What I'm reading in June

This month is more about 'Where I'm reading' although I have chosen my 4 books for this month which are:

I also read an additional two books:

I've started spending my Wednesday after school walking into town to the library where I can enjoy a latte while I read. I have membership but have yet to take out a book as I have a pile at home to read first.

Now the new extension is finished I have a dedicated reading space where I can concentrate away from the TV and the pets, instead of reading on the bed. I'd rather read than watch TV just for the sake of it.

So far this year I've read the following:

January

Lord of the Flies - William Golding. Re read from O level days

To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee. One of those books everyone should read

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens. Re read from O level days

Off Mice and Men - John Steinbeck. Re read from O level days

Macbeth - Shakespeare. Re read from O level days

The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood. Never watched the TV series, but the book was brillant

A Streetcar Named Desire - Tennessee Williams. One we all think we know till we read it.

Frankenstein - Mary Shelly. The hardest book I've read to date, takes ages to get going through a series of letters.

February

Three Men in a Boat - Jerome K Jerome. Loved this book so much, a travel guide to the Thames.

Good Eggs - Rebecca Hardiman. Light and easy read.

March

Pippi Longstockings - Astrid Lindgren. A childhood favourite.

Five on a Treasure Island - Enid Blyton. A childhood favourite.

The Tempest - Shakespeare. Read the summary first to get an understanding of the plot, characters came to life.

Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson. A bit boring, had to persevere.

April

Agatha Raisin Terrible Tourist - M. C. Beaton. Quick read in a day.

Anything Could Happen - Lucy Diamond. A life that could've gone either way, all the 'what ifs?'

Home Truths - Susan Lewis. Dealing with your husbands murder and blaming your son who then becomes a missing person.

The Wild Roses - D.B. Carter Three friends in the mid 80's making different choices and following the paths they lead.

Oranges are not the only fruit - Jeanette Winterson. Absolutely loved the BBC drama with Charlotte Coleman back in 1991. A young woman growing up with the church and not conforming with mothers expectations of her.

The Enemy - Lee Child. Exploring Reachers military days.

May

Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe. My fathers book given to him by his Granny in 1947.

Restoring Grace - Katie Fforde. Easy read about lost love and new beginnings.

Follow Me Home - Cathy Woodman. A light hearted story about finding new love.

Nineteen Eighty-Four - George Orwell. Hard to get going, but once engaged the pages just raced past.

When Breath Becomes Air - Paul Kaplanithi. Pauls' story as a Neurologist discovering he has brain cancer, how he deals with the treatment, life and ultimately his death.

Five Go Adventuring Again - Enid Blyton. I've been reading this book alongside a mentee in school and we've been comparing childhood with the now and the then.

June

Postmortem - Patricia Cornwell

Blue Moon - Lee Child

The Hobbit - J R R Tolkien

Tess of the d'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy

Week 21 One Daily Positive and Project 365

Isn't this weather lovely? Trouble is I go outside and just don't come back in and over do it in the garden, then still have stuff to do in the house, so go to bed later and ended up with a migraine, my first since Christmas. I really need to take note of this and slow myself down.

Blood test results are back in. Vitamin B and D plus folate at normal levels. Ferritin still on the decline, another blood test in June. I asked the haematology department if I should stop taking the supplements but their answer was to talk to the GP. Have to wait till June 20th to do so, so I assume I just carry on taking them until told to stop.

142 Sunday We were up early with a phone call with our son in Australia, so got up and headed to Worcester for a coffee and a food shop. My friend and I down the road, popped between each others houses with plants and seedlings to swop. We took Bob for a walk in the afternoon to let him run off lead in the park and home to make soup for lunch and cottage pie for the freezer and some cakes. I had an early bath and to bed as I felt a migraine coming on.

143 Monday I didn't go into work today due to the migraine, which turned out to have its pros and cons. Sadly we heard around 6am that Peters Uncle had died so he headed off to spend the day with his mum, bringing her back around 6pm to spend the rest of the week with us. I'd forgotten the builders were back today to fix the drainage so was able to let them in, however the noise of the digging etc didn't help my head much, they were gone by 1pm. I pottered around, watched TV and the neighbour called in with her children after school and we sat in the garden. 

