I make no apology for writing more than usual on a fascinating  subject: a transport system which delivered people and mail in the 1700s from Edinburgh to London along the Great North Road, via Thirsk. In Thirsk they would perhaps stay overnight, or at least  chomp away at something nice, and, of course, change the horses. The majority of these coach horses were stabled overnight at The Golden Fleece, (stabling  for 50 to 60)  then known as The Fleece, but sadly it was a time when there were NO maltesers to go with coffee, which was more a sort of Turkish coffee back then. Horses were also changed at The Three Tuns, and passengers refreshed (now a Weatherstones pub), though not in such numbers.

But why am I writing about this historic subject? One Sunday morning recently, a coach clip-clopped over the cobbles to stop outside The Golden Fleece – yes, it did, really.  We were walking the dogs. Talk about gawping. Soon a crowd grew as the passengers and hornblower quaffed fizz. Such excitement, and of course I chatted to John Moorhouse hoping to hear, why, how, what?

John is based in Stockton and runs a commercial carriage business supplying horses for funerals, weddings, proms and film and tv, including Peaky Blinders, Downton abbey, Lloyds bank commercial, many period dramas including Jamaica Inn, Death Comes to Pemberly, Victoria, Emily, and many more. A carriage even appeared in music videos for Stormzy and others and Live Arena Tour Shows for Jack Whitehall. Ah, and let’s not forget that a few weeks ago they supplied a carriage for a funeral.

So, as another sip of fizz was taken, it was revealed that John is part of a group of enthusiasts who hail from all over the UK and are involved with many coaching events throughout the season including Royal Ascot. This particular trip, though, was an informal end of season jaunt over 3 days from Croft Spa to Harrogate, staying at old coaching inns along the way.

Two teams of horses were used, the first being John’s  own team of black Dutch Gelderlanders which I read have a stylish gait,  and the other team, grey Hungarian Lippizaners which belong to John’s friend Chris Rawlings from the Newcastle area. I have seen Lippizaners perform at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna – amazing. As for the magnificent coach, (it is truly such, I had a good look) it is  a modern reproduction of a Whitlock coach ‘The Regulator’ which ran a route from London to Bedford, and belongs to Chris Rawlings.

As well as seating for a few within the coach, there was space for more on top. It might seem the inside seats would be the most popular, with perhaps a few elbows being brought into play to bagsy a seat, it transpired that in the summer it could become too warm and stuffy.

The coachmen for the weekend’s run  were split between Chris, John, Keith Hodgson and  Colin Varle. The guard and hornblower was Martin Horler. All were very much dressed for the part.  Honestly, it was just a magical experience for the onlooker, but imagine if you were one of the guests on this journey …

So what did the guests experience? They stayed on Friday night at Croft Spa and Saturday morning they set off about 10 am and drove the black horses 14 miles to The Golden Lion at Northallerton for a lunch stop, then a further 10 miles to The Golden Fleece at Thirsk to stay overnight. Oh, I wish I’d known, I could have slipped into the bar as Saturday evening wore on, to imbibe and chat.

Come Sunday morning, the greys were harnessed, coach sorted, and lo and behold they appeared in front of the hotel.

After the Sunday gawp – the travellers  left Thirsk to drive  12 miles to The Commercial Hotel Easingwold for lunch, then 15 miles on to York Minster to stay the night in York. Oh, what an eyeful for the people of Easingwold and York, but thankfully not a highwayman ‘Stand and Deliver’ in sight. On Monday morning the group journeyed on for 22 miles to Harrogate, splitting the journey and with both teams of horses arriving at The Old Swan in Harrogate mid afternoon. Heavens, what an adventure.

John and the group are intending to offer a similar service to clients next summer with their own world famous ‘Defiance’ road coach that previously ran the London to Brighton road. Interested clients are welcome to get in touch.

Oh, if you do, let Frost Magazine know what you think. Please, please.

Despite the occasional heatwave, autumn is on the way, and very soon we will be putting the clocks back, as we hunker down in readiness for Christmas.

For now, the green leaves are beginning to change colour, and with it my attitude to spirits. In summer I like the lighter wines and spirits, but as the nights draw in my thoughts turn to a log (or in my case coal) fire, where I can be found sipping a whisky. No wonder, therefore, I was  delighted to be asked to sample some new whiskies just in time for Christmas and those dark evenings.

