Photo diary: Project 365, week 12

It was a week of dichotomy, with tears and smiles in bunches.

Monday didn't start well, as Sasha got up in a bout of angst and temper. He was so stressed and kept hitting the wall in his room so hard that he actually hurt himself, and there was blood on the wall from his hand.

It's been over a year since Sasha's anxiety has peaked. Overall, the meds help, but still there are days like this, when his depression and anxiety rule. 

It's very hard to see my boy so distressed and unhappy, and I can only imagine how hard it must be for him, not being able to express his pain in words.

Later he was in a much better mood, going out with his PAs, and having a birthday cake in the evening. My guys love the Neapolitan cake from Waitrose, it's a tasty three-layer sponge cake, very pretty.

Eddie and I are big fans of the Hunger Games series of books and films, and were looking forward to the latest release, Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins. I pre-booked it a long time ago on Waterstones. The site doesn't give you an option of pre-booking for collection in store (as they used to), and insist on sending it to your home address, using the services of Royal Mail. 

Sorry to say, but Royal Mail is a pain in the posterior. They allocate the time slot by email, and never ever stick to it. Last week they were supposed to deliver a small parcel from the Sates on Saturday, instead it was delivered on Sunday. I detest waiting and waiting for them all day long.

I was super annoyed that the book hasn't been delivered on the publication day at all. Never again will I place a pre-order with Waterstones, and will just buy in the actual store itself, especially that we have a brilliant team at the local store, very friendly and knowledgeable.

The latest Tokyo Treat box arrived this week. This is the third, and most likely, final, box for us. As much as we enjoyed trying all the new foods and discovering new flavours, it's just too pricey to continue. It's a cool gift idea for a birthday or whatever occasion you celebrate.

The weather kept changing its mind from day to day, we had some very hot days followed by rather chilly ones. I keep pottering in the garden, as there is so much to do there. Love seeing life in the garden, already spotted a few butterflies, bumblebees and ladybirds.

On Friday Eddie was invited by one of his class mates for a sleepover, and I walked with him across the town centre, helping to carry his things. The evening sun was casting its rays on the cloak at Buttercross (clock turret).

The sakura blossom in town is so pretty. This tree is just outside the Nuffield clinic.

In the last week I was reading Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates, a psychological/survival thriller, set in a remote cabin in the winter snowstorm. Eight strangers go by bus on a trip to the Rocky mountains. On the way to the resort where they were heading, they are stranded by a fallen tree. While waiting for the road to be cleared, Christa (the main character who narrates the story) and her boyfriend go for a quick walk and get lost in the storm.

The group is forced to ditch the original destination and take shelter in a seemingly abandoned hunting cabin. The atmosphere is claustrophobic enough, and then the tour guide goes missing. His mutilated body is found the next morning. Is there is a murderer on the loose, playing sadistic games, or is someone from the group killing their tour mates for sport. Who, if anyone, can Christa trust, as the number of survivors goes smaller and smaller... Who is the culprit, and what's their agenda? 

The story is very graphic, so if you're squeamish, don't read it. I usually enjoy this kind of isolated setting, but the plot was rather convoluted and the reasoning behind the murder spree isn't convincing.

This is the first book by Darcy Coates that I've read. I must be reading way too many thrillers, because I somehow guessed the twist quite early. 

How did your week go?

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Photo diary: first week of July'22, Project 365

Being a child of the land of snow, I don't adapt well to the heat, feeling sluggish, as if my brain turns to cotton wool. The old English houses are also not built for the hot weather. As much as I love our old house, it keeps the heat in everywhere apart from the ground floor. And don't even try to venture in the attic room, it's like wading through the warm soup.

The first week of July was rather uneventful. Sash finished his college term, and is now at home full-time. Eddie still has just over a week to go until school holidays.

It was all about Stranger Things, as we finished watching the final two episodes.

One of the recent books I have reviewed is The Maids of Biddenden by G.D. Harper. It's a fascinating historical novel about two sisters, Eliza and Mary Chulkhurst, the conjoined twins who were born in the early 12C Kent. They grew up to become a talented musician and a herbalist.

My husband took Eddie to the hairdresser's. Of course, now everyone wants Steve Harrington's hair, but the hairdresser said Eddie's hair is not long enough for that style. Maybe by the end of summer he could get his coveted bouffant. Until then, sorry, mate.

We even looked up online which products someone would need to maintain Steve's hairstyle, and oh my, I don't spend that much on my hair. Stranger Things makes me feel a bit nostalgic, thanks to its timeline. I am a couple years older than Eleven and the gang. Though I lived in a different country, the fashions and the hair of the 1980s ring true. That hair, that loud makeup, bomber jackets, high-wasted jeans, bold prints etc...

And it's funny to see how it's coming back, due to the huge popularity of the show.

Not that we have acquired Steve's hairstyle, but here is Eddie's haircut.

If I am not in a hurry, I walk into town, taking the longer route, via the flood fields. I was saddened to see that the local authorities decided to cut the trees along the river Windrush. What's the point? They don't bother anyone, they are not anywhere near houses. Now instead of beautiful trees we have ugly stumps.

I haven't painted much in the last week. It being Sasha's last few days at college, I have tried to do as many tasks as possible in town, including queueing for ages in the local pharmacy to get his prescription. The local pharmacies have now become an instrument of torture. You wait for ages to be seen, only to be told that only part of your prescription is ready and you'd need to come again.

We also have a shortage of pharmacists, and some of the newly hired staff don't appear very competent.

The only thing I painted was for the Chocolate week. I have seen this vintage art deco cocoa poster, and fell in love with its colour blocks, and just had to paint it.

Eddie's birthday is coming in a couple of weeks, and all this year's birthday gifts are Stranger Things related. I couldn't find proper Eggos anywhere, but you can get these Pop-tarts Eggo on Amazon. I thought we could have a taste on the morning of Eddie's birthday.

Stranger Things Attack of the Mind Flayer game is available in Game. 

I have ordered two ST birthday cards on Moonpig, and got a few things on EMP too (will show them later this month). 

I was washing dishes in the kitchen, when I spotted this fledgling, hiding among the leaves of the creeper on the stone wall. The Zoom on my phone is not the best, but here is a snap of the little fellow. Not sure, if it's a young blackbird? Apologies to all birdwatchers, if I got it totally wrong.

More snaps from our garden. Several years ago my Mum planted some seeds of hollyhocks which she picked in the wild in town. It keeps growing each year, and is now taller than me. It's not the most gorgeous of hollyhocks, but every time I look at it, it's like my Mum saying Hi.

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