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.
2) Support charities.
My reading has slowed somewhat this month as the crafting bug has bitten me once again, however, I've still managed to exceed the one book per month I challenged myself.
I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh was a Kindle Daily Deal, it cost me 99p and is probably my favourite of all the books I've read this year so far. It's a psychological thriller and starts with a child killed in a hit and run accident after running out in to the road when his mother let go of his hand. I don't want to say too much about the story as it really would spoil it, there's so many twists and turns. I can definitely recommend this book but don't read any reviews before you do as any hint of the plot would spoil it for you. This is Clare Mackintosh's first book and I'm now looking forward to seeing what she brings out next.
I've read another book in the Amanda Prowse No Greater Love series, this time the story of a woman diagnosed with terminal breast cancer, Will You Remember Me? I have to say that this isn't my favourite Amanda Prowse book, I'm not sure if the subject of the book is a little close to home having suffered from cancer myself when I had two very young children, if it's because I wasn't very keen on some aspects of the actual story or if it's because there were lots of parts where I just couldn't relate to the characters and their emotions. I'm finding Amanda Prowse's books very hit and miss, some I've really enjoyed and others aren't quite up to par.
I thoroughly enjoyed my Agatha Christie read this month. The Seven Dials Mystery resurrects characters previously introduced in an earlier Agatha Christie novel, The Secret of Chimneys. There's always twists in these whodunnit books, however, I never saw this one coming. Definitely one of my favourites up to now.
I thought I might get a few more films watched now the nights are drawing in but I've only watched two again this month.
WALL E is a Disney Pixar animation about a waste collecting robot whose space journey will ultimately decide the fate of mankind. I thought there were a few funny and a few endearing parts of this film, but on the whole, I'm sorry to say that I found it boring.
I've been looking forward to watching The Lion King again, one of my very favourite films. I think there's such a good mix of characters, beautiful music and a wonderful storyline with underlying morals. This one would make it into my top ten for sure.
I've been buying a little extra when visiting the supermarket. It's amazing how a couple of extra tins, packet of pasta or a box of cereal soon mounts up.
It didn't take long to amass this lot which has now been taken to the local food bank. They were so pleased with the donation and it will go to help families less fortunate than myself. You can find your local food bank on The Trussell Trust website.
Back in February, I told you about Lend With Care, part of Care International, which allows entrepreneurs in developing countries to make their own way out of povety with the help of a microfinance loan. I made a contribution to a loan advanced to a lady called Maureen who is 44 and lives in Zambia. She is married with six children, all of which are in school. Her husband is a seasonal farmer. Maureen requested a loan of £437.80 over a period of four months so that she could invest in her bakery business. The contribution I made to this loan has now been repaid so I was in a position to help someone else. This time, I've contributed to a loan advanced to another lady in Zambia, Brenda, who requested a loan of £310.07, again over a period of four months. Brenda is 38 and is married to a business man. Their four children all go to primary school. Brenda has requested this loan to order more stock of second hand blankets and curtains to sell on her market stall and also hopes to employ someone to help with the day to day running of the stall. I think helping people to help themselves in this way is a fantastic scheme.
Our local Tesco store has a second hand book stall at the back of the shop. People donate books and others can buy them by making a donation to Diabetes UK and The British Heart Foundation. I sorted out a few books which I've read this year and took them along. I haven't seen any there which I want to buy yet but I do look every time I go in.
Eleanor's drawers and wardrobes need a good sort out. I did go through one of her drawers with her and managed to fill a black bag. This was donated to the Age UK charity shop.
If there's anyone else who wants to join in with the swap I'm running, The Twelve Days Of Christmas Swap Sign Up closes today, the 30th of September 2015, so do get your skates on and leave a comment on that post. I shall be posting a list of swap partners on Saturday so if you've said you'd like to take part, please remember to check back then.
All in all Jo you've done very well this month ...
ReplyDeleteand also achieved a lot in helping other people too.
The Trussell Trust do a great job ... but it remains a sad reflection of our times that so many more people / families are relying on these food banks.
I'm a little ahead of myself but I wish you a good first day of the month for tomorrow!
All the best Jan
It's terribly sad that so many people rely on donations of food, though it's great that so many people contribute. Another month over already, I don't know where the time's going.
DeleteI really like the idea of buying a bit extra at the store and donating the food. The loans sound worthwhile too.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you notice the extra spending you're doing when you buy an extra tin or two when you're doing your shopping, it soon adds up to a good amount to donate. I think Lend With Care is a brilliant scheme. I really believe in helping others to help themselves. Many people don't like accepting charity and this is one way in which they're able progress whilst paying back the help they've been given.
DeleteThese monthly posts are always interesting and this one is no exception. Good to see that you liked the Agatha Christie book.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed Wall E but have to say that I thought it was too long.
It must be nice to see how where your loan is going and how's it's being used. As you rightly say it's a fantastic scheme.
Flighty xx
I'm enjoying working my way through Agatha Christie books. This was the ninth book I've read and I think you can see how her writing evolved over that time. I suppose I should have said that WALL E was quite thought provoking actually, but I still found it boring. It's great to hear that the microfinance loans are really helping people, and great that you actually get paid back too so that your money can go on and help others.
