Farewell to May

 Well, May certainly went out on a high!  High temperatures that is.  We have officially had a heatwave this last week.  Temperatures hit the 30s and whilst we love to see the sun, we also desperately seek the shade once the temperature goes up too high!  You can imagine that our newly installed solar panels have been very useful - I don't think we've used any electricity from the grid since they were installed and have even exported power each day when our battery was full.  

We tried out to a new Indian restaurant on Friday evening and went back to our friends' house afterwards for coffee and it was so lovely to be sitting out in the garden until it became dark.

Our knit and natter group had met earlier in the day and we also sat outside from 11 - 3 although I did nab a seat in the shade.  Somewhere between these two outdoor events I managed to become a target to some kind of biting insect and have spent the weekend trying (unsuccessfully) not to scratch a nasty bite on my ankle. 

Yesterday my zumba instructor organised a walk and picnic in Hatfield Forest.  It is about 20 minutes drive from where we live and is a beautiful place to spend a sunny day.  It's now owned by the National Trust but was originally owned by King Harold. Some of the trees are over 1000 years old.  It became a royal hunting forest around 1100 and has over 3500 species of wildlife.  Some of the huge rare breed cows that roam around are a bit intimidating but I found this little family particularly cute!

After a walk around the lake we got out our picnic chairs and had lunch together under a large tree in the shade.  Adri had arranged for a guitarist to come and play for us and it really was a lovely, relaxing way to spend the afternoon.

So, June has begun in a similar heat although it isn't forecast to last much longer. Schools are back after their May half term week off and normal routines will now resume.  I have had a message to say that the balance is due on our flights to Portugal which much mean it is just over six weeks until we go 😎

Do you have holiday plans for the summer?  

Peony picking

 One of the best parts of this time of year is the abundance of flowers appearing in the garden.  The spring bulbs have died down and the borders are gradually showing signs of colour. The weigela in our garden is particularly beautiful this year.  It seems to be one of those shrubs that gets bigger and better the longer you have it.  

The television is full of programmes about the Chelsea Flower Show and you realise how much time and effort goes into ensuring the plants are at their peak at exactly the right time.  Not that I am comparing my garden with the Chelsea Flower Show!

Yesterday we popped over to a Flower Farm for a walk amongst the blooms.  They are a 'pick your own' farm, specialising in peonies, one of my favourite flowers.  I couldn't resist picking some to bring home, hopefully we chose buds which will open out beautifully as the days unfold.  One is showing its colours beautifully already.

As much as I loved the peonies, I was so pleased to see that they were also picking ranunculus.  These are such gorgeous plants and I am thrilled with the bunch we picked.

I tried growing them from bulbs one year but after much anticipation, the slugs got to enjoy them before I did.

Now, apparently the weather here is about to change for the better.  Mid to high 20s in the next few days 😎  If you're looking for me, you may find me in the garden!

What happened to April?

 I am the epitome of a bad blogger!  I read other people's blogs, fully intending to leave a comment when I have more time and then fail to return, or write a post of my own.  A school report would definitely say 'must try harder'!

So let me entice you back to my blog with a little taste of where I went at the end of April.  Benvenuto in Italia!  I had a city break to Venice.  It was absolutely magical and I would say to anyone that has the chance to go, that they must get on that plane/train/boat and visit.  What a beautiful city

We were transferred from the airport by Vaporetta which was a little scary at first as the water was pretty choppy around the airport but as we reached the lagoon and found ourselves sailing down the Grand Canal, it was eye wateringly beautiful.

The quirkiest place we visited was what is advertised as the most beautiful book shop in the world.  Acqua Alta.  Maybe not the most beautiful, but definitely unique!  At the rear of the shop are piles of old books which have been damaged by floods which have been built to make steps.  The books are displayed in imaginative ways; the central display is in an old gondola.

Since we came home we have had solar panels fitted to our roof.  It was my husband's project, he is very environmentally aware and keen to do all he can to help minimise our carbon footprint.  Bearing in mind that we live in a part of the world which is not known for a sunny climate I did wonder how effective they would be but I am amazed by how much solar energy we are capturing.   In the last two days we have not had to draw any electricity from the grid, it is all being generated by the panels.  It does make you very aware of how many electrical products you use on a daily basis!  

Right, time for me to pop and visit a few blogs that I’ve neglected to visit in the last few weeks.

Ciao!

Time is 'March'-ing on

 Oh goodness me, where is the time going?  I cannot believe it is a month since my last blog post.  Seems it is true that as you get older, time passes more quickly.  Yes, I have had a birthday since we last met.  Sixty eight sounds suspiciously close to seventy doesn't it?!!

We had a really nice family lunch at Pizza Express with all the family.  I hadn't been there for years and I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed their goats cheese and caramelised onion pizza!  We chose somewhere casual that caters well for children and everyone had a good time.

For Christmas our son and daughter in law gave us a 'voucher' for a restaurant in Cambridge.  I say voucher, but in fact it was five gold coins to use against the cost of the meal.  Each coin is worth £10. 

