🙏 Sunday Reflection | February 2021 Wrap-Up ❄

Hello everyone and a blessed Sunday to you all. I hope this post finds you all well. The short but bitterly cold month of February has passed and now it is time to reflect on what we’ve been doing, reading and watching over that time.

Thankfully, over the month, things settled down at work with ‘my boys’ and colleagues, as well as enjoying a much-needed February half-term break; during which time we celebrated Shrove Tuesday 🥞 and Ash Wednesday 🙏. Now we are in the reflective time of Lent, for which I have given up drinking coke and I have signed up for The Bible Course; that is being hosted by my church online, over the next 8 weeks.

I have also enjoyed several online catch-ups with friends and family, and I am looking forward with more hope, now our government has outlined its plans and dates for bringing the UK out of lockdown. 🙂 Unfortunately, I have ended the month on a bit of down, as I have managed to fracture my little finger, a couple of days ago! 🤦‍♀️

With my week off and a steady time at work, I was able to finish reading three books, less than last month, but they were all long books. I started my month off by finishing my thoroughly enjoyable re-read of the classic, chivalric-romance, Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott; about knights, maidens, thieves and naughty King John. A read I took my time to savour. 🏰 Then I set off in the romantic suspense, Madam, Will You Talk? by Mary Stewart, for a sun-drenched adventure in southern France, with the young widow Charity Selborne. A brilliantly gripping read! 🌞

Finally, over my half-term break, I took the time to tackle the rather beastie historical-romance, The Memory Tree by John A. Heldt: the second book in the time-travelling series: Carson Chronicles, where the Carson family travel from 1889 to 1918.🌲 Alongside these I have also been dipping in and out of the fascinating The Story of the British Isles in 100 Places by Neil Oliver and during my church’s online Morning Prayer sessions, we read Bible passages from Psalms, Exodus, Jeremiah and 1 John.

Now I am giving myself a break from the lengthy books and reading the short, fantasy comedy, Eric by Terry Pratchett: the ninth book from the fantastical Discworld series. Overall a good month of reading and my pick of the month has to go to Mary Stewart’s thrilling Madam, Will You Talk?.

Being a very tired lady at the end of a long half-term at school, I am sure you can’t blame me for indulging in a little more easy viewing?! First I went on a crime spree, quickly working my way through Netflix’s gripping crime-documentaries, Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer (2021) and Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel (2021), and ITV’s true-crime mini-series, The Pembrokeshire Murders (2021). 🔎

With my dad, I also watched the eye-opening documentary film Framing Britney Spears (2021) and Netflix’s new western drama, News of the World (2020); as part of our Friday film and takeaway night. Plus, over my time off, I enjoyed comforting re-watches of Casper (1995); Pride & Prejudice (2005), The Three Musketeers (2011); The Holiday (2006), Pride & Prejudice (1995), Divergent (2014) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). 👽

Phew, that was some month of viewing! Now I am watching Netflix’s dark, historical-mystery, The Alienist (2020) and an amusing re-watch of the BBC’s brilliant fantasy fun, Merlin (2008-2012). My pick of the month goes to the BBC’s classic Pride & Prejudice (1995), as it is all about the Colin Firth. 😉

Last but not least, before my unfortunate accident with my finger, I was also enjoying a very good month of food! First, one cold Sunday, I tried out a new recipe for Lamb, Spinach and Potato Curry, from my favourite Si King & Dave Myer’s The Hairy Dieters cookbook. A delicious, big warming pot of goodness, that I served with garlic and coriander naan for dipping, and again you would never know this was a dieting recipe! 🍛

Then, in my half-term holiday, I re-stocked my cupboards and freezer with a ‘big shop’ at the supermarket, which also included simmering up a large batch of our favourite hearty veggie chilli and trying another new recipe. This time for Tasty Tuna Bake, the first recipe I have tried from my new cookbook: Si King & Dave Myer’s The Hairy Bikers: One Pot Wonders. Tuna pasta bake has to be an easy, go-to midweek meal in most houses, right? Well this one is even easier, as the pasta cooks in one pot by the absorption method. 😋

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For now, that’s all folks! I look forward to catching up with you all next Sunday for my regular weekly reflection, and in a month’s time to see how March has treated us all. Wherever you are in the world, I hope you and your loved ones are well: staying healthy and happy. God bless and bye for now!👋🙏🙂

I have linked this post into the weekly meme, The Sunday Post hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer.

 

Now I’d love to hear from you: What did you read and watch in February? How are things where you live? Have you enjoyed any yummy food?