Book Clubs, yea or nay?

 We shouldn't, but we buy books all the time, I say shouldn't because we buy because we like to, rather than we don't have anything to read. But isn't that like all people who love to read.

These are the Richard and Judy choices for their Book Club for Spring 2025. We bought all last years and I've 4 still to read, Dh still has about 8 I think. He's reading, ' We All Live Here' by Jojo Moyles at the moment and must be enjoying it, as he keeps bursting out in laughter!  I swapped it for 'The Women' as we'd read that and we liked some of Jojo Moyes other books, especially 'The Giver of Stars.' Have you read it, its about the women who took books to women in the wilds of America, on horseback in the 1880s A lovely story of resilience and love, worth a read,

I've just finished our Library Book Group book 'The Cabin' by Jorn Lier Horst.. a detective story,,, but not my choice. I read it because it was the Group book, otherwise I'd have given up on it, a lot of words with very little story!

Can't wait to read the Tim Weaver book in this Spring group of books, but I'm being good and reading the ones left from last Autumn's books first, but it is very tempting.

I just love reading! Kindle or books it doesn't matter to me. Young people walk around with their phones, I always have a book or kindle with me, incase I have to wait somewhere!

Chrisxx

A Group Breakfast

 Although I attend  a slimming group every Friday morning, it is a social gathering too. A group of us called the Coffi Club meet up now and then for coffee ot meals. Last Friday we decided to go for breakfast after the slimming world meeting.  The garden centre has a super restaurant and 12 of us booked to go.

I have been for an afternoon tea with the group and we all ate everything, sandwiches, cakes and scones with jam and cream. It was a special occasion as it was someone's birthday, so no food barred.

Friday was just breakfast, so I thought we'd all be making wise choices, I decided a bacon sandwich with whole meal bread, no butter, as this was more or less a slimming world meal.

Ha ha,  it wasn't what the rest of the group were choosing. So I changed my mind and had hog roast sausage roll, coleslaw, lettuce and chips!! It was absolutely delicious, the coleslaw was full fat and creamy,  I never have that usually and the chips were crispy. I ate slowly and savoured every bite! I didn't have a coffee at that time late morning, I'd never get to sleep, so I had an Elderflower Presse.

I did enjoy my breakfast! I usually just have a banana and 40g of muesli And the chatting and laughter was super too.. roll on the next Coffi Club meal out!

Chrisxx

TMI??

 If you've never had a urinary infection you won't know the added stress you can have along with pain and the need to wee a lot.. there's the anxiety of going somewhere, that might not have a toilet, or being in a position where you can't get to one easily.

The Welsh trains have decided, that in their new built trains, they won't have toilets, to make room for more seats? So that's me not using them, not that I plan going anywhere. People prone to UTIs don't travel usually.

I did go to buy some 'pads.' Omgosh, there are 100s to choose from, and in bulk buys. I spent ages looking and bought some to go for that bladder scan, where you have to arrive with a full bladder. Criky it was like riding a horse between my legs!

But I have been prescribed with a very powerful  anti biotic,  prior to this proposed cystoscopy.. magic!! One dose and I did a proper wee, ie I went to the toilet, no hesitancy, and a good strong stream of wee, not just a dribble! And last night I only had to get up 3 times instead of 4 or 5 or more.. what a difference its made. I slept really well in between toilet visits, so feel really well this morning. No frequency, no worry of piddling my pants, no feeling of burning in my bladder region, nor the  constant feeling I have to wee, in fact I feel normal!  If only this could last for ever? 

Too much information? Well I did warn you!

Chrisxx

Ruth Jones with the BAFTA for Female Performance in a Comedy for Gavin & Stacey

What is it about Ruth Jones that has us all laughing, when really we're laughing at ourselves. The exaggerated Welsh accent, the names like 'Dave the coaches' have us holding our sides with laughter.

But this was like my youth, there was Dan the van man, he sold potatoes and I remember Annie with a tray of cockles on her head.. we always had some and I loved them. My grand mother used to fry them with white bread crumbs in butter, very nice but I preferred them as they were with lots of vinegar.

Ruth is from Porthcawl and met Rob Brydon in the Porthcawl Comp, and of course acted together in the school drama shows.

She has written several books, sort of  'chick lit' and I've tried to read some, they're not the sort of book I like, but they sell in their thousands!

But what ever, I just loved Gavin and Stacey.. and am looking forward to seeing  Ruth in some new dramas on TV.. It will be good I'm sure.

Chrisxx

99 Years old!

David Attenborough born 8th May 1926, the same year as Queen Elizabeth 2nd, An amazing man well known for his interest in the living world of animals. He's had 2 Knighthoods, won many Bafta awards and is loved by all.

