August 2026

Hello,

I used to have a blog on my About page, that was broken out in to a separate almost bullet like list of what I’m Reading, Baking, Listening To and Watching.

I want to switch this up to have more of a conversation with you, talking about what I have been up to for the month, still including the items of what I’m reading, baking, watching and listening to. Along with anything different I have done, and a general chit chat with you as the reader.

You can also find me on Substack where I write more specifically about grief and where it is showing up for me in life.

So…on to August’s happenings

I was pleased for August to be a little less hot than July, and less buggy. In the heat I’m a wilting flower and the bugs love to have a munch on me, and my system really hates being munched on, making for me to be on the cranky side and hiding inside.

With pockets of time between looking after my friend’s dogs, I looked for opportunities to get out and explore. I heard about the elephant tribe that is made out of bamboo currently installed in a park in Boston, they were amazing to see, around 100 of them, each one modelled on an actual elephant from that tribe. Through wandering the whole installation I found the only red bamboo one, as a red head that was a fun find, and hence the picture with this blog. I also got up to the coast for a quintessential lobster roll by the ocean.

And, then I’ll be getting to round out my month at Omega Institute, it will be my first time visiting this sanctuary, I got drawn there for a workshop with Martha Beck – North Star Rising. I did my life coach training with her MBI organization, I love her podcast’s, yes plural, she has two, the long running Gathering Room, and BeWILDered with Ro. I will write about that delight in September.

Let me know what you think of the below, and if you have any recommendations that add delight to your day.

Take Care,

Claire

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At one point I had 3 books on the go at the top of the month, with them being all different genre’s. I could keep track of what was what in each of them, where they are so distinct.        My uncle had written part one of his memoir, it was delightful reading his stories, some I had heard from him telling them in person, other’s I’m looking forward to when I see him next, asking about them. Often times we only pick up a memoir of someone famous, wanting to know more about their life. I’m sad that my grandparents did not write their life stories, I was so young when they died I did not get to hear the adult stories, and chat with them, both lived through WW II, I’m fascinated to know what it was like.           The fiction book was Michael Connelly The Brass Verdict, a Mickey Haller novel, I’d managed to miss this one, as I generally like to read Connelly books in order for the personal story that trails through.Brass Verdict brings in the first interaction between Michael Connelly’s two main characters of Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller.   And the book club read is Terri Cole Too Much – A Guide to Breaking The Cycle of High-Functioning Codependency, chapters 3-6. I love that I get to co-host a book club with an amazing friend in our Grief Educator community. We’ve been hosting for a few years now, very quickly we established ourselves as a book study where we enjoy deep conversations which naturally lead to breaking a book down into sections, when we read Grieving Body by the amazing Mary-Francis O’Connor we took 9 months to ease through the chapters and absorb her teachings.

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I usually have a bake in the tin, sometimes as extras from baking for others, and other times a bake specifically for the tin with no reason other than it’s nice having something homemade in the tin.

‍King Arthur Baking Company – Classic Birthday Cake – for me both the cake and icing has a different method to what I’m used to. The flavour and texture is delicious and on the make again list. This was a extras in the tin as it was made for a friend - https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/classic-birthday-cake-recipe

‍Bourbon Biscuits – This recipe comes out of the Great British Bake Off Bake It Better Biscuits recipe book by Annie Rigg, these are a favourite to fill the biscuit barrel, friends regularly enjoy them.

‍Waitrose – Chocolate Orange Bundt – I infrequently make this one, it’s a three part bake and needs 5 to 6 hours to complete before a slice can be enjoyed - https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/recipe/chocolate-orange-bundt-cake

‍ And to close August with, in the tin I had a Lamington inspired sandwich cake, that was delicious and introduced me to a dairy free cake that is both tasty and the texture lasts several days - https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/recipe/cherry-lamington-sandwich-cake I did switch the whipped cream filling of buttercream where I don’t like straight whipped cream.

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I listen to many podcast’s, it’s the main source of entertainment when I’m driving. Several of them I have been listening to for years, and then there have been a couple of new additions more recently.

