This is one of my favourite catchy pop tunes from Kate Bush
This song unlike many of other songs from Kate isn't too deep
it's just a sweet catchy song about loving nature, and looking at the sky
while guessing what different clouds look like!
One favourite version of this song is the remix on the Hounds of Love Delux Remastered album
The video for the song is also care free and fun and like all Kate Bush's videos I love it!!
If there is one thing I hate its double bill finales!
Not extra long finales what I mean is when a channel shows the last two episodes of a show together and that's what Sky Atlantic done this week with Penny Dreadful.
So I Sky Plus the two episodes and watched them on two different evenings. I like to try process what has happened in each episode and enjoy the two separate episodes, so I will review both episodes individually.
In episode 8 The Perpetual Dark, a fog/mist has descended on London and as Sir Malcolm, Ethan, and Kaetenay arrive a lone dock worker tells them to get back on the ship and go far from this ghost town. The unholy fog has killed many of London's residents and we know our hero's are not going to stop until they find Vanessa, soon they are joined by Catriona and Dr Seward.
The scene stealer in this episode was Billy Pipper as Lily as Frankenstein battles with whether or not to use the serum on her. Lily gives her heartbreaking reason as to why she doesn't want her pain to be took away. She doesn't want to lose memories however heartbreaking of her baby daughter who died as an infant. In the meantime Dorian clears his house of the band of fallen women Lily has recruited, Justine tells him she would rather die they go back to the life she lived, a wish Dorian grants her. John Clare's happy ever after doesn't last very long as his son dies and his wife demands he takes him to Frankenstein to be reborn. He pleas with his wife not to make there son suffer the same faith as he did, she tells him leave with there dead son to go to Frankenstein or don't return at all.
The big reveal was that Kaetenay is also a werewolf and was the one who turned Ethan. I have to be honest and say I guessed this from the start, also this big reveal lacked a little as it didn't have the big impact of waiting another week to see what happened next.
Vanessa was absent for this episode, I enjoyed the fact that she was absent as it build suspense to see her in the final.
The finale was called The Blessed Dark Lily arrives back at Dorian's house where Dorian explains he no longer can feel any emotions good or bad. Lily had made him feel something for a while but a lifetime out living his loved ones has left him numb. The last scene between these two was beautifully shot, with Dorian's paintings surrounding him, as she walks away from him for the last time. He stands in the window and tells her You will be back, and I'll be here....I'll always be here.
It was poignant scene which highlights the true loneliness and sadness of Dorian. I thought this was a fitting last scene for Dorian for all his charm and confidence, he is a man who can no long see the passion in life as he continues to outlive everyone around him. Lily's final scenes felt a little rushed for me with her storyline ended with her no longer needing men she strides out of Dorian's home without looking back.
Frankenstein who saved his humanity by letting Lily go, says goodbye to his friend Dr Jekyll and bumps into the gang looking for Vanessa and agrees to help them. I was slightly disappointed in the Dr Jekyll storyline a very good actor who was slightly underused this season, but then there was so much else going on. I would of liked another season to flesh out his character, we never got to really see how his serum worked, and each episode I was waiting to see him use it on himself, alas that never happened but I did like the twist of how he comes Mr Hyde!
Dr Seward finds out through Renfield where Dracula and his vampires are and the battle ground is set for its final battle. I did enjoy the action scenes near the end of the episode, Patti LuPone and Perdita Weeks have been a delighted to watch and added to the strong group battle scenes. It is a shame that we didn't get to see more of these characters. Ethan's journey across this show has been to accept himself, as a person who has done awful things but also as the wolf who has done awful things. He accepted his wolf Father this episode but also accepted what he had to do to bring this good versus evil war to an end. As a show that has always been based around Vanessa and her battle against the evil that haunts her, it was a shame we didn't see much of her this episode briefly with Dracula all dressed in black at the start of the episode and then at the end dressed all in white. I would of liked to have seen more of her relationship with Dracula and to know what the relationship was to each other. The ending was heartbreaking as the wolf knows he alone has to release Vanessa from the arms of darkness and into the arms of heaven. These scenes mixed with the scenes of John Clare giving his son a water burial was heartbreaking and brought tears to my eyes. Seeing John Clare so heartbroken about not only the death of his son but also Vanessa, as he hid at her graveside until everyone was gone and wept while his character narrated the poem Intimations of Immortality. Actually see THE END appear on the screen also felt a little heartbreaking as we say goodbye to this amazing show. While I felt it was a little rushed towards the end, I will really miss this show, fantastic actors, amazing scripts and beautifully shot goodbye Penny Dreadful you will be missed.
Outlander is another show that is wrapping up lose ends with only two episodes left in it's current run but at least I can be happy with the knowledge that it has been renewed for two more seasons!
This episode was written for TV by the actual author Diana Gabaldon and it was a great episode that started to wrap up some of the storylines of the season.
The highlanders are camped in North England at a cross roads with lack of men to carry on to London they are forced to turn back, a thing that Jamie or Prince Charles do not want to do.
Jamie tells Claire the news and they more or less both know history will not be changed as they hoped as the Officers outnumbered Charles and Jamie and they start the long journey back to Lallybroch for the Winter.
The most beautiful scene in this episode and took straight from the book was when Claire is sleeping and Jamie says a pray in Gaelic over her. I really loved this scene quiet moments like this are sometimes forgotten when adapting a book to screen and I am really glad it was kept in.
Dougal tells Jamie that have been banished by the officers due to Jamie's influence on the Prince, the Prince and others have left for Inverness while Jamie and his highlanders make there way to Lallybroch. They never get there because a group of English soldiers start to fire at them, they take shelter in a church but are soon surrounded. Poor Rupert is having a hell of a time, lost his friend and now his eye as he is shot in the eye, Claire saves him and give his an eye patch!
