Home Comforts Degustabox

 There may be cold mornings still this month, but we also have longer daylight and warm, sunny spells. Lovely season to go on long walks and look at all the signs of spring. And after a long walk what could be better than coming home to a comforting cup of tea, a jammy toast and a tangy Jaffa cake or two.

Home Comforts is the theme of the latest Degustabox.

Degustabox is a monthly food and drink subscription box. It's an excellent way of discovering new products which have only just appeared in the shops, or those which have been around for a while, but you haven't had a chance to try them yet.

Thanks to Degustabox, I have found new favourites to add to our shopping list, including some products which I probably wouldn't have tried otherwise.

Each time the monthly box arrives, its contents are a total surprise. You get a good selection of foods and drinks.

If you haven't tried Degustabox subscription box yet, and would like to have a go, I have a £3off discount from your first box (and you can unsubscribe any time), just use code DKRLN when you place an order.

What did we find in Home Comforts Degustabox?

Jaffa Cakes Passion Fruit/Cherry (£1.20) is the current product of the month. You're invited to take your taste buds on a tangy new adventure with new Jaffa Cakes in two fruitilicious flavours - Passion Fruit and Cherry. You will get the same delectable fruity centres sandwiched between the dark chocolate and a light sponge base. 

Cherry and chocolate, in my opinion, is a heavenly combination, so thumbs up for the latest addition to the range, it's absolutely scrumptious.

Nutritional information: 46kcal and 6.1g of sugar per cake.

Suitable for vegetarians. 

Available in all major supermarkets.

Bounce Almond Plant Protein Ball (£1.69)

Bounce, the number one energy ball brand, has relaunched with a range of nut butter filled, protein packed, energy balls. The new range is high in protein, fibre, is gluten free, vegan friendly and includes less than 160kcal per ball. Handy for long trips when you are feeling peckish.

I'm not the biggest fan of energy balls, I don't like the texture and the aftertaste. I'd be much happier with a handful of nuts for a protein boost. But protein balls are very popular and trendy, and they are certainly a convenient way of getting extra protein.

Available at Waitrose, Holand & Barrettm BP & WHSmith stores.

BelVita Soft Bakes Choc Chips/Blueberry (£0.60 per single bar) are tasty soft bakes, made from five wholegrains - wheat, oats, barley, spelt and buckwheat or rye. A lovely morning snack for breakfast, it is also a good source of fibre, calcium, magnesium and iron. BelVita Soft Bakes have a high content of slowly digestible starch, which is a slow release carb.

We buy BelVita biscuits and soft bars occasionally, and if some of them are broken, I break them into smaller pieces or crumbs and add as a topping to the yogurt.

There are three bars in the box. Available at most grocery stores.

Boka Caramel/Choco Mallow Cereal Bar (£0.75 for a single bar, or £2 for a multipack of 4). These little bars are low in sugar, and big on flavour. They have #4greenlights front of pack, which means not only they are low in sugar, but also in fats and salt. Ideal snacks on the go!

There were two bars in the box. Available at Sainsburys and on Amazon.

If cereal bars are not your snack of choice, how about Milkybar Cookies & Cream Sharing Bag (£1.59). It's a tasty combination of smooth, creamy white chocolate and crunchy chocolate-flavoured cookie pieces. Contain no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives.

You can use these chocolate pieces as an ingredient in a cheesecake, brownies or cookies.

Available in all major supermarket chains.

More sweet treats this month - Hartley's Strawberry Jam (£1.59) is a classic jam, very fruity and full of flavour. Strawberry jam is full of the finest fruit to make the UK's No.1 jam. 

Spread it over a buttered toast, or serve in a peanut butter and jam sandwich. Use as an ingredient in Victoria sponge, or jam tarts. 

Available in all major supermarkets.

Hilltop Blossom Honey (£0.75) is consistent in taste, colour and aroma. There is nothing added and nothing taken away, it's simply pure and natural honey.

Honey is delicious spread over warm crumpets, or pancakes. It also makes a wonderful ingredient in many bakes, and meals, from a honey and mustard dressing for salad to honeyed carrots and parsnips, from spicy bread to honey rolls.

You should get two items in the box. Available at Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Ocado, Waitrose and Iceland.

All these sweet treats go nicely with a cup of tea.