I never cease to be amazed at how the slightest addition to a whisky can completely alter the taste. To begin, I selected a crystal whisky glass with a slight tulip shape in order to capture the bouquet, a jug of still water at room temperature and a dish of ice cubes.

So comfortably settled, music pIaying in the background, I was finally ready to taste these four new whiskies. I say I but whilst whisky can be enjoyed alone, I always prefer good company and so had assembled a panel of 4 people.

The first to be sampled was the Rampur Asava Indian Single Malt Whisky. I wanted to have a clean palate for this as it was the most expensive of the four. We were duly informed that for the first time in history, a single malt matured in American Bourbon Barrels has been carefully finished in Indian Cabernet Sauvignon casks. The combination of Rampur’s unique distillation and maturation process sees Rampur Asava Indian Single Malt Whisky taking traditional Indian heritage and rooting it in contemporary culture.

All very well, but what about the bouquet, and how did it taste? For the bouquet, we detected notes of cherry, vanilla, wine and even Martini.

It has a strong burn factor, beloved by some, disparaged by others, and in the mouth we tasted salt and liquorice, to be precise, the Dutch version of those tiny liquorice sweets.

Adding a teaspoon of water at room temperature transforms this whisky and brings to the nose elements of Christmas Pudding/ Christmas Cake, dates. It tastes salty and much warmer. I would always add a splash of water to this. (A teaspoon at a time – one can always add more, but it is impossible to remove if you add too much.)

Finally, we tried it with ice and came up with pepper and Martini on the nose and more citrusy notes with celery in the mouth.

Interesting, but not my favourite.

Rampur Asava Indian Single Malt Whisky – RRP £68.00. ABV: 45%. Available from: DrinkSupermarket, The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt.

Micil Inverin Small Batch – a five-part peated blend with a triple cask finish, it embodies the fruity spice of the finest Connemara ‘fuisce’ and the peat smoke of the illicit stills and kilns of Inverin. Finished in recharred ex-bourbon quarter casks, Pedro Ximenez casks & Micil peated poitín octaves, imparting a hint of sweet, smoky turf from the family land in Connemara.

Without ice and water, we identified vinegar sour, capers and olives on the nose, whilst adding a teaspoon of water softened the sourness, and it became much sweeter, crème caramel and Pecan nuts. By adding ice, we came up with lemon and pepper and slightly floral,as in Polenta cake, on the nose.

Drunk straight, we felt that it still burns, but it is a good heat with lemony notes, adding water brought out the smoke, lemon thyme and rosemary. Interestingly when ice was added we felt that it lost something, and it became a much milder drink.

Overall, we really rated Micil Inverin Small Batch.

RRP: From £33.95 for 70cl. ABV: 46%. Available from Micil Distillery and The Whisky Exchange

Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey – Elijah Craig Small Batch, is the signature Bourbon bearing the name of Reverend Elijah Craig, who founded his distillery in 1789 along Elkhorn Creek in present day Georgetown, Kentucky. He is credited with being the first distiller to age his whiskey in charred oak barrels, earning his place in history as the Father of Bourbon. Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon is naturally aged and presented in a contemporary bottle.

Unadulterated, we found marzipan, wood, apricots, and cranberry on the nose. The addition of water proffered sweet fruits, and the ice lent us vanilla, and apple.

By itself we tasted salt and experienced what we came to describe as a good burn, sour acid, sweet smoke, all in all, a classic Bourbon. Adding water brought out the fruit but mellow not sharp. With ice we discovered pepper and marzipan.

RRP: £44.95 for 70cl. ABV: 47%. Available from: Master of Malt, Amazon and The Whisky Exchange.

Evan Williams Black Label Bourbon – describes itself as a smooth, easy to drink Bourbon named after Evan Williams who, in 1783, opened Kentucky’s first commercial distillery along the banks of the Ohio River. Today, Evan Williams is the second largest selling Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey in the world, distilled just a few streets away from the site where Evan himself built his distillery.

Again – when unadulterated we had chalk, sawed wood, acetone, vanilla extract, almond on the nose. With water it was more sugary, and by adding ice it revealed white chocolate.

