Monday mutterings - 7/10/24

This was probably me first thing this morning - we had an early start but that means there is time to:

Why an early start? We both had our flu jab appointments this morning.  We only had to get to our local GP so it wasn't that bad - it's a 10 minute walk away and we were seen as soon as we got there.

Back home I've put some washing on and we've watched an episode of a programme we're watching together and I've posted some cards - just catching the postman who'd emptied the postbox that's about 20 yards from our house!  In the past I've seen it being emptied late in the afternoon but the routine must have changed.  Anyway he took my cards so they are now winging their way to various people.

My eldest brother and one of my cousins both have birthdays this week.  My best friend's middle daughter had a baby boy last week so a card for her.  But also a card for my friend as her Dad passed away last week.  He was 93 so a good age and he had only been unwell for a short period of time.  Still hard though for her.

I've also booked a routine blood test online and it's not even lunch time yet lol.

We had a quiet day yesterday but on Saturday we visited Chingford for this:

Quite a few of the cafes along the main street had artwork on display and there were also exhibits in the meeting rooms in the station.

It made a nice change and we had lunch in one of the cafes that Hubby particularly likes.

We also browsed the charity shops while we were there and, although I do not need books, these somehow found their way home with me lol.

Not sure when I'll get around to reading them - I'm already a bit behind on my reading of David Copperfield this month but I'm sure I'll catch up!  Somehow.

And then there are squares to be knitted for the homeless.  I've done a few but I'm not the fastest knitter in the world.  Every one helps though right?  There is an organisation that collects them and makes them into blankets so our knitting group are making some at the moment.  Last week we took part in a Reuse and Repair Fair at a local school where we spent the afternoon knitting and chatting - they kindly provided lunch for us too.

But of course I should be doing some housework - my son and his family are coming at the weekend so I need to put the warmer duvets on the beds - it's bright and sunny today but chilly.  I'd best get on.

Friday's Fave Five - 4/10/24

It's Friday again so time to look back on the week and remember the things I'm grateful for.  Our host Susanne reminds us to do this each week - her blog can be found here.

1)  Firstly I'm grateful that, despite having had a lot of rain this past week, I do not live in an area that is likely to be in the path of a storm like Helene.  I cannot imagine what it must be like for those who were, the devastation is dreadful.  I haven't followed it too closely - watching any news is quite depressing at the moment, but I hope that none of my blogging friends have been badly affected.

2)  Today we had sunshine.  It's a lot cooler and the leaves are dropping, definitely autumn, but the blue sky and sunshine were uplifting.

3)  Books, another favourite of my things to be grateful for.  A new one arrived by mail today as part of the subscription I was gifted by my daughter and DIL and the library had one that I'd reserved ready for me.

4)  Time with my daughter and her family this week as they celebrated Rosh Hashanah. (Jewish New Year)  My DIL made a lovely meal - we had lots of sweet things and afterwards I helped put the grandkids to bed.  

5)  Another grandson turned 4:

 Miles loves beans on toast!

He and his brother Noah also love jumping in muddy puddles!  My son sent me this pic today plus a couple of videos of them jumping in the puddles.  They are both in a right mess but the enjoyment they had was (hopefully) worth all the muddy clothing, boots and boys!

Have a good weekend all.

Wednesday Hodgepodge - 2/10/24

Woohoo I'm doing a Hodgepodge.  This is hosted by Joyce here where you can find full details, including who else is playing along.  Thank you Joyce.

1. Hey, it's October...what's one fun thing on your October calendar? 

Well I'm hoping to meet up with my "Ladies who Lunch" group this month and there is a visit to my brother and his wife planned too.

2. Thursday is National Poetry Day (first Thursday in October)...do you like to read poetry? If so, what's a favourite poem, or whose poetry do you especially enjoy? 

Nope not a great reader of poetry although I did read it more as a child - I still have a couple of books with my stash of children's books.

3. Tell us about something you've seen recently that could be described as 'poetry in motion'. 

Hmm that would probably be the squirrel managing to get food out of the supposedly squirrel proof bird feeders!

4. What's one song on your autumn playlist? Do you have an autumn playlist? If not, pretend you do. If yes, then feel free to share more than one. 

I am rubbish when it comes to music.  If I do have the radio on it's probably a news programme I'm listening to not music.  I do play music when I walk but it's just a random selection from Spotify that's entitled "Walking Music".  It works for me because it keeps a steady reasonably fast walking tempo.

5. Share a quote that inspires you this time of year especially. 

Again I'm not great at quotes.  Keep calm and carry on is probably a mantra I try and follow but more recently I decided I should Just Beam as in Be A Madeleine.  Madeleine was my SIL who died recently and she was a great example to all of us on how to cope with terminal illness but also how to live your life.  She was good at making sure those who needed them got visits and keeping people on track.  She could strike up conversations with anyone and make them feel listened to.  Definitely a people person and a great believer in paying it forward.

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

And another Grandson turns 4

Miles loves beans on toast so his birthday tea was beans on toast with sausages.  I am assured though that the cake tasted a lot sweeter than it looks.  My DIL is a saint making all those "beans"! 

An update on the 52 book challenge 2/10/24

Firstly, thank you for all your kind words on my previous post, following the death of my SIL.  

Now, onto books:

Designed by Freepik

At the start of the year I mentioned that I was attempting the 52 book club challenge.

The aim of this challenge is to read 52 books over the year with each book matching a prompt provided by the club.

Well I've actually read 55 books already this year but only 42 matched to the challenge prompts which are these:

So 10 books to go by the end of the year.  Doesn't sound too hard does it?  Except that some of the books I've lined up for the remaining prompts are not easy reads.  For example I've just started David Copperfield for #22 and I have Demon Copperhead lined up for #23.  Over 1400 pages between the two books!

I've planned to read a chapter a day of David Copperfield so I should get through that by the end of this month while I carry on with reading other books too.  I'm not sure I can handle reading Dickens any other way.  I may be wrong but my only other experience of him is A Christmas Carol which is of course considerably shorter.  I'm making notes as I go so that hopefully it will be more committed to my memory.  Dickens does like to have a lot of characters in a book!

My September reads were:

The Midwife's Confession by Diane Chamberlain (4*)
I would put Chamberlain in the same mould as Picoult - she tends to write about a moral/ethical dilemma - but not to quite the same level as Picoult.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (5*)
I can't believe I didn't read this as a child.  Such a delightful book.

Grace after Henry by eithne shortall (4*)
An easy read about a woman grieving for her fiancé who meets his twin brother that no one knew about due to adoption.

Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout (4*)
I love Strout's writing.  She captures the essence of her characters so well.

Even Dogs in the Wild by Ian Rankin (3*)
This was slightly disappointing.  Rankin has written many books about a detective (Rebus) based in Edinburgh but this one, set just after Rebus has retired didn't quite grab me the way some of his other books have done.  It also wouldn't work well if you hadn't read any of the other books in the series.

3 of the above fitted prompts and I'm currently reading Sweet Caress by William Boyd which has proved interesting so far.  Another reasonably long book at 450 pages though but it does fit a prompt! (#28 a yellow spine)

I certainly love a challenge!