Talisman

I experience this every time I read practically any book set in Iceland - especially if its set in the capital city of Reykjavik, which I know well. Reading such books always makes me want to go back there, but although there are always good deals on air fares its expensive once you get there and I have invariably booked somewhere else - so many places too little time!

I have surpassed my target pf 100, having finished no. 103 last night. I am hoping to manage one more, which will take the total for the year to 104.

I should finish no. 100 today, so might manage another few.

Neither of us were - mine was published in 2006. I won't be writing another one though.

I hope you managed to get the heater sorted out - it's warm for December, but not that warm! I have three more days of work to go until Christmas and am now counting down the days. I will be in again on 27th and 28th to do some deep cleaning and then have another 4 days off before going back properly on January 2nd. I don't mind having to do those 2 days that much - hardly anyone else will be there so its a chance to do some deep cleaning and show the new guy how to use all the different machines.

Only the one I am married to! Regulars here will know that I have been with Coran for 21 years now and married for 4. She published her first book in 2015 and is now working on another one.

Things have been busy, busy as usual for me. Workwise we have a new cleaner starting on Monday, which is great news as there have been only 2 of us for almost 3 months now. The cleaner who currently works for me won the staff award for the second time yesterday, which was a great achievement and very well deserved. I like to think this is a reflection on me too as his manager. The clients are all looking forward to Christmas and I am looking forward too to some time off. Coran and I spent the best part of last weekend visiting various A&E's as she had a problem with her eye. It got sorted out in the end and turned out not to be serious. It will be good then this weekend to spend some proper time together putting up our tree, writing Christmas cards and doing all those Christmas things that we should have done last weekend.

Christmas Jumper today at work and seeing all the staff and clients really getting into it in their finery (including me) - that and the fact that it was (still is) Friday - oh, and coming home to my 2 lovely pussy cats.

Up to 98 now, so on track to reach my target of 100.

The new Mumford and Sons album Delta - it's really very good.

I have done my fair share of Christmas/New Year working too in the past and while I was rewarded quite well for it, I am glad I don't have to do that anymore. I guess working in a hospital at that time you are likely to get some interesting cases though to keep you on your toes! I am not sure I would call it exciting though - interesting perhaps!

He accepted the job and I guess will start when his DBS comes through, assuming he needs one, as he did indicate that he may have a recent one already. As for Brexit - our PM is in am intense meeting with the cabinet this afternoon to try and get them to accept the deal she has ironed out. I don't hold out much hope, but all will no doubt be revealed in due course - hopefully before the Black Friday sales.

It sounds like you need it! I do too. We have been managing at work with only 2 cleaners for almost 2 months now since one of them left without giving notice (a week before a Royal visit as well!). This morning though I interviewed a really nice man for the job and I am very hopeful that he will accept. I am starting to think about holiday plans for next summer as well, all the time aware that Black Friday with numerous deals on flights etc will soon be with us. I am planning a trip to Bosnia in May which is not the easiest or cheapest place to get to as there are no direct flights from the UK. I am in a bit of a quandary to be honest as to whether to book or not or to wait for the outcome of Brexit negotiations - the next few days will be crucial I gather as we head towards what looks like a no deal. If that does turn out to the scenario, which looks increasingly likely, flights to and from Europe from the UK could be grounded as we will no longer be part of the Open Skies agreement, but on the other hand aviation is so important that surely even our inept Government would not allow this to happen - or would they - probably! What then to do - sit and wait I guess, but for how long as prices keep going up but my wages do not!

If I really wanted to I could - and if I didn't mind reading loads more paper as opposed to Kindle books. I think I would struggle to be honest though to find more than one book that I wanted to read from some of the countries. There are always going to be some countries like that. New countries do pop up now and then as well, as borders change and people demand their independence.

Thanks for explaining Hayley - that makes sense!

I have no idea to be honest what we will be doing, as I honestly haven't thought that far ahead. I have booked Christmas Eve off from work but have to go in on 27th and 28th. We are heading off to Glastonbury for 2 nights on 29th and 30th, so I also have New Years Eve for the drive back. I expect it will be a quiet one at home for the 2 of us though with a visit to Corans sister and Mum at some point either before or after.

I am up to 90 now, and am 4 books ahead of my target for the year of 100.

Quite a short book but an interesting one nevertheless. The tales were all on different themes to do with creation, what some would call witchcraft etc. Most of them are apparently from a long out of print anthology which was originally a lot longer. I must say that this is the thing I love the most about this challenge - reading all these wonderful books that teach you so much about the world. I suspect I will carry on reading and looking for books from all around the world long after I finish the challenge.

The one thing I will say is that it seems a tad strange to me to have a system on here called Patreon which appears to accept donations in dollars only. I might be missing something and correct me if I am wrong and you can pay in different currencies, but it seems odd to me when the site is based in the UK.

Goodreads is the most useful one to be honest - they have an around the world group on there where members post links to books they have read or have come across from different countries. The problem I have is that a lot of them are not available on Kindle, but I usually manage to find something that is, even if its a travelogue rather than a novel. A lot of books (especially from the African countries) I also find are not available in English, which can be frustrating. Wikipedia is also useful as they have lists of authors from a lot of different countries that you look up to see what books they have available. You can also go to Amazon and type in a country's name and see what comes up - usually travel books but quite often novels as well. You have to be a bit creative really with this sort of thing and to an extent think outside the box - thankfully this is something I have always been very good at!

Goodness me, what a lot of countries I have read since the forum went offline: The Last Brother by Nathacha Appanah for Mauritius The Sickness by Alberto Barrero Tyszka for Venezuela A Marker to Measure Drift by Alexander Maksik for Liberia Tears of the Desert by Halima Bashir for Sudan Black Mamba Boy by Nadifa Mohammed for Somalia Silver People - Voices from the Panama Canal by Margarita Engel for Panama Gate crashing Paradise - Misadventure in the Real Maldives byTom Chesshyre for Maldives Belizean Nail Soup by Felene M Cayatano for Belize The Beautiful Screaming of Pigs by Damon Galgut for Namibia Secrets of the Seven Smallest States of Europe: by Thomas M Eccardt for San Marino, Vatican City, Malta, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Malta Folklore and Tales from Lesotho by Various writers for Lesotho Crimson by Niviaq Komeliusen for Greenland I think I only have about 30 countries left now!

Thanks to both of you Hayley and Michelle - I hope you know what you're taking on!

London Town - Light of the World

This Guy's in Love With You - Herb Alpert

I loved everything about Aretha and her music and she will be very sadly missed. There really was never a voice quite like it. Everyone has their own personal favourite song of hers, but mine will always be Angel. It just gives me goose bumps.