Tuesday 31 March 2020

Saints and Sinners series Books 2 & 3 by Dayo Benson

After reading Book 1 in this series the other day, I finished the next two books in less that 24hrs: City of Angels and Unholy Ground

These two books go into much more detail about why the series in named as it is - Saints and Sinners is a TV reality show where 'Saints' try to change the behaviour of 'Sinners', and 'Sinners' try and change the behaviour of the 'Saints'.  Colby persuades Chloe to audition for a part on the show, and they both get picked, but on competing teams.  This book is still a romance, albeit more about unrequited love, so there is sexual tension amongst the TV cameras in the Saints and Sinners house.

I loved these books.  They are very easy to read, and I devoured them.  There are highs and lows in the story, areas of tension (both romantic and thriller), serious topics and humour. 

The only slight negative I have with these books, is that it explores Satanism somewhat.  When/if there is a 4th book, I'm sure that will be resolved, but as it is for the 3 books, that plot-line didn't add too much to the story so seemed unnecessary.  I think the books would have been just as enjoyable as a trilogy without that complication.  But, as I said, that's only negative I have. 
Read these books, they're good!

Monday 30 March 2020

Weekly Update Y2w13

There has been some progress!  Whether it's because we've been stuck in the house for a week and been forced to cook from scratch, whether it's because I'm drinking more water as I'm now accountable to someone who checks up on me, whether it's because that same person is specifically praying for my health, or something else entirely, I don't know.  But there had been progress and I am happy about that.
I need to keep this momentum going, so I have been thinking of other things to add to my routine.  I know I need to do some kind of exercise, as being stuck in the house means I am being more slothful than usual.  I want to get back to doing Body Groove, but with DD1 doing her schoolwork on the table in the living room, and both girls and my husband generally taking the mick, I haven't been inclined to do it when they're around.  (Which admittedly is a bit of an excuse, as I wasn't doing it before lockdown either.)  I have downloaded the 7min workout app, in the hope that I can start there, get in the habit of doing a short burst of exercise each day, and slowly build it up.  My husband uses the app sometimes, but he uses the full version, whereas I'll be starting as a beginner.

Sunday 29 March 2020

Broken Halo by Dayo Benson

I've read books by Dayo Benson before, and this one was just as good!

It starts with Colby, sat in his car, contemplating ending his life.  He shouts out to God asking for one last sign. And not some wishy-washy sign either, but it needs to be a girl, whose name begins with C, asking him a specific question, and he has to see her 3 separate times that day.

Chloe is that girl.  She's a good Christian girl, going to church every Sunday without fail; she is engaged to a pastor, yet instinctively drawn to Colby, in a way she never way with her fiance.

The book is a Christian romance, but it is not a simple sweet story.  As you can imagine, Colby has his own demons. Despite being brought up as a Christian, he has strayed from that path. At the end of the book, you find out what Colby has hidden, but rather than hate him for it, it intrigues you to know how he has ended up where he is.  There are hints along the way, but it has left me wanting to know what happens next and wanting to read the next book.

The blurb says:
What do you call a knight in shining armor if the knight is a woman?

Colby:


I’m trying not to stare at this blonde knockout when I get robbed.

I don’t expect the blonde to chase the thief, blast him with pepper spray, and retrieve my money.

And that’s how I met Chloe Campbell.

The last thing I need is my lady knight thinking she can save me in other ways. I certainly don’t want to start believing that she can.

She’s everything I want in a woman, but she must be missing some vital self-preservation instincts because she thinks she’s in love with me.

I’m a stark sinner whose future is a big, fat black hole.

If she was like many girls her age, she would have heard of me. I’m pretty famous among that demographic.

But she has no idea who I am.

Chloe:

Colby is a bundle of secrets packaged as a drop-dead gorgeous, ‘he belongs on movie screens’ man.

I have every reason to walk away and forget that we ever met:

1. He’s out of my league.
2. He doesn’t seem to want anything to do with me.
3. I’m engaged. To a pastor, no less.

This feels like a disaster waiting to happen.

But it might be just what I need.

