February 2024

February is the month I look forward to the least, though it's passed quite quickly this year, even though we've had an extra day because of the leap year. We've only had one day of snow this month but it's been very wet with plenty of rain. The cold weather hasn't been as prolonged as it is some years, and though we did get a dip where it was freezing, we've also had many mild periods where the mercury has hit double figures at various points throughout the month.

We've had some lovely days out this month. We've wrapped up well against the cold on some of our outings but other days we've been lucky and had some glorious sunshine. The photo above shows the market square in Masham which is lined with independent shops. Unfortunately, the wool shop was closed when we visited.

I saw that an old friend who I haven't seen for a number of years was having an art exhibition so we travelled to North Yorkshire to see that. Unfortunately, she wasn't there at the time, it would have been nice to catch up with her, but her artwork is stunning. Many of her paintings are inspired by Yorkshire's coast and countryside.

My reading mojo has returned and I read three books in February, two of those were over 600 pages each in length.

The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley.

"Maia D'Aplièse and her five sisters gather together at their childhood home - a fabulous, secluded castle situated on the shores of Lake Geneva - having been told that their beloved adoptive father, the elusive billionaire they call Pa Salt, has died. Each of them is handed a tantalising clue to their true heritage - a clue which takes Maia across the world to a crumbling mansion in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil...

Eighty years earlier, in the Belle Époque of Rio, 1927, Izabela Bonifacio's father has aspirations for his daughter to marry into aristocracy. But Izabela longs for adventure, and convinces him to allow her to accompany the family of a renowned architect on a trip to Paris. In the heady, vibrant streets of Montparnasse, she meets ambitious young sculptor Laurent Brouilly, and knows at once that her life will never be the same again."

I'd read some fantastic reviews of the Seven Sisters series and these are what made me want to read these books, but I got off to a slow start with this one and wasn't sure that it was for me. I could have easily given up on it, but I'm so pleased that I persevered because once I got into it properly, I absolutely loved it.

The story takes us from Switzerland in the present day to Brazil back in the 1920s where Maia, the eldest of the Seven Sisters, discovers her ancestry. I really enjoyed the history in the book and as is so often the case when reading about periods of history, it sent me off to Google to learn more about certain aspects. 

I'm really looking forward to reading the second book in the series now, in fact, it took all my willpower to not reach for it straight away but I shall spread them out a little and prolong the enjoyment.

Queen of Our Times by Robert Hardman.

"The definitive new biography of Her Majesty the Queen by one of Britain's leading royal authorities.

With original insights from family, friends and staff, new interviews with world leaders, new photographs and papers, including diaries and letters from the Royal Archives, bestselling author Robert Hardman explores the full, astonishing life of our longest-reigning monarch in this compellingly authoritative yet intimate biography.

Elizabeth II was not born to be Queen. Yet from her accession as a young mother of two in 1952 to the era of Covid-19, she has proved an astute, pragmatic and quietly determined stateswoman, leading her people through seventy years of unprecedented social change. She has faced constitutional crises, confronted threats against her life, rescued the Commonwealth, charmed (and chastened) fellow heads of state, been criticized as well as feted by the media, and steered her family through the turbulence of life in the public eye.

Queen of Our Times is a must-read study of dynastic survival and renewal, spanning abdication, war, romance, danger, tragedy and triumph. It is an enthralling portrait of a leader who remains as intriguing today as the day she came to the throne aged twenty-five."

Mick bought me this book for Christmas 2022 and I've only just got round to reading it. It was written prior to the Queen dying in September of that year.

An interesting read which starts from the Queen's birth and ends just months before her death. As you would expect, there's a lot of politics included which some may find quite boring, I didn't, and it's definitely written as one may expect a royalist to write about a member of the royal family, quite a one sided view in my opinion with little criticism, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've definitely learnt things about the Queen and the royal family which I didn't know before and it was an entertaining read.

Fresh from the Country by Miss Read.

"'All behind chairs! Quickly now! I want to introduce you to your new teacher.'

'Miss Read' in this humorous and charming story draws us magically into the world of the primary school. Anna Lacey, a young country girl, is given her first job in Greater London, and as she learns to cope with the challenges of her new life, we share with her the delights and pleasures of teaching 'those dear, devilish, delicious, disarming, infuriating and exhausting creatures' which are her young pupils."

After finishing the Fairacre and Thrush Green series it's been a delight to return to this author and read another of her standalone stories. This story takes us away from the countryside to a new housing development where a teacher fresh out of training college is struggling with huge class numbers. Quite different from the two Miss Read series mentioned but just as enjoyable. As always, the book is littered with references to the seasons and nature which brings the story to life, and there are some very memorable characters.

I've been filling my vases with daffodils this month. At just £1 a bunch, they're a cheap way to bring some sunshine indoors during the drab days of winter. I did a little research whilst shopping, you get ten stems in Marks & Spencer, nine in Sainsbury's and just eight in Tesco, and they all charge the same, £1. 

It was Daniel's birthday on the 19th. One of the things I love about having my children living close by is that I get to see them on these important dates. It wouldn't be for another few days though that all six of us were free on an evening to help him celebrate. We got a takeaway, burgers for some and pizza for others, games were played and a good time was had by all.

I read One Day ten years ago and prior to that I'd caught bits of the film as Eleanor used to watch it almost on a loop, alternating it with Friends, they were on so often in the background that I could recite them word for word, haha. One Day begins on the date of Dexter and Emma's graduation, the 15th of July 1988, and then shows a snapshot of their lives on that same date over the next twenty years. I think part of the charm for Eleanor was that the 15th of July is her birthday. Netflix has made a series of One Day and it's had such good reviews that I thought I'd watch it. I found it quite hard going at first and almost switched off but I kept going and I enjoyed it. It's not something I'd rave about but that's just my opinion, apparently people have been taking time off sick from work just to binge watch it. Netflix are now in discussions with the author, David Nicholls, to dramatise his new book, You Are Here, which is another tearjerker.

We're now at the end of February so we're able to look forward and welcome Spring in the not too distant future. I long for this time all winter and it's finally arrived, though I'm sure we've still got some wintery weather to contend with before we can say that Spring is truly here. Mick's got some time booked off work at the end of the month so I'm looking forward to that. It would be nice if we got a little sunshine then.