“You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth”

Each week I like to (try and) link up to a series called Living arrows which is about celebrating childhood. You can find out more here

The first photo this week was found on my camera after our trip to London. Bess must have taken this selfie in Kings Cross station while we were waiting for our train. I loved the huge poppy that had been put up for remembrance day. We had a brilliant time in London watching the musical, Dear Evan Hansen. The subject matter (teen suicide and the aftermath) is hard going in places but it is very well written and she wanted to see it so badly. 

Our second photo this week is of Moose making himself a sandwich. He is my baby and it’s so hard for me to admit that he is getting bigger whether I like it or not. He asked if he could make himself lunch, and I thought, why not. Note to self, we need more jam.

Since being diagnosed last year with a dodgy eye aka Punctate Inner Choroidopathy, it has been near on possible for me to read a book. 

My love affair with books and reading began at an early age. I fondly remember escaping into the far off lands between those crinkled pages of well worn copies of Enid Blyton’s stories. 

It was rare that as a child you would find me without a book in my hand. A trend that continued into my teens. I used my library card weekly. I remember going on bike rides to the library every week with my Dad. My siblings and I would spill out into the building and find our respective favourite sections from which to select our reading materials for the week ahead and then lug them home. 

Books were my escape

I loved finding new worlds to explore. I remember how absorbed I was when I found a book I liked. It was rare that  I didn’t like a book.  Not only did I enjoy the stories but later, as a teenager I remember admiring how skillful the writer must have been to weave something so beautiful, so tangible using only words. I thought it was an amazing gift to have. 

The PIC issue

Punctate Inner Choroidopathy means double vision for me. Double vision means that reading a book is currently a no go. So I have had to find a new way forward. I’m not sure why I didn’t consider Audible before now really but better late than never, right? 

Now that I have joined up I thought I would put together a wishlist. Listening to audiobooks is going to be so good for me! It is something I will be able to do when working, when I am upping my step count for the day and then when I go to bed to help me to wind down. I can hardly wait to get started! 

My list

The first thing I feel like I ought to do is to curate a list of what I would like to listen to. I do love a list after all! So here is mine in no particular order, and, please if you have a recommendation I would love for you to leave it in the comments!   

The Testaments

Mythos by Stephen Fry

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

This Is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor

Between the Stops: The View of My Life from the Top of the Number 12 Bus

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos

Doctor Sleep

This is a collaborative post with Liverpool ONE

Every year I put a list together. Not so much resolutions but things I would like to do. Visiting certain places in the UK features heavily on my list and visiting Liverpool is definitely on the list for 2020. 

Liverpool is just under a 4 hour drive from where we live in Peterborough. It’s not what I would call near enough for a day out really but certainly a weekend away there would be more than doable! 

Liverpool ONE

If I had the chance to get away with my daughter, Bess, I know we would definitely make a beeline for Liverpool ONE. With over 170 shops, restaurants and bars to choose from I reckon Bess would be in her element here. I could imagine a morning spent shopping followed by a trip to the cinema in the evening. Or perhaps a bit of entertainment by the waterfront even. 

Liverpool ONE is centrally located so it’s easy to travel to and from here if you wanted to get to other parts of Liverpool.

Liverpool with kids in tow?

Sadly Moose, my 5 year old, is not a fan of shopping (yet) but Liverpool has plenty to offer little ones too. I love the look of Mattel Play! Based at the iconic Albert Dock, Mattel Play! features three fully themed interactive play zones where your child’s creativity brings the worlds of Thomas & Friends™, Fireman Sam™ and Bob the Builder™ to life. I would imagine that a family with young children could easily spend a day here. Check out this great blog post by Chilling With Lucas for tons of info.

For outdoor fun we would head to Chavasse Park for the Liverpool ONE nature trail. Moose loves nature trails! I think they are a great way to persuade little ones to explore.

There are so many museums in Liverpool. It apparently boasts the most museums in a city outside of London. I would love to spend an afternoon hopping between the museums and the many art galleries. After all, it was no mistake that Liverpool was Capital of Culture in 2008!

To help you plan your visit, Liverpool ONE has created this great map. You can have fun planning your time in Liverpool and getting the most out of your stay – and make sure you get the best pics. After all, it’s all about the ‘gram!