Falling from grace was never Chloe’s plan. Finding his way back to God was never Colby’s.

Could God be trying to get their attention?
Whether you're looking for Christian fiction or love your difficult romances, this book is for you.
Now I need to go and read book 2 in the Saints and Sinners series!

Saturday 28 March 2020

Gauntlet of Iniquity and Keep of Dragons by Daniel Adorno

Having recently read The Blade Heir, I went on to read the next two books in the series: Gauntlet of Iniquity and Keep of Dragons.  These books continue the story of Lucius as he tries to fulfil his destiny in being the Ellylei.

I'm not going to talk too much about the story itself, because I don't want to give away any spoilers; but over the two books there is treachery, rebellion, secrets, promises, love, battles, death, heartache and much more.

I do remember reading some of the reviews saying they didn't like this series because the dragons are baddies. Yes, they are, but that shouldn't put you off.   As much as I enjoy books where dragons are portrayed as intelligent creatures, it's good to occasionally read a book that rewrites the script somewhat.

The story is well written, and keeps the right level of suspense.  Some of the sub-plots are predictable, but it just means it's an enjoyable read that's comforting.  It is easy to read, and a couple of times I had to force myself to stop reading so I could get some sleep.

I would definitely read some more of Daniel Adorno's books in the future.

Wednesday 25 March 2020

Garlic Flatbreads

I was meant to be making slow cooker bread to go with my slow cooker soup. Unfortunately, I forgot, and then it was all-of-a-sudden lunch time; so I made flatbreads instead.  These are really easy and only use two ingredients, plus oil to fry.

Ingredients: 
Image from dreamstime
All my flatbread got eaten before I thought to get a photo!

200g Self Raising Flour
200g Greek Yoghurt

Method:

Combine the ingredients to make a soft dough. 
Cut the dough into portions (I made eight).
Roll each portion into a ball, then roll flat and really thin.
Heat a griddle pan hot, and pour on a little oil.
Fry each flatbread for a few minutes on each side.

To turn these flatbreads into garlic flatbreads, make some garlic butter (crushed garlic, butter and optional herbs) and spread on the flatbreads after cooking, whilst still warm

Tuesday 24 March 2020

The Fragrance of Crushed Violets by Cathy Bryant

This book is a Bible study about forgiveness, so we can learn about God's forgiveness of ourselves in order for us to forgive others.

The blurb says:
Forgiveness is a crucial part of the Christian faith and also a way in which we can experience strong and healthy relationships with our fellow man. Unfortunately, the truth about forgiveness--as presented in God's Word--has been somewhat tarnished by inaccurate human philosophy.

The destroyer wants us confused and hurting. The lack of forgiveness in human relationships--even those within Christian circles--is written in the scars upon human hearts, souls, and minds.

But Jesus always taught the need for forgiveness, loving others, just mercy, and justice redeemed by grace. Living by His command to forgive you can declutter your mind and heart through the removal of hatred, malice, grudges, resentment, and bitterness. You can also experience reconciliation and restoration in your relationships with others.

This Bible study guide and workbook is appropriate for either individual or small group study and includes the following:

•what forgiveness is and what it isn't
•God's role in the process of forgiveness
•what Jesus accomplished at the cross for each of us
•our mandate to forgive as we've been forgiven
•what gets in the way of forgiving others
•how to truly forgive the inexcusable

"Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it." -Mark Twain
 This is a short book of only 72 pages, but it is filled with God's word.  There are plenty of examples given of forgiveness in the Bible and how it can apply to our lives.  At the end of each chapter there are open questions for us to reflect upon what we have read and what we can do.

The main negative I have for this book, are that the Bible verses were not explicitly written in the text.  Most of the references were only one or two verses long so easily could have been included; either in the text itself, or within an Appendix at the back of the book.  Being only 72 pages long, it would have given more substance to the book. Whilst I can see that if you were reading a paperbook, you are likely to have the Bible as a paperbook nearby, and the act of searching and looking up verses can help commit them to memory.  However, I was reading this as an e-book on my kindle.  Initially I tried leaving the book, looking up the verse in my e-Bible, then going back to this book to find the next verse, but it was just so clunky that I gave up.  It meant that I just skimmed past all the verses that presumably would have spoken to me and taught me something. If this isn't in the next version of the paperbook, please can it be included in the next version of the e-book.

