I’m baaaaack. Okay, so I know I was only away for one week, but surely I was missed and the world felt a darker and more desolate place without me. Surely?

Anyhoo… I have returned from my trip to New Zealand and am happily ensconced in my own delightful home yet again.

What I read

It was a very light reading fortnight…. being away and all of that. I did read How Will I Know You by Jessica Treadway before heading overseas, but even when I returned home – after having the break – I was in more of a TV mood. I did however accidentally binge-read Alice Hoffman’s Faithful.

What I wrote

I’d pre-written a couple of posts before heading away… which was a good thing because I forgot my laptop charger. I prevaricated about taking my laptop – thinking I’d have a break from reading AND blogging – but remembered I had a couple of posts I needed to write so threw the laptop in. But left the charger at my brother’s. Oops.

As usual there were some book reviews:

Love Murder by Saul Black – a macabre read with charasmatic characters
My Husband’s Son by Deborah O’Connor – enjoyable but not entirely believable
How Will I Know by Jessica Treadway – another enjoyable read, which only disappointed because I enjoyed her previous novel so very much.

There were some book-ish posts:

Ten (new to me) authors I read in 2016 – joining the Broke and Bookish for the Top Ten Tuesday
My favourite books of the year – I came in with seven after much consideration and (over) analysis

And then there was the other navel-gazing crap I tend to gravitate towards:

My first job – my mid 1980s job renting out VHS and Beta videos
Realisations and transformation – in which I ponder whether ‘a-ha’ moments can be fast-tracked
Pre-travel nerves – my nervousness about my impending overseas trip
Let it Go – in which I realise I really really need to stop over-thinking everything and bloody LET THINGS GO!

What I did

I became a godmother. It was very exciting and I was unbelievably honoured as I’m a first-time godmother. I talk sometimes about my friend’s little boy Pickle (who’s 5). His mother and I met when we both moved here 4 years ago and I can’t imagine Pickle and his mum not being a part of my life so I’m beyond thrilled. AND I get to talk about my ‘godson’.

Oh and I went to New Zealand. And Brisbane. I’m planning on writing about my NZ trip on Monday (Oz time) so won’t say much here. My time there flew however and I loved catching up with my old and very dear friend.

What I plan to do

I need to get ready for Christmas as I’m hosting it for the first time in my entire 48 years. My brother, SIL and niece are staying with me and my SIL’s parents will stay with my mum in her nearby town. Thankfully everyone knows I’m crap at this adulting stuff and far from a domestic goddess so others are on top of the Xmas lunch situation. I have – of course – bought a goodly supply of sparking wine (champagne) and red wine, and a stack of cheese and pate and the like. I’ve also got my cleaner and mowing guys coming this week. (Hoorah for outsourcing!)

There will most likely be some reading as my TBR pile remains depressed and dispirited from my lack of attention, and I received some new books to read (below). I do – however need to do some chronological re-sorting before getting stuck into whatever’s next.

It’s most likely I’ll be taking a break over Christmas and the New Year but I don’t want to leave you bereft so will give you a day or two to prepare yourself for my absence.

Have you read any good books over the last couple of weeks? But more importantly – did you miss me?
(Oh, and have a lovely Christmas and New Year if you’re into that sort of thing!)

As usual I’m linking up with Caffeinated Book Reviewer; and The Book Date for ‘It’s Monday!’