The redcoats soon surround the church and treat to set the thatch roof on fire with no other option Claire pretends that the Scots have her prisoner and bargains herself for there freedom.
Poor Jamie and Fergus don't want her to leave, Jamie especially as he is nervous he will not get her back.
Claire and the redcoats arrive at a small tavern for the night when she see Jamie's beggar friend Hugo Murno where she is able to leave a message with him for Jamie. Where the redcoats bring Claire is no other than the wealsey Duke of Sandringham's estate! He sets a trap for Claire and she quickly falls for it believing every word he says. It also turns out the sweet little Mary Hawkins is the Duke's Goddaughter and staying with the Duke until he finds a suitor for her. Claire notices a birthmark on the Dukes servants hand and immediately knows he was one of the men who attacked and raped Mary back in Paris. The Duke reveals that it was the now dead Le Comte who wanted Claire murdered but the Duke bargained with him just to have her raped but Mary got caught in the crossfire. If I didn't already dislike him I really now hated him!!
Claire asks Mary to help her as she now knows Jamie is heading straight into a trap, but Mary says she is too frighted annoyed Claire heads to the kitchen to escape herself. The damn Duke has decided to have a bite to eat and is in the kitchen himself. Mary who has got over her fright also heads to the kitchen but is ordered back to bed, but runs to the front door and tells Hugo Muro that its a trap.
Suddenly Jamie bursts in and all hell breaks lose!! Claire tells Jamie and Murtagh that the servant is the rapist from Paris and it was all The Dukes doing, Mary listening to all this cracks and stabs the servant to death. Murtagh then chops the Duke's head off and lays it a Mary's feet, Mary being very cool about the whole thing suggests they leave!
Wow there was alot going on in this episode but I really enjoyed it and am also sad that there is only two episodes left this season!
Another of my favourite shows ended it's season run this week it was of course Game of Thrones.
This show knows how to go out with a bang literally!
While I wasn't a fan of some of the story arc's this season, and how some of the smaller characters have been forgotten, I cannot deny that this was a cracker of a finale, with shocks and twists I didn't expect.
The slow, elegant first ten minutes of the episode while accompanied by a beautiful piece of music slowly build to an amazing piece of television. Love her or hate her this was Cersei's episode just as last season's final episode was about her downfall and shame this was about her rise and power. As King's Landing was getting ready for the trail of the century, Cersei calmly dressed and drank wine. The high families gathered in the Great Sept along with the Faith Miltant and The High Sparrow. Loras admits to his sins and it looks as the trial is more or less over but then Margaery reminds The High Sparrow that neither Cersei or Tommen are there yet. She knows there is something wrong and The High Sparrow all too late also knows it. We soon realize that this is something Cersei has been planning for a long time. As she has anyone who has every wronged her killed, Grand Master Pycelle was the first to go by the hands of what used to be Vary's little birds. Then as her cousin and Jamie's stand in Lancel is lead down into a cellar under the city where there is hundreds of barrels of wildfire ready to blow and blow it does wiping out half the cast in it's process! Everyone in the Great Sept goes up in flames, The High Sparrow, Lancel, Loras, Kevan Lannister, Mace and my favourite Margaery all gone!
The scene I found the most moving was surprisingly when Tommen looked on in horror as the Sept burned realizing that his wife is dead he calmly took off his crown and jumped to his death. In a poignant silent scene for a character that never had his own voice, a puppet king who was used by everyone around him, and never given the chance to grown or make his own choices. I found it quite heartbreaking and moving. Cersei on the other hand has turned to the ash she has caused and didn't seem at all moved by the death of her last child, now she really has nothing to lose.
In the North Jon tells Sansa they must trust each other as they have enough enemies, Sansa agrees but later when Littlefinger talks to her he plans seeds of doubt in her head. I know everyone hates Littlefinger but he is actually one of my favourites in the show and a character I love to hate. He did open his heart to Sansa and told her his main aim in life is to be on the Iron Throne and he will not stop till he is. So later when Jon is announced The White Wolf and The King In The North Sansa looks at Littlefinger and we are not sure if she is feeling afraid for her brother or wanting to be Queen herself?!
We also saw Bran have a vision and it confirmed what fans have been saying for years. Ned Stark is not Jon's Father but his Uncle, as we saw Ned sister's Lyanna dying in childbirth and asking Ned to take her child as Robert will surely kill it. So it confirms that Rhaegar Targaryen is his father although we didn't hear everything that Lyanna said to Ned.
Meanwhile Jamie does his best to seem somewhat comfortable in the presence of the Freys, which isn't working as we can tell he wants to be anywhere but there!! Re-watching the scene where he and Walder Frey are talking about being honorable and the future I was paying close attention to the servant girl.
Which was the most shocking scene for me turns out to be Arya, later in the episode she kills the Frey sons and bakes them in a pie to serve to Walder and then quickly slit his throat!
Olenna The Queen of Thorns escaped the fiery death thanks to her Granddaughter who told her to leave King Landing a few episodes ago, is in Dorne makes alliances with the Sand Snakes to bring Cersei down.
Back in Kings Landing Cersei as named herself Queen and makes her entrance in the Throne room just a Jamie arrives back. I am guessing by the look he throws her, he isn't happy that she has burned most of Kings Landing to the ground and there last remaining child is dead. I think this may be the last straw for Jamie and he will finally see Cersei for what she is.
So we come to Daenerys who done what we all wished she would do seasons ago but I guess she had to buy her time before she left Meereen. She quickly dumps Daario, names Tyrion hand of the Queen and with her alliances with the Greyjoys, Dorne, Tyrells, Dothraki and Unsullied set sail for Westros.
In a beautiful shot final scene which gave me goosebumps, we see thousands upon thousands of ships and Daenerys three dragons stretch out across the ocean. Westros is not going to know what has hit it when she arrives!!
