in her Culinary A-Z and the letter ‘N’ – Carol is also one of the special guests at the New Year’s Eve Party. Over on her own blog you will find some amazing holiday recipes including Homemade Christmas Ham, …Winter Warmers…Hot Chocolate, Fish Pie and a delicious Thai Duck Curry…Carol shares more edible flowers and if you have room after the Fish Pie, there are some fabulous White Chocolate Chip Cookies…make a delicious ice cream sandwich…Head over for the winter warmer recipes… take your appetite: Carol Taylor’s Christmas Recipes Winter Warmers

Time for some shameless self promotion… and a heartfelt thanks for the generosity shown by the writing community.

My thanks to Joy Neal Kidney who didn’t just review my latest book but the other three collections in the ‘Life’ series. Wow.. I was blown away..

Joy’s lovely feature: Prose and Poetry Gems

Colleen Chesebro is celebrating the release of her latest collection Fairies, Myths, & Magic II: A Winter Celebration, and as part of her blog tour she kindly featured each of her hosts in a post. Colleen also included her review of my latest so I am feeling quite chuffed this week as you can imagine.

Head over to Colleen’s: Colleen’s blog tour and review for Variety is the Spice of Life.

Author Aurora Jean Alexander included me in her festive newsletter this week with an update on her writing, including her latest release  and recent blog posts, and a delicious recipe for tangy honey glazed ham topped off with a delightful poem. If you have a newsletter you have sent out during December please drop the URL in the comments so we can all enjoy..

Head over to enjoy AJ’s festive newsletter: A.J’s Writing Adventure

Thank you too for all your visits, comments and shares during the week. As always very much appreciated…♥

 On with the show….

Christmas Music with William Price King Rewind – Carols from around the World – #Germany, #Greece and #France

Carols from around the World – #Italy, #Nigeria, #Sweden

Spiritual Awareness – Old Souls by D.G. Kaye

#Flash Fiction – Season of Goodwill and Retail Therapy by Sally Cronin

New Book on the Shelves – #Memoir – Fifteen First Times: Beginnings: A Collection of Indelible Firsts by D. G. Kaye

#Shortstories Hugh W. Roberts, #Crimestories Jane Risdon, #Historystories Lisette Brodey

Book Review – #Contemporary #Romance – Falling by Stevie Turner

 

New Book on the Shelves and my review – Fairies, Myths, & Magic II: Book 2: A Winter Celebration by Colleen Chesebro

Previous Reviews from 2022 – Oh Baubles: A Christmas Romance Novella by Harmony Kent

#Thriller #Mystery John L. DeBoer, #Malaya #1950s Apple Gidley, #Romance Stevie Turner

#ElementarySchool Pete Springer, #Fantasy #Magic Chris Hall, #Poetry Balroop Singh

#Photography #Poetry #Flash M.J. Mallon, #Women’sLit Toni Pike, #Family #Poetry Lauren Scott

A Christmas Eve Poem: Children Singing in Latin by Elizabeth Gauffreau

#Recipe #History – French Canadian Tourtière, Our Family Tradition by Dorothy Grover-Read

#Christmas #Santa Darlene Foster

Cooking up Memories- EggNog French Toast #Recipe #Christmas #FamilyFirst by Jacquie Biggar

Host Malcolm Allen December 2022 Part One- #Christmas Crackers

 

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will join me again next week if you have time.. Sally

Smorgasbord Weekly Round Up – December 5th – 11th 2022 – Bird Cafe and Spa, Munster Express, Hits 1950s, Tony Bennett, Culinary A-Z, Christmas Book Fair, Book Reviews, Flash Fiction, Funnies

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Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed on Smorgasbord this week.

I hope that the week has treated you well. It is very cold and frosty here and we have been sticking close to home. No snow but the roads have been pretty treacherous. The birds are very hungry and also with all free standing water frozen everywhere they are making good use of the warm water I fill up their bath with a couple of times a day.

