on my hols!

I'm off for a few days until Thursday now and really looking forward to looking after my grand daughter in Sussex. I have paid for my daughter to spend her birthday in Tenerife.

I am crossing my fingers for good weather and a visit to the Zoo could be on the books!

The fabulous Claire Anderson will be keeping my chair warm and I will see you on Thursday.

Vintage caravans and all that

If the idea of canvas fills with the sort of horror that I feel, the idea of a silver bullet type caravan is a better one. With the resurgence of everything nostalgic I am loving the idea of a holiday on the Isle of Wight dressed in a little frilly apron and baking muffins!

And I divulged today my secret passion of dancing on bandstands so if you would let me know your guilty pleasure that would be great!

so exactly where is the summer?????

Sitting here in the chill of the early evening I am reminded that it is in fact still August. I am hoping for some Indian Summer type weather for next week as I am looking after my grand daughter for five days (hoorah!), and I want to do some outdoor things or otherwise it will be lots of potty training!

I really enjoyed today's programme and a had a few emails saying Charlie you should write your autobiography - but I think I will take a rain check on that as the most interesting bits could prove embarassing! I loved the speed walking dating piece and wish Lorraine and Colin all the best for their wedding at the end of the week. They say you can tell whether you will marry someone within the first few hours of meeting them, and I think they are right!

Been some time....!

I have just noticed how long since I last wrote! Lots been going on not least the fabulous outside broadcast at Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth. It was the worst day of the year weather wise, with wind, rain and hail. But determined not to let it get us down we had a fantastic day and it was so good to meet listeners who had braved the elements! I really enjoyed myself, particularly the fashion challenge where Judy and I were given £50 to find an outfit. I found myself a secret weapon in the form of Tom who works at Gunwharf and put a nifty little number together for me (which I ended up buying). Great fun and I found out that a chiffon scarf is the top accessory for the winter so bought myself 3 this weekend!

I have just come back from the dentist - I have been having a lot of work done over the last year, and today I had a crown on one of my dodgy teeth that I was always concious of. It looks brilliant! I hugged my dentist - I think he was a little shocked but glad to keep his clients happy! This is a temporary one and the real one will be put on in two weeks. Very strange having to match up the colour of your teeth against a tooth colour chart, like choosing a new colour for the sitting room!

I'm a bit tired!

Having completely overdone it over my birthday weekend I think I need to catch up on some sleep tonight! I had the most wonderful weekend and truly can say that I celebrated big time! I have also been keeping up with the speed walking each night and doing a lot of reading for the new Charlie Crocker Book Club. I am finding that the choices of books has been so varied that I am swinging from the emotions of laughing out loud and then crying!

Great to ring a bell to start off the BBC Radio Solent Bowls Championship this morning and meet some listeners too. I have never played bowls so am looking forward to when we play a friendly game later this Autum with some of my colleagues.

So off for an early night and another book and maybe a face mask - yes I know, that's always the time that the doorbell rings isn't it.

Happy Birthday to meeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Well what an amazing day! I was woken at 8 with the start of texts and phone calls wishing me a good birthday and then when I got into work there were beautiful cards, flowers and pressies. I feel very lucky indeed! Jon Cuthill kept telling listeners that I am 50! My birthday is 1st August 1961 honestly!!! Just because he's 40 next year!

We are off for a meal tonight and then I am going to see my daughter and grand daughter and have a sleepover with a friend who has promised me a midnight feast!