Lovin’ Lately (January 5, 2024) #FridayFavorites

Posted on by Astrid

Hi everyone. I haven’t shared the things I loved recently in a while, so I thought today it would be fun to do so. As usual, I’m linking up with Friday Favorites.

1. My new clay extruder. I got the Makin’s Professional® stainless steel one. It’s a lot sturdier than my previous extruder, which I managed to damage within weeks of getting it. I only got the new one yesterday, so am still learning to use the extruder. For this reason, I haven’t really made anything using it yet.

2. Cernit polymer clay. This is a new to me brand of polymer clay and I haven’t yet made anything out of it either, but I’m loving all the beautiful colors it comes in.

3. The book The Complete Enneagram by Beatrice Chestnut. Okay, this one I’ve had for a few weeks already, but I really like it and, since I haven’t done a list of my favorite things in a few months, I think I can still mention it. It really helps explain not just the Enneagram types, but also the instinctual variants.

4. The book Feelings First Shadow Work by Benjy Sherer. The author advertised the book in one of the personal growth groups on Facebook I belong to, saying something about what if, say, your leg hurts because of a baseball hitting it ten years ago and you kept going to the field to chase that baseball down. That, he claims, is what most people do when they start doing shadow work: focusing their minds on details of past traumas rather than truly feeling their current feelings and processing those. I cannot articulate what the author said nearly as well as he could, but his words were spot on. Another appealing factor about the book is the fact that it has journaling promts. Then came the big bummer: we’re instructed to read the entire book first before jumping to the journal prompts. Having the short attention span that I do, I’ve only just started the book, but it so far seems quite cool.

5. A huge chocolate Christmas tree. Unfortunately for you (or maybe fortunately as I’d just make your mouths water), I’ve already eaten part of it, so I cannot take a picture. I got it from a temp worker on Wednesday when we strolled down to the town’s bakery to buy some apple-filled pastries called “appelflappen” for the two of us and the thing stared at her. She said she gave it to me as I was her first client of 2024. How lovely!

The Wednesday HodgePodge (December 13, 2023)

Posted on by Astrid

Hi everyone. It’s Wednesday, so time for the Wednesday HodgePodge. I’m so happy Joyce, being a Christian, did her best to be inclusive by not mentioning “Christmas” specifically where it wasn’t necessary and instead writing “the holidays”. Thanks for being mindful of those subscribing to other faiths or spiritual paths or none at all! Here goes.

1. Oxford’s Word of the Year for 2023 is “rizz”. Hmmm…before today had you ever heard the word? Do you know what it means? (Apparently it’s short for charisma) Have you ever used the word? If you were in charge of the world, what word would you declare word of the year for 2023?
Never heard of it nor used it. No, I had no idea what it means. If I were in charge of the world, wouldn’t I have better things to do than decide on a word for 2023? I have no idea what word I’d declare a universal word of the year.

2. What’s one word you tend to abbreviate in your writing or speech? (as in rizz for charisma)
I can’t think of any off the top of my head. I remember in high school we abbreviated a lot. “Philo” for philosophy class, for example. My spouse said it’s a grammar school thing. I remember the Center for Consultation and Expertise consultant writing a report on me in 2018 abbreviating the Dutch word for grammar school, which is “Gymnasium” (and no, it has nothing to do with sports) to “Gym” too. This may not sound as unusual to American readers, who abbreviate their version of gymnasium all the time, but it’s a real grammar school thing to say “I went to Gym” to say your secondary school was a grammar school.

3. Are you a Hallmark movie watcher this time of year? What’s your favorite character from a holiday-themed movie, book, or TV special?
I answered this question last year too I think, to the effect that I’ve never seen any Hallmark movies. Nor have I read many Christmassy or winter-themed books. I’d say my favorite characters are Aisha and Emily from the chapter book Snowstar and the Big Freeze by Daisy Meadows (and all of that series).

4. Something you look forward to eating this month?
Cinnamon stars, of course! I always talk about those. They are a type of holiday-themed cookie by a Dutch brand called Bolletje. They come in chocolate tree and coconut bell (or vice versa) varieties too. Two years ago, I got four packages of cinnamon stars from my day activities staff in Raalte and had to share the last package before it expired in late February.

5. What’s the most stressful part of the holiday season for you?
This year, visiting my parents on the 25th. It’ll be the first time in five years that we’ll be visiting them and the first time in as many years that we’ll be together as a family (including my sister). Of course, my brother-in-law and two nieces will come too.

