What I listened to in July!

At the start of the year, I started listening to audiobooks. I always wanted to be a reader but couldn't/wouldn't make the time, so audiobooks were a way around it. I could be busy doing something while still listening to a book. Anyway, I thought I would share what I have been listening to. All of my audiobooks come from my local library through the app BorrowBox. I know lots of what I listen to might be considered old but they are all new to me!

This is what I listened to in July:

You Sent Me a Letter by Lucy Dawson!

At 2 a.m. on the morning of her fortieth birthday, Sophie wakes to find an intruder in her bedroom. The stranger hands Sophie a letter and issues a threat: open the letter at her party that evening, in front of family and friends, at exactly 8 p.m., or those she loves will be in grave danger. What can the letter possibly contain? This will be no ordinary party; Sophie is not the only person keeping a secret about the evening ahead. When the clock strikes eight, the course of several people's lives will be altered forever.

This had psychological, thriller, romance, comedy and mystery all rolled into one! I was hooked from the first chapter because I immediately wanted to know what was in the letter. I did enjoy listening to this and it kept me wanting to find out what happened but I didn’t find it quite as thrilling as I expected it to be. The plot was quite basic and I felt like I could see where the story was heading fairly early on. I had a theory about who was behind the letter and I was right for the first time ever! Even though I had worked out who sent the letter, I still wanted to keep listening because I wanted to know how everything would play out. I think this would be a good book if you’re just getting into psychological thrillers because it wasn’t too complicated and was easy listen to.

The Saturday Night Sauvignon Sisterhood by Gill Sims!

Claire’s family has gone nuclear. Her precious moppets keep calling Childline when she feeds them broccoli, and her darling husband is having an affair with her best friend. The question isn’t whether she needs a glass of wine, but is there one big enough? Enter the Sauvignon Sisterhood, a new set of friends brought together by a shared love of liquid therapy. Together they might just be able to convince Claire that, like a good bottle of red, life really can get better with age. Or at least there’s more to it than the joy of an M&S non-iron school uniform.

This was brilliant and had me laughing out loud several times. There were so many moments where I found myself thinking Yes, I can totally imagine someone saying that!” It had that very British humour that just works. Claire’s situation is obviously awful and there are some really difficult subjects covered, including betrayal, grief, loneliness and dealing with huge life changes but the humour always stood out above everything else. I loved the idea of the Sauvignon Sisterhood and the friendships that formed between these women. It was a lovely reminder that friendships don’t always happen when you’re young. I think this is one of those books that wouldn’t translate as well to other countries because so much of the humour is very British. The references, the sarcasm and even some of the situations are things that I think many UK readers will instantly understand.

Just Got Real by Jane Fallon!

He's not who he says he is. Then again, neither is she. When Joni finds Ant via a dating app, neither is entirely honest about who they are. But when they meet in real life, they fall for each other. Soon they are a happy, steady item. Until Joni discovers Ant is still on the app, still dating other women. Having secret rivals devastates Joni. So she decides to take revenge. But not on them. Can she turn these rivals into allies to get back at the real enemy, Ant?

I went into this expecting a fun revenge story and that is exactly what it was! I loved hearing the women come up with their plans and seeing Ant get what he deserved. hehehe One of my favourite things about this book was that the characters were a bit older and have already lived a bit of life instead of it focusing on people in their 20s. I loved the friendship side of the story just as much as the revenge. The only downside for me was that it was just too long. I did really enjoy the story but it seemed to drag at the end.

The Flower Girls by Alice Clark-Platts!

The Flower Girls. Laurel and Primrose. One convicted of murder, the other given a new identity. Now, nineteen years later, another child has gone missing. And the Flower Girls are about to hit the headlines all over again.

This is a tense, chilling story and a lot darker than the rest of the books that I read this month. The murder of the two year old girl really made me think it was a lot like what happened to James Bulger which is still horrifying all these years later. I enjoyed hearing the story from different characters and different sides to each bit of the story with different emotions being shown. It discusses the debate between being born evil or learning it and explores the age of criminal responsibility. It doesn't go into gory details about the 1997 murder, it lets you fill in the blanks for yourself, which in a way is worse. The ending, the last couple of chapters were shocking, I did not see that ending coming! 

What have you been reading or listening to lately?

The Wednesday Hodgepodge #68

I hope you are all having a good week. It's Wednesday, which means it's time to join in with the Wednesday Hodgepodge with Joyce who blogs at From This Side of the Pond! Each week there are 6 questions, we answer and then link up. Simple!

1. I saw a meme on Instagram that went like this-'The movie Dirty Dancing came out in 1987 and was set in 1963, so if remade in 2026 it would be set in 2002. Now I need a little lie down in a dark room for a while." Time is crazy isn't it? So...what were you up to in the year 2002?

