If I owned a store it would be a bookshop. It would be more black books than WH Smith with an unbranded coffee shop serving simple teas and coffees in real mugs with a choice of pink wafer and party ring biscuits.

There'd be a HUGE selection of books everything from crime to scifi. A lot less space would be given to reference books, and only a small section will go to cookery (anything about vegetables will be banned from sale!). There will be a huge range of poetry and good quality theology books.

The people working alongside me will be knowledgeable and fun and in our spare moments we're collectively writing a novel that will one day be stacked on our shelves. Not that we've much spare time - as the most indie bookshop in northern England all sorts of tastefully scarved people are gathering to make purchases and get recommendation.

And the name... Andy's eye candy... certain to get at least a few people through the door!

When I'm dressing to impress I break out the Fred Flintstone costume, but not for the immortal chat up line: "I may not be the real Fred Flintstone, but I can sure make your bedrock!"

The real reason I'm quick to get my black and orange tunic and sky blue tie, is that no woman can resist Fred - he's loud-mouthed, aggressive, and constantly scheming ways to improve his family's working class lot in life! He's also a bit of a bowling stud (much like myself I'd like to point out) and has the immortal catchphrase "Yabba-Dabba-Doo!".

And if I ended up with a girl as good as Wilma........well that's a bonus!

I still do loads of reading (and occasionally I harken back to the collection of dusty childhood books burried in the wardrobe) but unfortuantely my grown up knowledge of how things do and don't happen had destroyed the fantastical adentures of the famous five and secret seven! I now laugh as I read through at the obvious red herring, sneer as yet another conveniently placed cave appears leading right to the required desination, and know that good will eventually beat evil thanks to the children speaking to an adult who eventually believes in them.

Adult adventure stories, leave a lot to be desired. Barr Fforde and Prachett (both of which are set in alternate realities) the adventure genre has certainly be neglected for adults.

So find me a good adventure story - please - one which gets the imagination going, one that puts me on the edge of my train seat, one which is scary without being horrifically violent and raunchy! I might see if someone's written the Electric Eight or Super Seven!

Yesterday I attended Clare and Chris' wedding which was a really lovely day :) There was the service with a rather lively evangelical preacher who's name was pronounced collar and who managed to use the story of David and Bathsheba on a wedding day without offending anyone! The photos taken by Clare's brothers with much aplomb. The reception with food and barn dancing....but my favourite part.........?

Well apart from the obvious joy and happiness for all involved it was the cheesecake! A good quality baked new york cheesecake made the day - good choice by the planning committee I think!

So congratulations to Clare and Chris, both on getting married and the superb choice of cheesecake!

I'd be playing mini-golf in Waldshut in Germany with a HUGE bunch of friends all taking far too seriously! It'd be a championship, we'd have have suitcases of balls, multiple putters and horrific coloured golf jumpers :)

We'd play in Waldshut because it's the best mini-golf course in the world (!) with a little ice cream shop, a view of the Rhine and a hole where you chip the ball into a space bowl!

Would you be coming along?

TV; "Brainwashed"

It started as research for my job. Being a youth and children's worker it's pretty important to stay up to date with what the "youngsters" are watching. Now when I find a quiet moment and no one is around I stick on cartoon network, boomerang or nickeloden to see what Garfield, Scooby Doo, Tom & Jerry (and dare I say it?) Ben 10.

They make me smile and sometimes after a hard day in school or the office it's just what is needed! I also think that some are quite grown up - the humour expressed in Garfield is deep and complex and an allegorical take on life - or maybe I just saying this to try and justify my favourite vice!

Whatever I'm finding hard to quit. The 600 region on the sky remote is just so tempting. At least I suppose I got over the kids wresting craze from last summer.........

The sea is always different when I'm here - sometimes it's so flat you’re convinced that it's been replace by a sheet of glass, the odd ripple as a seagull lands spoiling the illusion. On other days children play as little waves sweep in through the bay, white topped and frothy. Occasionally big waves sweep in crashing deafeningly, and then sweeping back out ready for another attempt at breaking the wall.

The beach itself is sandy, soft between the toes, annoying in your shoes. It stretches for a good mile each way. Red majestic cliffs rise out to the North topped with lush green grass, caravans in the summer, the odd walker in the winter.

Today people are milling around - the sea is warm, but the air isn't - so swimmers are few and far between! I'm one of them, slowly acustomising myself to the water before giving up and diving in. When I've swum out I can look around and see just water - nothing else. I remember the vastness of the sea, the earth, and the universe and suddenly I seem very small - as do any problems I face.