Hello everyone and a blessed Sunday to you all. I hope this post finds you all well. A wet and cooler week has passed, and now it is time to reflect on what we’ve been reading, watching and doing over that time:
This week, I have taken the full plunge into this classic, Italian adventure on the high-seas, The Black Corsair by Emilio Salgari, about the legendary Caribbean pirate, the ‘Black Corsair’, as he seeks revenge. I have also started 
reading The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley, that promises a glimpse back to the time of Russia’s first Empress Catherine.
In my Hoy Bible reading, over a couple of nights, I read Esther, a short book about a Jewish heroine who saves her people from annihilation with prayer, obedience and courage. And followed that with a read of Song of Songs (also known as Song of Solomon), which is a poem about two lovers, although it is questionable what it has to do with God, it is a nice read.
While on the screen, I worked my way back through all of season 9 and started season 12 of one of my favourites TV shows: the British archaeological 
series Time Team. I have been searching for them on YouTube, after having my appetite whetted by watching All4’s back-catalogue of the show, which included seasons 1-8 & 10-11.
Again there was no film this Friday… Come on Sky what is wrong with your premieres recently?! However I have also started watching the new-ish Jim Henderson series, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, on Netflix, which is a prequel to the 1982 film. Each episode feels a little like a short film.
With the cooler weather and the easing of sinus pain, I was able to get to the second phase of refreshing my bedroom, which involved two, rather stressful, trips to IKEA to get my new, floating desk and shelves, because the first store didn’t have the crucial wall uprights, even though online they said they were 
in stock! However I think it was all worth it, as I think it looks great, as pictured.
My friend also treated me to an afternoon tea at Bosworth Hall Hotel & Spa, Leicestershire, that included a dip in their pool too, which was just what the doctor ordered. 🏊♀️ Then in preparation for my return to work, this coming Tuesday, I have been doing some batch cooking of comfort favourites for easier evening and lunch meals, including Meaty Bolognese and Curried Cauliflower Coconut Soup. 🥘
While here on the blog, I shared my reviews for the beastie, award-winning historical-fiction, Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel and the lesser-known classic, Kim by Rudyard Kipling. I also took part in the weekly meme, WWW Wednesday | 26th August 2020. and shared the announcement for the start of the R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril XV reading event. Please check these out if you haven’t already. Thank you! 😊
Later today, my grandad will be coming over for Sunday lunch – I am trying a new recipe for Summer Turkey Stew, followed by apple and blackberry crumble (made with the apples from our very own trees) 😁. For now though, that’s all folks! I look forward to catching up with you all next Sunday. Where ever you are in the world, I hope you and your loved ones are well: staying healthy and happy. God bless and bye for now! 🙏
Now over to you: I’d love to hear what you have been reading? Have you watched anything good? Have you managed any nice days out?
I have linked this post into the weekly meme, The Sunday Post hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer.
thebookwormchronicles.wordpress.com 
Your bedroom looks great, and is it just me, or does that Corsair book sound positively Pirates of the Caribbean (ish)?
Lynn 😀
Thank you, Lynn – I am so pleased with how my bedroom has turned out! 😁 And The Black Corsair definitely had some Pirates of the Caribbean feels, especially as the story visited Tortuga 😉
We had apple crumble yesterday! I love that we’re moving into autumn now…Crumbles to me are a very autumn/winter thing for me. We also had our first Sunday roast since spring so I’m definitely getting impatient for my favourite season to arrive! 🙂
I need to take a leaf out of your book though and do some batch cooking. With work getting back to semi-normal I’ve been too tired to cook in the evenings and have been eating whatever is quickest and easiest but not necessarily nutritious!
Hope the return to work goes smoothly.
Nicci, I hope you enjoyed your roast dinner and crumble as much as we did – Homemade crumbles, especially apple ones, are proper comfort autumn food. 😋And yes, I highly recommend a bit of batch cooking on the weekend or holidays to have the freezer filled up with good, healthy, homecooked food for those busier nights once your back at work.
