Februrary's Plans

Plans, plans and more plans.  My brain really is a sucker for punishment, still it's nice to have some goals... even if I might not achieve them all.  

 

This month it's onwards and upwards and more of the same, though looking back it's nice to see that I did actually finish some things and made some decent headway with others. 

I'm just hoping that the heat doesn't get any worse or that my brain decides to goes on strike...

 

Reading

 

No plans as such because as we all know reading is pretty much a big part of who I am but I am keen to work my way through a rather large pile of e-magazines I have currently got out on loan plus the dozen or so audio books which recently fell... "cough"... into my hands.

Gardening

 

So much to do so naturally I've been getting stuck it and madly trimming trees and shrubs and clearing beds.  Even so it looks like I have barely made a dent and I'm pretty sure the weeds and the trees are growing faster than I can keep up with.

Oh well at least I'm getting plenty of exercise and fresh air.  The plan for this month is to carry on as normal with all the above tasks as well as lay down several bags off compost.

Can I just sleep now?

Crafting

 

Cross stitch project finished and done.  I know right?  Even I'm kind of amazed and surprised by that.  Especially since it's taken me so very, very long.

 

With that looming project finally gone I'm weirdly very keen to do more (stupid brain) and am already half way through my latest project - knitting a blanket for my cat Nudge as well as eyeing up some future projects such as a knitted blanket for my bed, a pretty cardigan for me and a nice cross stitch to hang on our wall. Oh and there's a pompom rug that I want to make plus try out my knitting circle loom and... 

I'm almost kind of glad that the winters down here are long and dark just so I can get busy with all this crafting.

Watching

As I mentioned in my previous post with so little to watch I've had to do a bit of hunting to help wile away the nights.  My latest watching marathon is Waking the Dead, a British crime show.  How I missed this show when it first screened I have no idea but at least now I have 9 seasons to work my way through.

Get Fit and Healthy

 

Does gardening count as exercise?

 

I really hope so, otherwise I've been fairly lackluster about this, though there has been the occasional walk so that's at least something.

On the other hand eating wise things are going well.  A constant diet of smoothies, scrambled eggs and vegan curries seem to be doing wonders, not only for my energy levels but for weight lost too.  I'm also seriously loving all the plant protein meals that I've been having lately.

At this rate I might just need to get myself a new smoothie making machine.

Writing

 

3 blog posts last month, other than that nada, zip, zilch, finito.  So I really need to push myself into doing more.  Perhaps the winter will see this goal finally being tackled properly.  Until then blog posts it is. 

The Viewing Files 2020: A Year of New Watching

Well my reading might not have gone down but my TV and movie watching certainly took a hit  No surprise there since it was just about impossible for studios to make anything. Plus a lot of our previous loved shows had ended the year before so our list of what to watch was pretty small... really, really small in fact.

Still with a bit of hunting and much reading of various reviews etc I did manage to find a few things to enjoy that helped wile away the nights.

 

The Blacklist

 

Season 7 may have ended a bit weird what with an animated episode but man that show is still good.  The mystery of who Red really is keeps me and my friend Nellie in endless chats and rewatches trying to pull together all the clues.  This show is going to drive me nuts.

Gold Digger 

Totally shallow viewing.  Ben Barnes.  In glasses.  Need I say anything else.  Except that the show was actually pretty good.  A love story with a difference.

The Capture

 

This was seriously good.  So twisty.  So turny.  So Oh My God this could actually happen which isn't that a scary thought.  Can hardly wait for the next season...

Perry Mason 

 

Bat shit crazy at times but worth it for Matthew Rhys's performance alone.  This actor just keeps getting better and better.  Watch The Americans and this show and you'll see what I mean.

The Great

 

Another bat shit crazy at times show but oh so good.  Looking for an historical drama with great performances then this is the show.  The costumes are pretty great too.  Now just waiting for season 2...

Simon Reeve

 

Simon Reeve saved my sanity.  Faced with weeks of endless winter nights and nothing to watch this was the show that helped keep me going.  Thank God there are about 20 series in all, each one from 2 to 4 episodes so there's plenty to watch and enjoy.  Combines travel with history, social, environmental and political commentary.  Super good and fascinating and all with the warm and gentle touch of Mr Reeve.

The War on Plastic

 

I learnt so much from this show.  Like did you know that there is plastic in Christmas wrapping paper?  Who knew?  Fascinating and informative.  You need to watch. 

