What I have been watching on Netflix.

Just over a month ago I renewed my subscription for Netflix. It was mostly because I knew there was a new series of "You" being released but mostly it was because I had caught up with everything that I had recorded off the TV.

This is what I've been watching on Netflix lately:

Squid Game!

This has to be the biggest show of the year and I loved it. I was actually watching it just as it was starting to be talked about. I don't think I need to tell you what it's about as everyone knows about it. I watched it first, I made my fella watch it just so I could talk about it and then I watched it again with Becky. It really is a fantastic show. It had me hiding behind my hands, laughing and even crying (the marble episode). It isn't the type of show that I would normally watch but I really enjoyed it.

Maid!

After fleeing an abusive relationship, a young mother finds a job cleaning houses as she fights to provide for her child and build them a better future.

Maid is beautifully written and definitely worth watching. It's a real life journey and a powerful one. The main character is not perfect and that she makes mistakes and some choices that are not the greatest but she is human and doing the best for her and her daughter! Even though it is American I am sure many people in the UK can relate to it, for example Alex needs a job to qualify for discounted day care, but she can’t go out and find work if she can’t afford the day care first. I did get a bit bored of the main characters mother and wanted to give her a good shake but it's part of the story and it works!

Run!

Diane Sherman appears to be a loving mother. She home schools Chloe, her disabled daughter, and is proud of her as she waits to hear from colleges she has applied to. She feeds Chloe only wholesome organic food and makes sure she takes the medicines for her various conditions every day. Then one day Chloe sees that her medication appears to be prescribed to her mother; Diane has an explanation but a seed of doubt has been planted. Chloe determines to find out more about her pills... what she discovered turns her world upside down as she must consider the possibility that her mother is the one making her ill.

A psychological thriller is not my usual choice of film but I loved this. It's scary but not too scary. Well worth a watch.

You!

I rewatched the first two series of You before the 3rd dropped in the middle of October. The first season follows the story of Joe Goldberg, a bookstore manager in New York, who upon meeting Guinevere Beck, an aspiring writer, becomes infatuated with her. In the second season, Joe Goldberg moves from New York to Los Angeles to escape his past and starts over with a new identity and in the 3rd series he is married to Love from season two and has a child!

I love this show!! It kept me guessing and wondering how they would get out of the situations they were in. Joe is the type of serial killer that I can't hate especially when his wife was as crazy as him, if not crazier. I loved the ending, not the pie bit, eww! but I can't wait for the 4th season!

Good Girls!

When sisters Beth and Annie and their best friend Ruby become fed up with playing by the rules and not getting the respect they deserve, they band together to take control of their lives by holding up a local grocery store. Beth's the perfect wife and mother, but her used car dealing, cheating husband has sent her family into financial ruin; Ruby is happily married to a policeman but can't afford the medical bills and experimental drugs to help her daughter; and Annie, a single mom, is caught in a nasty custody battle with her ex. In desperate need of money, the women plan the heist expecting to ease their financial burdens. But new to the game of crime, they get pulled in deeper than they ever imagined and the only way out of this will be together.

This made me think of Breaking Bad but instead of making drugs they rob grocery stores and then get in with the wrong people. I loved the first two series but after that it got a bit meh!

What have you been watching on Netflix?

(Ad - Gifted) The Very Merry Christmas Game - Review!

I always get a couple of board games to play with my family in the run up to Christmas to play over the festive period and this year is no different only this time we have been sent a game to try out and share with you.

The Very Merry Christmas Game is the Family Game of Presents, Crackers, Christmas Songs… and Sprouts! It is all the fun of Christmas in one box! For 2 to 4 players or you can even play in teams it is a fun game for ages 8 and above. I can't see a reason someone younger than 8 can play if they understand the game, there is nothing offensive.

Stu and I have played this game while Becky was at work and Ellie was in bed to try it out before we play it as a family.

Contents:

42 Cracker Cards

32 Present Cards

4 Playing Pieces

2 Dice

Game Board

Party Hat

Rules sheet

In the game you move around the board collecting presents (present cards) to put in your stocking. Presents have a value depending on whether they’re nice or naff. They have a star rating on the cards so you know which are the best to have and which one's are not so good. Be careful as there is a pair of Brussel Sprout cards hiding in the deck. If you have one of them at the end of the game and you will instantly lose the game but if you have the pair you will instantly win at the end of the game.

Presents can also be given to other players in particular the bad ones! You can take other players’ gifts off them and this is decided on the pull of a cracker.