I love coffee and I love books so here is a fun tag that brings them together in one post!
Black: Name A Book That's Tough To Get In To But Has Hardcore Fans
Game of Thrones - Song of Fire & Ice Series
While I really enjoyed this series and recently finished all the current books in the series
(come on George RR Martin we are waiting!!)
It did take me a long time to get into the first book
RR Martin's style of writing really threw me and took me a long time to get used too
It took me a few weeks to finish the first book in the series but by the time
I was half way through A Clash of Kings I was hooked and went on to savour each book
Peppermint Mocha: Name A Book That Gets Popular During The Winter Or Festive Season
A Christmas Carol
I read this book every Christmas time and always enjoy it
Plus I love to watch all the different screen adaptations at Christmas too!
Hot Chocolate: What Is Your Favourite Children's Book?
The BFG
This was a childhood classic for me and I have great memories of my Dad
reading this to me at night time before bed
Something about a friendly Giant who blows sweets dreams in your head
really caught my little imagination!
I will one day read it to my son
Double Shot Of Espresso: A Book That Kept You On The Edge Of Your Seat From Start To Finish
From the very first pages this book just had me hooked! Sure it takes a little detour and gets slights bogged down in some of the Paris chapters but for me that first chapter just grabbed me and I went with it. It had me crying, laughing and turning the pages to see what happened next to our hero's!
Starbucks: A Book You See Everywhere
The Fault In Our Stars
This book is still everywhere, I see it in shops, on social media and on youtube
I haven't read it or seen the movie and to be honest its not something I want to read or watch!
That Hipster Coffee Shop: A Book By An Indie Author
Who Is Faye?
While I really hated the cover and title of this book. I really enjoyed the book itself, I had never heard of the author Fran O'Brien and she doesn't seem to be huge yet her writing and characters are amazing. She is a very underrated author and all her proceeds from her books go the the LauraLynn hospice for sick children.
Oops I Accidentally Got Decaf: Name A Book You Where Expecting More From
The Secret Keeper
I really love Kate Morton but this book was a huge let down for me
Way too long with a story that took forever to pick up, unlikable lead characters and a meh ending!
The Perfect Blend: A Book Or Series That Was Both Bitter & Sweet
Outlander Series
While I am only half way through the third book Voyager in this series
so far these book have been just that bitter and sweet
The sweet is the beautiful relationship between Claire and Jamie
The bitter all the other stuff that happens to them!! Heartbreaking time travelling, Black Jack, Jacobite War, losing Faith and lots lots more!!
Green Tea: A Book Or Series That Is Quietly Beautiful
The Other Daughter
A book that was beautiful and stayed with me for a long time after reading it
Chai Tea: A Book Or Series That Made You Dream Of Far Off Places
Lord Of The Rings Series
Whether it was the shire, or the misty mountains Middle Earth always made me think of far off lands
Earl Grey: A Favourite Classic
Wuthering Heights
Whether you know it or not alot of modern books take the different themes from this book
but it's the original that holds a special place in my heart
This week has been tough....hell this month has been tough..wait a minute actually this whole year so far has been tough!
I have a few different illnesses PCOS, Endometriois, IBS and Epiploic Appendagitis which individually I can deal with but together knock me for six!
The past two weeks have been especially bad as I have a flare up with my IBS, twisted bowel and Endometriois which has left me in alot of pain and bed ridden.
I also found out last month that the cysts on my left ovary has got bigger which has me in alot of pain.
I am currently waiting on the results of more tests, while also waiting to go back to the hospital next week for more tests and CT Scans
Living with chronic pain is a constant up hill battle, so far this year I have lost count of the amount of tests, scans and appoinments I have had! I feel like am living in my bed as I'm either exhasusted from fatguie or in so much pain. I have cancelled so many plans, girl nights out, dinners, lunches and family days out as I can't move due to pain. I have bought Oisìn toys to back up for the fact that most of the time I am in too much pain or so exhausted to do much with him. Which leads to a whole load of guilt on my part which is another post in itself.
Thank goodness for childcare, his wonderful Daddy and Grandparents
I have finished up in my job where I have been for five years and while it had its up and downs I did enjoy my job. Due to my chronic pain I have had to give up work for the foreseeable future as most days I can hardly manage to get out of bed never mind head to a desk in an office!
The fact that all my chronic pain is due to invisible illnesses PCOS, Endometriois, IBS and the twist in my bowel are not something people see and only my close family and friends really understand the pain I am in. What really bothers me is when people think oh Endometriois sure that's like PMS! Time it by 100 and you might be on the right track!
Some days are worse than others, some days I can get out of bed and feel semi normal, good days I can play with my little boy, go to the park and do family days out. I love those days because they remind me of a time last year when I could function normally and enjoy life. When I could deal with my illnesses individually, when I wasn't taking pain relief and a course of different tablets each day, when I didn't spent most of my time in doctor or hospital waiting rooms, or in bed asleep.
No matter what, I believe, I will get back to that normality, it might not be today, next week or even next year but I will get there.
I am not sure what happened to me this month but I hit a reading slump
Maybe it was because I have read so much the past couple of months
Maybe it was because my chronic pain was so bad all I wanted to do was sleep
Maybe it was because my son is getting so active lately that I don't have a minute to myself
Maybe it was because the books I read this month didn't inspire me to read much
Whatever it was I didn't do much reading this month only three books!
Revenge-Martina Cole
I have read a number of Martina Cole's book and normally really enjoy these dark crime reads
Unfortunatly this wasn't one of my favourites from her. I didn't connect to any of the characters and the storyline got very repetitive. It lacked the gripping story lines of Cole's other books and the ending I could see coming half way through the book.