6. Insert your own random thought here.
I updated to iOS 17.2 last Monday, which introduces the Journal app to the iPhone. So far, the only thing I sort of like is the Suggestions thing, which Day One, my usual journal app, has made use of too, since it’s an API. I still think it needs improving on though.

The Wednesday HodgePodge (September 6, 2023)

Posted on by Astrid

Hi everyone. I’m joining the Wednesday HodgePodge once again. Here goes.

1. It’s National Read A Book Day…whatcha’ reading? What’s a book you want to read?
Honestly, I’m not currently reading any book. That is, I’m paging through a few, among them a positive body image workbook and Find Your Path by Carrie Underwood. And of course a ton of journaling books. I can’t remember the last book I actually read. I thought I wanted to read Cathy Glass’ latest foster care memoir, only to find out it’s her penultimate book. That’s truly sad, as I love the author. It immediately caused me so much disappointment I don’t think I want to read this book after all.

2. Which is better…having high expectations or low expectations? Explain why.
I am probably in the minority here, but I think having low expectations is better. Still better yet is having no expectations at all, but to let things unfold as they will. I grew up with parents who put a lot of pressure on me under the guise of high expectations and this – among many other things – led to some emotional scars. I also feel that, if we have high expectations of others in life in general – so people other than those lower on the social ladder than us (like children) -, we often come across as demanding and critical.

3. Serenity is ________________________.
A feeling of calm and being in the present.

4. What’s the most interesting thing in your purse or pocket right now?
Uhm, I don’t have a purse and rarely have anything in my pockets.

5. What helps you calm down?
Ideally, lying under my weighted blanket with my stuffed lemur’s tail over me, my essential oil diffuser on and a calming Spotify playlist like this one playing on my music pillow. Or just lying under my weighted blanket, if my phone needs charging and I don’t have any essential oil blend in my diffuser at the moment.

6. Insert your own random thought here.
I have some awesome news: I have a moving date!!! On September 18, I will be moving to the new care home. I still know next to nothing about it, but I’ll follow my advice on question #2 and just let things unfold as they will.

Lovin’ Lately (July 28, 2023)

Posted on by Astrid

Hi everyone. It’s time for me to share some of the things I discovered or bought recently that I’ve loved once again. I’m joining Friday Favorites.

1. iOS 16.6. Well, honestly, nothing’s new, but at least a long-standing accessibility bug that had been annoying me for months finally got resolved. Since iOS 16.5, which came out in early May I believe, for whatever reason, the panning buttons on my Braille display, which allow me to scroll, froze in all book-related apps after the first page, allowing me to read only one page and then have to turn VoiceOver off and back on. This made reading on my iPhone basically impossible. So, no shiny new features but yay, I can read again!

2. Books. This brings me to my second favorite thing. Since I can finally read on my iPhone again, I have been doing so a lot. I am currently reading Silenced, Rosie Lewis’ latest foster care memoir.

3. My new blender. I finally took the plunge and ordered a blender off Bol.com last week. I have only made two smoothies with it so far, but it’s good nonetheless. It is a power blender, but not by a high-end brand, because I just don’t have the money for that. Being able to read on my iPhone again, also meant being able to use the collections of smoothie recipes I have on there again.

4. The Water Reminder app for my iPhone. I have had it on my phone several times, but it’s probably Chinese and I at one point deleted all the Chinese-owned apps off my phone for fear of being spied on. Then again, my old headphones that I used with my computer, were a Chinese brand too, so what’s the point? Today, when I looked at the Water Reminder app, I discovered that there are far more drink types you can add than I previously thought. I was looking for “smoothie”, and yay, it’s in there.

5. The Celtic Relaxation Music playlist by SWake on Spotify. I discovered it while searching for Celtic instrumental music playlists. Though Spotify’s own Celtic Instrumental playlist is good too, this one is better.

What have you been lovin’ lately?

Book Blogger Hop: Enjoying Children’s Books

Posted on by Astrid

Hi everyone. I am not really a book blogger, but I do follow Billy of Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. Billy hosts the Book Blogger Hop, which I find fascinating, as I do like to read (and write about) books occasionally. This is my first time actually participating in the hop.