Monday 23 March 2020

Weekly Update Y2w12

From last week, my weight actually did start to decrease.  You can see that by looking at the yellow line (rather than the blue daily weight which fluctuates loads).

Yesterday was Mother's day, and I may have eaten a whole box of Thornton's chocolates (my family did have some too - just not as many as I ate), which has impacted my weight this morning.

On the recommendation of a friend, I have also started to read a book called Made to Crave.  We're going to [virtually] meet up weekly to discuss what we've learned and the impact it has on our weight and health.

My smaller goal for this week, is to get back into the 2B Mindset, specifically "water first".  For my weight, I'm meant to be drinking over 2.5litres of water a day.  I do drink water, but have got out of the habit of drinking that often.  Even though I may be self isolating atm, drinking water comes out of the taps in the kitchen, so I really have no excuse.

Sunday 22 March 2020

From Social Distancing to Self Isolation

I know DD2 is not a toddler anymore,
but this still applies!
Yesterday morning, I awoke in bed after a really good night's sleep.  I had read in bed for a little while, stopped when I felt my eyes drooping, and slept all night.  I woke up feeling refreshed, to discover an extra person in bed with me.  Not just my husband (I had gone to sleep before he came to bed), but an extra person altogether.  At some point during the night, DD2 had decided she didn't want to be alone, and decided to climb in between us.

"Good thing nobody has any Coronavirus symptoms!" I thought.

Fast forward 18hours, and I'm still in DD2's bedroom trying to get her to sleep, but she can't stop coughing.  I eventually get her her inhaler and some cough mixture to soothe her throat, but she is still coughing.

During the day, DD1 and DD2 were playing beautifully together.  They were in the garden, doing Acro together, making obstacle courses for each other, and playing other games.  As DD2 has asthma and it is the start of pollen season atm, I am hoping that it is just asthma related.  But at the same time, I don't want to be responsible for infecting anyone else; especially if that person is only a carrier and they then pass it one to someone vulnerable.

So, from today, we are not in the house for the next 14 days.  This actually doesn't bother me that much.  My house is my sanctuary, and when it is tidy (we totally blitzed the living room yesterday, ready for the girls' online dance lessons) I love it.  My husband is less happy, as he runs 10Ks a few times a week, both for physical and mental health.  DD1 is another who loves going out and about, so she's disappointed that she has to stay within the confines of the house and garden.  I actually don't know what DD2 thinks about it.  Today is Mother's Day in the UK, and I was ordered to go downstairs so DD2 could do a "secret".  That was over a couple of hours ago, and whatever it is, she still hasn't finished it, lol.

Friday 20 March 2020

Feeling sad tonight

Seeing all the posts on Facebook about friends' children who cannot sit exams this year.

DD1 coming home from school today, really emotional.  She's only been in school for two terms, and is sad to be leaving her friends for the next 3 months or so.

Dancing has ended tonight, and though they will be offering online lessons it won't be the same.  The girls will miss their friends, and DD2 has already asked if she can skype some of her dance friends.  DD1 has asked if she can get WhatsApp on her phone, even though she's not 16 yet.  I'm also going to miss the other dance mums. 

Similarly, we've received an email to say gymnastics is stopped for the foreseeable.

All home ed clubs and meets have stopped.  I'm good friends with the home ed mums too, so will miss them lots.

My singing class has stopped. 

Everything has stopped.

Hopefully it's just tonight, and tomorrow I'll be back to thinking it's a big adventure.

I am looking forward to spending time with my family.
And social media can help keep in contact with friends and family who live further afield.
We're blessed to live in a time when we have such technology and information available to us.

