Sunday 29 March 2015

Challenge Update - March 2015

My 2015 challenges are:-

1. Read one book each month.
1a. Read Agatha Christie books in chronological order.
2. Watch films from IMDb's top 100 movies of all time.
3. Support charities.


My reading picked up a little in March, I got through three books as well as my Agatha Christie read. The first book I read was The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty. I remember someone recommending this book on a blog but I can't for the life of me remember who it was. What would you do if you found an envelope amongst your husband's belongings with 'to be opened only in the event of my death' written on it? Would you open it? Cecilia Fitzpatrick did and it had serious consequences for a number of families. I enjoyed the story, but once I've read a book I'm sometimes left wondering what happened afterwards. I liked the fact that Liane Moriarty answered those questions in a final chapter.

I saw The Debt & The Doormat by Laura Barnard was a free Kindle download so I thought that was a good reason to give it a go. I enjoyed reading about Poppy, a girl in her twenties, who swaps flats with her best friend and who is totally accident prone. The book was very funny, but the poor grammar and terrible punctuation nearly spoilt it for me, I can't see how this book was ever proof read. I enjoyed it for what it was but I'm in no hurry to read the sequel.

A Mother's Story by Amanda Prowse was recommended by Mitzi on her Lazy Days & Sundays at The Willows blog in A Mother's Story post. It just so happened that on the day Mitzi posted about this book, it was on my Kindle Daily Deals for just 99p so I downloaded it straight away. I'm so glad I did as I really enjoyed it. Jessica and Matthew appear to have it all, but after the traumatic birth of their first child, post natal depression rears its ugly head and their lives fall apart. It's written with great sensitivity and gives a very real insight in to the effect that post natal depression has on people's lives, it's such a terrible illness.


Hercule Poirot returned in Agatha Christie's third book, The Murder On The Links. This is my favourite of the three Agatha Christie books I've read so far. I was kept guessing till the end in this book, having changed my mind who the murderer was on several occasions.


I haven't watched as many films this month as I did in January and February, just four.

I've never seen Terminator but I watched Terminator 2: Judgment Day. I'd seen bits of this film previously, and it doesn't really matter if you haven't seen the first film. I'm not really in to science fiction but I didn't mind this film at all.

I've seen both Alien and its sequel, Aliens, previously but I enjoyed watching them again. I don't think there's many films where the sequel is better than the original but in my opinion, this is one of them.

I'm really not in to gangster movies so I wasn't expecting to enjoy Goodfellas. It's based on a true story and follows Henry Hill, a small time gangster, over the course of the next thirty years as an associate of the New York Mafia's Lucchese family. He eventually betrayed the mob and was placed in witness protection. There's no getting away from the fact that it's a violent movie but the violence is part of the story so it's in context. I think the casting was excellent and the film itself exceeded my expectations.



It was Red Nose Day for Comic Relief on the 13th of March so I bought a red nose to support this worthy cause. I saw children from the local primary school going to school that morning dressed in red and some even had their face painted. I could hear lots of excited shouts in the playground that day.


It was The Great Daffodil Appeal for Marie Curie Cancer Care in March. I bought my daffodil and have been wearing it all month. Marie Curie support so many people, not only the person living with terminal illness but their families too.


I had a bag full of old clothes and textiles which had seen better days so I dropped these off at the Oxfam recycling bin in the nearby Tesco's car park. Oxfam have a recycling plant, Wastesaver, which maximises revenue from textiles that cannot be resold in their shops, and minimises the amount of textiles sent to landfil. Damaged or low grade items can be sold to recycling traders so they can be turned in to such things as car soundproofing or mattress stuffing. I'm happy to know that my old clothes and textiles which aren't good enough to be sold in charity shops can still raise money for worthy causes.


Do you remember my Challenge Update - January 2015 post? I mentioned Candlelighters which is a childhood cancer charity in Yorkshire and said that I'd set up a regular standing order to them. I'd done it in Mick's name as the charity is able to reclaim tax on a donation made by a UK taxpayer, increasing the amount of the donation. As I don't pay tax because I don't work, it made more sense to donate in Mick's name. We received a lovely card from the charity thanking us for our regular donation.



I'd hoped to get out in the garden a bit this weekend but the weather hasn't been very nice at all. Surely, now that we're approaching April, the weather must improve soon. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

28 comments:

  1. I read The Husband's Secret and liked it, but not as much as some of her other books.
    Liked the early Terminator movies, Alien and Goodfellows. You're right about the violence, but so well done. Love when his wife asks for money and when he asks how much she shows with her hands.

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    1. I haven't read any of Liane Moriarty's other books so perhaps I should put them on my list of books to read. I had to cover my face with my hands for some of the violence in Goodfellas, but I know it has to be in the film for it to make sense. I do enjoy true stories but didn't really think this was for me, I was wrong.

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  2. You did great this month, Jo. I've read a few of Liane Moriarty's books and I liked them. I actually have her newest on hold at the library (I can't remember the title at the moment), and I'm hoping it doesn't take too long to get to my turn with it. GoodFellas is one of my favorite movies! I love it. Yes, it's violent, but the story is so engrossing. I love the soundtrack too. If you liked the movie, you should read the book its based on, Wiseguys by Nicholas Pileggi, which is also very good. It's all true, but there was a bit of dramatic license taken for the film, of course.

