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Saturday, February 21, 2015
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Desert Island Book
Carla over at London is for Living is asking what your Desert Island Books would be.
I'm a book lover, and I read voraciously. I can read a book in a day, and love the ferry ride home from Normandy as it's a chance to swallow a whole book.
So books to take to a desert island? They'd have to be good ones. And chunky ones.
But I'm going to break my own criteria there with my first one.
The Red Tent - Anita Diamant
My favourite lecturer at university told me to read this when I was struggling with my dissertation. He was wise to do so as it became my dissertation. And it's sparked a long love of reading feminist texts alongside my faith texts.
I have study guides and book study group notes to go alongside this to learn how the history of the religious practice and daily life of Ancient Near Eastern women is woven into this ficitional retelling of the stories of Jacob's wives and daughters.
I read this at least once a year and have a second copy to lend out. It connects me to my sisters in the past, and helps me connect to the femininty of the divine. Lovely.
A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
I'm with Alex on this one. It's an epic. It's filled with family drama, religious drama, cricket related drama. There's a host of characters that draw you in, and it's a huge great thing that takes me at least a week to read. Perfect for a desert island.
I'm not sure if I can think of another. Or choose from amongst my babies. I like The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracey Chavalier, The Floating Book by Michelle Lovric, Chocolat by Joanne Harris, anything by William Dalrymple but especially From the Holy Mountain, anything by Bill Bryson, anything by Terry Pratchett, but especially the Tiffany Aching books, and Daughter of Britannia by Katie Hickman
I'm a book lover, and I read voraciously. I can read a book in a day, and love the ferry ride home from Normandy as it's a chance to swallow a whole book.
So books to take to a desert island? They'd have to be good ones. And chunky ones.
But I'm going to break my own criteria there with my first one.
The Red Tent - Anita Diamant
My favourite lecturer at university told me to read this when I was struggling with my dissertation. He was wise to do so as it became my dissertation. And it's sparked a long love of reading feminist texts alongside my faith texts.
I have study guides and book study group notes to go alongside this to learn how the history of the religious practice and daily life of Ancient Near Eastern women is woven into this ficitional retelling of the stories of Jacob's wives and daughters.
I read this at least once a year and have a second copy to lend out. It connects me to my sisters in the past, and helps me connect to the femininty of the divine. Lovely.
A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
I'm with Alex on this one. It's an epic. It's filled with family drama, religious drama, cricket related drama. There's a host of characters that draw you in, and it's a huge great thing that takes me at least a week to read. Perfect for a desert island.
I'm not sure if I can think of another. Or choose from amongst my babies. I like The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracey Chavalier, The Floating Book by Michelle Lovric, Chocolat by Joanne Harris, anything by William Dalrymple but especially From the Holy Mountain, anything by Bill Bryson, anything by Terry Pratchett, but especially the Tiffany Aching books, and Daughter of Britannia by Katie Hickman
Monday, February 16, 2015
Whiskey and ginger ale jelly - a recipe from my mum
My fantastic desserts (even if I do say so myself) from the weekend have prompted some pudding based chatter with my Mum on Facebook. Here is the recipe for her delicious sounding Whiskey and Ginger Ale Jellies. Think I'll be making these for the housecooling party:
Ingredients:
135g Lemon jelly
Whiskey - to taste. I think at least 2 shots will be needed.
1L Ginger ale - you won't need all of this, so drink the rest.
Melt the packet of lemon jelly in a tiny amount of water in a heatproof measuring jug.
Cool slightly.
Add whiskey to taste.
Top up to a pint with ginger ale. Drink the left over ginger ale.
Pour into shot glasses and leave to set in the fridge.
Ingredients:
135g Lemon jelly
Whiskey - to taste. I think at least 2 shots will be needed.
1L Ginger ale - you won't need all of this, so drink the rest.
Melt the packet of lemon jelly in a tiny amount of water in a heatproof measuring jug.
Cool slightly.
Add whiskey to taste.
Top up to a pint with ginger ale. Drink the left over ginger ale.
Pour into shot glasses and leave to set in the fridge.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Friday, February 13, 2015
Thursday, February 05, 2015
For The Boys Who Won’t Date Feminists, M.M.A. (via reduvia) http://ift.tt/1LOYRDb
I am a feminist because when I tell people I am an actress, they ask if I’ve slept with directors, because it is so inconceivable to them that as a woman I should receive a part based on my talent and not how good I am in bed. I am a feminist because the boys that I live with think it is okay to tell me to wear a thong because my panty line makes them uncomfortable. The day I dress for a man is the day I’m dressed for Heaven. I am a feminist because when I wore a backless dress on New Year’s Eve, a man told me that it meant that I was “asking for it”, and the way he said it I knew he accepted it as a fact. I gave him the middle finger and glared at any man who leered at me that night. I am a feminist because since the age of 12 I have been told that a boy’s education is more important than my own, through the classes missed because my shoulders are showing and my shorts length is distracting the boys. I am a feminist because when I walk across campus, passing a group of boys 12 feet from my residence fills me with such terror that my feet speed up and tears burn at the corners of my eyes. I am a feminist because the first thing I do when I see a man on the street is think of all possible escape routes and take an inventory of what I can use as a weapon. I am a feminist because seeing a man stare at me through the bus window fills me with dread, not only from a fear of being attacked but because I know I will be told it was my fault for taking the bus alone. I am a feminist because statistics say 1 in 5 woman are victims of sexual assault, and that means that at least one of my baby cousins, at least one of my best friends, will be or has been assaulted and that thought makes me physically ill. I am a feminist because people still think it’s okay to ignore the problem, because the first response when I bring up the issue is “not all men”. No, not all men, but enough men that I can’t walk home alone. Every man I see is innocent or a potential rapist, and there is no in between. I am a feminist because girls are still taught that if they don’t take protective measures, the rape is their fault, and boys are never taught that just because she is a woman, does not mean she is theirs to touch. I am a feminist because feminism is about fighting for gender equality, for making the streets a safer place to be alone, for making the issue one that is discussed openly without anger. I am a feminist, and if you have a problem with that, you can go home alone tonight.
