Sunday, 22 February 2015

Reading Challenge 2015 - Love Labours Lost


Love Labours Lost by William Shakespeare

I've been getting into my Shakespeare a lot recently. I have to thank web adaptations for that, particularly 'Nothing Much to Do' by the Candle Wasters on Youtube. A blog series adaptation of William Shakespeare's 'Much Ado About Nothing'. I read that play not long after binge watching the entire series. When I heard they were doing a second series with the same characters but based loosely on the plot of Love Labours Lost, I had to read it.
The second series by the Candle Wasters will be called Lovely Little Losers, and is hopefully coming out this year! They've been filming this month. First instalment is here, a little christmas teaser.

Vlogs aside, this wasn't my favourite Shakespeare play. I did enjoy parts of it and the humour was quite funny, but in the end it didn't sit with me as well as Much ado About Nothing. I did however like the ending, with the promise that they shall meet again in a year and a day to see if their love was real. That sounds very vague, but I think I prefer the idea that it didn't all come to a rosy end.

Over all it was okay though. I'm more excited about the Candle Wasters version of the play, I seriously cannot wait.
If Shakespeare is your thing, I also recommend watching the theatre version of Much Ado starring David Tennant and Catherine Tate. That version is hilarious. I was honestly laughing so hard watching it. David Tennant is fabulous in it and does great credit to the role.




This scene, anyone?! Tears of laughter.
(photo not mine)



Flaine, France - 25/1/15 - 31/1/15

Last month I was lucky enough to be in France skiing with my family. We also went last year, and it was my first time strapping on the skis. This year, I was so pleased to realise I could still do it! I started off with lessons at the beginning of the week, hoping to pick up where I left off and improve, but by day two had cancelled them. I felt confident enough to carry on and just practice.



However! on the third day, disaster struck. I woke up feeling a little worse for wear.

Went out in the morning and managed to throw myself all over the mountain, but by lunch felt like I was possibly going to faint. I headed back to the chalet and collapsed on the bed, not to be heard of again until a few hours later. When I woke up I was so hot, had bumps all over my arms and a headache. Those symptoms didn't really leave me for the rest of the week. It's quite annoying being on holiday and not being able to enjoy it. I had only mustered up enough energy to try again on the last day, and even then had to bow out by lunch. I think it's quite important when you're skiing to be in control of what you're doing. Being ill tends to take that control away and that's when accidents happen. I'm kind of gutted that I didn't manage to get out that much, but at the same time I enjoyed what time I did.



As apposed to last year, we were in a catered chalet this time. Our chalet hosts name was Joe. He was such a lovely person, and his cakes tasted so much better than mine. His victoria sponge was ridiculous.  

We had two birthdays whilst in Flaine, my mums and my roommate, Maureen. On Thursday Joe spent the morning cutting out a happy birthday template for the cake. Such a sweet thing to do. Note the messy little gluten free muffins for Steve!


Flaine as a resort is beautiful. The valley is so picturesque. I think my favourite part was this little split in the mountains where you can see through to the valley beyond. The trees that lined it were just so nice.






Check out the view from our bedroom window!

The first day we arrived we also got driven around in a snow buggy. This thing doesn't look like much, but the experience was pretty fun. The driver didn't have to slow down on corners and certainly didn't. I was terrified I was going to fall out!

I'm currently doing driving lessons at the moment. At this point I had only had 4, and I was a bit too keen to drive this thing. It would have ended so badly!

As always now is my chance to binge upload some of the photos. I always take too many.


I should probably mention that there were ten of us in total on this holiday. Not all family, but all friends of the family.


An accidental photo taken from the bus window. I just love it how gloomy it looks.

I think the trees were my favourite part of the scenery. The snow just sits on them and contrasts so beautifully. Like a christmas card!




 Before being struck down 'in the pribe of libe!' (anyone else reference Friends when sick?)

 My beautiful mother.

Looking forward to next years trip! Hopefully it won't end so horribly. I'll be sure to take all my vitamins and build up my immune system before I go!


Sunday, 8 February 2015

New Years Photos!

A much delayed selection of photos from my trip up to Inverness for new years! My friend Steven took his big fancy camera with him and took some really nice photos. I meant to post them sooner but totally forgot!


 It was a really fun weekend. We stayed with Louisa and her family and went into town for the bells. The Red Hot Chilli Pipers were playing on the stage and we took an awful disposable camera selfie at midnight! I got the photos back last week and it's so blurry!

Below are some of my iPhone photos too. Lesser quality than Stevens and heavily filtered ;)

 We made an apple pie for New Years day lunch.

Some photos from the Clootie Well.

Sea-salty windswept hair.


So yeah! Sorry for the sheer mass amount of photos in this post. I took so many and just wanted to put them up in a big post. The clootie well and Fairy Glen were really pretty, I couldn't help but take loads of photos.  



Reading Challenge 2015 - The Scorch Trails + The Death Cure


The Scorch Trails + The Death Cure by James Dashner

I finally finished this series! I read the last instalment whilst on holiday in France about 2 weeks ago so I'm a little fuzzy on the details of The Scorch Trails. Overall I thought the series was great, though at points a little heartbreaking. Chapter 55 of The Death Cure, anyone? I was a mess.

The whole story was really fast paced, I couldn't put it down. I was also satisfied with the ending. There's always a risk with ending a series. As a reader there's always an ending you predict in your head and the strong likelihood that it just won't happen that way. I'm not sure how I wanted it to end, but I guess I was okay with all that happened.

Now I guess I'll just wait until the next film is out and wonder how the hell they're going to translate it all into something!

So that's me ticking off the trilogy on the reading list which I posted here. I'm already halfway through my next book! This one's a play.