In which I try a new fruit, share my book of the year and reflect on 2023 including some plans and changes for 2024.
Month: December 2023
On the Sofa: My 20 year old wish list!
Oops, this was supposed to be a shorter one…but I got chatting! All sorts today: cleaning, sorting, finances……a few more gifts…and….a 20 year old wish list that I uncovered thanks to a gift this Christmas. I even managed to make a couple of the wishes come true. And an old photo from my acting days…….
On the Sofa: Christmas 2023 – Bumper Edition!
Happy Christmas lovely people! It’s a VERY long one today – watch it in parts……or listen as you wash up (!)…..or simply join me for some chat if you’re alone and want some company. Apologies to Ted for erroneously calling him Tom!
On the Sofa (with books): A cookbook, a murder and a ‘Lost & Found’
I have a lovely, eclectic selection of books for you today: Surfacing by Kathleen Jamie, Death on the Riviera by John Bude and On the Pulse by Georgina Fuggle………a little something for everyone, I hope. A cookbook, a murder mystery……and a collection of essays that are impossible to pin down!
On the Sofa: House hunting, photos and farms.
A mixed bag from the chatty chair today. Local friends of mine are flat hunting too and looking for similar properties to me…..they’re further along in the process than me so they’re acting as a bit of a’ litmus’ test for me. Also; sorting my photographs, another advert snark and a lovely time spent on a farm via TV.
On the Sofa: Treats for a Tenner! (Christmas for £10/$12.50)
Woohooooo! It’s one of my favourite days of the year…….treats for a tenner! A day to play on my High Street and spend £10 (US$12.50, Canadian $16.50, Australian $18.50) on anything I fancy. Also a little perambulation after sunset to look at the shop windows and twinkly lights. I love this day.
On the Sofa (with books): Up the creek without a paddle.
Today’s books are: Beyond the Trees – A Journey Alone Across Canada’s Arctic by Adam Shoalts and a snippet of Seashaken Houses – A Lighthouse History from Eddystone to Fastnet by Tom Nancollas (it’s a snippet from a previous video for those who didn’t see the original and who have come here just for the books. The card at the end of this video will link you to the full review). We’re all about the water today……canoeing across the ‘top’ of Canada and going out to sea to look at British rock lighthouses.
On the Sofa: Great TV & Rubbish Adverts.
Today I’m chatting about some recently viewed fabulous television….and having a little snark about the dearth of decent prime-time viewing. But, first, some ridiculous adverts I’ve been spotting!
Vivi’s Kitchen Garden: Winter in the Garden.
Hurrah for a dry day to get to the garden…….but, brr, it’s chilly and there is a marvellously spooky fog hanging over the place. Wrap up warm and join me for a chat about seasonal jobs (wildlife, tools etc) as I get on with one of my long-overdue tasks.
On the Sofa (with books): Trees and People.
Today’s book is ‘Sprout Lands – Tending the Endless Gift of Trees’ by William Bryant Logan. A wonderful book charting the symbiotic relationship between humans and trees…..it opens up all sorts of thoughts and discussions around biodiversity, the human hand on landscape/countryside, regenerative agriculture, wildness vs managed flora and fauna. A quest which takes the author all over the world to glean knowledge and ways on the cusp of being lost…… As always, a book review which prompts so much more than just the book……..and a quick walk, at the end, in my neighbourhood to show you examples of pollarded trees at various stages.