Like most of Cole's books, this about the big Faces and criminal gangs of the East End of London. Charting the rise of Michael Flynn from early petty criminal days to becoming the big Face of the East End. As he becomes the big boss and as he gains control in his business life he starts to lose control of his family life. It does start of strong and the first 100 pages I really enjoyed but after that the story gets muddled and very repetitive. None of the characters are likable Michael, his daughter and wife Josephine are all hard to relate to or understand, Josephine's character is very underdeveloped she goes from being a girl mad about Michael, willing to cut off her family to be with him to a recluse who hates her life and we never really understand why!
A few of the characters do a 1-80 in there personality and change very quickly and I just didn't feel it. The book is also around 100 pages too long. There was some good twists and turns but the ending for me was a huge lit down, and TBH this book didn't have the spark like some of Cole's earlier books. I would recommend The Take, The Know, Runaway or Faces if you want a good crime read from Martina Cole.
The Girl On The Cliff-Lucinda Riley
This book came on my recommend list on Goodreads so I kept an eye out for it
and found it recently in my local second book shop. This book was such a let down!
It tells the story of Grania who comes home to her family's little farm house on the coast of Ireland after ten years living in New York. After a miscarriage she leaves behind her New York life and a heartbroken boyfriend. While she is home in Ireland she get embroiled with the young daughter of the family from the big house called Aurora who she finds wandering along the cliffs.
Grania then finds out from her Mother that these two families have a long and bitter history together
The reader travels back through time to the first world war to find out what happened to these two families who are so deeply entwined.
It starts off strongly with a Gothic feel to it,a young red hair girl walking along the cliffs
with a huge house on the hill which has been lying empty and crumbling.
Then I remembered that the first part of this book is meant to be set in the mid 2000's
not the 70's or 80's in which it seemed. It felt so dated, I know parts of the west coast of Ireland seemed to belong to the past but I have been to these places and there not at all like how described in the book!
Every single character in this book is a stereotype, the American peppy highly educated boyfriend who calls his girlfriend "babe" and "honey", the poorly educated Irish woman from a little village in the middle of nowhere, with the typical Irish Mammy who calls every one "pet" and speaks like a leprechaun "top of the morning to ya" and "to be sure" a major pet peeve of mine! It's badly written with so much melodrama it could be a soap opera!
I have read this author before and really liked her books but this was probably one of the worse books I have read!
Who Is Faye?-Fran O'Brien
While I really hated the cover and title of this book, I actually really enjoyed the book itself!
The blurb on the back of the book doesn't give much away and it's not an author I have heard of before, my Mam picked up this book in a local charity shop and passed it on to me after she read it.
I enjoyed this light read set in the west of Ireland and unlike the previous book I read this month it was done right. No stereotypes, no top of the morning stereotypically language just a good read about five different families and how there stories are entwined. Jenny who is married to an older man who runs a horse stud farm, Chris who lives on a tumbling down farm and her mother who is suffering from Alzheimer's, Carmel who has moved to Australia with her daughter Helen and David who has found world wide success as a Jazz musician later in life.
I found this book easy to read, the story hooked me from the first pages and was a welcome relief after a month of let down books and a book slump! I enjoyed this book so much that I have bought another book from this author on Amazon.
All the proceeds of this book go to the Lauralynn hospice for sick children
What Oisìn has been reading this month:
How To Babysit A Grandpa-Jean Regan
Oisìn has been loving this book which he picked from the library this month
I think it is because it reminds him of his two funny Grandads and how they make him laugh
He has been asking for it almost every night before bed time
It's a cute little instruction of how to babysit your Granddad, and how you are actually really minding them!
Thankfully my book slump seems to be ended!
As I started the mammoth third book Voyager from the Outlander series
this week, as it is over 1000 pages long but I am loving it and already 200 pages in!
So that's what we have been reading in May
What have you been reading?
Any recommendations?
How do you get yourself out of a reading slump?
I recently had my ipod on shuffle and this song came on
I actually forgot I had Lady Anterbellum on my ipod I hadn't listen to this band in forever!
I haven't stopped listening to them all week especially this song. I really love this pop/country band, country music isn't something I listen to alot but this band has just about the right mix of country and pop. I love that is a jointly lead by a male singer Charles Kelley and female singer Hillary Scot. Stevie Nicks another of my all time favourite artists love this band and has sung with them on original songs but also covers over her own well know songs.
My favourite songs from this band are Need You Know, Downtown, Just A Kiss, I Run To You and Love Don't Live Here
Love Nina, finished this week on BBC and I really enjoyed this funny quirky mini series
This week Nina is questioning what is next for her, George brilliantly played by Helena Bonham Carter is annoyed that Nina is so awful at the household chores and hires a clearer. Nina quickly displeases the clearer and she quits more or less before she even started! Nina is under stress to pass her A level if she wants to go to college and her relationship with her boyfriend is also tested.
The episode ends on a high note with Nina passing her A level, George telling her even though she is useless at the chores the boys love her and she makes them happy and even her boyfriend comes around and is waiting for her after her exam.
This was my husbands favourite episodes of Outlander
Dougal had a real wake up call this episode and found out what a
soft, idiot loser Bonnie Prince Charles really is. The look on Dougal's face when after
riding his horse out into bog lands to see if the English troops could cross through it, Charles
hugs and kisses him was priceless! I think deep in his heart then Dougal knew this isn't the man to bring Scotland victory. The two men are fighting for something different Charles for the throne of England and Dougal for a free Scotland.
Claire was in full nurse mode, rallying her ladies the same way Jamie was rallying his men. She was so busy looking after the camp she forgot to give Fergus a job that would keep him out of trouble. He sneaks off and goes with Jamie's men when they plan an ambush on the English.
