If we were having coffee, I’d tell you everything aches this week. I think the continued damp weather is getting into the marrow of my bones. One of my friends said she felt the same so perhaps it’s not just me. Can your bones ache?
Entertaining Friends—On Sunday, we invited a couple of friends over for supper. For starters, I cooked fresh asparagus wrapped in bacon. I’ve made this dish many times, but on this occasion, I committed the cardinal sin of trying a new cooking method: Baking from raw rather than steaming the asparagus first. It was okay, but not great. My guests were polite. For main, I made lasagne, which, even if I do say so myself, was delicious, and for dessert, a simple pannacotta, all washed down with a couple several bottles of red wine.
Animal Charity Shop—Of course, I woke up with a hangover from hell (the morning after the night before), and the three-hour shift in the charity shop seemed to stretch on forever, especially as I was freezing cold, and I forgot to take a flask of hot coffee. … don’t whine, Piglet. It’s for a very good cause. Next time, check if the cafe opposite does a takeout.
Exercise – The Power of Positivity
Amazing! I’ve not sat on the floor since my total knee replacement operation.
TV and Movies
This week, we watched the Netflix series ‘Adolescence’ It blew me away. That’s all I’m saying. If you have kids it is well worth watching.
It’s heartbreaking on all counts.
Weather
On Wednesday, we were hit by storm Martinho, which had gusts of over 100km per hour. These were the strongest winds we can remember in the last nineteen years. Several pots in our garden were turned over, and chairs ended up in the pool along with a mass of debris. Many pine trees on the roads were uprooted. I can only thank God, a few years back we persuaded our neighbour to fell his pinetrees overhanging our roof and property.

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Art Class – Creativity at its best …
My lesson with local artist Rowan Marquis finally happened. Due to health and other commitments, this is our third attempt to get together. Yay! I am creating a textured picture of a Buddha and learning different techniques. It was amazing. I’m hooked. We laid down the background and texture and now wait for it to dry before I can continue the painting. To finish up the lesson, Rowan was trying to teach me to paint flowers using a palette knife. Let’s just say I was rather cackhanded, as the picture below demonstrates.


When Mr Piglet came to collect me, he took one look at the picture, frowned, and then pasted on a polite smile that said, “Is that it?”
Beta Reading Commitment … Apologies. I’ve not been around the blogosphere much this week. I’ve been busy beta-reading a friend’s latest novel and have a deadline. I am 85% through the book and loving it! I can’t put it down. Then, I just need to offer my notes for consideration, and I’ll be back in the blogging saddle.
I will catch up with everyone over the next week.
Coercive Power: A King & Midnight K-9 Mystery (The King & Midnight K-9 Mysteries Book 2)
If you enjoy mysteries, I highly recommend reading D. L Keur’s books. Once started I can’t put them down.
That’s it from me this week. A crazy week but productive.
Do check out Natalie’s Blog for other weekend coffee shares.


So glad you ok after such a storm!
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Whoa, that was a strong storm! Scary. Your dinner party sounds so fun, even if you had a hangover the next day 🙂
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Hi Tracy, yep, the winds were very strong and I’m hoping the weather returns to its seasonal norm. Yep, the dinner party was great fun but also scary as my friend is a great cook and this was a first time cooking for her.
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Goodness! What a storm! We’ve had abnormally strong winds whip through our area recently as well and the damage that can be inflicted in such a short period of time is quite humbling and a big pain in the rear. I hope your week is off to a calm(er) start 🙂
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Hi Melissa, yep. The week is off to a calmer start and the forecast is calmer
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I’m so glad you’re safe after the storm. That art class sounds intriguing. I’ve never done a textured painting but would love to.
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Hi Astrid, the class was brilliant and I’m looking forward to moving onto the next stage.
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Glad you got through the storm. Your dinner party sounds excellent.
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I am pleased to say I survived both 🙂
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I’ve just started watching Adolescence. It’s pretty intense. I’m happy you survived that wicked storm.
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Hi Terry, yes, intense is a good word.
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Hi, Carole – That was a very productive week indeed! And yes, bones truly can ache — at least mine have proven this to be true!
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Hi Donna, Yes, a productive week even if the weather did conspire against me.
Aching bones sounds strange but at least you can relate. I’m not sure how else to explain the feeling.
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That was quite a storm. Glad you’re safe. Thank you for your weekend coffee share.
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Hi Natalie, I hope the storms are behind us this week and we can move forward into Spring. AND thank you for organising the weekend coffeeshare
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Phew, that was quite a storm! Scary.
We also watched Adolescence and thought it was fantastic. Very intense. And the young actor who played Jamie is so good.
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Hi Laurie, did you post it on your blog about Adolenscence. I am sure I read the recommendation somewhere but not sure where. Yes, the actor who played Jamie was very good. Especially when he went from calm to full blown rage.
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No, I read about it on Thistles and Kiwis. Perhaps you did, too? Yes, the transition from calm to rage was excellent.
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thanks, Laurie. Yes, it probably was. I must track down her post and thank her.
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I have just watched Adolescence – which is absolutely brilliant and at the same time terrifying because it shows very clearly the deep underlying horrors of our society…..The acting is superb,.
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hi Janet, the story and the superb acting stays with me. IT is not just the poor victim’s family who suffer but it also ruins the lives of the family of the person who commited the crime.
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So many lives are ruined by what I feel is a break down in society and much of it does have to do with social media etc which can lead to all sorts of dysfunctional behaviour. Thanks for commenting….x
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Glad you are safe after the storm! Excellent the overhanging pine trees are gone.
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Hi Rebecca, as for the overhanging trees I did have to make a ‘smiley’ veiled threat to the obnoxious property owner when he refused to come to the door that I would report him to the bomberios as they were a fire hazard. We had action the next day.
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Good for you, sometimes one must play hardball!
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Just a passing question… You mentioned your (swimming) pool. Do you use it… To swim?
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Hi Ark, yes. I do use the pool in the summer but it’s way too cold at the moment. We also made the pool natural and part of the garden so it blends in.
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