The Sally Bird Cafe and Spa is doing a roaring business with an all you can eat buffet of mixed seed, suet blocks, fat balls, meal worms, sunflower hearts, soaked sultanas, peanuts and cooked wholegrain rice. Charlie the crow that we rescued and rehabilitated last year does not go far from the garden and I suspect he shacks up with the starlings at night for company. He is there on the roof first thing in the morning giving me it in the ear if I am late. He still cannot open his beak very far so the cooked brown rice,a soft crumbly fat ball and a soft slice of brown bread with peanut butter is his idea of luxury.

Are they spoilt… absolutely they are more entertaining than Netflix and they sing to me every morning to start the day.

First my thanks to Mary Crowley who is not only an excellent author whose books I have enjoyed, but who is also a columnist for the The Munster Express a well known South East Ireland newspaper. Mary supports Irish authors and reviews books that she features too. She has always been very supportive of my new books when they are published as she has been for the latest.

If you are looking for more books to topple your TBR (they can take it) Marjorie Mallon has done an amazing montage of books she has reviewed this year and honoured to be included amongst friends and new authors I have yet to discover.

Just some of the excellent authors included D.G. Kaye, D. Wallace Peach, D.L. Finn, Richard Dee, Robbie Cheadle, Colleen Chesebro, Darlene Foster, Adele Marie Park, Jina S. Bazzar, Ritu Bhathal, Helen Pryke, Sarah Northwood, Michelle E. Northwood, S.C. Skillman and Lizzie Chantree.  I hope you will head over to read the recommendations and dive into the pile…

Head over to discover all of Marje’s reviews: Merry Indie Christmas! #bookstoread #recommendations #writingcommunity

Contributor News this week.

William Price King joined me for The Breakfast Show for the next in the series on hits from the 1950s and the final post in the series about the ultimate showman Tony Bennett coming up in the next two Fridays some festive music and on New Year’s Eve a party special with music from William and some special guests .  You can also find William – Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies​ will be here on Monday morning with the next post in her Spiritual Awareness series – Old Souls.. we have all met them and fascinating to discover more.  Over on her own blog you can find her Sunday Book Review for Alex Craigie’s The Bubble Reputation, a Q&A with Colleen Chesebro about her new book.Follow the link to Debby’s posts …D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor will was here on Wednesday with her  A-Z of food with the letter ‘M’…on her own blog you will find Monday Musings with Stained Glass Sushi, a link to a wonderful recipe for Christmas Sauerkraut, a recipe for warming Lancashire Hot Pot, more edible flowers and to discover more about those here is the link Friday Food Edible Flowers Carol Taylor

Thank you too for all your visits, comments and shares during the week. As always very much appreciated…♥

 On with the show….

The Breakfast Show with William Price King and Sally Cronin – Chart Hits 1950s – Chuck Berry, Debbie Reynolds, The Champs and Ritchie Valens

William Price King meets the Music Legends – Tony Bennett – A lifetime of achievements

Carol Taylor’s – Culinary A – Z Rewind – ‘M’ is for Mayonnaise, Mango, Mousse, Morels, Khao Neow Manuang and Marengo

Flash Fiction Many Hands and Following Elephants

New Book on the Shelves and my review – From Scratch: Adventures in Harvesting, Hunting, Fishing, and Foraging on a Fragile Planet by David Moscow and Jon Moscow

#Festive #Romance Staci Troilo, #Romance #Suspense Pamela S. Wight and Ashley Brandt, #Festive #Mystery James J. Cudney,

New Book on the Shelves – #Travel – Caravanning with #Dogs – To Hel In A Hound Cart: Journey To The Centre Of Europe (Adventure Caravanning with Dogs Book 5) by Jacqueline Lambert

#Supernatural #Adventure John W. Howell, #Western #Romance Sandra Cox, #YA #BlendedFamilies Yvette Calleiro

#ChildrensBooks, #Fantasy Jemima Pett, #YA #Travel Darlene Foster, #Bathtime Sue Wickstead

#Fantasy Lunar Boogie (The Hat Book 4) by C.S. Boyack, #Christmas #Romance Love, Me by Jacquie Biggar

#Murder #Mystery Sharon Marchisello, #Thriller Gwen Plano, #Historical #Romance Ailish Sinclair

#Moonshine #WWII #Family Allan Hudson, #Crime #Paranormal Jaye Marie,#Shortstories Stephen Geez

#Paranormal Marcia Meara, #Fantasy J. M. Murphy, #YAFantasy Janice Spina

An Unseasonal Christmas – Rain, Wind and Snow in 1878 by Catherine Meyrick

HANDS – A #Christmas Story by Jan Sikes

Smorgasbord Laughter Lines Extra – December 2022 – Another Open Mic Night with author Daniel Kemp

 

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will join me again next week… Sally.

