Photo diary: Project 365, week 13

Easter holidays are approaching faster and faster. In the meantime, my younger boy has to revise before his mocks which will happen straight after Easter. 

Lindt Dubai style chocolate is currently trending. I saw a new bar while shopping groceries on Ocado, and got it as a treat for my guys. Since then, I saw it in Waitrose on the shelves, though it was all gone before Mother's day, and I believe Sainsbury's sells it now too.

It is not bad, but for a tenner I expected something a bit more special. I rationed everyone a piece, saying, Enjoy the moment, each square is worth a pound, then wrapped the leftover chocolate bar in a paper bag, put inside another paper bag, and have hidden under some stationery bits in the chest of drawers.

I should have known that Sasha will find it. He has a gift of sniffing chocolate from a mile away. I should have learnt my lesson by now, and have put it under lock. Sasha found it, ate it and put everything carefully as it was, as if I wouldn't realise who it was. I wonder what goes through his mind, he must have thought, I have a cunning plan, Mum will never guess who did it. :)

Don't think I will be buying another Dubai chocolate in a hurry, unless it's on a good offer.

Have you tried it? What's your verdict?

On Monday I ran into town with a few errands, and spotted two beautiful red kites gliding over our street. They would swoop down and then launch themselves high. I tried to capture them, when they were a bit lower, but all I managed was a couple of snaps, with the expanse of the skies and a tiny flyer.

Tuesday was the day when the only picture I took was of a Sasha's trousers' label, so that I could get the right size/fit while buying a new pair, and I won't bore anyone with this marvellous snap.

The medication Sasha's taking for anxiety is making him hungry, and he is not able to moderate his food intake. He's put on quite a bit of weight, and I need to monitor what he eats, which is not easy. My husband thinks we should put the door on the kitchen (currently we don't have any) and lock it, but I believe it would cause more stress for my poor boy. I just need to be more vigilant.

Instead here are a couple of pics from Wednesday.

Picking a tub of ice cream from the freezer in the summerhouse, I looked up at the windows. Guess, whose room this is?

The last time my Mum stayed with us was six years ago, and I miss her so much. Even without the war, she wouldn't be able to travel nowadays due to her health issues. We talk every day on the phone, but that's not enough, is it?! 

In a way, I feel her presence in the garden, where she loved to tend to the flowers. There are still some of the hyacinths that she planted. 

It was a windy day, and instead of my usual hat(s) I decided to wear a headscarf around. On the way into town I met Eddie coming home from school, he looked at me aghast and asked, What's that on your head? I replied that I was worried the hat would fly in the wind, and that the late Queen often had a headscarf (I didn't tie it under the chin, and had it more like a headband). 

Well, he has always been a fashion critic. I remember when he was little, and watched me trying on a new top that I just bought, saying "Mama's pyjamas".

This week I have been reading Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. This Cold war spy story is absolutely brilliant. Le Carre's writing is exquisite, his language is unrivalled. 

I thought I'd start watching Tinker Tailor on Netflix, along the book, and will finish the film once I finished the book. The film is very good.

Fountain pens are one of my hobbies, and I loved seeing this beauty in one of the scenes. I would love to know the brand.

I planted a few tulips, which I bought a couple of days before, passing by the local florist's. This pink variety is called Foxtrot. I also got white Popcorn tulips, and hope they will be as pretty as they are on the label. Also had to spread a few of the blue-coloured snug-killer pellets around the new plants to give them a chance.

A sketch I did for Penandinkchallenge on Insta, with a prompt of Your grandparents' garden.

My grandparents lived in the middle of nowhere. To visit them, we travelled a day and a half by train, then there was a long bus trip, and walking through the steppe, carrying bags and suitcases, unless some kind farmer offered a ride on his truck.

My grandfather was a forester. He was my grandma's husband, and not my Mum's Dad, but he's the only grandfather I knew. My Dad's father died in the war. Grandpa had a beautiful smile, and many people who didn't know the family dynamics, commented on how much alike my brother and he looked. 

Anyway, as a big city girl, I resented spending holidays in the sticks, without "civilisation". My granparents' house was at the end of the village, with the garden merging with the forest.