How about Eloments Vitamin Tea Ceylon Breakfast (£3.99)? It's a full-bodied, single origin black tea, sourced from organic, family-owned farms in Sri Lankan highlands. Each tea bag also contains 9 essential vitamins including B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, vitamin C and zinc, all derived from nutrient rich herbs, fruits and botanicals. 

Eloments is 100% natural certified organic and Faitrade.

Available at Holland & Barrett and Ocado online.

Knorr Vegetable Stock Pots and Beef Stock Pots (£0.95) is a concentrated stock. Knorr Vegetable stock pots are a must in my pantry, I regularly buy them, only in bigger packs, and use them a couple of times a week, adding to soups and risotto. They include stock made of carrots, leek, red pepper, celeriac, spices and more.

These stock pots are gluten free and full of flavour.

Very Lazy Chopped Chillies (£1.50) is a quick and easy way of adding a bit (or a lot) of heat in your meals. Very useful to keep in the fridge, for when you want flavour without any fuss.

Available in the major supermarket chains.

Koko Original Milk (£1.50) is amde from coocnuts which are freshly pressed at their plantation.

Koko Original has a fresh and light taste. If you're looking for an alternative to dairy milk, Koko works well on cereals, in smoothies or as an ingredient in baking. In my opinion, it is better with coffee rather than tea, as it changes the taste of tea, while complements coffee nicely.

Available in all major supermarket chains and independent health food stores.

What was your favourite product from Home Comforts Degustabox?

Photo diary: week 10, project 365

 The first week of school passed without a glitch. Sasha was happy to go to school every day of the week, Eddie was excited to see his mates live rather than on a Zoom screen. 

In the last weeks Eddie's been pestering begging me to get a cat. It doesn't help that my brother sends snaps of their cat regularly (see below), and that my Mum and in-laws have cats as well. We've been checking the local Blue Cross site, but there is no choice. Most are reserved, and a few that are left are cat pensioners, in their 10-12s, which is not an option for us. I also looked up if we can buy a kitten, but OMG, the prices for Siberian cats are over £1000, totally crazy. I'd rather have a rescue, hopefully a younger one, not necessarily a kitten, but not a geriatric cat.

It was the 8th of March on Monday, International Women's Day, a big celebration in Russia. My late Dad used to buy bunches of flowers for my Mum and me, tulips or mimosa. I couldn't find any mimosa locally, and didn't like the tulips which I found in the shops, so picked a little posy for myself from the garden. The snowdrops are almost all gone now.

My husband was invited to talk about Le Carré for the forthcoming documentary. He was in the studio for an hour and a half, but they said they would only use a few minutes of footage. The studio was set-up in the Bodleian Library. 

We were very sad to hear that David's wife Jane died on the 27 February, so soon after David. Their son Nick wrote a beautiful piece for the Guardian, if you have time, please read - it's called My father was famous as John Le Carrė. My mother was his crucial, covert collaborator. There is a wonderful photo of them both. Such tenderness and love.

Eddie's school has a new head, and as it often happens with new heads, they like to establish their own rules. On the first day of school all children were told that from that day on they introduce a new system of punishments, something called Fix-it lists, where your misdemeanors are recorded for posterity, and apparently they will be sent to the secondary schools. 

I am all for discipline, but to go on about punishments on the first day of school after the lockdown, and children having anxiety, was it really necessary to hit them with the announcement?! Could they not make going back to school a joyous occasion, something to celebrate?!

I'm running a Thompson & Morgan seeds giveaway - just in case you've missed it. There are not many entries, so if you want to replenish your seeds bank, here is your chance to win a dozen of packets (there are also two options). But hurry up, it ends on Wednesday the 17th at midnight.

I often see this little robin out of the kitchen window. The other day I was just walking in the garden, when I spotted it again. I didn't have time to run to the house for the proper camera, and my iPhone is not the latest model, so the Zoom is not particularly good, but I was still pleased with this photo. What a pretty bird!

The sharp-pointed cloud caught my eye on the way home.

On Saturday I got some mail from Sweden, from a lady who was a friend of my dearest friend Anne. She sent me some old photos which she found recently in her stash, while decluttering.

