Good morning on the last Monday of January!  Our week has passed in a flurry of parents’ evening, book club, Burn’s night celebrations and not forgetting our son’s better half being offered a great new job.  Funnily enough we haven’t had any news on the politics student other than a text about football scores – oh, the life of a first year student!

Parents’ evening was like a speed dating event…five minutes per teacher and when the bell rings get up and run!  Not sure the computer goblin automatically churning out slots on the online booking system had allowed for mass movement between the hall and the library, and he hadn’t allowed for a wheelie like me – although hubby just used the wheelchair to barge through other parents!  For Burn’s night we were greeted by a piper resplendent in kilt , sporan and full regalia.  How is it that one set of bagpipes can sound as loud as the  (what is the collective term for bagpipes – haggis? sporan? noise?) whole Edinburgh Tattoo?  It certainly had the desired effect of moving guests swiftly from the lobby to the dining area, but I think the ladies serving whisky must have been deaf and in need of a few drams by the time the meal was served.  Slightly disappointing this year was the lack of kilts….couldn’t persuade hubby into one!

Our book club read the new Emma Donoghue book The Wonder this month – review to come – and as usual we had lively debate from the actual book, to last month’s book again (The City and The City by China  ……..) which is being made into a TV series starring David Morrisey, to the current BBC TV series McMafia and Hard Sun.  Amongst the blog posts that I have for you this week is an online book club aimed specifically at those who would find it hard to get out of the house to attend one.  This could be spoonie friends, elderly, young/new mums….anyone who enjoys a good book.  Talking of which, I am taking part in a blog tour this week so will just drop a flier in for it – more info later this week.

I am sitting here Nil By Mouth and have a hot date with a gastroscope this afternoon, so it does pain me somewhat to invite you to pick up your coffee…..but I will do just that and encourage you to kick off your shoes, sit down and enjoy some great posts from some lovely bloggers.  Maybe I will give the pilates a go whilst you down your caffeine….

https://survivinglifeshurdles.com/the-surviving-life-book-club/

https://www.midlifesmarts.com/theres-new-ism-plump-ism-and-its-rife/

http://achysmile.com/index.php/2018/01/25/daughters-migraine-school/

https://www.nicolefrancesca.co.uk/homepage/2018/1/22/i-am-the-1-10-statistic

http://millysguide.com/6-reasons-pilates-good-mental-health/

https://www.chronicmom.com/2018/01/how-to-deal-with-people-who-dont-believe-youre-sick.html/

https://reclaiminghope.blog/2018/01/26/whats-your-favorite-01-26-18/

https://www.trulymadlysassy.com/2017/12/19/the-gift-of-loneliness/

https://ribbonrx.com/2018/01/29/two-frightening-side-effects/

https://emlinthorpe.com/2018/01/22/being-blanked-made-me-smile/

Please comment, like, and share the posts you love.

Have a lovely week,

Claire x