Cooee I'm Back

Sorry about that now where was ? Gosh was it over 4 months ago, so many many brain cells have flowed away under the bridge since then. Alas up until a week ago not many books had been read as my revision rather got in the way. I think it is the first time that I have suceeded in not being distracted by a book whilst revising (most notably during A levels and finals I decided that I absolutely had to read Lord of the Rings - 18 hours is my record - might explain my less than impressive degree result!) However, reading is back on the agenda and the subject (as mentioned earlier) is "The Clergy in Literature". So far I have had a first read through of Agnes Grey (Anne Bronte - visit stuck-in-a-book for comments); Muriel Spark's "The Abbess of Crewe; Alan Bennetts "Bed among the Lentils" and I am currently reading excerpts from the diary of Francis Kilvert (1870-1879). I shall comment on these books as we do them in class over the next two terms. They are bound to result in some very lively discussions as it has been on our topic list (which gets ever longer) for about 7 years. Classes start next Tuesday so it will be good to having something to write about. Can't guarantee that I will write every day but I may get a chance to read some other books too - alas Moby Dick is still waiting patiently in the bedside cabinet.

Best Laid Plans

Have you ever had the feeling that someone was trying to tell you something? After much delberation I decided that I would throw a surprise party for my husband for his 50th birthday in July. He has a penchant for curry and Karaoke so I thought that would be a good theme so I started to do some preliminary preparations - a) made sure his carbon copy and best friends would be available on the said day, all were but none seemed to share my husbands enthusiasm for karaoke and resolved that they absolutely would not sing. b) rang to book the karaoke man and was told by his wife that he wasn't doing it any more and was sticking to discos. c) rang to book village hall - it wasn't available. I then decided to apply the maxim "if at first you don't suceed....give up". So I have, I hate trying to keep secrets any way so I have owned up to my plan and we have decided to organise something else.

Yesterday wasn't all disaster. It was summer reading group day. We assembled and discussed our chosen books from the previous session. As usual there was much lively discussion and some splendidly polarised views were produced both by Ian Mcewan's "Enduring Love" and Suskind's "Perfume". I have picked up Margaret Forster's "Over" to read for next time. I must remember to take some notes next time as there was another book discussed, which I thought was called "The Last English Gentleman", the biography of J.L. Carr but I can't find it on Amazon so I will have to get hold of it next time.

The summer reading group is formed from a group of people who were originally studying literature through an outreach programme run by Birmingham University that enabled us to accumulate credits for a foundation degree. However, BU decided to change all the rules and after a couple of years of being messed about we declared UDI and our tutor has continued to expand our minds with diverse choices of literature. We do two terms (winter and spring) of formal study and then during the summer term we get together as an informal reading group, swapping books and opinions. Our formal study topic for the coming academic year is to be "The Clergy and Literature" a subject that has been on our list of topics for some time. Our reading lists is:
Alan Bennett's "Talking Heads: Bed among the Lentils".
Eliot's "Murder in the Cathedral".
Gosse's "Father and Son"
Spark's "The Abbess of Crewe"
Bronte's "Agnes Grey"
Jenkins' "The Awakening of George Durroch"
Keneally's "The Office of Innocence".
Kilvert's Diary
Guareshi's "The Little World of Don Cammilo"
Wodehouse's "The Great Sermon Handicap"

as well as a selection of gothic tales and poetry. So you can see what I shall be doing over most of the summer in between doing revision for exams in September. I am collecting reference's to clergy in all the other books I read - and if anyone out there has favourite bits about clergy, characters or books written by clergy I would love to hear about them. It would be nice for once to embark upon a season of study without being completely ignorant of the subject in hand. I have already started my collection as Moby Dick has an early chapter dedicated to the description of Father Mapple.

I also spent a huge amount of time yesterday on what is usually my winter project - family history research. But owing to the use of the internet and Genes Reunited occaisionally a contact from a long lost relative appears out of the blue. And yesterday two distant relatives made contact. This resulted in much checking of facts, scanning of photographs and documents and emails back and forth. The result of which is the addition of a few more pieces of the jigsaw and getting to know some new people with common interests.

So whilst it was a frustrating start, all in all not a bad day; but it certainly didn't go to plan - the ironing mountain is still there and growing ever taller. Maybe by the end of today it will be under control? Must get back to The Law of Trepass with particular reference to the rights associated with airspace. SiaB is it any wonder that I am enjoying Moby Dick as a displacement activity?!

