Our Libraries Look FAB!

Every year we have a competition in memory of a former member of staff, Denise Mahoney.  Now, I don't know her but Josh's Mum told me about her and how clever she was.  The staff at all the libraries try to decorate their children's areas according to the theme of the summer reading challenge.

This is Manjeet holding me aloft!  We were both mystery judges!  Josh's Mum doesn't tell anyone who is doing the judging - not sure why, but it seems to have become a bit of a tradition.  Hey - it was really funny sitting in the office when Michael rang up to ask Nicky who it was....she said she didnt know (not sure whether she did or not) and I had to try very hard not to giggle because I knew it was Manjeet and me!

Hornchurch decided to try and curry favour by using pictures of me - well I must say, it certainly influenced THIS judge!

I especially liked this picture of me as a librarian!  Do you like my astronaut helmet?

We then travelled over to Gidea Park - where I played on the alien scanner.  It really works too!  Although I am so glad that Mr Vader didnt catch me on it!

This was me on the Romford Rocket!  I thought that if I did a little bottom burp I might be able to make it take off!

This was the wonky-eyed cyborg that I found at Harold Hill Library!  It was made my some of the children there!

And here was the astronaut that I found at Harold Wood Library.  Josh's Mum told me not to mention the fact that it looked the tiniest, little bit like a.....snowman!  So, I haven't mentioned that!

I found these naughty meerkats over at Upminster!  They were threatening to make me stay there all day with Richard!  I ran away quickly!

I must say that this was the best astronaut I found all day!  I thought this one should win!  I kept pressing his buttons - but he didnt do anything!

And here I am, in South Hornchurch Library!  Wow - the staff here wrote to NASA to get some posters and stuff!  I was very impressed.  Linda said she would give me their address so that I can write to them - perhaps they might let me take a little trip in one of their rockets!

Ha ha - this picture made me laugh - Josh's Mum was in the astronaut outfit!  Well, no, not really!  Her photo!  I mean - if she were really inside then that would make her very short!  This was at Elm Park Library!

And this is Talulah!  I kind of had a little teensy crush on her!   Well wouldnt you?

And then I met Bert - he was a bit scary (and I think he has designs on Talulah!)

They were both over at Collier Row Library!  Who won the prize!  There are some absolutely fabby pics of their library over on the facebook page - Havering Reading Group - so much silver!!!

And here I am presenting the staff with their trophy!
They did really well - their entry was stunning - but you need to pop over to the Havering Reading Group page to have a look!

Gosh - its been so busy lately!

Dexter!

Helping where we can!

Look what I found at the library today!  Aren't they cute???  OK - I never said that!

These little chaps are looking for a new home - they only cost £1 to adopt and all the money goes to our local hospice - St Francis Hospice.  

Now you see them......

Now you don't!

Josh's Mum assures me they were just being friendly!!!







Dexter  x

Launching the Summer Reading Challenge

I had such great fun this Sunday!  We went to the Harold Hill Festival to launch the Space Hop!

We shared a marquee with the ladies from the local Children's Centre.

I love this banner - can you see me peeking out?  Hee hee - Josh's Mum didnt even know she had got me on there - Frances was giving me a leg up!

This is Jacky doing some facepainting!  Jacky and Josh's Mum spent most of the day painting little faces!  Some of them were really good.... some of them were.....mmmmmm......remember what nana always used to say...."if you can't say anything nice, dont say anything at all"

Viv read me the story of the Gruffalo - but I fell asleep!  It was very hot and I had been up late the night before - I was reading late!  Oh and the cushions Karen brought from Harold Hill Library were soooooo comfy!  You should go there and check them out!

These were some of our leaflets and posters.  I had to help them put them up - Frances kept putting them up wonky!

Mind you, she more than made up for it when it came to the Space Hoppers!  Josh's Mum said she used to have one when she was little - I can't ever imagine her as a little girl!!!!

Of course, I had to join up for the Summer Reading Challenge myself!  All I need to do is read 6 books and pop into the library to talk about them - hmmmm the talking bit wont be a problem for ME!

This was a very nice PCSO - Police Community Safety Officer (I think!) - it could be a perfectly, catlike, silly Officer!!!  Hee hee - Josh's Mum had facepainted him like a tiger and he couldn't wait to have a go at the space hoppers!
He did go and try and get some of his friends to have their faces done - but they wouldnt! 

Of course, at the end of the day, we need to squish all the air out of the spacehopper so they would fit into Karen's car - that's Karen with her back to us!