I did love spending hours in the hammock in the cherry orchard, with raspberry bushes around. I would climb on the cherry tree, pick a handful of cherries, and decorate myself with cherry "earings".

That's what I tried to show in my sketch.

And finally, a very festive Easter bunny post box yarn bombing in the centre of town.  What a colourful seasonal decoration!

How was your week?

Photo diary: Project 365, week 12

It was a week of dichotomy, with tears and smiles in bunches.

Monday didn't start well, as Sasha got up in a bout of angst and temper. He was so stressed and kept hitting the wall in his room so hard that he actually hurt himself, and there was blood on the wall from his hand.

It's been over a year since Sasha's anxiety has peaked. Overall, the meds help, but still there are days like this, when his depression and anxiety rule. 

It's very hard to see my boy so distressed and unhappy, and I can only imagine how hard it must be for him, not being able to express his pain in words.

Later he was in a much better mood, going out with his PAs, and having a birthday cake in the evening. My guys love the Neapolitan cake from Waitrose, it's a tasty three-layer sponge cake, very pretty.

Eddie and I are big fans of the Hunger Games series of books and films, and were looking forward to the latest release, Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins. I pre-booked it a long time ago on Waterstones. The site doesn't give you an option of pre-booking for collection in store (as they used to), and insist on sending it to your home address, using the services of Royal Mail. 

Sorry to say, but Royal Mail is a pain in the posterior. They allocate the time slot by email, and never ever stick to it. Last week they were supposed to deliver a small parcel from the Sates on Saturday, instead it was delivered on Sunday. I detest waiting and waiting for them all day long.

I was super annoyed that the book hasn't been delivered on the publication day at all. Never again will I place a pre-order with Waterstones, and will just buy in the actual store itself, especially that we have a brilliant team at the local store, very friendly and knowledgeable.

The latest Tokyo Treat box arrived this week. This is the third, and most likely, final, box for us. As much as we enjoyed trying all the new foods and discovering new flavours, it's just too pricey to continue. It's a cool gift idea for a birthday or whatever occasion you celebrate.

The weather kept changing its mind from day to day, we had some very hot days followed by rather chilly ones. I keep pottering in the garden, as there is so much to do there. Love seeing life in the garden, already spotted a few butterflies, bumblebees and ladybirds.

On Friday Eddie was invited by one of his class mates for a sleepover, and I walked with him across the town centre, helping to carry his things. The evening sun was casting its rays on the cloak at Buttercross (clock turret).

The sakura blossom in town is so pretty. This tree is just outside the Nuffield clinic.

In the last week I was reading Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates, a psychological/survival thriller, set in a remote cabin in the winter snowstorm. Eight strangers go by bus on a trip to the Rocky mountains. On the way to the resort where they were heading, they are stranded by a fallen tree. While waiting for the road to be cleared, Christa (the main character who narrates the story) and her boyfriend go for a quick walk and get lost in the storm.

The group is forced to ditch the original destination and take shelter in a seemingly abandoned hunting cabin. The atmosphere is claustrophobic enough, and then the tour guide goes missing. His mutilated body is found the next morning. Is there is a murderer on the loose, playing sadistic games, or is someone from the group killing their tour mates for sport. Who, if anyone, can Christa trust, as the number of survivors goes smaller and smaller... Who is the culprit, and what's their agenda? 

The story is very graphic, so if you're squeamish, don't read it. I usually enjoy this kind of isolated setting, but the plot was rather convoluted and the reasoning behind the murder spree isn't convincing.

This is the first book by Darcy Coates that I've read. I must be reading way too many thrillers, because I somehow guessed the twist quite early. 

How did your week go?

The Secretary by Deborah Lawrenson ( review & #giveaway )

 

It can't be changed now. She is the one who has been changed. She has seen into the dark heart of a country where good people are destroyed for knowing the truth, where history is deleted and rewritten, and the more you know, the more risk you face...

She had always known this job would be a kind of loneliness in the midst of the crowd. It was always a question of trust, an all too precious a commodity in this nervy atmosphere. Moscow extorted a price. They all lived on their nerves, suspicious of everyone and everything.

