WLM Member Monday – Micki Stockoe
Alan Parks: Morning We Love Memoirs!
It’s Monday and we have a Member for you to grill! Please welcome Micki Stokoe to the spotlight. As always Micki will choose two people to win books from the header. Micki, I have to ask, where were you shipwrecked?
Cherry Gregory: Hi Micki! Gosh, you’ve been shipwrecked!!! Where was that?
Janet Hughes: Good morning Micki, I thought a spot of breakfast might be in order.
Janet Hughes: and of course, your very own waiter…..
Cherry Gregory: Love the waiter cat’s face!
Micki Stokoe: Hello! It was on a trip to an island in Fiji with a group of people from the Rucksack Club. We’d hired what turned out to be an old, rust bucket of a boat, which had a distinct list. It got us to the island & then the engine broke down! Luckily the island had a shelter & water supply, people had been trawling for fish on the way over & we had stocks of food & could light a fire! It was warm & we could keep dry. We were supposed to be there for a night, but ended up staying there for a week. Luckily a fishing boat turned up on the second day & took the crew back to get the parts so they could fix the engine.
Janet Hughes: Sounds like you’ve got a story there… any Piggy incidents? *asks innocently*
Micki Stokoe: Mmm – thanks, Janet! I forgot to say we actually broke down going over the reef with some interesting sound effects as we grated over the coral….
Kate Pill: Hi there! Thanks for sharing the shipwrecked story. But … what type of poetry do you write?
Alan Parks: And would you be played by Tom Hanks in the movie? Did you resort to talking to volleyballs?
Micki Stokoe: No, it didn’t get to that stage!
Janet Hughes: Blue Lagoon?
Micki Stokoe: No – I didn’t have a pet volleyball! I could have made a pet of one of the water snakes! They were drawn to the fire like moths.
Jacqueline Brown: Morning Micki I collect ducks too. Real life ones have a habit of turning up in our orchard. Have you got a favourite duck?
Micki Stokoe: Not Blue Lagoon either! Although it was a beautiful tropical island!
Janet Hughes: Did you get rescued by Friday?
Micki Stokoe: I write poetry about events, nature, & things that move me in blank verse, using rhyme for performance pieces.
Janet Hughes: Couldn’t resist this one
Janet Hughes: Give us an example, Please…
Micki Stokoe: By Monday, I think!
Janet Hughes: Can we all pop over to Alan’s quiz and wind him up a bit? Nobody’s playing and he’s all alone. There’s a book from the header in it for the winner
Micki Stokoe:
One green leaf,
Unfurling in the sun.
The pulse of a drowsy star.
Spray of forgotten waves,
Fragile and fingered as fern.
Hollows in the sand.
Footprints of the wind.
Butterfly love,
Fleeting perfect.
Today, forever.
Janet Hughes: That’s beautiful Micki, Thank you
Shirley Ledlie: Hi Micki – you are not related to Bob are you?
–The old Sunderland manager?
Cherry Gregory: Lovely poem, Micki! And thank you for your shipwreck story. Sounds like it turned out well in the end, but sailing off in an old rust bucket must have been quite scary, especially with the sound effects on the reef. Good job you have a sense of humour and it didn’t turn out like Lord of the Flies.
Micki Stokoe: Thank you, that’s very kind! Ducks… I think my favourite is Jemima Puddleduck. I’ve got about 200, all in my bathroom as it’s huge compared to the rest of the house! The collection started with a plastic duck rescued from a duck race. I don’t have real ones visiting me, although I love ducks & chickens.
Kate Pill: The poetry sounds great
–Love jemima puddleduck
Micki Stokoe: No – my husband’s family were involved in the clothing mills. His mother’s family, the Sowdens, were cricketers.
Shirley Ledlie: I just wondered as you don’t hear your surname often . What crafts do you do Micki?
Kate Pill: Your year in Fiji – not the result of another boat trip gone wrong?!
What took you there?
Cherry Gregory: I love Jemima too. Was given a puddleduck ornament when I was a child, and I still have it. Plus we have a duck race in our village this Saturday…a race down the canal that runs through our village.
