Friday's Fave Five - 23/2/24

The last Friday of February already - time to look back on the week and find the blessings - Susanne is our host and blogs here.

1)  Thankful that I'm over this latest bout of Covid - tested negative yesterday and feeling much better.

2)  Thankful for all the get well wishes and kind words from fellow bloggers - it's great to know you're not posting things into a void.

3)  Thankful to see Grandson Nathan yesterday - we didn't see him all of this past week because of Covid so it was good to be able to spend some time with him - we're catching up with Ella, Rory and Vinny tomorrow.

4)  A Ladies Lunch today.  It was Ana's turn to host and we had a lovely Italian style platter with cold meats and cheese for starters, followed by Lasagne and then raspberries and meringue for dessert.  All of which were yummy but it's the company that's most important.

5)  Thankful for my library and my TBR pile - I've done a lot of reading over the past week or so and ticked off quite a few books now on my 52 book challenge.  

Also thankful that I can accept that my step count and walking for this month will be really low due to being ill.  We've also had a LOT of rain so finding time to walk would have been a bit tricky.  I did fit in a 30 minute exercise session though on a free app I found.  It's called Couch to Fit and is similar to the Couch to 5K programme that I've done before so I'm hoping to stick to it.  Watch this space!

Have a good weekend all.

Wednesday Hodgepodge - 21/2/24

The Hodgepodge is hosted by Joyce here.  Pop over to see who else is taking part and join in the fun.

1. What kind of thinker are you-doer (concrete thinking) analyst (analytical and abstract thinking), orator (logical thinking) inventor (imaginative thinking) or original thinker (creative)? What makes you say so? You can try this little quiz (link here) to help with your answer. 

Well I did the quiz and I came out predominantly as a doer but also quite analytical and logical.  My lowest score was in imaginative thinking.  None of this was surprising lol.  

2. Do you own a crock pot, air fryer, and/or instapot? Do you leave said small appliance sitting out? How often do you use it/them? Favourite thing to make in one of these? 

Well I'm assuming a crock pot is what I know as a slow cooker.  We do have one of those and it lives in a cupboard.  We don't use it very often.  Our newest appliance is an air fryer which lives on the worktop - it gets used most days.  We (the Royal We as Hubby does most of the cooking in our house) cook bacon in it most mornings and it gets used for veg and fries particularly rather than using our main oven.  We've cooked steaks and other meats in it too but I haven't made any cakes in it yet.  We love it and I'm pleased that HelloFresh (a complete meal supplier that you cook at home) are starting to include air fryer directions on the recipe cards.

3. What's something you hold a strong opinion on that matters not at all in the grand scheme of things? 

Hmm - there's a right and wrong way to put a toilet roll on a holder!  (Tried to think of the silliest thing possible.)

4. Describe the view from your window. 

Well it's evening here now in the UK so there is no view from the window - the blinds are closed.  If I could see out it would be a rainy view.

5. Do you have a favourite brand? Explain.

Marks and Spencer - a UK department store that nearly all my clothes come from and definitely all my footwear - they do half sizes.  I can guarantee a particular size will fit and the quality will be good without being too expensive.  They also have a good quality food range.  For everyday clothing I rarely look elsewhere.

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

Is it just me or is everyone else still mainly shopping online even though the pandemic is over?

Books, books and more books! 19/2/24

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Not a bad start my reading challenge for the year and one blessing of having Covid this past week - lots of reading time with no guilt attached.

Thank you everyone for your good wishes.  I haven't really felt too bad, just very tired and the first couple of days I was quite achy but nothing major.

Hopefully I'll be back to normal soon and will stop bombarding you with book reviews!

Book Review - The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

1970s Afghanistan: Twelve-year-old Amir is desperate to win the local kite-fighting tournament and his loyal friend Hassan promises to help him. But neither of the boys can foresee what would happen to Hassan that afternoon, an event that is to shatter their lives. After the Russians invade and the family is forced to flee to America, Amir realises that one day he must return to an Afghanistan under Taliban rule to find the one thing that his new world cannot grant him: redemption.

