Lathany

Xmas

2022-12-27T12:14:07Z

I've been ill for nearly two-and-a-half weeks which is the longest in quite some time. I suspect it was actually covid despite the negative test. I'm mostly better now, but still operating on my one ear being partially blocked. I was never horribly ill, but I'm very tired of the lack of hearing and the cough.

However, it was still an excellent Christmas. The dinner (gammon roast) all cooked to time and was very tasty. The presents generally went down well with their intended. A picture of my favourite here - a necklace made from a coin. Also, the advent calendar, whilst rather more "woodland animals" than Christmas-themed, was also rather good.

And I still have a week in which to do the various things I planned for my holiday.

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lathany @ 2022-12-12T08:08:00

2022-12-12T08:09:02Z

Snow reached us last night.

Just.

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CPA Xmas

2022-12-06T19:05:02Z

Today was the team Xmas meal and Escape Room. My team did very badly. The meal was good though.

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lathany @ 2022-12-04T20:31:00

2022-12-04T20:32:36Z

I've spent most of today recovering from yesterday. It's a bit cold and rather yuck out there. I was planning to do Xmas cards, but I've made little progress.

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Boneland

2022-12-03T22:22:22Z

On my train journeys yesterday I read Boneland, the last book in The Weirdstone of Brisingamen trilogy. I met the first book at school and liked it, the second as an adult and liked it less. So, I had mixed expectations of Boneland. Sadly, I didn't enjoy it and, frankly, struggled with it.

I've read glowing reviews about its literary merit and how it benefits from multiple re-reads. Also, that it was a bold, but excellent, choice to move to adult fiction to end the story. But, I like children's fiction and missed pretty much all the characters from the first two books.

I had more Alan Garner lined up for commutes as I've read very little... now I'm hoping they won't be like this one.

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The Past Within

2022-11-24T20:14:11Z

I recently played The Past Within which is a rather excellent two-player cooperative game.

It's an escape room type of computer game in the horror genre and recommended for anyone wanting two-player cooperative. GameFAQs published my review.

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Conan Exiles: Isle of Siptah

2022-11-20T20:14:02Z

This is mostly for the benefit of Chris, but others may be interested. We're returned to Conan Exiles for the Isle of Siptah episode with sorcery. It's both familiar and new.

And I've made a Path of Dawn for you to follow from the SW shore to our current camp - but mind the crocodiles!

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The Excavation of Hob's Barrow

2022-11-05T11:31:18Z

GameFAQs have posted my review of The Excavation of Hob's Barrow. It's a Wadjet Eye published game, so I expected to really enjoy it. Sadly, this wasn't the case.

Instead I found it depressing. My fault rather than the game's as the issue was it was exactly what it kept saying it was going to be. It's well-designed and the puzzles are good... it's just not what I wanted it to be.

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Russian Doll season 2

2022-11-01T21:20:32Z

Having finished season 2 of Russian Doll, I don't think it's as good as season 1 but still worth watching. It goes for more varied time travel rather than a loop.

One issue is that Nadia's story dominates whilst Alan's is more of an afterthought. However, as for its predecessor, it does finish strongly. So still recommended.

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Blood

2022-10-23T11:15:23Z

I gave blood this morning. Luckily, the rain stopped beforehand, but the puddles were vast.

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Russian Doll

2022-10-11T20:37:30Z

I've just finished watching the first season of Russian Doll. It had good reviews and involved a time loop so sounded as though it could be my sort of thing.

I wasn't sure at first. I didn't immediately take to Nadia, the central character, and I struggled to remember - or care about - the other characters in her repeated celebration night. However, I slowly changed my mind as events unfolded. By the final episode, I loved it and thought the ending was excellent.

Definitely recommended.

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Weekend

2022-09-25T20:51:59Z

Dom and I had an excellent weekend away - with many, many thanks to Andie and Adam.

And to their cats.

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The Forgotten City

2022-09-19T17:11:08Z

The Forgotten City is an excellent game and the best I've played in years.

It's a mystery set in ancient Rome involving time-travel, conversation and solving problems. As a non-Classicist I was really impressed and enjoyed the whole game (including the optional, slightly Resident Evil bit). Thoroughly recommended.

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River walk

2022-09-18T14:49:22Z

I've been for a walk along by the river.

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Reeve

2022-09-05T17:21:32Z

A rare, but welcome, visit from Reeve this evening.

And now I have fur on my keyboard.

