*This Take 5 series will be a way for me to look back at my week and write about all the features of the last 7 days.

1 – Books

I’m not by my nature a fantasy/sci-fi fan. However when I find a book in that genre that I love, I really love it. I fall hard. Past examples are the Red Rising trilogy from Pierce Brown (who I had the utmost pleasure to meet, but that’s a whole other story). So after doing some research, checking reviews of book bloggers I trust, I ordered Six of Crows and a new love was born. It’s basically a fantasy version of Ocean’s Eleven, which is already amazing without even adding in the amazing cast of characters Leigh Bardugo has created. The sequel, Crooked Kingdom, came out 27^th September and it was in my house the day after.

Queen Bees ticks every box for a non-fiction book for me. It’s about women in history who beat the odds stacked against their gender and social status and did more than was ever expected of them. Society ladies might sound like frivolous, meaningless people to read about, but these women really broke moulds and made immense changes. Going against the misogynist world they lived in, they were able to live their own lives and impact at the world.  I can’t wait to learn all about them.

2 – Films

I watched two amazing films this weekend. They were just pure weekend joys, the sort of film that suits a long Sunday afternoon or lazy Saturday night.

The lazy Saturday night slot was filled by Jurassic World. So much fun, Chris Pratt is very easy on the eye, and it still frightens the life out of me even after multiple watches. I really must re-watch Jurassic Park again.

The long Sunday afternoon film was Everybody Wants Some directed by Richard Linklater. There’s 70s moustaches, men in high waist shorts and knee socks, a plot line that meanders to nothingness. And none of those things are at all a criticism.

3 – Papergang

I am a stationary addict. I have stacks and stacks of notebooks that I can’t bear to start writing in. When I eventually do I hold it so close to my heart until it’s worn out, then agonise over my next choice This is where Papergang comes in. Run by the great stationary online retailed Ohh Deer, Papergang costs you £9 (£2 delivery charge) a month and you receive a box of stationary for all your weird addict needs. One box can contain pens, post-it notes, notebooks, gift wrap, a card, washi tape and pencils.

4 – Flower arranging class

My friend gifted me a flower arranging class for my birthday and she couldn’t have chosen better. We learnt how to make a bouquet – tiny but deceptively tricky to make – and a centre piece. Both were fiddly and time-consuming but so much fun. I have the sneaking suspicion my friend wanted to check whether I had a secret talent for this sort of thing – after all she is getting married in August this year and I am her maid of honour! I think I might have to politely decline after seeing how much time and dedication these things take!

5 – My cold

These lists are not always going to be strictly positive things. My cold really knocked me for six this week. It was one of those stinking head colds that clung to me like a gremlin from the shoulders up. Aching sinuses, feverish shivering, lousy fuzzy-headedness. It wasn’t fun. What made it even less fun was feeling the need to stay at work all the way through it. I’m not sure why, as I am usually the first to espouse having one day off to treat a cold is the best thing to do. But I had had a day off for personal reasons the week before and I think I still felt a little guilty about it. Looking back I should have just given in and gone home, but crawling into bed on the Friday night did feel immensely sweet.