Smorgasbord Laughter is the Best Medicine – Hosts Debby Gies and Sally Cronin November 24th 2022 – Turkey Dilemmas and Betting slips

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Firstly, some funnies from Debby Gies followed by a joke or two from Sally. Thanks to those who share the funnies on the internet.

D.G. Writes is where you will find an archive full of wonderful posts across several subjects including writing tips, social issues and book reviews.My thanks to Debby for excellent foraging

D. G. Kaye – Buy: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK Blog: D.G. Writes – Goodreads: D.G. Kaye on Goodreads – Twitter: @pokercubster

Debby’s new series Spiritual Awareness..Spiritual Awareness – Decoding Sequenced Angel Messages in Numbers by D.G. Kaye

Now for some fun from Sally….from the archives

Sally’s books: Amazon US –  Amazon UK – More reviews : Goodreads – Podcast – Sally Cronin on Soundcloud – Twitter: @sgc58

Finding out your mummy’s age

An archaeologist was digging in the Negev Desert and came upon a casket containing a mummy. After examining it, he called the curator of a prestigious museum.

“I’ve just found a 3,000 year old mummy,” said the archaeologist. “It’s a man who died of heart failure.”

“Bring it in,” said the curator. “We’ll check it out.”

A week later, the amazed curator called the archaeologist. “You were exactly right about the mummy’s age and cause of death,” he said. “How in the world did you know?”

“Easy,” the archaeologist replied. “He was holding a piece of papyrus that said ‘10,000 shekels on Goliath.’”

Placing more bets

One day while he was at the track betting on the ponies and nearly losing his shirt, Mitch noticed a priest who stepped out onto the track and blessed the forehead of one of the horses lining up for the 4th race.

Lo and behold, that horse — a very long shot — won the race.

Before the following race, the Priest blessed yet another horse. Mitch made a beeline for the window, and placed a small bet on the horse. Again, even though it was another long shot, the horse the priest had blessed won the race.

Mitch collected his winnings, and anxiously waited to see which horse the priest would bless for the 6th race. The priest showed, blessed a horse, Mitch bet a large amount of money on it, and it won!

True to his pattern, the priest stepped out onto the track before the last race and blessed the forehead, eyes, ears, and hooves of one of the horses.

Mitch bet every cent he had, including his life savings and the deed to his house. Mitch then watched the horse come in dead last. He was dumbfounded.

He made his way to the track, and when he found the priest, he demanded, “What happened, Father? All day long you blessed horses and they won. The last race, you blessed a horse and he lost. Now, thanks to you, I’ve lost all my savings!”

The priest nodded wisely and said, “That’s the problem with Protestants — you can’t tell the difference between a simple blessing and the Last Rites

 

Thank you for joining us today and we hope you are leaving with a smile on your face.. Debby and Sally.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up – 8th – 14th August 2022 – Hits 2001, Spiritual Awareness, Waterford, Obesity, Book Reviews, Book Fair, Funnies

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Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

I hope that you have managed to stay cool during the last week and that those impacted by wildfires are safe. It certainly is a world of two halves at the moment with the Southern Hemisphere experiencing unusually cold conditions. There are several who are struggling to get crops in the ground because of the cold weather which will impact the prices even more in the coming year.

We have had sunshine all week and this is certainly the driest month we have experienced in the last four or five years. The last time was in 2017 and I think that was the year we had a lot of snow in the winter… glad we have had the wood burner refurbished.

