Wednesday 22 July 2015

Challenge Update - July 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.

I'm early with my challenge update post this month as I won't be around at the end of July. This also means that July has been a short month for progressing with my challenges, but I have managed to meet them once again.


The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley was a free book on my Kindle. I don't think it's a book which would have caught my eye if I'd had to pay for it but I loved it. The setting in Cornwall is described beautifully and the story, spanning two time periods, kept me thoroughly interested. It's a book I'd definitely recommend.



The Big Four was my Agatha Christie read for July. This is a Poirot novel but has a different feel to it than other Christie books. Poirot is involved in seeking an international group, The Big Four, who are set on world domination. I enjoyed this book and I'm now interested to see how the change of style in this book affects her next one.


I only got round to watching two films in July.

I knew I'd heard of Snatch before but I couldn't place where from. It was when Vinnie Jones, the footballer, popped up that I remembered it was his follow up to Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (which I haven't seen either). Snatch isn't a film I'd choose to watch but it was watchable and kept me interested.

Grave Of The Fireflies is a subtitled Japanese animation which tells the story of two children, brother and sister, trying to survive during the Second World War. I had no idea at all what the film was about when I put it on but I was glued to the screen. It's terribly sad and I think the fact that it's in animation makes the story even more harrowing. I'd recommend this film.



It was Eleanor's birthday on the 15th of July and she received lots of presents, she's never gone without. I decided that this year, one of the presents I'd buy her would be a gift for someone less fortunate. I decided to buy the gift from Good Gifts as this company guarantees that your money buys the actual gift you have chosen. Eleanor's lucky, she's had the opportunity to go to school and will hopefully be carrying on with her education at university so I thought a good gift to buy would be text books for a school. This will help allow children in Africa to go to school, giving them the chance of a better future. There's lots of different gifts to choose to suit all pockets and the recipient gets a little card detailing the gift which has been bought on their behalf. I have to say that Eleanor was thrilled with this, she loved the idea that text books had been bought on her behalf for children less fortunate than herself.


The Big Issue Foundation helps enable people who are homeless take control of their lives and earn a legitimate income. The magazine is published on behalf of and sold by homeless or vulnerably housed people. They buy the magazine for £1.25 and sell it on for £2.50. I'm a big fan of helping people to help themselves, and besides, the magazine itself is a good read. This week's copy has an interview with Andrew Flintoff, something Mick will be reading when I've finished with it.


This will be my last post for a while, on Saturday we go on our summer holiday. This year, we're staying much closer to home travelling just an hour away for our first week. We're staying in a cottage in Pickering which is handy for days at the Yorkshire Coast and North York Moors as well as being very near to the Dalby Forest which Archie will love. We're staying in a cottage in Northumberland for our second week. I've only been there once and that was on a school trip thirty five years ago so I'm really looking forward to it. We should have wi-fi at both cottages but I'm looking forward to a fortnight away from all stresses so I doubt I'll be using it. I'll see you all in August.

30 comments:

  1. I don't recollect reading The Big Four, and I haven't seen either film you mention. Well done with the charity choices.
    Enjoy your holiday. Flighty xx

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    1. The big four is definitely different from the other Agatha Christie books I've read so far, I suppose she was trying out different writing styles when she first started out. There's so many deserving charities out there, I just wish I could help more. Thank you, I'm sure we'll all have a wonderful holiday.

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  2. Jo - you have done well with your Challenges and must be pleased.

    I think both the charity links you have given for Eleanor's Birthday and the Big Issue are very worthy causes. I think if we can see the changes our help can and does give, it is so rewarding for all concerned.

    I'm with you on the 'Snatch' movie - it's not my kind of thing. One Japanese film I found excellent viewing was 'Departures'. Again, it may not be every-ones 'cup of tea' but to me I thought it dealt very well with how different cultures deal with death and bereavement. In many ways it was an up-lifting film.

    ... my best wishes for a lovely holiday and also to say thank you for all the comments you leave on the low carb diabetic blog, it is appreciated.

    See you / read you when you return after a lovely summer holiday.

    All the best Jan

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    1. The challenges I set myself each year are always fun so it's quite easy to keep up with them, I enjoy it. I love to help charities where I can, I've always loved giving just as well as receiving and you know you're helping people who really need it when you give to charity. I've never heard of Departures but I shall look out for that. I've found that this film watching challenge has made me aware that there's some great films out there, ones I wouldn't usually choose to watch. Thank you, I'm sure we'll all have a lovely holiday and you don't have to thank me for the comments I leave on your blog, I enjoy reading along.

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  3. I hope you all have a fab holiday. We stayed in a log cabin near Pickering a few years ago and took Anni to walk on the beach in Scarborough which she loved - wasn't too sure about the waves but loved the beach. I suspect Archie will love all the walks he'll get (and if they are by the sea, all the better!).