This week, the question truly spoke to me: do you still read and enjoy children’s books? My answer, as those who’ve read my #IMWAYR posts on here will know, is a resounding “Yes”.

In fact, I probably don’t read that much adult fiction at all. The book I’m currently reading happens to be a new adult romance and is explicitly advertised as being for over-18s due to triggering content, but its main characters are high school students nonetheless.

I do try to read more adult-oriented books, as I’m nearly 37 and honestly can’t quite relate to today’s teenagers. Not that I can relate to today’s adults, but oh well.

As for actual children’s books… You know, middle grade, chapter books, picture books even… well, uhm, yes. Though I don’t download picture books off Bookshare (the accessible reading service for the blind or otherwise print disabled) because they count towards my maximum number of books I can download each month, picture book reading channels on YouTube are my guilty pleasure. So are chapter books, particularly those on mythical creatures such as unicorns. I really love the Unicorn University series by Daisy Sunshine.

Middle grade fiction and YA, I do like occasionally, but it depends on the topic. In general, as with adult fiction, the middle grade and YA lit I enjoy is usually pretty realistic.

Honestly, I feel quite ashamed for my not so age-appropriate reading preference, thinking it sets me apart from other book lovers. Then again, I’ll never be a proper book blogger anyway. I’m just not a fast enough reader for that.

Book Review: I Want My Daddy by Casey Watson

Posted on by Astrid

Hi everyone. I haven’t been reading as much as I’d like to, but I did finally finish another book. It’s Casey Watson’s latest foster care memoir, I Want My Daddy. As regular readers of my blog know, I love memoirs and particularly inspirational memoirs such as these. Casey Watson is a foster carer in the UK and, in a series of books, writes about the children she’s fostered over the years, of course taking care to protect their privacy. For this reason, she writes under a pseudonym. I Want My Daddy came out last month and I ordered it off Apple Books right away.

Summary

A 5-year-old boy, Ethan, is brought to Casey in the middle of the night after the sudden death of his young mother after a drug overdose. Estranged from her parents, Ethan’s mum had been abused by her ex-partner, and began taking drugs to cope. Ethan is obviously lost and bewildered, and regularly wakes up screaming for his mum in the night. He begins to lash out at other kids at school and his behaviour becomes more volatile. When arrangements are made for Ethan to see his dad in prison, Casey recognises the name and face… It turns out she’s far more familiar with this case than first imagined.

My Review

Initially, the book dragged a bit with Ethan hardly talking, seeming pretty normal if in shock, and yet the school having stuck tons of labels onto him because of his struggles. I couldn’t quite grasp what was going on with Ethan, other than him obviously having lost his mother. Tragic as this is, having read the entire book, I think I can safely say that Ethan is quite a resilient boy.

Eventually, once I found out what caused Casey to be far more familiar with the case than she’d previously expected – something I won’t spoil here, but it wasn’t what I expected -, the story moved more quickly.

Like in most of her books, Casey never makes the people involved look all evil, no matter the bad things they did to the children she cares for. This is especially true in this book. Repeatedly, Casey says, it is not the mother or father she condemns, but drugs.

I didn’t realize until the end that this was in fact a pretty heartwarming story. I tell you this, so that those who can handle a bit of drama but want a happily-ever-after, know this story might be for them too. With me assuming Ethan was a recent foster child of Casey’s, I cannot be sure whether it indeed turned out this way long-term.

Overall, I really liked this book, but not as much as some of Casey’s other memoirs, and I gave it a four-star rating on Goodreads.

Book Details

Title: I Want My Daddy
Author: Casey Watson
Publisher: HarperElement
Publication Date: April 13, 2023

Reading Wrap-Up (February 27, 2023) #IMWAYR

Posted on by Astrid

Hi everyone. I haven’t read as much as I’d hoped over the past week, but at least enough so that I have some things to share for a reading wrap-up. As usual, I’m joining It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? (#IMWAYR).

What I’m Currently Reading

I tried to switch from Goodreads to Storygraph so that I could have an exclusive Did-Not-Finish shelf, but discovered most books aren’t on there in the proper editions. This caused me to switch back and that in turn meant, in my mind, that I had to work through the endless pile of books that I started reading months or even years ago and never finished. As a result, I picked up My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga. Thankfully, I’m relatively able to remember a storyline even from a long time ago.

