Book 5 - Cheerful Weather for the Wedding

Book 5
Originally uploaded by JuliaCroyden
Another super fast read. I think it took me an evening to finish. It's the story of a girl who is marrying a man she doesn't really love because the man she does really love is, frankly, useless and doesn't tell her he loves her until too.late. Oh noes.

Nothing really happens during the entire novel, but it is beautifully writeen.

Book 4 - A Partisan's Daughter

Book 4
Originally uploaded by JuliaCroyden
Another terrible photograph; what is it with me and photos? I think not using the itoy would be a start.

Anyway, this was another very fast read; not particularly enjoyable as it was difficult to sympathise with either of the characters, especially the man. It's the story of an unappreciated man who feels that his life is slipping away, who meets an Eastern European girl, who has left Tito's Yugoslavia. She tells him stories of her life and they fall in love. It has a sad ending, which is probably more realistic, although it is a shame, and you are never entirely sure whether she's been telling the truth.

After the storm

Originally uploaded by JuliaCroyden

We had a bad Monday last week. My dad came in the morning - he arrived at Heathrow on the 5am flight from Hong Kong, and always comes to us afterwards, which is lovely but wakes me up at 6 every time. I try to make bread for him and we leave coffee and honey out so he can look after himself until we come down. Lucy adores him, which is great, but it means that she is then unable to settle when he goes and wants him back, or wants to go to Ninny and Owl's house, and is generally in a bad, bad mood. So when I announced that we were going to Tippietoes, she went nuts, and ended up hitting me across the face.

After a lot of tears and cuddles, we became friends again, and she did some painting with me. I could bang on about how creative she is and how wonderful it is that she chooses her own colours (demands) and mixes them to create new ones (brown) and how artistic she is (paint everywhere); I will say though that she tidies up after herself, a skill her mother has yet to master. She only got a bit of paint on the floor, and that upset her, so she cleaned it up by herself.

I am far prouder of that than of the paintings.

Out of batteries

I am shattered. *Someone* woke up at 4:30 last night/this morning and shouted "Get up now mummy" until I went to her, and we had a big cuddle on her beanbag with the blanket I made covering both of us. So now I am exhausted. I could've sent Simon, but I was awake anyway having just fed the HatBat, so I went. What a brave little soldier. I've been running on empty all day, and keeping awake using hot chocolate and diet coke.

Sophie and her family came to visit at the weekend, which was lovely. Her little boy, while almost a whole year younger than Lulu, will be in the same school year as her, so Lucy spent a great deal of time bossing him around, while he raced around after her, both of them leaving a trail of destruction. Again, exhausting. Harriet was horribly, horribly sick after they left, probably just bouncing out a whole milk feed, but I was quite worried for a bit. Then in other illness news, Lucy's had conjunctivitis and a hacking cough, and is now on amoxycillin and eye drops. It's like bathing a cat. But less fun.

Apart from that, things are going well, lots of visitors, lots of chocolate cake and lots of cuddles.

Another bird baby gro

Another bird baby gro
Originally uploaded by JuliaCroyden
What a terrible picture. I made this for the soon to be born little girl of a friend of my brother. I hope he likes it; I'm sure the baby will be indifferent. Tim can pretend that he made it if he likes, although I'm not sure that'll wash.

Book 3 - French Leave by PG Wodehouse

Book 3
Originally uploaded by JuliaCroyden
Not a classic Wodehouse, but still very funny, and a light and easy read.

I honestly can't think of anything else to say about it.

Gerald and Elizabeth - Book 2

Book 2
Originally uploaded by JuliaCroyden
This is a "don't judge a book by its cover" moment. Simon calls this one of my "sex books" and it looks like the slushiest form of romantic fiction, but is actually a rather sweet little period piece by D.E. Stevenson. It was a complete contrast to the previous book and had a satisfactorily happy ending.

I enjoyed it, but I can tell why she went out of fashion, and why her stuff isn't being reprinted. Shame though.

Raisin bread and other things

Raisin bread
Originally uploaded by JuliaCroyden
So. I made another loaf of bread, this time one I hadn't made before. It's really very good, and I've managed to eat at least half of it, all by myself. Lucy doesn't really like it, and Simon has been away, so it has been mine, all mine. Yum.

This week, we've been quite busy. I took Lucy to Tippietoes on Monday - the first time since we came back from South Africa, back in May. She was, as usual, exceptionally negative about going (NO MUMMA NO), but had a marvellous time, and really didn't want to leave. Silly girl. Harriet slept peacefully through it, and also through the cafe where we had lunch. I won't be bothering doing that again - one bite from each chip and half a sausage. We'll have lunch back at home next time. I also took her on a magical bus ride around Ealing, which was great fun for her. I didn't enjoy it as much of course, as Lucy insists on being able to do everything by herself and I was so worried about her falling face forward and smashing herself up. She wouldn't consent to be on my lap, or in the buggy, so I had to sit next to her, which occasionally meant leaving Harriet so I could go to the back of the bus.

The rest of this week has been fairly uneventful; lots of lie ins, cooking and general pottering about. I'm making a bacon and flageolet bean soup using the ham stock and a beef and mushroom casserole, both of which required intense preparation, then a large amount of time sitting in the oven or on the hob.

Karen is coming to visit tomorrow, I am looking forward to seeing her and her daughter Emma. Hopefully, we will have a fun day without any shattering tantrums, but we can only wait and see.

Book Review

Book 1
Originally uploaded by JuliaCroyden
I've decided to review, or at least log, every book I'm reading this year.

I love John Irving, although he is very cruel to his poor characters. This book is so terribly sad, but he manages to be funny about grief and the grieving process, something that takes real skill. Making Daniel, the main character, a writer has allowed him to explore the way he writes, which was a little self indulgent, but when you are as good and as popular as JI, you should be allowed to write in the way that you choose.

It's not an easy read, but it's very enjoyable.

An Owl Baby Gro

Originally uploaded by JuliaCroyden
Part 1 of my current owl obsession, this is for a friend's daughter. He lives in Japan, his wife is Japanese, and this is my intepretation of a Japanese Lucky Owl. I think it's really sweet, and will be making one for Harriet and Lucy soon.