Hard to criticise an acclaimed book that's also been made into a film and I did love Hosseini's writing style. However, I could not take to the main character, Amir. As a boy he witnesses a terrible act against his friend, Hassan. But Hassan is not his friend, he is his servant. Wracked with guilt Amir compounds his problems by lying and causing Hassan and his father to leave.

Years later, after Amir had fled Afghanistan and is living in America, he is given the opportunity to redeem himself but the following events stretched credibility too far in my opinion.

I know it's not always possible to like all the characters in a book or their actions but, and it's hard to put my finger on exactly what felt wrong, this book just didn't have me wanting to keep turning the pages.

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Book Review - The Postscript Murders - Elly Griffiths

The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

PS: thanks for the murders.

The death of a ninety-year-old woman with a heart condition should absolutely not be suspicious. DS Harbinder Kaur certainly sees nothing to concern her in carer Natalka's account of Peggy Smith's death.

But when Natalka reveals that Peggy lied about her heart condition and that she had been sure someone was following her...
And that Peggy Smith had been a 'murder consultant' who plotted deaths for authors, and knew more about murder than anyone has any right to...
And when clearing out Peggy's flat ends in Natalka being held at gunpoint by a masked figure...

Well then DS Harbinder Kaur thinks that maybe there is no such thing as an unsuspicious death after all.

From the sleepy seaside town of Shoreham, to the granite streets of Edinburgh and the shores of Lake Baikal, The Postscript Murders is a literary mystery for fans of Antony Horowitz, Agatha Christie and anyone who's ever wondered just how authors think up such realistic crimes...

PS: Trust no one.

This was the second book in the series and it didn't disappoint. The main police character Harbinder Kaur is an interesting woman and although I'd probably class this as a "cosy" police crime thriller it was enjoyable.

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Book Review - Woman in Cabin 10 - Ruth Ware

Woman In Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was meant to be the perfect trip. The Northern Lights. A luxury press launch on a boutique cruise ship.

A chance for travel journalist Lo Blacklock to recover from a traumatic break-in that has left her on the verge of collapse.

Except things don't go as planned.

Woken in the night by screams, Lo rushes to her window to see a body thrown overboard from the next door cabin. But the records show that no-one ever checked into that cabin, and no passengers are missing from the boat.

Exhausted and emotional, Lo has to face the fact that she may have made a mistake—either that, or she is now trapped on a boat with a murderer...

I did enjoy this book but I found the number of characters confusing at times. Also some sections went into a lot of depth others did not. I also found some of the final section implausible but it was a good plot.

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Book Review - My Other Husband - Dorothy Koomson

My Other Husband by Dorothy Koomson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cleo Forsum is a bestselling novelist turned scriptwriter whose TV series, 'The Baking Detective' is a huge success. Writing is all she's ever wanted to do, and baking and murder stories have proved a winning combination. But now she has decided to walk away from it all - including divorcing her husband, Wallace - before her past secrets catch up with her. As Cleo drafts the final ever episodes of the series, people she knows start getting hurt. And it's soon clear that someone is trying to frame her for murder. She thinks she knows why, but Cleo can't tell the police or prove her innocence. Because then she'd have to confess about her other husband . . . A series of terrifying murders. A set of complex lies. And a woman with no way to clear her name.

Cleo Forsum is hiding secrets. When someone tries to frame her for murder she finds herself trying to unravel her life to keep those secrets safe, including her other husband.

This was a real page turner for me and although it switches between various timelines it wasn't too hard to follow. There was nice twist towards the end, although not that surprising, but it still rated 5 stars for me.

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Friday's Fave Five - 16/2/24 (A day late!)

Well I'm a day late with no real excuse for that but here are my five faves of the last week.  

1)  A visit from our eldest son and his family - they arrived on Saturday and stayed overnight.  They then went off to France for a couple of days and were back with us again on Tuesday, returning home on Wednesday.  Consequently we didn't have lots of time with them but it's always good to see them.  Grandsons Noah and Miles always look so pleased to see us.

2)  A catch up with one of Hubby's sisters last Friday.  She's undergoing chemo again but she is always so upbeat and doesn't complain despite all she's going through.  If I'm ever really ill I would need to take a leaf out of her book.

