Reading 2017

This year I am aiming to read one book a month, so about 12 books over the course of the year. What counts as a "book"? This year I am aiming for physical publications of at least 200 pages long, preferably by an author who is not male, white, or from an English speaking country. My aim is to broaden the voices I read, the stories I expose myself to, without aiming for heavy or political or female only books.

So this year there'll be no Torday, le Carre, Powers, and Pratchett - and instead I'll be reading some Angelou, Chang, Achebe, Smith, and Bitto. I will make two exceptions; one for Clancy of the Undertow by Christopher Currie as I've been wanting to read it since it came out; and another one for Cry, the Beloved Country by Paton - given the nature of the book, it has a place on my 2017 reading list (and my brother recommended it and he only recommends good things).

As far as my first book (January) went, I managed 1/3 for Pierre Magnan's Death in the Truffle Wood... It was originally written in French, and, for what it's worth, the translation is fluid and fluent and captures what I imagine truffle farmers and their small village in Provence might be like - well, truffle farmers who happen to live in a village where multiple murders have taken place.

Death in the Truffle Wood (DTW) involves murders, unlikeable characters, infidelity, suspense, a very likeable pig, lost souls, and a very likeable police investigator who is very good at what he does. I don't know how much to say about it, without giving too much away... Magnan has created a small village as the scene for not one but multiple murders, uncovered while a high up police investigator is visiting on a seemingly unrelated task. DTW is easy to read and changes location and actors enough to keep the reader flipping back and forth trying to connect the dots before the police investigator does (good luck!). What I really liked about it was that no character, save the pig, really dominates the narrative and the few who Magnan focuses on to tell it, do so without overwhelming the book.

For fans of Midsummer Murders, this is a bit like the TV show, only as a book and set in France. I found it entertaining, almost lighthearted, engrossing and definitely light reading. Thanks to DTW, I can now solidify the realisation that my enjoyment of crime TV should be mixed with my love of reading and I will seek out similar books - there might be some Agatha Christie around here later in the year... But it wasn't the first book that caught my eye this year, The Taxidermist's Daughter by Kate Mosse was - both books were on display on the "new fiction" stand at the library (neither are really new by any means, except perhaps to the library itself), and while the Taxidermist's Daughter caught my eye because my brother is dating a taxidermist (I know!), both books were definitely worth taking home.

But I read DTW first, then The Taxidermist's Daughter, making it my February book. Meeting my criteria (because Mosse is white and English, February only gets 1/3 of my criteria) is going to need some active book searching and requesting books from the library. That said, I'm glad I picked up The Taxidermist's Daughter because it was thoroughly enjoyable, if somewhat macabre and gruesome.

Set in Sussex in 1912, the story centres around Connie Gifford, the daughter of a once celebrated taxidermist turned drunk, and while he might be the person people ask to prepare specimens it is his daughter who does the actual taxidermy. As taxidermy was not considered a 'woman's' profession they had to keep this detail of their lives secret, which is made easy as they live outside of the village and almost on the sea marshes. Much of Connie's past is secret to her, as she lost her memory after falling down a flight of stairs 10 years before the story begins. The story starts as their lives start to unravel after a mysterious midnight graveyard visit, then the body of woman is found in the reeds near the house and Connie's concern for the woman and why she was murdered is matched by her concern for her father, who has not left his room since visiting the graveyard. As Connie tries to get to the bottom of these two issues, prominent men are disappearing, household items have been misplaced, secrets from Connie's past are surfacing, a spring storm is brewing, and WW1 is two years away - what sorrows there are in the book are unmatched by the sorrows to come.

Mosse's use of the creative licence, names, and formal terminology make this book a thing of beauty, even if the subject matter is a little hard to stomach at times. I really enjoyed it and had trouble putting it down. What the book lacks in meeting my criteria for 2017, it makes up for in a strong and caring female lead, a woman seeking vengeance in a time when the wrongs done to her would have been shrugged off or outright dismissed, and a reminder that women's rights and voices have come a long way in 100 years, even if there is still so much more to do.

Mosse is now firmly on my radar of authors to read more of, but Labyrinth will have to wait for next year, because I'm only averaging 1/3 of my criteria for 2017's reading list - although I've just started On Beauty, which meets 2/3 criteria.

Happy reading!

