Friday's Fave Five - 4th February 2022

I missed joining in with Susanne and other like minded bloggers last week, listing my favourite 5 things of the week, so I'm determined to get this post done but it's already quite late and I'm using my iPad and phone so it's not going to be pretty.

If you want to join in or just see who else is taking part go to Susanne's site: Living to tell the story 

My faves for the last couple of weeks are:

 

1.  My daughter and her family have moved house! It's been a long time coming but they now have their own home (with a mortgage of course) and the keys for their rented house were handed back on Monday.

2.  Lovely sunsets. They have been amazing on several evenings this week. I haven't been out much to take my own photos but there were some lovely ones posted on local Facebook group pages.

3. A hubby that cooks. I know this gets mentioned regularly but during the last couple of weeks where I've been helping with the move or babysitting it's definitely been a blessing to have my dinner put in front of me each day.

4.  Progress on some of our own house "to dos" - the boiler was serviced this week, one extractor fan was replaced, a faulty socket was fixed and I've set the ball rolling on getting an extractor fan fitted in the downstairs bathroom and decorating the spare bedrooms.

5.  Saved the best for last - a lovely catch up with 5 of my sister-in-laws. We met in a place called Belgique which is a cafe and patisserie.  It has a large outside area which is covered and heated and during the cold or wet weather the open sides have pull down clear blinds.  One of my SILs is undergoing chemo so has to be very careful because of Covid so this place was ideal especially as it was very wet this morning but soon after we arrived (around 11.30) the sun came out although it was still cold.  We had brunch and drinks. More drinks and eventually dessert (mine was a vanilla & raspberry cheesecake on a brownie base).  3 nieces and a nephew also dropped in during our visit as they all live nearby and are working from home.   All in all it was a lovely outing- we didn't leave until about 4.30!  But I was exhausted by the time I got home.  I'm so out of the habit of socialising!

Have a good weekend all.

Book Review - The Long Call - Ann Cleeves

The Long Call by Ann Cleeves
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In North Devon, where two rivers converge and run into the sea, Detective Matthew Venn stands outside the church as his father’s funeral takes place. Once loved and cherished, the day Matthew left the strict evangelical community he grew up in, he lost his family too.

Now, as he turns and walks away again, he receives a call from one of his team. A body has been found on the beach nearby: a man with a tattoo of an albatross on his neck, stabbed to death.

The case calls Matthew back into the community he thought he had left behind, as deadly secrets hidden at its heart are revealed, and his past and present collide.

I think my opinion of this book is clouded by the fact that I had already seen the TV adaptation. I couldn't remember everything of the TV show but it did follow the book quite closely.

Essentially it's a "whodunnit?" and "why?" which unfolds gradually and with some red herrings along the way. I enjoyed it but felt it needed a bit more depth to the main police characters.

I've enjoyed other series by this author but I'm a bit on the fence about this new one.

View all my reviews 

Wednesday Hodgepodge - 2nd February 2022

For details of the Hodgepodge and to see other participants go here.

1. The Wednesday Hodgepodge landing on Groundhog's Day sounds about right. Besides the Hodgepodge what else lands on your calendar just once a week? Is it as much fun as the Hodgepodge-ha!? 

There are several things I can think of - putting the bins out, doing my online shopping order, booking a slot for my online shopping order etc etc all those fun boring things lol.  The fun thing that does happen on my calendar each week is looking after Grandson Vinny which I do every Wednesday.

2. The Winter Olympics begin on Friday, surrounded by much controversy. Will you be watching? Why or why not? Have you ever been to China?

I will be watching certain sports such as Ice skating which I enjoy and some where Brits might have a medal chance but I can take it or leave it.  I have not been or am ever likely to go to China.

3. Something in your life lately that has felt a bit like an 'olympic event'? 

Helping my daughter and her family move house.  It's felt like a marathon with a sprint finish.  It's over now in that they are in their new home but still a lot of unpacking and sorting out to do.

4. Do you like fondue? Sweet or savory? Restaurant only or do you own your own fondue set?

Well we used to have a fondue set - I think it was gifted to us when they were more fashionable.  We used it for meat but of course I prefer a chocolate one.

5. Give us five short (2-3 word) phrases to sum up your January. 

Busy Busy Busy

Beautiful sunsets (which I haven't photographed)

More blogging

More reading

More focussed

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I feel good about the way 2022 has started.  I've definitely been more focussed and productive but it was also quite tough helping my daughter and her family move house.  This is something that's been a long time coming - they've been wanting to buy their own home for a while and for a variety of reasons it just hadn't happened.  It's been very stressful for them but hopefully things will be a bit easier now.  It made it very clear though, that you never stop looking out for your kids, even when they're grown ups!

Day off! (What's that?)

Having completed the Just Jot it January challenge I thought that I should at least try and post something today so I don't let my good habits start to slip.  However, once again, I'm posting late in the day when I'm tired and needing my bed.

Apart from posting a blog I had also decided that today was going to be a day off.  No work, just relaxing after all the hard work of the past few days.  What I'd forgotten though was that prior to planning for my daughter's move I had set up a few appointments to do with our house.

One of those was today - getting our boiler serviced!  At 8 am!  No lie in for me.  Ideally I would have had this done back in November ready for winter but anyway..... next year maybe.  Oops that's this year now.

So I was up early but I have had a lazy day.  We did get a few things done - we straightened up our hallway and garage from where I just dumped a lot of things from my daughter yesterday so the place looks a bit tidier and it's organised into areas at least - things for the loft, things that need to go to my daughter's house, things for the charity shop etc.  I don't mind having clutter in the house temporarily as long as it's organised clutter.

Apart from that I've watched some TV and finished the book I was reading.  I'll post a review of that soon.

I'm going to take a shower next and then head for bed.  Tomorrow is Wednesday and that means Vinny for the day but it will be slightly easier as my son will actually be at home as he's waiting in for delivery of a new bed for Rory so I'll spend the day at his place with Vinny.  Less travelling and a slightly shorter day.  Yay!

My daughter hadn't cleared her car out after yesterday so she took Nathan to school by train today.  He was quite excited about that.

Fortunately with lots of people still working from home the train wasn't very crowded and it didn't take too long.

Hope your week has got off to a good start.