Monthly Archives: September 2020

2020, 2020 Goodreads Challenge, Books

One Book Behind

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You’re on Track

Dear Goodreads

This year I have set myself a challenge of 54 books to read. Shouldn’t be a problem as last year I did manage to read 56 books but  at the beginning of the week and with 17 weeks to go, you keep telling me that I’m one book behind. What should I do? I almost bought Roald Dahl’s, James and the Giant Peach when it was on Kindle’s daily deal; that would have been a nice and quick read.

On Monday, I had finished The Throwaway Children by Diney Costeloe. Published in 2015, and I actually bought it then so I have no idea why it has taken me so long to read. The story is set in 1948 and is about 2 little girls being sent to an orphanage after their mother marries again. Her new husband is violent and does not want them around. I immediately fell in love with plucky Rita, the eldest sister, who cared deeply for her little sister Rosie. Lily, the girls’ grandmother, is another brave character, who tries her very best to take them away from the orphanage. She is told that the girls have been adopted, and hoping that they have been found a home with love, writes them a letter to tell them how she cares for them. Unbeknown to Lily, the girls have been sent to Australia to an orphanage there where they are separated from each other.

I wasn’t sure if I could read the book after the girls were sent to the English orphanage as they were treated so badly. I did though and it was an extremely sad story but one with an ending that was very tearful but also one of hope. This book certainly earned a 5 star review from me.

When I’ve read a harrowing book, I like to look for something which might have a bit of a happier feel. I chose The Last Piece by Imogen Clark. I discovered this author in 2018 and have tried to read all her books. This story is about the Nightingale family, Cecily and Norman and their three daughters plus a 50 year old secret. After my last read, whilst not so disturbing, it was still a thought provoking read. Not the feel good book I was looking for but one I enjoyed. I managed to read it in 4 days so Goodreads, my status now  reads you are on target!

My next read is Dorothy Koomson’s follow up to The Ice Cream Girls, All My Lies Are True. I only started reading last night but am hooked so I think I’m going to stay on track! I don’t think this is going to have the feel good factor either but never mind, it will soon be time to read the Christmas books!

Yours forever reading

Tina

P.S. Was it cheating that I read P.S. I Love You again. I did read the follow up and felt that I had to read it!

2020, Family, friends and favourite things, Fitness and Health

I’ve got my mind set on you

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Lovely memories

Dear Tony

Another birthday without you. I hope that you are happier where you are and you are enjoying having mum and dad to yourself.

Life is a bit strange here. As well as the restrictions that are in place, there is uncertainty about jobs which of course brings emotional and financial worries. Charities are suffering a lot as events that would be held to raise funds have been cancelled. I’ve decided to set myself challenges and give a small amount of money to charities each month.

For the month of August, I did 10 days of alternate 5k running and walking. I started running about 6 months after you left us in 2016. As well as health benefits, exercise is also great for our mental health. I always think of you when I run. I wonder if it would have helped you if you had taken up something like running.

I actually chose to do this challenge after seeing Macmillan advertising it. I didn’t get sponsors though but gave a very small donation to them. I loved the walks and will continue with the 5k route which took me by our family house, over the bridge as mum would say which led to the park we liked to visit as children, then up to the Green Dragon before returning home. Not a scenic walk but one full of memories. This route takes me around an hour. I listen to the Joe Wickes podcast who always had interesting guests talking about what they turned to to help their physical and mental health. A very interesting listen. I finish off listening to radio 2. I ditched my favourite radio 1 shows long ago but interestingly some of the DJs that we would have listened to now appear on radio 2!

In honour of your birthday, September’s charity is Mind. This is another great charity and one that is in great need at the moment. I have chosen to try to improve my running and am aiming to run 30 miles in the month. I am running 1 mile runs for 3 days, having a day of rest and then running a 5k. So far, and I’ve only run 2 of the 5k runs, managed to improve my times. Now Tony, when I say running, I am actually very slow but at least I can run for a bus now.

I can see how tough life was for you with all your mental health problems. Listening to Joe Wickes asking his guests what they do to keep their spirits up made me ponder how I would answer. One of the first things I like to do is bake. I also like getting lost in a book, playing games on computer such as sudoku and solitaire (can be very addictive!) and cross stitching. Being out in the fresh hour to run or walk also helps. For you, getting out of bed to do these pastimes would have been a major hurdle. Hopefully charities like Mind will be able to continue to help people like yourself.

You are always in my thoughts.

