What's on my bookshelf - The Gifts of Reading

 I am struggling through Eden by Candice Fox for bookclub. It's sort of an ugly crime book. The characters are misogynistic but I find the whole book just feels crude and offensive. Maybe it's me. It's just a long, ugly read. It's set in Sydney though, so I guess that's why the library picked it. The author has won some awards and a couple are being turned into tv series. She's quite prolific, many of the titles are best sellers and published by Penguin so what would I know. Maybe just not my thing....

What I did read this month that was so truly delightful that I've ordered a copy for my mum, another for a gift and posted one to an author friend of mine in the US. (He is in this anthology and if you can get your hands on a copy it's well worth it!)

This book is a must for anyone who loves reading and books. It's a delightful collection of essays on what books authors like to give as gifts (I've also made a shopping list of books and authors to read next from it). Also discussing how to choose a book as a gift - because it reminds you of the person, or because you loved it so much and need to share it. How access to books changed a life, what reading meant to people both as a child and as an adult or mother. Even if I didn't know the author, every essay was enjoyable. The odd one out is Jan Morris, who felt she couldn't write a new piece at that stage but donated an unpublished speech on her Everest dispatch. It's a fascinating look at that point in time, and the herculean efforts newspapers used to go to for getting the news out in a timely fashion.

It raised many ideas for me - should I send books to authors as thanks for the books they've given me (so to speak - I've paid for them, but they created them)? Should I books while travelling for a taste of the country rather than buy them on the country before I leave? (I read fiction set in the country or city I'm visiting while travelling). Should I reconsider how I choose books to give - I am definitely in the Roddy Doyle camp, that I love it and that is all that matters (but in my head, I just can't understand anyone wouldn't love it - though given how unpopular my bookclub picks are, I should definitely reassess that!)

I adored this little gem and can't recommend it enough. And it is a charitable tome so you doubly give with it, raising funds for Room to Read.

What's on your bookshelf this month?

Linking with  #Bookdate  #StackingtheShelves

“There’s a rainbow in the sky, all the time, don’t be blind.” — Ziggy Marley

Been a while since I did one of these (June) but I figure it's about time...

GRATITUDE: I am working on this with my #OneSmallThing linky. It's a way to try and shift my mindset, as discussed here. I'm not sure if it's working but I am enjoying the process. So I am grateful I got my friend that journal and sneaked a peak at it before sending it off.

LOVE: My daughter found a 20 cent coin which is one of those weird coins that is worth more than it's currency value. It's worth $11. So I am off on an adventure to mix with a sub culture (she is very disappointed I won't just list it on ebay). There is a big coin fair in October, or I might go to a deal in town (but I suspect it's not rare enough for those with a shop front to want it). The prospect of this filled me with such a charge of excitement. I love visiting these strange lands of subcultures, discovering there's a whole world you didn't know existed. A friend said "You know you aren't going to meet pirates" when I was enthusiastically telling her the story and may've said I felt like I'd discovered a doubloon. Party Pooper. This sounds like something for the Torschluspanik list....

HEALTH: I am tired and irritable (or maybe less resilient?). I have to see a plastic surgeon to get a thing cut out of my head, so I'll get to spend a lot of money to look worse. Yay.

CONNECTION: I went out with a friend I don't do much one on one with, I usually see her in a big group. It was nice to hear a lot more of what she had to say. Good reminder that sometimes we need to give more space to hear the stories. My reminder that  I need to organise more one on one's with people, not just always amass a crew for fun....

APPRECIATION: Two more restaurants we love are closing. I had learnt my lesson and just booked farewell dinners and THEN found the people to go with, rather than wait a day and miss out completely as we did for Stanbulli and others. For those that don't know, Pazar and LP Quality Meats are going. Get in quick. And a warning to all, use it or lose it. Get out and support your beloved bars and restaurants because the post COVID world is really tough on them.

CARE: Trying to increase my exercise as my creaky old body seems to be getting less flexible by the day. Managed to get in stretching and dance class as well as walking this week...now to keep up the momentum.

The drink is from Blossom Bar in Spice Alley - it comes with lights and music, and was hilarious.

The other photos are just rainbows (or colours of the rainbow) and reflections around town...