Drunk neat, we could detect cherry sour, vanilla, sugar and icing sugar together with unripe stone fruit such as nectarine and plum. Perhaps unsurprisingly the addition of water merely diluted the taste and so I would avoid with this particular Bourban. However, by adding ice it brought out amaretto and coconut.

We felt that this represented excellent value for money at only £25.00 rrp. ABV: 43%. Available from: The Whisky Exchange, House of Malt and Milroy’s

My favourite? Well, that is not how this game works, taste is very individual, so, if you have whisky lovers in the house this Christmas why not buy all four and conduct your own tasting. I promise you that Boxing Day evenings will never be the same.

So once again that time is here. Time to write Christmas present lists, trail around the shops and trawl internet retail sites.

What do you mean, it’s still October? Don’t you realise that some of us have a recurring nightmare that it’s Christmas Eve, and we’ve bought nothing and are forced to scour through the shelves of the local late-night garage for Christmas gifts? Alright, it’s probably just me who has a serious panic attack if all my presents aren’t bought and labelled by the first week in November. Once again I fear I have shared too much.

Anyway, being a generous soul I plan to also share some of my gift discoveries with you all. And first on the list is HeyDoodle.

HeyDoodle is an Australian company founded by a mother of two small children. She thought how great it would be for kids to have reusable colouring mats where they could doodle, colour in their favourite pictures and learn their numbers in the process.

Not content with just dreaming, she founded HeyDoodle, so now we can all enjoy fabulous silicone mats covered in pictures with different themes. Personally I love colouring in the dinosaurs, and so does my four-year old grandson when he manages to elbow me out of the way. Not only does it feature the dinosaurs’ names but there are numbers from 1 to 10 to trace too. Then you can help your child find and count the objects to which the numbers refer, such as the 10 dinosaur footprints or the two T-rex. The child can colour them in with the special colouring pens provided to help count them. I love toys which are not only fun but help kids learn too and this is just great for that.

The silicone mats wipe clean once the child is finished (and appropriate photos taken to show the rest of the family obviously) so all is tidy and ready to start the next day. The mat and the colouring pens come in a very neat pack which is super easy to store and takes up almost no room.

If your child isn’t into dinosaurs, there are Aussie animals, fantasy characters and more – and for the older child (or adult) World Countries with flags – another great learning tool.

Besides the mats there are books too, consisting of eight reusable colouring pages, pens and a keepsake box – educational books such as the Natural Wonders and simple fun ones such as the Old MacDonald Had A Farm book.

Check out the HeyDoodle web site for lots more great ideas.

Going back to my favourite, the Dinoroars mat with pens is £14.99 for the A4 size and £21.99 for the A3 size. A great price for a top-quality gift for the little ones in your life.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

Dear Ms Taylor

The King has asked me to thank you for your kind letter, in which you shared the wonderful news of the refurbishment of Columbia Community Association Centre.

His Majesty is most grateful to you for taking the trouble to write as you did, and for sharing a little of this community project. The King was particularly interested to learn of the unique door with its original brass handles which has been so carefully restored.

I am to convey His Majesty’s hope that everyone in the local community enjoyed the grand opening day of the community centre on 28th July, and I am to send the King’s warmest good wishes to you for writing with this uplifting news.

Yours sincerly

All of this has made Frost Magazine, particularly Margaret homesick, so she and Dick are hoping to pitch up at the CCA coffee morning on 28th October, and apart from catching up with everyone, they will admire the letter. Yes because… knowing Marion and Red Shoes Bob, it will already be framed and up on the wall.

See you all then.

Information: Columbia Community Association  Columbia uk Community Forum

Memories of Brady Square

Good heavens – spare a moment, well, a great many moments to turn the pages of this book … No one got cracked over the head for no reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter by Martin Brunt. 