Thursday 19 March 2020

Homeschooling through Isolation

Yesterday the government announced all schools would be closing on Friday afternoon.  We had already received an email from the school which recommends DD1 continues to follow the school day whilst at home:
"Encourage your child to follow as normal a ‘school day’ routine as possible. They should aim to stick to their normal timetable. This would include learning sessions of 50 minutes as follows: 
08:50-09:40
09:40-10:30
Take a break
10:50-11:40
11:40-12:30
Break for lunch
13:10-13:30 – Reading time
13:30-14:20
14:20-15:10"

Now, you may be thinking that having home educated both my girls, sticking to a timetable like this would be easy for me - WRONG!  There is a reason why we are home educators, not home schoolers!  Already DD1 has commented "yeah right, like that's gonna happen"!

The scientist in me wants to see if the oft repeated (even by me) fact is true: Following a teacher's plan (or in this case, work set by school), you can complete it all in 2 hours a day.  Indeed, I've even shared Monkey Mum's calculation in a previous blog.  Given DD1 has already shown her reluctance to follow a timetable at home, I will try and encourage her to get all the school work out the way in the morning.  Given DD1 is a preteen with the attitude of a teen, and has inherited being stubborn and a know-it-all from me, this will be a difficult task for me.

Now some people, especially those who are used to the routine of school, will do well with structure, so I'm not suggesting you chuck it out the window immediately.  Schools still need to deliver the education, and schools should be detailing how they will do that, whether by online tasks, or online videos, sending books home or by other means.  Parents shouldn't feel like they are suddenly responsible for their child's education (though legally that responsibility has never left them, even if they outsource the education to a school).

Perhaps start with the structure and routine, but don't panic if it goes by the wayside.  Such strict timetables are really good when you need to control 30 kids at once, teaching them different subjects at different times.  With this homeschooling malarkey (again, for clarity, I'm using "homeschooling" to mean following a curriculum at home, in this case provided by the school, whereas "home education" is what I did with my girls), you'll only have a few kids at home, so can be much freer.  The caveat to that is if you have limited resources at home, for example, you only have one computer/laptop, but 3 kids who all have online work to do for school.  In this scenario, it makes sense to have a timetable where each child can get their work done online for a time.  And this scenario also shows how silly it would be for you to follow the school's timetable and need to have each child online for the whole day at the same time.

Take the chance to do things that you wouldn't normally do, too.  If both parents are having to work at home (again, this can limit internet time if there's only one device!) this may be harder, but try and enjoy your time together as a family.  Imagine you are on holiday, so play board games or card games together, or watch a movie during the day.  Do some cooking or baking, encouraging your children to get involved. If you can, use technology to limit the isolation you feel, by allowing your children to play online together with friends so they don't feel so alone.  Go into the garden and sow seeds or make up planters, in the hope of getting fruit and veg in the warmer weather.  And even being stuck in the home/garden there are exercises you can do: Body Groove7 min Workout, and lots of content on YouTube for various yoga, Pilates and other exercise routines.

This last paragraph (above) is more what home education is like.  It is about following your child's needs, interests, rhythms and natural curiosity as they navigate the world around them.  (In reality, home education rarely stays at home, and we are going to feel as stir-crazy as the next person without our usual science classes, social meets, Minecraft club, Lego Robotics club, dance classes, gymnastics classes, singing classes etc.)  However, I am hopeful that through this crisis, some people who had been curious or leaning towards home ed, may feel a bit braver and actually take that step, in which case have a read to see what you should be thinking about first.

Wednesday 18 March 2020

Having an Adventure

That's how I feel at the moment.  Like a kind of excitement that I don't know what's going to happen, but everyone is in it together.

I see many people anxious about the coronavirus: randoms, friends and my own family.  Whereas, I'm not worried.  Genuinely.  I'm not saying there's nothing to worry about or that it's not that bad, I'm just saying I'm not worried.

I think this is how my mind works - when I'm not in control of something, my mind kinda goes "oh well, no point worrying then".  (If it's something I could or should have control over, and I don't, that's when my mind goes into panic mode.)

I have not liked this limbo that we have been living in recently.  I would have preferred it if things had gone into lock-down sooner, so at least everyone knows where they stand.  Supermarkets should have put rationing in place earlier, schools should have closed, and everything should have come down from the government so people can claim on their insurance etc.