David has finished the painting of the outside of the house. Just a couple of jobs on the list still waiting to be dealt with by outside contractors… some guttering needs to be replaced and we need the boiler serviced. We do that annually but this year it is even more important as we will need to ge an efficiency certificate for the house before we put on the market. Every one is busy at the this time of year particularly as many are taking advantage of the holidays to take a break. We are hoping that perhaps in early September we might get the call backs we need.   Here is the finished product however with just the outside wall of the garden facing the road needing some final touches.

This week William Price King joined me for The Breakfast Show and shared the final post in the Nina Simone story. Next week we move into the classical music genre with the life and music of the great Pavarotti. You can also find William – Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies was here on Monday with a brand new series exploring our spiritual well being.. Over on her blog you will find her posts including her experiences organising her own car servicing for the first time in 27 years, some very helpful writer’s links and her usual Sunday Book Review spot..this week some great feedback for her own books… head over to D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor  will be here on Wednesday with an exploration of foods and culinary terms in her terrific series A-Z of foods with the letter E. This week on her own blog you can enjoy her Monday Musings, exploration of the cuisine of Egypt  and Saturday Snippets.. all about the word ‘Vine’. You can read this post and the others Carol Cooks2

Thanks too for all your visits, comments and shares this week… they mean a great deal..♥

The Breakfast Show with William Price King and Sally Cronin – Chart Hits 2001 Part One – Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Mýa, Pink and rapper L’il Kim, Kylie Minogue, Enrique Iglesias

William Price King meets the Music Legends – Nina Simone – Finale – Hit Singles

Spiritual Awareness – Communicating Through Spiritual Energy – #Empaths – By D.G. Kaye

#Memoir #Waterford #Ireland #History – The Colour of Life The Digs In Dublin 1944 by Geoff Cronin

The Nuns at the Glue Pot 1946

Size Matters: The Sequel – #Morbid Obesity – #CandidaAlbicans – Eliminating Refined Sugars by Sally Cronin

#Ireland – Recipes and Tales from the Kitchen of Oceanic Temptations: A Taste of the Wild Atlantic Way by Mary Crowley

I Wish I Knew Then What I Know Now! – Guest Round Up – Part Two – D.G. Kaye, Sandra Cox, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, Stevie Turner, Dorothy Grover-Read, Terry Tyler, Alex Craigie, Jacqui Murray, D.L. Finn, Rebecca Budd

Summer Book Fair 2022 – #Poetry Frank Prem, #Africa #Flyingboats Jemima Pett

#Action #Adventure Gwen M. Plano, #PostWar #Russia Marina Osipova

Posts from Your Archives 2022- ‘Lucky Dip’ – #Teaching #FutureInvestment Pete Springer

Posts from Your Archives 2022 – ‘Potluck’ – #TopTenThings D.Wallace Peach by Marcia Meara

Posts from Your Archives 2022- ‘Lucky Dip- #InternetProviders #Tenthings John Howell

‘Potluck’ #Books – Being a Cataloguer by Audrey Driscoll

Cathy Ryan

#Rockies #Haiku D.Wallace Peach, #Interactivebooks Robbie Cheadle, #London1950s Beetley Pete, #Childhood Judith Barrow, #Bookreview Cathy Ryan, #Translations Jaq D. Hawkins, Story Reading Ape

Laughter is the Best Medicine 2022 – Host Malcolm Allen – Book Covers and Pyramids

Another Open Mic Night with author Daniel Kemp – Holiday complaints and Drink Mixers Posted on August 11, 2022

 

Thanks so much for all the support this week and I hope you will drop in again… Sally

Smorgasbord Laughter Lines – August 10th 2021 – Hosts Debby Gies and Sally Cronin – Language and Wonder Diet

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Debby Gies has been foraging on the internet for funnies to share and I have a joke or two up my sleeve.

  

If you have not discovered the non-fiction books by D.G. Kaye: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK Blog: D.G. Writes – Goodreads: D.G. Kaye on Goodreads – Twitter: @pokercubster

Check out Debby’s latest relationship column here on Smorgasbord July 2021 – The Universe Brings Us Kindred Spirits

Now something from Sally – A little elderly humour

Road safety!