Linking with #TforTuesday

Cloudbursting

I wasn't a huge Kate Bush fan, and I don't watch Stranger Things so when people started talking about Running Up That Hill, I'd start banging on about how I loved the film clip and it always made me cry and how I couldn't see Donald Sutherland without thinking about it. Then after much confusion I realised I meant Cloudbursting, which was on the same album.

This week I'm looking at strange light in clouds. In the top picture there's a shine on the fringe of the cloud. And the last photo is the moon through settled rain (or condensation) on the skylight.

Not sure if it's seasonal, but Kate Bush is definitely back in season. Hehehe. It's short and sweet this week.

Linking with #SkyWatch and #ZiegeUnDeininHimmel

Happiness from unexpected moments

I had yet another plan collapse when my lunch with friends at the MCA clashed with a tradie's visit. At about 11am I got the message that he would now arrive 2 hours later so I texted my friends that I would tear in, look at the art but have to skip lunch. Of course, when I jumped out of my car in the Rocks, there was a text saying that they'd cancelled altogether. 

As I was in town, I went to Ultra Unreal anyway. I really enjoyed it (but you do need to allow more time to watch all the videos).

One of the works includes the actual Thai TV news footage of the cave rescue. It was mesmerising and elating. With the words along the lines of 'it's surprising what can be achieved if you believe' the images flash past woven into the artwork, but from a very Thai perspective, which was good to finally see. In both movies you don't get any idea of the true darkness in the cave, nor the distance they had to cover with those hoses. The anguish of the parents yelling to their children and the sad loss of life of Saman Gunan. It is worth noting that Petty Officer Beirut Pakbara also died after a year long blood infection he contracted during the rescue).

By coincidence, we had watched Thirteen Lives last week so it was all very fresh. It was great to see the real footage and really understand what a miracle it was, and how amazing humans can be. 13 Lives lacks a lot of what The Rescue has. If you only watch one of them, watch The Rescue (on Disney). If you intend to watch both, watch The Rescue first. I saw The Rescue at the cinema and assumed it would be a snoozefest but came back so elated from it that I posted this recommendation to friends.

So while I was disappointed to miss my friends, I was revitalised with the art, and even more so by the real life images to remind me of just what is possible.

And that is the #OneSmallThing that made me very happy this week.

What about you? What's made you happy or what are you grateful for?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Linking with #YourMoment #WWOT #TheRandom #TrafficJamWeekend #WordlessWednesday #KeithsRamblings#PicturePerfectLinky #WonderfulWednesday and #AwwMonday because when I walked in and saw the kids toys, before I knew what they were, it made me go 'awww'

“When I used to read fairy tales, I fancied that kind of thing never happened, and now here I am in the middle of one!” (Alice in Wonderland)

The Grounds has transformed into Wonderland! If you haven't been, there's only a few weeks left until it's gone (31st August). I had planned to go back and see it all lit up at night but that has yet to happen and I have a pretty full dance card the next few weeks. So fingers crossed I somehow swing it.

“I suppose I ought to eat or drink something or other; but the great question is ‘What?’”

You can potter about and grab takeaway or book a table for lunch or dinner (or a Mad Hatter High Tea) - there's plenty of options.

 

Whatever you do, don't forget the most important lesson from Alice in Wonderland....

“I do wish I hadn’t drunk quite so much!” 

Linking with #WordlessWednesday #PicturePerfectLinky #AwwMondays #MCoW #WednesdayAroundtheWorld #WWOAT #WWOT #SundayBest #WeekendCoffeeShare (because if we were having coffee, I'd be telling you to go before it disappears!) #BlueMonday and #RubyTuesdayToo #SharonsSouvenirs #TravelTuesday and #FridayBliss

Winter Skies

 As we hit our last month of winter, the skies are getting a little lighter for longer. Just ever so slightly. I was picking up something in the city and leaving at quarter past five when the hues of sunset started to streak across the sky. Because I was late I couldn't run down to the water and make the most of it.

The morning view is always worth checking out at the moment.

My morning walks are brighter now before I hit the water front, but still lovely and make me feel lucky to be able to walk to a water front.

It really is the most wonderful way to start my week!

Linking with #WeekendReflection (there's a few but I like the pelican one as it looks like two heads on one body...) #DND #SkyWatch #NaturesNotes
 #HeidisHeavenlyGaze