Janet Hughes: Now that’s a lot of ducks Cherry. Did you know that people from Notts and Derbys use the word duck as a term of endearment? ” Eye up me duck”
Micki Stokoe: I loved all Beatrix Potter’s books, & still have them, Kate. Crafts I enjoy include cross stitch & beading, but I do a wide range of crafts with guides & brownies. At the moment I’m getting a booklet together about crafts you can do using plastic bottles.
Janet Hughes: Have you tried these Micki? I used to teach handicrafts in Spanish, and these were Really popular Here’s the link http://www.handimania.com/…/recycled-plastic-bottle…
Micki Stokoe: My father worked for Cable & Wireless and was stationed there, so I joined my parents there for a year once I left school. I did a secretarial course, taught English at a school & swimming to blind people, plus helped start up & run a creche at Suva hospital.
Kate Pill: When I was growing up we had 4 ducklings. They grew up, hit duck puberty (1 girl 3 boys) – hysterical! mum called one Randy Andy another Elton John cos he wasn’t as interested in Daisy and the third didn’t get a name. They useful to constantly chase poor Daisy in an adolescent hormone induced conga line! Eventually Randy and no name became dinner and Elton and Daisy promptly had babies. Used to be so funny watching them – sorry for the rave but this thread has brought back great memories of those nutty ducks and my mum’s yelling at them to “leave poor Daisy alone!” (mum has dementia now so memories of her are special – thanks)
Micki Stokoe: No, I haven’t, Janet! It’s very effective! In fact that will be very useful as our guides have been asked to do the flowers for the Annual Review! Thank you!
Kate Pill: Wow Micki! Just a bit happened that year! Did you sleep? Seriously tho – that’s great On another note, Im off for a bit to do some parenting stuff Will pick up later on.
Micki Stokoe: Love your story, Kate! Sorry to hear about your mum, but glad you have good memories.
Jill Stowell: When you say you’re a hoarder Micki – How out of control or (rarely) in control is that for you?
Kate Pill: Thanks Reading the thread you mention your love of Beatrix Potter. i had an album of recorded stories. Loved them. I must go back later
Micki Stokoe: I tend to keep things in case they come in useful! I know I should throw or give a lot of things away, but never seem get round to it.
Janet Hughes: I’m in Mundesley next Saturday, I’ll come and help you have a sort out, I’m ruthless
Frankie Knight: I can identify with the hoarding Micki!
Micki Stokoe: I admit I’m wondering just how much more I can fit into the loft & the spare bedroom without the ceilings coming down!
— In Norfolk, Janet?
Janet Hughes: Yes Micki, North Norfolk to be precise
Jill Stowell: As bad as this?
Janet Hughes: This your place Jill?
April 7 at 7:15am · Edited · Like · 1
Jill Stowell: Haha wish I had that much room for stuff.
Micki Stokoe: Just about!
Janet Hughes: My fingers have gone all itchy
Micki Stokoe: My father lived in Pulham St Mary in Norfolk & I went to school in Southwold, Suffolk.
–Shopping boxes in foreground, boxes full of beads, boxes containing prizes for pick a top stall, files, craft demo items, lights for camp, books, games, clothes, flowers for arrangements….
Susan Jackson: Where were you shipwrecked?
Micki Stokoe: In Fiji, Susan.
Woofie Wotsit: What did you think of Fiji, Micki? I am going there with my Samdhin next month and she was born there, so I would like an opinion.
Frankie Knight: I suppose if you are going to be shipwrecked somewhere, then Fiji isn’t going to be such a bad place to do it!
Laurie A. Grundner: As beautiful as Fuji was were you still missing home?
Jill Stowell: I’m still pondering Micki’s room. Please tell me that all your stuff is in a room dedicated to stuff and you’re not in an armchair underneath it all somewhere.
Micki Stokoe: I loved living in Fiji. We lived in a compound just outside Suva. It was a very colonial lifestyle in many ways, but I loved the diversity, from the laid-back villages to Chinese banquets & Indian weddings & Diwali festivals.
–Not really, Laurie, as my parents were there. My brother & I were used to a nomadic lifestyle. We travelled abroad with our parents & were home schooled through the PNUE until we went to boarding school. We joined up as a family in the Christmas & Summer holidays & were parceled off round relatives at Easter.
