Peaceful thoughts, warm feelings, and a hope for your own life dance to be as authentic as you feel able.
Have a great day, and thank you for dropping by.
Introducing one of our own books, Breakfast On The Patio - a place we yearned to rest, and watch the world go by...
Breakfast On The Patio is the true diarised renovation story of a rose tinted, yet surprisingly delightful experience of moving from a busy city in Yorkshire to a secluded old farm workers cottage, in the middle of a field, and at the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds. This 354 page 2nd Edition Publication is our before and after Trophy to my wonderful best friend of a partner, for all his hard work and toil. In date order, the book contains useful tips, renovation ideas, and homely stories. Breakfast On The Patio is now globally distributed, available in paperback format in most well-known book stores, and still available free to download on Amazon Kindle if you are a Kindle Unlimited Member.
Published 29th October 2012. ISBN 978-0957242005, Publisher, All At Ivy Cottage, Lincolnshire. Distributor, www.nielsen.co.uk
It was our very own escape to the country. We were about to make our dream come true...On that scorched after-the-rain day in July, we took several visits to Lincolnshire as they led us through those blinding downpours of 2007. Next, we welly-waded our way through flash-floods, arriving at the destination. A dead-end road sign marked the beginning of a very long, single tracked and unmade, stone coated road. Ditsy wild flowers decorated the six foot grass verge. In the distance, a straw cowboy hat garnished a spindle-like figure. He gestured us both forward. He was expecting us. I wondered if this was an intuitive warning. Because the fire poker, or whatever this top-hatter was stabbing into the grass, made me feel all a quiver inside as he stood in front of a nettle infested drainage trench. But next, and much to our relief, out-popped a comfortable-in-her-own-skin, rosy-cheeked countryside lady. She wore a green gingham piney, and smiled as if she were born there, like a Springtime Daffodil, waving her pastel yellow shades in the breeze. Natural ...and as the Lincolnshire Wolds began to dry, stretch-out and bloom. The true Mother Nature essence displayed her boldness and grace. Well, we were townies! What do you expect? Common sense? Noooooo, I don't think so! We yelled out the words, 'Yes, pleeeease, can we take it...? This place you have here is b-e-a-utiful!' Our logical view blurred by the brightest cerise rose-tinted wannabe yokels. ..and as time flew by, we replaced the fire poker and gingham piney with our own surreal, life changing experience. Our journey was well underway. BUT, and as quickly, it had also grown giants legs, and began to sprint so fast that neither Wellington boots, drain rods, nor fly swatters could keep up with this renovation revelation. We had climbed upon, fastened ourselves in, and white-knuckle-gripped the chugging runaway train. Nothing could stop us now. ALL ABOARD...!
Through independent means, I have written, published and successfully marketed a few other titles. And this was a huge learning curve. Sheila Douthwaite's Breakfast On The Patio, being our first born.
**Believe me, this really has nothing to do with making money, in fact it has cost me, lots. Too much, in fact. However, writing is a way for me to give something back to the community for all the support and help I have received over the years. Paying for editing, proofing, and then publishing, has been an interesting financial journey, to say the least. I am not J K Rowling or anyone similar on a smaller scale. Although that would be a dream come true. I just love to write, it is my therapy, my way to process this extremely busy Autistic mind. And if by reading my words, it helps you too, job done!**