A week away - August 2025

It's the end of August so it's that time of year when we get together with Hubby's extended family here:

It's a converted Oast House in Kent and there were over 40 of us sharing. These pictures were before everyone arrived and we decended into chaos lol.

Sound horrendous? Well not to us it doesn't.  Yes we have to share rooms (but there are lots of bathrooms) and some of the kids are on the floors but we love being able to all be together.  The kids love the pool, we played a lot of games on the lawn, took walks to nearby Scotney Castle and generally had a good time.

We all mucked in with preparing food - each family group takes a turn to be responsible for the evening meal - and everyone helps out with clearing etc.  

We play board and card games, do karaoke, and generally just unwind.

I'd like to say I came home rested but with late nights and then early wake up calls from the under 10s sleep time is limited.  But so many memories made.

I didn't get to do a Friday's Fave Five but the word to some it all up this week would have been Family!

I also gained some more books!

My brother-in-law was having a clear out and a few people took a few books but I ended up with the majority.  I've read a few which I will put in local Little Libraries, and there are some that I'll probably pass on that I don't think I'd enjoy but the rest will be added to the "to be read" pile.

It looks horrendous but I recently added quite a lot of them to my Good Reads site and I think in the house there are about 50 books.  There are also about 30 in our garden room but given that I read over 50 books a year I will get through them sooner rather than later.

As long as I don't keep adding to the pile!

Hopefully I'll get around to catching up on blogs later today.  Apologies if I don't manage to leave many comments, I'm getting ready to spend a few days away later this week with 3 of my cousins and their husbands.  Organising food etc for 8 will seem easy compared to last week!

Sunday Waffle - 24/2/19

It is not a good idea to put something in the oven and then get engrossed in a book.  Especially when you are one level up from the kitchen and don't hear the timer going off.  Even more dangerous when you've put the oven on full to light the gas and forgotten to dial it back to the required temperature for the quiche you're looking forward to.

Fortunately it wasn't badly burned and was still very edible!

I've indulged in a lot of reading today.  (A whole bookful of reading - I'll post a review later.)  Mainly because I got up feeling a little under the weather.  Partying until after midnight and drinking red wine has that effect these days.  Will I learn that lesson?  Probably not.  One of hubby's sisters had organised a sort of school reunion come family party come anyone who wants to event at our local club.  It was a really nice evening.  Lots of family members there plus other people I knew.  She'd organised food, there was a DJ playing music we could relate (and dance) to and if you were brave enough plenty of cocktails to be tried.

I decided to stick to wine thinking I'd pace myself and be fine today.  I think my pace was probably a bit too fast.  

I'm not sure I like this getting old lark.  But I am loving being a Nana.    We had Nathan for a couple of hours yesterday so his Mummies could have some planning time together.  It was nice to have him here and visit our local community garden and shops although keeping him safe from falling up or down our many stairs was less enjoyable.  That and the partying and it's probably no wonder I felt under the weather this morning.

However I did manage to brighten up and get the grass cut for the first time this year.  Fortunately we have a good lawnmower and the recent spell of dry mild weather meant it wasn't as hard a job as I'd expected.  But I still feel it gave me enough brownie points to get back to my book when I'd finished.

Quite a nice way to spend Sunday, especially when dinner is something I cooked a couple of weeks ago and just had to be taken out of the freezer.  And for anyone who's wondering why Hubby doesn't get to cut the grass (shock horror at the suggestion of sexism)  it's partly because he tends to get wheezy if he does and he also volunteered to walk back to the club and pick up the car we sensibly left behind last night and also collect a chair from his sister.  She and her husband have been living in what was Hubby's Mum's house.  They moved in when their Mum needed help thinking it would be for longer than it actually was.  The house has now been sold and they've gradually been clearing the place out ready for the new owners.  Completion is set for next month and it will be the end of an era.  

This is the chair.  It's really heavy.  I might put it in our bedroom by the window.  With a couple of cushions it'll probably be a comfy enough chair for reading in and I'll be able to enjoy the view.

A Wednesday Waffle in lieu of Hodgepodge

Well apart from Book Reviews and regular memes like the Hodgepodge and Friday’s Fave Five, my blog still seems a little bit neglected lately.  Today being Wednesday usually means a Hodgepodge post but as Joyce is taking a break this week I was determined the day wouldn’t go by without a post of some sort.

