Some of the Mulberry Harbours that were used on D-day were built in Poole Harbour and we were a major embarkation point for the return to France. I met an old gentleman years ago who told me that in the last days before D-Day the Harbourmaster could walk from one side of the Quay to the other simply by stepping across the boats. It was such a crucial place that they had contingency plans in case the lifting bridge got damaged by enemy gunfire and wouldn’t open. (The solution, in case you’re interested, were two teams of sailors, one on either side and hauling it upright.) That bridge is still in service. The modern, iconic Twin Sails Bridge, or Twin Fails as we locals know it, is out of service till July because it’s broken (Again.)
Once upon a time, I was part of a project that collected these memories, so it became something of a passion of mine, which crops up in ‘Love Always’ which is in the Lavender House series and in all of the Esther and the Professor books. So of course I went down to have a look at the flotilla that honoured those very brave men on the evening of the 7th of June. My pictures aren’t anything like as good, so have a look at these - https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/24372509.hundreds-come-poole-quay-d-day-80th-anniversary/ All I can manage to say is amazing, moving and I was proud to cheer with the other watchers.
Nor was that the only way we remembered D_day. This is rather special, and very Amy-ish, don’t you think? Just an ordinary post box round by the launderette and the takeaways, but look what someone did! Isn’t it amazing? I don’t know who did it, but look at the work and love that went into it.

I’ve done my little bit for the community this morning with a spot of guerrilla gardening to try to keep the brambles in the planters on our road down until we get formal permission from the Council to adopt them. Once we’ve done that we’re going to take out every single plant, including all the soil, and then refill with fresh soil and make the 8 planters far prettier. We’re all growing on plants that we know do well so I’m in charge of a very pretty silver and green euonymus which I’m growing on from cuttings. The criteria are low pollen, good for wildlife, definitely no prickles and tough as anything.
So now I get to sit down and chat for a while, and let you know what books are on special offer this week because we might yet get some sun to sit in, or if it’s winter where you are then you might need a book to curl up with while you dream of warmer weather.
This week there are 3 sets on at 99p Uk or 99C US, and 3 of them are anthologies that are usually £2.99 as a good way to try a series or for the third of my readers who don’t get special offers because of where they live. I promise I’ll get more anthologies out as soon as time allows. These are ‘She didn’t mean to find trouble’ which are Amy Hammond cosy mysteries, Love by the Sea which are the first 3 Windy Bay’s and The Scent of Lavender which are the first 3 Lavender House books. Both those two are summery, gentle cosy mysteries.
Then there are 3 Amy Hammond Books - A Handmade Crime, Aging Disgracefully and Two Graves. Aging disgracefully was inspired by a fuss in the paper about an old people’s home over in Christchurch that was holding pole dancing classes and my late father in law’s stories of the bad behaviour in his sheltered housing block.
Last but not least, there are 3 in my Shadows series, which I write as Eleanor Neville. They are To be the best, Professional hero and Enemy Within and eagle-eyed readers (which of course you all are) will recognise Doctor Simon Jones who’s starting to pop up at Swansmere as I begin to weave my worlds of espionage together.
Have a great week, and we’ll catch up on Sunday.
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