But I have been looking forward to a slower pace of life.  Having DD1 home from school and DH home from work.  Not going out.  Having time at home to cook proper food.  Maybe get on with the jobs around the house that we're always too busy to do.

Now schools have finally announced they'll be closing on Friday, I do feel like I can start to get organised.  I'm not tutoring out of the house any more, offering online tuition instead.  The singing school and dance schools we go to will be offering online videos for classes.  DD1's school have already given a list of websites and other resources to use. What will be strange for us, is that the school have recommended she keep to her usual timetable - we don't do timetables in this house! lol

But, overall, it will be an adventure, for everyone.

I pray that the panic buying finally stops, so those who need supplies can get them.  The elderly, disabled, the vulnerable, single parents, people with illnesses etc.  Not everyone can buy in bulk.  Not everyone can order online.
I also pray for everyone suffering with anxiety.  There is so much sensationalism in the media. There are too many conspiracy theories going around.  There's too much false information about.

We can get through this.  We just need to be kind and considerate and look after those around us.

Tuesday 17 March 2020

Weekly Update Y2w11

Forgot to do this yesterday, in amongst all the hype and rapidly changing instructions regarding coronavirus.  You'll be unsurprised to know that I'm still fat.  My weight has levelled off this week, but unfortunately it has done so at the top of a peak, rather than after a period of weight loss.

Due to being stuck inside at various times, my girls have wanted to do baking and decorating.
Due to my lack of willpower, I have been eating everything they've been offering me.
I'd like to say that I will do better this week, but I don't have the mental energy right now for blatant lies.

Friday 13 March 2020

Coronavirus

Everyone seems to be having their say, so now it's my turn.


Firstly, please stop panic buying.  Really.  You don't need that much loo roll, and you're being a selfish twat* because other people can't afford (whether time, money or physical energy) to bulk buy so are being left with nowt.

Same goes for paracetamol.  There are people who have various conditions that are manageable with pain relief, yet they are reduced to being in agony, not being able to maintain their living standards because shelves are stripped bare of basic paracetamol; not to mention the fact that there may be other circumstances why these people cannot 'simply' take other pain relief (pregnancy, asthma or other conditions).  Fever is a natural response to infection, so unless it is a very high temperature or accompanied by aches and pains, it is often best to allow the fever to run its course.

And the same goes for sanitizer and hand soap.  Everyone should wash their hands anyway, after going to the loo, before cooking and eating, after playing with pets or in the garden.  Yes, it is recommended that people wash their hands even more often, so the sales of hand-wash might be in slightly higher demand that usual, but currently it is ridiculous.

And the same goes (unsurprisingly) for dried and tinned foods.  Yes, some people are having to self isolate, but as it currently stands, the government has not required this on a large scale (see my thoughts on that below). As such there is currently no need to start stocking up, because all you are doing is impacting other people.  As I said before, there are people who cannot bulk buy.  Whether they go shopping once a week, or only buy a basket-full more often, if there is nothing on the shelves, these people are not going to eat.  And by 'these people' I am thinking primarily of the elderly or people on benefits who may have no alternative but to shop in this manner.  For most of us, and I assume everyone reading this blog, we do have alternative options.  We can buy online and get food delivered to our door.  Other people may not be comfortable with this technology, may not afford to have internet in their home or on their phone, or may not even have a card to enable them do online transactions.

A knock-on effect of this, is that food banks are running out of food and various supplies.  They are not on the shelves of the shops, so when these items are available, people are keeping them all for themselves, or not buying surplus (in the hope of reducing the affect of the panic buying and leaving enough for the next person).  I know I'm guilty of not donating to food banks recently, and I suspect I'm not the only one.

*Apologies to female genitalia - genitalia = good, selfish idiots = bad.

Secondly, it's not just the flu.
It is true that for most people, it will be an annoying infection from which you'll recover and life will go on.  However, for many people with underlying conditions it can be a lot worse.  I'm not going to expand and make you think I'm a medical expect - it's just common sense that people who have lowered immune systems or already have respiratory conditions will be affected by such a virus more.

