It’s such a pity we don’t live in the UK!!! This sounds like so much fun – I haven’t completely looked into the website so why not dip in as I am?
My Corner of The Internet
Things To Make Me Smile (and a few things that annoy me)
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I was reading a blog post today about a short stay in Rome and you know I’m so jealous. So far this year I’ve used about half of my annual leave on doctors and hospital visits – I usually keep the leave ’til about now and use them for holidays so this year trips abroad are not really on the cards – for two reasons really = I don’t have the leave left and himself isn’t well enough be able to wander around places for a day let alone a long weekend 😦
So with this in mind I’m day dreaming of places we’ve been and like to return to whenever we can. This time of the year sees us return to Paris where we walk for miles and miles finding exhibitions both new and old, little shops that sell the oddest of things. It doesn’t get better then spending an evening wandering around trying to decide which restaurant will we eat in.
At this time of the day I should be just finishing my salad nicoise and getting ready to walk from Notre Dame (after feeding the birds) to the Louvre and the Jardin Des Tuileries. Shall we sit by the fountains and have an ice-cream? What will we do afterwards? Cut across to the Musée d’Orsay? or head on up towards the Champs-Elysée? – maybe we’ll save that ’til later.
I think later this year I’ll fondly reminisce about Edinburgh and the Christmas market, warms pubs & dinner with friends. However, I’ve a few months before that one starts.
I was going to say next year we’re going to do all of that but that is almost like putting things on hold and wishing away your life – so as soon as himself is well enough I think we will definitely try to get away – a long weekend doesn’t need as much 😉 Maybe we’ll jig things up and go to Paris this winter and Edinburgh next summer?
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This morning we went book buying – it was the first big trip out of the house for himself so this was a big thing.
The book sale we went to is for the Shankill Old Folks Association or S.O.F.A. it is on the first Saturday of every month and this month we were free (there is always a huge chance that himself will be working) Anyway I came out with a nice little haul 🙂Dorothy L Sayers: Have His Carcase (Lord Peter Wimsey)
Henning Mankell: The White Lioness (Kurt Wallander)
Margery Allingham: Mystery Mile (Albert Campion)
Deanna Raybourn: Silent In The Grave (Lady Julia Grey & Nicholas Brisbane)
Charlie English: The Snow Tourist
The other book I got but I didn’t buy – himself got it for me was the book about the BBC Big Read
I’m thrilled with this little lot and am wondering where to fit them in in my summer reading – although The Snow Tourist might just have to wait until later in the year.
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Most of yesterday was filled with a yearning to read something different. My usual habits are crime fiction, fantasy & a bit of SF with bits and pieces thrown in on the sides for good measure. However I think it’s fair to say that it hasn’t been the best of times so far this year what with his cancer and me with stuff so my head isn’t in the mood for finding new books and that is why I’m having a summer of re-reads. It’s probably just a comfort thing and sticking to what I know so that is why I’ll be digging into the bits and pieces.
I’ve picked three books that I will re-read and one that’s been on my self for a while.
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
I Capture The Castle by Dodi Smith
Rose Cottage by Mary StewartThe book that’s been on my shelf for a while sees me drifting back to crime fiction (ish) I say ish ’cause I’m not sure if it is or isn’t! Anyway that one is One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson.
However there is one new book that I might pick up over the summer and that is “Miss Conceived” by Emma Hannigan – I saw it when I was out shopping and it appealed to me – don’t ask!!
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I did have a long post written for this but it was LONG and it started to wander. A quick summary:
Pádraig was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer however he had surgery on Thursday and is making a great recovery. He will be out in a ward soon and hopefully not long after that he’ll be home.
It’s odd I’m loving having the place to myself however I miss not being able to talk to him whenever I want. What makes this even more odd is the fact that I’ve spent the majority of my waking hours with him.
Speaking of which I really should get ready to head out – my carpark ticket is valid ’til about 1.30.Get Well Soon Sweetheart!
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I have to admit that I didn’t really watch Life On Mars – but have watched Ashes to Ashes from the beginning – I might go back to Mars but we’ll see. Anyway yesterday we got to see the first episode and the second episode which was on yesterday evening. All I can say Why didn’t we record it??? The opening sequence was simply great. I like the song Uptown Girl – ok so Billy Joel in the video looks a little bit scary but what harm? Anyway yesterday in true 80s style we had Gene Hunt and Uptown Girl – Fan-tastic!!
and just in case you want the original here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jy0YmvGc6oembedding is disabled on that one.
Anyway I will be returning to watch this post a fair bit in the future as it really tickles me and if I need a laugh this will be the place to go.
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or should that be Chocolat? I have seasonal readings – I have decided I now have seasonal reading is probably more correct. It started out that with the arrival of December I would dig out my copy of The Christmas Mystery and as each chapter is a date in December I would read each chapter on the day mentioned. I even manage it for the most part! I then progressed and started reading Christmas ghost stories in November (a between Halloween and Christmas thing) I’m not overly successful with that but I do try. Now that it’s lent I’m thinking of bringing Chocolat by Joanne Harris into the mix as the story takes place during lent…
I’m wondering should my choice of words have been festive reading rather than seasonal? Anyhoo! I’m a very slow reader so I think I’m going to indulge in an audio version of Chocolat – You can’t beat the curling purring tones of Samantha Bond and the writing of Joanne Harris. Mercifully I’ve not given up chocolate for lent ’cause that is a book just dripping with temptation for the finer indulgences. -
I hope I’m not putting a jinx on this but I’ve just had good sleep for two nights in a row! I would never have thought of myself as a light sleeper previously but I’m very aware of himself in the bedroom – when he gets up, when he get back in to bed, when he’s reading to the extent that I’m almost waking up when he rolls over! – ok maybe not THAT bad but not far from it – I wake up 3 or 4 times every night. I don’t have any problem going back to sleep but it’s the disturbance that gets me. Ok I’m used to it – I’ve been like this for the best part of 9 years. However I’m not saying that I haven’t had any good nights sleep since but I’ve had two in a row and I’m feeling great.
So the thing that makes me smile is waking up after a nightful of sleep and not feeling the need to have a snooze. Yes I’ve been awake since the early and I’ll need an early night (ish) but I don’t have “I’m wrecked” as my background for the day. Even just the thought of that has me feeling slightly buzzed. So with that I’d better buzz off and get stuff done.
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Since my last post we (me & he) got a bit of bad news – so I’ve been in search of smiles and not really finding any. Instead I’ve been hitting anxiety levels that have been previously unheard of.
So – it’s not so much smiles as giggles but if you haven’t come across Simon’s Cat you haven’t lived. If you’re a cat person you will love this – if you’re not a cat person I do apologise and please don’t click the link.
Anyway I’ve the house to myself for an entire 2.5 hours so I’m off to soak in a bath! I’ve had a recommendation of – rose & lavender with a hint of Juniper oil so I will let you know how I get on 🙂