It's such an original idea isn't it?  Our bill came to £53.50 so we didn't have to contribute much towards it at all.  It was a lovely meal too, Indian inspired but not your traditional curry and rice.  

For every meal they sell, they donate one to a children via two charities.  So if you come across a Dishoom Permit Room restaurant, give it a try, you won't be disappointed!

So this month I have read three books.  The first was the book club choice

What a lovely story!  Jenny Quinn is keeping a rather large secret from her friends and family - she has been accepted as a contestant on Britain's most popular cooking show.  As the show progresses, Jenny's backstory is gradually revealed and it turns out, this is not the first secret she had kept from her husband.  

If you want a nice, easy to read story, along with inspiration for delicious bakes, this is the book for you!

Next is a book that my son gave me as part of my birthday present.

I like it when other people suggest books for me, as it takes me away from those titles I would automatically gravitate towards.  This book was shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize.  It is set in the Netherlands in 1961.  Isabel lives alone in the house where she has lived since childhood.  She has become almost a recluse and lives a very ordered life, exactly as she has since her mother died.  Her brother Louis asks that she allows his girlfriend Eva to stay with her while he goes away for work.  Isabel is not happy at any disruption to her routine so is initially not very welcoming and treats Eva with much suspicion.  In an unexpected twist Isabel and Eva form a romantic relationship.  But Eva is not who Isabel believed her to be.  The themes of obsession and revenge ensure that there is quite a twist to the tale.

So onto something quite different again!  

The internet is full of podcasts nowadays and this story introduces us to Joy and Benny, the hosts of a comedy podcast where they lightheartedly discuss near death situations and how you may survive them.  All is going well, they are at the top of the charts and taking the podcast on the road to sell out audiences, but then Joy and her husband Xander disappear and Benny is accused of her murder.  

I really enjoyed this book.  Things were definitely not as they seemed and all characters were under my suspicion as I read further into the book! The evidence against Benny is not looking good but then the next chapter will delve into Joy's memoirs and you realise that her life is not as happy and easy as her husband would want you to think.  

This has a good storyline and I wasn't able to guess the complexity of what really happened at all.  I really enjoyed it.

It sounds as if I have spent the month either eating or reading, let's check it out 1 Second Everyday.

The shortest month, which seemed to last a long time!

 February may only last 28 days but it seemed to go on forever!  It has been eventful and not always in a good way.

We are having a full on decluttering of the house and when I say 'we' I probably should say mostly Paul. It's not just a matter of spring cleaning, it's kind of been forced upon us as we have our daughter and children coming to live with us when their house sale finalises. I won't go into details but their family situation is changing and they will be living with us until she manages to find a new home for the three of them.  Our main priority is to make sure the children feel as supported and loved as possible.  They have always seen our home as their second home so I hope the transition won't be too traumatic for them.  But can you imagine how much 'stuff' we are having to find room for?  

Our daughter was kindly given three tickets for a Spurs home game by someone who has a season ticket and wasn't going to use them.  They were gratefully snapped up by Leo, our son, and Paul.  They were fantastic seats and although the match ended as a draw, they were seated behind the goal and saw all four of the goals with a birds eye view.  

I had thought that I had a week free of childcare during the half term but events conspired against that happening and one one day I found myself taxiing our son and his children to meet our daughter and hers at a trampoline park.  After an hour of watching boisterous children screaming with joy, bouncing all over the place we enjoyed a trip to McDonalds.  Not the day that I had planned but is was lovely to see all the children having so much fun!

Of course we had to have pancakes on Shrove Tuesday (why do I never think to make them at other times of the year?) and the countdown to Easter begins.  

I have a new crochet project which is keeping me busy.  One of the benefits of joining the 'knit and natter' group is that it encourages me to keep crafting.  I need to make 40 granny squares to sew together to make a cap sleeved top for the summer.  Ten down, and thirty to go!

My sister has had an accident.  She slipped off a kerb stone, fell awkwardly on her side and has completely shattered her thigh bone from hip to knee.  She's in so much pain and has had to have a titanium plate screwed in to hold the bone together.  I think it is going to be a long road to recovery. 

I've only read one book this month.  My Friends by Fredrik Backman

It's the story of a painting.  A view of the sea with a three children playing at the end of a pier.  In a random sequence of events, the artist meets 17 year old Louisa outside an auction where the painting will sell for a large amount of money.  

Soon after, Louisa becomes the owner of the painter and by meeting Ted, one of the children depicted on the pier, she learns the story of the deep friendship of the children, all with difficult home lives, who cling to each other to negotiate their teenage years.

It is touching and poignant. Happy and sad.  It has all the same emotions as his previous book ‘A Man Called Ove’ I would recommend you try it.

So that is it for this month, let's check it out, 1 Second Everyday

January 2026, over and out

 We had two events planned for this weekend, and I was unsure about both of them.