The Secretary by Deborah Lawrenson is a compelling espionage thriller, set in Moscow, 1958. 

There are several themes, masterfully developed in the novel, from power dynamics and ideology restraints to the fundamental basis and balance of truth and deception. Living a lie takes a toll, and when you don't know who to trust, the world becomes truly chilling. 

These themes have been explored before in the espionage genre, however, the author expands the concept, challenging our preconceptions by introducing a leading female character into the game of spies. 

Blurb:

The Secretary

Moscow, 1958. At the height of the Cold War, MI6 secretary Lois Vale is on a deep cover mission to identify a diplomatic traitor. She can trust only one man: Johann, a German journalist also working covertly for the British secret service. As the trail leads to Vienna and the Black Sea, Lois and Johann begin an affair as love grows, so does the danger to Lois.

A tense Cold War spy story told from the perspective of a bright young working class woman recruited to MI6 at a time when men were in charge of making history and women were expendable.

Authentic and historical details are provided by the 1958 diary kept in Moscow by the author's own mother, who worked for British intelligence.

Lois Vale is a MI6 operative, who is sent to Moscow to find out a mole in the British Embassy. She is quickly learning the ropes of her new position, while observing the people and surroundings. 

Lois is told that she would never be able to tell anyone what she does. "Oh, you can say you work as a secretary. You must always stick to as much truth as you can. Beyond that, if anyone asks, even your own family, you are simply a young woman who wants to see something of the world".

On the train to Moscow, Lois encounters a mysterious Russian who claims that he knows exactly who Lois is. This confrontation, albeit very short, is just a tiny glimpse into the dangers Lois is facing. Her mission is high risk and treacherous. 

The only person Lois can trust is a German journalist, Johann Dreschler, who's working for the British secret service. "He was a trusted and highly effective operator, especially in the political sphere".

Johann is intelligent, astute and attentive. There is a mutual attraction, but is there any hope for a romance amidst danger?

Lois finds herself sharing a flat with Sonia, a volatile, unpredictable woman, who keeps petty grudges against her new flatmate. Sonia's not well-equipped to the tense conditions of life in Moscow. 

The claustrophobic atmosphere feels authentic. On the surface, Lois's job is not glamorous, it's very much plain routine, navigating social class inequalities, office intrigues and prejudiced housemates. 

The search for answers draws Lois into grave peril, as the walls seem to close in around her. Is there anyone she can trust?

The Secretary is a captivating thriller, riveting and unputdownable, meticulously researched and well-written. Lawrenson brings history to life with this superb story of trust, love and betrayal. A book not to be missed!

This review is part of the blog tour for The Secretary.

Many thanks to Deborah Lawrenson, The Book Guild and Rachel's Random Resources for my copy of the book!

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secretary-Deborah-Lawrenson/dp/1835741436

https://www.amazon.com/Secretary-Deborah-Lawrenson/dp/1835741436

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-secretary/deborah-lawrenson/9781835741436

https://www.bookguild.co.uk/bookshop/historical/the-secretary/

Author Bio –

Deborah Lawrenson spent her childhood moving around the world with diplomatic service parents, from Kuwait to China, Belgium, Luxembourg and Singapore. She read English at Cambridge University and worked as a journalist in London. She has written eight novels and her writing is praised for its vivid sense of place. The Art of Falling was a WHSmith Fresh Talent pick in 2005. The Lantern was published to critical acclaim in the USA, chosen for the Channel4 TV Book Club in the UK and shortlisted for Romantic Novel of the Year 2012. Her novel 300 Days of Sun, set in Portugal, was selected as a Great Group Read for the WNBA National Reading Group Month in October 2016 in the USA. Her novels have been translated into twelve languages.

Social Media Links –

Facebook:    https://www.facebook.com/DeborahLawrensonAuthor

Twitter:   https://x.com/deb_lawrenson

Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/deborah.lawrenson/

Website: https://www.deborah-lawrenson.co.uk/

Giveaway to Win 2 x Paperbacks of The Secretary by Deborah Lawrenson (Open to UK Only)

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 Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  

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I have no access to the data collected, I am not responsible for selection of the winner, or despatch or delivery of the prize.