The scenes I loved the most this week where not the ones with Jamie and Claire
(although of course I loved them too)
but where the ones with Angus and Rupert there funny, crude, manly, friendship
made me laugh and cry this week. How Angus tells Rupert he can have his Scarlet the part time hoor if he dies and Rupert tell him she is not his to give!
The fog battle scenes were brilliantly done I loved everything about these scenes. Poor Angus carries his best friend into the camp hospital but the first thing Rupert asks about his Angus and how a canon exploded beside him. Claire who is outnumbered with wounded quickly checks them over and tells them both they should be okay, but warns Angus about falling asleep. Fergus turns up in shock and tells Claire he killed a man, she is not sure if she should box his ears or hug him! Claire finds Angus sleeping standing up but he is actually dying as he has been suffering from internal injuries, poor Angus dies a bloody death surrounded by his friends. The end of the episode was heartbreaking as Rupert sings mournfully Down Among The Dead Men for his lost friend.
This was a sad episode as one of the original characters died
our friends may have won the battle but they still have the war of Culloden to come.
Sad news for Penny Dreadful fans as this season has been announced as the last one
I for one am gutted as I LOVE this show and this season has been amazing
So next week will be my last review of this brilliant show!
The trio in America are on a boat home after Kaetenay has a vision that Vanessa is being seduced by Dracula. Ethan realises that he loves Vanessa and always has, in hindsight the conversation he has with Malcolm on the ship does has a hint of the end about it.
Lily has completely took over Dorian's home, and now he doesn't look frighted about it more
shall we say pissed off!! As he and Lily go for a walk her tells her how bored he has become with her and her plans, and frankly he is disappointed in her and the direction she has gone in. This speech showed us just how ruthless Dorian is and how he as survived for so long and added a depth the character which I had forgotten. Just as Lily is about to bite back she is quickly pulled into a carriage by Frankenstein and Jekyll who bring her to Bedlam to try change her back into the lady she once was.
John Clare seems to have got the happy ending he once dreamt off, after speaking with Vanessa he goes to his wife, who takes his back into her arms and tells him she loves him scars and all. They go to there son who is frighten but holds his Father's hand telling him without words that he loves him and accepts him. Not going to lie there where tears in my eyes at these scenes.
Finally Vanessa realises who Dracula is, and she goes to confront him in his creatures of the night museum. He tells her that he loves her for who she is, he will never try change her, and he just wants her to be who she really is. She gives in to him, he kisses her and then bites her neck and the creatures of the night close in....
So we come to episode nine of season six
Wow did this episode deliver the goods and live up to the hype of the now famous episode nine
I'll start with Meereen where Daenerys is looking on in horror as the masters destroy the city
She goes all burn everything to the ground mode until Tyrion has a word with her and suggests she plays a different card. The result is awesome when the masters met with her they think she has come to surrender but it is soon made clear that is not the case, when we see a dragon on the horizon. Soon she is flying out to sea on Drogon, when suddenly her other two dragons join her and wipe out the fleet of ships destroying the city. In the city itself the Dothraki take on the sons of harpy and Grey Worm takes out the masters.
Later in the episode the Greyjoys turn up at Daenerys feet offering there ships and an alliance, if she will name Yara as the rightful heir to the Iron Islands. The chemistry between Daenerys and Yara was great to watch and I am secretly shipping these two!
To the North where the battle of the two bastards was about to go down!
Sansa is trying to get Jon to listen to her about Ramsay she knows him and the games he plays, but Jon being a typical bloke will not listen to her and thinks he knows best. One thing I am not sure about is why at this time did Sansa not tell her brother about Littlefinger and the troops who would hopefully be there in time? Surely now was the time to tell him, maybe he could of changed his battle tactics if he had know more troops where on the way? It makes me wonder if Sansa is playing a game of her own?
The morning of the battle arrives just as Davos find Shireen's little wooden stag lying burned in the what remains of her funeral pyre, a nod to what happened in last season's episode nine. Davos loved that girl and by the look he throws Melisandre when he gets back to camp he knows it was her doing.
When Ramsay brings Rickon out on a lead we just know this isn't going to end well.
He plays a game of cat and mouse with the poor lad, telling Rickon to run to
Jon while Ramsay fires arrows at him, when Rickon is just seconds away from his brother Ramsay lands an arrow through his heart. The battle begins and what a battle it is, everyone who was involved in this show done a breathtaking job. It had me on the edge of my seat, the sounds, sights and suffocating feel of war had me sweating and thinking that maybe our hero's would not win. It did look like that as Ramsay's men surrounded what was left of Jon's band of hero's, death was surely closing in until, we saw the arrival of the troops from the vale lead by Littlefinger and Sansa.
Jon hunted down Ramsay and with the help of a Giant, Stark banners soon flew again in Winterfell
Goosebumps and tears all round!!
Jon smashed Ramsay's face in but then leaves what's left of him to Sansa. Who calmly waits for Ramsay to come around in his cell and released his own hounds on him.
She walks away with a grin on her face!
And with that the North was reminded.....
This weekend the hubby was working.....again!
I did feel sorry for him as he had to work for Father's Day poor sod!
So on Friday we had a mini Father's day for hubby
He went and saw his own Dad to give him some gifts and brought Oisìn
Then when he got home I had dinner ready and when Oisìn went to bed
we had some drinks and watched our favourite TV shows from the week
Saturday morning Oisin and I went for some breakfast
and then the library. We spent almost an hour in the children's part of the
library before I even tried to check out some books for myself!
When we got home Oisìn was shattered and went for a nap
afterwards we watched the euros. The little guy loved his new Ireland
football top!
Sunday morning I was up early to make hubby some Father's day breakfast
before he had to go to work
We also had some Father's day cupcakes for hubby to take to work
One of them just happened to fall into my mouth!!
