Recent doings #9

Umm, I know I say this every month, but how is it time for another What’s New With You link up? It’s September guys! September!! We’re officially in the final quarter of 2016! Waaaahh!! Okay… and breath…

Here’s what I got up to in August:

Reading. Actually, I already told you what I read in August (see my reading challenge check ins here and here), but I’m including this category anyway to say that Brave New World marked my 100th book read from the BBC Big Read list. Sadly I had read most of those before starting my 35 before 35 challenge so I still have 98 books to read, but still!

Watching. Pete’s Dragon! Not the new film, sadly. I bought the 1970s version on DVD a while ago and we decided to watch it one night. It’s a lot cheesier than I remembered, but still good.

Listening to. Alice Isn’t Dead, a new(ish) podcast by one of the writer’s of Welcome to Night Vale. Jan doesn’t want me to continue with Night Vale without him – although he currently has no interest in actually continuing with it – so I started listening to Alice Isn’t Dead on the recommendation of my friend K (the same person who originally introduced me to Night Vale!) and now I love it! So that’s what I’m listening to while cross stitching these days.

Swimming. In the Rhine! We’ve been three times this year (it was mega hot last week) and so far I haven’t drowned. I feel a bit like I’m tempting fate 😉 Everyone here swims in the Rhine and there are even special waterproof bags to put your clothes in called Wickelfisch (which means wrap fish or wind fish because you fold down or “wind” the edge seven times to close it). When they’re closed, they fill with air and you can use them to float down the river – although you do need to be able to swim as well to avoid obstacles and – most importantly – actually get out! Don’t go in the water if you need to rely on the bag to keep you afloat!

People (not me!) in the Rhine with their Wickelfische last year

Celebrating. My birthday! I am now 33, which means I officially only have 2 years to complete my 35 before 35 list. Gulp! K came down for my birthday and we spent the day in Germany before having cocktails in the evening then took our portable barbecue down to the river on the Sunday and had a barbecue with the two whole acquaintances (can’t even say friends yet!) I’ve managed to make in over a year in Basel. It was a pretty nice way to start my 33rd year.

Travelling. To Bad Säckingen on my birthday (see above!). We had a lovely day, but you’ll have to wait to read all about it… my travel posts are still stuck in June 😉 I also went to Luxembourg for a wedding at the beginning of the month (should that also be under celebrating?)

Cross stitching. Birthday cards galore! Why do all the children I know seem to have birthdays in August and September? Also Christmas cards. I know, I know… in August! Please don’t hate me – it’s the only way I can actually get them all done in time!

Buying. Surprisingly only a few books this month. Actually what I’ve mostly been buying is birthday presents for the recipients of the aforementioned cards.

Failing. Miserably at adulting… specifically at maintaining standards of cleanliness. Let’s just say it involved hot weather and some organic waste that I failed to take away in time. Trust me, you do not want any more details than that… (I am a disgusting person and to prove that I haven’t learned my lesson, yesterday I had to deal with a potato that had rotted in the potato container. Oh well, it’s not like I actually wanted to eat lunch or anything…)

Aaaand on that note I shall leave you. I can’t think of anything special I ate or drank in August. What have you been doing lately?

Check out the link up to see what everyone else did in August.