Mouse Tails by Sonny Collins

This is a children's book.  Maybe I should have guessed, because it's called Mouse Tails, but when choosing this as part of my A-Z of Fiction books, I didn't realise that.

This is, however, a cute book to read to children at Christmas time.  It is only a few chapters long, and introduces  a few stories from the Bible from the perspective of mice who are watching the humans.

The blurb says:

A Christmas story for the entire family that introduces several stories from the Bible in a unique and different way - from the perspective of mice. Two orphans are lost in a blizzard when they happen upon kind Nicholas, keeper of the mountain church. Then a young couple arrives as well, slowed down by the storm. Nicholas gives them a haven from the cold as he shares his stories of some very special creatures in this inspirational novella.

If you are looking for a book to read on the nights leading up to Christmas, this may be for you.  If my children were younger, I can imagine settling them with some hot chocolate and a blanket, but I doubt any kids would be that interested over the age of about 8yo. 

The Legacy of the Key by S L Morgan

 We're finally back on track with my A-Z of Fiction Titles with L being The Legacy of the Key.

The blurb says:

Reece Bryant’s life changes forever when a powerful and enigmatic stranger takes her from earth and into a fascinating new world.

Reece is forced to question exactly who this mysterious man is. Why is he so powerful and what makes him alluring in a fascinating way?

Her focus swiftly changes from the man who brought her to this world, to why she was targeted by him in the first place.

The comfort of her human life is tossed into a whirlwind of destruction when she learns the truth of who she really is.

How can you go from being an average every day college student that suddenly learns you’re the most hunted individual on the planet?

I did enjoy this book.  By choosing the book based on title, I hadn't read the blurb, so as it started, I was expecting the man, Levi, to be an angel, but that wasn't to be.  Also, because I hadn't read the blurb, I didn't realise how strongly this book was meant to be a love story.  It is a romance, and that wasn't lost, but my main criticism was that both Reece and Levi profess their love for each other too soon.  She fancied him, and then after one kiss it was suddenly true love.  I think the true love stuff could have waited until later in the book.

Anyway, this book starts with Reece, a medical student who is having to sort out her dad's affairs after his recent death.  She keeps spotting two well dressed, unusually handsome, men wherever she goes, but not everyone appears to be able to see them, or at least, not react to the weird things that happens around them.  In a bid to get back to normality, she goes for a run in the morning and finds herself being attacked by muggers and then saved by one of the men, who announces that if she doesn't go with him immediately, her life will be in danger from the people who arranged the muggers...

As if that wasn't enough to take in, Reece discovers that there are multiple dimensions, and multiple planets and races within these dimensions.  All of these converge on Earth, as the gateway between the different dimensions.  However, one race is power-obsessed, and seeks to find the Key in order to control the gateways between worlds.

I enjoyed the fantasy element of the story, and I liked the cosy romance and old-fashioned gentlemanliness and protocols within the book.  It isn't a straight romance either, and there is deception and intrigue, jealousy and rivalry all mixed up in this fantasy world that isn't that much difference to our own.

This is Book 1 of a 4-book series, and I have added the rest to my Wishlist.

Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson

 Catriona is the second David Balfour book after Kidnapped, which I reviewed last month.

The blurb says:

First published in 1893, "Catriona" (published in the USA as "David Balfour") is Robert Louis Stevenson's sequel to his classic "Kidnapped". 
"Catriona" takes up the story of David Balfour's adventures where "Kidnapped" leaves off. It is a fictional account of real-life historical events that took place in 18th Century Scotland, including the Appin murder, which was committed just after the 1745 Jacobite rising.

The novel follows David Balfour’s attempts to secure Alan Breck Stewart and James Stewart’s innocence for the murder of Colin Roy, the “Red Fox”

I am really glad I continued reading the saga of David Balfour.  This book is ultimately a romance as David pursues "grey eyes" Catriona, but there is as much intrigue and convolution in it, as in the first book.  David has to learn how to negotiate his way with cunning between legal professionals and those in power with the clans of Scotland, in a bid to prove his friends' innocence for the Appin murder. Meanwhile, he gets schooled by the daughter of one in power, on the ways of dressing and behaving, such that he would fit in higher society, that becomes a man who now owns an estate.

It is a good book, and I would recommend reading it either immediately, or soon after, reading Kidnapped, just so that your brain doesn't have to concentrate too hard with the older English and Scottish dialects that are used within.

Who are the AEHEP?

 And why are they so secretive?

The week, the Education Select Committee published this letter from the AEHEP which they wrote after the second oral evidence hearing of the Inquiry into Home Education.  This submission has prompted a load of questions about who the AEHEP are and what their agenda is?

The AEHEP stands for the Association of Elective Home Education Professionals - and that is about the total of the information that is publicly available.  They have no website, no email address, no phone number nor physical address.  They do not seem to be listed with Companies House, they are not listed on this Wiki page, nor are they on this list on the government's website.  Yet, since they formed in 2014/5 (depending on where you read), they have been in regular contact with the government, trying to influence various laws, bills and inquiries.  And though I said people have been questioning their agenda in the first paragraph, it is actually pretty clear that they want to bring in compulsory registration for home educators, and give even more power to Local Authorities, which may potentially lead to a forced curriculum on home educated children too.  They regularly conflate education and welfare, and in the recent submission to the government, have listed national home education groups Education Otherwise and Educational Freedom alongside a neo-Nazi, far right, nationalist group.  Accidental? I'm not convinced, tbh.

