It’s that time of month again. The time when I start asking you to part with your cash. I know times are tough, but if you can, please click on one of these links & give what you can.
The people of Gaza still desperately need our help. Families have been displaced multiple times and live in constant fear. Disease is spreading due to lack of clean water and proper housing. Infrastructure is destroyed. People are starving, they can’t access medical care and all the while are being bombarded. We cannot sit back and watch this happen.
I have been sharing & supporting Haitham’s family. They are just a normal loving family struggling to survive. Please consider making a donation. If you are unable to give money you can still help by sharing their Go Fund Me.
This month I am also supporting Willow Animal Sanctuary. Willow is an incredible place, they offer a safe and loving home for all kinds of farm animals. They re home & rescue, saving so many beautiful creatures from awful situations. They also have a cat hotel for cats that cannot find a home in the usual domestic setting. They are gearing up for winter and could use our help in keeping these animals safe, fed, warm & loved.
A few months ago someone recommended a book. They were so effusive that I added it to my ‘to be read’ pile. Then I forgot about it until I started seeing trailers for It Ends With Us. The ads intrigued me & sparked a memory of that book I was urged to read.
I don’t do many full on book reviews, but this Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us left me with things to say. The buzz about the movie certainly peeked my interest & probably made me want to add my tuppence too.
We can start with the positive. It is a compelling story. Generational trauma, first love, the ascent to adulthood. The author aims to make important points and she hits some of them. The sex scenes are well executed. I actually think it will make a good film.
Now, let’s get to the problems. First up, it’s not well written. The protagonist’s voice gave me the ick from the jump. The story takes her from 15yrs old into adulthood, but the voice does not mature. It is cringey and juvenile. Given the subject matter, it feels uncomfortable. I also had problems with some lazy plotting. Everyone is rich & coincidence abounds. Need help with your business? No problem, a super rich woman who needs distraction & has the exact skills you require will wander into your premises & work for a pittance. Oh & she’s the sister of a mysterious guy you have a huge thing for; crazy.
Then there are those issues Hoover wanted to address. In the Notes from Author, Hoover does admit that although she usually writes for entertainment this novel was intended to educate. I think in her efforts to do that she overshot on two counts. At various points throughout the book I felt like I was reading a PSA. Lily’s internal monologue on how complicated domestic violence is felt less like someone trying to make sense of trauma & more like educational material. While I absolutely agree with the points being made, it jerked me out of the character’s world. The second over reach was Ryle’s backstory. I felt in her efforts to show how complex intimate partner abuse is she tipped into trying to make him too sympathetic. Especially in contrast to what we know of Lily’s father. For me, there was too much consideration of his past, his feelings, his experience. I understand the motivation behind that, but in my opinion the scales tipped too far at times.
Overall, I’d say skip the book & see the film. Not a sentiment I often express, but I’m a book snob. Colleen Hoover’s writing just doesn’t live up to the hype.
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The summer holidays are drawing to close in Scotland. Thus, the last few weeks have been filled with nibling adventures. It’s been tricky balancing ebullient days with enough rest, which has caused a few problems. All entirely worth it.
In the biggest and most exciting news, I have a new nibling. My sister had another boy a few weeks ago and he is of course, perfect. Everyone is doing great & my big boy is absolutely loving being a brother. I had my first adventure out with the tiny little man last week. My sis & I plus both boys checked out Beyond Van Gogh. It’s an immersive art exhibit and we loved it. The little man was captivated by all the colour and light. Big boy fascinated by the whole ear thing. I did really enjoy the experience, but I would have liked some smaller rooms for a more immersive feel. I think it would have felt more like stepping into the art in smaller spaces.
I felt like wearing something exuberant to delve into Van Gogh. I plumped for a retro vibe, with this floral dress and petticoat. I always feel very femme & pretty in this shape.
Dress & Petticoat – Lindy Bop
Summer wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the Glasgow Science Centre (GSC). The kids love being able touch and investigate everything. The twins especially enjoyed a big safe space that they can have free run of. Their big sister really took to the floor that explores the human body. Her sprint time & jump height were extraordinary. The naked body & skeletons also garnered some attention. I met my manager from when I worked at the science centre and was surprised to discover he remembered me. In fact colleagues had recently been talking me. Considering it’s been twenty years, I’m a little concerned about what made me stick in their heads. Past idiosyncrasies aside, we had a fabulous day. Special shout out to gift shop, which bucks the trend of insanely expensive price tags. They have a great range of fun & affordable treats.
GSC is always insanely hot. I suppose that’s bound to happen in building made from concrete and glass. To mitigate this I went for my new little vesty dress. Ten out of ten, so comfortable and light. It is definitely going to be a staple.
Dress – Nobody’s Child. Kimono – Simply Be
On the less fun side the heat has been playing havoc with my Pots. There has been so much dizziness and a few fainting disasters. Air hunger has also been a huge problem. I have upped my water intake, doing electrolyte drinks, lots of sitting down, breathing excerises, fans & so on. All to now avail. I’m really hoping symptoms might diminish as the temperature cools. The new problem is Cubital Tunnel Syndrome. It’s caused by compression of a nerve in the elbow and results in numbness, pain and weakness in the hand. My right pinky & ring finger started getting pins & needles a few months ago and it never went away. Half of my hand is now constantly numb and the remaining half is very weak. I don’t have a lot of pain, but not having full use of my dominant hand is a significant challenge. I’ve had my elbow x rayed & it has mild degenerative changes, which may be the source of the problem. Again I’m doing everything I can and so far no improvement. I have excercises, wear a splint at night, changed my arm position when typing. I’m waiting to see physio. This condition can be reversed, but it frustrating to be stuck with another limitation in the mean time. Fingers crossed that physio helps. Spoonie life is kicking my arse.
If you like what I do you can support me here or on Patreon.
Something in the way she moves... 
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