That's Anne, Sasha and me in our old Woodstock flat. Sasha is still a tot, and what a cutie he was. It will be six years soon, since Anne's gone, and I often think of her. She was such a wonderful caring friend. Dear, dear Anne... I miss you so much.

How was your week?

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When Angels Fear by Polly J. Mordant #BlogTour

 

"She sat for a while, the box, tight-closed and darkly nested in the depths of her primitive brain, and allowed her thoughts to stray in tune with the sights and sounds of the autumnal landscape, resting for a short while, in the cradle of normality".

When Angels Fear by Polly J. Mordant is a deeply unsettling supernatural/horror thriller.

Emma carefully plans her escape from an abusive partner. She is terrified of him, as she knows "if he'd found out what she'd done, the consequences wouldn't bear thinking about. But he who knew everything, had seemingly suspected nothing". She leaves her home and all possessions and makes a break for freedom, arriving to a rented cottage in a village of Flammark.

She chooses this remote village destination for refuge. "She'd gone for total reinvention, since all her past choices had been disastrous. She wanted to cut herself off and bury herself in the mundane".

Flammark is affected by the "sleeping sickness", and the local church services are getting empty. The doctor's surgery is not doing better, as people stay at home rather than venture out to see the GP.

One of the local girls has been missing for six months, her family is devastated, but the police don't seem to be interested. The sense of uneasiness is overwhelming, and Emma comes to realise she's at the centre of the scary events. Something evil is playing cruel games with Flammark, and it wants Emma.

Emma's confidence levels are at their lowest, thanks to her abusive partner, but gradually she is beginning to believe in herself. She has been looking for a sanctuary in Flammark, but her own safety  is intricately connected to the past of the village. Slowly we uncover the history of the Flammark's most powerful family, its nasty ancestry and the deadly curse. 

Emma's origins come to light as well. She has new supportive friends, but ultimately she has to confront the ancient evil. Is she strong enough to fight it?

There is a lot of darkness in the book, from Emma's abusive relationship to the historical past and the current threat to the village. What begins as a story of an escape from a violent relationship, slowly progresses into a Gothic horror of epic proportions.

Apart from the hair-raising horror plotline, the author writes eloquently about such an issue as domestic violence. The sickening control and physical violence, sexual and emotional abuse are described spot-on, from the pattern of a quick romance to the coercive control. 

Male violence doesn't need a supernatural trigger. Given the events of the past week and the current news, it's obvious that male violence is rampant without an ancient evil entity possessing perpetrators. For many women the fear of violence against them is an everyday thing. 

When Angels Fear is an imaginative and absorbing tale, with an omnious sense of menace. It's a Gothic thriller which will chill the marrow. A memorable debut, and a promising new series.

Potential triggers: domestic violence, sexual assault, graphic murder scenes.

Purchase Link - http://getbook.at/WhenAngelsFear

Many thanks to Polly J. Mordant and Rachel's Random Resources for my copy of the book!

Author Bio:

I've been writing blogs and stories off and on for years, but quite new to writing novels. My background is in teaching - I ran my own English and Drama departments in three inner city schools - then became the owner of a radical bookshop. Now I write full time.

I love supernatural storytelling, since it allows the inclusion of real human issues within my writing. Let's face it, who hasn't been touched by evil in their lives at one time or another?

"While Angels Fear", my first novel, deals with domestic violence and how Emma - the main character - overcomes her shattered confidence to prevail over the evil which oppresses her.

It's important to me that my characetrs are both real and relatable. I'm a total fan of Joss Whedon and Stephen King, and love the way they create ensembles of characters that live on in the mind long after they've been watched or read.

Humour is important to me too - I hope readers of my fiction will get taht. The last thing I want to offer is a dry read!

I adore my garden, my animals and my husband - probably in that order, lol. Other obsessions include Scrabble. Total addict. It's why I sleep so badly. I'm glued to the Scrabble app until the early hours!

Social Media Links 

https://www.facebook.com/pjmordant

https://twitter.com/pjmordant

https://www.instagram.com/pjmordant

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/119522099-p-j-mordant

Newsletter subscribe: https://mailchi.mp/4ab455db3a0d/5tqsx1xh40

Acts of Kindness by Heather Barnett

 "She started to feel like a conspiracy theorist. Everywhere she looked she uncovered something suspicious...What with moving to a new place, starting a new job, and the overwhleming weirdness of OAK, she felt like she'd walked into a hall of mirrors. Everything around her was so confusing that she wouldn't distinguish between reality and paranoia".

