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!

 We are officially 3/4 of the way through the month and thankfully the days are gradually lengthening.  I don't like January and am always pleased when we have turned the page into February.  

Talking of turning over pages, I've just finished reading this month's book club choice.  Theo of Golden by Allen Levi.  What a lovely book.  Although there was one sad chapter towards the end.  If only we could all be like Theo the world would be a better place.  If you are looking for a heartwarming book to read this month, I suggest you give it a try.

My knitting group have a new project.  We are making poppies to send to the charity Standing with Giants. They need about 37,000 to use in installations at the British Normandy Memorial later this year.  I've only just found the pattern that I will be using, I have been working on four different ones! 

I don’t know how many we will make, but every little bit helps!

In other crafting news, the scarf is finished and has been worn several times already.  

We are off to a Music Quiz at the weekend which is being organised by my Zumba teacher.  Historically we don't ever win any quizzes we take part in, maybe this will be the one which is our turning point.  We have also been invited to a barbecue by one of the guys who plays badminton with my husband.  Yes, you read that right.  A barbecue.  In England, in January.  The weather forecast says it will be drizzle with a gentle breeze and a high of 7 Celcius.  I am hoping that the plan is for him to cook the barbecue outside and then we will eat the food inside!  I will report back next week.  I will be dressing in layers, just in case!

What do you have planned this weekend?

Starting anew

 I feel like I need to reset and start the year anew as the first week of 2026 was such a sad one.

I am realising that I need to keep as busy as possible and to shake up routines so that I'm not constantly thinking of what I would normally have been doing.  Easier said than done when the weather is miserable and you really don't feel like moving from a warm, comfortable arm chair.  So I am cracking on with the scarf that I am knitting.  It's incredibly hard to photograph as it gets bigger as it is a triangular shape knitted on circular needles!

I've been knitting it while watching the Harlan Coben drama 'Run Away'.  I'm six episodes in and I'm finding it hard to predict how it will end.  Ruth Jones, who wrote and starred in 'Gavin & Stacey' is a private investigator in it and is so very different to 'Nessa'!

I'm reading our book club's choice of book 'Theo of Golden'.  I'm nearly half way through and am enjoying it a lot.  It's very different to the last books I read which were the Seven Sisters books.  Oh my goodness, they were so cleverly written and the final one about the man who adopted the girls is incredible.  How was he in every book and I didn't realise?  

The latest series of The Traitors is airing in the UK and I am hooked!  What a bunch of characters.  There has already been a reveal of a mother and daughter and also a girl and boyfriend but there is a theory that the whole group are couples in one way or another.  One of the guys, James, is a personal trainer in a village about 4 miles from me but I know nothing about him so can't reveal if there is anyone else in there that is already associated with him.

Have you heard of an Analogue Bag?  Apparently it is gaining popularity with younger people.  It's just a bag in which you keep things like knitting, a book, crossword puzzles or a journal.  Anything that you could dip into instead of scrolling through social media.  What a brilliant idea!  I always keep either a book or a kindle in my bag if I have an appointment somewhere in case there is a delay.  Does this mean I was actually ahead of the trend for once? What would you keep in yours?