DeleteMy goodness, don't these months come around quickly! As usual you are doing really well with your challenges. I applaud you.
ReplyDeletexx
They do. It does help that I choose challenges which I enjoy so it isn't really hard to keep up with them.
DeleteI wasn't fussed about WALL E either! These days I mush prefer to give to small scale charities, after all the scandals over the fund-raising tactics of some of the big charities. I have made quilts for Project Linus for years, which is run on a shoe string by volunteers, and it is good to know that sick/disabled/disadvantaged children are being comforted by cuddling up with quilts made with love!
ReplyDeleteI really thought I was going to enjoy WALL E as I've enjoyed all the other Disney Pixar films. I know exactly what you mean about small scale charities. The one I've chosen to give a regular monthly donation to this year is a local childhood cancer charity, Candlelighters, I'm sure they'll put the money to very good use.
DeleteAnother month of your challenges done and dusted. You're doing so well with everything, Jo. :o)
ReplyDeleteIt's getting to the back end of the challenges now and I've already exceeded what I set out to achieve so I'm really pleased with how they're going.
DeleteWell done on your challenges and I take my hat off to you for actually keeping them up. I set myself some this year, but don't think I've done any at all. I'm on my second book though in a couple of weeks, so that is good, but other than start my Spice of Life rug and a wee bit of gardening, I've done diddly squat. We are still taking bits to the charity shops as I clear things out, so on that front I'm doing OK. I wonder what October will bring for you? Take care.
ReplyDeleteThey're fun challenges so it really isn't very hard to keep up with them. My reading has gone so well this year, I've read some great books which have definitely kept me interested.
DeleteIt sounds like you're doing a great job with your challenge! Wall-E was not a favorite of mine...but I did like the statement they made about the future, where people are too lazy to walk so we're all in little motorized vehicles that take us everywhere. And we drink our food through straws because...chewing is hard!
ReplyDeleteI think the message behind WALL E was a good one, and no so far from how it just might be in the future if we don't all start listening to what's best for us. I think there's some much better Disney Pixar films though so I'm surprised this one got in IMDb's top 100 yet some of the others didn't.
DeleteYou have done very well on your challenges again Jo, and that is a great donation to the food bank. Glad you are still enjoying the Agatha Christie books! xx
ReplyDeleteI don't think you notice buying a couple of extra tins of food or a packet of pasta when it's in with your weekly shop and it soon mounts up. I'm thoroughly enjoying my Agatha Christie read each month, I think the books are getter better as I go along.
DeleteI really admire the way you give to charity. I would like to do something like the loan help, that sounds really useful and supportive. I had no idea you'd had cancer when your children were young. I'm so sorry to hear about that but very happy to know you beat it. It must have been a scary time for your family. I hope you enjoy watching the Disney movies. I loooove The Lion King!
ReplyDeleteI think the microfinance loans are a great idea. I think people feel better if they're helping themselves and this is just a way to help them do that. It will be fifteen years in the new year since I was diagnosed with cancer, Daniel was five and Eleanor just two. It was a very hard and scary time but I was one of the lucky ones, it was only the previous year that my sister had lost her fight with cancer. I absolutely love The Lion King, I think it could be my favourite Disney movie, though there's some strong contenders.
DeleteI'm intrigued by the idea of Lend with Care.
ReplyDeleteIt's such a great scheme and helps so many people. I like the idea that you get your money back so that the same funds can go on to help lots of different people.
DeleteI spent about an hour reading through the website this morning, I picked a family in Vietnam. They didn't have much more left to raise but I couldn't afford the whole amount so I lent half, thinking that if they still needed more when next payday rolled around id give the other half. About a hour later I received an email telling me that the full amount had been raised. I was delighted. I imagined the family being told that they had their loan and it really lifted my spirits. What a fab idea, so glad I found out about it. So you can count this an another way you've supported a charity, without you blogging about it is never have known about it. Thank you.
DeleteThat's made my weekend. I'm hoping that by blogging about the ways in which I'm helping charities highlights that there's many different ways in which you can help people, even if you don't have money to donate. I think the best way that people can be helped is by helping them to help themselves and Lend With Care is one way to do this. The money I've used has already been repaid to me this year and that same money is now helping someone else, I think that's a fantastic scheme. There's so many deserving people who are just striving to make ends meet in the world. I know I'm in a privileged position so if I can do a small thing to help then that's what I'm going to do. I'm absolutely delighted that by blogging about this has inspired someone to help too. Thank you.
DeleteGraham's niece works for the Trussell Trust in one of their charity shops at weekends. She says it's a great organistaion. S went off to school yesterday with a carrier bag full of food items to give to the school for their annual Harvest Festival collection. I've always given to these but with things the way they are with food banks it felt the right thing to do to try and give a bit more than we normally would.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen either of those movies. The children have and seen the Lion KIng at the theatre!
Lisa x
There's so many deserving charities and they all need our help more than ever. I do try to do my bit, as I know many others do too. I can't believe you've never seen The Lion King, it's such a beautiful film, you must get to see it. I saw a short version of the stage show when we went to America and that put me off the theatre production to be honest, but I've heard brilliant reviews so I really should give it a chance.
Delete