–No, my sitting room is relatively uncluttered! Honest!
Jill Stowell: What about writing sketches Micki? Is that to do with guides and scouting – gang shows are they called?
Janet Hughes: Lunch time wine cellar is open, and we’re taking food orders now.
Cherry Gregory: Looks good, Janet.
Janet Hughes: So Cherry What are you having, *whispers* sorry Duck’s off the menu today *winks and nods pointedly in Micki’s direction*
Micki Stokoe: Yes, it is, Jill. I’m one of the directors of York Gang Show, which goes on stage every 2 years. This year I’ve written a monologue for Vic the Viking, our show logo, and am currently writing a sketch about a disastrous dress rehearsal for the Wizard of Oz involving puppets for actors, scratch costumes, WD40 for the oil can etc.
Janet Hughes: Have you published any of them Micki
Cherry Gregory: Think I’ll have red wine with that tasty looking salmon dish, Janet!
Micki Stokoe: Mmm – it all looks good, Janet!
Shirley Ledlie: Oh no, I am on another fast day any coke zero?
Janet Hughes: Here you are Cherry, would you like a hunk with that … ?
Shirley Ledlie: and lettuce?
Janet Hughes: You’ll have to wrest it off him Shirley
Shirley Ledlie: I will give it my best shot
Janet Hughes: One head or two Shirley
Cherry Gregory: Looks delicious, Janet. Thank you!
Shirley Ledlie: Janet!
Jill Stowell: When you lot have stopped stuffing yourselves. I want to know when the York Gang Show goes live and will there be a chance of posting a video clip of one of your sketches Micki?
Janet Hughes: With or without Hunk Cherry?
Jill Stowell: Oooh very intense.
Cherry Gregory: With hunk, please. But don’t tell my husband, it’s his birthday tomorrow!
Janet Hughes: Mmmmm, like extra virgen olive oil
Micki Stokoe: The salmon looks really appetising – good choice, Cherry! Must slope off for a while as I need to give the dog his pills & a short walk! Back soon!
Janet Hughes: You’re secret’s safe with us Cherry
Julie Haigh: Hi Micki, I’ve been reading all this with interest-you could write a memoir about your time in Fiji! My question is how do you pronounce your surname? I am reading it as Stowe-co at the moment but I had been reading Anne Wine O’clock Durrant as Due-rant until she told us on here it’s Durrant as in Currant. I was also calling Dowe Egberts coffee Dooey-egberts for ages until someone told me how it was pronounced! Also what pieces are you doing in choir at the moment?
Frankie Knight: It’s not fair – sun is shining and I’m running between my sunroof and then down onto my laptop in living room as this is so interesting! Far too much excercise for a monday…..
Terry Bryan: Are you a one dog family? AND I’ve decided you aren’t a real hoarder…you just save stuff for the guides…in case they need it…maybe?
Charlotte Smith: Your dog looks lovely Micki – what’s his name? I bet he wishes you still ran that pet shop!
Steven Whitacre: I was going to ask the same thing.. that is a really cute dog! What is his/her name and how old?
Micki Stokoe: Hello! I’m sorry for the delay, but a friend suddenly turned up for coffee! I’ve had some poems published in anthologies & my sketches have been used by other Gang Shows, but I haven’t really thought about publishing. I would like to put my mother’s weekly letters to my grandparents from various places abroad in book form, with some of her pictures at some stage.
Jacky Donovan: What d’you do with Scouts and Guides? We were trying to explain to some Canarians this weekend what they were as they didn’t seem to have anything similar here. Or if they do, the folks we were talking to were unaware of it!
Julie Haigh: Micki-you HAVE TO publish your mum’s weekly letters to grandparents!-it would be amazing!
Jacky Donovan: We used to LOVE the Gang Show in Newcastle when I was growing up! Do they still happen across the UK??
Micki Stokoe: If you search York Gang Show 1992 item 4 on You tube, there’s an item I wrote new words for & directed. My OH played the postman!
— Hi Julie – you’re pronouncing my surname right! Usually we get Stock-o, Stoke- eo or Stoke! We’re currently working on When You are a King & When Somebody Loved Me in choir, but are going to to be singing through a lot of the songs with 5 part harmonies as we welcome a new choir member tonight. A Colin to replace a Colin!