Acts of Kindness by Heather Barnett is a riveting mystery thriller, with a growing sense of unease and a big dollop of menace.

Bella Black is offered a job at Acorn Consulting, one of the biggest advisory firms. The interview takes place at a vast stately home, family seat of the company, established over two hundred years earlier. 

Recovering after the recent divorce, Bella wants a new start - and is happy to move away from London to a small Wlitshire village where nobody knows her. The house she rents is quaint and cosy, the job sounds exciting, her neighbours appear friendly, and her colleagues are smart. There might even be a potential romantic interest. 

After three months of probation, Bella is offered a chance to join the Organised Acts of Kindness Institute, an ambitious project funded by Acorn. During the induction, Bella meets the mysterious head, the person behind the OAK. .

As Bella finds her way around the company and discovers more of its pet project, she realises that something odd is going on. When she learns that someone who used to work in the company, disapeared without a trace, she is freaked out. 

When the events get even more menacing, Bella has to unravel the mystery of the disappearing people and discover who is really pulling the strings at the secretive OAK Institute.

Can she trust anyone among her colleagues? 

Acts of Kindness is an intricately plotted read, with twist upon twist.

Though hailed as an uplifting, light-hearted mystery, I couldn't shake off the feeling of a sinisterness. We all have different ideas of light-hearted, but to me this novel didn't quite fit in that category. Though there are elements of humour present, the main plot was far from chucklesome. The genre could be described as a dystopian mystery.

You will never look at grand manor houses set in the sleepy countryside in the same way again. Who knows what secrets are hidden behind a respectable facade?! 

Purchase Links:

Amazon UK https://amzn.to/3fhl9Cd

bookshops.org: https://bit.ly/333Ovz2

Amazon US https://amzn.to/35NWnGu

Author Bio:

Heather Barnett gained a degree in English and French from the University of Leeds and has written ever since: from copywriting to stand-up comedy and sketches. She is now focusing on wraiting novels. Heather's influences span Jane Austen and Douglas Adams ar one end of the alphabet to PG Wodehouse at the other.

Heather's debut novel, Acts of Kindness, is an uplifting, light-hearted mystery. It was inspired by witnessing commuters helping a woman who'd falled down the stairs at Paddington station; intermingled with wondering what was behind some grand stone gateposts that she used to drice past in Wiltshire.

Her second novel. Lord Seeks Wife, is a romantic comedy and will be published in summer 2021.

Aside fro writing, Hetaher's interests are classic literature, cats and comedy.

Heather is head of marketing at an agency near Oxford and lives by the river Kennet in Berkshire.

Social Media Links:

www.heatherbarnettauthor.com

Twitter @WritesHeather

Instagram @writesheather

Serpentine Books: www.serpentinebooks.com

Twitter @SerpentineBooks

This post is part of the blog tour, please check out the stops along the way.

Many thanks to Heather Barnett and Rachel's Random Resources for my copy of the book!

Grow Your Own: Thompson & Morgan seeds giveaway E: 17 March

March is here, a month when we start to see the signs of spring everywhere around us. The growing season is ahead, and you might be going through your packets of seeds, deciding what to grow this year. 

It's almost a year since the first lockdown was introduced. One of the positives of the lockdown was that many more people caught the gardening bug and were keen to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

 I have been growing tomatoes in the greenhouse for many years, and in the past I usually bought plants from the garden centre, only growing salads and herbs from seeds. But as last year the garden centres were all closed, I decided to grow tomatoes from seeds, and it was a great success. We had beautiful tomatoes for several months, in fact, we had so many, that half of them went in the freezer to use in soups and stews later in the year.

Growing your own vegetables is so rewarding, and they taste so much better.

I subscribe to Grow Your Own magazine, each issue comes with ten or so packets of seeds, and though I have been giving away quite a few of them to my friends, I have accumulated way too many. 

I want to share some of my bounty with my blog readers, and offer two packages of twelve packets of seeds as a giveaway prize.

Whether you are an experienced gardener or a beginner who wants to try growing vegetables, I think these two selections will be a lovely addition to your seed collection. These two packages are quite similar, but you might have a look at each and decide which one takes your fancy.