What Jimmy is reading: January

We've been heading to the local library recently, in an effort to get out of the house and find some new books, and possibly attend the Thursday morning children's thing. An added bonus is that the library is air conditioned, which is a lifesaver on really hot days – which have been a little too frequent lately (hello summer…).

It’s not that we don’t have a lot of books in the house to have a varied rotation, but it’s nice to read new books and find new favourites. First up is The Wrong Thing by Isobelle Carmody and illustrated by Declan Lee.

This sweet tale of a cat following an intruder around his home is so beautifully illustrated that half the telling is in the artwork. Hurricane, the cat, investigates, watches, and after a little reflection he comes to a thoughtful conclusion about the Wrong Thing that results in a happy ending for all. It's magic and Jimmy was captivated, both at bedtime and during the day. Each time we read it, he would point out something in the illustrations he hadn't noticed before. Carmody and Lee have created a work of art and I will be looking for it again.

This book is just lovely. The River by Hanako Clulow might be focused on a northern hemisphere location but it is so beautiful, a charmingly told story accompanied by captivating illustrations. It takes in the some amazing landscape and changes in scenery from icy rivers to a sunny beach. Not only does it provide a good sample of North American flora and fauna but it is also an introduction in the biology of salmon. I've always been drawn to story books with lovely illustrations and this one is no exception.

Wendy Binks' Where's Stripey? is a wonderful introduction to emus and their behaviour, and Australian animals in general. When Stripey goes missing, his dad, Crickey, goes searching for him – after making sure that Stripeys brothers and sisters have babysitters. This book provides a sound introduction into Australian animals and some Australian lingo, while having a fun at the same time. Binks' illustrations are lively and perfect for young children and the story is fun to read over and over. We've borrowed this one a few times in the last 6 months and it's a firm favourite.

We're always on the lookout for new(er) books, so please leave any suggestions in the comments!

Other books we've enjoyed in the past:

This book!
This book!
What Jimmy is reading...
17/52 – oh those cheeks!

Reading: Winnie-the Pooh...

When given the opportunity to purchase some books, thanks to a generous Grandma for the gift voucher and willing Granny & Pop for storing them until we returned to Australia, I bought Jimmy a copy of The Complete Winnie-the Pooh, which is two books in one: Winnie-the Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner. My parents have both these books, but the 1950-something editions are very well loved and I would hate to damage them, so a new edition it was.

And I have loved reading it to Jimmy! His first introduction to Winnie-the Pooh, Christopher Robin, and the others, was through an old Disney movie, which made the book approachable. He seemed to grasp the idea of chapters, although there was a lot of reading to him as he fell asleep, and was able to engage with the characters. I'm not sure if my parents read Winnie-the Pooh to me and my siblings, but the cartoon was a favourite of Asha's. It's a classic.

But do not read the last chapter of the House at Pooh Corner. DO NOT. At least, not until your child is 5 or 6 years old and understands concepts like Knights, and Kings, and Brazil. It confused Jimmy and he wanted me to stop reading the final pages, but I persisted. I had to. I was going to cry anyway, so why not finish it?

When I think of Winnie the Pooh, I think of the lovable, silly old bear, who makes up funny songs and is best friends with the timid Piglet. Pooh Bear has other friends, old and newer, and they all adore Christopher Robin. There is a naivety and simplicity and beauty to the story.

That is, until Christopher Robin starts growing up and stop "doing nothing" and all his companions, save Pooh, drift away into the Forest, after they deliver a heartbreaking note.

It's not about death, but it is because it's about an end, or the beginning of an end: the beginning of the end of a child's softness. I'm all for looking out into the world, but the gentleness of Winnie the Pooh is needed out there - perhaps that is why, of all Christopher's childhood companions, he takes the silly old bear.

After finishing the book, I cried. Jimmy didn't quite understand that why I was crying over Knights and Kings and Factors and "looking out into the world" or the Enchanted Place. But I couldn't help myself.

And while I was still recovering, I tucked my little boy in his not-so-little bed while my old bear. We disagree on the bear's name, but that's ok because that soft bear is now Jimmy's. Like Christopher Robin, I took my bear with me beyond early childhood, and as Christopher Robin promises Pooh, I will still remember my old bear when I'm 100, should I be lucky enough to reach that age. I hope Jimmy takes his "new" old bear with him as he makes the journey from the softness of early childhood and into the less soft early school years. And I hope that the softness of Winnie the Pooh, and all his friends, can continue to provide a little softness into the world.

