Friday's Fave Five - 02/02/18

Susanne at Living to Tell the Story invites us to look back each week on Fridays and find 5 things that we can count as blessings.  It's good to stop and reflect.  Click on her link to join in or just check out the other participants.

Here are my 5 for this week:

Getting out for a long walk.  I managed 3 miles which is the furthest I've been this year!  The weather was cold but there was (some) blue sky.

New walking shoes that seem comfortable.  I bought these ages ago but hadn't needed to wear them.  It was quite muddy when I walked this week so I thought it was time I tried them out.  At first I thought they were going to be uncomfortable but as I progressed they eased up and I think they are going to be fine.

A trip to the cinema followed by a meal out with hubby.  Something else we've been meaning to do for ages but hadn't got around to.  We saw The Post with Meryl Streep & Tom Hanks.

Time with Grandson Nathan.  He was on really good form.

Completing the Just Jot it January blog challenge.  There were a few days I missed and sometimes I didn't always follow the prompt but I was definitely blogging more often.  Now I have to keep up the momentum.

And a bonus - homemade chocolate tart!  As usual I forgot to take a photo until it had been started on but better late then never.

Have a good weekend all. 

18 in 18 - January report

Well there’s not much use in publishing a list to feel accountable and not reporting on my progress so here is an update on how January went.

It wasn’t the best of months because it started with me being ill with some sort of virus that made doing anything a challenge but I did pick up towards the end of the month.  I’m not going to beat myself up if I miss some of the monthly things here or there.  Life’s too short for that.

1.     Bake once per month (bread/cake/biscuits etc) I didn’t manage this in January but I did make a nice chocolate tart today and hopefully I’ll make something else in February and I’ll be back on track.

2.     Plant new flower bed and child proof garden  - this won’t get started until the Spring when my gardening help returns to work with me on this.

3.     Sort out magazines – no progress here.

4.     Plan a lunch date/date night with Nick once a month (theatre/cinema/meal) Managed this one.  We went to see The Post on Tuesday and thoroughly enjoyed it followed by pizza at Pizza Express.  We would have been more adventurous but we were at Westfield which is right by the London Stadium, home to West Ham Football Club who happened to be playing on Tuesday – it was busy!

5.     Eat at 4 new-to-me restaurants – none yet.

6.     Complete the A – Z blogging challenge – this is an April challenge.

7.     Plan a family weekend away for next year – no plans yet but have spoken to the kids about the idea.

8.     Walk at least 3 times per week – being ill didn’t help with this but hopefully February will be better.

9.    Visit my brother – not yet

10.  Visit my cousin - ditto

11.  Visit the beach - ditto

12.  Complete my reading challenge (52 books for the year)  On track, in fact slightly ahead.  In January I read:

The Essex Serpent – Sarah Perry

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman

City of Friends – Joanna Trollope

The Kept Woman – Karin Slaughter

The Thirst – Jo Nesbo &

The Couple Next Door – Shari Lapena

Details and reviews can be found on my Goodreads site.

13.  Keep my bullet journal updated – work in progress but going ok.

14.  Blog at least once per week (plus regular memes)  Well I certainly achieved this one but mainly because I took part in the Just Jot it January challenge organised by Linda G Hill.  I blogged most days and several days had 2 posts.  Now I just need to keep the momentum going.

15. Take more photos – not so good!  I have actually cooked some new things this month but as usual I forgot to photograph them.  I did take one of the chocolate tart today – but only after some had been eaten!  I did also take some pics while I was out walking today.  Hopefully talking about it more will help to remind me.

16. Update my wardrobe – not yet!

17. Do more crafting – update on blog.  Well the only update on this is that I’ve almost finished the main part of the baby blanket I’m working on.  After Nathan’s early arrival last year catching me out with his blanket not finished I decided to carry straight on with another blanket in case either of my sons decided to surprise me with news of a pending arrival.  Just as well as BOTH sons surprised me so now I have two blankets to get finished by June!

18. Try out a new recipe each week – well I didn’t manage this every week but during January I did cook 5 new recipes so that’s good enough for me.  You’ll have to trust me on this as there is no photographic evidence but I made the following:

Cheese & Spinach Lasagne – everyone liked this except me.

Beef goulash – this was good.

Pork with Soy and Cinnamon – this was ok but the recipe used dark soy sauce.  If I made it again I’d use light.

Tagliatelle with 4 cheeses – We all enjoyed this.

Butter chicken with rice and Naan bread – this was good but the rice was soggy.

Phew this was a bit long.  I think in future I’ll just comment on the regular things and anything where progress has been made. (Might make it a lot shorter!)

I tried these out today!

Now I'm off to sort out the widget for Goodreads - it's still showing my 2017 challenge!

Wednesday Hodgepodge 31/1/18

Wednesday's Hodgepodge is brought to us courtesy of Joyce at

From this side of the pond

Pop over there to see other posts and if you want to join in add the link to your Hodgepodge blog post to the Linky List at the end of Joyce's post and don’t forget to visit at least your neighbours on the list.

1. Speaking of endings....at your wit's end, at loose ends, a dead end, burn the candle at both ends, all's well that end's well, or no end in sight...which 'end' phrase might best be applied to your life lately? Explain.  

At loose ends probably.  I have quite a few things I want to do in the house when the kids move out.  We thought they would be in their own flat by now but…. they’re still with us so the changes are on hold.  But there is an end in sight, I hope!

2. What was a must have accessory when you were growing up? Did you own one? If so tell us what you remember about it.

I was (fortunate?)able to go through the fashion must haves of minis, midis, maxis and hotpants!  I had all of those but now I just stick to what’s comfortable and suits me.
3. Something that made you smile yesterday? 

An Instagram post of Grandson Nathan.
4. January 30th is National Croissant Day. Do you like croissants? Sweet or savory? We're having chicken salad for lunch...would you rather have yours served on a croissant, a wrap, a bagel, bread, or a roll of some sort?

Croissants have to be sweet, preferably with chocolate and I’d probably have bread or a roll with my chicken salad.
5. Sum up your January in fifteen words or less.

Started badly, got better, ended well.
6.  Insert your own random thought here

January definitely improved as the month went on.  Yesterday Hubby and I went to the cinema and then out for dinner and today I caught up with Nathan.  Hard to find a better way to end the month.