Good luck!

Photo diary: Project 365, week 11

 Frustrated is my word of the week. 

I think I jinxed it the previous day when I said, "I'll keep working in the garden". It's  been a wet day, since we got up, and definitely not suitable for an ongoing garden project, oh well.

The supply of apples from the garden is dwindling away, there are just two trays left, from the last autumn. I keep the trays in the summerhouse, where it's cool. The apples are still fine to eat, I cooked some crumble on Sunday, with a handful of (shop-bought) blueberries. 

I was supposed to meet a friend on Monday, once Sasha was going out with his PAs after 3pm. They knocked at the door at 1pm, when we were not expecting them. I called the boss, she said it was the glitch in the system. 

Since the PAs don't live in town, I couldn't just turn them away. Sasha wasn't ready to go out at all, and by the time I helped him to get changed and gave him the meds before his outing, it was already twenty minutes past. I cancelled meeting my friend, as Sasha would have been back by 3pm. And they arrived back even earlier, arrrgh... 

We only get 3 x 2 hour sessions a week for Sasha to be out, and even then, they are often shorter than 2 hours.

Sasha wasn't happy to go out at the "wrong" time, and he surely did display his displeasure all the evening. And everything is always "my" fault.

I don't want to criticise the PAs, as they are nice young chaps, friendly and polite, but it is frustrating nevertheless that professionals who work with people on the spectrum, don't know much about the importance of routines and familiarity. Anything out of ordinary can knock people like Sasha out of equilibrium.

I have cut down on book blog tours a lot this year, as I don't want many commitments. Family life is too unpredictable. 

The Secretary by Deborah Lawrenson, however, caught my attention, and I agreed to join in the blog tour (my review is coming on the 20th). 

It is a spy novel, set in Moscow, 1958. The plot is based on the deep-cover MI6 operation to find a traitor in the British Embassy. The story is told from the point of view of a young woman recruited by MI6. Really enjoying the story (nearly finished the book). Top marks.

Our garden is a big mess right now. A family friend found out that I was struggling with the creepers from the neighbour's garden, and came to help with the chainsaw. The creeper has completely overtaken some trunks of the lilac tree on our side, and I was worried that it might collapse and break the stone wall. He worked for several hours, chopping the tree trunks and removing the creeper.

Now I'm left with a huge pile of cut trunks and greenery. It's satisfying that the wall is saved, but oh boy, that pile makes an ugly sight.

Sasha has been having an ear problem since last May. We've taken him to the GP several times, last summer he had several courses of anitibotics (both orally and as ear drops). He's still suffering, and holding onto his ear. Since he's non verbal, he cannot explain what kind of pain he has.

We waited for the appointment at the ENT clinic for over half a year, hoping to possibly solve the problem and help our boy, and finally got to see the consultant on Thursday. It didn't go well, as unfortunately the lady who saw Sasha didn't really listen to what we tried to explain, kept interrupting me. 

Her manner was brusque, patronising and aggressive. It was a very unpleasant experience, and the sad thing is that there wasn't much help for Sasha. 

In comparison, when we visited the Dental clinic in Oxford last year regarding the same problem (we had to rule out that the earache could be connected to any dental issue; as it happened, there was no connection as the scan showed). The doctor and nurses team were very attentive to Sasha, put him at ease, talked to him in a soothing manner, and showed outstanding care and kindness.

Sometimes you wonder why some people choose to work in professions like that. Both my husband and I were shocked by her manner. 

I took a few snaps of Oxford, as we were travelling by bus through the city centre. 

There was a Degustabox delivery earlier this week, and it's one of their better selections. Why? Because there's lot of Ritter Sport chocolate, which we all love.

Walking home from Waitrose, I spotted this magpie. One for sorrow?

And finally, the e-book I finished last week is Cold as Hell by Lilja Sigurdardottir.

It is a gripping thriller set in Iceland. The main protagonist, Áróra, comes to Iceland to look for her estranged sister ĺsafold, who seems to have disappeared without a trace. 