He has presented many, many films about animals and climate change, the first in 1954 called Zoo Quest, which involved filming animals in captivity and the wild and launched him as a TV presenter. And he has carried on for several decades. I'm sure if you've seen any you'll have your favourite. I think mine was one he did with gorillas  in the jungle, cavorting around as one of them. 

I've been looking him up and honestly I couldn't do him proud on my humble blog, to list his achievements, there are so many, so I'll leave it up to you to research yourself, should you wish.

All I want to say is, even though he is this brilliant man, those who know him say he is kind, considerate and loyal. 

So a thoroughly nice man.

Anyone who treats animals like he does, is more than just nice in my opinion. 

Happy Birthday Sir David Attenborough!

Chrisxx

Snap!!

 Although we have loads of gardening to do, mainly planting all the plants I've grown from seed, Dh and I decided to go out Wednesday afternoon. I really didn't want to go far, so we just decided a walk on the front promenade would be good, trusting we'd find a parking space. Living in a holiday seaside town, it can be very difficult to park with a view of the sea.

But as luck would have it, there was a space right by our favourite pavement kiosk, Booths, good coffee and seats with a view of the sea.  In fact you can see across the Bristol Channel to Cornwell!

But first the walk, we walked back towards the pier, but oh my gosh were my legs aching, so I only walked half way and we turned back and it was such relief to sit down. Dh offered me an ice cream, well it would have been very ungrateful to refuse, so we had a vanilla one each, just a small cone. It was delicious, then we had a coffee, it was a perfect afternoon. People watching, although I look at all the dogs!

Then to my surprise there was a lady coming towards us with a wheeler just like mine, my Rhet Butler!

I raised my hand and called out 'Snap.' She came to where we were sitting and was very proud to say, she'd bought it from a charity shop for £5!! She went in with her old 3 wheeler and came out with a spanking new 4 wheeler just like mine! I tell everyone I meet she said, it was only £5 it was such a bargain! 

We chatted for quite a while, they were just visiting the town and taking in the sea air!

How extraordinary I've never seen someone with a walker like mine before.  I paid a lot more than £5 but its worth it, as I can walk further with it and feel secure. In fact yesterday morning I walked the length of our main street, but I'll admit it wasn't easy..and the ice cream didn't show at SW because I lost 1.5 pounds!

Chrisxx

6 Things strong women do!

1.  They move on, they don't waste time feeling sorry for themselves.

2. They embrace change and welcome challenges.

3. They stay happy and don't waste energy on things that they can't control.

4. They are kind, fair and unafraid to speak up.

5. They are willing to take calculated risks.

6. They celebrate the success of others and don't resent that success.

And most of all they have hope!

Chrisxx

IMV A very good book!

 I've finished the book and I loved it all the way through; it was a long book!

Set in South Australia in two different eras 1959 and 2018. The story starts on Christmas eve, at the end of a scorching hot day in the grounds of a large country house, where a local man makes a terrible discovery. 

The police are called and the little town of Tambilla becomes involved in one of the most baffling murder investigations, in the history of S Australia. Nearly sixty years later in London Jess's evening out with friends is interrupted by a phone call, informing her that her grandmother, Nora had a fall and was in hospital. She was very close to Nora, who brought her up, when her own mother wasn't able to. She is greatly upset to see her grandmother as the small pale old lady in the hospital bed, instead of the strong person she grew up with.  The ramblings of Nora, sets Jess off on a search about their family and the mystery of what actually happen on that Christmas eve afternoon.

What was different about this book was that,  it was a book within a book. As Jess starts to find out the family history of this dreadful event she reads the novelized account of a journalist, who was in Tambilla at the time of the tragedy. Daniel Miller's book is included in its entirety, a true fiction sort of account, called 'As if they were Sleeping.'

The story is at its heart very much a mystery, as well as a family saga. It explores the themes of grief, family, and motherhood  in particular and how we define home.

I loved the characters especially Polly (Jess' mother) and I enjoyed the complex family dynamics as it played out.

As the story weaves from one instant to another, the truth of what actually happened  to the Turner family kept me reading. How do some people have this imagination baffles me, the convoluting happenings were amazing. I had to stop and slow down to make sure I was reading all the details, there were a lot of characters to follow. 

It wasn't just the story that I liked,  the author's use of language as well and I found some passages were very beautifully written and had to reread some sections.. I loved it all and want to read another book by her, although I'm wary, that this book will be the best I read by her.

Chrisxx

A phone call from Urology!

