Over on Nayu's Reading Corner #29 Book reviews & other things

 

Morning! It's an overcast Thursday as I type this but you are reading it on Friday. The above lettuce is home grown on my window sill! Full growing image at the end of this post.

Here is a catch up with the latest book reviews on my other blog, Nayu's Reading Corner. In just a few weeks hopefully I can say more of what's been going on in my life. Last week I was meant to have ketamine but unfortunately that didn't happen as my heart rate was too high to give it safely. Probably anxiety about life stuff, as well as the usual travel to London during covid anxiety. It's so frustrating as I really need the relief ketamine gives me, but I understand why for safety reasons they have to stick with the limits as most people don't have a naturally fast heart rate. Going to be a very long wait until mid november but hopefully I can get through it sane. Will be trying a few things to try help calm my anxiety including speaking with my local doctor to see if medication can be an option for me.

I'm slowly catching up with book reviews - what's going on in my life has affected production a little but I'm trying to get back into a good routine with them. So here's the latest batch! 

A sort of zombie invasion happened How I Saved the World In A Week by Polly Ho-Yen and George Ermos (Children's, 9 years +, 10/10E)

Shark fest happens in Swim, Shark, Swim! by Dom Conlon and Anastasia Izlesou (Children's, Picture book, 9/10E)

 

 The world isn't always as scary as it seems, or is it? Lily Takes A Walk by Satoshi Kitamura (Children's, Picture book, 10E/10E)

 

A book about Spring and all it entails One Hundred and One Daffodils by Malachy Doyle and Denise Hughes (Children's, 5 years +, 10E/10E)

 

That's it for this week, hopefully there may be more next week! Until then have a good one! I was the idiot who planted all the seeds which resulted in a lot of lettuce in the small pots so I had to transplant them. I'm only not transplanting the current batch because I am scared I will stress the plants out, so I will eat this batch and then grow some more.

Over on Nayu's Reading Corner #28 Time to catch up!

 

A windmill (no idea where or who took the photo) because I like them!

Well life has ticked along for me, I know I haven't been regular in updating but hopefully I'll be more frequent in posting. I know it's been a while because Blogger has changed how some elements of my blog are posted, which is a bit weird and will take time getting used to but doesn't affect anything I post. 

Time to catch up with links to recent reviews and posts on my other blog Nayu's Reading Corner! These are in order that they appeared, not sure if it will be forward or backwards yet. 

Mizuki from Aikatsu!

Some major news that explains a big stress I've had over the past 18 months is looked at here.  

 

 

A guest blog post from an author about their book: Guest Blog Post: Children of the Periapt: Escape from Elmsmere by Cimone O'Byrne (Children's, 9 years +)

 

 

A blog tour stop where I review a fun and interesting new novel Blog Tour: Listen, Layla by Yasmin Abdel-Magied (Children's, 9 years +, 10/10E)

 

 A very cute picture book gets reviewed Blow, Wind Blow! by Dom Conlon and Anastasia Izlesou (Children's, Picture book, 10/10E)

 

 

A review for a sweet and uplifting tiny book that everyone needs in their life Little Bunny's Book of Thoughts by Steve Smallman (Poetry, non-fiction, 10E/10E)

 

 

Finally a book about a sibling's viewpoint of gaining a sibling with health issues Perfect by Nicola Davies and Cathy Fisher (Children's, Picture book, 10/10E)

 

That's for now, hopefully I will have more catch up posts for you next week :) 

Akari from the anime Aria

 

 

 

Nayu's Craft Time #322 I'm Growing Things!

 

Time helps things to grow! Keep reading to find out what is growing in these pots

 Hello! Been far far far too long since I've said hi. Yes I blame life for being it's crazy self. The really good news is at the end of the month, a major life thingy that's been going on for 18 months will be over! I may not get the outcome for a while, but I promise as soon as I get it, I will explain what's been so stressful since Feb 2020 - no it's not covid. I've kept quiet because it hasn't been resolved but I got news this week when the resolution will be. Honestly it's crazy stressful and I've hated every moment. To have a date that it will almost be over is amazing and I'm thankful to God that will be soon - truly I didn't necessarily expect it to happen this year due to covid. Yes I'm sure you're all curious but I will tell you when I can. Partly for my sanity I don't want to discuss it until it's resolved, and legally although I can't be identified online it's probably better than I wait until it's all finished before sharing anything. Sorry I can't say more now, but in August I should be able to! A few of my friends do know  what's going on, but if they can please keep it quiet I'd appreciate it. 

The seedlings started like this

 I'm trying to find the time to squeeze in more blog posts, life depending, of course. As the title and picture suggest I've been busy growing things! A few weeks ago I put 10 seedlings in two starter growth coconut coir/cuir towers. I love watering the discs and watching them expand. The fact I got some seedlings to grow feels like a miracle - just look at them now! 