I’ve sure gotten old. I’ve had two By-pass surgeries. A hip replacement, new knees. Fought prostate cancer, and diabetes. I’m half blind, can’t hear anything quieter than a jet engine, take 40 different medications that make me dizzy, winded, and subject to blackouts. Have bouts with dementia. Have poor circulation, hardly feel my hands and feet anymore. Can’t remember if I’m 85 or 92. Have lost all my friends.But…..Thank God, I still have my Florida driver’s license!

Being in charge!

When you are young, you want to be the master of your fate and the captain of your soul. When you are older, you will settle for being the master of your weight and the captain of your bowling team.

The wonder diet!

A woman walked up to a little old man rocking in a chair on his porch.

“I couldn’t help noticing how happy you look,” she said. “What’s your secret for a long happy life?”

“I smoke three packs of cigarettes a day,” he said. “I also drink a case of whiskey a week, eat fatty foods, and never exercise.”

“That’s amazing,” the woman said. “How old are you?’

“Twenty-six,” he said.

Thanks for dropping in and we hope you are leaving with a smile on your face… Debby and Sally.

Smorgasbord Laughter Lines – August 3rd 2021 – Hosts Debby Gies and Sally Cronin – Television and Alligators

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Debby Gies has been foraging on the internet for funnies to share and I have a joke or two up my sleeve.

  

If you have not discovered the non-fiction books by D.G. Kaye: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK Blog: D.G. Writes – Goodreads: D.G. Kaye on Goodreads – Twitter: @pokercubster

Check out Debby’s latest relationship column here on Smorgasbord July 2021 – The Universe Brings Us Kindred Spirits

Now something from Sally

Being a maid.

There is a story about Dorothy Parker, the American author, whose maid handed in her notice after finding a live alligator in the bath one morning. Her note stated ‘I cannot work in a house where there is an alligator in the bath. I would have mentioned this when I took the job, but I didn’t think the issue would come up!’

Never miss an opportunity?

An elderly lady was introduced to a doctor at a dinner party and immediately struck up a conversation. ‘I wonder if I could ask you a question? I have been getting these pains in my side and up my right leg as well what do you think might be the problem?’

‘I’m sorry but I’m not that kind of doctor.. I am a Doctor of Economics.

‘Oh I see,’ said the lady, ‘Well, in that case should I sell my British telecom shares.’

 

Thanks for dropping in and we hope you are leaving with a smile on your face… Debby and Sally.

Smorgasbord Laughter Lines Extra – July 9th 2021 – Another Open Mic Night with author Daniel Kemp – Brooms and Coffins

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Author Daniel Kemp entertains us again with his funnies from: Danny Kemp .. Always a place to find funnies and jokes to cheer you up… plus some satirical political commentary on politicians at home and abroad.

And to finish up…

The Coffin….

A man walking home from the pub hears a thump…………. thump……………thump behind him he turns around and sees a coffin following him down the street

He thinks I want nothing to do with that so he starts to walk faster then he hears thump……. thump……. thump the coffin going faster so he starts to run when he hears thump, thump, thump the coffin also running.

He gets to his front door and is panicking to get the key in the lock as the coffin’s coming, finally he gets the key in the lock opens the door slams it shut locking and bolting it he sits down wondering what’s going on.

Then there’s an almighty crash the coffin comes through the front door knocking it off his hinges and stands there in the doorway, the guy dodges round the coffin runs up the stairs into the bathroom, and locks the bathroom door.

Next, he hears thump thump thump of the coffin coming up the stairs, the coffin reaches the top, launches itself against the bathroom door smashing it off its hinges, and stands in the doorway & the guy is trapped.

The coffin starts coming towards him, panicking he starts picking things off the bathroom shelves and throwing them at the coffin. First, he throws a can of Gillette shaving foam but the coffin keeps coming towards him next he throws a bar of Imperial leather soap but the coffin keeps coming towards him then he throws a bottle of Venos cough medicine at the coffin and the coffin stops!

My thanks to Danny for allowing me to raid his Facebook: Danny Kemp

About Daniel Kemp

Daniel Kemp, ex-London police officer, mini-cab business owner, pub tenant and licensed London taxi driver never planned to be a writer, but after his first novel –The Desolate Garden — was under a paid option to become a $30 million film for five years until distribution became an insurmountable problem for the production company what else could he do?