What I Recently Finished Reading

I finished two of the books I mentioned I was reading last week. The first is Where’s My Mummy? by Maggie Hartley, which was a million times better still than I expected. I usually give foster care memoirs five-star ratings for lack of half stars, but this one definitely deserved it. The second was Sapphire’s Special Power, the second book in the Unicorn University chapter book series by Daisy Sunshine. This had an unexpected twist, which I liked too.

What I Think I’ll Read Next

I’ve seriously been scrolling through Bookshare and seen dozens of interesting-looking books. Ah, so many books, so little time… I badly still want to read the rest of the Unicorn University series, but, being that I’m in my mid-thirties and don’t have any kids myself, I also badly need to get into adult lit, honestly. Not actual literary fiction – I’ll pass that on to my Mom -, but I can’t read mostly chapter books and the occasional YA novel forever. Or maybe that’s just me.

Anyway, when in the middle of this post, I decided to buy Once Taken by Blake Pierce, the second book in the Riley Paige mystery series, off Apple Books. I loved the first book, but since there are literally seventeen books in this series, I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue with it. I just started reading this book now. Oh wait, that’s another book to add to my Currently-Reading shelf on Goodreads. Ah, who cares?

What have you been reading?

Reading Wrap-Up (February 20, 2023) #IMWAYR

Posted on by Astrid

Hi everyone. I seem to finally have gotten back into the reading groove again. There are lots of books I have been trying to get through for literally years – think After the Cure by Deirdre Gould -, but the books I’m currently reading look like they’re going to get finished. At least, some of them. Since I’m a slow reader, I can’t just finish a book that I don’t really like. Anyway, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me share what I’ve been reading. As usual, I’m joining #IMWAYR, which is short for “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?” Here goes.

What I’m Currently Reading

Lots of books at once. First, I started reading Sapphire’s Special Power, the second installment in the Unicorn University series by Daisy Sunshine, a while ago. As regular readers of this blog know, I love love LOVE unicorns and my inner child indulges in reading about them. This is a chapter book, but not extremely easy-to-read.

Then, a few weeks ago, I randomly picked up The Marriage Protection Plan by Margaret Watson. This seems like a book I may have to either DNF or take forever to read, since it’s interesting, but not so extremely captivating that I can spend several hours a day, several days in a row reading it.

Last Thursday, Maggie Hartley’s latest foster care memoir, Where’s My Mummy?, came out and I bought it on Apple Books. I’ve been avidly reading it. When it dawned upon me what exactly it was about, I initially didn’t expect to like it as much as I liked her other foster care memoirs, but I’m liking it more and more the farther along I get.

Finally, today, I at last picked up Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender after the book having stared at me forever. After all, I had long felt that reading queer books is against the Christian faith. It may be, but so be it. I read what I want and a god who condemns people for who they are, is not a god I want to associate with.

What I Recently Finished Reading

Nothing. I’m really hoping to finish at least one of the books I’m currently reading this week though.

What I Think I’ll Read Next

I honestly don’t know. I literally have my virtual shelves stacked full of books I may want to read someday. If my inner child gets her way, I’m probably reading something about unicorns again. There are at least five more books in the Unicorn University series after the one I’m currently reading.

I’m also looking for any recommendations for adult lit to read. I’ve discovered I mostly like realistic fiction, such as Lisa Genova’s books (although I never read Still Alice).

Lastly, if anyone has any good recommendations for diversity-related books, that would be great. You know, queer, neurodivergent, BIPOC, etc. main characters. I’m really trying to read more inclusively.

What have you been reading?

The Wednesday HodgePodge (December 7, 2022)

Posted on by Astrid

Hi everyone. How are you all doing on this first Wednesday of the last month of 2022? I’m still struggling quite a bit. I might share a bit about this at the end of my post. After all, I’m participating in the Wednesday HodgePodge and the last question allows for us to insert a random thought. Let me get to the first five questions first though.

1. The Hodgepodge lands on National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Have you visited the memorial? Any desire to do so? Have you visited other WW2 sites and memorials? Do you think we do a good job of teaching current and younger generations about the events of WW2? Do you think it matters?
I have never visited the Pearl Hahrbor memorial, as I’m not in the United States. I’m not sure about any other WW2 sites or memorials either. I mean, yeah, I was born in Rotterdam, which was heavily bombed during the German invasion of the Netherlands, and I did see the memorial statue many times. Not sure about any museums if that’s what’s meant.

