Monday, May 11, 2020

This week....

I'm reading...


A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I was starting to listen to The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan, but during the last week I ended up swapping my audiobook to something a bit lighter and have made quite a bit of progress. I have read a few Jenny Colgan books over the years and enjoyed them, so it seemed like a safe choice to pick The Bookstore on the Shore. The only problem was that it didn't take too long before I realised that this was a follow up book, which I haven't read yet. I dislike reading books out of order, but I still continued on seeing as I had started. It doesn't seem to be making too much of an impact, but I still very much prefer to read in order.

I started and finished The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare which I enjoyed. This is the third book in the Girl Meets Duke series, and I am looking forward to reading the fourth book in the series when it comes out later this year. In the mean time I have a couple of other series by Tessa Dare that I can finish up while I wait for that next week.

Just today I have started reading Fire Study, which is the third book in the Chronicles of Ixia series that I started a few weeks ago. Where the first two books were rereads, that is as far as I got the first time around, so this is now new ground for me. This book was signed by the author back in 2011 and yet I am only just reading it now! It's signed saying "The danger heats up!" so it sounds like I am in for an adventure.


I'm watching...

On Friday night we sat down and watched the second series of After Life on Netflix which is written and produced by Ricky Gervais. We watched the first series last year and at that time we wer pleasantly surprised that such a sensitive and deep series was produced by Ricky Gervais. There are moments, and certain characters, which are more Gervais like but overall it is a very pleasant surprise.

The series follows Ricky Gervais' character Tony whose wife Lisa  has just died from cancer. He is beyond devastated and is contemplating suicide himself. The series focuses on the interactions he has with the people around him, from his work mates, his nephew, the nurse who looks after his dad at the local nursing home, and the lady he regularly sees at the cemetery. His interactions with Anne as they sit on a bench in the cemetery are some of my favourites.

It is quite dark, but it is also funny and warm, and we are already looking forward to the next series, whenever it comes out.

We also watched A Secret Love on Netflix over the weekend. This is a documentary which concentrates on two women who have spent their whole  lives together but have only just revealed to their family that they are more than just friends. I can't imagine having to explain to my family that I have been in a relationship with someone for more than 65 years and still have to deal with repercussions. Against the background of that story, there is also the fact that both Terry and Pat are in their 90s and are needing to change their living arrangements so that they are better cared for, which is a point of contention between the women and their family. The other thing that is interesting is that Terry was one of the professional baseball players in the All American Girl Professional Baseball League. The documentary, which was filmed by Terry's great nephew, is very moving.






Life

There's not a lot of news on the life front this week. They have announced that restrictions have been lifted to a degree from today. Basically that means that you can have small gatherings in your home but we will still be strongly encouraged to work from home until the end of the month. Whilst I am okay with working from home for the most part, I do think I am starting to get a bit of cabin fever.

The big news over the weekend is that from next week I am going to be taking over the hosting duties for Weekend Cooking. This weekly meme has been hosted by Bethfishreads for more than 10 years. It is exciting and daunting.

I guess it also means that my return to blogging has stuck. Since coming back in January I have definitely enjoyed the blogging experience again, and in fact now have some post ideas scheduled until May next year! I am also thinking that it is time for a blog makeover so let's see how long before that gets done!

Posts from the last week

Library Loot
Alphabet 2020
Weekend Cooking: Cinnamon Rolls


I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date

32 comments:

  1. Hope you enjoy hosting Weekend Cooking. I don't think it will make too much difference reading The Jenny Colgan book - I've listened to the series and as far as I remember this one takes on different characters.

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    1. Nina and Lennox do play a part in this second book. I believe there is a third one coming soon too.

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  2. The Colgan books do look fun.

    Good luck with Weekend Cooking! I've seen a few of those posts over at Beth Fish and they're always interesting. :)

    Hope your week ahead is a good one!

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    1. Thanks Greg. I am looking forward to hosting Weekend Cooking!

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  3. I like reading books in order, too. I read a book this weekend that was the third of a series and felt like I missed something.

    After Life sounds really good. I will need to check it out. Good luck with hosting Weekend Cooking.

    Thanks for visiting my blog.