Seven Worlds One Planet

 

Documentaries for the win were pretty much it for the second half of the year.  Beautiful, awe inspiring and emotional, the perfect show to be amazed by.

Tiny Creatures

 

And finally all the cute.  I now want a golden hamster.  And his wheel.  And his house.  And pretty much just him and everything else. 

Book Talk 2020: A Year of Easy Reading

I really thought my reading would be down this year.  Especially since there were months when I didn't read a single thing.  I know right?  Even I'm amazed at that.  Then again THAT year says it all really.  Doing mammoth reading sessions just wasn't really in the cards.  And yet here we are... 215 books read or listened to by me. Even in a off year I still managed to read a lot.

 

61 Graphic novels

43 Chick Lit

27 Crime

22 YA

21 Non fiction

11 Audio books

7 Children's fiction

6 General fiction

6 Contemporary romance

6 Thrillers

3 Science fiction

2 Fantasy 

Pretty much every genre went down compared to the previous year (no surprise considering the year that was).  Though graphic novels and audio books increased hugely which kind of shows exactly where my brain was at. I am though pleased that my non fiction reading managed to stay over 20 books for the year, if only just.

Disappointments were a few.  Crime on the whole just didn't work for me this year but that's probably due to my brain and the state of the world at the moment than poor writing.  It was a year of escapism, and murder just wasn't going to cut it.  Not that there weren't still the odd one that hooked me in.  Though these were a lot less murder and much more thrills.

Favs as always were so many that I've had to be ruthless and I've managed to cut the list down to a more reasonable handful.  A mixed bag of exciting thrillers and science fiction with the odd made you think kind of book. There's even one called Pandemic which was an "oh so scary that could almost be true" audio book.  

I know.  What was I thinking.  Still it was seriously good.  So there's that.  

At least the rest of the books on the list are all feel good reads and look there's even some of my fav genre - Christmas chick lit.  

So a win all round then.

New Beginnings...

We are not going to talk about last year.  

 

Okay?  Good. 

Sucky, hellish year over (hopefully for all of us) and a bright new year ahead. I'm trying not to be too hopeful but really hope is pretty much all we have at the moment so hope and new beginnings is the way I'm gonna go. The year that was is over and the year that is, is just starting.

 

So what are my plans for the year... well pretty much what they always are...

 

Reading

 

This never changes. I love books and I love stories so naturally I love to read.  

 

A lot.

 

Still I'm hoping this year to continue on mixing up my reading and add more graphic novels, audio books and pretty much any other genres that aren't YA, Chick Lit or Crime to my reading wish list.  Suggestions for titles for me to try are always welcome, so get suggesting.

Gardening

 

So much to do.  Mostly because we are in a new home and the garden here has been left for years to basically just grow and grow and grow and now it's just one big wild forest.

 

I'm going to be really, really busy.  Which means that some of the things on this list are already looking shaky.  Can I just hire someone else to do all the hard work already?

Get Fit and Get Healthy

 

Weird health issues and stress eating has, no surprise there, caused havoc on my body and on my health.   Now that things are a little bit more settled I'm working on getting back on track.

 

Living on endless smoothies and mashed veg is probably going to help.  Because yes my very weird swallowing problem has flared up again.  Oh joy.

 

Still on the plus side smoothies taste so good so there's that.

Crafting

 

I am determined to do some of this year.  With long, very cold winters looming in our future courtesy of our new abode this year feels like the year that lots of crafting will happen.

Writing

This was going so well until THAT year happened.  

Still the brain is feeling rested and full of words so this plan really does feel like it's going to happen.  Doing my first blog post in a very long time is a good start.

March's Plans and February's Outcomes

Plans?  Who needs them?  I've pretty much been failing most of mine for the last couple of months which shows you exactly how things have been going on in my world.  The heat, once again, really is to blame.  I'm pretty sure it has sapped my will to do anything even remotely productive.

Still the plans are still there and continuing on.  Only time will tell if I will ever actually achieve any of them...

Gardening

Other than picking tons of tomatoes to eat and to freeze for the winter and giving the greenhouse the occasional watering so that the plants don't die (most important) I've done nothing... well except to pull out the odd weed or two.  Really though the garden is just carrying on as always which means that eventually I'm going to have to get stuck in and give it a massive clean out.  Maybe when it's cooler?