Drainage now sorted.

144 Tuesday Blood test on the way to work and afterwards took the cat for her annual jab, we had coffee out and wandered around a few shops in Worcester. I went swimming 8-9pm.

145 Wednesday After work I walked into town, had a coffee, took some books back to the library, volunteered at the youth club and Peter collected me at 7pm. I baked a lemon cake, read a bit and was in bed by 9pm.

146 Thursday After work it was home to sort out the garden, do a food shop, fetch the cot and high chair out the attic and repack the cupboard under the stairs, Peter will just have to finish the end of next week.

This beautiful gift arrived from my friend in South Africa today. She made it along with a pair of slippers, which sat in her cupboard for the past two years waiting for someone she knew to travel to the UK to post it on. 

147 Friday I thought child 2, his wife and our grandchild were arriving on Saturday morning, but they left Belfast last night and arrived while I was in work. I got a lift home as we'd arranged to visit child 1, so Peter took his mum for a visit. 

148 Saturday We went to Worcester for coffee and shopping whilst grandson and his entourage met up with DILs Aunt and Uncle near by. Home to chill for the afternoon but not possible with a household. Cooked a roast and ate outside, then hid myself away for an hour to blog and read.

On the blog this week:

My Spring Garden

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Post Comment Love 26th-29th May 2023

Welcome back to #pocolo with Stephanie from Lifeat139a and I.

Wow, May went fast. We've really been enjoying the warm weather. It's half term next week and our grandson arrives later this morning for a few days. It will be nice for the neighbours children to have an extra person to play with when they visit.

The neighbour and I are trying to persuade our husbands to build a kids door in the fence so they can come and go as they please but I suspect the neighbour would probably bolt it shut after her daughter came through to us.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week and all we ask is that you leave a comment on either mine or Stephanie's post which you linked up through and at least one other post. We'd also love it if you could RT us on Twitter when we tag you to help us reach a wider audience.

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the weekend.

Want to find out more about Post Comment Love #PoCoLo? 

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My Spring Garden

We've spent a lot of time and money in the house since we came back with a new kitchen and extension and the garden and out door space has been ignored other than a new shed, mowing the lawn and piling up gravel, bricks, sand and soil.

We're having to wait for the builders to return to sort out the drainage from the roof as they haven't connected the down pipe into the drains, so when we have heavy rain the patio area floods and we can't finish it as they need to dig the area up.

I've got space now to hang the washing outside again.

The two sheds on the left will be coming down soon and then we can start building raised beds. The table and chairs are under the covered area and we've eaten outside a couple of times.

I've started doing some work in the front garden with planting a new hedge. The bougainvillea may have survived the winter under cover.

I've planted a variety of herbs both inside and out, the basil is doing really well.

Last years Chard

Potatoes

Lettuce

Peas

I tend to spend more time tidying up than I do actual gardening.

The wreath is back on the front door.

After all the rain the lawn is looking really green, there's little grass there, mainly weeds and moss.

We also visited the Three Counties Show to get some ideas and with the 3 bank holidays and nicer weather I've been enjoying being outside. It's half term next week and I'm hoping for quite a transformation in the back garden.

Week 20 One Daily Positive and Project 365

This week Peter has been fixing squeaky stairs, re plastering the cupboard under the stairs and will be putting up shelves next week. Another job ticked off. We're also doing some work in the garden, getting ready to dismantle the old shed. The patio will be finished next week after the builders have come back to sort out a drainage issue, Peter is also going to panel the brick wall underneath the veranda where the old conservatory was attached to the house. Then I'm hoping we can start work on the downstairs loo with a new toilet, sink and proper storage. 

I've decided it's time to push through the fatigue and the pain and resumed swimming a couple of weeks ago. I'm doing more around the house and getting on with things. I don't feel any more fatigued or any more in pain and regardless of rest nothing is getting better.

135 Sunday A lazy morning, dog walk and off to meet friends at The Three Counties RHS Spring Show. We enjoyed a couple of hours walking round, buying cheese and generally just chilling. Friends came back for the late afternoon and evening spent watching TV.