I do think teaching the younger generations about WW2 matters. I’m not sure how well of a job we do, as I’m not even sure how well-educated I myself am and I’m not considered “younger” anymore by most standards.

2. Many books, both fiction and non-fiction have been written with WW2 as the setting. Is this a ‘genre’ you gravitate towards? Share with us a book (or two) you’ve enjoyed that is set in some way around WW2. If you’re not a reader, how about a movie?
I don’t really gravitate towards this genre, honestly. The only book I can think of off the top of my head is Anne Frank’s diary. I loved it when I was a teen, but didn’t fully comprehend the horrors Anne and her family lived through at the time.

3. According to Better Homes and Gardens Magazine there are seven popular color trends for the holidays this year. They are- red and white, Victorian blue, pops of pink, rich shades of green, rainbow hues, black and white, and nostalgic retro colors. Are you ‘trendy’ when it comes to holiday decorating in 2022? How so? Does your tree have a ‘theme’?
No, I’m not trendy at all. In fact, my staff put up my Christmas decorations that I had left over from last year yesterday because I’d completely forgotten. I don’t even have a tree, as the cheap one I bought last year consumed huge amounts of batteries.

4. What’s a current trend you buck?
I have absolutely no idea what’s even currently trending, so no clue.

5. What’s your favorite chocolate something?
I don’t honestly care for actual chocolate. Give me white chocolate, which isn’t real chocolate, instead. If I have to go with something that has a trace of actual chocolate in it, I’m going with a Knoppers cookie bar. These are chocolate-covered waffles with nut cream inside of them.

6. Insert your own random thought here.
We celebrated St. Nicholas at the care home on Monday. I chose not to join my fellow residents in the living room, but I had my treat and presents in my room. For presents, I had a pair of socks and a chocolate letter. I initially thought I found the socks ugly and, while they are a bit on the large side for me and I wouldn’t personally have bought socks with prints on them, my husband convinced me the colors do look good together. They’re blue socks with tulips in various colors (mostly pink and orange) on them. I also got a little rhyme with my presents, as is customary with St. Nicholas. I liked that best.

The Tuesday Four (September 13, 2022)

Posted on by Astrid

Hi everyone. Just after I discovered the Wednesday HodgePodge, one of its participants alerted me to another weekly meme called the Tuesday 4. Today, because I’m bored and yet want to write, I’ll join in. This week’s questions are rather simple, yet they allow for much discussion if one so decides.

1. Are you happy with the way your life is going?
Well, it’s complicated. Right now, I’d say yes, but I’ve had to travel quite the bumpy road to get here and there’s still a lot of room for improvement. For example, I would hopefully be even happier with the way my life is going once I’m in a more suitable care home. Besides, the fact that I answer “Yes” to this question, is also dependent upon the fact that I’m in a pretty good mood.

2. Are you planning any trips in the future?
Not trips as in longer travels, but my husband and I just decided to go for a day trip to Zwolle on Sunday in honor of our eleventh wedding anniversary on Monday. Zwolle is the nearest city to where I live in the care facility. We decided to go on Sunday rather than Monday because most restaurants are closed on Mondays.

3. Are you reading anything at the moment or do you plan on reading something interesting?
I am currently reading A Family Torn Apart by Cathy Glass, a foster care memoir. I love fostering and other inspirational memoirs and have read quite a few of Cathy Glass’s other books.

4. What’s for supper tonight at your house?
I live in a care facility, as regular readers know, and we get our meals delivered to be warmed in an oven or microwave. I had potatoes, mixed veggies and a chicken sausage. I rarely choose potatoes from the meal delivery company, but apparently all other choices from the menu were even worse.

As of September 1, the company has decided to provide whole-grain pasta and brown rice instead of regular pasta or rice, something I mostly consider a good thing. The brown rice takes a little getting used to. They also upped the amount of veg in their meals from 150 to 200 grams. I hardly notice it in the pasta or rice dishes and I wonder whether they skipped those. I mean, originally they weren’t providing the whole-grain pasta or brown rice on the so-called “pasta menu”, which I usually pick from, so only the twice a month or so that the regular menu serves pasta or rice as an option was that the healthy alternative. Thankfully, enough people were complaining that the healthier food was not really happening so that they did change it across the board. I wonder whether they did the same with the increased amount of veg though. In any case, I had enough veg in my meal today.