# JustRob's "angel" checking in



## BlondeAverageReader

Hi Writers
I have finally been persuaded to join the forum by my other half. I will not however be using MY ANGEL as an avatar. Or should that be HIS ANGEL?  'The Garden Fairy' was also rejected as only fitting for my other major passion, all things horticultural.
So here l am, just what it says on the label.  B.A.R.

I'm joining not as a writer, l hasten to add, but hopefully a beta reader. As an ordinary person who just loves reading, I would appear to represent the audience writers are aiming for. I've already joined in reading, and commenting on, a partly finished book by a member. It passed my 'poking the potatoes test' Kobo in one hand knife in the other, too good to put down. This enjoyable experience helped convince me to join. 

So if you have a book to fill these dark cold evenings, I'll put it to the potato test.
My preferred genres
Crime.     Mystery.    Thrillers.    Ghost stories.


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## Ariel

Very nice to finally "meet" you.  Welcome to the forums.


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## H.Brown

Hello and welcome.

I hope you enjoy it here.


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## PiP

Hi Rob's Angel and welcome! Thank you for relenting and signing up...


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## Deleted member 56686

Well, hi, Blondie, welcome to our neighborhood. I think it's pretty obvious that Rob is very fond of you as he writes very lovingly of you.

We do have a Beta Readers section as you may well know. I'm sure Rob can guide you through it a bit. I won't go through the ten post spiel because I'm sure Rob has told you about that too (or he better had or else :lol: ). Anyhow, get involved in some of our discussions and you'll find that it doesn't take long.

Welcome to the forums.


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## JustRob

Hello, my favourite blue-eyed blonde. It's time you managed to get a word in. How come you didn't mention all those gory stories about forensics and pathology that you revel in though?


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## PiP

JustRob said:


> Hello, my favourite blue-eyed blonde. It's time you managed to get a word in.



but will you get a word in... you know what us blue-eyed blondes are like


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## JustRob

PiP said:


> but will you get a word in... you know what us blued-blondes are like



Only because I can type faster.


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## aj47

Hi, it's nice to read you. astroandy is signed up here as well, but not under that name -- he is also a reader, not a poster, so you'll never see him around.

I mostly write poetry and short fiction so you probably won't be reading much of me.  Unless you like to cook, as I've been known to post recipes in various crannies of the forum for whatever reason (thread derailment, sharing what I'm eating, whatever).  I once checked out a cookbook when I was learning the Dewey decimal system and I began to learn to cook from ingredients rather than boxes.  So I'm kind of big on sharing food--as sharing food is sharing life.


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## The Fantastical

Hello! It is good to see a fellow reader here. Sometimes it feels a little lonely here!


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## BlondeAverageReader

Annie
Feeling a little lost in this strange other world. So a fellow cook is comforting. Growing up in a time of no packet meals, veg came with garden still attached!. It tastes better, and you know what's in it when you start from scratch. I'll leave the maths to you, and Rob while l bake a cake.


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## PiP

BlondeAverageReader said:


> Annie
> Feeling a little lost in this strange other world. So a fellow cook is comforting. Growing up in a time of no packet meals, veg came with garden still attached!. It tastes better, and you know what's in it when you start from scratch. I'll leave the maths to you, and Rob while l bake a cake.



Angel, I love cooking! Would you like to swap recipes? I am sure there is a thread in the Lounge Area of the forum. Let me see


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## Olly Buckle

Hello, and welcome. Rob talks of you enough that I feel I know something of you already, mind you knowing us men it is probably not a very accurate impression  
I love the idea of the 'poking the potatoes test', but don't confine yourself to reading, there is fun to be had in the prompts and word games, and in places like the Lounge, without having to become a fully fledged writer. One last point, how did the word 'Average' creep into your user name? I don't believe it!


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## aj47

BlondeAverageReader said:


> Annie
> Feeling a little lost in this strange other world. So a fellow cook is comforting. Growing up in a time of no packet meals, veg came with garden still attached!. It tastes better, and you know what's in it when you start from scratch. I'll leave the maths to you, and Rob while l bake a cake.



My mother didn't cook.. not well, and mostly what she did was assemble from boxes, so it's what I learned.  Last night I made an amazing salmon chowder from frozen salmon I'd gotten in a buy-one-bag-get-one-free deal a long time ago and we had an odd number of fillets left (four people--3 fillets).  It had onion, celery, "waxy" potatoes, chicken stock (from a box, I'm afraid, sometimes shortcuts happen) and cream, with lemon and dill.  My daughter complained that it lacked clams (my son is allergic to shellfish so we never have clams) and if that's the worst I hear ...

I wrote part of a poem about savory pies for NaPoWriMo last year ... I'll go work on it after I do some other stuff that needs happening first...


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## JustRob

Olly Buckle said:


> One last point, how did the word 'Average' creep into your user name? I don't believe it!



She may not say so herself (Actually she might, come to think of it.) but she's an exceptional person but just an average reader, i.e. representative of readers in general rather than pedantically analytical. She likes a good story, which is the main thing that a writer needs to get right. Telling the stories comes with practice once you have them to tell.