One of the many floral displays.

136 Monday I walked to work, 2.5 miles, my student wasn't in so I was deployed to other classes, got a lift home. We measured up for out next project outside, Peter recovered the bike shed and I finished making our grandsons blanket. Cleaned the craft room windows and hung some new curtains. Next doors almost 2 year old was still awake at 9.30pm so was passed over the fence and I got her to sleep taking her to her own bed at 10pm, 

Year 8 art today.

137 Tuesday Peter picked me up and we called in at the retail park for a coffee. I did some shopping and Peter walked Bob home. I went swimming in the evening and swam 43 lengths in my 30 minutes. I'm currently reading The Famous Five. I've set a reading challenge with one of my mentees at school and we're reading the same book to look for differences on how childhood was different to ours.

I made some birthday cards.

138 Wednesday Took the car to work and straight home to sort the bike shed. Evening spent reading, blogging, wrapping gifts and writing the cards I made.

I can finally access both sides of the house, can't wait to get back riding my bike.

139 Thursday After work I spent some time in the loft sorting through stuff to keep, sell, donate. I went swimming and managed 53 lengths in the 30 mins.

Loving this warmer weather.

140 Friday Used the crates with lids to rearrange the under cupboard stuff. Peter treated me and my friend to a take out instead of chips, then collected neighbour from work at 11pm.

This is how I rocked up to collect the neighbour at 11pm, thankfully no one around.

141 Saturday Several loads of washing went in, on the line, including the bedding. Spent the rest of the day sorting through the sheds and creating a pile for the tip, ready to dismantle the larger shed next week. Planted out some seedlings and cut back the shrubs in the front garden.

I've no idea when or why I was blocked but it must've been a while ago.

On the blog this week:

What I'm reading in May

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Post Comment Love 19th-21st May 2023

Welcome back to #pocolo with Stephanie from Lifeat139a and I.

I've rejoined our local library and whilst I'm not borrowing any books at the moment I am going there every Wednesday to read and drink latte. Now the work is finish in the new extension, I can sit and read while Peter watches the TV. Fingers crossed the flooding issue with the down pipes on the patio will be resolved this coming week so Peter can finish the patio and I can sit outside and enjoy the light evenings and warmer weather.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week and all we ask is that you leave a comment on either mine or Stephanie's post which you linked up through and at least one other post. We'd also love it if you could RT us on Twitter when we tag you to help us reach a wider audience.

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the weekend.

Want to find out more about Post Comment Love #PoCoLo? 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

What I'm reading in May 2023

After a visit with my cousin, I've now more books than I think I can possibly read, especially after buying some classics. These are all heading off to Mums while I focus on the ones I already have. 

My choice of books is based around GCSE and A level reading with some lighter and more modern literature. I'm also selecting books that people claim to have read or know about but in reality have never picked up.

I'm still ploughing through Don Quixote, I'm a quarter of the way through it, and I've added the 2 extra books I read in April.

Oranges are not the Only Fruit -Jeanette Winterson. 

The Enemy - Lee Child

So far this year I've read the following:

January

Lord of the Flies - William Golding. Re read from O level days

To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee. One of those books everyone should read

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens. Re read from O level days

Off Mice and Men - John Steinbeck. Re read from O level days

Macbeth - Shakespeare. Re read from O level days

The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood. Never watched the TV series, but the book was brillant

A Streetcar Named Desire - Tennessee Williams. One we all think we know till we read it.

Frankenstein - Mary Shelly. The hardest book I've read to date, takes ages to get going through a series of letters.

February

Three Men in a Boat - Jerome K Jerome. Loved this book so much, a travel guide to the Thames.

Good Eggs - Rebecca Hardiman. Light and easy read.

March

Pippi Longstockings - Astrid Lindgren. A childhood favourite.

Five on a Treasure Island - Enid Blyton. A childhood favourite.

The Tempest - Shakespeare. Read the summary first to get an understanding of the plot, characters came to life.

Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson. A bit boring, had to persevere.

April

Agatha Raisin Terrible Tourist - M. C. Beaton. Quick read in a day.

Anything Could Happen - Lucy Diamond. A life that could've gone either way, all the 'what ifs?'