In May 2018 his book What Happened In Vienna, Jack? became a number one bestseller on four separate Amazon sites: America, UK, Canada, and Australia.

Although it’s true to say that he mainly concentrates on what he knows best; murders laced by the mystery involving spies, his diverse experience of life shows in the short stories he writes, namely: Why? A Complicated Love, and the intriguing story titled The Story That Had No Beginning.

He is the recipient of rave reviews from a prestigious Manhattan publication, been described as –the new Graham Green — by a managerial employee of Waterstones Books, for whom he did a countrywide tour of signing events, and he has appeared on ‘live’ television in the UK.

A selection of books by Daniel Kemp

A recent review for The Story That Had no Beginning

Feb 23, 2021 Roberta Cheadle rated it five stars

This book is an interesting and complex story about twins, Tom and Alice Collins, who enter the foster care system at a young age and are raised separately. The book starts with Alicia Collinson, aka Alice Collins, and her sophisticated boyfriend hosting two friends for a dinner party. Unknow to the dinner participants, the ghost of her brother Tom, known as Bobby Brown among his peer group, is also in attendance. It is obvious from the start that Alicia is a woman of good financial circumstances who mingles with the elite of London’s society. It also becomes evident quite early on, that Tom’s life has followed a very divergent path and he was a member of the mafia-styled criminal class.

The book follows the paths of the twins and how they come to end up in their different circumstances and lifestyles. Alicia is a well-know and talented photographer who owns her own home in London and has plenty of money. Tom has money, albeit ill gotten, but he dies the death of a criminal.

Tom is a conflicting character as he is a man involved in high class prostitution and other shady and illegal dealings. Despite being a seasoned criminal, his narration of the story reveals a different side to his character. One that questions the life he lived and celebrates the good fortune and success achieved by his sister.

Alice or Alicia has the great good luck to become the protegee of a wealthy single woman with no children who effectively adopts her and sets her on the road to success in her chosen field of photography. Unknown to the naïve Alicia, her benefactor isn’t everything she appears to be and some of the people she socialises with are infamous for their continuous promiscuous behaviour with the same, or the opposite, sex. In a contrast to her brother, Tom, who is in the centre of the debaucherous lifestyles led by the wealthy upper classes of London, Alicia hovers around the edges, not realising what is right in front of her.

The author has an in-depth knowledge of the illicit behaviour of the British upper class and paints a detailed picture of how greed, selfishness and a complete disregard for the values and ethics of society lead to the downfall of people.

This book will make you question what success is all about and whether it leads to contentment as the stories of the many characters unfold. This is thought provoking tale as despite the huge difference in the siblings financial and social positions, both of them end up with money but neither of them have good reliable partners or simply and happy lives.

Read the reviews and buy the books also in audio: Amazon UK – And : Amazon US – follow Daniel: Goodreads – Website: Author Danny Kemp – Facebook: Books by Daniel – Twitter:@danielkemp6

Thanks for visiting and I know Danny would love your feedback..Have a good weekend…Sally

 

Smorgasbord Laughter Lines Extra – April 30th 2021 – Another Open Mic Night with author Daniel Kemp – Onions and other Favourite Things

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Author Daniel Kemp entertains us again with his funnies from: Danny Kemp .. Always a place to find funnies and jokes to cheer you up… plus some satirical political commentary on politicians at home and abroad. –

Plus as a special –  two of Danny’s books are FREE until 5th May – links at the bottom of the funnies.

May be an image of text that says "THE RECIPE SAID ΤΟ DICE THE ONION. WENT Το A LOT OF EFFORT BUT I'M PLEASED WITH THE RESULT."

May be an image of text that says "9 OUT OF 10 HUSBANDS AGREED THAT THEIR WIVES ARE ALWAYS RIGHT. THE 10TH HUSBAND HASN'T BEEN SEEN SINCE THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED."

May be an image of 1 person and text that says "They're cute and look harmless but they are loud, incredibly expensive to keep, and absolutely untrainable! The other one is a kangaroo. I don't know anything about kangaroos... know"

May be an image of text

May be an image of text that says "They say we learn from our mistakes... That's why I'm making as many as possible. I'll soon be a genius!"