 Thank goodness for our garden, its keeping me sane,, yesterday I had a telephone appointment with the Urology Consultant. The appointment was made 10 days ago, and I've been dreading it. It was with a different Dr to the one I saw in March. I was half expecting him to say, as I've been on these low dose anti-biotics a  month,  they'd see me next week for the cystoscopy! But no, whew! He explained that my lab tested  urine sample showed a bug, that was resistant to the anti-biotics I'd been given. So he was writing to my own Dr to give him the results and for a prescription for a different anti-biotic. So see how that would go, with a possible appointment for the procedure in two weeks time. I feel more positive, because this will cover me through and after the cystoscopy. 

I didn't sleep well the night before worrying about the phone call.. 

So I hoped to sleep last night, especially as I'd spent the afternoon in the garden.. we have a lot of seedlings to plant and I mean a lot.

I've planted the cosmos in a pot like last year and we have planted Dh's sweet peas in a pot with a rounded tall cane support and the Verbena Borealis we planted n one of the flower beds, but there are lots more to plant. 

My seeds have done me proud, but it means I have a lot as well as veg to plant!

This is a shrub we bought 2years ago from Homebase, so pretty but I can't remember the name. We'll really miss Homebase we bought a lot of gardening produce from there.

And this is the beautiful geum we bought from the garden centre. Its planted behind some pale orange crocosmia and a blue geranium so will look even prettier when they flower too. 

So a worrying for nothing and a lovely afternoon.

Chrisxx

Thank you!

 VE Celebrations..

Dh and I watched and enjoyed the spectacle,, one thing our Country does well is a parade.

The 31 veterans who were there were aged 99 to 101!

We all can't thank them enough for all they did to enable us to live in our land free today,

Chrisxx

Two different brothers.

 

Did you see the interview with Prince Harry.. far for me to say, but he sounded like a young man who has lost his way. He said his father the king didn't want to know him. Did you hear him say he was sorry? I didn't so, although he says he wants to return here, he says to his country. Here to the country he turned his back on, left and then wrote a book criticizing his family. 

I think he might have to do some serious groveling and even then he might not get the answers he is now asking for.  

His wife Megan is starting all sorts of new ventures, as though there's not enough in her life. While his brother William and Catherine love to show their children, the Sussex's are keeping theirs off camera. 

Given a choice I'd chose Will and Kate every time. Mum and daughter, on Charlotte's 10th birthday.

Here is their Anniversary photograph, isn't it beautiful

Chrisxx

Buzzing and oh no, no power!

 We had a super Saturday starting off with a visit to town. The sun was shining and even at just before 10:00 am, the temperature was 14.5C 

The Home and Colonial now has seats out side and is offering coffee and cake or even a small snack. I looked at the menu, pasty with coleslaw, some green salad made my mouth water. A lady was there drinking coffee and so I stopped to talk to her, she said the coffee was good, so we might try it, but we do like our Costa coffee and at the H&C, we'd be tempted to have cake as well!

You can even see them making the Welsh cakes through the window.

Just the smell alone is delicious. We have bought from there in the past, just two, so won't eat more than that. When we make them ourselves, we can scoff the lot in a couple of days!

The town was buzzing, lots of people and the Band made up of older people were there in the newly refurbished band stand..they were rather loud, in fact very loud. Their leader was walking up and down with a skiffle board, I thought my ear drums would burst as we walked past them!

 Several shops that sell plants had them  on display outside. normally I'd buy some, but I have grown a lot from seed this year so don't need any.

Dh wanted to go to Super Drug for his after shave cream and the doors were closed with a sign 'Sorry closed, no power!' We both looked at each other and I said.. 'Do you think they're linked to Harrods?' Dh didn't get the joke! 

We went next door to the Maple Kitchen shop. which if you like pretty china, you'd think you were in heaven! We bought two very pretty bowls, as side salad dishes, as Dh broke one.. so now we have two new ones. And then Super Drug was open, whew I thought the town had been targeted by peoples who didn't like the skiffle band noise...LOL!

C2460Z code is no longer needed in the Costa loo, its been disabled! In case you needed to know! I couldn't see the tiny numbers anyway!

It was a lovely morning and I read my book after lunch, Dh who has the fidgets, can't sit still for long, so cut away next doors 'Mile a minute' that grows over onto our side pathway.

An early night is on the cards, I've yawned several times,  must be the heat. Its 17.9C as I write this at half past nine at night.

Chrisxx

Could you live without technology,

M&S, The Coop and now Harrods; the loss of  power in Spain and Portugal, all indicators of how reliant we are on technology.

Could we live without it? I don't know, I'm pretty reliant on it myself.. we order our food on line, I buy things I can't get locally on line, my meds are ordered on line and when I want to know something I look it up on line. So I am reliant on technology, more than I thought. 

Could I live without it? When I was younger perhaps, although it took me several goes to pass my 2nd Class Guide badge where you had to light a fire with just 2 matches and twigs!! Ha ha.  