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    1. I hear you Cheryl. That's why I prefer to read in order - to get the whole story

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    1. We will look for the Ricky Grevais series and A Secret Love based upon your recommendations. Thank you!

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    2. I hope you enjoy it Melynda!

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  5. I read just one Colgan book and have not been able to get to anymore. Hope you enjoy the Weekend Cooking meme. The isolation has turned a lot of people into avid cooks.

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    1. I have read a few now Mystica and I will be reading more.

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  6. I do love finding new things to watch on Netflix (and Hulu and Amazon Prime!). I will check out After Life.

    Enjoy your books and your week, and thanks for visiting my blog.

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    1. I don't have Hulu but certainly the other two are places I look for new things to watch Laurel-Rain

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  7. Congrats on taking over Weekend Cooking! A Secret Love sounds so good, but heartbreaking as well. We were surprised at how much we enjoyed After Life too and look forward to the second season. Reading books out of order is so hard for me! I usually put it down and get the first one. Have a great week and hope your relaxed restrictions are a success.

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    1. Fingers crossed that the number of cases doesn't spike now that the restrictions are lifted a bit Nise.

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  8. I prefer reading books in order too. I also enjoyed all the Ixia books though I know about books lingering on my TBR mountain for a while before I get to them. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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    1. I definitely can see myself reading all the Ixia books Kathy.

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  9. Sometimes a break is what we need right? So glad you are back to blogging and looking forward to many more posts. I've always said that I prefer to read books in order but I've become a bit more relaxed about that. I'm also still working from home and do miss seeing my co-workers but for now I admit I am more comfortable staying home. Hope you have a great week!

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    1. I did get to see one of my co-workers last week which was a nice treat. It will be odd when we can all get together again.

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  10. I enjoy Jenny Colgan too. I haven't The Bookshop on the Shore, however. I prefer to read books in order, but there are times I don't. I do okay with books that can stand well on their own, but if they can't, it really throws me off. I haven't read a Tessa Dare book yet, but I see her books around a lot. I may have to try something by her.

    A Secret Love sounds like a wonderful documentary. My great aunt was so nervous about coming out to my mom about her and her partner who she'd been living with for years. She had nothing to worry about--but she didn't know that, of course. Most of us in the family already knew, and I feel bad that she had worried so much over telling us. But you hear so many stories about families who aren't accepting. It's so heartbreaking.

    Congratulations on taking over the hosting duties for Weekend Cooking! I hope you have fun with it.

    Have a great week, Marg. Stay safe and well.

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    1. I can't imagine how it would be to come out to your family and have them not be accepting.

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  11. My great uncle has been with his partner for around fifty five years, when I was about 11 I told my mother to stop referring to them as flat mates, I knew they were a couple and didn’t care. It never even occurred to me to hide it from my kids, they have always known. I really feel for the couple in the documentary.

    Congrats on your new hosting gig for Weekend Cooking!

    Wishing you a great reading week, stay well x

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    1. It was a very interesting documentary Shelleyrae!

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  12. Seems like you are getting lots of reading done. Why all the shows lately about the afterlife? or am I only just noticing them. We started watching Upload this past weekend. It's on Prime. Congrats again on the Weekend Cooking gig.

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    1. I must admit I like the look of Upload Care

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  13. I'm so jealous that you've got a copy of THE GOOD TURN! They are not available in the U.S. unless you want to pay upwards of $30 (which I don't). Maybe once the COVID stuff dies down a little I'll be able to get myself a reasonably-priced copy.

    I've read a couple of books by Colgan. They're fun! I'm with you, though, I don't like reading books in a series out of order. Even if the books are only loosely connected, I still like to read them in order.

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    1. Maybe it will will end up being published in the US which will make it easier to find Susan

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  14. Hi Marg,
    I enjoy Jenny Colgan, too, but I don't know this one. I'm going online immediately to figure that one out. I've read three novels by her and have loved all I've read. Her books are soothing, life-affirming, vibrant--just what we need these days!

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    1. Marg,
      Lucky me. I've got Bookshop on the Shore on hold and it will available very soon. Thank you!

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    2. Yay Judith! Hope you enjoy it.

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  15. I think I will look for After Life. I first saw Ricky Gervais on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. I'd like to see more of him.

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    1. I hope you enjoy After Life if you watch it Deb.

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