3)  Spare bedrooms and plenty of space in the house - this has enabled me to keep my distance from not only Hubby but also my daughter this week who has continued to work from our home despite me testing positive for Covid on Wednesday.  I felt a bit under the weather on Tuesday and worse on Wednesday and as we had my son and family still here then I thought I would test just in case.  The Foodbank are also keen for people to test if possible when unwell despite restrictions etc having been lifted a while back.  

4)  Lots and lots of reading time with no guilt attached lol.  I haven't felt too rough from the Covid but definitely achy and tired so I've indulged in lots of reading the last few days.  

5)  A hubby that can cook and take care of me and doesn't complain.  Makes all the difference when you're not feeling great to have meals and drinks appear at regular intervals.  

Hope you're all having a good weekend.  Mine will be quiet.  I'm hoping to get to my final session of the Diabetes Prevention course on Monday - hopefully I'll be clear of Covid by then.

Thanks to our host Susanne for reminding us to pause and think about the good things each week.  You can find her blog and more info here.

Book Review - A Spark of Light - Jodi Picoult

A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The warm fall day starts like any other at the Center—a women’s reproductive health services clinic—its staff offering care to anyone who passes through its doors. Then, in late morning, a desperate and distraught gunman bursts in and opens fire, taking all inside hostage.

After rushing to the scene, Hugh McElroy, a police hostage negotiator, sets up a perimeter and begins making a plan to communicate with the gunman. As his phone vibrates with incoming text messages he glances at it and, to his horror, finds out that his fifteen-year-old daughter, Wren, is inside the clinic.

But Wren is not alone. She will share the next and tensest few hours of her young life with a cast of unforgettable characters: A nurse who calms her own panic in order save the life of a wounded woman. A doctor who does his work not in spite of his faith but because of it, and who will find that faith tested as never before. A pro-life protester disguised as a patient, who now stands in the cross hairs of the same rage she herself has felt. A young woman who has come to terminate her pregnancy. And the disturbed individual himself, vowing to be heard.

Told in a daring and enthralling narrative structure that counts backward through the hours of the standoff, this is a story that traces its way back to what brought each of these very different individuals to the same place on this fateful day.

I usually enjoy books by Jodi Picoult but wasn't sure how this one would pan out given the subject matter - abortion - which is so emotive.

I think Picoult has done a great job at doing her research and presenting both sides of the argument. However I really did not like the way the book was written in a reverse time frame which was quite confusing at times, especially given the number of characters involved. (I don't think I could have coped with that on an audio book at all!) Also, I know that she has tried to include as much information as possible but there is one section in the book that outlines the procedures of an abortion which was very graphic.

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Wednesday Hodgepodge - 14/2/24

It's Wednesday so time to join in with the Hodgepodge hosted by Joyce here

1. What does love mean to you? 

Hard to put that into words but I think these words say it all:

2. Is love blind? 

I'm not sure it's love that's blind rather that we let love blind us to the faults in the ones we love.

Well that's what I started to say but now I'm debating if that actually means love is blind lol.

Let's just say it's often complicated!

3. How do you remember Valentine's Day as a kid? Do you have any special plans for the day this year? 

I can always remember that my Dad, although quite strict and maybe a bit staid was a bit of a romantic when it came to birthdays, anniversaries and Valentine's Day - he always got my Mum cards with lovely words and usually flowers of some sort.

No plans for us - my Hubby is not particularly romantic and hates what he sees as the over commercialism of events like Valentine's Day etc.  We did go out for a meal one year (ages ago now) but the restaurant had tried to capitalise on their space so much that although the tables were all for just 2 people they were so close together you could hear about 8 conversations going on.  Not in the least romantic lol.

4 Are you a fan of the movie genre known as 'rom-com'? What's your favourite (or one of your favourites)?

I do love a good 'rom-com' and have lots of favourites so hard to pick one - Notting Hill, 4 Weddings and a Funeral, Sleepless in Seattle, While you were sleeping etc etc..........

