March seasons

So welcome March! This is the far left corner of the garden and neither of us can remember what the tree is 🤦‍♀️ once it's blooming again i can look it up

March has been quite warmer so far, still bitter days occasionally but yesterday all the children were playing outside 😊

You can just see a few blooms beginning on the tree, maybe we will soon find out what it is!

January

February 

March

 

February 2025 reading and storygraph

Silent knit deadly knit by Peggy Ehrhap

This was pleasant enough but not for me, I'm finding that I do like cosy mysteries but I'm only partial to some so this was DNF

Treasure Island on Audible

Absolutely cracking and faithful adaptation wonderful cast 4.5 🌟

Death in a scarlet gown by Lexie Conygham

This just dragged for me DNF 

The thirteen problems by Agatha Christie

I had forgotten just how much i adored these stories, Agatha Christie herself said that Miss Marple is very suited to the short story and she was absolutely right. Perfection 5🌟

The art of murder by Fiona Walker

Really didn't get into this at all, hated it DNF 

Arhkam County on Audible

Too many subplots too hard to follow DNF

My husband the murderer by Charlotte Barnes

I loved this book. A not unusual premise. Woman married to a serial killer hears his last Confessions, but Charlotte Barnes created such a complex heroine who I really engaged with and felt so much sympathy for 

The plot itself had a few good twists, some of which I saw coming but that didn't spoil the book for me. Loved it, I saw a few reviews saying the pace dragged I didn't feel that in the slightest 4 🌟

The Brampton witch murders by Ellis Blackwood

This was pleasant enough but had a mixed pace to it, I did find the lead characters a bit two dimensional 3🌟

Jamaica inn

I did enjoy this, great plot, attitudes very much of the time but great all round story telling with engaging characters 4🌟

Wake me after the apocalypse by Jordan Rivet

Really enjoyed this, well fleshed out believable characters, cracking plot, good pace, will definitely look at the rest of the series 4🌟

Birkett: five full cast BBC radio 4 crime dramas on Audible 

I did really enjoy this compilation well acted but the stories are reflective of the attitudes of the time 3.5 🌟

A fatal funeral by CD Couch

Just not for me. Really didn't like characters DNF

Broadland by David Blake 

I liked this enough to finish it but I did have some issues with it. The main characters felt a bit two dimensional and the "banter" between them irritated at times, maybe just not my cup of tea 3 🌟

The jungle book, the Mowgli stories by Rudyard Kipling on Audible 

Fantastic adaptation with a cracking set of Narrators, just sublime 4.5 🌟

The Antipope by Robert Rankin

Just not for me DNF

The hanging shed by Gordon Ferris

Very atmospheric story, captures post war Glasgow well. Well drawn characters with good chemistry between the two leads 4🌟

Alien out of the shadows on Audible 

Cracking story, pitched between Alien and Aliens.

Great cast. Lovely to hear Rutger Hauer and the actress who plays Ripley sounds uncannily like Sigourney Weaver 4🌟

River of eternity by Bruce Balfour

Just not for me DNF

Body in the library by Agatha Christie 

Perfect, Jane Marple at her best ❤️ good solid story, perfectly plotted 4.5 🌟

Slay bells ring by Katie Forrest writing as Mona Marple 

I love this series, so well written it could become saccharine but always manages to miss that, great fun read and I love the story arc developing 4🌟

Margate Murders on Audible 

Good story premise, excellent narration but a very frustrating ending, a twist thrown in at the end which was unnecessary 3.5 🌟

Lost claus by Katie Forrest writing as Mona Marple

I'm loving this series, well plotted, cosy but not saccarine. Loveable characters. This is a great addition to the series, am loving the story arc 4 🌟

A body on the flats by Max Manning

Pretty good police procedural. Fairly standard plot and characters but with good enough pace to keep the interest up, nice twist at the end 3.5 🌟

I Robot by Isaac Asimov

I first read this over 40 years ago as a teenager, it made a huge impression on me, with hope for the future 🤦‍♀️ coming back to it now in 2025 is quite surreal. The stories still hold up, Asimov was a master storyteller and Susan Calvin was a role model for me as a teenager of what women could achieve (ironic given Asimovs own problematic behaviour with women) 
But it still gives me hope reading this, we will have to wait and see if we can live up to this promise 4.5 🌟

Murder most foul by Theo Harris

Pleasant book, a bit slow to get going but it's a series starter so there is the expected scene setting. Reasonable ending maybe slight pat? But enjoyable enough 3🌟

1984 by George Orwell on Audible 

Incredible adaptation. Andrew Garfield is perfect as Winston. It was quite emotional listening to this as our very own 1984 is playing out in 2025, I first read to this in the 70s, I can remember the impression it made on me then, it made quite a different impression now, Incredible story 4.5 🌟

Childhoods end by Arthur C Clark on BBC Sounds 

Good adaptation great set of narrators 4🌟

So February was quite the month! Still getting the most out of my KU subscription which runs out end of this month

Let's see what Storygraph says about it all!