Selection 1:

Tomato Ailsa Craig (I grew these ones last year, and they were exceptionally good!), Carrot Early Nantes 2, Beetroot Paonazza d'Egitto, Cabbage primo, Radish Cherry Belle, Chilli Pepper Anaheim, Leek Autumn Giant 2, Watercress, Spinach Perpetual, Lettuce Little Gem, Lettuce Red Salad Bowl and Kale Dwarf Green Curled.

Selection 2:

Tomato Craigella, Chilli Pepper Cayenne, Radish Flamboyant 3, Beetroot Detroit 6 Rubidus, Carrot Early Nantes 2, Cabbage Durham Early, Kale Scarlet, Leek Autumn Giant 2, Lettuce All the Year Round, Spinach Perpetual, Watercress and Lettuce Lollo Rossa.

To be in with a chance of winning please leave a comment, stating which selection you prefer (or if you don't mind either) and answer a question: What do you enjoy growing (or what you would like to grow this year)?

T&Cs:

The giveaway is open to the UK residents only.

Please leave your name or Twitter username in the comment if you login as Anon, or I will never know who has commented.

There will two winners (one selection each).

Only one entry per person.

The winners will be selected randomly.

I will contact the winners, who will have 28 days to reply with their address details.

All the prizes are provided by me, and are in no way sponsored by any brand.

This is my way of saying Thank you to my blog readers.

Previous winners of giveaways at Chez Maximka are welcome to join in as well, you're not disqualified from winning again, if your name is drawn from the hat.

I will post the prize at my own cost.

Any personal data given (basically the winner's address details) will not be shared with any 3rd parties, and will be deleted after the prize is received by the winner.

The giveaway will end on the 17 March midnight.

Good luck!

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Thank you, everyone, for taking part! Two winners were selected randomly, and were notified on Twitter. I will announce their names here, once they get back to me. And please check your Twitter notifications, it might be you!

Photo diary: week 9, project 365

 A big day today: it's back to school, and the end of remote learning, as we know it. I'm quite torn, on one hand, I can see how Eddie frets at home, missing his mates, on the other hand, how will all the social distancing work in an enclosed class space?! Back to school fills me with anxiety, and I'm an emotional mess.

My elder one has been going to school three times a week, but now it will be back to five days, which he will be very happy with. The routine is very important for Sash, and he is missing school on the days, when he has to stay at home.

Good news from the last week: Eddie has been offered a place in school of his first choice. 

As mentioned in the last week's Photo diary, Sunday was my birthday. The Neapolitan cake from Waitrose didn't last very long. My older boy's birthday is coming later this month, and I think I will buy the same cake for him, to take to school and share with his mates.

The only photo I have taken on that day was of the shadows from the creeper on the blind.

My brother sent me some photos from their trip out to the countryside. This is the frozen river Kama. I look at all that ice and snow, and shiver a little bit, just thinking of how cold it must be, but also miss that vast whiteness and the crispy crunchy sound of the snow when you step on it.

I was looking through the photos on the old ipad, and found some of my boys and me having a laugh together. How quickly have they grown. Sasha is now a young man, not a child any more, and Eddie is surely not a tot either.

Hyacinths have started opening up their little colourful pyramids, isn't that a bit too early for them?! Hope there won't be sudden frosts to kill them off. Last autumn I re-planted the red hyacinths from the year before, but the blue ones are scattered around the garden, from previous years, some of them were the potted gifts, which are supposed to only last one season. They are not as bushy as the cultivated varieties, but bring a touch of colour.

Remember the World Book Days of the past, when children would come to school dressed up as their favourite book character? Since we were still in lockdown for schools last week, the teachers suggested decorating a potato as a book character. We enjoyed looking at the snaps on Seesaw, such a variety of ideas. 

Eddie's a big fan of Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, and has all the books in his collection. 

Hence his choice - Greg Heffley with his diary, made of two potatoes, painted with white and then the outlines drawn with a black pen. 

For dinner on Friday we had a mushroom and veggie soup. When I say we, I mean just the grown-ups. The boys wouldn't eat mushrooms even if I tried to bribe them. This is a kind of soup, which is a meal in itself, as it's packed full of mushrooms, carrots, onion, tomatoes, potatoes and rice. I also like to add some cream or Greek yogurt. It wouldn't win any prizes in the appearance competition, but it tastes so delicious. 