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    1. I shall have a look at Liane Moriarty's other books as I really enjoyed The Husband's Secret. I hope you manage to get her newest book without having to wait too long. I shall put Wiseguys on my books to read list. I didn't think Goodfellas was going to be a film I enjoyed, it's not the usual type of film I like, but it surprised me. There's some terrific actors in it and it kind of leaves you with your mouth wide open. It's a film I'd recommend so I'm glad you enjoyed it too.

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  3. A great months achievements on your challenges! I don't know if that Agatha book is amongst my pile, but if it is I will look forward to it after your recommendation. Somehow I missed it being the daffodil appeal this month which I am sad about, I must rectify that situation. I hope that next months reads and challenges are enjoyable! xx

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    1. I really enjoyed this Agatha Christie book. If it isn't on your reading pile, I'd recommend it. I think the Marie Curie Daffodil Appeal is still going, just, so you can probably still find them somewhere, it's such a worthwhile cause.

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  4. You're doing really well with all these this year.
    I recently enjoyed re-reading that Agatha Christie as well. I agree what you say about the Aliens sequel. Both these and the Terminator ones are excellent sci-fi films.
    All I've done is armchair gardening this weekend as it's been wet and windy. Flighty xx

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    1. I really enjoyed this Agatha Christie book, I'd say it's better than the previous two, though I still enjoyed them. I'm really not in to the sci fi genre but I did enjoy this Terminator film and the Aliens ones. I've been with you this weekend with the armchair gardening, though Mick hotfooted it down to the plot late this afternoon when there was a break in the weather. It was still mighty windy but he managed a bit of work down there.

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  5. I hate when Kindle books have bad grammar or punctuation. Or worse, when the (usually American) author assumes that Britain had wolves or bears in the Regency period!! I'm always grateful when a commenter says something about those things because I then don't download the book to save myself from getting annoyed! :oD

    Well done on keeping up with your challenges! :o)

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    1. I wondered if it was just the Kindle version of the book which had so many mistakes, it would be interesting to know if the hardback or paperback were the same.

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  6. Well done! I wish I could say the same for my challenges, but they've taken a back seat for the moment, as I'm in complete de-clutter mode and also have those baby quilts to make. De-cluttering means that I am taking stuff to our charity shops, so that is good. Your Wastesaver sounds good, as I'm not sure we have that sort of thing over here. I think what they can't sell may go to landfill. Maybe I'll make some enquiries. Take care.

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    1. We're decorating our bedroom over Easter so I've been decluttering too, it's amazing how much stuff I've got to get rid of. Wastesaver is a great idea, it's good to know that even things which can't be sold on don't go to landfil and can make charities more money.

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  7. Great start to the year, and March for you Jo xxx

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    1. I'm managing to keep up with my challenges, but it's very easy to do so as they're enjoyable things.

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  8. Oh Jo you have had another busy month. Thank you for the mention and I am so glad you enjoyed the book as much as I did.

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    1. I think I shall look out for other Amanda Prowse books, I enjoyed A Mother's Story. The same goes for Liane Moriarty, I think I would enjoy other books by her too.

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  9. Steady progress on the watching and reading challenge. Goodfellas is one of the more entertaining gangster movies I've seen, great cast.
    Another bag of textiles out the house and off to a good cause is always a good thing. We dropped off another black sack full yesterday! That was my first time out the house since Tues as I've been poorly with a virus. It was good to get some fresh air!
    Lisa x

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    1. I really didn't think I was going to enjoy Goodfellas but it's actually a very good film and as you say, a great cast. I should have quite a few black bags full to take to the charity shop next month as I've been decluttering the bedroom ready for decorating. I hope you're feeling better now, it's always good to get out of the house when you've been poorly.

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  10. I don't think I have seen any of those films Jo. My film watching is rather poor these (&those) days!!!!! I loved "The Husband's Secret" too. I have just read "The Seafront Tea Rooms", set mostly in Scarborough which I really enjoyed reading.

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    1. I've watched so many more films this year than I usually watch, many of them have surprised me as I've enjoyed them more than I thought I would. The Seafront Tea Rooms sounds good, I shall pop it on my wish list.

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  11. There's no excuse for published books not to have been proof read properly, is there? It looks like you did well on your challenges this month, Jo.
    I think the Terminator films are good, even though they are not my favourite film genre. xx

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    1. It was one mistake after another in The Debt & The Doormat, it could really spoil the book if you can't look past it. I'm enjoying watching films which wouldn't be my usual choice, I'm finding that I enjoy some which I would never have usually chosen to watch.

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  12. Goodfellas.eh? Is that the one with Robert De Niro? We watched The Family where he plays a mobster on the run in rural France who ends up talking about Goodfellas at a cinema club. It was very funny, and I'd recommend it, even if only for the scene where Michelle Pfeiffer blows up a snotty French corner shop because they don't have peanut butter!

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    1. Robert De Niro is one of the main stars along with Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci. I haven't heard of The Family, I shall have to remember that one.

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  13. Excellent progress on your challenges, and how nice to receive a simple thank you card from the charity - I get fed up with the ones that bombard you with requests for more money after you make a donation.

    http://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk

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    1. I thought the thank you card was a lovely touch from the charity. I too get fed up of being bombarded with more requests for money, it's usually from the bigger charities I have to say. I do like to support smaller charities, those which are less well known but do a brilliant job just the same.

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  14. my 14 year old son has just set himself the challenge of reading all the Agatha Christie books, the debt & the doormat seems much more me!

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    1. Good for your son, I wish my kids were book worms. I read quite a few Agatha Christie books when I was your son's age but I can't remember them at all now.

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