2012, Ena, Minnie and Martha...

A very happy New Year to all my regular readers... I hope you with both have a happy and healthy 2012...

Resolution time I guess... I have three... firstly to get fit (or at least a bit fitter...). My weight is fine, it's just in the wrong places so I am going to join a gym next week and see if I can exercise myself into better shape.

No weights, just cardo... cardio... cardio vacs... yeah I think I'll probably just do some weights...

Number two is to finish my debut novel which is currently gathering e-dust whilst I get my head round a few of the issues that writing it has raised; the third is also book related and it is to compile a book about Coronation Street, whilst trying to track down as many of the fifty-plus Rovers Return barmaids (that's the number there have been, not the age range I am concentrating on...). The last-named resolution will be the one definite out of the three; the research is underway and just to prove that you don't need extreme storylines to make a soap work, here is an exchange from the Rovers' snug in early 1964 featuring Ena Sharples, Minnie Caldwell and Martha Longhurst...

Ena: 1964 eh... three right chickens aren't we. You know it's twenty-... twenty-four years since we was on munitions...
Martha: Aye
Minnie: I was never very good at acetylene welding...

Minnie: We've got the babies to look forward to... Ooh there's five of them; there's the Queen, Margaret Rose, Duchess of Kent and Princess Alexandra... I can always tell... they cancel their engagements.
Martha: That's only four...
Minnie: Pardon?
Martha: That's only four; you said five.
Ena: Who else is expecting?
Minnie: Mrs Higgins... in March...
Martha: Who's Mrs Higgins?!
Ena: Has she cancelled her arrangements an' all?
Minnie: I don't think so... She's the one I sit next to in the laundrette...

Timeless...

Anyway, whatever your resolutions or plans... I hope you have a great 2012. All the best!

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