Sunday 11 August 2019

Photo diary: week 32, project 365

You might be forgiven for thinking that the autumn has arrived early. It's been a shivery kind of a week, with lots of rain and blustery wind. Just yesterday, when Eddie and I were sitting on the sofa, watching TV, the wind was howling like a demented ghost. It was an eerie sound, not something you'd expect in August.
My husband, on the other hand, has been melting in the Italian heat. He's away for a week, and to say I'm struggling on my own with the guys is an understatement.

Eddie and I have been watching a lot of Marvel films in the last couple of weeks. I bought full sets of Thor and Iron-Man DVDs, and we've spent hours, biting our fingernails and rooting for the good guys.
Well, to be honest, it's the bad guy Loki who I find the most attractive. He also gets the best jokes.

There are not that many flowers in the garden at the moment. The phlox bloom is almost over, the echinacea is still holding, but probably not for much longer. And there are a few late roses.

garden in August

Eddie's been watching How to draw videos on YouTube and also doing step-by-step drawings from How to draw magazines. This is one of the drawings he did this week.

drawing dragons

A few days ago I finished reading An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena. It's the kind of psychological thrillers which I enjoy, with the setting following the classic Agatha Christie's books, where a group of strangers is stranded in a remote lodge on a getaway weekend. The snowstorm cuts them off from the rest of the world, and the guests are being killed off, one by one.

psychological thrillers set in a remote hotel, cut off by the bad weather

The wind (or birds' poo) bring all sorts of seeds in the garden, which then grow into weeds or pretty flowers. This chamomile is one of self-seeded, but I really like it.



On Thursday Sasha had another of his respite overnight stays. He was keen to go, and we also were looking forward to having a little break. He has not been sleeping well in the last week, and I'm a part-zombie too for being woken around 5am for several mornings in a row.
That evening I took Eddie and his friend out for an early dinner at Frankie and Benny's. We haven't been there in a while, and for a good reason, I think, as the food is very mediocre, but it was Eddie's choice.
We ordered a pizza for him from the children's menu, with ham and pineapple. When they brought it, I was surprised at the size of the supposedly Big eaters and the lack of any ham.
The staff were difficult to get hold of, we were waving and waving trying to alert their attention, but in the end my hungry child ate his pizza. Don't think we'll be going back to F&Bs any time soon.

eating out with kids in Witney

On Friday we had a visitor, and I took out a box of frozen custard tarts from the freezer. They are made in France, following the Portuguese recipe. They are not too sweet, but very runny.


One more book, which I've enjoyed recently is The Newcomer by Fern Britton. I took three books with me on our holiday to Cornwall, but didn't have a chance to actually read it, so brought it back with me to read at home. It's set in Cornwall, in a fictional village of Pendruggan. The eponymous newcomer is the vicar Angela Whitehorn, who comes to the Cornish village, while the resident vicar goes to Brazil as a missionary for a year. The welcome she receives is rather divided.
It's an entertaining, easy read, emotional at times, but not too deep.
(The Cornishman is not the latest copy, as I bought it on holidays and kept it as a photo prop for reviews of books set in Cornwall).




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13 comments:

  1. I had some self seeded chamomile this year too. It was in the wrong place, but I replanted because I like it. I like the idea of using the newspaper as a prop.

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    1. Thank you, Erica! The chamomiles are also a healing herb, I think I should cut it and dry for tea.

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  2. It has been so windy here too but the sun has been shining mostly.
    I love the Marvel films. The Avenger one's are my favourites.
    Eddie's drawing looks fab! You Tube is fab for teaching people to draw. My youngest loves following the step by step guides.
    Ugh! Those pizzas do look pitiful! My girls would eat them as a snack. lol x

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    1. Thanks, Kim, those pizzas were so small, but I wonder what size of pizza they serve for Small eaters, if these are for Big Eaters.

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  3. The weather has changed seriously this week, mush cooler and more comfortable but currently Ayrshire is suffering floods and it was touch and go getting to work this morning.
    That meal looks about enough for a not very hungry toddler, not enough for an older child at all. Their meals do not come cheap either.

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    1. Thank you, Elaine, hope you're safe from the floods.

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  4. Sorry to hear you've been struggling on your own. That meal at F&B's really is miniature, even for a child's meal! I like the sound of the Shair Lapena book. I'm always on the lookout for good books! I love Eddie's drawing.

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    1. Thank you, Sarah, I think you will enjoy Shari Lapena's book, it's a good story.

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  5. Oh wow, that pizza is a joke. I've got to the stage now where I ask exactly how big the pizza is before I order from the kids menu any more, more often than not my son has to have the adult menu #365

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    1. Thank you, Mary, the pizza was a disappointment, at Pizza Express you get a decent sized pizza in children's menu.

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  6. Oh dear to Frankie and Benny's. I really don't rate these chain restaurants, sorry the staff didn't seem to be interested. Hope Sasha's respite went well and you made the most of the break. I started watching marvel movies on the flights I make and have been really enjoying them

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  7. We went to a Frankie and Benny's on holiday and Anya had a huge pizza from the children's menu: how disappointing for you! The weather has been so strange today: either lashing rain or brilliant sunshine, typical UK summer! #project365

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  8. The weather here has been crazy. I am not a marvel fan to be honest. My middle kid loves using youtube to draw it's fab xx

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