‍Dish (Waitrose) – I love this style of interviewing and food, Angela Hartnett and Nick Grimshaw are a dynamic duo, their guests cover a broad range and you know you are in for a treat with each episode. A recent episode was with Derry Girls star Jamie-Lee O’Donnell, and a hilarious two part episodes with Tom Holland, which followed up on the first episode with him a while back where Angela hilarious chard some pig’s in blanket for a Christmas, all in the back catalogue and worth a listen. – Jamie-Lee O’Donnell https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/80682406-3a8e-426e-8b59-870b1eb6747e/episodes/5dff724c-2167-424b-9a2d-f73d617f0845/dish-jamie-lee-o%E2%80%99donnell-is-mightily-impressed-by-our-tuna-grill-das?ref=dm_sh_geKmA3GaaHiaRIctNh1T5Ekn9 and Tom Holland https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/80682406-3a8e-426e-8b59-870b1eb6747e/episodes/b5998760-ac7f-4d88-8a2d-892f30abe490/dish-tom-holland-returns-part-1-featuring-smokey-skewers-and-pigs-in-blankets?ref=dm_sh_x7VAvPnF7kAn0oGLgi8Ayq3C1

‍The Rest Is Entertainment with Richard Osman and Marina Hyde, another great duo, and witty. I enjoy learning about the entertainment industry, current happens and their interview series. An episode to note was the start of the history of James Bond, going back to Ian Fleming and how he became an author. As a Bond fan I was curious how it all started - https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/14660586-93a3-4031-9aac-8a26990d693f/episodes/b8e36425-e79d-45f5-ba1f-5439238102c1/the-rest-is-entertainment-james-bond-sex-spies-and-soggy-towels-ep1?ref=dm_sh_okdhw1O3msO4XgqitJpafNmNG

‍A recent addition to my listening is Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball – I grew up with their voices on TV and the radio, there is an immediate familiarity and comfort of hearing them, especially together. My heart has been going out to Jo in the recent episodes as she shares the passing of her beloved Dad, along with seeing her honour when she needs to take time away and special guests have been hopping in to host with Zoe, seeing that support play out publicly and in real time has been heart-warming - https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/29b7a99f-94e6-4a2c-9b88-f7634b8af14a/episodes/09285faf-e241-450b-a7ad-c104b030f84f/dig-it-with-jo-whiley-and-zoe-ball-trolls-goals-saying-goodbye?ref=dm_sh_thAzKc0pKcKaj1J4H09lODPIL

‍And a special mention, I met a lady when cycling London to Paris in May, Julie and I struck up a conversation and cycled the last leg in pouring rain into Paris together. I’m delighted to call her a friend. Julie guest started on the Happier Grey Podcast hosted by Helen Johnson - https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/dd0fd010-825d-4b5c-aab6-d03e914370d6/episodes/f11f585e-5549-4ac0-9eea-4bed8b5128e3/happier-grey-podcast-happier-grey-podcast-episode-113---with-julie-kelly?ref=dm_sh_TRA1tvAMrjIsJqx1gGAWbCzbp

‍The aforementioned Gathering Room – https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/f6b1e2a9-3999-4e74-967e-a71b9f4f2494/episodes/eba27ec2-86c5-4272-b306-d885ef6b1654/the-gathering-room-podcast-what-do-i-do-now?ref=dm_sh_DyfkK1DiAUjR6vZFn5F8I6Ltm  and BeWildered - https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/2389e50e-34ae-453c-b4ce-c26b111a04e2/episodes/8164bd88-3d9d-433f-b367-e4edc74bb8bd/bewildered-why-is-this-always-happening-to-me?ref=dm_sh_sJZBp5UDSCETHM3NqINtOeXVh

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I watch a fair bit of programming as I like to have something on in the background, this can vary from Podcast’s that I enjoy watching as opposed to listening to. Hanging out with Ant & Dec (Belta Box) via YouTube, is nice to have the visual to go with it, where I am so used to seeing them on TV. I am also enjoying Chewed Up, this is Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly and Michael Symon, they first starred together on The Chew, that was a weekday lunchtime programme that I used to flick on when I went home at lunch, it’s funny seeing them so free and not having to conform with network requirements.

‍I have not been watching much mainstream telly this month, with the nicer weather I’ve been outside reading, on the trails and some fun days out….I may be waiting for all of Ted Lasso to be released so I can watch all the episodes in one sitting with a good grazing supper, and some shortbread.

‍ Also on YouTube is always an Beaver update from Holley Muraco at Something Wild, playing - https://www.youtube.com/@hmuraco

And a happy delight is – We Rate Dogs (of tell your dog i said hi) https://www.youtube.com/@dog_rates/shorts

I enjoy a good review and bit of travel with Hannah Ricketts - https://www.youtube.com/@HannahRicketts

A walk about and some history with John Rogers - https://www.youtube.com/@JohnRogersWalks

Ant & Dec - https://www.youtube.com/@beltabox

Chewed Up - https://www.youtube.com/@ChewedUpShow

Till September…