Read then Write - 5/3/26

Since last Thursday I have managed to finish The Muse by Jessie Burton plus two other books.

I really enjoyed The Muse. Moving between two timelines it charts the journey of a painting, created in Spain and ending up in England.

The earlier part of the book (set in 1936) focuses on Olive Schloss and her relationships with her family and Isaac Robles and his half-sister Teresa, who come to help out at the house she is staying in. Olive is a painter but her father, a renowned art dealer would never recognise her as such. But Olive manages to create several art works before the family are forced to return to England due to the Spanish Civil War.  But the paintings are accredited to Isaac.  

Jumping forward to 1967, Odelle Bastien starts work at the Skelton gallery in London and becomes involved in discovering the truth behind a painting that has been brought to them and finding out more about her boss, Marjorie Quick.

I enjoyed this book more than The Miniaturist by the same author but, although there was a lot mentioned about the fighting in Spain during the earlier periods in the book, I don't feel I really got to understand it very well, hence a 4 star rating not 5.

I moved on to Aunt Bessie Assumes by Diana Xarissa next.  A nice easy read for A Sunday afternoon and into Monday. Definitely fits the description of cosy crime. 3 stars.

And finally I read this one:

This was another of what I would call a "cozy" read but this was a romantic one.  It was quite long at 456 pages (it was originally a series of 4 books that have now been combined into 1) but it was a quick easy read.

"Beth is running away. With her young son Leo to protect, Willow Cottage is the lifeline she so desperately needs. Overlooking the village green in a beautiful Cotswolds idyll, Beth sees a warm, caring and safe place for little Leo.

When she finally uncovers the cottage from underneath the boughs of a weeping willow tree, Beth realises this is far more of a project than she bargained for and the locals are more than a little eccentric! A chance encounter with gruff Jack, who appears to be the only male in the village under thirty, leaves the two of them at odds but it’s not long before Beth realises that Jack has hidden talents that could help her repair more than just Willow Cottage.

Over the course of four seasons, Beth realises that broken hearts can be mended, and sometimes love can be right under your nose…" 

3 stars from me.

I also managed to fit all 3 of these books to prompts for the 52 book club challenge and I'm now 1 book ahead of schedule and I've already started this one:

This is #5 in a series I'm gradually working my way through and again it works for another prompt.  I do love a crime thriller.

Wednesday Hodgepodge 4/3/26

Joyce provides the questions, we provide our answers and the link up is here.

1. As the saying goes, 'March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.' Did your March come in roaring or like some other animal? Every month carries with it certain feelings, which is why some people love and anticipate December and others dread it. How do you feel about the month of March?

Well it didn't come in like a lion it actually brought some sunshine. I like March - we have a couple of birthdays to look forward to and the clocks going forward plus spring flowers.

2. Where in your life are you a lion? Where are you a lamb?

I'm probably more a lamb than a lion. I hate confrontation. But I would be a lion for my kids.

3. The Hodgepodge lands on National Pound Cake day. Do you like pound cake? If so do you have a favourite flavour? Let's play this or that-
pound cake or layer cake?            layer
pound cake or cheesecake?          cheesecake
pound cake or angel food cake?    angel food cake
pound cake or brownie?               brownie
pound cake or pie?                      I'm assuming fruit pie so pie

As you can see I'm not a big fan of pound cake but if that was the only alternative I would eat it.

4. What makes you feel childlike wonder right now?

With all that's going on in the world I'm wishing I was a child and therefore probably ignorant of all the turmoil etc but of course I'm not so I'm not feeling any wonder right now.

5. What's one thing you need to add to your wardrobe to get ready for spring? If you're in the southern hemisphere, then answer for fall?

I think I need to do a good clear out of my wardrobe first then I could make a list of things - I don't think just one item would work lol.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I really should add the answer to #5 to my "to do" list!

In the New this Week - 3/3/26

I don't even know where to start with the news this week.  I'm finding it hard to follow at the moment with so much going on.  I wasn't even aware that strikes had been launched on Iran and the subsequent fall out until one of our Foodbank volunteers messaged to say that she was ok but didn't know when she would be able to get out of Dubai!  Of course I was straight on to the internet and playing catch up on what was going on.

This is all so scary and I can't help wondering where it will all end.

I tried to find a cute animal story that might cheer us up but even that proved difficult - I found one about a Pug being named "UKs cutest dog" but the article was actually from 2020. (And, I'm sorry to all Pug owners, but in my opinion they are not cute.)

One article I found interesting in a ghoulish sort of way was this one about: Water cremation which explains how water cremation works.  This type of cremation has now been approved for use in Scotland and is said to be a greener form of cremation.  Who knew?

The news can be so confusing at times.  I spotted a headline about the YouTuber KS1 buying a minority stake in Barking & Dagenham.  To me Barking & Dagenham means a London borough near to where we used to live.  I was puzzled as to how that could happen only to find out that of course it meant the football club Barking & Dagenham.  Silly me!

But at least today was another sunny day.  That's definitely worth reporting.

A bit of Waffle on 2/3/26

It has been sunny today - all day!  And it was warm.  It felt like Spring.  I guess it is technically Spring now we're into March but we have had so many grey rainy days it's been hard to believe it was coming.

I even did a couple of bits in the garden - the lavender needed cutting back as did the rose tree in the front garden.  Both were jobs I should have done ages ago but at least they are done now.  I also gave the front doorstep a once over, another job that the weather hasn't helped with.

And then I went and got a couple of bits from Tesco so I've already met my 7500 step target and I haven't even been to the Foodbank yet!  Now I'll be going in the car as I don't need the walk to make up my steps.  I thought I might be doing a food pick up tonight as one of the volunteer drivers hadn't confirmed they were available but then they did at the last minute so one less thing to worry about.

So no more time for waffle.  Hope your start to the week has been good too.