26 for 2026

thechubbyunicorn

Love Project Hail Mary and Zootropolis @DundeeDoll excellent choices!

I don't think I'm a fan of fantasy @Dakota_Rose but I've seen lots of people recommended that series so maybe I need to give it a go?!

Week 38

5. Be able to run for 26 minutes - 8 minutes!!

6. Post 2026 photos to Instagram - 21 

7. Buy 26 gift cards for Christmas spending - Asda 

8. Watch 26 documentaries - Amy Bradley is Missing 

16. Save £2026 - £6.18

17. Walk 2026 miles - 31.7miles 

26. Send 26 cards / gifts to others - Niece & nephew money for excellent school report 

27. Complete parkrun 26 times - 19.09

❤️

Dakota_Rose

I like the sound of your running challenge @thechubbyunicorn - think I’m a long way off a run yet, but I have been steadily going with my walking pad at a brisk walk/slow jog pace for 30 mins. Think if I increased it any more, I’d not last long at all.

I wouldn’t have put myself down as a fantasy reader either. I just picked these up as the first ones were on a very cheap offer one week before the summer holidays in our supermarket. I thought I’d try something different and if I didn’t like them, it’d only be a couple of pounds lost. Turns out they have me hooked and I’ve been enjoying them more the further I get through them.

DundeeDoll

Tonight was whisky #15 - Quinta Ruban - very tasty. And my Z for Zacharia arrived at the library (just got 3 more books to read for my alphabet of books)

Dakota_Rose

I’ve finally finished A Court of Silver Flames. It was a long one! It was written from a different character’s viewpoint and I liked the change in content. It was emotional and darker in places (I often wanted to give the main character a good shake) also unpredictable in parts and particularly ‘spicy’ in others. I thoroughly enjoyed it but have an imposed break now from the series until the next one is released at the end of October. I’d rate it 10/10. I’ll be getting it for my birthday early November so will need to begin something new in the meantime.

26 books for 2026

1.You Are Here (easy read) 9/10

2. The Seven Murders of Evelyn Hardcastle (time-travelling murder mystery) 9.5/10

3. Love Untold (ending made a middling read worthwhile) 8/10

4. Way Back (engaging easy read with a farm theme and a few typos) 8.5/10

5. The Cuckoo’s Calling (first of the Strike detective novels) 8.5/10

6. Yellowface (‘too awful to look away’ page-turner) 10/10

7. A Thousand Splendid Suns (emotive, heavy but worthwhile read) 10/10

8. Before the coffee gets cold (Japanese coffee-shop time-travelling scenarios) 8/10

9. Us Three (screenplay-style friendship story) 9/10

10. The Twyford Code (a puzzle within a puzzle) 9/10

11. The Shock of the Fall (first person narrative with flashbacks - includes childhood trauma told sensitively and with humour woven throughout) 8/10

12. Guilty (lots of shock factor details, but predictable storyline) 7.5/10

13. The Falls (Scottish detective novel) 8.5/10

14. The Examiner (murder mystery told through emails and messages) 8.5/10

15. First Blood (prequel to a favourite detective series) 10/10

16. We Solve Murders (cosy murder mystery) 8.5/10

17. A Court of Thorns and Roses (fantasy romance) 9/10

18. A Court of Mist and Fury (second in the ACOTAR series) 9/10

19. A Court of Wings and Ruin (third in the series, loved it) 10/10

20. A Court of Frost and Starlight (fourth in the series, bridging book - easy read) 9/10 since found out this was a Christmas special.

21. A Court of Silver Flames (fifth in series - loved this one exploring different characters with big attitudes 😂) 10/10




DundeeDoll

I finished Yellowface at the weekend @Dakota_Rose very good - that takes me up to 24/26 books - I just have S: Shakespeare The man who pays the rent and Z: Z for Zachariah but they'll both have to wait cos I've got 2 book clubs coming up and of course neither is those books!

I also went to Queensferry for my place beginning with Q

DundeeDoll

End of September which means we're 3/4 through the year! So my slowest is classical composers (cos I keep playing pieces by composers starting with B, C or M!)