–Our dog is called Pippin as he rushes in first then thinks later. He’s 12 and sadly got arthritis now, but still wants to play. He knows the names of most of his toys & is quick to pick up commands & new tricks. When he feels like it – he’s a typical terrier!
Micki Stokoe: I used to be a Cub Scout Leader, but am now a member of York Active Support ( which used to be the Scout Fellowship) & a member of the County Creative Team. I plan & help out at events, like Skills Days & camps. I am a Guide Leader & run a unit of 45 girls, aged from 10-14. Wherever possible the programme is chosen & run by the girls, working in Patrols of 4-8 members. Last week I set them an Easter Challenge, with 20 minutes to make & model an Easter bonnet, build a tall freestanding tower from newspaper & sticky tape & balance an egg on top, make as many words 4 letters & over from Happy Easter as they could, draw a picture from an egg & make up a game for the Unit to play using plastic eggs. We have just taken them to a sleepover at The Deep in Hull & are planning a 4 day camp. I am also the County Arts Advisor & need to provide & run crafts for 300+ Brownies on an activity day for the Brownie100th Birthday celebration in our County.
–The project’s on the back burner at the moment, Julie! My mother was a really good artist & letter writer.
–Yes, Jacky – Gang Show is still going strong!
Jacky Donovan: Great to see that good old-fashioned tasks and games are still enjoyed by Brownies and Guides today rather than needing a fortune’s worth of technology to keep kids occupied!
Julie Haigh: Couldn’t help noticing the bookcase in your front room Micki-this is one of the things I miss with kindles (although I love ’em)-I love noseying what books people have on their bookshelves and on holiday used to like to see what books others were reading-it often lead to me getting some of the same books-with kindle you can’t tell what people are reading! So tell me a few of your favourites on your bookcase to satisfy my curiosity (nosiness!)
Micki Stokoe: Ah! That bookcase has gardening books (a favourite is Beth Chatto’s Garden Notebook), cat books, poetry (Blake, Yeats, D H Lawrence) & reference. I have one that looks about to collapse with fantasy & sci-fi (favourites include Terry Pratchett’s Disc World novels & William Horwood’s Duncton series). I have another 4 plus a shelf in a cupboard with different genres!
Frankie Knight: I knew Beth quite well as lived about 1 mile from her place in UK.
Micki Stokoe: I went there once & was bowled over by the gardens & thrilled to see Beth walking along with trug in hand. She came over as a really warm person in her books.
Jill Stowell: Micki Stokoe I’m exhausted just reading through this thread. You appear to fill every minute of every day with activity. If you were given a day where your time wasn’t in demand by others, how would you choose to spend it?
Micki Stokoe: Just sitting & reading in the garden! Though I’d probably end up gardening!
Julie Haigh: Sitting and reading in the garden sounds like heaven to me!
Micki Stokoe: Mine’s a bit of a jungle at the moment. It’s time it had a make over.
Jill Stowell: Good answer Micki Stokoe keeping your options open! Glad to hear that you can (in theory) relax.
–Oops spoke too soon hadn’t read the jungle garden makeover plan.
Micki Stokoe: I’m good at making plans, but a procrastinator so have quite a bit of me time!
–Sorry , Terry – just scrolled back up. Yes, Pippin is an only dog, but we have 2 cats, Minnie & Maori
Julie Haigh: Going to have to love and leave you and go back to work. Hope to catch you on the late shift Micki, seeing as you’re usually still up!
Micki Stokoe: Minnie
Micki Stokoe: Bye, Julie! Thanks for the chat!
Julie Haigh: Ha ha! Still haven’t gone!- just seen your gorgeous pics………gotta go now…………
Susan Joyce: Micki Stokoe, so happy to see you in the tell-all seat today. My, my you have had some exciting adventures. I’m catching up on the fred and will ask questions later. Shipwrecked? Yes, the sound of a boat tearing up its bottom is a most uncomfortable sound. Love the photos of your pets. Too cute! Love the way they look at the camera and pose.
Micki Stokoe: They don’t! Minnie generally looks vaguely grumpy & Maori turns away just as you click the shutter!