Trespass into the world of crime from the journalist’s eye view. Come with Martin Brunt into a world we might glimpse in newspapers, or watch in snippets on TV. Here, you can  take time to turn a page or two, or three, or, oh come on, let’s stop shilly shallying , you will want to  go the whole hog – all 333 pages. It is fascinating, a world of which we know nothing, not really, which leaves us thinking:  Good grief, heaven’s above. Surely not. Ah, I see. Crikey …

Martin Brunt, who was chief reporter at the Sunday Mirror before moving to Sky in 1989, reveals shocking and harrowing crime he’s covered over the past thirty years, and in doing so introduces us to the life of a crime reporter, and discusses the obsession of the public with crime. Add to this the nature of the relationship between the press and the police, not  forgetting the input of that strange phenomenon  social media, which appears, through witnesses, to inform not just the public, but the crime reporter. One suspects it might also mislead…

Brunt grapples not just with actual crime but with the question: what sort of crime grips the nation, and why is it that others do not? He also considers the damage done to those like Cliff Richard who are mistakenly suspected of sex abuse – such a feast for those eager to chew the cud, cast aspersions, and let’s face it gloat – and others to despair over the salacious acceptance of suspicion as guilt.  Whatever the reason, it ruins lives and careers.

So many questions, revelations, that it’s a must read for all those interested in crime from many angles.

This book is accessible, informative, fascinating and thought provoking.

No One Got Cracked Over The Head For No Reason – Dispatches from a crime reporter by Martin Brunt. HB and e-Book.  Biteback Publishers. Available on Amazon.

I have picked my own choice of Joffe Books’ new titles for this week. But trust me, it was quite a task as they are all so scrumptious. Let’s start with the book of the week. 

A Body in the Cottage which is a gripping crime mystery full of twists from bestselling author P.F. Ford and is out for — just £0.99 * 

A woman is left badly beaten in a derelict cottage. Then the killer comes forward — an elderly man. Case closed.  But as another body is discovered, Detective Norman suspects a false confession . . . and that the real killer is still at large. It’s up to you to turn those pages to find out who dun it…

Below you will find my pick of the the rest. But crikey, talk about dithering. It’s so hard to choose, they are all such satisfying reads. But here we go:

      
Jack  Knife by Steve Parker £0.99/$0.99

It’s 1975. A young woman is found disembowelled by the side of a road. Detective Bill Roach will spend the next fifty years searching for the serial killer: Now, unsuccessful and ageing in a retirement home, eighty-year-old Bill might just be the closest he’s ever been to discovering the secret. This is an original take on crime. Read and chew your nails.

The Bluebonnet Betrayal by Marty Wingate £0.99/$0.99   As you all know by now I am a sucker for cozy crime. Blame M.C. Beaton and her glorious Agatha Raisin series. Here is a belter from Marty Wingate, USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR: beautiful blooms, a fabulous guestlist — and one dead body. Had Pru’s dream of working at the Chelsea Flower Show just turned into a nightmare?  But she won’t give up — not on the show or the hunt for the murderer. So very there…

Now, what about The Frank Doy Thrillers in this eleven book box set? That’s right, eleven books all with great characters, plot lines to die for – oops – well you know what I mean. All with a dash of  of humour too.  I thought them in the mould of Lee Child, Michael Connelly and Michael Grant.  Great price at £1.99/$2.99. On we rush:

New from Choc Lit:

Lucy Keeling’s ‘Friends’ box set – whether you like soft or hard centres there is something for all: slow-burn romances to friends-to-lovers and fake relationships:  £0.99/$0.99

Hanukkah at the Great Greenwich Ice Creamery by Sharon Ibbotson

Is it trite to say, help yourselves to a scoop of delight? Probably, but I’ve said it because I loved it, almost as much as I love pistachio ice cream. Surly New Yorker Cohen Ford has a sweet surprise in store when he visits London and the Great Greenwich Ice Creamery one December.  Little does he know that his life is about to change . . .   £0.99/$0.99

Now, what’s new at LUME?

Kingfisher by Christopher C. Tubbs £0.99/$0.99   – historical naval adventure which really  gripped me as Ralph Wrenn, officer on HMS Kingfisher, navigated mayhem and terror, as he endeavoured to capture pirate vessels in the Mediterranean. But when Ralph meets a beautiful young woman, he must keep his wits about him — there is more to her than meets the eye. Never a dull moment.

Postman’s Knock by J.F. Straker £0.99/$0.99  is a classic British murder mystery as Detective Inspector Pitt is called to unravel the disappearance of the local postman. But the local residents are unwilling to help . . . they’ve all got something to hide. So, can Pitt dig deep and find the culprit before anyone else dies? Oh, go on, read it.

