chaliepud

Hey everyone, I had a spare few minutes so I thought I would put on a few pics of Jojo at an agility class, I am very lucky that my brother is a keen amateur photographer and likes taking pictures of fast moving objects! He usually photographs military aircraft from WWII but I think Jojo is faster than them! Or at least it feels that way when I'm trying to keep up with her!

Glad to hear Luka is better, we had that with Obi (12) last year and it was so scary. Busy busy here, the usia demands of the house, dogs and 3 busy kids but we are also looking into getting some work done on the house including knocking through between the kitchen and dining room and getting it all refitted and o course with that comes the challenge of getting designs done and organising suppliers and fitters that don't cost the earth yet and easy to work with and reliable! Steve is home tomorrow evening for two weeks so we will spend a lot of that visiting showrooms and arguing over colours and styles! Maddie is off to America in just over a week which I am feeling a little stressed about, thankfully she isn't worried at all and is just insanely excited! We also need to start looking at getting a second car as Charlie will be learning to drive in a few months, I think I will truly know what scary is when that happens!

Ah, of course!

Well, me, obviously! I liked it as it was so different to anything I had read before, and approaches an old subject from an entirely new angle (for me anyway).

I got Ravenclaw, but I have no idea what that means as I've only ever watched the first film and that was a log long time ago!

I really liked it and thought it ended well, there could possibly be a follow on but it wouldn't be entirely necessary.

I can't remember for sure, as it has been a long time since I read the book and watched the film, but I'm pretty sure the film had a different ending to the book.. you might prefer it?

Finished Blackout by Connie Willis, a great read and think I will break my book buying ban to buy the sequel. Now about to start Only Ever Yours by Louise O'Neill.

For me, buzzwords like moving, dark, powerful, uplifting, descriptive, heartrending, original, haunting, moody and sad will often draw me in, in fact it me realise how many of my favourite books are not at all cheerful!

I think I've seen Octavia's book shop mentioned on here? http://forreadingaddicts.co.uk/bookshop-reviews/octavias-bookshop-cirencester-gloucestershire

Call The Midwife, so happy it's back!

Great review Noll, I'll admit I did see some of the ending coming but there were still a couple of surprises to make it even more special that it already was. I think this will make by all time top twenty!

This week I have finished Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi and Confess by Colleen Hoover, reads that were poles apart in depth but thoroughly enjoyable in their own right. Now reading Blackout by Connie Willis, which I think is the last of the fiction books I got for Christmas so on target for one of my first challenges, to read all gifted books.

Congratulations Sari! Great news on the, will it be far from where you are living? Is it full time? How big is Helsinki, that sounds like a lot of libraries, but then I have no idea how big Helsinki is!

I'm about halfway through Boy, Snow, Bird, a very deep soulful book by Helen Oyeyemi, describing the lives of three woman in America mid last century. It covers a lot of issues that I won't detail as they are not in the blurbs I have read. Very well written, one to savour not rush. Another slightly disturbing book so I may need something lighter next!

Welcome Sylvia, I have three children so know what you mean about not a lot of time to read, it gets easier the older they get in some ways but then you just become a chauffeur! My parents moved to Suffolk nearly 11 years ago and have never regretted it, it's a much slower pace of life to what they were used to before and are surrounded by beautiful countryside and coast. We love to visit.

Thanks Gaia, we had to have it pretty low for Obi bless him. My brother took some more pics of Jojo at agility, I'll have to download them from his Flickr page and put a few on here. Oops, there goes another! I hope you like it Alexi!

That's good as it gets better and better!!

I'm sure it would be right up your street Noll. It doesn't happen often! Thanks BB, I hope you like (love!) it too, I'm a bit nervous that I may have over recommended..

Not only that but they get a day and a half in New York before they fly home, lucky kids, can't believe she is visiting the States before the rest of us!

She is skiing in Vermont, they've been told to prepare for -20 and below, she is so excited!

Welcome Vicky, what books do you like to read? Are you in the UK?

Happy New Year Brian, have a great one!

Me too Noll, but I WILL read it this year!

Thanks Kay, I think I saw somewhere that it is on Richard and Judy's list so will not doubt be popular. We had the pork twigs this Christmas too, my Mum always brings them down (she has lifetime discount at M&S) and we generally scoff them all whilst preparing the Christmas dinner, washed down with wine (for me) and Vodka and tonic for her. Thanks Kylie, I don't think you'll be disappointed, it isn't a big book but it packs a punch.