Happy 2011!

Surely it was only a short time ago that we were welcoming in 2010. 'They' say the years roll by faster the older you get and I guess 'they' must be right. Christmas tree, decorations and wallhangings are all about to come down again, Christmas visitors have all gone home.
Housework and tidying Christmas away awaits, but after that I have a large stack of books, a beanbag, and a sunny conservatory planned to while away the first day of the New Year.


A wish for 2011
May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions!
Joey Adams

Merry Christmas to all

The parcels have been opened and we have enjoyed a Christmas lunch of ham, lamb, new potatoes, baby carrots and baby peas, followed by cherries, pavlova, strawberries and red and green jellies. With it we had a bottle of sparkling pink wine. I only need one glass to make my head fuzzy!

 The family is now full of food and  reading or having a nap on a sunny, warm, Greymouth day.

 

Everyone knows I am a 'bookaholic' so among the parcels are books by Stieg Larrson, Joanne Fluke, Monica Ferris, a quilting book and a travel book on Denmark. I see lots of blobbing out in my future for the next for days before work intrudes again.

 

I hope everyone has their own enjoyable Christmas with family and friends.

Full steam ahead to 2011

 

How do they think up these titles?

I guess book titles are designed to catch the eye, but I do have to wonder!
These are a few I came across recently...

Physics for dogs : a crash course in catching cats, frisbees and dinner

When did Big Ben first bong?

Toilet : public restrooms and the politics of sharing.

(And no, I didn't buy them)

A quiet read, anyone?

If you want action, wild romance, shoot-outs and spies then The Book of Lost Threads by Tess Evans is definitely not for you.
Set in the wonderfully-named town of Opportunity in Australia, it describes the interaction of a group of people who form unlikely friendships and between them deal with long-held secrets.
There is the woman born to lesbian parents who searches out her natural father, who in turn has felt guilt all his life for the killing of a young girl in a road accident.  The elderly neighbour who lost her husband in a war and then their stillborn baby. The man whose physically abusive father blighted his character and his life.
The tragedies of each are resolved as the friendships develop. Definitely a book for those who prefer character development and interaction.
Now onwards to the contrast of a J.D. Robb futuristic crime story with Indulgence in Death

Blobbing out with books

Just finished reading Patricia Cornwell's 'Port Mortuary'. This is an author I usually like, but I found this book hard going - much less of the usual forensics, much more of the principal character's musings, too much big business/government spy thriller paranoia and something about the writing style that just didn't do it for me.
In complete contrast I'm now onto Wendyl Nissen's 'A Home Companion : my year of living like my grandmother'. Nothing like working in a public library to ensure a wide variety of books to read!

Tis the season to be jolly

Or the season for overindulgence depending on how you look at it. Last night was the first of the season's Christmas events being dinner at the Stations Inn in Hokitika. This is not the place to go if you judge a meal by the quantity of food on your plate and the smallness of the bill. However, if good food in a peaceful, more upmarket setting is your aim then this is a place for you to try. Next comes a smorgasbord at a local Greymouth hotel in the weekend. Roll on Saturday - or maybe it will be me rolling on the pounds on Saturday! Time to leave this blog and go get some exercise in anticipation.

Sunny West Coast

Once again our weatherman understates the West Coast weather. The temperature was at least 21 when I left work at 5 p.m., yet the TV temp. was only 20, supposedly taken at 3 p.m. As one customer said they swear our temp. is taken outside, under a tree, and inside a fridge! So just to prove we have great days on the Coast........

Learning to blog

This blog has been set up in order to practice blogging for a Library learning programme. Although I read some other people's blogs I doubt if I will ever write anything profound enough for anyone to want to read mine. So, as yet, this blog has no particular purpose, but who knows what will evolve.