A Good Read

Friends of Dorothy by Sandi Toksvig

After much searching, happily married young couple, Amber and Stevie think they have found the perfect spot in Grimaldi Square. Despite the rundown pub across the way, the overgrown garden and a decidedly nosy neighbour, number 4 is the house of their dreams. Stevie, a woman who has never left anything to chance, has planned everything so nothing can spoil their happiness. But... upstairs in their new home, seated on an old red sofa is the woman they bought the place from - eighty-year-old foul-mouthed, straight-talking, wise-cracking Dorothy - who has decided that she's not going anywhere. Dorothy will be the first in a line of life-changing surprises.

There are lots of lovely, quirky, friendly characters in the community.

It’s a lovely, touching, funny novel about a family that is not biological, but logical. Some of it is a bit twee but still a good read.

∼ Happy Reading∼ 

Polly x

See How They've Grown

Not much is happening here at the moment. We've had work done to the house, cleaning patios, general tidying up, and I have done a lot of work in the garden which is looking lovely.

My friend M and I went to Colchester last week. It was a trip organised by the U3a with an optional onward trip to Wivenhoe. We've been to Wivenhoe before so we decided to stay in Colchester, there are some very nice shops and little alleyways and courtyards with individual shops.

On the way home I did my usual stop at the neighbouring village pond to check in on the Canada Geese goslings.

They spotted the food

Their tail and body markings are developing

They will soon be as big as their parents.

∼ Be safe and well∼ 

Polly x 

A Good Read

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games #2

Sparks are igniting.
Flames are spreading.
And the Capitol wants revenge.

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even, after all, she has returned to her family and her longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance, Peeta has turned his back on her completely, and there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol - a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest that she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour the stakes are higher than ever. For the entertainment of The Capitol during the games (and to aid their survival) Katniss and Peeta pretended to be deeply in love. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that that is still the case, the consequences will be horrifying.

Thoroughly enjoyed it.

∼ Happy Reading∼ 

Polly x

Harrods

My friend M says that Harrods coffee is the best she has tasted so the the plan was to go there for coffee and she could get some makeup, then go to the Victoria & Albert museum. That didn't happen, we ended up staying at Harrods for most of the day! 

The last time I visited was about 1995/6. I took my mother, she had never been to Harrods and was thrilled to finally be going. As we were walking through the food hall I saw a woman who was the image of Princess Diana, when I saw a young Prince Harry with her and two bodyguards behind her I realised that it was Princess Diana. We were both so excited and my mother was beside herself with joy, not only had she got to visit Harrods but had also seen Princess Diana. It was a wonderful experience for her, one she loved relaying to family and friends.

It was the place everyone wanted to visit - it was so posh. Today, oh my word, it is opulent, a beautiful building, sumptious decor, selling gorgeous things! By the time we had wandered around and M had bought her makeup we were in need of refreshments. It was almost midday so we decided to have lunch, after which we did more wandering around looking at things we couldn't afford to buy!

and checked out the Georgian restaurant with a view to treating ourselves to  afternoon tea, which is expensive at £75 per person, but we're worth it, and there are quite a few deals to be had reducing that to £56. I've seen a review on Youtube, and it looks amazing.

By this time it was too late to go to the V&A so we mooched around a bit more and then walked along Brompton Road for a while before returning home.

The only thing I bought was this delicious crème brûlée.

We will probably go to the V&A next time.

And M was right, the coffee was GOOD

∼ Be safe and well∼ 

Polly x 

Keeping Active

A few weeks ago a friend had to have an ECG. Thankfully the results were good, in fact the consultant said she had a very healthy heart. She asked what she could do to keep it that way, he advised keeping active and walk for 30 minutes each day.

Since my dear Rufus died I haven't been doing much walking. I've been swimming twice a week for over a year but I don't enjoy it as much as walking, I also do Joe Wicks seniors exercises, which are very good. He says it's important to keep moving, no matter how small the movements, just keep the body active. So I have made an effort and now try to do an hours walk at least twice a week, sometimes with my daughter, or on my own, and my U3a evening walks have started.

