The Boston Book Festival was a blast. I wished we had been able to book for more authors, but we did hear the Reverend Richard Coles on the Saturday evening. What a great speaker, so funny, so empathetic, so interesting in whatever guise he finds himself from number one pop singer with the Communards, to priest and now detective book writer.
My session, the following morning was in this lovely building.
I was in the American Room – a room dedicated to the connection between Boston Lincolnshire and Boston Massachusetts, and opened by Joseph Kennedy, his first duty as Ambassador, way back last century. A small gathering for my event but I loved it, and the feedback was great. I also sold a good number of books.
We travelled from there to Lincoln for two nights in a wonderful apartment south of the city. Our first trip to Lincoln Castle was cancelled because of the Queen’s funeral. But on the second day, our Bomber Command Memorial outing lived up to expectations. It opened as I was writing Sadie’s Wars and would have been useful to visit then. However, I was more than delighted to find my second cousin’s name on one of the memorial boards. I dedicated the book to him and the other 50,000 volunteers in Bomber Command who sacrificed so much. Tony’s sister, now 96, was delighted when I sent her these photos.
On then to our childhood home, Cleethorpes. So many memories. It was a great place to grow up, however, it has seen hard times over the last years. The shopping area where I once worked as a Saturday girl in a supermarket, is particularly depressing. The pier where I once performed at the Dance Festival is now a fish and chip restaurant. At least I was able to donate my latest books to Cleethorpes Library.
After a flying visit to Yorkshire, we arrived home to find that planning permission has been granted to turn our garage and workshop into a guest suite for family and friends. We are not allowed to rent it out so our guests will have free accommodation, can pick fresh fruit and veg from our allotment and will be looking out onto an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. What’s not to like?
This part will be the bedroom and shower room. Around the back will be the living and kitchen area. So now I have a question. I am veering away from putting in a full oven and toying with microwave, slow cooker and airfryer – would that bother you if you were staying in a self-catering place?
Rosemary Noble - author page 