5. What's something you recently put your heart into? 

I'm quite committed to the Foodbank I volunteer at and recently I put my name in the hat for a space on the management committee for a Volunteer Representative.  A few people did the same so we had to have a brief "chat" (aka an interview) with 2 members of the committee.  A bit nerve wracking when you've been out of the working world for 9 years.  I wasn't successful, mainly because all the other candidates have had a lot more experience of volunteering at the Foodbank so I wasn't that surprised and certainly not too disappointed.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Wishing I was a year older then I would have had an additional Covid booster and might not have tested positive this morning after feeling a bit unwell since yesterday.  Hopefully I haven't passed it on to anyone (my son and his family were here overnight)  but Hubby has had the extra jab and tested negative.  Fingers crossed!

Thankfully I'm not feeling too bad but definitely a bit under the weather.  A good excuse for reading, blogging and just watching TV though.  Every cloud .....

Book Review - Nine Perfect Strangers - Liane Moriarty

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

One house. Nine strangers. Ten days that will change everything . . .

The retreat at health-and-wellness resort Tranquillum House promises total transformation.

Nine stressed city dwellers are keen to drop their literal and mental baggage, and absorb the meditative ambience while enjoying their hot stone massages.

Miles from anywhere, without cars or phones, they have no way to reach the outside world. Just time to think about themselves, and get to know each other.

Watching over them is the resort's director, a woman on a mission. But quite a different one from any the guests might have imagined.

For behind the retreat's glamorous facade lies a dark agenda.

These nine perfect strangers have no idea what's about to hit them . . .

I did enjoy this book but I think it was a bit over hyped. The blurb states "9 strangers seeking perfection, and each discovering the perfect lie..."

Well I'm not sure they were all seeking perfection of that the lies were perfect. I found it a bit slow at the start although it did pick up a bit but not until about 2/3 of the way through. There was no real startling twist. It was funny in parts but I wasn't really sure how to categorise it. It's not really a thriller - it wasn't suspenseful enough. I read it for a book challenge but it would make an ok holiday read.

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Friday's Fave Five - 9/2/24

It's Friday so time to look back on the week and share the blessings.  Like minded bloggers can be found here on our host Susanne's blog.

1)  It was our youngest son's birthday this week so we popped round to see him on the day with some banana and chocolate cupcakes I'd made.  We didn't have a long visit as it was a school night and the grandsons (Rory and Vinny) needed to get to bed early but it was lovely to catch up with all of them and we always get a very warm welcome from the little ones.

2)  My health.  We've been to 2 funerals this week.  On Monday it was our neighbour Anne's funeral.  We didn't really know Anne that well as she was in poor health when we moved here.  She suffered with a lung condition that led to her becoming more and more dependant on oxygen and eventually morphine.  She passed away on 1st January this year.  The second funeral was today and that was someone we knew from where we used to live.  Eileen was diagnosed with lung cancer in December and passed away in January.  Anne was 72, Eileen only 62. Inevitably funerals make you aware of your own mortality so today I'm grateful I'm in good health.

3)  A well stocked freezer - there have been a couple of days this week when we've been able to make an easy dinner from something in the freezer.

4)  Lots of TV choice - sometimes almost too much lol but at least I can always find something to watch when I need to.

5)  Fun with Grandson Nathan after school yesterday.  We usually get any homework he might have completed first but then we enjoyed a couple of games of snakes and ladders and then an improvised game of "The floor is lava".  He loves having the total attention of Nanny and Grandpa!

Tomorrow we're looking forward to seeing our other son and his family and then we are dog-sitting their dog for a couple of days while they are on a trip.

Have a good weekend all.

Wednesday Hodgepodge - 7/2/24

I'm joining in with the Hodgepodge today - you can find out more here.

1. Something you've waited for recently? 

Books to arrive at the library.  The service is really good in that I can request books from local and even not so local libraries but sometimes they do take a while to arrive.  The last one I requested also went to the wrong library but it was close enough that I could get there without too much hassle.  I love my library service.

2. What's something you loved to do as a child? 

Dance - I took lessons in ballet, tap and modern dancing.  I did try ballroom but it wasn't my fave at the time.

