Howdy!
I’m delighted to say, I survived my stay at the ominous murder castle. Although the pedicure and foot treatment was borderline criminal, the whole experience was pretty amazing. Ashdown Park Country Club is in the middle of a forest, so it was incredibly peaceful and quiet.
Probably the biggest disturbance in the whole mansion was me trying the get into our room after half a bottle of champagne and a gin&tonic, and getting defeated by the door. Enough said!
I don’t how many of you guys have watched You Rang M’lord?, one of my favourite TV series of all times, but the whole atmosphere reminded me of it. I shit you not, they must have had someone ironing The Times here as well, because it was crispy as fuck.
All in all, it was a fun weekend, and we are planning to do something similar again in the near future.
I’m back home now though, in the nice and warm, and have some fun posts you may have missed.
I know, members of the book police love to tell people what they can and can’t read, but it doesn’t mean we have to listen to them. Kat over at Novels and Waffles loves reading YA books, even though she’s in her mid 20’s. * gasp * We have a true rebel here, ladies and gents! I say, you go, Kat!
I do enjoy the occasional contemporary story, but have lately neglected this genre so much, I don’t even know what’s going on anymore. Malanie’s here to the rescue though, and her beginner’s guide to contemporary fiction has some really intriguing stuff for all kinds of readers.
If it’s sci-fi inspiration you are looking for, Imyril has 10 great books to get you started with.
Depending on where you live, winter can be cold and miserable. While I prefer just going with the flow and read dark and gritty stuff during this season, you might fancy some more cheerful and fluffy books. Fear not, because Sophie’s got you covered with a list of cheery books, that will hopefully make you all fuzzy and warm, at least on the inside.
After making your way through all those lovely recommendations, of course your will need to track your books somewhere. Kaleena, Queen of Spreadsheets, is a true mastermind when it comes to handy tools for bookworms. Have you downloaded your copy of her amazing blogger spreadsheet template yet?
I must admit, I sometimes feel myself like a damsel in distress. All I want is for someone to swoop in and save me. Nothing wrong with that, we all need a little bit of help sometimes. When it comes to fictional women though, they are often only one thing and nothing else. Marta at The Cursed Books listed a few tropes some of these ladies fall into, and they are nothing short of sexist. Tropes exist for a reason. They portray certain type of people, but when the only people that exist in stories are just the embodiment of a cliche or trope, some authenticity is definitely lost there.
Blogging is fun, but can become overwhelming for some of us. Drew’s 15 tips for bloggers is a nice reminder for all of us that we should just enjoy ourselves. If we can’t even enjoy our hobbies, what’s the point?
Oh how nice! I’m taking note of this place for sure 🙂 The usual drill for me, reading books, painting, eating 🙂 Started Winter Of The Witch and Once Upon A River and loving both. xx
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Oh, nice! Painting is so relaxing! I used to do coloring/painting in coloring books and would always chill me out. Maybe i should take up the habit again.
Glad to hear you are enjoying Once Upon a River. I’m planning to read it next year 🙂
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I used to colour too, then it emerged into paintings 🙂 happy reading Norrie!
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Murder castle! What fun, I am definitely a wimp but I would probably do something like that😁
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Hahaha… the only murder that happened was what that woman did to my poor feet 😀 My friend got a really nice massage tho with hot & cold stones ❤
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I’ve read some of these posts and they’re so amazing 😻 I’m doing absolutely nothing other than being a a lazy potato 😇
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Ah, that’s nice. I love chilled weekends too! ❤
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Oh, I’ve been waiting for this update, Norrie! Your pictures are extra creepy! I’m glad you had a nice time! Wonderful shares, too! Lots of links for me to check out!
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It was very windy on Saturday evening, and that howling was really helping with the creepy atmosphere 😀
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Those pictures are awesome, Norrie! Ubër creepy.
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Thank you ❤
We had quite the bad weather on Saturday. Rain, howling wind, etc. Defo helped with the atmosphere! 😀
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Perfect!
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ahhhh norrie tysm for featuring me ilysmmmmm ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ND LOOK AT THOSE AESTHETIC PHOTOGRAPHS!!?? they remind me intensely of "If We Were Villains",,,, a book I've made it my personal mission to convince you to read bc you'll love it with your entire heart
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Oh, how cool! Haven’t read it yet, but i saw your review just today and it sounds pretty good!!! Defo interested in reading it 🙂
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Thanks for the mention.👍📚
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❤
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Wow, nice castle to go have a weekend break in, even if you never got into your room, who cares: champagne, right?
Ooo, love links, I’m gonna grab a coffee and go have a surf and read. Ta! Oh, and loved the photos.