And to finish up…

Julie Andrews Turning 84-this is hysterical!

To commemorate her birthday, actress/vocalist, Julie Andrews made a special appearance at Manhattan’s Radio City Music Hall for the benefit of the AARP. One of the musical numbers she performed was My Favorite Things from the legendary movie ‘Sound Of Music’. Here are the lyrics she used:

(Sing It!) – If you sing it, it’s especially hysterical!!!
Botox and nose drops and needles for knitting,
Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings,
Bundles of magazines tied up in string,
These are a few of my favorite things.
Cadillacs and cataracts, hearing aids and glasses,
Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses,
Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,
These are a few of my favorite things.
When the pipes leak, When the bones creak,
When the knees go bad,
I simply remember my favorite things,
And then I don’t feel so bad.
Hot tea and crumpets and corn pads for bunions,
No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,
Bathrobes and heating pads and hot meals they bring,
These are a few of my favorite things.
Back pain, confused brains, and no need for sinnin’,
Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin’,
And we won’t mention our short shrunken frames,
When we remember our favorite things.
When the joints ache When the hips break,
When the eyes grow dim,
Then I remember the great life I’ve had,
And then I don’t feel so bad.
>>>>>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>
(Ms. Andrews received a standing ovation from the crowd
that lasted over four minutes and repeated encores. Please
share Ms. Andrews’ clever wit and humor with others who
would appreciate it.)

 

My thanks to Danny for allowing me to raid his Facebook: Danny Kemp

About Daniel Kemp

Daniel Kemp, ex-London police officer, mini-cab business owner, pub tenant and licensed London taxi driver never planned to be a writer, but after his first novel –The Desolate Garden — was under a paid option to become a $30 million film for five years until distribution became an insurmountable problem for the production company what else could he do?

In May 2018 his book What Happened In Vienna, Jack? became a number one bestseller on four separate Amazon sites: America, UK, Canada, and Australia.

Although it’s true to say that he mainly concentrates on what he knows best; murders laced by the mystery involving spies, his diverse experience of life shows in the short stories he writes, namely: Why? A Complicated Love, and the intriguing story titled The Story That Had No Beginning.

He is the recipient of rave reviews from a prestigious Manhattan publication, been described as –the new Graham Green — by a managerial employee of Waterstones Books, for whom he did a countrywide tour of signing events, and he has appeared on ‘live’ television in the UK.

A selection of books by Daniel Kemp

One of the reviews for A Covenant of Spies

Brian Kitchen 5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent spy novel.  Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 January 2020

Daniel Kemp has written another excellent spy novel about Patrick West, the chairman of the British Joint Intelligence Committee. In this novel Patrick is attempting to unravel a web of deceit centred around Nikita Kudashov, an intelligence operative, who wants West to extract his grand-daughter from Moscow.

As West delves deeper into Kudashov’s history, he finds links to operations he took part in himself back in the 1980s and a trail that leads to an old enemy and also involves the Machiavellian machinations of his old boss Dickie Blythe-Smith.

I won’t spoil the plot for readers, but I was engrossed by the story and really enjoyed it. I enjoy reading the novels of John le Carré, Len Deighton and Graham Green and think this novel would appeal to readers who also like those writers.  

FREE until May 5th

Read the reviews and buy the books also in audio: Amazon UK – And : Amazon US – follow Daniel: Goodreads – Website: Author Danny Kemp – Facebook: Books by Daniel – Twitter:@danielkemp6

Thanks for visiting and I know Danny would love your feedback..Have a good weekend…Sally

Smorgasbord Laughter Lines – April 22nd 2021 – Hosts Debby Gies and Sally Cronin – Stress Test and Cheap Cow

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Welcome to laughter lines. We will be sharing some of our favourites from the archives over the next few weeks.

