Brum's Guide To Online Shopping When Sick Or With A Bug

BRUM:

When you're shopping on the computer and you want to know how the world works, like me, try and find some books on knowledge on eBay - encyclopedias, dictionaries, too many to count!

PIBBY:

When you feel totally sick and can't go out, try and shop for something fun. I like sticker and activity books to keep myself occupied, as well as doodling, colouring and drawing. What's your favourite fun activity?

BUN BUN:

Since I prefer soft and simple things, go to The Works and find something soft to see you through. But if you find all the books here too gross, you can find a Disney Storybook on eBay!

BRUM:

Oi! I was going to say that.

BUN BUN:

Too baaaaaad!

*All three laugh loudly*

What Would Maisy Do - Planning A Monday Shop

Dear Maisy,

I need your help! My mum says I can shop for three things every Monday, and I don't know how to organise it. My brain is so muddled up, I don't know one end of my writing desk from the other, and now I usually get the wrong things, or they stop selling them altogether. Can you help me organise the Monday shop so I can get all the things I want?

Love,

Gerald Giraffe

I think I know the simple answer to this question, Gerald. Just use eBay and Amazon for your first two purchases, and then choose another shop for your other purchases, be it Forbidden Planet, Tesco, Hobbycraft, The Works, Typo or anything else you can think of. You are a shopaholic, and that's okay - you can binge buy, but binge buy once a week.

Once you've chosen your three things, head onto Google Keep and write a list so you can remember them, then pin them up so you can remember what's coming next. You can add a picture if you want - I always spruce my notes up with pictures. It'll help you remember what you want to buy - if you're getting a Doctor Who spin off book from Forbidden Planet for instance, you can add a picture of K9. If you're getting something from the Gerry Anderson website, add a Thunderbirds related picture.

I hope this answers your question, Gerald. Happy buying!

Love,

Maisy

XXXOOO

Hutchinson's Encyclopedias - What Do I Use Them For?

It's grand.

It's big.

It's beautiful.

It's the one and only Hutchinson's Encyclopedia.

BLUEY: But what do you use them for anyway?

Well, Bluey, I was first given a copy by one of my support workers in 2023, and at first I didn't want anything to do with it for a whole year, because when I was negative and anxious I found it rather boring. However, one day while I was in my den and watching Team America: World Police, thinking of something to do for the day, I saw the Hutchinson's Encyclopedia and thought, "Oh wow, maybe I could use that. It has lots of space for writing in."

So why use an ordinary notebook for writing in when you've got plenty of spaces in the biggest books of all? Well, it gives me time to contemplate about all my ideas and write down all the lists that life forces me to write. I've written down about 1,000 lists so far (too many to count, but, whatever), some of which will help me outline my ideas for my stories - even if some of them are plotless!

My excitement surrounding these large-as-life coffee table like books encouraged me to find out more about Hutchinson's, and there, I noticed a wide range of other encyclopedias, too, ranging from an Encyclopedia Of Britain to ones released by Weetabix during 1999. I bought the 2001 encyclopedia and the British one from eBay, and guess what? I enjoyed them so much! So much so that I'm gonna get some more.

And today, I have brought the Hutchinson Pocket Dictionary. I don't know whether it will be either bigger or smaller than the 2001 encyclopedia or the British encyclopedia, but rest assured the book will be pocket-sized.

Speaking of Britain, the things featured in the British Encyclopedia include Absolutely Fabulous, Enid Blyton, Alice In Wonderland, Animal Farm, Watership Down, Doctor Who and Blue Peter....but no Thunderbirds. Aaaawww no. But what I can tell you is that Thunderbirds did appear as part of The Best Of British and The Best Of TV & Movies, and I'm looking to find that Thunderbirds card in TBOB soon!

Colour In Pictures Of Disney Characters On A Rainy Day

When you're stuck indoors on a rainy day, you obviously need a bit of Disney magic to brighten things up a bit. There are lots of Disney colouring pages to print out online and colour, or lots of Disney-themed colouring books to buy from either Amazon or eBay. Colour adds a little magic to grey, dreary days, and if you want to colour someone like a princess or Mickey Mouse, you've come to the right place!