Being Frugal

I earned another $40 voucher doing surveys and sold a few more bits and pieces.  Of course I did some extra spending on stocking up on some supplies as my emergency supplies was looking a tad low.  What with fires and floods and earthquakes and now nasty viruses it pays to be prepared.  Thank God for a very large pantry to store it all. 

All of which means that it was a kind of break even kind of month.  Hopefully I'll do better next month.

Kondoing My Way

Still behind.  Probably something that's not going to happen until the winter.  Or at the very least until the temperature starts dropping to a much more comfortable level. I need me my cooler weather.

Get Fit and Get Healthy

Kind of going okay.  The walking?  Not so much.  Because of the heat, remember.  So to make up for the lack I've started doing some online yoga.

I'm not very good.  But hey I'm giving it a go and stretching my body into positions no one should ever try.  So I'm taking that as a win right there.  Hopefully I'll get better the more I do.  Certainly the back and body is feeling a lot better for it.  Which goes a long way in encouraging me to do more.

Writing

Remember fried brain?  Yep that pretty much sums that up.

Supernatural

OMG something that I am actually achieving.  

Season 1 has all been finished... now just another 14 seasons to go... Oh well at least it's a start, right?

Book Talk: I've Been Reading...

Urgh... the heat.  I am totally over it in every way.  Especially since it's seriously dampening down my enthusiasm to do pretty much anything including reading.  Which is really not what you want when you're trying to get a massive To Be Read pile down to a more manageable level.  At this rate that pile... or should I say piles... is never going to go down.

Still I've managed to push through and do some reading.  Even if it's been very sporadic.

First up in this latest reading round up is a chick novel and you all know how much I love these.  They're pretty much my go to jam when all else fails.  That and chocolate.  And cherries.  Preferably covered in chocolate.  Or not.  Because really I'd eat cherries in any form they come in.

Not that I stuck to just the light and fluffy.  Scars Like Wings was an excellent book about a horrible thing and how one copes with the truly horrible thing that has happened.  After that it was Sunny St James which was just so sweet and lovely.  I pretty much loved it.  And will definitely be reading more books by this author.

Thrillers of course were next.  I still can't quite make up my mind about Ruth Ware as to whether I like her books or not.  At the moment I'm kind of on the fence about them.  

Where as Like Follow Kill was a totally bonkers but kind of riveting read about a woman who believes an old school friend who she has been stalking on Facebook has been murdered.  I feel like I've been reading a few of these bonkers type thrillers lately.

The Lying Room and Child's Play were great and I was super happy to learn that Angela Marsons has another 5 books planned in her Kim Stone series.  I can't wait to read them.  Sadly Tim Weaver's latest was quite as good as his previous books.  Good but not really good which happens sometimes as series reach that 10th book mark.  hopefully his next one will be better.

February's Plans

Can I just blame the heat for everything and say that last month was pretty much a bust and that I'm fairly sure that this month will be also.  It's just too hot to move let a lone try and achieve any kind of plans.  I've mostly just been reading, surfing the web, taking naps and listening to podcasts.  Anything else beside that is beyond my capabilities and will at the moment.  Oh to live in Iceland...

Gardening

It's been so hot this last month that I haven't done a lot other than picking and watering and trying to keep on top of the weeds.  The weeds so far are winning...

This month will probably be pretty much the same.  Because seriously who can garden in this heat.  I will though make one teeny tiny plan and that is to put up our bee house.  Surely that can't be too hard to achieve...

Being Frugal

So far not too bad.  I managed to sell some things which resulted in an extra $50 in the kitty which is kind of nice and spending wise we've managed to stick to the target and not do any spending on ourselves other than bills and food plus I also earned a $40 voucher from doing surveys while Other Half won a chicken and a $20 voucher at golf.  So a pretty good month all round. 

Kondoing My Way

I'm kind of behind on this.  The heat remember.  So yeah I need to do some catching up.  Can we just pray for some cooler weather.

Writing

I'm pretty sure the heat has fried my brain because like everything else this has come to a complete standstill.  I'm really hoping I can get back into this soon.

Supernatural

I'm starting to wonder what I've been doing all month.  Because like everything else I'm behind on this too.  In fact I haven't even started which means there's going to be some serious marathoning very soon.  Send me plenty of chocolate and tissues and cool thoughts.