For anyone interested in learning more about Covid19, FutureLearn are offering this free online course: Click Here

Then there's the impact it will have on all hospitals and other medical environments.  Not only is there the obvious effects (the more people who get the coronavirus, the small percentage of people who need to be hospitalised will increase, so can overwhelm ICUs), but there will be other people, who don't have the virus, who will need to be admitted to ICU, so there won't be enough beds.

There are people with various conditions who need to use hospitals, even if they don't need to be admitted, so lots of 'routine' appointments, testing, monitoring, and surgeries will need to be cancelled. I, for one, have not been called for my annual mammogram and MRI scan that I have to check for breast cancer at this time each year. Then there's the staff themselves, who not only put themselves at risk by being in an environment where there may be multiple people with symptoms, but if they too are self isolating, there will be less staff in our hospitals, so is a vicious cycle.

Once hospitals are overwhelmed, who will be considered eligible for treatment?  What if you're over a certain age? What if you are disabled or have other conditions? What if you don't have children? What if you're an alcoholic or drug addict? What if you smoke? What if you're overweight? What if you can't afford to pay privately?  Who gets to make these decisions?

So should we all be panicking?

No, but it is likely to have a big impact an some people, and because we should be caring for other people in our society, we should be thinking about the impact our actions will have on others.

The government recently updated their guidance here. I've heard a mixed response to this; some people suggesting it doesn't go far enough, whilst others thinking it's totally fine.  (I haven't heard anyone suggesting that it goes too far.)  My gut-feel is that it probably doesn't go far enough.

I know some people will be put out if things were shut down, not least self-employed people like myself who won't qualify for any benefits or SSP, but we need to learn from other countries.  It's very easy to think "oh, it's the other side of the world" "it's a different culture" etc, then it came to Italy, but "they didn't know what they were doing" and "we're learning from their mistakes".  The main thing that has come from the government, to me, is a sense that they don't want to do anything out of fear for their reputation, rather than erring on the side of caution/protecting people's lives, even if it proves to be too cautious.

This article has a sensationalist title, but does seem to be well researched and makes sense to my "Joe Public" understanding of events.

I know in my town in the UK, that we have currently 2 confirmed cases.  Allegedly, there are actually around 50 cases currently in our hospital, but that the hospital has been told from above that they are not allowed to test anyone unless they have travelled to certain locations.  Now the government have said that if you think you have symptoms you should self isolate and only call NHS111 if you are particularly worried or your symptoms are severe; as such the real number of people who have the virus will be much larger than current numbers (and therefore predictions based on these numbers) will suggest.

Another concern I have (because like must the population, I'm more selfishly concerned about how my future plans will be impacted because of shut-downs etc, rather than concern about contracting the virus itself) is surrounding insurance.  I don't fully understand it (partly because I haven't actually looked into it) but I've heard on the grape-vine, that if people choose to not attend events, then they cannot be reimbursed (which I do understand), if the events/venues get cancelled then people will be reimbursed (fair enough), but if the government implements a national shut-down, and events get cancelled because of that, then insurance is no longer valid so people will not be reimbursed.  As I said, I may have got that wrong, or not understood it, but that position seems inherently unfair.

And what about all bills that need to be paid during the shut-down period?  Generally I'm someone who if something happens that I have no control over, I will take it as it comes and treat the situation as an adventure, so the idea of being shut at home, doesn't actually bother me that much, assuming I can still get food delivered to me (because I am privileged in that way).  If we had to live on SSP for the duration of the shut down, if other bills were put on hold (and preferably without interest accumulating), we'd be ok.  If bills were not put on hold, things would be very tight for us.  We're lucky, we have a good credit rating and could potentially organise a mortgage-holiday.  Other people, however, may be renting, so do not have that option.  Or if it's a private landlord, they may be relying on that income in order to pay their own bills.  Unfortunately, I do not have confidence in our government (well, the prime minister at least) to have though of all these nuances, implications, and more that hasn't brushed past my mind.