3. Something you learned from a grandparent? 

Crochet.  I can remember my maternal grandmother teaching me to crochet.  She crocheted a lot - in particularly doilies with fine cotton yarns.  Not sure who taught me to knit - probably her too.

This is (one of my) WIP - I'm finally happy with the number of squares I've knitted so today I was working out how to put it all together.  I've also started knitting an edging.  Don't expect to see the completed work anytime soon lol

4. The most visited cities in the world last year (according to this site) were-Bangkok, Paris, London, Dubai, and Singapore. Have you been to any of the cities mentioned? Which would you most like to see? How do you feel about international travel in general these days? 

Well I live in London and I've been to Paris.  There is still so much of London I could explore and I'm ok with international travel although Bangkok, Dubai and Singapore are not on my must see list.  I'd quite like to visit New Zealand but Hubby's not that keen and soon (hopefully) our son and his family will be living in Vermont so we'll be trekking "across the pond".

5. February is the perfect month to 

Well I'm not sure what February is perfect for - we're not big celebrators of Valentines Day and it's quite often cold and wet in February.  Maybe staying home and concentrating on hobbies?

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I've had 2 early starts yesterday and today, doing the school run with my grandson Nathan.  Looking forward to a lie in tomorrow!  I'm not a morning person lol

Book Review - Reasons to Stay Alive - Matt Haig

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I want life. I want to read it and write it and feel it and live it. I want, for as much of the time as possible in this blink-of-an-eye existence we have, to feel all that can be felt. I hate depression. I am scared of it. Terrified, in fact. But at the same time, it has made me who I am. And if - for me - it is the price of feeling life, it's a price always worth paying.

Reasons to Stay Alive is about making the most of your time on earth. In the western world the suicide rate is highest amongst men under the age of 35. Matt Haig could have added to that statistic when, aged 24, he found himself staring at a cliff-edge about to jump off. This is the story of why he didn't, how he recovered and learned to live with anxiety and depression. It's also an upbeat, joyous and very funny exploration of how to live better, love better, read better and feel more.

There is nothing particularly startling in this book but it could be helpful for someone in the same position Matt was, or to give those who think it's ok to suggest "pull yourself together" to someone with depression an idea of what is helpful and what isn't.

Matt was fortunate to have a very understanding partner (now his wife) and supportive family. Not everyone contemplating suicide can say the same.

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Book Review - Headstrong 52 Women Who Changed Science - and the World - Rachel Swaby

Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed Science-and the World by Rachel Swaby
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In 2013, the  New York Times  published an obituary for Yvonne Brill. It began: “She made a mean beef stroganoff, followed her husband from job to job, and took eight years off from work to raise three children.” It wasn’t until the second paragraph that readers discovered why the  Times had devoted several hundred words to her life: Brill was a brilliant rocket scientist who invented a propulsion system to keep communications satellites in orbit, and had recently been awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. Among the questions the obituary—and consequent outcry—prompted were, Who are the role models for today’s female scientists, and where can we find the stories that cast them in their true light?       

Headstrong  delivers a powerful, global, and engaging response. Covering Nobel Prize winners and major innovators, as well as lesser-known but hugely significant scientists who influence our every day, Rachel Swaby’s vibrant profiles span centuries of courageous thinkers and illustrate how each one’s ideas developed, from their first moment of scientific engagement through the research and discovery for which they’re best known. This fascinating tour reveals 52 women at their best—while encouraging and inspiring a new generation of girls to put on their lab coats.

Well this isn't my usual sort of read so it took me 9 days to read - even though it's a relatively short book with a lot of pages of notes and bibliography that I obviously didn't wade through.

I did find it interesting and there were many women in the book I hadn't heard of. The common thread running through many of these women's stories was how difficult it was for them to be accepted in their respective fields and how many of them had worked for nothing or a very small pittance. It's definitely better now but I think we are still some way from achieving true equality between men and women not just in science but many fields.

As I said, it was interesting but the pieces on each woman were actually quite short. Sadly I'm not sure how much information I will have retained without having made notes!