This Nordic Noir/thriller deals with themes of domestic abuse; and is the first in the series. 

The story is absorbing, but I couldn't relate to any of the characters. Áróra is smart, but very materialistic. Apparently she enjoys rolling in money on the bed, once she completes her business (she is a private investigator type, searching for hidden finances). 

How was your week?

Photo diary: Project 365, week 10

There's more colour now that the spring is here, and I just love seeing all the pretty flowers in town. I also have crocuses in the garden, though mine are of a "wild" variety. They just grow randomly around the garden and along the path, and I never take any care of them. The crocuses must have been planted originally many years ago by the previous owner of the house. Those that I planted myself didn't last beyond a couple of years, such a shame, as they were truly gorgeous. 

Eddie's been helping me with clearing the garden after winter. There's a lot of broken branches that need to be broken into smaller pieces to go into the recycling. The next project is to get rid of the moss from the garden path.

The Pancake Day usually makes me shrug my shoulders in bewilderment, as to why so many people eat pancakes only once a year, claiming it's not a healthy food? I appreciate it's not exactly a tofu salad with goji berries, but it can be as healthy or unhealthy as you make it, and the same people would have takeaways on a regular basis (not dissing takeaways either, my guys love Domino's pizza). 

We certainly have pancakes more often than once a year. And yes, my guys love it sweet, with berries, bananas and whipped cream. Sasha's favourite topping is a chocolate spread.

This is one of the photos I took for Bonne Maman pancake competition. The top pancake was made by using part of the batter with cocoa to make the writing. There were some pretty cool entries, so don't think we had a chance.

Wednesday was a very sad day, as we said Good bye to a young man. He was one of Sasha's class mates from his old school, from nursery to high school. I remember him as a little boy, and later, growing up. 

The funeral service took place at St Mary's Church in Bampton, the village, where some of the scenes from Downton Abbey were filmed. It is a beautiful old church. It dates back to the 9th C, with the spire built in the 13th C.

The church was packed full, with many people coming from school, college, the care team, etc. There was such a sense of community, with many parents from the special needs school, who have/had children there at one stage or another. I saw Sasha's former teachers and headmistress, wonderful people who genuinely love and care for all the children in school. I will always be grateful to many of them for teaching our boy and caring about him. 

It was a very emotional service, and I cried non-stop. Incredibly sad.

On Thursday a friend invited me over for tea, when Sasha went out with his PAs. She gave me tea and comforted me.

In the last few days I've been clearing one of the stone walls in the garden from the creepers. This is my yearly battle, but as it comes from the other side, and the neighbours cannot be bothered, it just keeps growing all over the wall and the old lilac tree. My worry is that at some point the wall will collapse, and it will cost an arm and a leg to repair it. 

I have finally finished Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig. I've been reading this book on and off for more than two years, a few pages at a time, and it's not even that long. 

I am very fond of Matt Haig's books for children, and really wanted to like Reasons. It had amazing endorsements and gushing reviews. Sadly, I found it rather underwhelming, I just couldn't relate to it at all, despite my personal experience with depression, our son's acute anxiety, and quite a few close friends struggling with both anxiety and depression. I don't try to diss the book, if it helped even one person, all the kudos to the author. It's just I found the style of writing and message over-simplistic. 

It's splendid that Matt managed to mend himself without the aid of medication, but it's naive to think everyone can manage with yoga and meditation. Our son's anxiety is just about managed with meds; without them he'd be self-harming, and aggressive. 

Last year our boy was hurting himself so badly, we had to take him to A&E, looking for urgent help. They gave him some strong meds to calm him down. Later while still in the hospital, the doctor was talking to me alone. I was absolutely hysterical myself, shaking and crying, as I was terrified he would be sectioned. Medication was paramount in lowering his anxiety. 

Unfortunately, not everyone has a luxury of self-help without medication. I'm as much anti-phrama as you can be, but some people need medication to survive and live without suffering either physically and mentally. 

