chaliepud

Oh Sari, what a shame! It could well be the type of dog though as you've not had problems with all dogs? What breeds were they? Sorry if it sounds obvious but do you take an anti-histamine (allergy pill) before you go? There are many breeds that don't shed/moult so you would be better with these. A friend of mine has 3 Lagotto's and is a dog walker and trainer and just has to be very careful with touching and washing and not having shedding breeds in her home. How cruel for a dog lover to be allergic to dogs, it shouldn't be allowed!

Oh dear, I thought I was doing quite well but the evidence is to the contrary! 22 books already, in only 75 days, that is a book every 3/4 days! Plus, I have only read 9 books this year.. I really need to give myself a good talking to.

It was definitely a 5/5 for me and I know Noll, Kay and Paula agreed so hopefully you will agree with us!

I loved Jamaica Inn and Rebecca and have four more of her books on my TBR I must get around to soon!

Unfortunately she has associated the cat box with the unpleasantries of the vets. You could try putting her food in there or some nice nibbles, tuna maybe, but being a cat she may just refuse to eat! Really, you would need to take your time over this, maybe weeks to get her confident again but it would probably only take one trip to the vets to ruin it all. We had a cat who wasn't keen so I used to only bring the box in at the last moment and move quick! Your only other alternative is to ask for a home visit but aside from being expensive you could make the cat nervous in her own environment. Sorry I can't be of more help!

Yes, exactly what I need right now, and who can resist a book about books! I'm quite lucky actually, I sometimes gripe about the size of my TBR but at least I always have a book to suit my mood!

Thanks Gaia! Thanks Noll, I was inspired for the Humans of New York after my daughter came home from there marvelling about the eclectic mix of people she saw there.

I've had a rubbish week (kids! Men! Builders!) so of course I needed some therapy, yep, more books! not helping my plans for reducing my TBR but it was necessary and I do feel a little better! Half are charity shop buys so I can feel good about that too! I got: The Flowers of the Field - Sarah Harrison The King's General - Daphne Du Maurier Diary of an Ordinary Woman - Margaret Forster The House by the Sea - Santa Montefiore The Affair - Santa Montefiore The Hidden Cottage - Erica James Angel Dares - Joss Stirling The Sea Detective - Mark Douglas-Home The Little Shop of Happy Ever After - Jenny Colgan Humans of New York- Brandon Stanton Happy days! Have just finished The Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan which was lovely and light, now about to start the sequel, Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery.

Not as yet, no.

It was good, if a little (a lot) disturbing! Have you read Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon? A similar premise to Because You'll Never Meet Me.

Welcome Gord, I am in Surrey so not too far away from you, enjoy the forum!

Finished Only Ever Yours a few days ago, I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads but it may well go up to a 5 on reflection, definitely at least a 4.5! It wasn't the easiest of reads so now going for something lighter and fluffier in The Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan.

Rhubarb tea, surprisingly nice!

I've just finished an excellent 2 book series, Blackout and All Clear by Connie Willis, set in Oxford 2060 and during the Second World War, mainly the Blitz. A little different in how time travel is managed and discussed and if you are interested in WWII it is full of lots of interesting information too.

Slowly getting through Only Ever Yours, I like it but the seemingly eternal problem of not having enough time to read is still here. I am off shortly to give blood though; hopefully that will give me a little time to turn a few pages.

Oven roasted duck, one of the kids favourites and so easy.

Tomorrowland with George Clooney (yum), better than I expected and a nice easy Saturday evening watch with the kids with no worrying about bad language, sex scenes or violence.

I think it is having a daughter, did you feel the same? Not horrifying in that it is hard to read, more in that It is almost like a magnification of their lives in this society we have now. So much pressure to look good and say the right thing. I'm lucky Maddie is fairly aid back but she still doesn't feel able to leave the house without making an effort to look her best.

Beside Myself sounds great, excellent review Noll, will add to my wish list. I'm currently reading (slowly) Only Ever Yours which I seem to remember you enjoying too.. It's a bit horrifying!

I was the same, it is more non-fiction in how it reads and very dry. However I know many have liked it and found it interesting. Only one way to find out!

I finally finished All Clear by Connie Willis, the follow up to Blackout. It took me ages to get through as I've been so busy but I loved loved loved both books, so much detail about the Blitz along with a very interesting take on time travel, wonderful characters and a bit of a mystery too. I'm actually sorry to have finished them.

Half of a Yellow Sun - Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche My Animals and Other Family - Clare Balding Shadowplay - Laura Lam The Angel's Game - Carlos Ruiz Zafon The Bronze Horseman - Paullina Simons The Man Who Broke Into Auschwitz - Denis Avey The Stand - Stephen King These books are all in red on my TBR list as they have been waiting far too long, and I don't know why! I am determined to get around to them this year. I am buying far less new books as saving money for the work we are planning on the house so no excuses as long as I avoid the libarary!

Thanks Janet, I hope to get around to most of the books you highlighted in the next year or so, especially My Cousin Rachel and When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit. I'm quite busy at the moment trying to sort plans for having work done on the house, it starting off with us just planning to revamp the kitchen, now we want to knock that through to the dining room, move a staircase, move the downstairs bathroom into the lounge, which is too long at the moment, and all that entails! Could be great when it is done but not a simple process!

Thanks Gaia! I do sometimes wonder if her feet touch the ground!! They are, and so are their handlers, Jojo loves it so so much, and isn't always keen on waiting her turn! Ah, she is a very happy girl when she is working. She is a little lame on one of her front legs at present though so won't be happy tomorrow when she can't go. I'm sure it'll get better quickly though.

Sounds great Kay, I usually spiralise some courgette or sometimes just have a heap of sauteed spinach with it. Just had bacon and eggs with spinach and avocado for brunch, hopefully that'll fill me up for a while, Bangers and Mash planned for this evening. (Steve gets to choose what we eat when he is home, I'll just have a small amount of mash and lots of veggies.