Surely it's not right for a group to try and influence the government that is so hidden?
(Ok, I know there are various groups that influence those in power or have hidden power, but hey - even the Freemasons have an online presence!)

Dave Harvey (Hampshire) is currently the Chair, though that may be shared with Jenny Dodd (Staffordshire), and Anna Shaw (Hertfordshire) has said on her LinkedIn Profile that she's a founding member of the AEHEP.  The second link below lists only 14 members of the AEHEP, each of them LA/Council workers; yet I have been informed that over the past few years, the AEHEP has members in most LAs around the country.  

In looking up information about them I have found the following links.  I have not yet been able to go through them with a fine toothed comb yet, but hopefully these will start the conversation along.

https://daretoknowblog.blogspot.com/2015/01/association-of-elective-home-education.html 

http://edyourself.org/articles/LAletters.php

https://edyourself.wordpress.com/2015/06/30/aehep-committee-members/ 

http://edyourself.org/search/?q=AEHEP

https://edyourself.wordpress.com/2018/03/02/background-information-lord-soleys-home-education-bill/#more-12743

Weekly Update

So, my weight is still going up. 😕
I had another session with my PT today, and she suggested I start considering a food diary to see what I'm actually eating.  I know with the 2B Mindset that I should be tracking what I'm eating, anyway, and that I'm resisting because deep down I know I'm not eating well.  
I have also paid for my next block booking of PT sessions and I realised that I think I'm still paying for my Body Groove subscription.  Ideally I would like to think I'll have more time to do that when DD2 starts school in September, but realistically, I can already see that I'm not going to be getting much more time to myself than I have now.  In comparison, the much more expensive 1:1 Personal Training sessions, she comes to my house, so I have no excuses.  Even in the rain, she'll turn up to my house - not switching on the TV or not going to the gym are nor options for me - which is good, because I clearly don't have any motivation by myself.

The Obesity Code by Jason Fung

 

The blurb for The Obesity Code says:

We are in the midst of an obesity epidemic, but despite being inundated with diet advice we are only getting fatter. We count calories and exercise regularly, yet still the pounds won’t budge. Why?

In this highly readable and provocative book, Dr Jason Fung sets out a groundbreaking new theory: that obesity is caused by our hormones, rather than a lack of self-control.

He reveals that overproduction of insulin in the body is the root cause of obesity and obesity-related illnesses including type 2 diabetes, and offers robust scientific evidence that reversing insulin resistance is the only way to lose weight in the long term.

It turns out that when we eat is just as important as what we eat, so in addition to his five basic steps — a set of life-long eating habits that will improve your health and control your insulin levels — Dr Fung explains how to use intermittent fasting to break the cycle of insulin resistance and reach a healthy weight — for good.

This book is really clearly organised.  It starts simple, and gently increments knowledge, understanding, and evidence towards the final conclusion.  It is separated into six parts: The Epidemic, The Calorie Deception, A New Model of Obesity, The Social Phenomenon of Obesity, What's Wrong with Our Diet?, and The Solution.

The blurb has given away the main conclusion of this book - that insulin is the main cause of obesity, so we need to lower both our insulin levels and our insulin resistance in our blood - however, I think this is still a good book to read.  I will list the 5 steps to reducing your insulin as follows, but you really need to read the book to fully understand what each of these steps actually mean:

1. Reduce your consumption of added sugars
2. Reduce your consumption of refined grains
3. Moderate your protein consumption
4. Increase your consumption of natural fats
5. Increase your consumption of protective factors.

These all seem like 'common sense', but this book shares the science behind them, which means they should work, rather than blindly following a fad diet.  In addition to what we should be eating, this book highlights the benefits of fasting; whether you follow the 16:8, 5:2, fast for longer periods, or for religious reasons, fasting is a simple way to help each of use control our insulin levels.

Weekly Update

Yes, yes, yes, it's been more than a week.  Tough titties - as we used to say when I was a teen, lol.  

Since my birthday my weight has sky-rocketed.  A combination of eating crap, eating some delicious Hotel Chocolat chocolates and self sabotage, means my weight has ballooned to nearly the highest it has ever been.

As of this morning, I am 95.6kilos which is incredibly high, even for me.  I was getting down to 92kg quite consistently, so am hoping that if I focus a little bit more on what I shove in my gob, hopefully I will start to get back down there again.

Warning: Fat person photos coming up, so turn back now.

On the positive side, I have been seeing my personal trainer for a month now, which has been a good commitment from me.  I am clearly not motivated to exercise on my own much, so this has been good to have someone come to the house and make me do it spur me on.

Warning: Seriously, look away now, before it's too late.

Before I started seeing my PT, she suggested that I take photos of myself and measure myself as I will likely see improvements in those areas before I notice a weightloss.  Given that I have gained weight, I was surprised to see that I have lost centimetres.

Final Warning: You only have yourself to blame now!

My stats over the past month:

Left arm +2cm Bust -1cm Under bust -6cm Waist +3cm Hips +0.5cm Left Thigh -1cm Left Calf -1cm My photos, however, haven't improved as much and I still look really fat, though my PT looked at them this morning and noticed some subtle differences that I hadn't seen, so I feel better about them. I'm only 1 month in, however, so shouldn't be too hard on myself. I have stuck to it, and next month my photos will look even better.