For me this book means one personal account of mental illness, honest and thought-provoking, however, certainly not a "necessary book" as it was promoted. I know I'm in a minority, and Reasons has become an almost iconic book of its genre.

Have you read it? Did you find it helpful?

Another book I read last week was The Girl Who Died by Ragnar Jonasson. 

After reading one Nordic Noir thriller set in Iceland, I fancied to read more in the similar vein. It actually turned out to be a mix of a thriller and a ghost story. 

The main character, Una, is a teacher, who applies to move for work for an academic year to a remote village of Skalar. Una wants to escape Reykjavik, where she feels lost and quite alone.

Skalar is tiny, its population is just ten people, including two children, who Una is going to teach. However, as soon as she arrives, the young teacher wonders if she's made a mistake. The locals are not exactly welcoming, apart from the lady, whose daughter is one of the students. 

The old house has its own unsettling atmosphere. Una's having nightmares, waking up to the visions of a young girl singing a lullaby. There is a ghastly story tied to the house, but nobody wants to tell Una what's happened here years ago.

And then a terrible tragedy happens, while Una and her pupils are holding a Christmas concert in the church. The villagers become even more hostile towards the teacher. 

The overall feeling of isolation, claustrophobia, is enhanced by the macabre supernatural element to the story. 

How was your week?

Degustabox: February Box

 Spring is here, with earlier mornings and longer daylight, and the garden is carpeted with snowdrops and crocuses. 

Degustabox is a monthly food and drink subscription box. It's an excellent way of discovering new products which have only just appeared in the shops, or those which have been around for a while, but you haven't had a chance to try them yet.

Thanks to Degustabox, I have found new favourites to add to our shopping list, including some products which I otherwise wouldn't have tried.

Each time a monthly box arrives, its contents are a total surprise. You get a good selection of foods and drinks.

If you haven't tried Degustabox subscription box yet, and would like to have a go, I have a £3off discount from your first box (and you can unsubscribe any time), just use code DKRLN when placing an order. 

What did we get in February Box Degustabox?

Let's start with the Product of the Month - Cheez-It Double Cheese 150g (£2) is a thin and crispy snack baked with 100% real cheese, with no artificial colours or flavours. 

Crunchy and well-seasoned, Cheez-It makes a great snack, whether you are feeling peckish or having a movie night. 

Nutritional information: 500kcal and 1.5g of salt per 100g, or 150kcal and 0.45g of salt per 30g serving. No artificial colours or flavours. 

We had a different flavour of Cheez-It in the Degustabox advent calendar. Both flavours were a big hit with my guys. 

Available in the major supermarket chains.

Pringles Hot Blazin' Fried Chicken Flavour (£2.50) is the latest addition to the Pringles Hot range. If you enjoy your crisps spicy, you will have a blast with this new flavour.

Nutritional values: 523kcal and 0.65g of salt per 100g, or 157kcal per 30g serving of crisps. One tube is supposed to include 5-6 servings.

I have fond memories of Pringles, when we were newly married, my husband and I used to watch Friends on TV and polish the whole lot in one go. 

Available across all major supermarkets.

IBIS Rice Organic Wholegrain Rice Cakes Original, Kep Sea Salt or Kep Sea Salt & Kampot Pepper (£1.89) are light and crunchy gluten free snacks, made with brown jasmine rice.

IBIS Rice is empowering local farmers, preventing deforestaton and protecting endangered wildlife. The farmers working on the project are committed to strictest environmental standards and are paid a premium for their crops.

There are three varieties available. You should receive one item in your box.

We got Wholegrain Rice Cakes, with their slightly nutty flavour. Serve with toppings of your choice. I enjoy these rice cakes with hummus and Peppadew sweet piquante peppers.

Nutritional values: 21kcal and 0g salt per rice cake.

Available at www.ibisrice.co.uk, Planet Organic and many independent retailers.

Knorr Beef Gravy Pot (£2.25) contains quality ingredients and real meat juices to enhance a meat-based family meal. Think a traditional Sunday roast, or beef Stroganoff. It will enrich a simple vegetable or mushroom soup, and you can also stir it into a risotto.