Saturday night: we ordered a Domino's takeaway and watched Independence Day Resurgence. Omigosh, what a load of tripe. I nearly fell asleep from boredom. If you thought the first film was bad (we watched it last week together), then in comparison with the sequel, it's a masterpiece. My child liked it though.

I still haven't watched The Dig. I started, and hope to finish some time this week during the day, when my guys are at school. Mulligan and Feinnes are exceptionally good. I only saw a glimpse of Lily James, and stopped watching. For some reason I find her acting utterly annoying, she always plays the same part of a chattering-non-stop, inanely-exuberant, smiley young lady. She sets my teeth on edge, perhaps illogically. My younger one loves Mamma Mia films, and thinks she is a good actor. 

Eddie loves his new desk. We still have the picture of Elmer the patchwork elephant on the wall, which I painted for him, when he was little. I think it's time for Elmer to go, sadly, and be painted over, or covered with a poster in the meantime. As long as I don't have to paint Percy Jackson or Alex Rider on the wall. 

How was your week? Are you excited about children going back to school today?

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Jane Austen's Best Friend by Zoe Wheddon

 

"First and foremost, for many people it is non-negotiable that a best friend be dependable, reliable, always there when you need them and someone you can count on to never let you down (well, almost never). This sentiment comes closely coupled with a sense of loyalty to one another; a best friend will stand by you and have your back".

Janeites of the world, rejoice! There's a captivating new book, which gives us a fascinating glimpse into the world of Jane Austen. 

Jane Austen's Best Friend: The Life and Influence of Martha Lloyd by Zoe Wheddon is a charming, engrossing story told by a gifted author.

This is the story of Martha Lloyd, a close friend of Jane. "Other than Cassandra no one knew Jane Austen as well as Marta Lloyd. She was a companion to Jane, a confidante and a supporter. Martha knew Jane's secrets, including perhaps her greatest secret of all - her writing".

Their close friendship started in childhood, and continued for the rest of their lives. Discovering Martha's life and a special bond with Jane, helps us understand Austen's personality better.

Zoe Wheddon muses on what makes a friend a best friend. Looking for evidence in Jane and Martha's personal histories, letters, family documents and memorabilia, she uncovers a friendship "that was truly special and unique". According to the author, best of all about female BFF is they are soul sisters.

The book offers a unique insight into Jane and Martha's "shared interests, including the hits and misses of their romantic love lives, their passion for shopping and fashion, their connection to their community and the female biography of the period, their family histories, their lucky breaks, their epic fails and their girly chats".

The Regency romance is going through a renaissance stage at the moment. While Jane Austen's Best Friend is not a fictional account, it opens a window into the Austen's world. I particularly enjoyed reading the chapter Fashion Fun. Both Martha and Jane were very much concerened with all things fashion. They regulalry relied on each other for shopping, for swapping patterns and ideas, and even clothes.

"Jane had her finger on the fashion pulse and noticed even the slightest changes in trends... The winds of fashion change were foremost in her young mind". 

Getting dressed up and heading on out to a ball was one of the great joys which both friends shared. They planned their outfits in meticulous detail. Jane "really enjoyed dancing and Martha was so good at it that she was proud to be seen with her, knowing that she would keep her card of dances full for the entirety of the evening".

Their attachment to each other is shown as growing with each passing year. Each chapter covers a shared interest among the friends. There are little things that make the friendship even more special, like Martha preparing the ink for Jane's work.

Zoe Wheddon's enthusiasm for her subject is obvious. She is clearly very fond of both friends, and sometimes her style of writing is over-effusive. We all have different sense of humour, and what the author finds hilarious in Austen's teasing of her friend, I found slightly mean and ungenerous. 

Lovers of Jane Austen will relish this uplifting insight into her life, close circle and times, her works and society in which she lived. A delightful treat for all Austen fans!

Purchase Links 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jane-Austens-Best-Friend-Influence/dp/1526763818/

https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Austens-Best-Friend-Influence/dp/1526763818/

https://www.waterstones.com/book/jane-austens-best-friend/zoe-wheddon/9781526763815

https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Jane-Austens-Best-Friend-Hardback/p/18769

 

Author Bio – 'A native of Jane Austen's beloved county of Hampshire, Zoe Wheddon, lives in a village on the outskirts of the touwn that she and her husband Matt grew up in, with three grown up children and a cat called Leia.