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## BlondeAverageReader

Hi Olly
I wonder if the impression includes gardening gloves / clogs / mucky padded jacket? Sitting at a computer comes a bit lower on my favourite pastimes list. But as the weather is a tad frosty right now I've had to rearranged the list. Hold on though, there's still the greenhouse, must plant the sweet pea seeds.
 I'm sure Rob has enough views for both of us on all the various W F threads, bless him. I don't stand a chance keeping up with all that bull, just can't type fast enough.


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## jenthepen

Hi, BAR, it's great to meet you at last. I've loved you ever since Rob announced that you laughed at my poem about Granny Booth poisoning her Christmas guests - (see how important feedback is for us insecure writers. :tears_of_joy: )

Anyway, it's good to have someone around who can keep Rob in order.


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## BlondeAverageReader

Hi PiP
you seem to be into all of my hobbies, I've even penned the odd awful ode, when under extreme stress . If you were unlucky enough to see the ones Rob posted on my behalf, sorry! I'm better at the others.
Always happy to swap recipes, or gardening tips.


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## BlondeAverageReader

Hi jen
 I remember choking with laughter at Granny Booth poisoning her guests. I have to confess to a very evil sense of humour, and your poem was spot on. Do you have any others  in that vein? I do hope so. Feedback garranteed.
BAR


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## PiP

BlondeAverageReader said:


> Hi PiP
> 
> Always happy to swap recipes, or gardening tips.



Gardening is my passion! At the moment I am digging up and cleaning all the strawberry plants I am growing in containers. It is a fun job as I also rejuvenate the soil with generous helpings of horse manure mixed with good compost. 
My personal challenge is to grow strawberries twelve months of the year. I also grow an assortment of other veg. Mr PIp says my veg cost so much to grow in terms of money and effort, they are gold-plated!

Talking of tips. Have you read about all the different uses of Epsom Salts in the garden?


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## jenthepen

I think that little streak of viciousness is peculiar to English humour - we know how soft and soppy we all are underneath this crunchy little crust of evil but I sometimes wonder if our international cousins get the wrong idea about us.  

Rob mentioned earlier in this thread that you enjoy crime and forensic mysteries. I used to make Ray (my husband) quite nervous by the way I devoured every true-life murder book I could find. I tried to explain that I was fascinated by the motives that drove the murderers to commit their crimes but I'm not sure he was convinced. I still enjoy all the murder documentaries on the telly.

 Anyway, to answer your question, I do like to let go and write the odd funny poem or short story every now and then. I did one for this Christmas too - you can read it here

jen


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## Olly Buckle

BlondeAverageReader said:


> Hi Olly
> I wonder if the impression includes gardening gloves / clogs / mucky padded jacket? Sitting at a computer comes a bit lower on my favourite pastimes list. But as the weather is a tad frosty right now I've had to rearranged the list. Hold on though, there's still the greenhouse, must plant the sweet pea seeds.
> I'm sure Rob has enough views for both of us on all the various W F threads, bless him. I don't stand a chance keeping up with all that bull, just can't type fast enough.



I got RHS gardening gloves for my birthday to replace my old pair, the leather stretches to fit perfectly, I have been weeding strawberries in them. My sweet peas went into the greenhouse last weekend, I usually do some in October and most now so there are some earlies, but I didnt get round to it this year. I bought onion seed but the missus said 'Why bother, they are so cheap'. I think she was put off by last year's crop, lousy weather and they failed to ripen properly, a lot went off. I thought I would try from seed this year instead of sets ... but now?

My garden wear does not bear description, but it is warm and it does not matter if it gets muddy


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## BlondeAverageReader

Hi Jen
Feedback----- Still choking, it's brilliant, we all enjoy a family Christmas errrrr.
You are right about our sense of humour. I have a hard time with mine when faced with non Brits, always think twice before saying anything cynical. Well you don't want to frighten them!


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## PiP

I am so crazy about gardening I got a compost bin for my wedding anniversary


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## Firemajic

BlondeAverageReader said:


> Hi Writers
> I have finally been persuaded to join the forum by my other half. I will not however be using MY ANGEL as an avatar. Or should that be HIS ANGEL?  'The Garden Fairy' was also rejected as only fitting for my other major passion, all things horticultural.
> So here l am, just what it says on the label.  B.A.R.
> 
> I'm joining not as a writer, l hasten to add, but hopefully a beta reader. As an ordinary person who just loves reading, I would appear to represent the audience writers are aiming for. I've already joined in reading, and commenting on, a partly finished book by a member. It passed my 'poking the potatoes test' Kobo in one hand knife in the other, too good to put down. This enjoyable experience helped convince me to join.
> 
> So if you have a book to fill these dark cold evenings, I'll put it to the potato test.
> My preferred genres
> Crime.     Mystery.    Thrillers.    Ghost stories.





Welcome! I feel like I know you already, Rob has mentioned you so many times, I feel like you have always been a member of our WF family...


