So its our first week back after the holidays and I’ve been pottering around at home, unpacking, doing the holiday washing and trying to keep Little Miss and Little Man amused in the yucky weather, really what has happened to our Summer this year? I’m writing this waiting for an engineer to arrive, minutes before our big food shop was delivered on Wednesday, I realised that our newish fridge freezer was not working. Fortunately we have a spare freezer and some lovely neighbours who are storing the fresh food in their fridge, however it has made food preparation a little more awkward. Its a little inconvenience, friends’ circumstances this week have been really sad and my broken fridge freezer is laughingly pathetic in the bigger picture of life.

READ

This is a shocking confession but I really couldn’t get into Summertime despite trying hard, so I simply skim read to discover the murderer and read the last bit to find out what happened to the characters. Sadly, I remain unimpressed by the book.  I think I’m still pining for Ove and no other book will compare for a while.

I haven’t started any new books this week but have caught up on a lot of blog posts. There is a recurring theme of wellbeing and the need for simplicity in blogger’s lives, I think the holiday season has us all reflecting and trying to make positive changes.

WATCHED

On a wet Wednesday afternoon, we went to big town to watch the Disney / Pixar film Inside Out. By going to big town it made the day last a little longer, essential in miserable weather and then we popped into the big superstore next door for a bit of school stationery.

I was looking forward to the film and it didn’t disappoint, it is extremely well done in the way in which it explains emotions and how they work. I was particularly taken by their explanation that we need to experience a range of emotions and that you need sadness to allow you joy. Little Miss and Little Man did talk about it after they finished and told me the different lands thy have in their heads, Little Miss has Family Land, Friend Land, Horse Land and Gymnastic Land. Little Man has a Star Wars Land and Minion Land!! I think this film will be a timely reminder of our emotions when we are having testing times!

HEARD

Not much in this category this week, no additions to my IPod playlists and no stand out programmes on the radio. The best thing I have listened to this week is the children being imaginative on our walk to see Kim, the Antony Gormley sculpture, creating stories about the character and his life.

MADE

With my cupboards (but not fridge!) replenished its been lovely to be creative in the kitchen this week and to make an effort with our meals, that’s the beauty of the school holidays, I have the time to enjoy preparing the food, sometimes on my own or sometimes with the help of Little Miss and Little Man who still find it a novelty to help. Our holiday has given me lots of inspiration and we have enjoyed some really tasty meals. I’m looking forward to tonight’s homemade curry, the spices smell lovely and I do like coconut milk in a recipe. In addition to the main meals, which included a very special family meal for our 5^th anniversary we have made flapjacks and minion cakes. Baking is another useful activity on wet, miserable days.

WORE

There is a definite theme this week and after spending the last week in swimming costumes and shorts, its been a bit of a shock to have to layer my outfits with leggings and cardigans to counter the cold, wet weather. I’m hoping its temporary blip and that next week we’ll have Summer back, we’ll be doing the Shaun the Sheep trail and it would be nice to do it in dry weather.