The first was a quiz night organised by my Zumba teacher.  I signed up for it in November, when January seemed a long way away!  We had been assigned tables of six and whilst we are friends with one of the other couples, we didn't really know the other couple.  A couple of weeks ago the teacher told us that the hall she had hired for the evening had been flooded and she was struggling to find an alternative venue.  A little part of me was relieved 😉 However, she did find somewhere new and we set off on Friday.  We had such a fun evening!  The quiz was lighthearted and when George Michael was the answer to the second question I had a feeling that all was going to be ok after all.  I am a bit of a superfan of his! There was a brief moment when we were the top team but then we had a bad round.  We had to name the seven presenters of 'Countdown' and as none of us watched it we could only guess at a few likely names.  We got two right which was two more than I expected!  We didn't slip too far though as eventually we came third 😀

The second event was a barbecue that had been organised by one of the guys my husband plays badminton with.  Luckily although the food was barbecued outside, we ate inside.  Trust me when I say that it took ages to decide what to wear as it needed to be suitable for being outdoors or in! The men obviously all knew each other through badminton but I really only knew two of the women there which is why I was a little apprehensive.  I needn't have worried, they were all lovely and very friendly so it was a really nice get together.  We had wondered why on earth they had planned a barbecue for January but we then learnt that there is a 65th birthday being celebrated later in the week.  Luckily we found that out in time to rush out and buy a card.  

Isn't it wonderful when you have low expectations and then things are so much better than you had imagined they might be?  

So I think it is fair to say that January brought some highs and some very deep lows.  We are gradually becoming accustomed to life without our gorgeous Coco but it will be some time before I stop being sad to come home to an empty house or miss watching her silly antics dragging all the blankets out of the basket to make herself comfortable in the evenings. 

Here’s how the month looked, 1 Second Everyday

Books, books, books

 It's been a while since I've shared what I have been reading.  I had become obsessed with the Seven Sisters books and need to find something different to read.

This month's book club choice was Theo of Golden by Allen Levi.

I really enjoyed this book, although it did make me cry a little close to the end.

A mysterious elderly man arrives in the town of Golden and pops into a local coffee shop where he is entranced by a display of over 90 pencil drawn portraits which are hanging on the walls of the shop.  Intrigued by the talent of the artist and the personalities shown in the portraits he decides that they should escape the confines of the coffee shop and be handed back to the people they depict.  He buys a few of the drawings and begins his mission to hand them to their rightful owners.

By talking to the owner of the shop he is directed to a building where he may find someone who could help him contact the people concerned.  In doing so he also makes a new friend and finds somewhere to live for the time that he is in Golden.  

No one knows the surname of Theo, he is skilled in redirecting conversations with those to try to find out more about him.  His only clue that he is willing to share is that he originates from Portugal.

One by one, he distributes the drawings.  People are initially suspicious of his reasons for doing this but gradually those he meets are won over by his charm and generosity.  

The book weaves a story which encapsulates those whose likenesses have been captured and the town falls in love with Theo.  So did I!  What an example of goodness he is to everyone he meets.  And what characters have been drawn by the artist.

After finishing the book, which ultimately shares the story of Theo's life before he went to Golden, I firmly believe that we should all try to follow his example.

📚

So onto my next, very different book. Curfew by Jayne Cowie which has an alternative title of After Dark.

I know we sometimes say 'things would be so different if women were in charge' But let's now imagine a world where that has happened.  A female government has decided that most harm done to women is by men, and the only way for women to be safe is for boys are fitted with an electronic tag at the age of ten which they will wear for the rest of their life.  No male is allowed out of their homes after 7pm until daylight in the morning.  Women are able to walk the streets late at night in safety, not scared to be out alone in the dark.  In order for a couple to live together, they have to be interviewed to ensure that the man is not considered to be a danger to his partner.

One of the side issues of this is that men cannot have a job which involves evening work, they cannot have a social life outside of the home in the evening.  So the traditional role of the woman being the homemaker is reversed.

Sarah works at the department where tagging is carried out.  She lives with her daughter Cassie in a house completely accommodating women.  Sarah's husband is in prison due to breaking curfew, and Cassie is hostile to her mum, believing her to be the reason he was outside in the evening as she had thrown him out of the house and would not let him back inside.

Cassie hates living in a world which places such restrictions on men, and is finding life as an 18 year old very difficult, especially in respect of not being able to have a normal social life or relationship with a boy because those in power believe that the only way for women to be safe is to restrict their presence. She is becoming rebellious and unable to accept the fact that these rules have been brought in for the safety of womankind.

So when a horribly assaulted body is found in the park one morning, everybody is convinced that the murderer must have been a woman.  How could it be anything different when men's tags ensure that any movement outside the home is being monitored?  A curfew tag is the ultimate proof they were not outside.  Or is it?  

Two very different books.  I would probably give Curfew 3 out of 5 stars because it made me wonder what life would be like if women were in charge of everything but it didn't leave me with a very uplifted feeling!

My post has been prompted by reading Deb's What's on your Bookshelf challenge!