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Haha, right! I drink pretty much 1-2x a year and get into all sorts of troubles. Lol… 😀
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I’m terrible at Christmas for getting drunk on a glass of Zinfindel, so yeah, I know. Have fun, sleep later. 😉
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I’m glad to hear that the spa was a lot of fun! I love all your photos of it, it looks so pretty! 😀
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Thank you 🙂
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You’re welcome! 🙂
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Murder castle, oh my! That sounds like so much fun, but I think I’d be too much of a wuss to go there! Hahaha 😂
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Haha 😀
Someone said it looks like the Harry Potter place… i haven’t seen the movie so can’t verify, but sounds less daunting than murder-castle 😀
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Those photos looks gorgeous, I love the silhouettes ❤
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Thank you! We got lucky on the 2nd day, the sun came out for bit 🙂
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What a fun weekend that must have been. Really loving the look of that castle! 🙂
My weekend was full of climbing, coffee drinking and one rather unsuccessful Christmas market visit – I seriously cannot do Christmas markets this year – too many people, too much noise… hang on a second, am I getting old?!? 😉
Hope your week has started well, I’m wishing for Friday already he he.
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Ah… i haven’t been to a xmas market this year. For very similar reasons… i can’t do people in such large quantities 😀
I can really recommend this place. It was proper deserted this time of the year 🙂
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Love the pics, Norrie. The castle looks really spooky and the shadows are so creepy. Glad to hear that it was a fun weekend. Great post. Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you!
On the first day it was sooo windy, so yea, those sound effects were proper spooky 😀
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Your weekend away sounds amazing. I’m green with jealousy.
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❤
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I love your pictures of Ashdown and the winter murder vibe it was rocking! You should have drifted around with a cigarillo and a smocking revolver!
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Oh, that would have been cool!
I quit smoking tho, and only vape now, but all those dragon like smoke puffs went really well with the fog 😀
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Hahaha! Well you made the aesthetic work for you! I’m worryingly into murder mystery at the moment. I’d say send help but we’re beyond that now.
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Ahhh that atmosphere of Ashdown and everything, ahh, I love it, it makes me want to write stories about it haha 🙂 I’m glad you had a great time! 🙂
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I’d totally read them! ❤ 🙂
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It looks beautiful! A little ominous yes 🙂 but actually really peaceful and relaxing. Glad you had fun!
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Um excuse me but I want to stay in murder castle. Those photos are gorgeous, and I am glad you survived!
Thanks so much for linking my spreadsheet, I love how many people are finding it useful!
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Haha, it was fun indeed, and i’m glad i survived too! ❤ 🙂
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Thank you so much for including my post here 🙂 Also, um, A MURDER CASTLEEEEE???? I just got chills. I tip my hat to you, because I’ve got a seriously weak stomach when it comes to scary things and excuse my while I run a million miles in the OPPOSITE direction haha.
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Haha 😀 Others compared it to the Harry Potter house, so i guess that’s a more friendly way of looking at it.
My friend and i had a great time tho, cooking up all sorts of stories of how the mansion is haunted or who could have committed what crime. LOL 😀
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Okay, the Harry Potter house makes me feel less scared haha.
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Oh it sounds brilliant! Yes I loved You Rang M’Lord lol I bet they do iron the paper 📝 x
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Oh, yay, another fan! Most people don’t know what series i’m talking about when i mention it ❤
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Those pictures look eerie and spooky and I LOVE IT, haha. I’m glad you had a good time – fight with the door be damned. [We’ve all been there, even if we don’t want to admit it.]
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With the howling wind it was downright creepy! But i loved it 😀
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Haha, if anyone would love that, it’d be you I guess. 😛
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That place looks amazing. Love the pics. And thanks for the links- I’ll be checking a few of those out- I’m a total sucker for recommendation posts haha!
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Thank you 🤗
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Those photos are so lovely! I love blog hopping at the weekend 🙂 I’m also a firm believer in “read what you want to read”! This weekend I had a nice lazy time with my family and my books!
xoxo
http://gingersnaphattie.blogspot.com
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Oh, how nice 🙂 I do love a good lazy time ❤ 🙂
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Ahh! I am glad you survived! I hope your fingers & toes are okay from the manipedi. 😛 I am laughing at how you fumbled about trying to get into your room after too many drinks lol! The photos are just gorgeous but I definitely see how you got that eerie vibe!
Thanks for sharing all these lovely posts. I always find something enjoyable to read through your blog hops!!
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I was just looking yesterday, all my toenails are different shapes. LOL 😀 So yea, i don’t think it was a winner! But the place was awesome, so the whole trip was worth it 🙂
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LOL oh no!!! At least the rest of the trip was worth it though 🙂
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Man, those evil doors! THEY ARE EVERYWHERE!!!!! Glad you conquered it 😀
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Right? They are out there to get us! 😀
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Wooooow, those are some absolutely stunning pictures, Norrie!! 😮
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Thank you 🙂
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haha sounds like you had a great time! Awesome wrap up!
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I did, thank you 🙂
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Your weekend sounds like a lot of fun – anything is fun for me when gin&tonic is involved! And those pictures are amazing – simply stunning!
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Hehe, it’s true 😀
Thank you 🙂
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