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#SoCS - 3/2/24 - Watch

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “watch.” Use it as a noun or a verb, use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

#SoCS is hosted by Linda here.

I have a dilemma.  Which should I watch first:

The Stranger or Fool Me Once

Both are on Netflix, both are based on books by Harlan Coben, both of which I have read.  I do love Harlan Coben books - they're great at hooking you right at the start and then keeping you turning the pages.

Well that's how they work for me.

I'll probably watch The Stranger as I've only just read that one so it's fresh in my mind.  I'll be able to see what changes have been made.  From comments I've seen it doesn't follow the book completely.

I've just finished watching Safe which I enjoyed.

One thing I didn't enjoy watching this week though was 58 videos on Food Hygiene.  The Foodbank I volunteer at were keen to have volunteers get a Food Hygiene certificate if possible as they'd secured funding for a number of course places.  I'd done one before when I was working but they have to be renewed every 3 years so I thought it wouldn't be too difficult.  It wasn't difficult at all really - lots of it is common sense but.... I did an in person course before.  This one was online and as I said consisted of 58 videos featuring the same man every time going through the information you needed to take on board!  Thankfully each video was only a few minutes long.

Oh wait I tell a lie - there was one video showing how to correctly wash your hands that was "borrowed" from the NHS so it was a different presenter.  Anyway I did watch ALL of the videos although I did it in 2 halves - I was losing the will to live.  And I passed!  At the end you had to do an online test that was all multiple choice.  Hopefully I won't have to watch any more training videos any time soon!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Friday's Fave Five - 2/2/24

And it's Friday again!

Time to look back on the week and remember what I'm grateful for.  Susanne is the driving force behind this and blogs here.

1)  A haircut!  I can't remember the last time I had it cut but I think my hairdresser took about 4 inches off and it's still a reasonable length.

2)  A very successful Yarn & Cake sale last Sunday organised by the knitting group.  We raised nearly £900 for Macmillan Cancer Support.  We had Macmillan nurses come to our home when both my Nan and my Dad were at the end stages of their battles with cancer and they were just brilliant so I was very happy to support this event.

3)  Quite a bit of support to my daughter and her family this week with school runs and having Nathan after school yesterday - my DIL has what seemed like flu so I'm grateful that we're able to help out as much as we can and I know they appreciate it.

4)  I am now the proud owner of a Food Hygiene Level 2 certificate.  This was an online course I did funded through the Foodbank.  I had done this in my past life when I worked in a school, but they have to be renewed every 3 years and mine had lapsed.  

There was a lot of information on the course which doesn't actually apply to the Foodbank but it was interesting to refresh my memory on certain things although a lot of it is really just common sense.

5)  A good library service. I've mentioned doing a 52 week challenge this year that requires reading books which match 52 different prompts and although I've got a lot of books at home that I can use I'm also relying on the library for books.  I'd been notified that 1 book I'd reserved was available but when I got there today there were actually 2 books waiting to be picked up.  The turn around time is usually pretty good so hopefully I'll be able to get access to all the books I need over the year.

It's also been a good week for walking - it's been mostly dry and a lot milder so I've been out every day.  Some days like today, that's  just been a walk down to the library but I've also done a few walks around the lake and golf course areas.

And....I also nearly managed to complete the Just Jot it January blogging challenge - I missed a couple of days but I definitely blogged more in January.  Now I have to keep it up!

Have a good weekend all.

And now it's February.......1/2/24

Well yes I know it's February but that means it's time to do a round up of the Just Jot it January challenge.

Firstly a big shout out to Linda for organising this for the 10th year!

I almost completed it and I did actually do 35 posts in January.  I missed one day when I'd been out for the evening with hubby but I did double up on the next day covering both prompts.  One post also just tipped over into the following day as I was working on it so late.

And I missed one day completely.  I think it was another busy day and the prompt "Despair" just wasn't doing it for me.  Of course I could have posted something totally random but I didn't.  

So I'm pleased with how the month went.  I also managed to read a few books and post reviews.  Hopefully I'll be able to keep up the momentum in February although I don't expect to be posting every day.