Home Truths - Susan Lewis. Dealing with your husbands murder and blaming your son who then becomes a missing person.

The Wild Roses - D.B. Carter Three friends in the mid 80's making different choices and following the paths they lead.

Oranges are not the only fruit - Jeanette Winterson. Absolutely loved the BBC drama with Charlotte Coleman back in 1991. A young woman growing up with the church and not conforming with mothers expectations of her.

The Enemy - Lee Child. Exploring Reachers military days.

May

Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe. My fathers book given to him by his Granny in 1947.

Restoring Grace - Katie Fforde. 

Follow Me Home - Cathy Woodman. Light hearted story about finding new love.

Nineteen Eighty-Four - George Orwell.

Week 19 One Daily Positive and Project 365

I've had enough this week of the mess in the house and outside while Peter finishes off the extension and paints the external woodwork around the house. We can't finish the patio until the builders return to sort the drainage and until that's sorted we can't sort the sheds to take the old one down and move our patio furniture to the old shed base.

I'm really struggling with fatigue, pain and breathlessness, resting makes no difference and it's affecting my ability to fully communicate and my thought process. 

128 Sunday Day spent with child 1 in Gloucester, bought a new kettle and curtain poles for the extension. Peter started putting them up. After dinner we joined the neighbours for a drink at their street party.

New Kettle

129 Monday Curtain poles finished, rooms rearranged and cleaning done all by lunch. Rest of the day was spent drinking tea, watching TV, reading newspapers and just chilling out.

130 Tuesday Doctors on the way to work for last Vit B12 jab, no further Doctor visits until the 23rd when I have to go for a blood test. Home and read for a while, then started to make a blanket for my grandson. Peter cooked dinner and we watched TV. I went swimming at 8-9pm. Home to watch I'm a celeb and bed.

Skies over Malvern have been spectacular.

131 Wednesday Invigilating again, this time only 3 hours. I was very stiff from swimming. After work I walked into town for a coffee, did a bit of shopping, visited the library and onto Youth Club where I volunteer once a fortnight. Peter collected me at 7pm.

Learning new skills at Youth Club.

132 Thursday I spent the day in work covering all the age groups and a variety of lessons, after work I attempted to do some more sewing but my overlocker was playing on on me. I cooked dinner, then went swimming for half an hour and managed 41 lengths.

133 Friday I woke early and watched last nights I'm a celeb. Last day invigilating. After work we went for a coffee and Peter drove home, leaving me and the dog to walk back. Chips with friend in the evening and after watching the final of I'm a Celeb, I collected our neighbour from work.

134 Saturday I didn't wake till 9.40am and I was exhausted, just couldn't get going so I decided to go for coffee and get my nails done while Peter finished painting the wood work, skirting boards and the porch. Peter did the hoovering and dusting while I was out. I cooked tea, attempted to download software for the printer and failed, brought the washing in and tidied up. Had a bath, watched Eurovision and bed late. 

The neighbours children came round to help was the dog and help Peter with the sawing and drilling. 

On the blog this week: 

Celebrating the King's Coronation

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12 - 14th May 2023 Post Comment Love

Welcome back to #pocolo with Stephanie from Lifeat139a and I.

I really enjoyed the Kings Coronation on Saturday, I decorated the outside and the inside of the house, bought sandwiches, quiche and cake from M&S and bedded down for the day. Even the dog joined in. We popped round the cup de sac on Saturday evening to join the neighbours for a drink, but ate at home first.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week and all we ask is that you leave a comment on either mine or Stephanie's post which you linked up through and at least one other post. We'd also love it if you could RT us on Twitter when we tag you to help us reach a wider audience.

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the weekend.

Want to find out more about Post Comment Love #PoCoLo? 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

The Kings Coronation

Did you celebrate the Kings Coronation? We did to a fashion. There was bunting in the front garden and a variety of cakes, snacks and drinks available throughout the day as we watched on TV.

On Sunday the neighbours organised a street party with bring your own food, drink and chairs. 

We joined them for a drink and cake. 

We watched the Coronation concert but we weren't too impressed with it.

Did you watch or celebrate the King's Coronation?