Susan Joyce: Micki, your poetry is wonder-full!
Micki Stokoe: Thank you! Most are a lot longer. I wrote the narration for my husband’s final Film & Diploma project on Judas Iscariot in blank verse!
Susan Joyce: Very cool Micki!
–Rubber duckies? That’s a cool collection. Jemima puddleduck? Nice! My husband and I love ducks and ended up taking in the crippled ones that neighbors were going to kill. By the time we left our home and pond in the Oregon hills, we had 22 ducks. Fortunately we found someone with property on a lake and they took them all. Watching ducks is great fun. Back to your fred.
–Micki, the plastic bottle booklet idea would make a wonderful craft book. Craft books are big sellers.
Micki Stokoe: Think it’ll go out at a guiding training as a starter!
Janet Givens: Hi Micki. I’m not usually active in these Monday hot seats, but for you, I’ll sneak in a little FB time during lunch. So good to learn more about you. Shipwrecked! Fiji! So many stories, so little time. I’d love for you to do a blog post for me on your year in Fiji. Interested? Looking at July or August at this point. (and thanks for the primer on pronouncing your name. What’s the origin, do you know?)
Susan Joyce: Micki, that’s a great way to field test a product.
Micki Stokoe: Thank you, Janet! The name is derived from stocc, an old English word for a tree stump. The Stokoes were fellers of trees or removers of tree stumps. I’m not sure if I could blog at the moment. I’ll have to look out my diaries from that time. Can I get back to you on that one, please?
Susan Joyce: Micki, looked at Pippin again. Sue look like a pose to me. What do you hoard? Is your husband also involved in community projects?
Linda Kovic-Skow: Hi Micki Stokoe. I really enjoyed reading through this thread. I love Beatrix Potter’s books too (still have the set we bought for our daughter). Which is your favorite? Oh, and can you tell us a bit more about your family?
Micki Stokoe: I’m collecting milk containers at the moment to make into lanterns at camp, which is on the theme of I’m a celebrity, get me out of here! I hoard books, guiding stuff, old toys, cards & I used to collect paper napkins! Understandably, my mother chucked those out. My husband was involved with scouting before I was, and is also a GS director & member of the Scout County creative team. He can’t take on a regular commitment with a pack or troop as he works shifts as a residential social worker in a children’s home.
Susan Joyce: Meant to write SURE looks … Not Sue.
Micki Stokoe: The Tale of Tom Kitten was my favourite, Linda. We don’t have children of our own & both sets of parents are no longer with us. I have a brother who lives in Devon. He is a naturalist, enjoying collecting & identifying flies & hedgelaying. We are very different!
Susan Joyce: Micki, I’d love to know how you and your husband met.
Micki Stokoe: When I returned to England with my parents I still had no idea what I wanted to do, so decided to go to college in Harrow to re-take my A-levels & get better grades. I met Andy there when he tried to set up a drama group & that was that. I spent most of my time helping him with his projects, doing continuity & make-up or casting & avoiding my tutors!
Janet Givens: Micki Of course. Give it some thought. I’d love to hear more about the cultural differences you noticed/experienced/struggled with. You know, what I’ve got now with my different monthly guests.
Micki Stokoe: Time for a longer break – I need to cook tea & get ready for choir tonight. Please keep posting your questions, though – I’m a night owl & up late!
Susan Joyce: Micki, sounds like a marriage made in creative heaven. Thanks! I’m always interested in knowing how people connect.
Karen Knight: Just read through your fascinating fred. Can you tell us more about your time running the pet shop please x
Laurie A. Grundner: Your hobbies say that you like gardening. Do you have indoor plants? If so have you run into a problem with a white sticky substance that gets on the plant and goes from plant to plant? Just asking because I’ve tried a few things and nothing seems to work.