Call me Ishmael

It was party weekend and despite the weather doing it's best to hamper our friends preparations everything was ready for the big event on Saturday evening. The weather brightened up and we even had a little sunshine for the early evening arrivals. It was a splendid evening probably most notable for the fact that all our various offspring aged between 14 and 20 had a fab night together and boogied to the small hours. They are all such good dancers - no idea where they get that from because universally their parents (particularly father's) seem to steer well clear of such physical activity. The evening was topped off by a spendid firework display from Mr Pyrotechnic (aka my husband) and his carbon copy. Unfortunately I couldn't get to grips with the special firework setting on the new camera, as a consequence I have a lot of black picture, so no stunning bursting firework picture to decorate to days entry. We will make do with a picture of my friend's lovely flower displays that decorated the marquee.

So onto Call me Ishmael. Stuck-in-a-book may be suprised to hear that I have started to read Moby Dick. It is a scruffy copy that I picked up from a book stall at the Great Comberton Flower Festival last year. If I remember rightly SiaB did read it but found it rather a chore. I am about three chapters in and have found that if i get the voice right in my head I can quite enjoy it. It rambles rather but if I read it in a light voice it reminds me of some of those all night conversations that I remeber having as a student that run a bit like a game of Word Association Football or even a research episode on Wikipedia. So I have high hopes that I might get through it at a reasonable pace; especially as tonight Mr Pyrotechnic is away so it could be a late night reading session.

Tomorrow there is a get together of the summer reading group so I shall pick up a new book to read there to.

Now it is time to get back to reading about the Occupier's Liability Act 1984, frankly it doesn't make any difference what voice I chose to read this in, it is still a chore and has to be liberally interspersed with other activities (like blogging) otherwise lethargy sets in and my head sinks to the desk and I get transported to other realms where an occupiers liability to an uninvited visitor is of no consequence whatsoever.

New Bed, New day

I started the day having a play with my new camera and experimented with the close-up setting. Despite the breeze and dull skies I was very pleased with the results. Close-up flowers are great for birthday cards.

Then the new bed, a futon arrived; so I spent a happy morning following instructions and we now have a complete new bed that finishes off the recently re-fitted bedroom. We already had a new bed......but that's another story. Now I am looking forward to a good nights sleep; hopefully without too much brick counting.

I have also finished reading "Healing with Meditation" a book that has been on my shelf for around 10 years that I occaisonally dip into when I am struggling to maintain my focus on the important jobs at hand (the essay, the photo album etc.). And yes I did do some of the background reading yesterday and today I have settled down and done some more of the photo album. Tomorrow will be dedicated to getting all the photos in even if I don't finish all the embellishments and journalling.

I don't seem to have read much for several months - again down to my inability to focus, but this is passing and I have read two other books this week. "Never Let me Go" by Ishiguro I found particularly compelling; though I felt somehow unsatisfied at the end. The subject matter is challenging - questioning what it means to be human - but in a way that makes you want the central characters to be more human, even though they are - kind of! I think that comment would make sense if you have read it. The other was Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki, a great account. When I looked him up to find out more I was disappointed to find out that in recent years much of his diffusionist theory has been discredited by more scientific anthropologists. Though from a science persuasion myself I continue to be irritated by the attitude of so called scientific experts.

I took time out to watch the live broadcast of Mr Blair telling us when he will bow out gracefully. I thought it was a good speech but then they so often are but I do struggle not to jaded and cynical when I see any politician being sincere! Still there could be some interesting times ahead.

Now my new bed and bricks are calling me.

New Blogger In Town

Well, I have decided to enter the wonderful world of blogging. Another thing that I can add to my long list of displacement activities to call on in times of need. I have been inspired by watching "Diary of a Nobody" currently showing as part of BBC4 Edwardian season.The choice of blogger name will become apparent when you read my profile, assuming that I can work out how to do that. Well I have worked out how to do that but completely failed to transfer the attached picture into the profile; and I thought I was so good at following instructions.

I mentioned displacement activities; currently I am supposed to be doing the background reading for a law assignment that is due in on 26 May. I could also be completing the photo album for a friend ready for the big party on Saturday. Then there is a pile of paperwork sitting on a table behind me that is no doubt harbouring some bill or form that should have been dealt with weeks ago. Of course all these things could be displacement activities for other more important things which owing to my advancing years have completely slipped my mind. Such is the nature of displacement activities. I would be interested to hear what your favourite DA is; and I know that there are lots of you out there who are frantically preparing for exams of all kinds so I am sure you are all being very creative with the ways that you shouldn't be spending your time. My son when approaching his GCSE's decided that it was time to tidy up all the cables at the back of his TV - the rest of his room was like a midden - but the back of the TV was a masterpiece.

So I have learnt my one new thing today, I don't really need to go and learn about the Tort of Negligence, that can be tomorrow's new thing or maybe Friday's. I think I will go and attend to the dishwasher and have some lunch, then perhaps hang a few pictures................