Monthly Musings- October

October 31, 2017

October seems to have come and gone in a flash!
It's scary how quickly 2017 is flying by and the dreaded C world is now just over the horizon.

I love Autumn and especially October as its crisp and a bit breezy but not yet cold.
It's also my favourite month because it's such a snugly family month with half term, darker evenings and Halloween.

I've had a few favourite things this month and a few not so good so let's get going...

Great British Bake Off

I stopped watching GBBO on the BBC a couple of years ago because I was getting bored. It felt like the same challenges year after year. So when Channel 4 took it over I thought I would give it a go, mostly because I was interested to see how Noel Fielding would get on as a presenter. I had previously watched him on The big fat Quiz of the year and thought how odd and quirky he was but channel 4 have made it work and he's very likeable. The jury is still out for me on Pru as she isn't the grandma figure that Mary Berry is, but all in all, I have enjoyed watching it and looking forward to the final.

Lush's Rub Rub Rub
My daughter is a total Lush addict. She spends vast amounts of money in Lush. For me, a lot of the smells in their products are too overpowering but she had left this little gem in the bathroom so I gave it a go and I have fallen in love with it. Rub Rub Rub is a shower gel/scrub, it has a subtle smell and makes my skin feel so soft and moisturised. I love the grainy feel of the sea salt and best of all it doesn't flare up my sensitive skin. I would definitely recommend giving it a try.
You can purchase in-store or online here

Cooking- Seasonal fruit and Vegetables

October is a great month for cooking and I always seem to go into baking mode when the summer ends. We had some lovely afternoons picking blackberries and then cooking them up into crumbles and cobblers. Plums have also been in season this month so really juicy and firm, a friend actually told me the other day that they are so juicy she is becoming addicted. I made my first butternut Squash soup this month too which was lovely and a big hit with the family.
You can have a look at my Autumn recipes here

Books
My favourite book of this month has been the Witchfinders Sister by Beth Underdown. This book had me hooked from the first chapter.
It tells the tale of Alice, who returns home from London after the death of her husband and finds that her brother Matthew has changed.
Her hometown is now full of superstition and suspicion and her brother has become a witchfinder general.
This book s a great read if you love historical fiction.
You can read my full book review here-

And now for my monthly mehs! I only have one this month

Primark reed diffuser
I am a 'you get what you pay for' kinda girl so I'm not a massive fan of Primark, but even if you know you're not going to get the best performance from a product you do expect to get something! I bought 3 reed diffusers from Primark and have to say that they are rubbish.
They stock many fragrances and I selected 3 different types, they are available at £1 for a small one and £3.99 for the large size, I am completely unimpressed.
They have been in my house for three weeks now and despite turning the sticks and moving them to different locations, I can smell nothing.

Autumn Book Bundle
As I've really enjoyed snuggling up on these gloomy Autumn evenings with a book and a cuppa over the last month I thought I'd do a little giveaway to my lovely readers.

The prize includes Autumn-Ali Smith ( you can read my book review here) Matt Haigs How to stop time, a cute hedgehog mug and a pomegranate scented candle from NN Inspirational Gifts. This prize is worth over £40 so get entering!

Ends 19th November at 11.59

I'm looking for some recommendations on what to read next!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

T&Cs

The closing date is 19th November 2017 at 11.59 (GMT).
Open to UK residents aged 18 or over
One winner will receive Autumn- Ali Smith, How to stop time-Matt Haig, Autumn themed mug & an NN inspirationAl gifts scented candle
Entrants must log in via Rafflecopter
Only one entry per Household
A comment is mandatory in this giveaway, other entries are not counted without a comment.
Winner will be randomly generated by Rafflecopter
All entries will be moderated.
The winner will be informed by email within 7 days of the closing date and must respond within 7 days to claim their prize.
Winners name will be announced on Social media
This prize draw is governed by English law and the courts of England shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising in connection with it