Your bedroom looks lovely! We don’t have any IKEA stores where I live, but I’ve always heard about them.
I was going to ask if and how you used the apples from your trees, but you answered that for me! I hope the Sunday lunch went well.
I’m plotting and planning some good reads (I hope) for the RIP challenge, even if I don’t officially participate.
Aw sorry to hear you don’t have IKEA stores where you are… although maybe it is for the best, as you can end up spending a lot in them. It is a bit like the Primark of the furniture world! 😅 Our Sunday lunch was lovely, thank you and my apple and blackberry crumble turned out amazing (if I do say so myself 😉). And happy spooky reading! 👻
There wasn’t a film was there? Zombieland Double Tap was from last week, I was expecting something good!
Ikea sounds very stressful, I’m too scared to visit one in case I spend too much!
Have a lovely week!
There was a film, Heather, but it was the children’s animated adventure, Abominable, which didn’t really grab us as a Friday night premiere really?! And haha, IKEA can be stressful if they don’t have what you want, however generally the more serious problem is not spending too much! 😅
You’ve been busy! So the spa break is just what the doctor ordered. I like how your bedroom looks. Great job! 😀 I wasn’t sure I could finish all three books in the Wolf Hall trilogy, so I’ll be reading only Wolf Hall towards the end of this year. I hope that setting aside a month will be sufficient. Please tell me it is. 🙂 I loooved The Firebird; it is, together with The Winter Sea, my top favorite Kearley’s novel. Mariana comes in a close second place. I’m hesitant to try the new anthology she features in. Maybe I’ll read it if it gets a lot of great reviews and they put it on sale.
Thank you so much, Carmen – I am very pleased with how my bedroom has turned out! 😊 Well it took me more than a month to read Wolf Hall, but I had other books on the go and it will depend on your reading speed! I hope you’re able to finish in the last month of the year and if you decide to Kearsley’s new anthology, I hope you will enjoy that, too! 😃
The Black Corsair sounds like a lot of fun! And ooh it’s been cooler here as well. I have to admit I’m enjoying the cooler temps…
The tea and comfort food you mention sounds nice as well. It’s the simple things in life haha… and food is always good.
Have a great Sunday lunch!!!
Thank you, Greg – We had a great Sunday lunch and the turkey stew went down a treat! 😊
Your room looks great 🙂
One of these years I’ll be organised enough to join RIP, it’s a great event.
Wishing you a great reading week
Thank you, Shelleyrae 😊 and you don’t need to be organised for R.I.P, especially not this year, just read one suitable book and your in! 😁
The bedroom looks great! I love the colors. Enjoy your time with your grandad. Have a great week!
Thank you, Aj – I have long wanted the excuse to have lots of purple in my room! 😊
The bedroom makeover looks great – and I’m so glad your sinus problems have eased up to enable you to get things done. The spa break is just the job – my sister and I went for a pampered weekend for her 60th birthday and had a wonderful time. I hope your start back at school goes smoothly, Jessica and that this a really good week:)
Thank you so much, SJ 😊 Glad to hear you also enjoyed a pampered weekend for your sister’s 60th birthday!
Oh we did…
Oh how lovely! I do love a spa break. I’m hoping to do one with my sister fairly soon. And your desk and shelves look lovely! 😀
The R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril event looks super fun. I’m looking forward to your posts!
Thank you, Proxy 😊 I am very pleased with how my room has turned out and I hope you will enjoy your spa break soon with your sister.
Thank you! 😀
I am a big fan of Susanna Kearsley, and just finished reading her recently released short story which features Anna from The Firebird!
I do love watching Time Team. In fact, I enjoy watching most of Tony Robinson’s historical shows!
Have a great week.
Hey Marg, great to see you back so soon! Also great to hear you are a Susanna Kearsley and Time Team fan too – They do say that great minds think alike! 😉