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Win a Kindle Paperwhite worth over £100 plus a copy of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep **NOW CLOSED**

(602 Posts)
SorchaGransnet (GNHQ) Mon 16-Jan-17 15:23:26

To celebrate the publication of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, a charming coming-of-age debut novel by Joanna Cannon, we're giving you the chance to win a Kindle Paperwhite.

Mrs Creasy is missing and The Avenue is alive with whispers. The neighbours blame the disappearance on the heatwave, but ten-year-olds Grace and Tilly aren't so sure.

As the summer shimmers endlessly on, the girls decide to start their own investigation. And as the cul-de-sac starts giving up its secrets, the amateur detectives find more than they imagined.

Joanna Cannon graduated from Leicester Medical School and worked as a hospital doctor, before specialising in psychiatry. She lives in the Peak District with her family and her dog.

To be in with a chance of winning a Kindle Paperwhite worth over £100 & a copy of the book, tell us - do you remember the heatwave of '76? If so, what are your memories of it?

Post your entry below by midday Monday 13 February.

Usual T&Cs apply.

This discussion is sponsored by HarperCollins

susanjessejames Thu 26-Jan-17 10:26:19

My youngest son was born in 1976 and I also had a 20 month old toddler, the heat was relentless day in day out. Baby used to lay on a thick towel (too hot for a nappy) Covered with a net and parasol for shade. When I went shopping to the local market the traders used to sing a current song then ' The Streaker' referring to baby's nudity - happy days

valseal Wed 25-Jan-17 23:43:20

July 1976 was my daughter's second birthday and I made her a teddybear cake, held together with buttercream, so it kept collapsing in the heat!

philatel Wed 25-Jan-17 15:12:46

My best friend's Mother died - exactly a year after my Father had died - and the weather was incredibly hot - too hot to think or do anything.

Leah50 Wed 25-Jan-17 10:08:05

Loved the Summer of '76 for the most part, we're lucky enough to live only a mile from the beach so my sister & I frequently cycled there with our little daughters on the back of our bikes to swim. Trouble was getting rid of the sand & salt from our skin when we got home....with only one bucket of tap water between us.

moleswife Tue 24-Jan-17 19:39:43

It was so hot so my two and a half year old son and I went swimming to the local pool. A new estate was being built on land previously made up of small Victorian houses and the way to to the bus stop was along a rough and rather uneven concrete path through the building site. We hadn't gone far when, in his excitement he stumbled then fell on this path - oh, the blood that poured from his forehead! But, of course, we had thick, absorbent towels with us and back home we went! He still has the scar between his eyebrows but today it looks like a frown line!

sue1169 Tue 24-Jan-17 19:28:04

...was living in South Africa so missed out on it ....

Regalo Tue 24-Jan-17 14:59:58

My husband...who was then my fiancée, was doing a summer job erecting sporting stands. He was working putting stands up for the tennis at Eastbourne....being fair skinned you would have thought he knew better than to work with his shirt off. Hmmm....I have never seen such a burnt back with enormous blisters. Back in those days I was quite sympathetic!!

Ursulab Tue 24-Jan-17 14:40:17

We lived on the coast so I was able to go swimming in the sea and for lovely evening walks along the beach.

laurensam Tue 24-Jan-17 13:36:26

I remember it very well I was pregnant and in labour and spend a very uncomfortable night on a plastic sheet waiting for my waters to break, i did have a beautiful daughter by morning though.

glassortwo Tue 24-Jan-17 12:28:23

I remember the heatwave of 76 well. We got married the first day of the heatwave went away on honeymoon, as it was so hot in Ibiza we came home very pale in comparison to everyone at home who had enjoyed the heatwave while we were away... there was lots of leg pulling about our lack of a suntan grin

willow5 Tue 24-Jan-17 11:54:21

My son then aged about 20 months standing in the garden hose in hand , watering our garden ( and himself, which was why he enjoyed doing it). I still have the photos as a reminder, but don't think I will forget his pleasure at being allowed to ' water himself' as well as the plants

sjwfrance Mon 23-Jan-17 19:11:22

My Mum used to mention it ALL the time ... hottest summer ever - two small children and a dog. That was the summer that she stood on a drawing pin and had to put her foot in a bucket of ice cold water to get it out. The water turned red and she said it was actually a blessing (because of the heat) and her foot was fine. I can remember being terrified!!

sweir1 Mon 23-Jan-17 12:52:47

Not specifically but I seem to remember all summers back then being warmer

Tidusmc Mon 23-Jan-17 12:02:35

For 2 solid weeks in the summer of 76 I suffered with a virus which brought on a form of sleep sickness. I spent those 2 weeks being hauled and shunted about and force fed water in an attempt to keep me awake and hydrated. I don't know how or what brought it on but I do remember it being horrible and it disappearing as quick as it came.

Liz46 Mon 23-Jan-17 11:55:21

We had two small children and not much money. We shared a house in Devon with friends for two weeks and had a great time. I remember lots of ladybirds one year but am not sure it was the same one. They nipped!

Grannyshoes Mon 23-Jan-17 10:46:43

Ladybirds everywhere! Was pregnant with my youngest too! We have a White House and it was practically red there was so many ?

SuzC Mon 23-Jan-17 09:27:51

Collecting water from a standpipe!

dlizi4 Mon 23-Jan-17 01:03:53

I remember we had a large paddling pool in our back yard, everybody in the neighbourhood was jealous smile

auntybee Sun 22-Jan-17 23:24:40

I seemed to spend all the summer attempting to shelter our newborn baby from the sun. And bursting with pride daily as I watched my two washing lines full of brilliant white nappies, blowing in the wind. I certainly was that 'Persil' mum!!!!!!

tigga Sun 22-Jan-17 20:33:42

i was about 13 and on holiday in buckinghamshire, and we went on a day trip to london via st marys hospital as my mother had sunstroke

Carola22 Sun 22-Jan-17 19:17:21

I remember the first proper holiday we could afford with our daughter was in Bournemouth in 76 we went by coach as we didn't have a car then and I was ill for three days with sunstroke the first and last time it ever happened to me despite since then living abroad in various hot countries the power of the sun in Bournemouth in 76 must have been mighty strong.

MB1001 Sun 22-Jan-17 19:14:32

The days seemed to last for ever, and the nights even longer.

Granmags Sun 22-Jan-17 19:10:35

We had just moved to the north east coast of Scotland. The heatwave just passed us by - we can't remember feeling hot on any day of our five year stay, just cool (freezing!) sea breezes.

clangers72 Sun 22-Jan-17 18:17:57

was in my last year of school, just remember lots of glorious days out and about with friends, but also remember having to collect water (was that '76?), dad worrying about not being able to water his garden, we grew most of our own vegetables.

GrandmaEvie Sun 22-Jan-17 18:02:09

Although this is my memory of the heatwave it is mainly DH's.
It was our wedding day. The church was full of our family and friends. I wore a beautiful long white dress and long veil that my mum had made. My husband lifted the veil off my face to kiss his new wife only to see a waterfall before his eyes. Sweat - not attractive on a blushing bride.