She was really quite violent with them!  Nicky looked like she was doing something else - but Josh's Mum has forbidden me from saying what!!!

I think Viv was thinking the same thing as I was - she couldn't stop giggling at her!

Gosh - you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of Nicky would you?

I'm not sure why she was doing the sad face....but it made me sad too!  Sniff sniff.

I'm going to get a tissue now!

Dexter x

Michael gets his own back!!!

Last time, I told you all about when Michael got told off by his mum - after he had tried to give me a karate chop!

Well Michael decided to get his own back!

...checking the coast is clear.....

....getting the positioning right.....

.....I wriggled and jiggled around.....

....and then...........




Hahahaha - its ok!  We were just joking around!  Michael wouldn't be that mean to me - or anyone!  Not even a fly!!!


Just dont let his mum see these pictures!!!

Dexter x

Health and Safety!

We have to be careful that our libraries are safe for everybody - so today I looked at some of the things that could happen to us and how to prevent them!

This is Christopher showing me the fire extinguishers.  We have to check that they are all where they should be and are serviced regularly.

I wanted to set this one off (just to check it worked of course!) but Christopher wouldnt let me!

Climbing on things is dangerous - don't do it - even if you do have very short legs!!!

You really should find out what things are and how they work before you "interact" with them.......

......Michael was really cross with me - how was I to know it was a shredder???

I think that would have smarted!

Drinking on duty is frowned upon!  I have to point out that this isn't alcoholic!  I couldn't possibly risk being near alcohol - not with my "bottom burp" issues - talk about flammable!!!

Josh's Mum really told me off when she caught me doing this!  She said that the glass might have broken and cut my.......ermmmm.....errrrrr....TAIL!

She also said it was terribly unhygenic!

I am pretty sure that having Michael threaten to karate chop you is also against health and safety too!

Michael's Mum came and saved me!!!  Ooooooo you should have seen her telling off Michael afterwards!  Phew!!!  I didnt mind - she was really sweet to me!


Dexter x

A scary day out!

I had the weekend off this weekend.  Our libraries are open on Saturdays but not on Sundays.  So, on Sunday I went out with Josh's Mum, Josh and his friend Thomas.  We went out to a rocket and space event at Royal Gunpowder Mills in Waltham Abbey.

As we went in we were accosted by the security guys!  They wanted to see our passes and our ID - Josh's Mum had her library card so she was let through........

....they were a little more persistent with us boys!

Josh and Thomas told them what school they went to so they were let through.  I don't go to school so the security guard said I would have to go and talk to his boss so that I could tell him why I didn't have a pass.....I was really, really scared....I let out a little bottom burp!

His boss was called Mr Vader.  I explained that I worked for Havering Libraries and that we were just on a day out.  He kept asking me where the Princess was and had I seen Luke - I explained that I didn't know who they were but he didn't seem to believe me.  Whilst all this was going on, Josh's Mum was just standing there giggling!  I didn't think it was funny at all.

After a little while longer of prodding at me with his light sabre, another guy ran up and said they had spotted Yoda and they all ran off, dropping me on the floor!

I think they must have had hay fever or something as they all spoke funny and kinda wheezed!

I was really worried that they might hurt Mr Yoooda so when we went into the armory I thought I might borrow this!

I must say, it was much more comfortable sitting on top of it than crouching behind!

Thomas found a gun too!  The guys who were meant to be looking after all the weapons were just watching him point the gun at me.  I think there was a real health and safety issue here - they then told me that the guns were safe and couldn't go off.  They are just there so that people can play with them and find out how heavy they were.  I tried to lift one but just couldn't! Tom must have been stronger than he looks!

We had lots of fun, playing with rockets and talking about gunpowder and explosions...it was all very exciting.

We then went on the land train - this was my favourite bit of the day!  It was very cool and we saw all sorts of insects and flowers.  We went across a really narrow bridge too - that was a teensy bit scary though.

I ate some of Josh's cheese and ham sandwiches instead of the plain ham ones and he was very upset!  A little out of perspective if you ask me!  Still, his mum had made some extra so Josh had those...phew!   Can you imagine what might have happened if she had run out of bread!

Just before we left, we were looking at the other displays and Josh's Mum said the security guards were coming back!  I jumped onto this display and hid.  When they came in they said that they were looking for a little green being called YOOOOODA - well, I didn't want them mistaking me for him did I?

I was so tired that I fell fast asleep in the car on the way home.  Josh had to carry me indoors and put me to bed!

Dexter x