Micki Stokoe: Hi! Back from choir practice! Running a pet shop was quite an experience! We’d been buying our pet food there for a while, & the owner happened to be in the shop & got talking to Andy. It turned out that the old could running it were retiring & when we walked out of the shop we had their jobs! We soon found out that the owner wasn’t willing to put anything into the shop as he was emptying the till to put the money into an old people’s home he was building. The shop was filthy & the old wooden cages had rotting floors. We found a dead rabbit blocking up a hole in one when we cleaned the cages out. In the end I released the rabbits in the bottom tier of cages, bashed the floors out with a hammer & said they’d escaped. New cages were built, though the rabbits still got a run at night! The fish tanks looked as if they hadn’t been cleaned for a long time. We discovered why when Andy turned the electricity off & was given a shock that threw him across the room! We ended up shopping him to the health & hygiene people so he had to get things up to standard! We learnt on the job, reading up on the animals, fish, birds & reptiles we were given to look after. At Christmas & Easter the animals all went mysteriously into quarantine & we refused to sell them anyone who didn’t know about the pet or wasn’t prepared to learn. One lady, who had left her hamster out in the garden during a rainstorm & come home to find it clinging to the bars of the cage, soaking wet, wrapped it in foil & put it in the microwave to warm it up. She did not get sold a replacement! Another time we were sent a box of soft shelled, box nosed turtles instead of terrapins. We sold one, plus tank, heater & gravel. The rest then all developed fungus, so we called on the vet. He gave us some very expensive lotion to paint on their shells with a fine paintbrush. Every single one died, sadly. Later the customer came back in & we asked her if her turtle was ok. It was & had grown. Didn’t it get fungus? Oh yes, came the reply. I just lobbed it in a bucket of bleach, gave it a scrub and it was fine!
–I haven’t come across that problem, Laurie, I’m glad to say! You really need Henry Butterfield – he’s our gardening expert.
Alison Teeshirts: Hope you’ve had a great day Micki
Cherry Gregory: Really interesting thread, Micki. Thanks for answering all our questions. I’m off to bed now but I know you’ll be up for awhile yet!
Micki Stokoe: Night, Cherry! I’ve enjoyed it, Alison, thank you.
Karen Knight: Thank you for an interesting interview Micki
Kate Pill: Just got back to the thread. lol forward to reading over it. thanks Micki Stokoe
Julie Haigh: Interesting and surprising tales about when you had the pet shop, Micki
— So did choir practise go well and did the new member come up to scratch?
Micki Stokoe: It went well, & the new member fitted in as he has a great sense of humour & a good voice. We concentrated on songs in which the men sing together instead of splitting into bass & baritone.
Susan Joyce: OMG Micki, what a nightmare you lived through at the pet store.
Laurie A. Grundner: Thanks Micki. I sent a message to Henry.
Julie Haigh: If you could have the starring role in any west end musical, which would it be?
Susan Joyce: Good question Julie!
Susan Jackson: ABBA because I can’t sing a note and would love to!
Micki Stokoe: Christine in Phantom of the Opera. In an ideal world where I had the range.
Julie Haigh: Some lovely songs in that one.
–Mamma Mia is a good one too Susan, great fun
–And, I’ve already told you about my interest in looking at what other people have on their bookshelves (been loads of pics of bookshelves on here today too) so I like to know what people are reading-What are you reading at the moment and is it a memoir?
Micki Stokoe: It’s a real feel good film! I love Julie Walter’s performance in it.
Susan Jackson: Julie Haigh should we start a new thread as this is on Micki Stokoe time?
Micki Stokoe: I’ve just finished His Kidnapper’s Shoes by Maggie James, which is a real page turner, & have just started Two Old Fools on a Camel.
— You don’t have to, Susan! I enjoy musicals!
Julie Haigh: I’m reading Two Old Fools On A Camel at the moment as well, it’s amazing! Haven’t heard of His Kidnapper’s Shoes-I’ll have a look at that one
— Having managed the pet shop-do you like to read memoirs involving animals eg. Emma and I?
Susan Joyce: Micki, I also enjoy musicals. I’ve been a singer all my life so love music.
Micki Stokoe: I haven’t read that one yet. I enjoyed reading Gerald Durrell’s books & have a shelf of cat books, including Derek Tangye’s.
Susan Joyce: Micki, I’ve enjoyed visiting with you today. Thanks for being so generous with your time. It’s dinner time here so I’ll finish reading your answers tomorrow. Great interview!
Julie Haigh: Have you enjoyed your spotlight today Micki? Are you tired or are you going to be staying up ages yet!