The rest of Father's day was spent in my parents
as Oisìn and I went down there at lunch time
to help my Mam cook a huge Father's Sunday roast dinner
as also give my Dad his Father's day gifts
Paul was finished work at 5pm so he joined us afterwards
It wasn't the ideal Father's day but we made the best of it
and had a lovely day
I am one of those lucky people who have amazing strong men in my life
My Dad is one in a million I will always be his little girl. We are very alike strong willed and stubborn but also kind hearted and generous. Watching my Dad become a Grandfather, spending most of his time with Oisìn, playing, drawing and teaching Oisìn is wonderful and makes me feel a whole different kind of love.We love you Dad!
Happy Father's day to my hubby....who is the most amazing Dad to our little boy
The bond you two boys have is amazing..Oisìn truly is your mini me!
Thank you for everything you do for us. One of my highlights every day is when Oisìn sees you
come home from work and his eyes light up. We love you
Happy Father's Day Eddie!
Oisìn adores his Granddad Eddie he gets upset when you have to leave for tour dates
But loves to watch you sing on TV! He asks about you almost every day, and watching the love you have for each other always makes me smile. Oisìn definitely has your gift for music as he loves to sing and dance. We love you Granddad Eddie!
Oisìn and I love to watch YouTube! When Oisìn isn't watching nursery songs or baby TV on my tablet or phone he will sometimes join me in watching some of my favourite vlog channels.
Here is our/my top ten YouTube Channels!
1.Bits & Clips
I just love this cup of happy channel!!
Bits and Clips is Marie from America along with her husband Ryan and two children
She is funny, happy and sees the good in everything, we have shared her good times and
bad, she is an amazing Mam and does everything for her family. Bits and Clips has something for everyone, I laugh along with Marie at various parents things, she is an amazing crafter and Oisìn loves watching her children especially Luca who he loves! 2.It's Way Past My Bedtime
The musical geek in my loves this channel by musical star Carrie Hope Fletcher
For those who don't know Carrie is a huge West End musical star,
she is also a book author and sister to singer Tom Fletcher from McFly
Her channel has something for everyone! She does covers of songs, original songs, weekly vlogs about different shows she is in, at the moment she is staring in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but my favourite vlogs she does is the weekly letter to her brother and sister-inlaw which they reply to on there own YouTube channel called Giovannasworld and Tom Fletcher which I also love! 3.Mama Natural
Mama Natural is a healthy natural American Mam called Genevieve
and along with her husband Mike and there two children she shows how they like to live
a happy and healthy lifestyle.
She does various different videos, about eating healthy and tips for being a natural family but my favourites are her weekly vlogs called Soul Food
She is slightly different than the other channels I watch but she
has a daughter the same age as Oisìn and he loves to watch the funny things she gets up too! 4.Mrs Meldrum
I love this channel because Rebecca
doesn't and isn't afraid to show the hard side to being a parent
Mrs Meldrum is Scottish Rebecca Mum to her two little girls and wife to Lee
Her husband Lee works off shore most of the time, so alot of the time she is parenting solo
Seriously hats off to her not sure I could do it and I only have one child!
She does alot of different videos, hauls, day in the life and weekly vlogs.
Sometimes if I am having a bad parenting day,
I'll watch one of Mrs Meldrum vlogs to cheer myself up.
5.The Peachicks and Us
Another family channel that Oisìn and I like to watch
Oisìn loves it again because there are two funny, beautiful children to watch, he laughs along at the two siblings getting up to mischief. I love the Day In The Life videos and getting inspiration for meals in the what my toddler ate videos. It's a lovely channel that shows the journeys of young little family. 6.Tashapolis
This is a channel I found recently when I wanted to watch someone
who shared my love of Outlander both books and TV show.
What I found was bubbly, funny and sweet Natasha from America
who like me loves reading and fan girling!
I totally love her vlogs, from her reading lists, to her book reviews, to her attending various cons,
to her various book tag videos and of course her reaction to Outlander!!
7.Elise Sheree
This is another channel I only came across recently but it quickly became a favourite
Elise Sheree is an Australian busy working Mum and wife
I came across her channel because of her What We Eat vlogs but love all her videos
especially her day in the life and weekly vlogs.
She recently announced that her little family where getting ready for a big move
to the UK in the Autumn!
8.The Kinsella Bunch Vlog
There isn't very many Irish vloggers out there
and if your not a big fan of The SacconeJolys then you are stuck for Irish family channels.
That was until I found this cute, down to earth large Irish family!
I like these family of vloggers because there a normal, down to earth family who daily vlog
Oisìn is always happy to watch these vlogs because there is always children having fun!
9.About To Read
As you many tell from the name of this channel this is another book channel I love!
Tiffany always varies her vlogs from giveaways, book hauls, recommendations, book tags and reviews I love them all!
10.Melanie Murphy
Melanie is an Irish lifestyle vlogger who I love!
She does weekly vlogs ranging from What I Eat, Clothing Hauls, Favourites, Day In The Life and Beauty. She always makes me smile no matter what vlog I am watching. She is very down to earth
and has that great Irish charm about her, as us Irish would say her channel is great craic!!
So that's what we love to watch on YouTube
how about you?
Seems like only yesterday you where in my tummy and only a moment ago it was your first birthday, and yet this year is the year you will turn three! Time flies when your having fun!
You have changed and become more of a little boy the past few months that I feel I need to document it! You have become less of a toddler and more of a little boy. You have settled into daycare for three mornings of the week and after a shaky start you love it, you have lots of little friends and it has thought you how to share.
You are mostly very good and well behaved but you do have what we call the Furey frown when you are mad which is very like Daddy! You can also have a little temper when you don't get your own way but a couple of minutes on the naughty chair usually sorts that out!
You are so independent and have always been so but you love to try do everything yourself. Brushing your own teeth, cutting up your own food, washing your hands and even helping me with chores around the house. You have gone from a cot to a toddler bed and of course you took to it like a duck to water.