  If you have not discovered the non-fiction books by D.G. Kaye: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK Blog: D.G. Writes – Goodreads: D.G. Kaye on Goodreads – Twitter: @pokercubster

Check out Debby’s column here on Smorgasbord D.G. Kaye Explores the Realms of Relationships 2020

Now something from Sally

Discerning film goer

A couple go to a movie and find that a few seats to their right is a man and his dog. The dog seemed well behaved enough so they didn’t call an usher to complain. They watch the movie and notice that during the action scenes, the dog is on the edge of his seat, watching intently. During the the happy scenes, the dog wagged his tail happily. In the sad scenes, the dog would whimper. And in the scary scenes, the dog hid under the seat. When the movie was over, the couple approached the dog owner. The wife said “We can’t believe how much your dog enjoyed the movie.” The dog’s owner replied “Me either. He didn’t like the book.”

Cheap cow...

The only cow in a small town in Northern Italy stopped giving milk. Then the town folk found they could buy a cow in Sicily quite cheaply. So, they brought the cow over from Sicily. It was absolutely wonderful. it produced lots of milk every day and everyone was happy.

They bought a bull to mate with the cow to get more cows, so they’d never have to worry about their milk supply again. They put the bull in the pasture with the cow but whenever the bull tried to mount the cow, the cow would move away. No matter what approach the bull tried, the cow would move away from the bull, and he was never able to do the deed. The people were very upset and decided to go to the local veterinarian, Dr. Santucchi, who was very wise, tell him what was happening and ask his advice.

“Whenever the bull tries to mount our cow, she moves away. If he approaches from the back, she moves forward. When he approaches her from the front, she backs off. If he attempts it from the one side, she walks away to the other side.”

The veterinarian rubbed his chin thoughtfully and pondered this before asking, “Did you by chance, buy this cow in Sicily?”

The people were dumbfounded, since no one had ever mentioned that they had brought the cow over from Sicily. “You are truly a wise veterinarian,” they said. “How did you know we got the cow from Sicily?”

The Vet replied with a distant look in his eyes, “My wife is from Sicily.”

 

Thanks for dropping in today and we hope you are leaving with a smile on your face… Debby and Sally.

Smorgasbord Laughter Lines Extra – Mid-week boost – Minimum Wage and Amazon Reviews…

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I have been spring cleaning my files on my computer and have turned up some funnies that have been forwarded over the years from family (Diana)  and friends… . I hope you enjoy this as a midweek boost.

 

 

Thanks for dropping in and I hope you are leaving with a smile on your face…Sally.

 

Smorgasbord Laughter Lines – February 2nd 2021 – Hosts Debby Gies and Sally Cronin – Wine Day and One Liners

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Welcome to laughter lines with some fun from around the web from Debby Gies and a joke or two to make you smile from Sally.

If you have not discovered the non-fiction books by D.G. Kaye: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK    Blog: D.G. Writes – Goodreads: D.G. Kaye on Goodreads –  Twitter: @pokercubster

Check out Debby’s column here on Smorgasbord  D.G. Kaye Explores the Realms of Relationships 2020

Now something from Sally’s Archives

Some more one liners…

  • Two aerials meet on a roof – fall in love – get married. The ceremony was rubbish – but the reception was brilliant.
  • Doc, I can’t stop singing the ‘Green Green Grass of Home’. He said: ‘That sounds like Tom Jones syndrome’. ‘Is it common?’I asked. ‘It’s not unusual’ he replied.
  • I’m on a whiskey diet. I’ve lost three days already.
  • A man walks into a bar with a roll of tarmac under his arm and says: ”Pint please, and one for the road.”
  • I went to the doctors the other day and I said, ‘Have you got anything for wind?’ So he gave me a kite.
  • My mother-in-law fell down a wishing well, I was amazed, I never knew they worked.
  • I saw this bloke chatting up a cheetah; I thought, ”He’s trying to pull a fast one”.
  • I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day but I couldn’t find any.
  • A jump-lead walks into a bar. The barman says ”I’ll serve you, but don’t start anything”
  • Slept like a log last night…….. Woke up in the fireplace.
  • A priest, a rabbi and a vicar walk into a bar. The barman says, ”Is this some kind of joke?”
  • A sandwich walks into a bar. The barman says ”Sorry we don’t serve food in here”

 

Thanks for visiting us today and we hope you are leaving with a smile on your face.. thanks Debby and Sally.