Books, Lots of Books

Hello there! It's been a while. I thought I'd drop in and say hi, how are you doing. It's been a year... diet issues - awaiting hospital appointments (2 hospital departments). Throw in 2 holidays, one in The New Forest, shared in my last post and the Peak District, then later in September down to Hampshire and then on up to The Peak District. At some point, I'll cobble together some more holiday photographs. For now, I'll list some books that I've been reading or listening to.

My lovely Nan passed away in May, she was 97 years old.
My uncle passed away before my Nan.
Later we all visited my Dad in August.
Sadly later still my Dad passed away, we had the funeral in October. 
My lovely auntie is now seriously ill with pancreatic cancer, she's just moved into a hospice. 

Library Books: I don't always read them all. I mainly read for my own enjoyment, so if I don't like it, then it gets returned. The non-fiction books, I tend to borrow them to see if I want to buy them. Most times I don't buy them... which is good as my bookcase will be bursting.

Reading Books in Series: I've re-read this series, it follows on from the popular TV drama Home Fires

Enjoyed both of these: I love Milly Johnson's books. Dear Mrs Bird is set during the second world war. 

Women on the Homefront: book one and two

Rookery House Series: The characters in these books follow the same characters in the 'Women on the Homefront series'
Books: One. Two and Six shown. I'll read the others in this series at some point. 

Some Agatha Christie 2025 Challenge (instagram): Including Cat Among the Pigeons and Three Act Trilogy. 

Re-reading some Lucy Diamond books: Summer at Shell Cottage. Lots of family drama unravelling on holiday. 

Beach Cafe Series: The first book is called The Beach Cafe, I've ordered it from the library. I think I've read it before but as I've read these recently, I thought I'd order it. They are very light easy reads.

June - I vaguely remember it being about a virus

July - interesting and a bit sad in places

August - a good story

September - relieved it wasn't a scary psychological thriller

November - thoroughly good book

Lastly some of this years book club reads: I've mentioned Jan - April before. 
I didn't finish Verity by Colleen Hoover for March. 
The Book of Beginnings by Sally Page - I'll read that one day. with everything going on over April/May, it got forgotten. 
October's book was Lip Service by Maureen Lipman, sadly nobody read that one. I think autobiography and similar type books won't be featuring in our book club again. 

I can't remember all the story details of each book, strange really as you get absorbed into the story. In the Summer, I try to read more books, a sort of 'Summer Reading Challenge' I aim to read one book a week then. I hope to read more, scroll less. 
How about you, are you reading along some book series, or bookclub lists? 

Take care 
Bye for now. 

 

Holiday in the New Forest

Hello there, just waving hello to you all, thank you for your lovely comments last time. Some holiday photos and health news at the end of the blog. 

 

In May this year, we went down south to Hampshire, we stayed in The New Forest. The boys and their partners camped with us for a few days. We celebrated Nat's birthday with a meal (it was back in April). It was a good to see my parents and the in-laws graves. Angus flew the plane in the campsite lol, it was an open event for the campsite - to celebrate 80 years Victory in Europe. Holmsley Campsite is set in the grounds of a disused airfield. It has a lot of wartime history with a book written about it too. 

Stalls set up for entertainment

Walks close to the campsite

A detour past the horses to...

a disused railway, nice and flat.

Leaving the track...

chatted to a German couple cycling, wondering about the 'cattle grid' signs. We said they stop any animal, horses, cows crossing. They are all free roaming in the forest and some roads.

The money tree, where people wedge a coin in for luck.

The play park back at the campsite.

                                                      

Travelling in the motorhome to...

"Oooh a pup cup, for me!"
 
"Yes Angus, it's for you"

Tall Trees Walk, I love it there. I've shared photos of the Tall Trees before.

 A stop in town for supplies. In the distance on the right, are two donkeys (right of red car) that tried snatching my 'ripped' bag! The animals are wild and free to roam. We aren't to feed them, they are however always inquisitive. It's hard to park with a huge motorhome (we hire one), so I walked down the road a bit. 

Next time, I'll put together some photos of our next stop before home. We visited The Peak District. 

Health Update.
My dietitian is appealing to my GP to refer me for testing of Histamine (& sibo), Salicylates and Hydrogen Breath Test. It's been a few months of emails back and forth... still waiting for news. 

Last month, a lady came to our WI to talk about her allergies. She's had them her whole life, she's 50 years old now and glad to be alive! Her allergies require an epipen and a trip to the hospital. I was amazed when she used the word diarrhea two or three times! I spoke to her afterwards and said - that's been my life, at least once a week for the past 30 + years.

Though I don't have allergies... life threatening emergencies. I do have intolerances that aren't solved through FODMAP testing alone. It's not Coeliac either. I've never known what causes my debilitating symptoms, and they are definitely debilitating. It leads to feeling washed out, fatigue and sometimes brain fog. I always say, if I knew what caused it, I'd stop eating it. 

Thanks to my dietitian mentioning Histamine intolerance, I've been investigating histamine, salicylates and glutamates. I purchased a cookbook called Food Friendly (Australia RPAH experts) the recipes are absolutely bizarre. They aren't just weird, they're completely lacking in 'normal food'. At the moment, I'm eating foods in the low and moderate column. Overall I feel lots better. I still get end up eating 'wrong things' though I'm working out what they are slowly. Bananas (not sure why), too many cashew nuts - that's a Fodmap issue - I have the Monash App tailored to my tolerances. It tells me that I can eat 2 cashew nuts per meal, so I could have 6 over the day. Some may think, well don't bother with the cashew nuts, but it's the only nuts in the low and moderate columns that are safe to eat. The other nuts and seeds are high or very high. It's nice to have a bit of variety.
 
The book recommends that you make 5 very basic recipes first' as you'll use these a lot. If I don't make these, then food will be very bland... no condiments, no dressing, no stock/gravy... nothing! I love 'all' the condiments, dressings, mayo and lashings of gravy drowning my food.

So I'll need to make the basics: mayonnaise (no lemon and made with rice bran oil, no olive oil, or veg oil),
pear jam 
pear chutney (pealed pear is low, peeled golden delicious is moderate), no onion, no spices and no black or white, cumin pepper is allowed.
The only ok herbs are parsley but only a pinch and chives. Spring onion and leeks are ok.
Stock & gravy is tricky due no onion, herbs, hvp and yeast extract.
Lastly 'Lemon Cordial' which hasn't any lemons in it at all. I've yet to try making the basic recipes as I've not felt great and at times low energy due to food issues eg realising that bananas and cashew nuts are an unrelated problem for me and eggs (except baked in a cake or brushed on pastry) are an unrelated problem for me.  
I made a stir fry one day, once I felt a bit happier with the 'idea of cooking from the book'. Soy sauce is out, as well as Chinese five spice. You just have to make it work with the ingredients allowed.

There's no use bleating about it, I've gone through a strange grieving process - realising that I just can't eat all the things that I want to. They don't do me any good anyway. I'm always hopeful and always trying different things in the hope that it may help. One day the dietitian will contact me, either with news about testing or she'll hopefully help with a proper elimination diet.

Well that's a lot of rambling, take care and have a lovely weekend. 
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