I actually went out for a while with the lady who did the voice on my sat-nav. But sadly I had had to give her up, as I felt she was leading me astray! ROFL

Thanxxx, Moose! And thanxx Tiq - that's it! I remember the names, and 'cry baby'! I recall the book quite well, as it had a curious textured finish, rather like the bark of a tree, I used to think!

Best wishes from Johnny!

Hi, Moonraker! Good to see you again! Hope you've done lots of find-outing since we last spoke! :D I still long for mysteries to solve, but never seen to find 'em! Have been tenting this summer at Downshay Farm, the campsite by the little railway that runs to Swanage. But all that happened was that ...

Awwww, it's lovely to hear from you both, Amazing Anita and Marvellous Ming! :D I don't know as much about Adventure Mag as you do, I'm afraid, Anita! I did take some time off to visit newsagents with a 'pilot' copy, and to put little stickers all over their shop-windows and shelves. I've always won...

Hi, my dear fellow adventurers! :D I've not been on this site for an awful long time. Hope you're all keeping ticketyboo! Have been having fun since last posting, with lots of camping, motorbike trips and canoeing - and a couple of visits to Purbeck. Currently re-reading Rubadub! Am on snowman-build...

Even me goosebumps 'as got goosebumps now!

AND HAPPY BOITHDAY, ANITA!!!

Wow. Keith...your spirity picture just sent a shiver down my back! Johnny

Ecky thump, Nigel...what a poem! Ta! The folk from Middleton, up here, Manchester way, are known as Moonrakers, too, for cheese-gathering. And you know what they brew in Middleton. Hic! :lol: Johnny Also, the Salford pub in Hobson's Choice is The Moonraker's Inn. Good work, Ming. I'm going to start ...

Nigel - now I see why you're called Moonraker. And all along I've been thinking you were Drax, James Bond's adversasararary! Whoops, I've had too much JWL! Johnny

Ming! June!? Why so late!?!? :lol: If you follow my plan mercilessly for the next fifty years, you'll have 100 books on the market. People will be collecting Ming Adventures instead of Ming Vases! There'll be a http://www.mingsociety.com forum, with folk searching for mint 2007 first editions with d...

Blyties...I've worked out this superduper scheme! Jump up a little bit earlier each day, make a brew, then rattle off a mere 250 words of polished prose on your computer (Enid could do 8,000, remember!). Stop dead on your 250-word daily limit, even if you're in mid-sentence, and you'll be rarin' to ...

Yan - tell us more about the Famous Five in Deutschland, bitte! Johnny

That SS still send shivers a bit, Liz! I think SS cars (which stood for Swallow Sidecars, originally) changed their name to Jaguar because of the connection. And they've done alright since! Johnny

Oh, that's so sad to hear about about Philippa Pearce passing over, Anita - and just four days ago. She was so sweet, and a proper authoress! On the table here in front of me, I've got a copy of Minnow on the Say, which she signed for me. Johnny

Tee, hee, Liz! Brings back memories. I remember Benny, Miss Diane and Amy Turtle too. But now I'm flummoxed as to who Mrs Tardebigge was. I know it's the name of a canal tunnel in or near Birmingham! Do you remember, after the closing credits finished they used to show a titchy bit more of the drama...