chaliepud

Yay! That must have take a while.. . Looking forward to seeing what presents itself...

I've been to the cinema twice in two days which is unheard of! I saw Insurgent with my daughter on Wednesday, I wasn't keen on the book and thought the film was better, though I am liking Tris less and less and the films go on. Then last night I saw Still Alice with a friend, it was wonderful, very subtle and emotive, I didn't find it too emotional but I can imagine it could hit closer to home if you have experience of Alzeimers.. I have a friend in the very early stages of it and it has given me somewhat of an idea as to what the future may hold..

Well sone to everyone who is making efforts and achieving great thing due to healthier eating and exercise.. I have been a bit sidetracked with my eating, Steve has been home for 2 weeks and he is a bad example (Mr Carbs!) plus we have been out and about more which makes it harder to stick to my way of eating (low carbs/sugar). I've put on a few pounds but these will come off once he is back to work and I'm walking the dogs more. We have booked a cruise for a week in August so I need to be able to fit and look half decent in my cossie!

I haven't been here for a while as sadly I am reading very little. My mojo is ok, not amazing but ok.. I am just so busy and a little distracted with other things. My eldest is studying for his GCSE's which are only a little over a month away so I am having to keep a close eye on him as his middle name is procrastination.. Actually, it's David but it may as well have been! My daughter is taking 2 GCSE's this year, one of them a 1 year Spanish one and she is finding this very challenging so I am keeping an eye on her too.. My youngest, Mr Sporty, is busy with the end of the football season and the start of the competitive athletics season, so we have football tournaments and athletic competitions most weekends for the next couple of months, another eye there (can anyone send me a spare eye please?! ) Add on to that Jojo's training sessions, now three times a week plus practising in the garden.. She's coming on so well, I am very pleased with her. My Facebook friends will have seen she got a 2nd place in her first competition which was brilliant and has instilled a new confidence in me which means we are improving so much quicker, so much so I have booked 2 more shows for May!! Book wise I am only just about to start my 11th book of the year, Goodreads tells me I am two books behind my target for 2015 but I shall just ignore that for now and hope I catch up at some point.. The important thing is that I have enjoyed most of the books I have read this year. The highlights though have been Mrs Sinclair's Suitcase by Louise Walters, a very sweet book about a shy bookish girl set partly in a book shop, ever so slightly quirky but not so much that it put me off (I'm not great with too quirky!) Set in two time frames the story brought the two together beautifully at the end. Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier was of course a great read, I don't know why I waited so long to read another Du Maurier, it's two years since I read Rebecca and Jamaica Inn evoked that same sense of place and mood that Rebecca did.. I'm not keen on scary books as a rule but her writing is both thrilling and terrifying in equal measure.. Her description of Mary Yellan on the stairwell listening to her uncle and not knowing whether she would be heard was terrifying yet tremendously exciting, I kept having to huddle under a throw to read as the descriptions of the wild, windy and damp moors made me feel so chilled! I have not long finished Academy Street by Mary Costello, a book that was brought to my attention when it was shortlisted in the Costa book awards 2014, in the first novel category.. Elizabeth is Missing won the category but I preferred the story of Academy Street, and of A Song for Issy Bradley, which is sitting expectantly in my Book Box, begging to be chosen! Academy Street was a gentle read, yet ferocious in its emotions, the story is almost completely about Tess, starting with the day when she is 8 and her Mother is buried. Then comes the story of her quiet life, her relationships with her Father and siblings, following her as she moves to New York, sees little of her family, meets an attractive man who then disappears, leaving her pregnant and alone.. It explores her strength and determination, her love for her son and her friendship with Willa, a neighbour who gives Tess the strength and support to carry on despite their cultural differences. The book is sad in parts but rarely depressing and thoroughly explores the life of just one Irish ex pat, living a life so far removed from the one she has left behind. Very highly recommended if you like a character driven story, not totally devoid of plot but certainly not plot driven.. And at only 179 pages it will not take a lot of your time. I'm now about to start The Moon Field By Judith Allnatt.. this is the Goodreads description of the book.. It is 1914. George Farrell cycles through the tranquil Cumberland fells to deliver a letter, unaware that it will change his life. George has fallen for the beautiful daughter at the Manor House, Miss Violet, but when she lets slip the contents of the letter George is heartbroken to discover that she is already promised to another man. George escapes his heartbreak by joining the patriotic rush to war, but his past is not so easily avoided. His rite of passage into adulthood leaves him beliveing that no woman will be able to love the man he has become.