2002 was a massive year for me and I spent most of it pregnant! It was the year I became a mother! Becky, my eldest was born in September! The last six weeks of my pregnancy were terrible. I suffered from sciatica and my feet and legs swelled up really badly, so I spent a lot of time sitting in bed. I went for a routine check-up with my midwife on the Thursday before Becky's due date the following Wednesday. The midwife was a bit concerned that Becky's heartbeat was too fast and also said she might be breech. By the time I got to the hospital for a scan, her heartbeat was fine but yes, she was breech. The doctors said I needed a c-section and Becky was born a day early! It all seemed rushed and crazy but all was good and I settled into motherhood!

2. "Me? I'm scared of everything..." What's something that scares you that you'd like to try anyway?

The first thing that came to mind was skydiving! You really can't get much scarier than that. Just the thought of even going up in a tiny plane terrifies me, so throwing myself out of the plane is just a whole other level of terrifying. That said, I know that the adrenaline rush afterwards would be completely unreal. I know I'd need someone with me the whole time encouraging me, holding my hand, telling me that the plane isn't going to crash and I am not going to die but how cool would it be to be able to say that I had jumped out of a plane!

3. Watermelon-yay or nay? Which melon is your favorite-watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew. Of the watermelon food/beverages listed which would you say yes to... watermelon salsa ~ watermelon feta salad ~ watermelon sorbet ~ a watermelon Jolly Rancher ~ a watermelon margarita.

I’m not a big fan of watermelon, it's one of those fruits that I could take or leave. I don’t dislike it but it’s never something I would see in the shops and I think I need to buy it. I haven’t tried any of the things on the list but Jolly Ranchers are a blast from the past! They were a big thing when I was at school but I don't think you can get them over here anymore. I might have tried a watermelon one without realising. If I had to pick one, I think I’d go for the watermelon margarita. I’m always willing to give something a try, especially if it comes with a little bit of alcohol!

My favourite melon is honeydew! When my girls were little, we used to go through two or three a week, especially in the summer because we all loved them so much and they were a healthy snack. They never lasted long in our house! It’s been ages since I last bought one and I hadn’t really thought about it until answering this question. Now I’m sitting here thinking about how nice a big piece of cold, juicy honeydew melon would be. I think I might have to pop one on the shopping list this week.

4. August 12th is National Middle Child Day. Are you a middle child? If not, where do you fall in the birth order in your family of origin? Do you think this has influenced your personality? Elaborate.

I’m the eldest, with a younger brother. Looking back, I do think that has shaped my personality. My parents were definitely stricter with me growing up. I was their first, so they were just figuring it all out as they went, which meant more rules and a lot more worrying. I remember having to be in at 7pm at a certain age while my brother got much more leeway and was allowed out later when he hit that age. At the time, I thought it was the most unfair thing in the world but now that I'm a parent myself I totally get it and I can admit I was way more relaxed with my youngest compared to my eldest too. Being the eldest also came with more responsibility. I had chores and expectations before my brother did and I was always the one who was supposed to set a good example. My brother and I spent a massive chunk of our childhood arguing over literally anything and everything but at the same time, I was protective of him. I could boss him around all day long but if anyone else dared to upset him they had me to answer to!

I think all of that just made me more independent and someone who takes charge. I'm so used to having things expected of me that I tend to just step up and handle responsibility rather than waiting around for someone else to do it and I can also be a bit bossy which I'm sure my brother would be very happy to say!

5. Would you rather talk to everyone at a crowded party for a short time, or have a significant conversation with two people? Explain.

I’ve been blogging for years and I connect with so many people online but in real life I’m not really a people person. I have a few close friends and I’m very happy chatting away to people I know but put me in a room full of people I hardly know and tell me to make small talk and I’d probably want to hide in a corner! I think I’d rather have a really good conversation with two friends than spend a whole evening going around a crowded party trying to make small talk with twenty different people.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I am looking forward to the end of this week. It's Stu's birthday and as much as we don't have anything planned, we have lots of things that we might do and we're going to decide on the day. He has a few days off work and we are going to make the most of that time with maybe a day out.

Share Our Lives - Favourite current music!

It's that time of the month again to share some of my life and join in with the other Share Our Lives bloggers. This month the prompt is: Favourite current music.

I’ve realised something about myself over the years. I am not a music person in the way other people are music people. I don’t go hunting for new releases and I can’t tell you what’s number one in the charts unless the girls are playing it loudly but music still plays a big part in my life.

I always say I’m not into new music, which is mostly true. I do technically know current music thanks to TikTok but only the good bit, the catchy 30 seconds that everyone dances to or mouths at the camera. Most of the time I don't know who sings it or what the song is even called.

