A series of four books called Enid Blyton for Grown-Ups - a parody of the Famous Five as adults - are to be published. The spoof novels called Five Give Up the Booze, Five Go Gluten Free, Five Go On A Strategy Away Day and Five Go Parenting will catch up with the sleuthing children as adults. For those too young to have read them, the original 21 books featured Julian, George, Dick, Anne and their dog Timmy and their adventures set during the 1940s and 1950s. The children never seemed to have any adult supervision and roamed free during their outdoor holidays and solved mysteries while drinking "lashings of ginger beer".
The power of always being prepared
"For obvious reasons, I'd appreciate anonymity for this, err, exhibition of my intelligence," writes a reader. "We had been living in our new house about four years when we had our first power cut. Having once been a Scout, I was well prepared. I assembled our gas camping stove, so we could at least cook some dinner. After dinner, I suddenly remembered that although the stove was electric, the hobs were all gas. Several months later, still embarrassed, I related the story to a friend. He told me they had done the exact same thing. I guess that's why we're friends."
Kiwis never afraid of flying ...
The story about the Barrier Air plane door opening mid-flight brings back memories for Winsome Mitchell of Whakatane. "In 2011, our family was holidaying in Alaska. We had hired a local charter company with a small Beaver floatplane to go bear spotting when our pilot spied a pod of orca below and began low circling to give us a clearer view. The passenger door beside my husband suddenly came open and our quick-thinking grandson leaned across and pulled it shut. We landed in a small bay where there were several bears on the shore. But every time anyone tried to tell the pilot about the door, he put his finger to his lips, pointed to the bears and said, "Sssh." When we landed I told the pilot what had happened. His response blew me away. "The plane door came open when we were flying and you didn't even cry? Man, you Kiwis are tough!"
