Christmas Specials 2015

A bit late maybe, but I've been busy 'holidaying'! Still, here are my thoughts on the Christmas specials this year!

Television review: Downton Abbey series six

It's 1925 and for our beloved characters at Downton Abbey, changes are afoot. With Tom having left for America, Mary decides to take his position as estate agent, a daring choice for an unmarried lady. Robert wants to cut costs and reduce the staff, which worries Thomas. Carson and Mrs Hughes are preparing for their wedding and both slightly nervous. And when the local hospital is threatened by a take-over from York, Violet, Cora and Isobel all get caught up in the argument, but they are not on the same side.
(This review is as spoiler-free as I could make it!)

8 (Bookish and) Not-So-Bookish thoughts (10)

Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts is a weekly blogging event hosted by Bookishly Boisterous. It allows book bloggers (and non-book bloggers) to write about pretty much anything, bookish or otherwise (i.e. sharing exciting plans for the weekend, rants on things they've encountered during the week etc.)

1. Hello everyone, I hope you´re all doing well and enjoying autumn! My life is rather busy and stressfull at the moment (see 2), but here and there I've been finding time to enjoy the beauty of this season, if only during my commute to and from work! Here, have a picture of the view from my livingroom window, it's quite nice if I say so myself!

Christmas Specials 2014

My thoughts on the Christmas Specials from our beloved British shows from this year: 

Beware, there are spoilers here!

8 Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts (3)

Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts is a weekly blogging event hosted by Bookishly Boisterous. It allows
book bloggers (and non-book bloggers) to write about pretty much anything, bookish or otherwise (i.e. sharing
exciting plans for the weekend, rants on things they've encountered during the week etc.)

1. I have a new phone, yay! After struggling with a slow, always full and often crashing Alcatel phone for ages, I now have a lovely, fast Samsung Galaxy Core on which I can download all the apps I want and still have lots of GBs of memory left! There's just one little downside to this: about half a year ago I was browsing through Etsy and came across some great, classic literature inspired phone cases. I then decided: when I get a new phone, I'm buying one of these cases. Unfortunately, these cases are only made for standard model phones like iPhones and Galaxy S. So now my great new phone is dressed in a boring black case, all I could find for this model (#firstworldproblems)

8 Bookish and Not-So-Bookish thoughts (2)

                Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts is a weekly blogging event hosted by Bookishly Boisterous. It allows

book bloggers (and non-book bloggers) to write about pretty much anything, bookish or otherwise (i.e. sharing
exciting plans for the weekend, rants on things they've encountered during the week etc.)

1.Next weekend, one of my best friends is getting married and so I needed some festive clothes. Now I really, really don't like clothes shopping and I haven't had to buy special/festive clothes for years, so I was dreading this a bit. Luckily, a sweet friend of mine went along and I bought a lovely dress. Mission accomplished, now I can just look forward to the wedding day!

2.It's been so warm here in The Netherlands the last weeks. I was walking around in summer clothes mid-September and even bought a icecream at a stall this very weekend! The next week looks to be a bit more autumn-like and I must say I don't mind at all, it's just time for cosy afternoons with hot chocolate and scarfs etc.

3. At my mother´s birthday party this weekend, I was talking with one of my uncle´s (from the in-law side). He told me about his family history and how his grandfather (his grandparents where Germans) had been fighting in the trenches in WWI and had been wounded there. It was so interesting to hear about this as I never before talked to someone who had a direct connection to WWI, being that The Netherlands was neutral during this war. 

4. I've been reading quite a lot about WWI recently, last month The War Horses by Simon Butler about the horses who were used in the (British) army in WWI and am currently reading a book about Dutch people who volunteered to fight with either the Allied or the German armies during this war. There is also an exhibition going on at a museum close to where I live about the Belgian refugees who came to The Netherlands in large numbers in 1914 which I hope to visit sometime soon.

5. I've been enjoying the return of Downton Abbey very much! It almost feels like returning to a group of well-known friends after a long absence! It's such fun seeing the Dowager at her scheming again and hearing Mrs. Hughes down-to-earth wisdom.SPOILER

I'm really glad to see Daisy developing herself, but I'm not to keen on the developments with Miss Bunting and Tom and also Mary and Tony Gillingham.

END SPOILER6. I went to see the new Woody Allen movie Magic in the Moonlight in the cinema last week which was okaish (I'm not a big fan of Woody Allen movies, but I just love this particular old-fashioned cinema and like to go there now and then, even if the movie is not super interesting). But the fun thing was, a few days later I was having a conversation with my boss about movies and we discovered he has also been to that movie AT THE SAME TIME AND PLACE! And we hadn't seen each other!

7. Work-wise, it's only a few weeks until I officially enter the last year of my PhD and with that, the last year of my contract at the University. I'm starting to stress a little bit about finishing up my research and writing my thesis, but on the other hand, I've learned in the past three years that you can't really rush research, it goes as fast as it goes. So I just keep doing my best and hoping it will be alright
:-S

That's about all I've got to talk about this time! I hope you're all having a nice weekend and enjoying autumn.

8 Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts (1)

           Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts is a weekly blogging event hosted by Bookishly Boisterous. It allows book bloggers (and non-book bloggers) to write about pretty

 much anything, bookish or otherwise (i.e. sharing exciting plans for the weekend, 

rants on things they've encountered during the week etc.)

For a while now I've been looking for a 'format' to talk a little bit more about real life stuff or just small observati ons and shout-outs that I'd like to make which don't fill a whole post. I think this weekly blogging event is just what I need for that! I hope to make posts like this more often (though perhaps not weekly...)

1. Tomorrow I'm going to visit a traditional country market. There are going to be demo's and workshops of old farming techniques, cooking and crafts, rare animal breeds and lots of stand with interesting traditional products. The weather promises to be good and it all takes place in an open-air museum. I'm really looking forward to it!

Christmas Specials 2013

My thoughts on the Downton Abbey, Call the Midwife and Doctor Who Christmas Specials for this year!

Beware, there are spoilers here!

TV review: Downton Abbey series 4

It's hard to believe it's already the fourth series of Downton Abbey I'm writing this review about. It seems like yesterday this series first started and now it's become a fixed event on the calendars of period drama fans around the world! After the shocking ending of last year's Christmas Special, series 4 starts with a house in mourning. Mary can barely get through the days, but the estate needs managing. Tom, by now at home in his role of estate manager, tries to coax Mary out of her stupor and interest her in the running of the estate. Edith is set to meet her friend and editor Michael Gregson in London for the first time in half a year. Where will their relationship go? Downstairs, lady's maid O'Brien has suddenly left and the replacement is a familiar face who might cause trouble at Downton. The younger members of staff are still mixed up in their love troubles, while Alfred tries to further his dream of becoming a chef.  
I tried to keep this review spoiler free.   

Book review: Lady Catherine, the Earl and the real Downton Abbey

The house known to the world as Downton Abbey is in real life called Highclere Castle and is the home of the Carnarvon family. Lady Fiona, the current Countess of Carnarvon beliefs her predecessors are every bit as interesting as the characters of Downton Abbey and has brought them to the limelight in two books: Lady Almina and the real Downton Abbey, about the 5th Countess and her efforts during the First World War and now there is also Lady Catherine, the Earl and the real Downton Abbey about Catherine, the 6th Countess.