I see a few animals when walking around the village.

The Guinea Fowl wander around all over the place.

There are two Llamas, the other one was sitting down 

 

I've also seen lots of rabbits and a fox but they don't pose for photos! 

I always enjoy walking around a local park 

that's my lovely daughter with her dog

the Wisteria was stunning

I need to go back to see the roses and the summer plants.

∼ Be safe and well∼ 

Polly x 

A Good Read

The Silver Ladies of Penny Lane

by Dee MacDonald

Along with her best friend Orla, Tess Templar, 62, makes bespoke outfits for larger ladies. When life gave them lemons and their loved ones let them down, they pooled their resources and bought a dressmakers shop on the corner of Penny Lane. Tess’ life, and the business are doing just fine. But one day, while studying her tired eyes and shapeless figure in the mirror, Tess realised that she doesn’t want her life to be just fine anymore. Having gained a lot of weight herself since her husband ran off with a younger woman, Tess is determined to get back in shape by joining a slimming club, get a tan by going on a cruise, and find a date for her daughter’s wedding. She wants to rediscover herself, she wants life to be extraordinary, to experience the kind of whirlwind adventure that will have the power to make her smile when she’s confined to the armchair of a retirement home.
With encouragement from Orla, Tess joins an over-the-hill dating agency and the two friends book a singles cruise around the Mediterranean.

I think this was billed as a hilarious feel good read. Well I didn't think it was hilarious, it was a little bit funny in parts. I could relate to Tess wanting to rediscover herself. She had some ridiculous disastrous dates. It was just ok.

∼ Happy Reading∼ 

Polly x

My Favourite Family

The Canada Geese babies are doing very well

They all went for a swim around the pond

and then the babies decided to go for a walk.

I'm not sure because it happened so quickly,

but I think one of the babies saw off a duck!

∼ Be safe and well∼ 

Polly x 

A Good Read

The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy

In Depression-era Arkansas, something wicked has come to a haunted mountain town. An evil power binds three generations of women in the Ozark Mountains, it has followed them across the decades.

In 1831 a young woman named Anneliese was burned to death as a witch. She wrote in the Grimoire book, part diary, part recipes, and part spells and curses. The book has been passed down through generations of women, and fifty years later in 1881, Deirdre, a young woman in the village of Tin Mountain adds to the book.

In 1931 Gracelynn Doherty is living peacefully on Tin Mountain, helping her adoptive granny (Deirdre) work her cures. She finds the Grimoire and wants to know more about it but Deirdre is reluctant to talk about the past.

Despite whispers that the women are witches, the superstitious locals still seek them out, whether to remedy arthritis or a broken heart. But when evangelist Josiah Bellflower comes to town promising miracle healing, full bellies, and prosperity, his revivals soon hold Tin Mountain in thrall - and Granny in abject fear. Fifty years ago, in a dark and desperate moment, she made a terrible promise. Now Josiah has returned to collect his due.

The story is written in two alternating timelines. Deidre in the 1880s, and Gracelynn in 1931. Both characters are similar and I sometimes forgot which one (and timeline) I was reading about. I did enjoy it though.

∼ Happy Reading∼ 

Polly x

World Cocktail Day

I think there is a World Day for almost everything now! World Cocktail Day is celebrated annually on May 13th to mark the anniversary of the first 1806 definition of a cocktail. The New York tabloid The Balance and Columbian Repository defined a cocktail as "a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters". It's a global celebration of mixology, creativity, and the history of mixed drinks, encouraging people to visit bars or craft their own cocktails. 

I like cocktails and over the years have tried a few.

The Cherry Bakewell has been a firm favourite since first tasting it

celebrating my birthday five years ago.

That is now joined by the Toffee Fudge Espresso Martini

first tasted last week at the Ivy.