01: 25 Artists
02: 16 Knots
03: 18 Workout programmes
04: 21 Pop groups - 1 album listened to
05: 12 Classical composers - 1 piano piece learned
06: 24 Books read
07: 18 Protein food
08: 20 Poem
09: 21 Fruit or veg
10: 14 Soups made
11: 19 Trips and treats
12: 20 Films watched
13: 21 TV programmes
14: 22 Street art
15: 16 Christianity
16: 22 Teas
17: 23 Radio 4 programmes
18: 20 Colours
19: 18 Places
20: 16 Whiskies

suzeesu2000

@DundeeDoll youre doing really well. Can you believe it’s October already!

suzeesu2000

I'm optimistic of reaching my goals. I am really enjoying this years challenges. Will be putting some serious thought into finding more things I would like to task myself with for 2027. Well done everyone, keep up the good work - only 91 days to the end of the year….how scary is that!??!

leftatthetrafficlights

Well done everyone! 👏

Oh dear, the weekly check in went by the wayside! 🤦‍♀️ Oh well, better late than never! Here's September's update.

Annual:

2) Listen to 26 podcasts - 3 - I managed one last week but it's been a bit chaotic again for a variety of reasons 🙄 hoping to do a few in the next week or so

3) Do 26 bike rides - 0 - no change. Dh has hurt his knee so these are on hold for now

4) Do 26 home 'spa' days - 4 - increase of one so need to do better!

6) Have 26 'tech' free days - 2 - an improvement but still a long way to go!

7) Watch 26 sunsets - 15 - there have been some beautiful ones! 😍

8) Watch 26 sunrises - 6 - no change - haven't managed to get out early enough!

9) Go on 26 walks with dh - 2 - no further with this due to dh's knee injury 😔

10) Do 26 home 'gym' sessions - 0 - fitness programme hasn't started yet! 🤦‍♀️

11) Do 26 nights of 'stargazing' - 7 - I've been very lucky with some beautiful clear skies ❤️

12) Clear 26 items of clothing - 0 - the great wardrobe clear out is still to be done! 🙄

14) Have 26 'gardening' days - 8 - lots of harvesting, clearing etc but still lots to do

15) Do 26 beach walks - 6 - no further with this

16) Donate 26 items to the foodbank - done! 🙌 I've bought them all over the past couple of weeks as I kept forgetting!!

17) 26 home gym sessions - 0 - part of the fitness programme which I haven't started yet!,🤦‍♀️

Monthly:

19) Do 26 days of yoga nidra practices - 13 - I managed 13 asana practices and at least 20 meditation practices in September but haven't done any this week 🙄 I'll be starting those again on Monday along with my fitness programme. This is my main priority for next week!

20) Have 26 days alcohol free - I was af all month in September! 🙌😁

21) Do 26 days of dry skin brushing and moisturizing - 0 so far! Totally forgot- again!! 🤦‍♀️

22) Save £26 off my grocery bill - lost the plot and have no clue about September 🤦‍♀️ I'm going to check balances and payments over the next few days and get as close an approximation as I can

23) Have 26 days of eating exclusively WFPB - completed in September

Daily:

24) Do 26 minutes of housework -completed

25) Do 26 minutes of meditation practice - at least 20 practices completed but I can't remember the exact amount 🤔

26) Do 26 minutes of asana practice - 13 practices

It's been a tricky month but I've achieved a few bits and pieces. I've got a lot that I want to do this weekend so I'm starting my health and wellbeing programme on Monday (which will help me get closer to my aims) to allow myself to have some time to really think about where I am and set my personal goals. I am making it my top priority next week as I have dabbled for too long - I'm in reasonably good health at the moment but I need to maintain and hopefully improve that. The more I extend my healthspan, the better! 🙌

DundeeDoll

MrG bought me a Rabbie Burns so that's R ticked off - whiskies definitely getting harder - still have F; M; N; S; W; X; Y; Z - my local does have an F but they've run out so fingers crossed they get another bottle before the year ends!