Sleep tight.

Your big sister

Tina x

P.S. I still love the picture of us when I visited you at your school. I can’t quite believe I was actually taller than you for a while!

P.P.S. On my mile run today, I actually did a personal best of 11.13 min/mile!

A good 5k time for me!

2020, Afternoon Teas, Family, friends and favourite things

Red Velvet, Will you please?

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My Mum

Dear Mum

Five years have flown by since you left. It took me a while to get used to my weekends again. My Saturday afternoons had been spent with you. After catching up, there would be a film to watch. It might have been To Kill a Mocking Bird or The Lake House with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves (Note for Kathryn. We have to watch this film).

One of the things I do like to do now on a Saturday afternoon is bake. You would love eating the cakes I make especially anything with chocolate in. One of the other things I like to do is afternoon teas with Kathryn.

As a family, we have always loved cream teas (just thinking about spreading jam across the scone and topping with a thick layer of clotted cream is making my mouth water – Kathryn, that is the correct way of eating a scone!). Last year, arranging a mum and daughter day out and both not wanting to shop, we went for an afternoon tea and decided to make it a monthly event. We even created an instagram page called onceuponascone. We did manage three teas before Christmas and had a lovely tea in February in Bath. Then lockdown happened. This didn’t put us off afternoon teas. As soon as we were allowed to be together again, we actually made our own. As it was the 5th anniversary of the day you left us, we chose Sunday 28th June to remember you. I had just got a very nice cooker so it was the first time I baked scones in it. They were delicious.

Slowly, we are getting our life back to normal (well a new normal), so we were super excited to start going for teas again. I thought I would share my lovely day out with Kathryn on the 18th August (Richard’s birthday but we didn’t invite him!). Chris had arranged a voucher for tea at Cliveden House in Maidenhead. Chris was also our chauffeur for the day so it did mean we could enjoy a glass of champagne too. Another thing you would have liked Mum!

We arrived early so we could enjoy the grounds and woodlands of Cliveden. It is a National Trust property and the tea included the trip round the grounds. Whilst I was looking forward to the tea, if I lived close to this property, I would have become a member of the National Trust and visited every week. As we experienced some rain, we didn’t get to appreciate it all but what we saw was breathtaking. We loved walking through the rose garden and going down the Yew Tree Steps (apparently 172 steps but we didn’t notice because we were laughing so much as we were in sync with our stepping. We missed Jordan at the point because he would have loved being part of that. Next visit I promise I will let you take part Jordan!) to sit by the Thames. As it was raining, we didn’t attempt the steps upwards.

Anyway, back to the tea. As I said, we are living in strange times and we now need to wear masks in enclosed areas so we had to remember to put them on when entering the hotel. Luckily we can take them off when eating! Chris made sure we had a wonderful view from our table. The champagne was waiting for us so we very quickly removed the masks. Then first course of our tea arrived. As well as sandwiches, we had chilled pea and mint soup (I can imagine you are turning your nose up mum but believe me, it was delicious), gingerbread savoury with cream cheese, cheese and ham croissant and peri-peri beef taco. The best savoury selection I have ever had.

It was then the turn of the scones, one fruit and one plain each. Kathryn did think that we didn’t have enough clotted cream but there was plenty. We had gone a bit posh with our tea (no not PG tips, mum), we had Assam. I think it’s one of my favourites. We barely had any room for the cakes but I do like to try one or maybe two! We had a lovely red velvet sponge cake, a delicious peach melba cake and a rhubarb cake presented to us. We shared the red velvet sponge and peach melba. Don’t worry mum, we took the rest home in a doggy bag, well actually a beautiful box. We also had a complimentary red velvet muffin to take away which I can confirm was very nice.

I know that you would have loved the tea although you wouldn’t have enjoyed going out. If you were still here (I wish you were), we would have definitely shared some of the tea with you.

We are already arranging our next tea which will probably be the weekend of Tony’s birthday. Can you let him know to expect a letter from me at around that time.

Love to Dad.

Love and kisses

Tina x

P.S. Why red velvet and what is red velvet any way, I hear you ask. Red velvet cake is well known in USA from New York’s Waldorf hotel which was built by Cliveden’s former owner, William Waldorf Astor. Red velvet cake is a chocolate cake with a red colour. Traditionally the red colour was due to the cocoa used but most recipes now use a red food colouring paste. I have never tried making this cake but might give it a go now.

Yew Tree Steps
Cliveden House delights