I'm enjoying my Book Box, the kids pull the titles out for me and I allow myself two chances, if I really don't fancy the first they pick a second, but then I have to choose between the two. Don't forget to put up a photo when it's done!

Oh dear Claire, new puppies can be testing! It's quite likely they are ignoring the puppy so it doesn't learn it can be up at all hours, this is generally a quick process but no fun at the time! Jojo woke up at 5am for 3 months! But I did get with her and just got lots of early nights! Plus, we are detached so no neighbours were upset!

I'm currently enjoying Academy Street by Mary Costello and have also received in the post, The Giver by Lois Lowry and Half Wild by Sally Green.

I've had a lovely, busy weekend. Jojo and I had our first agility show yesterday, she worked brilliantly and managed to get placed 2nd in one of the three classes we entered, so happy and makes all the training worthwhile. Today we spent the afternoon at my sister in laws with all the cousins and grandparents, we had a very fun (and sunny!) Easter egg hunt - I was rugby tackled by my youngest son at one point as I got the egg he wanted! - and then a lovely dinner and relaxing chat while the kids watched the footie on TV. Now enjoying a quiet evening with my man watching Louis Theroux's new show.

I loved this one, hope you enjoy it too x

Well, it was too cloudy at the top of the hill to see the Eclipse but it did mean lots of local people had gathered, most of them with dogs.. So we had a lovely impromptu chat and the dogs had a great play!

I wasn't sure where best to put this, but Jon Ronson is being interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live this afternoon, I believe it will be around 2pm..

Spent the afternoon (in the sunshine) at a schools football tournament my 10 year old was playing in. They won 4 matches and drew one to get into the final, the teams were equally matched but they unfortunately lost on penalties but a great time was had by all. Plus Robbie was the teams highest goal scorer with 4 goals! So he has a silver medal to add to his athletics team gold from Sunday! Proud Mum! :)

My Mum has come for a 3 day visit so we went for a pub lunch then to the garden centre to buy some shrubs and to drink tea, oh and the sun came out too!

Must remember the Red Bull.......

I'm thinking, I may need to seal the bottle somehow.. there are boys in that class that might do anything for a dare!!!

Well, thankfully the urge to dress up too much has waned and he has also read what he believes to be his favourite Dahl book, George's Marvellous Medicine, so he has decided to go as George! I have had to order a red jumper but other than that he just needs jeans. His piece de resistance will be his 'bottle of marvellous medicine', he just needs to decide what is going to go into it.. I dread to think!!

One of my fellow dog walkers takes chicken for the crows over the country park, it's handy if you ever want to find him, just look up to see where his crows are!

I finished The Dynamite Room, I liked it but not quite as much as I'd hoped. My daughter has made the next Book Box selection and it is... The Lost Girls, the true story of three friends who put their everyday lives on hold to travel four continents to have the adventure of their lives!

Into the last 20% of The Dynamite Room, hopefully will get to finish it this evening.. It's all coming together and I want to know how It ends!!!!!

I'm still not finding much time to read so only half way through The Dynamite Room. Have managed to order/pre order three books though! The Conplete Book of M*A*S*H by Suzy Kalter (An episode guide from the TV show, I used to get a copy from the library years ago and thought it was time I had my own!) The Giver - Lois Lowry Half Wild - Sally Green

A bunch of yellow tulips for me.. even if I bought them myself! Oh, and two hours spent tidying the garden and playing with the dogs.

Gorgeous afternoon here, managed a couple of hours in the garden, half gardening and half playing with the dogs..

It sends Jojo crazy! She would love it but it is far too full on for her, she couldn't cope with all those hyper dogs, plus I don't think it's great for their joints. We'll stick to agility for now!

Yes, that lone suit hanging in the room was very eerie.. And the desk with open correspondence and reading glasses! Thanks for the film info, Samuel L Jackson, wow!