You have become a right little chatter box, and every day you are learning new words. It's lovely to have a little chat with you, even if sometimes it's mostly two year old language! You definitely have the Furey music gene which seems to have skipped your Dad! When Dad is in work we have the music on and you love to sing and dance. Your favourite songs at the moment are Three Little Birds, ABC Song and Old MacDonald.
You also love to watch TV very like Daddy but I try limited your screen time and sometimes am not your best friend because of it! Your favourite TV shows are Peppa Pig which has been your big favourite for a long time, but you also like Twirl woos and Mr Tumble. Your favourite movies are Pixar, Toy Story, Cars and Finding Nemo. You are so good watching movies that we are going to bring you to see Finding Dory when it comes out this summer.
One thing that I am quite hard on is manners and you have excellent manners. You always say please and thank you, an now have took it upon yourself to say thank you Mammy and Daddy at every meal which makes me so proud.
Speaking of food you just love your grub!! You are just a busy little boy who never seems to be full! You eat almost everything but are a bit iffy about onions, carrots and pears!!
Out of all the toys you have you love your puzzles, jigsaws, drawing board and toy cars the most. You also love reading which makes me so proud, you love the library just like Mammy!
Daddy takes you swimming twice a week which you just love sometimes I will come along and you just amazing me at how well you can swim. So like Dory said just keep swimming!
This is my most favourite of my Father In Law's songs it a beautiful haunting instrumental piece of music that was written by Finbar and Eddie Furey
It has become there most popular piece of music....something about this piece of music strikes something in everyone. From the opens sea gull cry to the way tin whistle soars it gives me goose bumps.
I have been lucky to hear it live a number of times and it is even more beautiful live.
There is also a poem called Silent Annie that sometimes is spoken before the piece
the lyrics to that are belown
A song which nearly broke my heart
A tramp lay dying in the park.
I knelt beside him to hear him speak
And the words he spoke, they were oh so weak.
He told me a story of long since past,
Of a sailing ship with its long grey mast,
Of his captain's cap with it's shining braid
And the wonderful voyages that he'd made.
"Silent Annie" was his great ship's name.
Like a token of love he spoke her name.
She sailed 'round the Horn, aye, more that once.
She could cut through the waves like a sharpened lance.
"Believe me," he said. His eyes filled with tears
Like a drunk on a corner, trying to remember his years.
He reached out his hand and I took it in mine.
"I believe you," I said, and he gave a sad smile.
"I remember the day when they towed her away.
Her sides they were sore from the sea's angered spray.
They said she's unfit for to sail out once more
(And they towed her more inward from her own sandy shore)?
And as they broke my Silent Annie. I watched with a sigh.
I remembered her beauty when I was a boy.
She was my one love, my life's only dream,
When we sailed out together as captain and queen."
It started to drizzle, and I felt my hand tight
And he squeezed even harder as he ended the fight.
And a crowd they had gathered, and they watched with dismay
As some ambulance men came, and they took him away.
So I got to my feet, and I walked through that park.
Je Suis Prest was a brilliant episode of Outlander. This show was back on form after just an okay episode last week. Jamie and Claire met up with there men after the detour to Beaufort Castle
Dougal was back with his two men Rupert and Angus, I have missed these two funny, crude Scots. This episode was mostly training these farmers, labours and craftsman's into soldiers, with Dougal not agreeing with Jamie's strategy. Yet I didn't find it at all boring as the creators, writers and producers made it much more than that. Bear McCreary's arrangement and use of music was spot on and the montages of the men training with the beautiful Celtic singing made me patriotic of my own Irish heritage!
What I thought really added to the episode and story was showing Claire deal with her PTSD from World War Two. It showed us some of the Claire we haven't seen before the Claire before the time jump. We know Claire was a nurse during World War Two but nothing much else other than that, showing us that she was traumatised by what she witnessed and had to doing during the war, showed us that she more than anyone else there knows the horrors of war.
Jamie wants her to be safe and knowing what she is going through wants her to go back to Lallybrock, but Claire being the strong bad ass woman she is tells him no. She can't just go back waiting to hear news, not being able to do anything, feeling like being a dragonfly in amber.
This episode was also the making of Jamie, it showed us how much he has come since the first season. He is not the young men with scars on his back being used for his Uncle's cause, he is a man using his Uncle for his own cause! He is a leader now and thinks as a leader knowing his men are not ready, unlike Dougal who wants to rush in all guns blazing to get on Prince Charles good side.
The strong relationship of Claire and Jamie came across so well in this episode. Claire having Jamie's back when Dougal doubted him telling Dougal "My husband and I share everything" and Jamie knowing straight away there was something wrong with Claire as she was trying to hide her PTSD. It's wonderful to watch these two so strong together as they both seemed a little lost in there relationship in France.
Claire's quick thinking saved Jamie and the camp from the hands of the redcoats as a young English boy finds there camp. The boy will not give up any information until Claire pretends she is a captive and will let Jamie have his way with her if he lets the boy live. The boy spills about how many red coats there are and Jamie lets him go. He tells Jamie his name is William Grey and that he regards Jamie letting him go as a debt of honour. This episode reminded me of the first series how I felt when I watched it transported and that is when you know you have watched a good piece of storytelling.
Another show finishes up for the summer The Big Bang Theory finished up it's ninth season this week, with an episode that didn't feel like a finale at all! This season has been a little slow on the laughs and story lines. For me the whole Penny/Leonard wedding thing was done last season and in the season premier there was no need to rehash the whole thing again this time with Leonard's new divorced parents. While the guess actors are funny but aren't enough to base a whole season finale around. It's a shame that a storyline that was so big in the show in earlier seasons has now been the back burner to Amy/Sheldon relationship storyline which I do love but has been a little over kill this season. Amy who was my favourite character because of her quirkiness has been toned down to be the sensible one in the relationship and it annoys me. I loved the Amy of old who came out a little in this episode wanting to be maid of honour was a nod to past Amy who wanted to do anything to be Penny's friend. I am hoping a little of what made this show so great will return in season ten.