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    1. Thank you. Archie loves the seaside, he'll go in the sea and waits for the waves to wash over him and then isn't too keen but he absolutely loves rock pools, he'll swim in them and runs through them, I think it's the splashing sound he likes. He tries to dry himself off by rolling in the sand, needless to say, the sand gets everywhere but I don't mind, he enjoys himself.

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  4. Have a lovely holiday, Jo. I hope the sun shines for you! :o)

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    1. Thank you, I'm sure we will. It would be lovely if the sun would put in an appearance.

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  5. Well done on your challenges!! I like the fact that the gift you bought is what will be given - I discovered that Oxfam decide whether or not to give what you pay for - I was annoyed that they might not supply someone with the goats I paid for!!
    Enjoy your holiday - there is so much to do and see in Northumberland you will have a fabulous time there!! (ok, as a part-time Northumberland resident I am biased!!)

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    1. The fact that Good Gifts give the gift you've paid for is what swayed me to go with them. They also guarantee that 100% of what you give goes to what you've bought, it doesn't charge a handling fee, instead it uses Gift Aid to keep the site running which I think is great. Most other companies take a percentage of what you give as a handling fee. I've heard nothing but great things about Northumberland whenever I've told anyone we're going there. We're staying near Ross Beach and Budle Bay so I think we're quite central to get to other places and I've been reading your posts to give me ideas of where to go. I can't wait.

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  6. Jo - have a great break and enjoy the chance to unwind a bit. The north of England is gorgeous...who needs to travel further????! Jx

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    1. Thank you, I'm sure we'll have a fabulous time. I totally agree, I consider myself very lucky to live here, there's some wonderful places and I can't wait to explore further.

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  7. Well done Jo with your challenges and I do like the gift idea, especially text books for schools. The magazine sounds a good idea as well with good reading for Mick this month. We are looking forward to the next Ashes test too. Glad you put where in Nth Yks you were staying as I couldn't remember after talking to you the other night. Will you go on the steam train? I loved that! Enjoy the your 2 weeks away and can't wait to see lots of pics of some of my favourite places. Take care.

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    1. I thought the gift idea was ideal for Eleanor, I'm so pleased that she was so thrilled with it, lots more ideas there for future birthdays. The Big Issue is a great way of helping people to help themselves, I'm a great believer in this. We haven't made plans to go on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, but you never know. I'm sure I'll be taking lots of photos while we're away, I can't wait.

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  8. I love the gift for Eleanor. It's fantastic that she was agreeable to something like that. I hope my children will be the same when they are older. I'll do what I can to teach them. I hope you have a wonderful, relaxing time away!

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    1. I bought the gift for Eleanor without asking her, I knew she'd love to do something like that. I think all we can do to teach our kids is to tell them about people less fortunate than ourselves and show them that we try to do things to help, hopefully they'll want to do the same. Thank you, I'm looking forward to recharging the batteries for a couple of weeks.

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  9. I like your list. I want to read a book a month too but I can't seem to get past this book I'm reading now for a while. I'm always distracted.

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    1. I'm doing well with my reading this year, I'm way ahead of my book a month target. It's hard when you get stuck on a particular book though, sometimes it's just easier to give up and start something new.

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  10. The 'Good Gifts' gift for Eleanor was a great idea. Glad she was so happy with it.

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    1. I think these types of gifts are brilliant when you don't know what to buy for someone. I think I'll be buying lots more.

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  11. I hope that you have a great time on your travels. Well done again on your challenges, especially the charity one, that is great isn't it. xx

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    1. Thank you, I'm looking forward to getting off. There's so many charities which need all the help they can get, I'm glad to help where I can.

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  12. Hope you have a great vacation. We liked Snatch, but almost needed subtitles.

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    1. Thank you. Ha ha, I know what you mean about Snatch.

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  13. My son, who is rather into anime and such, counts Grave of the Fireflies as one of the top five films of all time.

    Have a fabulous holiday Jo :o)

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    1. Grave Of The Fireflies comes at number 71 on IBDb's top 100 movies of all time list, it's a beautifully made film. Thank you, just one more sleep now.

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  14. Well done on the challenges, Jo. Eleanor's birthday present was a great idea. I hadn't heard of Good Gifts, they sound better than Oxfam in that all you donate goes to those who need it rather than just a percentage.
    Have a super holiday, I'll keep fingers crossed for good weather xx

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    1. I like the idea of all the money you pay for the gift going to the cause itself, it's what attracted me to this company, I'm sure I'll use them again. Thank you, we've had some rain today but not as much as was forecast, it hasn't spoilt the day for us.

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  15. The animated film sounds like quite a harrowing choice of subject. Again Snatch isn't my choice of movie, I'm sure Brad Pitt made it a bit more watchable though! The gift orgaisation is a fabulous idea, giving others a good education could make such a huge difference.
    Happy Holidays.
    Lisa x

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    1. The film really does make you think and it's very sad. Brad Pitt makes any film watchable in my eyes. Eleanor thought the gift was a brilliant idea, I'm sure I'll be buying lots more of these gifts for people in the future, it's such a good idea especially when you don't know what to buy for someone.

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