I found this article on the BBC news website earlier whilst surfing during my lunch break. It's all about the current "fashion" for making home made gifts Blue Peter style. Well, if Brad Pitt's kids are doing it then I guess it must be fashionable!Like all articles these days this one comes back to the Credit Crunch as a reason behind why we're all trying to save a few pennies at the moment. I do feel quite cheered though to see that there are children out there who still want to do things like this rather than just hanging around on street ... read more
Archives for December 2008
Recovering… slowly
This flu thing seems to really have knocked me for six this time round. I think I'm finally over the worst though. I seem to be feeling a bit better, but still have a deep husky voice - some one at work even referred to me as sounding like a sexy news reader earlier today!I am now way behind on all things Christmas related though. Mr C and I head up north on Monday to visit my family and as yet I haven't wrapped a single gift. The cards are at least written and posted (well at least I've sent all the cards I have, but still need to go and get more for people who in the first part ... read more
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society – Mary Ann Shaffer
I first heard of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society from Auntie Doris' blog and although I was fascinated by it at the time I have to say that I forgot about it somewhat until I saw it again in the local Waterstones when I was in there the other weekend. Now I've read it though I've been kicking myself for not getting hold of it sooner.I've always been fascinated by the German occupation of the Channel Islands and was even more fascinated after being taken to Jersey by Mr C for my birthday earlier this year. That weekend we were ... read more
The healing power of the duvet
It looks like it was slightly more than just overdoing it that made me feel under the weather last night. For the first time in years I've spent a whole day hiding under my duvet to try and feel better. I'm feeling slightly more human now, but still not great. Sadly though it means that the million and one things on my to do list still haven't been touched. Apologies if you're waiting for something from me. As soon as I can I promise to try and get back on top of things... ... read more
Oh, the weather outside if frightful…
... and a fire to cuddle up in front of would be very delightful. I think I'm in the process of being struck down by some nasty bug this evening. Shopping in the driving rain this afternoon probably hasn't helped. Nor, burning the candle at both ends this last week. Oh, well...Today's shopping trip means I've pretty much finished my Christmas shopping. Wrapping and card writing is still on the to do list though. I did manage to avoid all the charity shops today in a time saving measure. A couple of book related purchases did find their way into my shopping bag though. Firstly a ... read more
Unimagined – Imran Ahmad
It was dovegreyreader that first introduced me to Imran Ahmad and I'm so glad that she did!Last week Imran wrote most of one of her posts and as a result I had to go out and buy a copy of his book that afternoon.Unimagined: A Muslim Boy Meets the West is quite simply a story of Imran's life as a Muslim man growing up in the UK. It starts when he is aged "pre-zero" and his family were living in Pakistan. The first bit that really made me smile was the description of him being robbed of the title of the Karachi 'Bonnie Baby' due to ... read more
Winter chills
It seems that most of my posts have been book related. I have been doing other things - but they have mainly involved frantically trying to finish off what I am making as part of the seasonal exchange and hence I can't share it with you get - sorry!In between reading and making I've been watching Mr C get better (yippee) and also trying to keep warm against the biting cold that we seem to have had these last few days. I left for work before dawn this morning and the amount of frost was unbelievable. I had to give up trying to walk along the pavement as it was so slippery. The ... read more
The lure of books
I went out with such good intentions this afternoon. I needed to make a proper dent in my Christmas shopping and I headed into St Albans with just that intention. I did intend to head into the local branch of Waterstones for a few things, including a travel guide for a weekend away we've got planned in January, but it was supposed to be a trip in which I shopped for other people.Having now come home and looked at the pile of things on my desk I realise just how wrong I got it!Firstly, the Cancer Research shop is the only charity shop in the centre of town that's open on a Sunday - so I ... read more
Tis the season…
Well the weather's certainly made it feel like Winter since we came into December. It took about 10 minutes to "break" into my own car the other evening due to about a centimetre of ice that had formed on it.The Christmas party season also seems to have started and Mr C was luckily well enough last night for us to go to his work annual Christmas meal out. Slightly strange this year in that we went to a Souk restaurant in London and had belly dancers as entertainment instead of crackers and jokes!Still a more traditional mulled wine and mince pie gathering awaits us ... read more
Time waits for no man, woman, or even Mrs C
Where is time flying to at the moment? I seem to have a million and one things to do and no time left to do them. Christmas cards need to be written, some gifts need to be made or purchased, my seasonal swap needs to be completed (why is the last bit always the most time consuming?) and posted, and I daren't even think about the housework waiting to be done.With Mr C off work this week I've wanted to some home and spend quality time with him seeing as he's mainly been on his own all day feeling a bit bored. Unfortunately that means that other things don't get done. Still - ... read more