This one may not make it...

 They are thriving in their full pot of coconut cuir soil (I got a small bag for my plants, its really nutritious but it really stinks when I first use it. Thankfully the smell disappears fairly quickly with an open window. The seeds like the smell as they are still growing! These will hopefully become flowering African Violets or Violas. I can't remember which and I'm too comfy to move and get the seeds. According to my phone they were planted 21st April. Bit worried about one seedling which looks like it may not make it, but 2 out of 10 is good enough for me! 

This one is doing well!

If the second second does perish I'll plant another 5, even if it'll take a few months to know if it has grown.

 

Growth when I first sampled the cress - I couldn't wait for it to grow taller.

Other seeds that are growing and almost at their full potential are my cress seeds! I started them off a few days ago, was a bit worried I'd put too many on the plant pot tray but they are growing well! Need to set another off today so I will have a constant supply of cress. In my grocery haul yesterday I got some plain white paper towels - I'm sure the ink on the one I used isn't harmful but would rather have plain white towels to grow the seeds on. They need watering several times a day at the moment as it's rather warm and the water evaporates fast.

Usually have more in a sandwich but I didn't have loads so this is what I did have!

 I'm enjoying growing my own cress - it tastes better knowing I've grown it from seed, with God's grace, of course. I'm not letting myself buy any more in my groceries so that I have to keep growing them. So long as I've the energy I'll plant some lettuce tomorrow too! Waking up and seeing how the the plants have grown overnight is something fun to look forward to. 

The latest growth - it is getting tall! Will try to remember to take pics of when they are seedlings this time.

Not done much craft recently, but I plan to try a new project soon as I have until the end of September to help out with that caure. More news in a few days (hopefully). I've been gaming lots and will compile a list of my most recent reviews soon. Time to ping across the photos for this post, and then gaming! 

Hoping my seedlings will look like the African Violet (or Pansy) on the right one day!

Nayu's Product Review #13 Kikkerland Panda Zip Bags (Kitchen, food, 10/10)

 

This product was provided for free for the purpose of a review. It had no influence on the grade awarded. 

Several months ago I was asked if I was interested in reviewing these reusable zip lock bags by the company Kikkerland, a popular brand which supplies useful kitchen equipment. As a lover of everything cute my answer was yes please and I picked the Panda range. There are 2 other designs including a hippo and a tiger, but this was my favourite. 

Ever since they arrived I've constantly been using these. They've housed hummous

 

chopped salad, fruit, and for now prodominantly keep my reusable ice cubes that are also Kikkerland (I bought them myself and they are brilliant). As you can see anything, not just food can be kept in them, although they are meant for food. Here is what they look like inside:

 They hold 540ml which is 18.25oz. I haven't put a liquid in here, but you can and it shouldn't leak. The bags hold a decent amount, perfect for solo eaters. They are easy to clean, can be  wipe clean and can be washed with regular dishes in the sink.I have put them in both the dishwasher and the freezer, and the function of the bags were unaffected by both processes.

They are a bargain price of £5, less than £2 a bag, and with 3 in each packet are perfect for every budget. Affordable cute food storage is a win-win! Yes I do plan to buy some in the future as they are that good. There is nothing negative to say. They are environmentally friendly with their multi-use, they are free of some materials that some people can be allergic to. I'm really impressed and highly recommend these! They are widely available on Amazon and other kitchen related stores online and probably offline too. 

Thanks again to Kikkerland for the free sample of this fantastic ziplock bags!

Over on Nayu's Reading Corner #27 Good Intentions

Ichigo and Akari from the anime Aikatsu!

 

 For my most recent update head on over to my other blog, Nayu's Reading Corner!

Nayu's Craft Time #321 Virtually No Snow Days

 

Seeing as my last post was the start of this year I figured I needed to put up a post. I tend to forget to since I tweet what I'm up to on Twitter. This year I'm determined to post more often! Craft isn't happening yet due to it being winter and my low energy reserves are in non-existent, especially over the last week when the temperature plummeted well under zero for a good 7 days. Anything below 5C makes me feel awful, but with the real feel down to at least -9C some days my body nted to hibernate extremely badly. It wouldn't be so bad but as you can see even when it was supposed to snow, the snow was a mere sprinkling, blink and you miss it type job. 

 

But that's no excuse for not posting! The day before yesterday I baked some yummy white rolls which look something like this. They usually rise quite a lot, creating beautifully white fluffy rolls. I actually do not enjoy a super crispy outside to a roll, so get it less crispy I put the warm rolls in the biodegradable looks like plastic but isn't bags I regularly use, and close them. The condensation from the steaming rolls prevent the outside staying crispy! It doesn't go soggy, it just isn't crisp. I discovered that trick a while back by accident. Now I do it on purpose! The dough is made in the bread machine and I divide it up into 8 plump tasty roll shapes. Can't be fresh out the oven hot buttered white rolls!