The gravy pot recreates the authentic flavour of rich homemade gravy in minutes.

Contains no added MSG and free from artificial colours and preservatives.

Typical values: 15kcal and 1g of salt per 70ml.

Available in the major supermarket chains.

Mutti Polpa Finely Chopped Tomatoes (£1.53) is a versatile tomato product. Mutti tomatoes are processed within 24 hours of harvesting to capture the taste of freshly picked 100% Italian sun-ripened tomatoes.

Fantastic product for so many recipes, from pasta to stew, from soup to chilli. It has an intense fresh flavour and rich texture, the colour is a beautiful bright red. 

If your family enjoys a Bolognese (whether meat-based or vegetarian), Mutti Polpa will make a good tomato base for the ragu.

We're big fans of Mutti products, and I use Mutti in vegetarian stews, vegetable ragu with okra, sweet peppers and butter beans, currys and pasta dishes. 

Nutritional information: 26kcal and 0.3g of salt per 100g.

Available in the major supermarket chains.

Coco Pops Chocos Caramel (£3.50)  is a new crunchy cereal from Kellogg's. This is the latest additon to the Kellogg's range of cereals. The shapes are curved, crunchy shells with the chocolate and caramel taste.

If you love your morning cereal sweet and crunchy, this is a perfect breakfast meal for you.

Nutritional values: 115kcal and 6.6g of sugar per 30g serving. Rich in vitamin D (to support healthy bones), B9 and B2, 50% daily needs, made with natural grains, contains no artificial colours or flavours. There are 14 servings in a box.

Available in Tesco, ASDA and Morrisons.

Campbell's Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (£1.50) is a classic super creamy soup, packed with flavour. 

Cook it as a quick and easy meal, or use as an ingredient in a variety of casseroles. Americans are very inventive when it comes to casseroles made with tinned soup. I have a book of recipes from the times when we lived in the States, and there is a big selection of meals, using this not so secret vintage ingredient, from a Million Dollar Potato casserole to Ritz Cracker Chicken casserole.

Nutritional information: 96kcal and 0.86g os salt per 100g.

Available in the major supermarket chains.

Aagrah Foods Lahori Tikka Mix/ or Peshwari Tikka Mix/ or Seekh Kebab Mix/ or Punjabi Tikka Mix (£1.50) are authentic Indian spice mixes. Each blend is crafted for a quick and easy tasty meal.

They are just right for marinades grills, and curries.

You will receive one sachet in your box. We got Aagrah Lahori Tikka Mix, which is a medium heat seasoning for making Indian style lamb tikka. Ingredients include ground spices (coriander, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, chilli powder, black pepper, nutmeg, clove, fenugreek, turmeric), salt, maize, cracked red chilli, dried garlic, dried herbs (coriander leaf, bay leaf) and more.

Available in Tesco, Morrisons, Farmshops and online.

Kadoya Roasted Sesame Oil (£4.50) is an indispensable product for the East Asian cuisine.

I use sesame oil, cooking many dishes, but usually I buy a different brand, and I was curious to try a new product. It has a great flavour and aroma, and is lovely for stir frying. Top marks (this product is my personal product of the month from this box).

Last night I used it to pan fry smoked scamorza (so it was a fusion of cuisines), and it worked perfectly with the cheese.

This versatile oil is made in Shodoshima, an island in western Japan, with expertise accumulated since 1858.

Available in Ocado.

This is the smoked scamorza salad made with the cheese fried in sesame oil, with roasted peaches, pistachios, Peppadew sweet piquante peppers and salad leaves.

AquaLibra Sparkling Infused water (£1.30) is a range of lovely, refreshing summery drinks. We've had AquaLibra in some previous Degustabox deliveries, and enjoyed them.

You will find one item in your box. We got Aqua Libra Raspberry & Blackcurrant.

Contains no sweeteners, no sugar, no artificials. Just sparkling water, natural fruit flavours and a dash of lemon.

Best enjoyed chilled. And lovely as an ingredient for a white wine spritz too.

Nutritional values: 0.6 kcal per 100ml.

Available in Tesco, Ocado, Sainsbury's and Amazon.