Micki Stokoe: Thank you Susan! It’s been fun! Enjoy your dinner.
–I have enjoyed it, Julie. I’ll be here for a while longer in case anyone has a burning desire to ask any more questions!
Terry Bryan: Wow, Micki…what an interesting life…maybe you should write a book!
Julie Haigh: It’s been amazing Micki, so interesting, Terry, I think she has enough material for a few books!
Micki Stokoe: Maybe one day!
Terry Bryan: That pet shop sounds like one all by itself…
Steven Whitacre: Micki – thanks for sharing… I LOVE reading about other peoples lives.. I do believe everybody has a story to tell – even if they don’t want to write it all down
Terry Bryan: Craft books would be good too…scout and guide people would love you forever…especially if you included some sketches the kids could do…
Micki Stokoe: There are a lot of stories attached to the pet shop. We ended up with an 8′ python, 2 canaries called Harvey Wallbanger & Polo, a 4′ fish tank at home. & We also bred mice & gerbils for show before going on to ferrets.
Susan Joyce: Micki, couldn’t help but check back in. Yes, the pet shop would definitely be a winner. Thanks again. Gotto go find our cat who’s out in a brewing storm. Thanks again for a fine and fun fred.
Micki Stokoe: Hope you find your cat!
Susan Joyce: purr = pet. Found him sopping wet outside a sliding glass door. Let’s hope he’s in and quiet for the duration of the night. He was a bit of a monster last night. Good night!
Micki Stokoe: Glad he’s in! Maori’s having a mad half hour at the moment…. Night – sleep well!
Julie Haigh: Night from me too!
Susan Joyce: Thanks Julie! It’s been great getting to know you all. I feel like I have lots of new sisters—kin spirits. Nice! Thanks! Good night all!
Micki Stokoe: Night, Julie! Thanks for keeping me company, everyone! It’s been fun.
Lyndsey Jennings: So sorry I had to miss this, but loved reading the thread.Your writing is lovely,and I’d love to read more Such an interesting life so far !
Micki Stokoe: Thank you, Lyndsey!
Lyndsey Jennings: I am so much a night owl I miss a lot on here !
Victoria Twead: Micki Stokoe, a totally awesome fred, thanks so much! Thanks for being our Monday Member this week. Let me know which two people you’ve chosen to win books from the header.
Micki Stokoe: Thank you to everyone who kept me company & Fred alive! I’d like to nominate Julie Haigh & Susan Joyce for their sheer staying power!
Julie Haigh: Oh wow thanks Micki!
Karen Knight: Well done to Julie and Susan xx
Later … the next day.
Lorna Penfold: I popped in and had a nosey yesterday Micki. Wow you were busy, well done you. Very interesting xx
Susan Joyce: Micki, thanks! It was a wonderful Fred. Great to get to know you better.
Victoria Twead: Congrats Julie Haigh and Susan Joyce! Let me know which books you’d like from the header.
Julie Haigh: Easy choice for me-I’d like to get my hands on that lovely new book on the header!-could I have Paw Prints In Oman by Charlotte Smith please?
Victoria Twead: Julie Haigh I’ll send it now with pleasure, you’ll love it. Susan Joyce has told me she’d like to pass her prize to Elaine Beckham, as she has read EVERY book on the header already!
Susan Joyce: Thanks Victoria! Happy to say I’ve enjoyed all I’ve read and am in the middle of 3 now. WLM rocks!
Julie Haigh: Received it now, many thanks!
Charlotte Smith: Hope you enjoy it Julie x
Micki Stokoe: Mea culpa! Forgot to say an extra big thank you to Janet Hughes for all the refreshments & for being there! Much appreciated!
Terry Bryan: Micki Stokoe…I just noticed you said, “ducks and miniatures”…miniature what?
Micki Stokoe: Miniature anything! I have 1:24 scale scissors that really cut, a bell that rings, tiny teapots, & even a matchbox with a striker!
— Christmas ones.
Susan Joyce: Very cool collection!
Micki Stokoe: Colourbox bears behind – a collection I didn’t mention!
Julie Haigh: ha ha reminds me of my mum’s Christmas miniature village that she puts under the tree
Julie Haigh: the trees even light up lol