 Today I am gaming! Mostly playing review games that I can't talk about, but I'm really enjoying my farming games more than ever. Having fun with Harvest Moon: Light of Hope which I adore (I always marry Gabriel the animal shepherd type person) and is keeping me going until March 2nd when the new HM game One World comes out. It looks so epic guys! I had the privilege to attend a demo event and oh boy I just want to farm my heart out.

 

and Stardew Valley where I avoid the mines as all the bugs freak me out.

 

 on my Nintendo Switch Lite. Yes it is a different colour to my yellow one - I got coral because my yellow started having significant joycon drift. Lite's can't be swapped out for a new joycon, and since my Lite means so much to me as a distraction from my health issues I'd always known I'd get a 2nd one. I will send my yellow off for repairs at some point, not just now as got some life stuff regarding money going on, but once a resolution is reaached I'll send it off or save to send it off for fixing. I may end up using one for review games and one for other games, I don't know yet.

I currently have a very unhappy cat under my bed. There's building work going on, and since builders need to come in and out the house (wearing masks, and yes outside my bedroom I wear a mask unless I'm in the middle of the kitchen for a meal) and Belle hates people and any upset to her routine (almost like me), I unceremonially put her in my room earlier, along with her litter tray. I'll grab water and biscuits shortly for her. She happily came out to munch on some yesterday. Shouldn't be for too much longer, weather permitting. When I brought her in she slunk straight under the bed I think in disgust at me shutting her in. To be fair she is nice and cosy under there, she sleeps most of the day, evident from the not so little snores around my pillow area. She is less disturbed under the bed than if she is on it beside me. For the moment she is fed at crazy o'clock (before 5am) when family go to work so we know she actually eats something in the day besides biscuits before the workmen arrive. Sometimes in life I totally wish I could join her under the bed. The photo is of her on my bed as I can't reach her underneath. Have a good day!

Happy New Year!!!!

 

Morning! Happy 2021 (or 0021 as I initially typed). I'm sorry for being so silent for several weeks. Me and winter don't get on at all, add on to that current events that were present in 2020 and yeah, I focused on surviving.

This year I'm trying my best to blog more regularly. I tend to think I have blogged, then realise all I've done is posted updates on Twitter. It's the sole social media I'm on and I use it daily. I know not everyone is on it, so I'm sorry for not keeping this and my other blog updated. I am going to try harder, even if it's just a couple of sentences to keep you up to date with life.

Today I'm patiently awaiting a fun parcel. Although I wish I didn't have to buy it, I am excited about it's contents. I'm getting a new Nintendo Switch Lite! Yes I still have the one from last January, but unfortunately I'm experience the dreaded Joy Con Drift. It isn't as easily solved in a Lite as it is in say the original Switch where new joycons can be bought and used. The Lite is my favourite console of all time. I play on it over 6 hours a day. It truly is important part of my life, and I do rely on the games I have to help my mental health. Yes I have other hand consoles, and yes I had wanted to wait to see if there would be a new version of the Lite this year. Unfortunately the third party PowerA wireless controller that I have did not work well with all games - Super Mario Odyssey I'm looking right at you. It was a case of buy a pro controller, or for 4 times the price of a pro get a new Lite. 

Ever since I bought my Lite last year I knew this could happen. Nintendo recently told me my gaming time, and with over  2000 hours of gaming clocked up it has more than paid for it's price tag. Once everything is trasnsferred onto the new Lite, and once a week or two has passed to get through the post new year rush, I will send the faulty one to Nintendo and pray they can fix it for me. If they turn round and say they won't, or if it will cost a lot of money then I will say no thank you and just keep it as it is. I'm praying they can fix it for free - I've never used them for repairs before. I have bought new joy cons when my old ones started drifting. I've never had to buy a new controller in my entire 30 years or so of gaming, which is pretty reasonable, so I think the problems are just a build up of my being so lucky with controllers. 

May 2021 be filled with more hope and joy than 2020

Anyway, that's it for today. Craft...yeah let's just say I need to slowly build up my craft skills again. Like I said, unless you lived under a rock you know what 2020 was like. Begin extremely high risk from the virus, living with two key workers one in a hospital, plus some other life stuff I'm not yet at liberty to say but I will share later in the year when it's hopefully all sorted, means life is rather stressful for me, despite not having to work so I can stay isolated at home. 

I know 2021 still has the issues of 2020. But just by being a different year there's more hope. I pray that it is a great year for all of you. And here's to regular blogging!