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Everybody's Gone To The Rapture

2022-08-30T09:32:47Z

GameFAQs has published my review of Everybody's Gone To The Rapture. It's one of those walk-around-and-explore-to-see-the-story games made by the Dear Esther company. In general, well-done, interesting, tragic and beautiful.

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Breakfast

2022-08-14T09:58:21Z

I said we'd go out for breakfast. So we went early to avoid the heat. We avoided the worst, but it was still pretty hot.

Nice sausage roll and cappuccino though.

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Beltane

2022-08-07T20:25:39Z

I finished Beltane today - a roughly hour-long game from Matt Clark (Shadow Tor). I liked it - there are no instructions, so it took a while for me to get to grips with what I was supposed to be doing. It all takes place around a mysterious stone circle. Also, there's a ginger cat to pet - what's not to love?

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Witness for the Prosecution

2022-08-06T18:03:31Z

Bea and I went to see Witness for the Prosecution. I had loved the film and the stage version was awesome.

Would recommend.

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27

2022-07-23T10:57:23Z

Last weekend, before the weather started breaking records, we belatedly celebrated our 27th wedding anniversary. Steak and ice cream were lovely, and we also enjoyed a rather excellent red wine.

The elephant in the picture was bought on our holiday and is a new friend to the other elephant candle holder.

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Peak District

2022-07-03T16:59:43Z

I had an excellent holiday in the Peak District over the last week.

Food, caves, kittens and excellent scenery.

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Eye appointment

2022-06-19T08:13:49Z

Back in March I went to be tested for new glasses. The optician could see what she described as a scar on my eye and sent me with a letter for my GP to book a hospital appointment. I was rather surprised, but Dom and I theorised that it could have been That Time that breakfast-wanting Reeve scratched my face. Today I had that appointment.

I was first seen by the nurse for some reading tests. Then I was collected by the doctor. He put drops in my eyes and examined them for some time. This took longer than it might have as I'm rather squeamish about my eyes and didn't like tests involving touching them for sensitivity. Then he went out to see the consultant. And back in and then back out again. They had a long conversation outside. Then the consultant came in and examined me.

What I have is a condition I can't remember the name of (but it will be on the letter they send me) which effectively means dry eyes. Because my eyes have tried to protect themselves, this has lead to scarring. It's most obvious in the left eye, but the right one has some as well. I've been told not to worry as I didn't spot it, the optician did, so it can't be too problematic at present. Also, if it gets much worse I can have an operation to clear it. They wrote me a prescription for eye drops - both three times a day and a gel for night. Essentially to apply from this point on.

I'm grateful it isn't painful or life threatening. But I'm processing that that it's permanent, that the treatment, whilst quick, will be ongoing. I've been deaf in one ear since toddlerhood and I have mild hayfever, but this is my first, I guess age-related, condition.

And, I'm rather shocked as I didn't expect it to be anything other than an old scar.

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Kentucky Route Zero

2022-06-08T17:08:25Z

Kentucky Route Zero is hard to explain. On the surface it's a point-and-click narrative-heavy adventure.

I found it was like experiencing a series of interesting, quirky concepts, one after the other. I could rarely play for very long at a time as the text made the game feel very focussed, heavy and slow moving.

Also, because it was quite dark and explores death, I found I needed to be in specific moods to want to play it. I only have about ten hours of gameplay but it took me a year to complete.

My full review is on GameFAQs.

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Jubilee Weekend

2022-06-06T19:16:42Z

Last week, well the three days I was working, was unexpectedly hectic. Mostly because the majority of my team were away so I picked up tasks that wouldn't usually fall to me. So it was a relief to get to the Jubilee weekend.

It's been quiet, relaxing and very welcome. Bea and I did excellent milkshakes on Thursday and then rather less good ones with Dom and Ryan on Saturday (same place, but different server and I think she was rather new and less good at adding enough flavouring). There have been various walks and a lot of bunting seen.

I've finally finished Kentucky Route Zero just over a year after I started playing it. It's only about ten hours of gameplay, but it's very intense (a separate post about that to come). I've also played a fair bit of Monster Hunter World (dual blades) and generally lazed around. Peaceful times.

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Krys

2022-05-22T20:05:20Z

Yesterday, Dom and I visited Krystyna, Chris, Emilia and Arya. It was great to see them all in person, eat lasagne (made by Krys), talk and hang out in the garden. It was a really lovely afternoon.

I hadn't realised how much I had missed talking to Krys, until then. Also, I now have a honeysuckle cutting planted in my garden. Fingers crossed it will survive!

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