Personally, my girls have dance exams in the next couple of weeks, and I wouldn't want them postponed, but it wouldn't be the end of the world.  I do feel for students who are doing GCSEs, A-Levels, and University Finals this summer.  It's a stressful enough time anyway, without worrying about what-ifs and maybes. We haven't booked a holiday this year yet, so have no concerns about that being cancelled, but we have booked various day trips and overnight stays for various reasons that can all be impacted.

I've run out of steam for this topic right now, and I haven't even had a rant about overt and more subtle racism due to the virus.  Last night a friend and I had a delicious meal at a Thai restaurant, and we were the only 2 people there. All night.  I asked the lady working there if it was always this quiet on a Thursday evening, wondering if it was just because it's a weekday, but no.  They are quieter on a weeknight, but they have been near-dead all week.  It's crazy. Anyway, I will stop now (and probably remember the rest of what I wanted to write later when I'm away from my laptop).

Just remember to not panic, be hygienic, and think of others.

From BBC Health





Monday 9 March 2020

Weekly Update Y2w10

Yeah, let's not talk about this week...
I am eating much more fruit and vegetables than normal, but I feel like I'm not losing weight anymore. I have had 2 nights where I haven't listened to the hypnotherapy app.  I find when I listen to it, I wake up when it goes off, yet when I have it on continuous loop, I don't feel refreshed in the morning.  Last night I didn't have it on at all, and I had a crazy nightmare*.  At least if I listen to it, it keeps the nightmares at bay.

I had a look at a longer term average (2 weeks) and that clearly shows that I'm not losing weight at all.  I go up and down a lot, but overall, I'm the same weight I always am.


We have finally finished painting the kitchen, so hopefully we can put the shelves on the wall, and I can keep on top of cleaning and start cooking again, so can take back control of my weight.

*Last night's dream was weird.  My dreams often are, and though I don't usually consider weird dreams as nightmares, this one was a bit more gruesome than normal.
It started fairly normally.  I was waiting for my friend Sarah to come visit.  She was coming to me, by train, then we were going to catch a train somewhere together.  She was due to arrive in 15min, but I was still in bed.  Then she wanted me to pick her up at the station.  We were on the train together, then we ended up in an Indiana Jones-esque land.  There were loads of women all dressed in white togas tied to the side of a cliff.  Then, when the king or his kids got bored, they would catapult one woman to the top of the cliff/aiming at the other women.  Whoever she hit, would explode and there would be random limbs thrown all over the place.  The dream went on, but it was very vivid, so I still feel tired now

Thursday 5 March 2020

First Lego League Junior - BoomTown Challenge

A group of HErs, including DD2, set up a Lego robotics team, in order to enter the First Lego League Junior.  In my area, there has been success with HErs entering FLL in previous years, sometimes not only winning regional heats, but national and internationally too!  This was the first time (that I know of) that a local HE group entered the Junior league.

The group was made up of six children between 6-9years old, and we met fortnightly for 2 hours from September/October to February.  For their age group, they were taking part in the Boomtown Build Challenge - designing and building a building from lego, incorporating a part that uses robotics and is programmable.  Most weeks, they were guided by a workbook which took the children through exercises looking at different parts of designing a building:

  • What will the building be used for? 
  • Who will be using it? Is it accessible?
  • Is it strong? Is it stable?
  • Is it environmentally friendly? etc
And there were small programmable mechanical/robotic structures to build such as a crane, an elevator, an automatic door, a fan etc.  Near the end of the weeks, the children had to decide upon a final building with which to enter the competition, build it, do posters to display and write a presentation for the judges.  They had lots of ideas, but rather than the oldest/bossiest/loudest child taking charge and demanding it all be done their way, they decided amongst themselves to use as many ideas as possible, and soon The Boom Eiffel was born!

One of the children particularly likes the Eiffel Tower, and as other children (incl DD2) have been there too, it was decided as a group that the design of our building would be based on the shape of the Eiffel Tower.

The base was made up of four separate rooms: pet shop, aquarium, cafe and souvenir shop.  In the build of the building was the elevator, to carry people up to the next floor.  The next floor consisted of a learning centre, where people of all ages can learn together, and a gym.  The next floor up was open to the air as it was a rooftop garden, and finally the very top floor was a cafe, serving produce from the garden, with a balcony so people could look out over Boomtown.  On the roof of the cafe was a wind turbine, some solar panels and a lightning rod.