So pretty successful I think, more series to follow up than series not to follow up which is good that's the main reason I wanted the trial to find new authors to read. A very good month 😊 I'm becoming more strict about DNF ing a book which is good, no point in slogging on if its not working out. 

February furtle

Victoria Sampler has a huge place in my heart, some of my fondest memories of stitching with chums stem from VS. There was an embroidery shop/workshop in Aberdeenshire called Gamrie classics they were in a huge lodge in the coastal countryside. The classes were up in the attic with beautiful views across the coast. I went there several times for classes with some very dear friends this is where I first came across Victoria Sampler, Gamrie classics had all the accessory packs and patterns, I've made many and they all still hang in my house. It was always such a treat to go, the owners were lovely the husband would make a lovely lunch for us and we could sit at a huge dining table with linen napkins for soup and sandwiches all home made, as this was the 80s there was no Internet so the husband would run up to the attic where the classes were and tell us the football score if Aberdeen was playing 🤣🤣 it was a different time, we've been through so much me and those chums.

So VS is very special,  she is winding down a bit so when I saw these two charts and the accessory pack I had to have them, one last thing from VS.

These will be first on my list when I'm able to sew again 😊

I really can't justify buying any more kits or patterns! So I decided to buy some needle minders instead, I do love these, want to make some nice pouches for my embroidery with some of my lovely Japanese fabrics and have a needle minder for each project 

February look back

I'm now able to add a few more steps in when I go to the main bathroom or landing for my walks, so i pop into scoobs bedroom to add some more in 😊 he likes to show me that his Donkey Cookie is well looked after 🤣

 Well I am trying to overcome my shower anxiety, Robin suggested just sitting in the water for a minute no washing I think it's worked. Only done it once but it was OK, 🤞🤞

So sad the lovely lady who makes these prints passed away, I was wanting to buy more so hot these for the bungalow 😊 the bats will remind us of our lovely walks to see the bats up here

I have developed a taste for these my indulgence 😊

I was the first finisher for the selkies chilly challenge 🎉🎉

Woolly Bob has been keeping me company on my visits to the landing 😊

Some valentines day chilly challenge fun 🤣

Does GD come with you on your walks?? Silly question 🤣🤣

He's always there ❤️

Saying hello to cookie!

All the horses/donkeys are there! On one of Mark's cycle rides 😊

This just took my heart ❤️  a lovely chum has been writing to me using lovely notepaper, on a visit to her nephew she got him to write to me on his lovely polar bear notelets 💕💕

Postcard from her visit to Tirzah Garwood exhibition 

Fabric she is using for seeing box

So! How has February been? I'm keeping a short note of where I am every month this is where we are now:

January - Start walk to landing x2 no sit

January -End walk to landing x4 sit x2

February -End landing sit x3, sewing room x1, 15 mins, face wash, shower x1 week

Februrary seasons

 So welcome February! This is the far left corner of the garden and neither of us can remember what the tree is 🤦‍♀️ once it's blooming again i can look it up

February has been mixed, I had the window open one day and today it's snowing 

This months picture has been taken on my new phone,  I do think its making a difference 

January

February 

 

January look back

Well January has been quite the month 😊 up down and all over the place 😆 started off with some upset and emotion which set me back but amongst all that there is kindness and friendship, beautiful irises from Jacky, simply the best chum you could wish for, Grey Donkey agrees!

He does love a tuck in from the cleaners 😆

The Selkies chilly challenge continues! New hair cut too 😆

Woolly Bob got a wee outing 😊
 
I walk too the landing and sit too look out, lovely flowers from Jacky

Mark had to go into work so we are isolating, but we chat via what's app,  GD wanted to say hello and Mark took a screenshot, hysterical 😆😆

Emma wanted some silliness for the chilly challenge, happy to oblige!

Double trouble! GD and cookie having fun!

Our cleaner has been having a hard time bless her but she came and cleaned us and made a wee shrine of my cards and pebble for Mark ❤️

We got our fancy loo rolls

I had my physio catch up GD came too 😊

Looking at bungalows ...... this one peaked my interest 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