via IFTTT
Wednesday, February 04, 2015
Saturday, January 31, 2015
So I wrote this whole post and Blogger ate it
It was all about how we're moving soon. And how I'll miss this house that's sheltered us and been filled with happy memories. Where people came for a weekend of refuge if they were having a tough time.
I can't write it again as beautifully. So have a picture of this Friday's curry instead. Possibly the last curry night in The Curry House. Though I'm sure curry will be served at the house cooling party.
I can't write it again as beautifully. So have a picture of this Friday's curry instead. Possibly the last curry night in The Curry House. Though I'm sure curry will be served at the house cooling party.
Thursday, January 08, 2015
Tuesday, January 06, 2015
Friday, January 02, 2015
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Prepping for Christmas
The tree is up 
and my secret Santa present for work was well received. I was blocking and weaving in ends right up to the last minute and didn't want to give it away. Time to save up to knit my own. Ombre of greys I think.
Top down raglan loosely taken from a number of online calculators with my own short row bust shaping and decrease increase waist shaping. Assorted stash yarn.
and my secret Santa present for work was well received. I was blocking and weaving in ends right up to the last minute and didn't want to give it away. Time to save up to knit my own. Ombre of greys I think. Top down raglan loosely taken from a number of online calculators with my own short row bust shaping and decrease increase waist shaping. Assorted stash yarn.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Monday, December 01, 2014
The importance of traditions
I'm dying of a sore throat and flu like symptoms.
It's clearly punishment for a lovely weekend.
First a trip to the mother in laws farm, with a walk around a sunny end of autumn Stourhead, and a fun curry at the local curry house.
Then to my parents for the annual advent service in the box pews and puritanical crispness of St. Marys Old Dilton. Tom dashing around with my dad lighting candles, and serving mince pies. Old old old carols soaring, sometimes in tune.
I love this. Something I remember from many years past. Singing what people will have sung there for centuries.
Then a jolly evening over soup and snacks at my parents' house, Tom's mum there as well. Even though my cold had kicked in, just lovely.
Today I have been mainly sleeping, trying to shake off these, shivers and get my voice back.
It's clearly punishment for a lovely weekend.
First a trip to the mother in laws farm, with a walk around a sunny end of autumn Stourhead, and a fun curry at the local curry house.
Then to my parents for the annual advent service in the box pews and puritanical crispness of St. Marys Old Dilton. Tom dashing around with my dad lighting candles, and serving mince pies. Old old old carols soaring, sometimes in tune.
I love this. Something I remember from many years past. Singing what people will have sung there for centuries.
Then a jolly evening over soup and snacks at my parents' house, Tom's mum there as well. Even though my cold had kicked in, just lovely.
Today I have been mainly sleeping, trying to shake off these, shivers and get my voice back.
Friday, November 28, 2014
NaBloPoMo 27 & 28
Yesterday I spent a lot of time doing tech support and graphic design. Then I popped in to office to review lots of images. Dinner with Tom and dad, who had come round to give us an estimate of the volume of stuff in our house for moving. Then bible study in the evening.
Today, off to London at some godawful hour of the morning to sit in on a training session. Lots of friendly faces in the student body, so had a very happy, productive day.
Enjoyed watching the little kids singing through all the songs they knew to pass the time on the train home, they being without seats, as was I. Had to hold back from joining in with Let It Go and Wind the Bobbin Up. The little sister trying to steal her brothers thunder by getting in first with the 'the cold never bothered me anyway' line was especially cute.
Also enjoyed advising an elderly lady on what to do in Southampton on the days before her cruise, and advising a miffed mum and son who couldn't find a Santa's grotto in London to check out their nearest NT place.
Straight off the train to pick up a free telly from someone from StreetLife.com to donate to another friend helping someone set up a home after being homeless. Then to the pub for pizza with the Friday night crowd. Decided not to stay as beer festival on, and no seats, so back to ours for drinks and chatter and pizza off boxes on laps.
Evening topped off with scones baked to eat the lovely raspberry jam given to us by Olivia and Robin. Exceptional jam on scones from a work recipe. They never disappoint.
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