Now, a newbie coming on 24th October, and as I’m fond of Marlow I must mention it. 

The Marlow Murders by Biba Pearce £0.99/$0.99 is a great crime mystery: Debby Morris, mother of two, goes to a Christmas party at the historic Hollyhock Manor in Marlow . . .   And never comes home. Is it a planned disappearance or something more sinister?

Finally, a look at Joffe Books’ NEWS

Publishing Director Kate Lyall Grant is delighted to have signed a new two-book deal with bestselling psychological thriller writer Jane E. James

‘We’re really thrilled with how well Jane E. James’s first two psychological suspense titles for Joffe, Her Second Husband and Not My Child, have done. And Jane’s darkly imaginative genius shows no sign of running out of steam in her latest novel, Her Daughter’s Husband, which we’ll be publishing later this year. Her growing number of fans are in for a real treat.‘

Jane E. James

‘I’m thrilled to have signed a second two-book deal with Joffe Books and am looking forward to working with Kate and the rest of the team again. I can concentrate on writing even more of the mind-blowing twists that readers have come to expect from Joffe’s psychological thriller authors since I know I’m in good hands with them. The best readers are Joffe readers.’

For more information: Joffe Books

*Launch prices are available for a limited time only. Please check all offers are live and available in your location before purchasing.

I have to be honest, I usually find board games a bit tedious. However, whoever thought up Goat Yoga must be a pure genius, plus possess a touch of madness maybe? What other game leaves the players collapsed in hysterics AND feeling like they’ve done an exercise class by the end of the game? Hopefully there’ll be no unscheduled trips to the Emergency Department due to the combination of a large glass of Rioja and an overenthusiastic Downward Dog pose – but it’s a risk worth taking, believe me.

The principle is simple, so no endless rules to learn (another bonus). The box contains a pack of challenge cards, a plastic goat (yes, really) and a score pad and pencil. You simply pick a card from a pack, and there are six random categories, so you could end up with one of the following:

Ready Set Goat: You need to hold a yoga pose AND balance the plastic goat for 5 seconds

Bleat to the Beat: Hold the pose (and the goat) whilst bleating out the melody of a song

Billy Buddies: Pick a partner and both hold the pose and the goat together (don’t drop the goat)

Float the Goat: Hold the pose and bat the goat like a balloon to keep it in the air – don’t drop it.

Buck Wild: These cards have a twist – beware. (And of course don’t drop the goat).

So I think you get the drift – lots of yoga poses, alone and in pairs, balancing plastic goats, pretending to sing like a goat and batting a plastic goat in the air like a crazy person. There is some scoring involved but I suspect that will soon be forgotten in the mayhem.

Personally I simply can’t wait for Christmas after lunch – no boring TV repeats for me this year. And if you want to join in the fun you can buy this brilliant game from Kikkerland for just €30 (free ship in EU and UK and global shipping also available).

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

I find wine fascinating, particularly Italian wines. I’m familiar with some of the big names – Soave, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Chianti – who isn’t? But I’d just love to sound a bit more informed when at dinner with some of my posher friends (yes I am that shallow). The problem is remembering all those wine names, and what part of Italy they’re from, not to mention the grapes involved. I suppose I could try just drinking more, but I’m not sure my liver could take it, and would I remember the names the next day anyway? Somehow I doubt it.

So how excited was I to discover this Wines of Italy Jigsaw, from Ginger Fox? It’s a fabulous map of Italy featuring the different wine-producing regions. The grapes grown in those regions and the famous wines are shown on the map too. As it’s a 1000 piece jigsaw, I’m confident that all that wine knowledge will be etched on my brain by the time I’ve completed it (which should be by Christmas at my current speed, but hey what’s the hurry?) Such a clever idea. I’ve just completed the Liguria region – so ask me anything you like about Barolo, Asti and Barbaresco and you will be impressed. The jigsaw also includes a fun fact sheet about Italian wines too – did you know that Italy has somewhere between 377 and 2000 different grape varieties – higher than any other country?

I’m considering an advanced game, which involves drinking the wines from the relevant region whilst completing that part of the jigsaw – only in the interests of research of course.

Thank you Ginger Fox – such a brilliant game and what an excellent Christmas present for the wine lovers in your life? Just £16.19 from Ginger Fox website.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.