General Chat

I've just 'discovered' this chap through an audio book of 'Trowel and Error', and then had to read the only one of his books that was in at my local library. 'Only Dad'. Can't wait for the others to be returned so I can go on reading.I really like his chatty style of writing, easy to read. Had to google him and found that he has his own website no less. Hopefully I'll get to see him inperson when we do our geriatric OE next year

Have you not heard of Alan Titchmarsh before Jeanette? He has been gardening on the TV for years, and used to do the programme called 'Ground Force' where they would give someone's garden a 'makeover'.

I have one of his books but have yet to read it ........ maybe i will fetch it from the bookcase tonight lol

Does the audio have him reading it Jeanette? I always loved watching Gardeners World when he did it cos i found him really relaxing to watch and listen to :O)

have one by side of bed but cant read at minute and have read Lighthouse keeper my eldest was surprised he was writing raunchy books shes so used to seeing him gardening.

Where we used to live wrote to him asking if he could donate to schol fair and he did his secretary sent a lovely letter back as well.

d x

The CD set that I was listening to does have him reading it. He sounds such a nice normal chap. There's a nice little catch in his voice when he talks about missing his Dad, I know how he feels. I suppose I should have said that I was from the colonies. Lol, little old NZ doesn't get any of his tv programmes. We do have our own version of the garden makeover show, here it's called Mucking In'
Don't see much UK telly these days, not the sort of things I like anyway. Coro Street isn't really my cup of tea. I do like a good police show, John Thaw was great. I've seen the odd episode with his sidekick in it, can't remember what I was called. Screening of Who Do you Think You Are are good, if a little misleading about how 'easy' it is to find the ancestors,still I always enjoy hearing other peoples stories.
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But Jim Mora is very good with Mucking In but as you say it is a makeover and not so much gardening, never sure in the end what they have planted everywhere. Alan Titchmarsh is a household name, I think we had Eion Scarrow and Sam McCready that did gardening programmes. There is always something refreshing about gardening programmes even if you are not a gardener you can relate to them easily - earthy so to speak.
Tho I cannot imagine our gardening guys writing '' Raunchy"

Must be something in the soil.

Persephone

Ohhh Jeanette, you're in NZ, that explains it. He's really well known here.

Yes he's a lovely genuine bloke, with both feet firmly on the ground, and is proud to be a Yorkshireman. He always has a smile too.

Are you a kiwi too Persephone ? I'm in the Manawatu, but will be UK bound in march so hope to see some of A T on the telly over there. Eon Scarrow hasn't been on for years, you must be almost as old as me.
I've just borrowed Rosie from the library. He must be a popular author here too becasue his books are hardly ever in for long.

Yes, hence the name Persephone (of the Underworld)

I listen to Jim Mora on National Radio most afternoons if I can. Nothing to do with Gardening but.

I actually think our Libraries are very good. I belong to Auckland and Manukau Libraries, both are very helpful. When out of town I often visit other town Libraries.

Where abouts in Manawatu are you? My husband was born in Hunterville. We go through there now and then - have a daughter living in Wellington.

Cheers

Norma

Hi Perssphone, We live in Palmerston North. At the moment we are in Auckland staying with famila and on friday night are going to see the stage show Mamia Mia, saw it live in 04 and loved every minute of it.
Yes I like Jim Mora too, and KIm Hill on saturdays.

Good idea to be up here, according to the paper today there was snow down in Manawatu way and cold as.
My husband is not into musicals - tho I did get him to Fiddler on the Roof and Les Miserables. I had to be content with the movie of Mamma Mia - took my grand daughter for her 11th birthday last year.
Today has not turned out too bad after a downpour earlier this morning. The red dust has apparently all fallen in the Tasman Sea before it reached us.

regards

Norma