Books again

 I had high hopes for this book, it was a slower plot, for me it did not build as it promised and was not the page turner style of his other books I have read. A clever plot, the main witness is blind, some of the police activities was strange, ego's at work. Book 57 read this year. 

This was great from the beginning, just an average family moving into an old house, the plot grew with the husband being the main player, it's always good to discover what's hidden in your home, isn't it, another book I could not put down. Book 58 read this year.  

I enjoyed this book, just an ordinary couple, their induvial past's catch up with them, how they carry on with a young son growing up, life is never simple, as a teenager their son does something stupid, what would you do. Book 59 read this year.

Another good story with a misleading title until the end, it built nicely the story unfolded, adding different people to help or divert the plots. I really enjoyed this book, it's on the Richard and Judy book list, and I can understand why. Book 60 read this year.

Family life, sisters helping each other, one goes to the others holiday home, leaving the children home with their aunt. There is a murder, they rush home, what's happening to their lives, who has done this. Perfect plot for me, just an average mum wanting answers. Book 61 read this year

Another new author for me, I was worried 'Harry' was a successful published author, just engaged to Edward, who comes from one of the richest American families, but I read on. This is a clever plot, a English woman who living in USA, self made  not forgetting her roots. It twisted through the pages, with a clever ending, some of which I guessed. Book 62 read this year.

I picked this book because it was set in Australia, in truth it could have been anywhere, a clever plot, sending doubts and questions at every turn, can you believe what you see, have you got things wrong. I read this book quickly as I wanted to see what happens next, very clever ending. Book 63 read this year.

These are all library books, I am branching out to new to me authors, which is fun, to open a book and not know who or how the story will unfold, pure bliss. Nothing much to do outside, enjoy the view and harvest a few things. I should be working on my 2023 book, I have promised myself I will make inroads this month. 

The evenings are now darker, lights are being turned on, my garden twinkles at night with the solar lights, cooler mornings, which I do like, we are have more rainy days, still sunny, but the warmth has gone. The season is changing, for me it's a sad time, the garden is closing, the brightly coloured blooms are fading, I can see gaps, so it will be time to pack things away until next spring. I do love the colours of autumn, and I do love bare trees, their true shape, the shadows they create, I don't cut back my flower beds, the plants are left for wildlife.  

Families

Sunday I was outside for a while, I planted a small conifer from hubby's garden into a spare pot, it won't grow big, he is changing part of his conifer garden, we popped to our favourite garden centre and hubby got the grasses he wanted, shock horror, I got nothing for my garden. Hubby has space for a couple more plants, he's talking about getting some alpines, as they would suit the front of his bed.

With George starting school soon, life is going to be very different for him, unlike Will who comes out of school full of energy, we expect George to be tired, and therefore less likely to be able to go to the local parks. They had a slide in their garden, which was small and it cracked, so hubby and I decided they need something in their own garden. With daughter help with choices, this climbing frame with slide arrived last weekend. We have three happy grand children.

End of a era for George, last time at preschool nursery, and ready for school, with all the local support, his school have been fantastic, daughter is not as worried about him going to school. All we have to hope is his first week goes well, he is not great with too many changes all at once, he knows his 1to1 support person, and has been in the classroom a few times. 

We spent the weekend at home, daughter and children popped over on Saturday for a couple of hours, both Molly and George were asking to see us, I had a day not doing anything in the garden, I read and rested as did hubby, I have been making notes in my garden journal, noting each bed, what was growing, a couple of plants I am moving. 

September is a month of celebrations, hubby's birthday was on Monday, we had a quiet day home with a Chinese takeaway for tea and a glass of red wine. Daughter and Will popped in for cake and give hubby cards and gift, George and Molly were at nursery, Will was very animated, normally he's out done by his younger siblings. He wanted to check my wildlife pond, I was told its a good habitat, he was very happy with everything, I also got a huge compliment, he said our garden looked like a flower shop, he also raided the raspberries and blackberries, some things never change.

Today is wet and dull again, hubby has to pop out this morning for an hour, I'm staying in, not much to do, hubby wants some fleabane daisies for his front garden, he thinks they will soften the front wall, so I am going to take loads of cuttings for him.  

Bargains

 Friday I met a friend for lunch, we visited Stokes bay, it has a long flat pebble beach, the land across the water is the Isle of Wright, the water, The Solent is always very busy, we had a lovely walk and chat, we have not seen each other for a while, so it was good to catch up. 

Hubby got a grass for his front garden, the agreement was he would bear the cost, but I would be allowed to separate a small piece for my pond area. The deep root planters have a price of £10.99, in the 75% off sale, I paid £2.74, a bargain and useful as I didn't have enough this past spring. 

I wrote in my last blog about gardening gloves and got a couple of comments, I have worn these 'workman's' gloves from B&Q for a couple of years, they are not water proof, they are tough and thin enough not to hinder in any way. I purchased 3 pairs in May 2022, I keep one pair in the greenhouse the other two I use everyday. When they get too dirty, I wear them, squirt a bit of washing up liquid and wash my hands with them on, they always come back good. This is not a paid advert, just me saying what great gloves they are, if you want to get some, look in the electrical tool section at B&Q. The Traffi brand are very expensive and I truly can't say they are better quality, I would think they are both the same.

We popped to our favourite garden centre, a few weeks ago we got a reed diffuser, a refill and a candle, all lemon smelling for our downstairs bathroom, they were half price but still expensive, we both loved the smell and popped back to see if they had anymore. This time they were 75% off, we managed to get another candle and two refills, hubby went online and got another diffuser at full price, on the whole we have saved loads and our home smells wonderful, we have diffusers in both bathrooms and the two candles in our sitting room.

Hubby was looking at the grasses and stated he would like to change his front garden corner, it has loads of conifers, not trees, low shrubs, some are getting a bit ropey looking (his words). One I can use in my back garden, so he is sorting and then going shopping for more decorative grasses, he wants some taller ones, he is growing more to his front beds.

I was asked how the Shark vacuum cleaner was performing against my old Dyson, hubby and I have had a few chats, the Dyson had more brushes for different areas, it felt lighter, and the brush section was easier to manoeuvre. The Shark is quieter, it feels as if it picks up better, but that could just be my Dyson was old, I don't have a decent brush for the stairs, the feature which allows the arm to bend I won't use and the lights on the brush is unnecessary. Both are easy empty, the filters are easy to get at for cleaning, I don't regret getting the Shark, it was much cheaper than a replacement Dyson.

August round up

 No spend on craft, and just seeds and bulbs, the new pond container and bits to finish the area, so a better month, very happy to be under £100.

We purchased a new washing machine, ours was making strange noises, its years old, plus my trusty Dyson stopped charging, it was four years old, so again no complaining, hubby found a Shark cordless at a very good price to replace it.  We are not doing much DIY, we do have one project our bedroom and the stairs, it's planned, just need to get going, we decided to leave our wooden floor to a later date. 

Again no food waste, I have managed to freeze some homegrown tomatoes, not as many as previous years, we do have a few more harvest to come. 

As for my steps and weight, I'm back to square one, I'm averaging about 5,500 steps per day, gardening, housework and the grandchildren keep me active, BUT the weight is back up, everything I do is only ever temporary, I was chatting to my sister-in-law, she said I should not worry and be who I am, I don't know if I can do that.