As you go around the board and land on spaces you'll be able to do different actions which include sneaking a peak at another player's present cards. As all players’ presents are placed face down in the stocking nobody knows what they’ve got but taking a sneaky look really tests your memory. 

You can swap your present cards with another player, gain a present from the central present card deck or if you land on "pull a cracker" you can select a new card from the central deck and choose whether you keep it or pass it on to another player, which can be helpful when you've picked a bad present card or are looking to get rid of a pesky Brussel Sprout card.

Landing on the carol singers space means you have to sing a verse from a Christmas song or carol to avoid losing one of your gifts which is hilarious especially since I am a really bad singer and there is the added challenge that no song can be performed twice during the course of one game. If you are lucky enough to land on a party hat space on the board you get to wear the party hat and become immune from having to sing when landing on the carol singers space.

When everyone's card slots are filled the game ends and each player reveals their present haul.

The game is definitely one to get you into the festive spirit in the run up to Christmas. It's simple to pick up the rules and it is a lot of fun to play. It does take a lot of concentration if you want to win but my family are competitive anyway so it is great for us. I think it's going to be a game that we bring out every year and play as a family.

The Very Merry Christmas Game is available from Amazon for for £20 and I think it is well worth the money.

We were sent The Very Merry Christmas Game free of charge in exchange for this blog post.

The not so bad night shifts.

Becky has been at work for a just over a month now, in a care home. She's working part time, 2 shifts a week and is loving it. To start with she had a full on week. Monday at college, a 12 hour shift at work, college on Wednesday and then another 12 hour shift on the Thursday. She was exhausted but had to do the two 12 hour shifts as part of her training.

For the past few weeks she has been doing night shifts. She was dreading them, thinking that she would end up falling asleep in the middle of the night but so far so good.

Becky has got herself into a little routine. The night before her night shift she stays up as late as she can, usually till about midnight, goes to bed and then sleeps until about 10am on the day of her night shift. She will have something small to eat like toast or cereal and then potter around until about 2pm when she will have something to eat and go in the bath. Then at about 3pm she will go back to bed and sleep for a few hours until it's time to get up for work.

I used to work in a factory when I was Becky's age and worked 3 weeks of shifts. 7am till 3pm, 3pm, till 11pm and 11pm until 7am. I always found the night shift the worst. I mastered the art of having a power nap in my half hour break and I am sure there were times which I slept with my eyes open, stood up. lol I used to struggle to sleep during the day and always felt tired.

Becky is one of those lucky people who can sleep no matter what time of the day it is, no matter how much light or noise there is. The only issue she has found with sleeping during the day is that she had to shut her window to block out some noise but then her bedroom ended up roasting. She has a fan in there now but thankfully it has been a lot cooler since she was sleeping for her first night shift.

At work Becky is having no problems about feeling tired. She is either busy or when she is just watching people sleep she has books to read and colouring in books to keep herself awake.

The first morning after a night shift she came in, had something to eat and said she felt wide awake but decided to go to bed anyway, within 10 minutes she was sound asleep. lol She has said she would rather do night shifts than have to get up early in the morning for the day shift.

Have you worked night shifts before? How did you get on?

Our weekly meal plan! 1st - 7th November. #MealPlanningMonday

Last weeks meal plan went well considering it was half term, we ate everything and on the day it was planned! The tuna and butter bean pie was the biggest surprise of the week. Stu hates tuna usually and I didn't think the kids would be keen but they wolfed it down. We had a great half term, we didn't get up to much but at the same time it felt quite busy. The kids enjoyed their trip into town and I had a great time at our local auction buying some Christmas things.

I got a few more Christmas things with the food shop and I am amazed my family are leaving the treats alone. I have hidden them but not that well, I thought they would have asked for some by now. I got myself an Asda Christmas delivery slot for the 23rd of December, hooray! I will still try for a Tesco one as I do like different things from the two different supermarkets but at least there is no pressure now to get a Tesco one as they seem the hardest to get.

I want to say a big thank you to Katy who runs the Meal Planning linky and has for 200 weeks! She has decided that this weeks will be her last one hosting. She will still be sharing on her Instagram stories so do check them out. Karen for Cats, Kids Chaos has offered to take over and from what I've read will from next week.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Sausage casserole and mashed potato.

Tuesday - Baked bean curry & rice.

Wednesday - Creamy chicken and mushroom one pan casserole with herby new potatoes.

Thursday - Vegetable fajitas.

Friday - Fish finger tacos.

Saturday - Meatball And Garlic Bread Traybake. 

Sunday - Pizza.

What are you eating this week?