If you're a PLUS subscriber (and I'm not), you will also receive an Oddlygood Salted Caramel Barista 500ml (£1.50), perfect for a plant-based coffee drink.

What is your favourite product of the box?

Photo diary: Project 365, week 9

It's been a funny week, weather-wise, we had sunny days and frosty mornings, with ice in the buckets outside in the garden, as if Nature cannot make up her mind.

Hellebores in the garden survived yet another winter, and I'm always glad to see them.  

Some of the drawings I did this week: this is a picture of an Emperor Tamarin, done with a Uni-Ball Signo white pen on black paper.

Just some pretty spring flowers in town. 

More sketching, while sipping a new hot chocolate (a gift to myself) from Firetree. The prompt of the day for Penandinkchallenge was a Crying dinosaur. At first I though I was going to skip it, but then had an idea of drawing a baby triceratops.

There was a bit of a drama with a parcel from The Cornish Food Box Co that was supposed to arrive on Thursday. My husband was working from home, and I kept checking my emails to see when the courier would arrive. I knew the time slot, and kept reminding Federico to make sure he wouldn't miss the knock at the door. The message arrives that the parcel has been delivered, I saw it about ten minutes after the photo was taken outside the door, but when we opened the door, the box was missing. Drat, what's happened to it?

I was fuming for more than an hour, before I saw that a friend messaged me, saying she had my parcel. Apparently she passed by when the courier arrived, called me on my phone (which was charging, so I missed the call), and since I didn't answer, she took the parcel home with her. 

The courier didn't even bother to knock on the door (who does that?!). If only he did, we would have opened the door, plus he mentioned in the email that the parcel was "left at the porch". I can laugh about it now, but I was seething. 

Later that day my husband offered to take me out to The Fleece for a cocktail, when Sasha was going out with his PAs. Eddie joined us there after school. I'm very predictable when it comes to cocktails, I look at the menu, ponder over different flavours and then order a Peach Bellini, as it's my favourite.

We did't stay long, as we had to be back home before Sasha arrives, and Eddie wasn't feeling great either. When we got home, he went straight to lie down. He was shivering and his temperature's got up.

It was my birthday on Friday. I didn't want to celebrate, as I find birthdays a bit depressing. Who wants to be older and older, though I appreciate the alternative is worse. 

I've never heard of Tunis cake until a few months ago. I believe it was very popular in the UK until the mid-1980s, and some supermarkets sell it seasonally but I've never ever seen one in the shops. When I found out that The Cornish Food Box Company is selling it, I was so curious that I ordered it as my birthday cake.

It's a Madeira cake, topped with a thick later of chocolate, and traditionally decorated with marzipan.

It looks very pretty, though no marzipan's in sight. It is not easy to cut it into slices as the chocolate layer is very very thick, basically it's a slab of chocolate on top of sponge. The sponge is tasty, but I found the overall cake a bit of a disappointment, it's like eating a piece of sponge with a chocolate bar on top. I would have preferred a thinner layer, or just frosting. 

Not a problem for my guys, obviously, as they would eat anything sweet and chocolatey, especially Sasha. He often makes me think of Joey from Friends who comments on Rachel's dreadful trifle, "What's not to like? Custard: good. Jam: good. Meat: gooood!" 

In the evening our friends popped in to wish me a happy birthday. It was really lovely to see them.

These are the cards I got on the big day. The Princess card made me laugh, long gone are the days when anyone called me a princess. 

What I read this week.

Hold Back the Tide by Melinda Sailbsury is a strange combination of a thriller, supernatural horror, ecological disaster fantasy, set against the unspecified historical setting.

Alva lives in a remote cottage with her father, whose job is to keep an eye on the loch and its levels. For many generations Alva's ancestors monitored the levels of the water, which are dramatically falling. 

She believes her father is a murderer, and carefully plans her escape. Before she manages to leave the cottage for good, she encounters a mythical creepy creature from the loch. People begin to disappear, and everything Alva believed in, starts to crumble. 

The pacing is slow, and the horror element, while sinister, is not too scary. I have certainly read more shocking YA horror.