Country Home Teaching | Half Term Teacher Goals

Hello my loves, 

It's finally half term here in the UK and whilst parents are probably wondering how they're possibly going to keep their little ones occupied over the week off school, I'm one of those support teaching staff who is only too glad to be able to have a bit of a break.

I do sympathise with parents when it comes to keeping their little ones occupied and engaged. It can be surprisingly difficult to ensure your child doesn't utter the "b" word - for those who don't know the word is 'bored'! 

However, as I'm "on my holidays" as some of my little ones in my class like to say, I'd like to focus the attention on me and what I hope to enjoy this half term. This is my list of 5 half term teacher goals for October 2018

1) Firstly, I just want to relax and do absolutely nothing! I know the reality is that this is unlikely to happen as I'll find something to do even if it's scrolling Instagram and Pinterest for crochet and craft creation inspiration (that can take ALL day long 😁) but I'd like to complete this as closely as I can.

2) Also, I want to spend some time completing, planning and starting crochet projects that have been neglected lately. During term time it can be hard to fit in time to crochet due to the intricate detailing with some of the stitches. When you come home from work and are exhausted the last thing you want to do is something that needs your full attention. This is something I can work on and perhaps spend 15-20 minutes an evening just crocheting to relax?!

3) One of the most important things I want to do this holiday is spend time relaxing.  I just want  to take time out and spend it relaxing, doing something fun and not in work mode.

4) READ A BOOK - the last book I read was a young adult fantasy novel called A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas and it took me almost 13 weeks to read it! 🙄 It was largely because I was too tired to read at in bed after coming home from work. So, I really really want to read a book from cover to cover this week!

5) Reorganise my wardrobe - it's time to put the summer clothes away and get out the cosy autumnal/winter jumpers, cardigans, and scarves! Hooray! Lol 😂 I do love the cosy seasons when you can layer up your clothes and wear cosy socks. I'm also itching to give the wardrobes a good clean and refresh with Zoflora. It's also a really ideal opportunity to clear out any clothes I no longer want, fit (as I've lost weight), or are just faded.

So, I think if I plan this with precision I might be able to pull it off! I'm looking forward to seeing what I achieve this week and what I simply enjoy! 

Right my loves, I'm off to watch Strictly Come Dancing now as its Halloween week and I always love the spooktacular performances. 

Speak soon lovely, 

Dawn-Tracy xx

Country Home Books | A Whiff of Scandal

Hello again my Loves, 

Today it's Book Lovers Day and as I already have a beautiful Book Blog - A Page of Fictional Love I thought it would be a lovely occasional feature here on Our Country Home Comforts. 

So, today I'm sharing with you my thoughts on a lovely book I read by Carole Matthews, and I also get to showcase some of the essential oils that I use in my own daily life to complement this post. 

Image Copyright of Our Country Home Comforts

A Whiff of Scandal was a book that I almost put down and back on the shelf, but something about the blurb, the cover and the way the characters in the village were behaving convinced me to continue on and read their story. I am so glad that I did. It has been such a long time since a book has had me laughing out loud in the bath, on the sofa, in the park, ... basically anywhere I could read. I laughed so much that it was almost ridiculous (my laughing that is) if it wasn't so entertaining! 

The book begins with the nosey neighbours across the road spying on the newbie, Rose who is an aromatherapist from London. They are sisters whom live together and are the stereotypical old ladies whom have nothing better to do other than to spy on their neighbours and spread rumours, typical village life as it's portrayed on the tv. Rose gets a reputation as a "lady of the night" thanks to one of the ladies, even writing this now because I remember the gossip in the book so vividly is making me chuckle, but then Rose is later supported by the other sister who changes her mind after visiting Rose for an aromatherapy appointment. 

There's something you should know about the people who live in this village - they all have names connected to aromatherapy; Basil, Melissa, Rose, Anise,...etc. The dishy man of the village is Dan (Spikenard) who lives at Builder's Bottom ( the name of his house) with his long term girlfriend Gardenia. Dan and Rose have several encounters, one even involving being dressed like a Viking! But do they get together? Well Rose came to the village to run away from her past - we all do that or at least wish we could, or we dream of it - but Rose does it! But what is she running away from? Cliff Richard? NO! That's one of those nosey old ladies' rumours again LOL. Don't believe everything you hear. Even Mr Patel at the local shop gets things wrong from time to time. 

What about Rose's stalker? Calling her and breathing heavily down the phone?Reading this part of the story did put the shiver sup me a little - because as a woman we can all imagine how it must feel to be on the end of the phone and have that happen to us! Does she know her stalker? Who is it? And what about when her once dream guy finally offers her the world? Don't you think they always come when it's too late? But is it enough? Can you really mix your past with your future? Is there such a blend for an aromatherapist? 

Rose is very skilled at what she does, so much so that she regularly blends together Passion oils for her new best friend Melissa who is married to the local policeman - but what's Melissa hiding, and is Frank (her husband) the last to know? 

And what about the building development proposal to build apartments? Will it cause uproar or will it be welcomed? Will the villagers pull together or will it cause a divide? Then there's the proposal - who is it that is made a romantic offer of marriage? And what will the neighbours say?!

There are more Whiffs of Scandal in this book alone than there ever could be in a year of Corrie! If you want a thrilling laugh out loud, comedy romance, and a reason to smile everyday, then you really must read A Whiff of Scandal. I'd love to know what happens after A Whiff of Scandal, and what becomes of Builder Bottom, and do those old ladies ever stop spying on their neighbours with ladders and binoculars? I guess that's a scent of the future I must simply ponder on... for now... maybe ;)

Have you read this book? What book have you read lately that has absolutely made you laugh out loud? I'd love to hear all about your reading pleasure. 

If you'd like to read more about books I've read then please visit me over on my other blog by clicking the picture below; 

You can find me on instagram at: Our Country Home Comforts

Looking forward to chatting soon,
Dawn-Tracy, 

xxx