I've read a lot of Apocalypses books and the main thing is water, so we always have supplies of bottled water.  Did you realise you need power, so your water runs out of your tap, I think I did but hadn't given it much thought.

 When I was still teaching and computers were first introduced, one Children's program, was setting up a Civilization and the children had to think what they would need. A water supply being the first so their 'dens' had to be near a river etc, a good program and I used to play it myself after school!

There is this book reduced to £99 from £140 but evidently its well worth the money. 

 

The Book. The Ultimate Guide to Rebuilding a Civilization - Inspirational Science Books for Adults - Unique Artifact - Knowledge Encyclopedia with Over 400 Pages of Detailed & Catchy Illustrations.

I'm very tempted!! Reports of it say, its impressive and beautifully crafted and that it is as informative, as it is visually stunning. It covers an essential topics to rebuilding society from agriculture to engineering and helpful tips and detailed illustrations,

Sounds good doesn't it?

So if the lights went off, what would we do? There is a cohort of people who refuse to use cards to pay for anything and suggest we should all use cash. They are of the opinion that the Finance Companies and Banks can start charging anything and we'd have to pay, where as with cash, its money and no charge? 

I don't know, but I do value the freedom of using a card, if thats the term.. would I want to live without technology? I think not!

What about you?

Chrisxx

Scorchio, Mimms and a Book on Thursday afternoon.

 Whew tis 'ot! Our weather station is registering 29.5C and the sensor is on the north side of our bungalow, on the patio SW facing, its 35C!! The small screen of the weather station has on it a little man, who is clothed according to the weather; today he's in the teeniest teeny, tiny pants! We've just had cheese and biscuits and a cold drink, not alcohol. that would be awful for my bladder! I've had a Mimms, a mock Pimms. It's sugar free lemonade and a table spoon of Balsamic vinegar, with slices of fruit.. hits the spot for me; a Slimming World drink.

I have the fan cooling me down. I'm a bit itchy, not just because its hot, but because we had baked salmon and green salad for lunch and I have an allergy to prawns and fish, but I can cope with a bit of head itching so aren't giving it up. I've dressed for the weather, a cotton tee shirt fabric dress and no waist slip! We're having to water the garden, but we always do, we're not going to let our trees and shrubs dry up. Although we have a meter we're happy to pay, we don't spend our money on anything else, plants and care of our garden. May be books as well! 

I'm reading 'Homecoming,' by Kate Morton and I'm loving it. I may have read 'The Lake House.'  but so long ago I can't remember. 

And I'm really excited because she's written loads, more for me to read! I can't believe I've not read her books before.. this was a kindle offer. Although I like real physical books, I love my kindle. So easy to read, you can enlarge the font, and mines back lit so no need for a light at night and easy to carry around and light weight to hold in bed. 

What would we do without books? Me? Perhaps some more house work. When I was a young mum I used to dust and vac every day!! I must have been mad, and must have worn the carpet thin! Thank goodness I came to my senses! These days I say to Dh, this carpet cost over £1,000 we're not wearing it and us out!! So once a week is enough and the carpet never looks as though it needs a vac!

We've had some rumbling, thunder? But the sky's still blue and the sun's shining. 

Hope you've had a pleasant afternoon too!

Chrisxx

Peaches or coconut?

 Not what you would expect, but our coast land is rich in nature. Locks Common is a wild and beautiful place with wild flowers in between the rocky out crops. 

Benches to sit a day dream looking out to sea. And 'Desire' paths, where people have walked;  foot paths caused by footfall rather than design.

 

Wild flowers are in abundance and not what you'd expect. These carpet the green areas and are quite prolific in the middle of common land. I wonder if they're spread by birds or wind? The road verges are thick with them and were probably seeded by the council and they spread very quickly.. we've  had some pop up in our lawn. I transplanted them to a flower bed and they have made a clump in just two years. It seems the humble little cowslip spreads underground as well as falling seeds. The name is thought to have originated from the old English word cow-sloppe which means cow pat, because they were often found growing in the nutrient rich soil, that was created by cow dung.  Almost makes me think of getting some and spreading it around our garden!

But the most highly scented blossom, at this time of year is gorse. There are large swathes of it on the common and the scent floats on the breeze as you pass. 

I think it smells like peaches, but Dh says to him the scent is like coconut?

Have you smelled gorse, what is it to you? 

But take care in all these areas because under the gorse and bracken are adders, the one snake poisonous in UK. There are often warnings on FB to watch out and not let your dog wander into the undergrowth. 

We never let Nell free in these areas, here nor Suffolk. But like all wild creatures leave them alone and they won't bother you.

This is a designed path, from Porthcawl to Sker.

Loads of people walk this path to Sker beach, the distance is 5km-8km both ways..on a fine day a beautiful walk.

Chrisxx