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## midnightpoet

I'm glad to see another mystery/crime novel fan on the site, even if you don't write. Even though I'm a native Texan, I've always enjoyed the British sense of humor and like a lot of the UK crime (and humor) shows. It helps that my roots are in Britain, even though they are 300-odd years back. I'm also a member of the over-70 crowd here, and have enjoyed Rob's humor and insight.  

Tony


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## JustRob

How come I'm reading more compliments than before about myself now that you're here?

There do seem to be some exceptions though.



jenthepen said:


> Anyway, it's good to have someone around who can keep Rob in order.


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## BlondeAverageReader

Firemajic said:


> Welcome! I feel like I know you already, Rob has mentioned you so many times, I feel like you have always been a member of our WF family...



 I feel much the same, your names and various works are frequently quoted here. Still not sure what I have to offer, apart from the ability to read. And the inability to be angelic! So for better or worse here l come.


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## PiP

BlondeAverageReader said:


> . And the inability to be angelic! So for better or worse here l come.



You can cook and grow things


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## Olly Buckle

It would be interesting to know how accurate the quotes are


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## JustRob

BlondeAverageReader said:


> Originally Posted by *Firemajic*
> 
> Welcome! I feel like I know you already, Rob has mentioned you so many times, I feel like you have always been a member of our WF family... :wink:
> 
> I feel much the same, your names and various works are frequently quoted here. Still not sure what I have to offer, apart from the ability to read. And the inability to be angelic! So for better or worse here l come.



Well folks, it looks like my angel and her iPad have defeated the WF software between them on that post. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible. This looks like a job for my alter ego, the time-warping superhero Justin Thyme!



Olly Buckle said:


> It would be interesting to know how accurate the quotes are



Is that slightly a slight, a slur on my good name, Rrrrobbb, Olly? I know where you live and it's only just down the road from us, you know. We'd just love to pay you a visit some time. You can talk gardening with my angel while I sulk.


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## BlondeAverageReader

midnightpoet said:


> I'm glad to see another mystery/crime novel fan on the site, even if you don't write. Even though I'm a native Texan, I've always enjoyed the British sense of humor and like a lot of the UK crime (and humor) shows. It helps that my roots are in Britain, even though they are 300-odd years back. I'm also a member of the over-70 crowd here, and have enjoyed Rob's humor and insight.
> 
> Tony



Hi Tony. Nice to join you all at WF.  I hope there are some good writers of crime / mystery etc here. I have always been fascinated by forensics, true life ( maybe not ) like the Body Farm. Or Kathy Reichs novels, not fussy just give me a good story! Boy have l learned a lot about body parts over the years.
Pleased to hear you ' get ' our humour, we have had some funny looks from Americans that we have encountered on holiday. I really enjoyed  Rich Halls take on the USA, it's people, history etc on TV over here. His evil sense of humour appeals to me.


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## PiP

JustRob said:


> Well folks, it looks like my angel and her iPad have defeated the WF software between them on that post. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible. This looks like a job for my alter ego, the time-warping superhero Justin Thyme!
> .



My goodness, Angel's lucky to have you at hand, Rob


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## JustRob

Well, you have your ten posts now, so let's sit back and see whether *Da System *conforms to *Da Rules *and upgrades you. *Da Rules *state that restrictions are lifted once you have "ten (10) valid posts" and that there are things that you cannot do if you have "less than ten (10)". Computers are just so slow-witted compared to human brains.


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## Deleted member 56686

You might have to do another post or two before your permissions actually kick in, Blonde. The system gets ornery like that sometimes.


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## PiP

Yep, I meant to say, to say: sometimes the system takes a few hours to wake up and update your member status.


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## JustRob

Even at this time of year she's busy in the greenhouse. She just went past me with a tray of soil-filled pots heading for the spare bedroom. When I say "greenhouse" there's both her greenhouse and our green house. Every room has pot plants and flowers somewhere (correction - except for my workroom). The kitchen windowsill has pitcher plants and Venus fly-traps to deal with flies and even wasps, a natural pest control system. The greenhouse is electrically heated so that things are growing there year round, not that I understand any of that sort of thing. I provided it but it's entirely her realm. This other stuff here is just a diversion during the bad weather.


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## PiP

I remember the days when every windowl edge in our UK house was filled with seed trays. I used to do the same in Portugal until I discovered I could go to the local market and buy a variety of veggie plugs for as cheap as a packet of seeds.

I have just returned from the market where I bought all my onion sets ( 50 for 2 eurso)(in Portugal they look like spring onions), Rosa tomato plugs (25 cents each) and lettuce (20 for 1 euro). 

 WF is a good place to take a break from planting up the onions sets...my back is killing me!


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## Olly Buckle

Those will  be this year's seedlings, PiP, Sets are planted late in the year and only grow to small onions their first year, then they are heat treated so they won'tflowerin their second year. You are way ahead of us here, it's freezing here tonight, the grass crunched when I walked down the garden just now, tomatoes? You must be joking, they would be mush by morning.


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## Bard_Daniel

Welcome! : D


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