Each child then created a poster to be displayed, and had to write their own presentation.  As DD2 built the garden and is concerned about the environment, she focussed on that side of things, whilst others talked about how the building was accessible and who would be using it.  Unfortunately, as DD2 was busy competing in a dance festival on the day of the Expo, we recorded her presentation in advance, so it could be shown with the rest of the team.

On the day of the Expo, the children were nervous but had a great time.  They spoke with the judges and other competitors, and all the children were given matching Tshirts so they could feel like a team.  And we are very proud to say that they won the prize for Complexity and Design!

The kids are doing their presentation again next week, at a local science fair during British Science Week, but they met up earlier this week to congratulate each other and to give DD2 her medal.

I was proud of myself for making a lego cake to share, lol. 


Tuesday 3 March 2020

The Blade Heir by Daniel Adorno

I bought this book (for free, obvs, lol) a while ago but thought it sounded interesting by the title.  Now I have my new kindle and can sort books into 'read' and 'unread' I'm now choosing new books to read based on alphabetical order of the author plus whether the title sounds like it'll be good.

The blurb says:
The Dragons Have Awakened...

Lucius suffers each night from recurring nightmares of a black dragon called Kraegyn. The frightening dreams signal the return of the dragon tribes that wreaked havoc on the peoples of Azuleah centuries ago. Confused and uncertain of his role in the gathering storm, Lucius joins his elf brother Siegfried on a perilous journey to reforge the Requiem Sword--the blade which once defeated Kraegyn.


Lucius' quest will take him through the kingdom of elves, dwarves, and faeries. Though he will gain allies on his quest and uncover secrets surrounding his past, can Lucius survive long enough to stop Kraegyn's ascension?

The Blade Heir is Daniel Adorno's debut novel and is an epic fantasy tale modeled after the works of C.S. Lewis, Stephen R. Lawhead, and Michael J. Sullivan.

Lucius is a human who lives with his adopted elf-family amongst the elves.  He soon discovers that the fate of humankind rests with him, and he needs to go on a quest accompanied by his elf-brother.  Along the way he meets various allies and enemies, and learns more and more about Yesu and the divisions between humans, elves, dwarves, faeries, as well as the Draknoir and their evil leader.

I really liked this book.  It is easy to read and has much more going on than I was initially expecting, especially as this is Daniel's debut novel.  Having read some of the other authors listed in the blurb, I can definitely see the influences they ave had, and that makes me want to read the story more.  In a fantasy world full of magic and mythical creatures, I am intrigued to see how the story develops, and how the various strands fit together.  And, ultimately, whether what I expect/hope will happen (in regards to various scrolls and prophesies within the story) will actually happen.

Rather than just adding the sequel to my wishlist, I have actually bought it immediately so I can keep reading Lucius' story.

Monday 2 March 2020

Weekly Update Y2w9

Over the past week my weight has come back into control.  I did go out for a meal with friends on Friday night with a few drinks and ate until I couldn't eat any more - I couldn't finish the main and couldn't face dessert - so as expected my weight increased the following day.  Then yesterday I wasn't careful with what I was consuming, and every time someone asked me if I wanted a biscuit, or a slice of cake, or a Welsh-cake, or half a Belgian bun, or a can of beer... I kept saying yes.  But that's ok.  Not ideal, but ok.

Over the whole of last week I dropped over 2.5 kilos (around 5.5lb) which is quite a lot, and certainly more than I was expecting. Whether it was because of the newfound motivation, or whether the hypnotherapy is working, or because we had a Riverford veg box last week and I don't want to waste our money, or because I was more active due to painting the house, or because of something else entirely, I don't know.  But, I'm still listening to the hypnotherapy each evening before I go to sleep, we have another veg box arriving on Wed (but then will be going to fortnightly as it is more veg than we eat in a week!) and I still need to finish painting the kitchen (all the awkward bits near the ceiling and in the far corners) so hopefully I'll have a similar downward slope on the graph this coming week too.