Music Monday - Bruises - Lewis Capaldi

Such a strong voice.  I heard this song in the taxi on the way home and had to google what it was. 

Middle Aged Lady Movie Night - Booksmart

So I guess I am about 30 years too old for this movie.  A formulaic nerds go crazy on the last night of school it at least has the redeeming feature of starring two females in the lead as opposed to the usual boys go crazy story that we are used to seeing.  Not really for me.  3/5

Middle Aged Lady Movie Night - Fisherman's Friends

A day working an early shift meant a wee nap for me when I got home from work.  Dinner was lazy leftovers and I sat and watched the news which was depressing, and the final in the latest series of Call the Midwife, which was a different sort of sad.  So I felt like a heart warming British movie like Fisherman's Friends.  The based on a true story movie, is about a music man who heads to Cornwall on a stag do, and hears a group of Cornish fisherman who sing sea shanties together for the locals.  It was nice and sweet as expected, with the odd cheery moment, without being to twee.  I did find myself singing along too!!  As I saw in a comment, this is a Boy Band I would want to go and see live, but who knows when bands will tour internationally again?  4/5

Bardcore/Medieval Covers

Bardcore or Medieval Covers of modern songs.  Who knew that this was a whole genre to be discovered on youtube?  Actually these ones are quite good. 

Love Sarah

How nice to sit in a cinema again, with real people drinking wine and coffee.  After lunch with besties we headed to the cinema as it was a cold and drizzly Sunday and it was nice to be tucked up inside.  So nice that I may have nodded off in the first few minutes of the movie.  It is a sweet British movie about a group of friends and family who open a small cafe in London.  Full with cakes and sweet London streets, it is a little charmer and the type of movie that the English do so well.  4/5

Rifleman - Victor Gregg

Victor Gregg has written this autobiography about his extraordinary life.   Born in 1919 he enlisted to serve at the beginning of WWII.  It is these stories that are amazing without glorifying war or turning into a boys own adventure, it was for me the loss of friends and fellow soldiers that were memorable.  From African desserts to training as a paratrooper, from sailing to South Africa to escape from a POW camp it is one of those stories that you would not believe if it were a novel. 

I had heard Victor Gregg talk on History Hits about his experience in the Dresden Bombing in 1945.  It is harrowing stuff, and an experience that he spends time speaking about even at 100 years old.  The chapters talking about Dresden should be read by everyone. 4/5

The Forgotten Village - Lorna Cook

A dual timeline tale about Melissa who is on holiday and visits a small English village that was requisitioned during the war, forcing all the inhabitants to leave their homes never to return.  I found the wartime story felt a little out of place, like it should have been set in 1914, not the 1940s.  I also figured out the plot half way though, so wasn't surprised at the ending.  3/5.

Lady In Waiting - Anne Glenconner

This is one of those biographies that if it was written as a fiction novel, I would have to say that I would think it had an unbelievable plot.  Born as the eldest child of an Early from an early age, Anne Glenconner was a maid of honour at the Queens coronation, and a lady in waiting to Princess Margaret. 

I liked that even though there were some stories of royals, this is not a snobby name dropping book, but it mainly centers around her marriage to her difficult odd husband and their life, with children on the island of Mustique.  5/5

To Love and Let Go - Rachel Brathen

I had never heard of Yoga Girl, Rachel Brathen before I picked up this book.  It is a memoir from Rachel Brathen, who is an influencer and Yoga guru, popular around the world.  She tells us about her journey , and a lot about her friend Andrea and her relationship that turns to marriage with Dennis.  I did enjoy her exploration about friendship, love and grief, I am just not sure how much a fan I am of the dancing in the jungle, beads and mushrooms side of the story.  3/5.

Music Monday - Ilomilo - Billie Eilish

I did have to turn the captions on to find out what she was singing about, as it does all sound a bit of a mumble, but I am a bit betwitched by the video and had to watch it several times.