I craft these at home now!

Cheers 

∼ Be safe and well∼ 

Polly x 

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all you lovely mums in Australia, America

and maybe a few other countries

These gorgeous flowers arrived yesterday

from my darling Aussie daughter and her partner.

Note the pretty bow at the back

∼ Be safe and well∼ 

Polly x 

Good Friends

Yesterday was a wonderful day - I met my 3 lovely best friends from when I used to live in Bedfordshire. Two are still there, I'm in Essex and S now lives in Surrey.

We think it's been 10 or 12 years since we last met. After hugs and greetings at the station we had coffee at BloomsYard and then went to The Ivy for lunch. 

The decor is beautiful

Shepherds pie is their signature dish, and it is delicious. I thought I made a mean one but theirs is the best I have tasted. I think I went a bit overboard with the veg!! That Toffee Fudge Espresso Martini cocktail went down very well. I had Crème Brûlée for dessert

We met at work over thirty years ago and despite a bit of an age gap between me (the eldest) and S (youngest) we instantly became friends, sharing the general ups and downs of life, enjoying lots of short breaks away, nights out, evenings at each others houses, commiserating when boyfriends behaved badly, and then later weddings The conversations never stalled, we had so much to catch up on and reminisce with much fondness.

oOo

An update on Mr & Mrs Canada Geese

On my way out I was concerned when I couldn't see them

at the pond, and the nest was empty.

I was so relieved when I returned later and saw mum and dad and a chick

and then one by one 5 more furry little balls of cuteness

emerged from under mum's wing.

I was very concerned that they would get too close to the road

but mum soon called them back.

Stay safe little ones.

∼ Be safe and well∼ 

Polly x 

A Good Read

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Winning means fame and fortune. Losing means death. The Hunger Games have begun.
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games - a fight to the death on live TV for the enjoyment of The Capitol’s residents.
In a post-apocalyptic future, life has turned extremely hard. Fighting poverty and hunger every day, sixteen year old hunter Katniss does absolutely everything in her power to have enough for her defenseless little sister, and her barely lucid mother. When the fateful day arrives Katniss’ sister’s name is pulled out of the draw, she is to attend the Hunger Games, she would not survive. However someone else is allowed to volunteer to take the drawn ones place and that is what Katniss does, she has been close to death before, and survival is second nature for her.

I tried watching the film a few years ago but gave up after only about 30 minutes - I don’t like dystopian themes, BUT THEN one of my friends in my village book club chose it. We don’t have to read the chosen books but I thought I would give it a go, and surprisingly I was hooked, so much so that I went on to read Catching Fire and Mockingjay, and then watch all 3 films!

∼ Happy Reading∼ 

Polly x

St George's Day

 

Happy St George's Day

St George, the patron saint of England is known as a heroic knight 

in shining armour slaying a ferocious, fire-breathing dragon.

∼ Be safe and well ∼ 

Polly x

A Good Read

The Travelling Cat Chronicles

by Hiro Arikawa

Nana the cat is on a road trip. He is not sure where he's going or why, but it means that he gets to sit in the front seat of a silver van with his beloved owner, Satoru. Side by side, they cruise around Japan through the changing seasons, visiting Satoru's old friends.

On their travels Nana meets Yoshimine, the brusque and unsentimental farmer for whom cats are just ratters; Sugi and Chikako, the warm-hearted couple who run a pet-friendly B&B; and Kosuke, the mournful husband whose cat-loving wife has just left him. There's even a very special dog who forces Nana to reassess his disdain for the canine species. But what is the purpose of this road trip? And why is everyone so interested in Nana? Nana does not know and Satoru won't say. But when Nana finally works it out, his small heart breaks.

There was a little bit of meandering about the friendship between Satoru and Kosuke. I think it might have lost something in translation. But overall it was an endearing, sad and happy read, I enjoyed it.

∼ Happy Reading∼ 

Polly x