When I’m cleaning, cooking or doing anything around the house, music is happening and when it goes on it’s always the same stuff. My girls like to remind me that my music is old. My happy place is cheesy 90s pop. Proper sing it like you mean it pop, the kind of songs that come on and make you feel happy! Then there’s the rock side of my music taste, which feels very serious compared to pop but still ends up being equally dramatic. Classic rock is what I love. Bon Jovi is basically a household staple. Guns N’ Roses also make regular appearances, especially when I’m feeling a bit grumpy or need motivation and then there’s Meat Loaf. He was an absolute legend! I do dip into rock from the early 2000's like My Chemical Romance, Green Day and Limp Bizkit. A while ago, my youngest said she had found this great group but I probably wouldn't like them because of their bad language. She played me a Limp Bizkit song that I sang along to. That was a proud parenting moment for me which really shouldn't have been but the look on her face was priceless.

The songs from musicals have a big place in my heart too. You have to sing them loudly and I usually do when I am in the kitchen making tea. My family find it hilarious. I'll be halfway through cooking and suddenly realise I've got an audience watching me put on my own little performance. Then there are the big power ballads. If I've got a ton of housework to get through, I'll usually be listening to Celine Dion or Whitney Houston singing and dancing along. Folding clothes, mopping floors and hoovering is much more fun with good music.

I'm quite happy listening to the music I've always loved and I probably always will be. I think I always go back to the same music because it's comfortable and familiar. So many of the songs remind me of different times in my life, I don't feel like I have to keep up with every new artist or know what's in the charts.

What's your favourite music at the moment?

I am linking up with:

Adrienne from Mom Life with Adrienne.

Dara from Not In Jersey.

Jen from Show me & Sweet tea.

Joanne from Slices of Life.

Our weekly meal plan! 10th - 16th August! #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Ours was a good one. Nothing exciting happened apart from me thinking the shower was broken with water coming out of the bottom but it turns out the shower head was blocked with limescale. The girls were doing their own thing with friends, so it was quite at home. I am getting used to having two adult daughters who have their own lives, plans and people to see. I spent most of Saturday catching up on the housework that I didn't do during the week. Being full of cold and feeling sorry for myself, cleaning wasn't a priority. Saturday was a catch-up day with tidying, cleaning and doing the washing. Sunday was much more relaxed. I started watching the Lindsay Clancy trial on YouTube after seeing so much about it on TikTok. I had seen lots of people talking about the husband and things that apparently weren't adding up so I decided I wanted to watch the trial for myself rather than just relying on short clips popping up on my TikTok feed. It is interesting but also such a sad, sad case.

Last week's meal plan went really well. We ate just about everything that was on the plan, which I am taking as a win because I had no interest in cooking for most of the week. Stu did the cooking on Monday, which was a massive help as I just couldn't be bothered and for the rest of the week we just muddled through.

This week is going to be a little busy, we have a few things going on. Stu has a couple of days off work, Ellie has a couple of appointments and at the end of the week, it is Stu's birthday! I love this time of year, it's Stu's and the girls birthdays over the space of three and a half weeks. It's busy but a lot of fun!

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - A fry up!

We're starting the week with a proper fry-up. On the plate will be sausages, bacon, mushrooms, black pudding, hash browns, baked beans, tomatoes and toast! It is one of those meals that works at pretty much any time of the day. We could have it for breakfast, lunch or tea and nobody would complain.

Tuesday - Meat-Free sloppy joes with potato salad!

Tuesday is one of our favourite meals and it is something we originally used to get from Gousto. Meat-free sloppy joes with potato salad. I remember the first time we had the meat-free mince. I was very curious about it because I'd never really used it before. I am pretty sure I didn't even tell my family it was meat-free until after they had eaten it. I thought I would see whether they noticed and they didn't! lol The sloppy joes are really tasty and messy, which is all part of the fun.

Wednesday - A help yourself evening!

Wednesday is going to be one of those nights where I have no plans. Everyone can help themselves to whatever they fancy and use up bits from the fridge, freezer and cupboards. We always seem to have random bits of food hanging around. Half a packet of something, a few potatoes, some cheese, leftover meat, something in the freezer that I bought ages ago and forgot about. This is the night to use things up.

Thursday - Ham, eggs and home made chips!

I have a couple of joints of gammon in the freezer so they are coming out for Thursday and Friday. I'll boil the gammon and we'll have it with fried eggs and homemade chips. It's such a simple meal but it is so good and homemade chips are always worth the effort!

Friday - Ham salad!

We'll be using the leftover ham with a salad. Lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, beetroot, sweetcorn and some new potatoes. I'll probably end up adding anything else I find in the fridge too.

Saturday - Pizza of some sort!

I haven't decided exactly what we're having yet. It might be homemade pizza or it might be fresh ready-made ones from the supermarket. It will depend on how much time I have and what everyone fancies.

Sunday - Stu's birthday!

We sort of have plans, but nothing is definite yet. We have talked about a few things we could do but we'll see what happens. Whatever we end up doing, I know it will involve something nice to eat!

What are you eating this week?