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 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

January furtle

 Well! Still no "actual" Crafting in January but hey who knows let's hold out for February 😊 but it is time to retire some notebooks! Well not retire but complete them and store away until I can finish the embroidery they are for, first up is this wee beauty, it's been used to store the temperatures for both my 2023 and 2024 temperature embroideries, I think I have 4 months of 2024 to finish off so will store this away until I'm ready 

This is the cover, I bought this notebook on my lovely visit to Bath in 2019, its from the Americsn museum there which had an exhibition of Kaffe Fassett quilts, what a lovely day that was 😊

Next up is my emotions tracker 2024, this came with the pre printed embroidery I'm using, again about 4 months to fill in when I can 

I've decided not to track temperatures any more 3 years is enough but it is interesting to track emotions but I'm going to do that digitally from now on, I have a spreadsheet and it's all colour coded 😊

I wasn't going to subscribe to any more cross stitch boxes but them I saw this 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ I adore stitchrovia Emma Congdon and this was too pretty to pass up and its so true as well 💖

January reading and Storygraph

Murder at the Vicarage- Agatha Christie 

What can I say, classic Agatha Christie, this must be the second or third time I've read this and it never disappoints. Twists turns and Miss Marple just a joy 5 🌟

The Jack of Hearts murders a Shilling and Florin book, 1 by Kate Haley

I really wanted to like this book but in the end it just wasn't for me. An intriguing alternative setting but I struggled to get much of a feel for this universe, the characters are amiable and maybe it develops.more in the rest of the series 3 🌟

Death on the Boardwalk:A Myrtle Beach mystery book 1 by Caleb Wygal

I gave it 3 🌟 but in all honesty this didn't grab me felt a bit "paint by numbers"

Confessions of a demonically possessed librarian by James Wright

Rollicking good fun! Light hearted horror, plot clips along nicely 4.5 🌟

Open Season by C.J. Box

Loved this, great main characters, intriguing story good pace kept me gripped 4.5 🌟

The Canningtown murder by Mike Hollow

I struggled with this book, there was enough plot and character development so that I didnt dnf it but for me it dragged

The plot was interesting and there was a good sense of place and time but for me it didn't move quickly enough 3.5 🌟

H.G. Wells stories on Audible

Fantastic compendium of Wells main stories with a great set of Narrators 4 🌟

Cemetery lodge by Paula Hillman

Great book, loved the characters some nice twists and turns a good solid 4 🌟

The Crone of midnight embers by Iris Beaglehole

I struggled with this book to be honest, the writing was enjoyable but the plot just dragged 3🌟

The Signalman by Charles Dickens on Audible 

I love this story and really wanted to like this version more, Sam Mendes is a great narrator but the sound effects really spoiled it for me they felt clunky and intrusive 3.5 🌟

The beauty queen by Sally-Anne Martyn

Absolutely loved this, a great twist on a time shift plot. Switching between the 80s and present day, great sense of time and atmosphere of the 80s very well done. I loved the main character and her back story. Well written and absorbing 4.5 🌟

Red Rising by Pierce Brown on Audible 

It's just not for me, excellent narrator but I'm no in the mood for this DNF

Nettle and Bone by T Kingfisher on Audible

It just wasn't for  me DNF

Murder at ravens Edge by Louise Marley

I did mostly enjoy this book, very entertaining but oh my goodness the amount of plot twists was a bit dizzying 3.5 🌟

A thief in Stickleback Hollow by CS Wooley

I'm giving this a 3 because I think it is well written etc but it's just not for me 3🌟

January seasons 2025

So welcome January! There are many reasons to continue with taking my monthly seasons pictures in our garden.

Practically I'm still housebound so that's a major factor! But also we have made the decision to move house in 3 years time. I should hopefully have way more functionality by then an our mortgage will be paid off. So I want to document our lovely house over the next 3 years

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

We are still gobsmacked at how much scotrail have cut down behind us you can really see it here