Hopefully Joyce will have some exciting news to share with us soon as she is waiting to become a Grandmother any day now.  

Having become a Grandmother myself back at the end of March I can relate to that.  I’m slightly surprised at how doting I am on Nathan.  Maybe that’s because I was there at his birth, or because of the bumpy ride he’s had or maybe I’ll be this soppy about all my grandchildren.  Time will tell but I’m loving every minute of it down to changing stinky nappies!

The blanket I promised for him is almost finished.  Just the edging to complete.  I’ve already bought wool and have a pattern lined up for the next one.  Nathan’s early arrival ruined my schedule for completing this one but hopefully if I get started on the next one soon it’ll be ready for the next arrival.  None expected at the moment but I’m always open to baby surprises especially now that all the kids are married and (apart from one) settled in their homes.

The couple who live with us are away for 2 weeks at the moment visiting her parents in the US so I’m taking advantage of not having to worry about their meals and re-doing the South Beach Diet.  The first two weeks are pretty strict but after that it should be fairly easy to fit in with meals for all of us.

I prepared in advance for this – working out a 2 week meal plan and shopping for the food we’d need as you can see:

Of course nothing goes to plan!  The first day had to be switched as I’d mistakenly put chicken in the freezer instead of the fridge and on day 2 we visited with Nathan and our daughter and went out for lunch.  I was fairly good though and just had a chicken salad.  (We’ll pretend I didn’t touch the streaky bacon or croutons!)

Alongside that I’m also trying to get my step count up – or at least back to the target I originally set myself.  So far so good this week.  Fortunately, although my knee is not great on stairs and I can’t do anything weight bearing on it at the moment walking is fine.

A friend commented that I didn’t need to diet but when your scales keep telling you your weight is increasing it’s time to call a halt. My problem is that I have such a sweet tooth so I’ll always choose sweet over savoury but not for the time being. 

Anyway plenty going on to keep me busy – I’ve even managed to get more reading done the past couple of weeks.  Trouble is once I get stuck into a book that I find hard to put down everything else gets put on the back burner.  I’m going to try restricting reading until I get to bed but that will mean going to bed earlier otherwise I’ll be reading a few pages and falling asleep!  But that will mean less time for watching TV and catching up on all the programmes I’ve recorded!

I used to say that for every child you had the day seemed to shorten by an hour.  Well none of my kids are children anymore but the days still seem short.  How did I ever manage to work full time?

Reading list 2015

 

I originally posted this on Facebook but I thought I'd add it here too for the record.

Book list for 2015

I completed 27 this year – same as last year according to my Shelfari site.  And I still have Catch 22 as a WIP.

At the start of the year I was a bit predictable, either reading authors I’ve read before or a family recommendation but later in the year I signed up for the Woman and Home Reading club – they nominate a book each month in the magazine and there is also a linked Facebook page.  This has added more variety and challenge to my reading.  I’ve also joined a spin off from that page that, hopefully, will further push the boundaries.  This means 3 books to read by the end of January.  At that rate my 2016 list should be longer.

1. Balancing Act – Joanna Trollope

This is the story of a family run business and how the return of a family member disrupts the dynamics.  Trollope always seems to have a good feel for family relationships.

2. The Target – David Baldacci

I discovered Baldacci last year.  He writes action thrillers about spies and assassins. Just my genre.

3. Death Message – Mark Billingham

Billingham writes detective stories – the main character is DI Tom Thorne.  Easy to read and great if you’re a fan of that genre.  Some of them have now been televised with David Morrissey in the lead role.

4. The Burning Girl – Mark Billingham

5. Lifeless – Mark Billingham

(I often read several books by the same author back to back!)

6. Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn

Recommended by offspring.  Thoroughly enjoyed it.

7. Dark Places – Gillian Flynn

This came as a multibuy with her other two books and was another good read about a woman questioning her memories as a seven year old girl which led to her brother being convicted of murder.  The story tells how she sets out to unravel the mystery.

8. Sharp Objects – Gillian Flynn

This was actually her debut novel which I read last. 