This was another great episode of Penny Dreadful this show has been on top form this season
Eva Green and Rory Kinnear are amazing in this show but in this episode Eva was yet again brilliant.
Lily and Dorian recruit more women for there cause but its increasing looking more like Lily's cause as Dorian is starting to feel outnumbered. Justine is starting to hate Dorian as she tries to take his place in Lily's affections. She is starting to overstep her place where he is concerned and her blood lust is worrying him. When Frankenstein tries to kidnap Lily which goes terribly it shows us how outnumbered and isolated Dorian really is, and by the look on his face afterwards he now knows it.
The Jekyll and Frankenstein storyline is dragging on a little too long now, and needs to pick up the pace to match the rest of the storylines. John Clare manages to have a moment with his sick son before the child opens his eyes, and sees a pale, scared version of his Father before him and screams blue murder!
In the Wild West there is just about to be a show down! Ethan is becoming more and more bewitched by Hecate and her dark powers. Just as he is about to tell her to bring forth the dark powers of the night there is a shoot out, with Hecate shot and killed. Sir Malcolm and Kaeteny, Ethan's two father like figures who love him more than his own father, saving him from death.
In London Vanessa finds herself more and more alone and isolated, her final friend Lyle is being moved to Cairo, wouldn't it be great if this was a set up for a plot for next season! He gives her another name who might help her while he is gone, I was glad to see another strong woman Catriona Hartdegen who looks like she might be another ally for Vanessa. She is going to need it! As her friends are scattered around the globe she goes to the only friend she think she has Dr Sweet. He tells her he will be there for her and he doesn't think her mad, its the words she needs to hear and she gives into the seduction Dracula has been planing for a long time. The scene itself was done beautifully, the music and the over head shot of Vanessa's dress draped over them both like the wings of a bat is everything we have come to love about Penny Dreadful
The internet was a wash with theories about Ayra last week and how she could survive the Waif's stabbing. Yet none of these where even close to what happened in this episode, have fans started to over think or expect much more of this show? I don't know but I thought it a little weak that a cup of milk and nap was all Ayra needed to get over being stabbed in the stomach!
The hound was rampaging through the woods seeking revenge for his friends when he bumps into Beric (remember him from the third season) and his Brotherhood Without Banners they ask the hound to join them in going North. The hound isn't too sure, these scenes where very well done and as usual the hound got all the best lines of the episode!
It was great to see Pod actually get some lines in this episode. The scenes with Bronn and Pod have been whats missing from this season. The reunion of Jamie and Brienne was a good one. I feel like there is love and admiration there, Jamie sees Brienne for what he could of been a loyal and fearless Knight, instead of Cersei's pawn. While I loved the scenes with Jamie and Brienne, and also the scene with Jamie and Edmure (Tobais Menzies really stood out, again showing what good an actor he is) I feel Jamie's story arc is terrible. He seems to be right back where he started even reusing the line "the things we do for love" from the pilot episode and for me it felt sloppy. Jamie did take Brienne's advice and got the castle back without blood, while besides the death of Blackfish, but he choose death over running.
For me the highlights of these episode was in Kings Landing where Cersei choose violent over going peacefully to the High Sparrow. Her Mountain quickly took the head off one of the Faith Milant, but we knew the High Sparrow is clever and there would be repercussions. Tommen the puppet king announced the date of Cersi's trial and then dropped the bomb shell that trial by combat is no longer allowed. Giving the High Sparrow the upper hand as Cersei can no longer relay on her Mountain to save her.
The Meereen storyline drags on, Varys leaves Tyrion as he sails to Westeros to meet someone. Tyrion is in a great mood as he thinks his plan to work with the masters has worked. We soon find out otherwise as hundreds of ships start to fire apon the city. Just in time Daenerys arrives with her dragon! IMO Tyrion is another character this season who seems a little lost and not sure what to do with himself. Hopefully by the end of the season Daenerys and her crew will have left Meereen and there storylines will pick up.
Back to Ayra and after a good kip she is ready to run and jump for her life with the Waif hot on her heels. There was times watching it I was a little frightened for Ayra, but then I got the feeling she was leading the Waif justs where she wanted her. So after almost two seasons of training she rejects The Many Faced God and kills the Waif. She confronts Jaquen and tells him she is not no one she is Ayra Stark and she is going home, with a sly grin Jaquen makes us think that was his plan all along!
Online or Digtal Favourite
This was aired on BBC earlier this year, but with so many different TV shows on at that time we never got around to watching it. I knew there was hype around it so I set it to SKY Plus and forgot about it. It has been on our TV planner ever since so with alot of our shows finishing up for the Summer we finally had time to watch it.
It is amazing, the casting spot on, the scripts, acting and locations are fanatics. I now understand the hype around Tom Hiddleston as Bond!
We have two episodes left but so far this has been Delicious to watch and I am not just talking about Tom Hiddleston in swimming shorts! The plot is basely good versus evil, with Hiddleston as Jonathan Pine a hotel night manager who gets embroiled with arms dealer Richard Roper played brilliantly by Hugh Laurie.
Throw in a list of fabulous actors Oliva Coleman, Tom Hollander, Douglas Hyde, and of course the big name in TV shows this year Tobais Menzies! The story telling is great and easy to follow, its filmed like a slick Hollywood movie which of course adds to the comparison to Bond. It was definitely a winner in our house as the hour long show went so quickly that we binged watched the first three episodes! It can be re-watched on BBC iPlayer and shown in the States on AMC