 

She co-presents the popular podcast What Would Jane Do and writes articles and book reviews on matters relating to friendship, self-compassion and personal development on her blog. When not researching or writing her next book, Zoe can be found in the classroom teaching Spanish and French or singing ABBA songs loudly in her kitchen.'

 

Social Media Links –  Twitter: @ZoeWheddon

Facebook: Zoe Wheddon Author page.

Instagram: @Zoe_Wheddon

Website- www.zoewheddon.co.uk

This post is part of the blog tour.

Many thanks to Zoe Wheddon and Rachel's Random Resources for the PDF of the book!

Photo diary: weeks 7 and 8, project 365

 As birthdays go, mine was quite unremarkable. Not that I minded much, in fact I'm not the type who expects celebrations and fireworks. Since going out for dinner is out of question, I bought a Neapolitan cake from Waitrose, and we had a long walk in town catching Pokemons. That's as exciting as it gets these days. Eddie said that Pokemon Go had a special raid day yesterday in my honour. 

I'm not moaning. In fact, here I am sitting by the laptop and dancing in my chair, singing to the tune of One way ticket to the Moon by Eruption. I remember that song when it first appeared. I was 10 years old, and loved it. Still do. That hairstyle haunted my dreams, I so wanted to have those dangly braids with beads. 

In the last couple of weeks we watched two seasons of The Umbrella Academy on Netflix. We were late to the party, and it took me a few episodes to get into it, but I did find it entertaining (not as good as Marvel films though). 

The garden is looking pretty, with a carpet of snowdrops and crocuses. The yellow crocuses have been gobbled up by some critters almost overnight, I haven't had a chance to take a photo of them. I wonder if they taste better?! Why are they eaten up every single year, while the purple and blue ones stay untouched?

One of the books I read recently for the blog tour was Gordon Square. It is a psychological thriller, with Gothic undertones, quite harrowing. 

Pancake day seems like a distant memory now. I made buttermilk pancakes, both bigger size and small blini, and served with different toppings. Eddie is still amused by the face with a whipped cream beard and marshmallows. I bought a bottle of Percy Pig syrup to try, and all my guys loved it. As for me, I prefer either honey or maple syrup with my pancakes.

Walking in town, and looking at the reflections in the puddles. After snapping the sun reflection, I realised that the tower looks, ahem, very erect.

Eddie is a big fan of Liz Pichon's Tom Gates series. He's been counting the days until the latest book was out, and read it in one day.

I bought a book shelf two years ago, and it was sitting in a box all this time in the summerhouse. We finally paid someone to come and assemble it. Eddie and I divided the ownership, top shelf for his books, the lower one for mine.

I love this time of the year, when the garden looks pretty. It also looks pretty messy, and I need to start the spring clean very soon, including getting rid of the revolting deposits from the neighbours' cats who use our garden as their private toilet. 

In the last week Eddie's been studing the Maya civilization. One of their home learning tasks was to draw a Maya mask, and this is the result. Rather colourful and ferocious.

We walked to the Tower Hill Cemetery, which is a big place with amazing old trees. It feels very peaceful there. As it is on the hill, you can see the town below.

That's another snap from the same walk.

Another series that Eddie loves is Alex Rider by Anthony Horowitz. He was a bit disappointed that Alex didn't make an appearance in this book, and it was all a backstory of Yassen Grigorovich (this name gives me the giggles, it's such an obviously invented "Russian" name).

One more assembly in the house, this time a desk for Eddie. He's been working, using the dinner table downstairs, but now can do it in his own bedroom. Ordered the desk from Amazon, and booked a technician for assembly. Waited for 4 hours for them to appear, then contacted Amazon, asking what time the technician would be arriving, as the slot was coming to an end, but they said he didn't plan to come. What a waste of time. And they didn't even bother to text me in advance to warn that they couldn't do the job. Thankfully, a friend offered help, when I asked on FB if anyone knew a trustworthy handyman locally. He refused to take any payment, even if took over 2 hours to build the desk.

And a new keyboard for the new desk...

How was your week?

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