9. The Coffin Dancer – Jeffrey Deaver

I got into Jeffrey Deaver having watched the film “The Bone Collector” featuring the character of Lincoln Rhyme a quadriplegic criminalist.  Usually I prefer to read the book before watching the film but having read the Bone Collector I’ve since read several Deaver books and this is another Lincoln Rhyme story.

10. The Geneva Trap – Stella Rimington

Rimington was the first woman Director General of MI5 and has written a number of spy thrillers around the character of Liz Carlyle.  The Geneva Trap was #7 in the series.  I don’t think I’d buy any more but if they’re on Kindle for 99p or in charity shops I’d add them to my TBR collection.

11. One Shot – Lee Child - Jack Reacher #9

I’m a fan of the Jack Reacher Series and have read random books from the series usually picked up in charity shops but am now working my way through in order if possible.

12. The Hard Way – Lee Child – Jack Reacher #10

13. Bones Never Lie – Kathy Reichs

This was passed on to me by my daughter.  I’ve read most of Kathy Reichs's books and always enjoy them. 

14. The Other Child – Lucy Atkins

Another psychological thriller but I really did not like the main character and found some of her actions at best improbable.

15. Bad Luck and Trouble – Lee Child – Jack Reacher #11

16. The Changing Room – Jane Turley

I came across Jane through a blogging link.  She’s a very funny lady and her book was very apt for me – dealing with a family that included a wife at a crossroads and a mother with dementia but done in a very humorous way.

17. The A – Z of You and Me – James Hannah

This was the first Woman & Home recommendation I read.  “Ivo has all kinds of everyday joy in his life - he's young, he's in love, he has friends who promise to stand by him if life ever goes wrong. Then one day, life does go wrong. He makes a mistake, and it's big and unforgiveable. Now time is running out and his life is falling apart. But he's going to put it together again. His own way. This is a story about how far love must stretch to gather a life in pieces. And how strong friendship never dies.” 

It was a debut book that got good reviews and nominations for prizes but for me it was an OK read but not something I’d shout about.

18. Etta and Otto and Russell and James – Emma Hooper

This was the next W & H book and was more of a challenge.  “Etta's greatest unfulfilled wish, living in the rolling farmland of Saskatchewan, is to see the sea. And so, at the age of eighty-two she gets up very early one morning, takes a rifle, some chocolate, and her best boots, and begins walking the 2, 000 miles to water.”  It was very atmospheric but a bit confusing at times. 

19. Never Forget – Lisa Cutts

Another crime genre series this one featuring Nina Foster, a former kidnap victim who grew up and became a police officer.  Nothing special but an easy read.

20. The Pocket Wife – Susan Crawford

A psychological thriller with amnesia playing a large part.  I found I couldn’t sympathise with the main character though.

21. Hell’s Corner – David Baldacci

Another assassination thriller.

22. The Daughter – Jane Shemilt

This is the story of a daughter going missing and how the family cope with the investigation that follows.  It’s a bit confusing as it switches between two time frames.  I enjoyed it but not the ending.  No spoilers here!

23. The Girl on the Train – Paula Hawkins

I sneaked this from my daughter while she was away and read it very quickly.  I enjoyed it despite the mixed reviews.

24. Wolf Winter – Cecilia Ekback

This was another W & H book.  Much harder than the previous ones.  Many readers gave up on it.  I nearly did but hate to leave a book unfinished and persevered.  It’s a murder mystery but it’s set in Swedish Lapland in 1717 which is very bleak, especially in winter.  It’s also quite slow.  Again not something I would recommend but glad I could say I’d finished it.

25. In Bitter Chill - Sarah Ward

This was the final W & H book for the year and was a murder mystery set in Derbyshire.  It follows the fictional story of Rachel Jones who was abducted in 1978 with her friend Sophie.  Rachel returns but Sophie was never found.  Basically a who-dunnit? but a good debut book.

26. Better than Before – Gretchen Rubin

Well I read this in an effort to rid myself of bad habits, form good ones and stop my very bad habit of procrastination.  It was interesting but more about the way the author had changed her ways rather than providing much advice on how to change yourself.

27. Me Before You – Jojo Moyes

Oh so sad!  Definitely lived up to the hype and have the tissues handy if you read it. Hard to say more without spoiling it.