Books I Read In 2020

Image of the front cover of The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather MorrisKindle Paperwhite Edition. The front cover has a striped background representative of the uniform worn in concentration camps and the book title written in bold across the stripes. To the right is a title that reads 'Books, what i read in 2020, www.chatterfox.co.uk'


Reading has always been a passion of mine. Since a very young age I was reading independently and disappearing into worlds of fantasy and wonder. Books were an escape from my sometimes scary, often confusing reality. As I got older I began to read less, not because I didn't want to, it was more that as I got older, life got fuller and things such as 'self care' and reading for pleasure took a back seat. One positive of the Coronavirus pandemic is that it allowed me to prioritise myself a little bit more and perhaps I needed to escape reality again. I've spent the last six months reading a few chapters before going to sleep and it has been so beneficial. When I read I sleep better, feel more relaxed and have something to get excited about. Nothing beats going to bed on 'new book day'. The joy of perusing my virtual collection and choosing a new adventure is so exciting. My enthusiasm also leads me to talk more. Seems silly but I find talking about books to be therapeutic. If i'm struggling with my mood you can ask me what i'm reading and i'll instantly come alive. It's been a real pleasure rediscovering my love of reading and I wanted to share with you the books I've discovered throughout 2020.

Living Arrows | Ice Ice Baby!

Katrina Over 30s UK blogger talking about parenting, autism, mental health, books and coeliac disease. What The Redhead Said Living Arrows UK Parenting Blog Link Up Khalil Gibran Quote

  


'You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth' Khalil Gibran. 

New year, new lockdown! We're one of the lucky ones, Iris is in Early Years and still able to attend her pre-school, though for how long is anyone's guess! Thankfully her setting is very small, just one room with a handful of children so I don't feel too concerned for her safety. There are daily temperature checks, new rules regarding things going in and out of the building and as much outdoor play as possible which suits Iris just fine as she's always outside whatever the weather!

Diagnosing Coeliac Disease And Living Gluten Free

Image title reads coeliac the symptoms, getting a diagnosis and treatment www.chatterfox.co.uk. The image to the right is of hands brushing through wheat fields.

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition. It is not to be confused with a gluten intolerance or a fad diet. People with coeliac disease have an immune response when they ingest gluten. Continued exposure to gluten causes damage to the villi in the intestine. The villi are finger like structures that usually stand upright and help the body to absorb vitamins and minerals from the food we eat. In those with untreated coeliac disease the villi become flattened and can no longer perform their function.

Living Arrows | Smile and Wave.

 

Katrina Over 30s UK blogger talking about parenting, autism, mental health, books and coeliac disease. What The Redhead Said Living Arrows UK Parenting Blog Link Up Khalil Gibran Quote

'You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth' Khalil Gibran. 

Parenting through this pandemic has been harder than I ever imagined. I'll admit that I've been jealous of those without children. I've thought about how if we didn't have Iris we would barely have left the house, how we'd have curled up and binge watching tv in peace. How much writing I could have done, how much more creative I could have been, how much tidier the house would have stayed. I feel so guilty for having such thoughts but I know I’m not alone. Being a parent is hard. We need play dates, soft plays and library sing-a-longs. Coffee dates, visiting relatives and sleepovers at Grandma’s are the fabric of our everyday life. It’s what keeps us sane. They say ‘it takes a village’ and they aren’t wrong. We’ve survived 10 long months without that village and that is something to be proud of. 

Living Arrows | Much Needed Magic

What The Redhead Said Living Arrows UK Parenting Blog Link Up Khalil Gibran Quote

'You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth' Khalil Gibran. 

It's been a very tough few weeks for us as Grandad was diagnosed with Covid. It was completely unexpected as he's been very vigilant, has followed all the rules and hasn't really ventured out all that much. He didn't show any of the typical symptoms, he simply felt achey and off his food for a few days then he was hospitalized with chest pains. Fortunately he is now back home and is on the slow road to recovery. There's a lot I have to say about how his case was handled, and I'll do so in a separate post but for now all that matters is he's still with us and he's managed to keep the virus away from my Nan whilst still providing her with the daily care she needs as she's disabled following two strokes. It's so difficult being away from them, caring for Nan isn't an easy job for him when he's well so I am in awe of him doing it when he feels so ill himself. I hate how powerless I feel. 

Books | The Best Interactive Books For Children

Image shows a baby sat on the floor surrounded by a variety of hardback books aimed at babies. To the right of the image is a title that reads 'books, the best interactive books for children, www.chatterfox.co.uk'

It's no surprise that we love books in our house. Reading has been such an important aspect of my life and is an activity that the family regularly enjoy together. It's easy to think of books as being just bedtime stories but books have so many other valuable learning and playing aspects beyond just getting a child to sleep at night. Below is a small selection of our favourite interactive books.

*please note this post contains gifted items, all opinions remain unaltered by this. Words and opinions are my own.  Affiliate links maybe used. These may earn me a small commission but the reader will incur no cost. Thank you for supporting my blog.

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