The Colour of Magic

We have some time right now to watch a movie. So we're watching Terry Pratchett's The Colour of Magic,a personal favourite of mine (hence the possibility of naming a turtle A'Tuin). It's one of the rare Pratchett-to-video translations that I think actually improves upon the book(s). 

So much of what makes Pratchett's work so powerful is how cleverly he weaves analogies with the real world so seamlessly throughout his universe. The Unseen University is one example which really resonates in how powerful peoples ambition can be, though for narrative imperative I think the hostility seen in wizards like Trymon is played up more than real-life academics. 

I'm sure it's no mistake that Rincewind is a terribly sympathetic character, but I can't help but feel entirely in sync with him in most of the Rincewind stories. I'm not sure what it is. Rincewind is a resounding failure as a wizard (after 40 years he hasn't passed the first level) and really not the adventurous type, but nevertheless has an unfortunate knack for being thrust uncomfortably into various adventures (he is described as usually seen running away from one thing or another). 

Lady Luck features in the books, not so much in the movie, but it's implied She favours Rincewind for some reason - the logic to support this is that he always narrowly escapes from each adventure, though I can't help but feel there's a deliberate omission of logic in this kind of thinking. 

I'm reminded of a video of a Saudi man being almost bifurcated by a pane of glass a few weeks back, but there are numerous examples from everyday experience that most people can draw upon, like "lucky" escapes from car accidents etc. I always consider that it would be luckier to never have been in the position to be almost killed in the first place. 

Anyway, Rincewind is a kind of failure, but survives. I think that's why I like him, sympathise with him. While his companion Twoflower sees everything through a kind of rose-coloured lens, Rincewind sees reality for all its gritty meanness and rust. David Jason, who plays Rincewind, does a fantastic job portraying the desperate, strung-out anxiety of a struggling wizard whose fate has pushed him along paths he never chose, and who most of the time doubts any of it means anything of any good. 

Despite Rincewind's flailing, panicked approach to life, he always maintains a dignified kind of awareness of his surroundings, and of the workings of the world. People like Twoflower appreciate him for this, as his knowledge is a useful thing to have around. 

A really good read: Euphoria

Oh my goodness! This book broke my heart over the weekend... I've probably said too much already, so without spoiling the end anymore than I might have already, I want to tell you about Euphoria by Lily King.

The first I heard about this book was here, followed by here. As I like how these women write, I figured it was worth getting my hands on a copy, and after a short wait I was able to borrow it from the library.

It was well worth the wait.

Oh my goodness! It sucked me in: I could feel the tropics, smell the cooking fires, taste the breadfruit and yams, and see the lake where most of the book takes place. Euphoria is electric, vibrant, gripping, tantalising, and beautifully written. It made for excellent reading while resting an ouchie knee.

King has taken the story of groundbreaking anthropologist Margaret Mead and created a piece of fiction that is engaging and quick to read. I keep wanting to use the word "elegant" to describe it but there is too much sweat and grime and passion in the pages. I could gush and gush about it, but then I remember King's efficiency with words, so here's a little from the dust cover:

[...] King's new novel is the story of three young, gifted anthropologists in the 1930s caught in a passionate love triangle that threatens their bonds, their careers, and ultimately their lives.

If you're over winter, if it is winter where you are, this book is set in the Territory of New Guinea, which is now part of Papua New Guinea. There is sweat, humidity, and mosquitoes in the pages.

My own time in the tropics, my year in Samoa, is probably the main reasons this book struck such a strong chord with me. Every time Lake Tam was mentioned or visited, I saw Lake Lanoto'o, even though it has no beach. I remembered the heaviness of the air. I remembered how dry the dry season can actually be. Whenever the rivers were mentioned or travelled on, I thought of scenes from the African Queen.

Like Lake Lanoto'o, Euphoria is now etched into my mind. It has provided an interesting and unexpected link between the year Michael and I lived in Samoa and our time here in Manhattan. Getting to Lake Lanoto'o is not easy, and it was not easy to put Euphoria down. It sucked me in and broke my heart. It was a very good read.

Over the weekend we...

Had a little birthday party for Jimmy. And didn't take a single photo. Except a photo of the cake (and yes, it's the same recipe that I made for his birthday breakfast).

Just like last year.

And just like last year, it happened sorta-kinda by accident, but it is also easier to host and get lost in the moment when I'm not trying to get a photo of a fast moving boy. (I'm also really bad at asking my friends if I can use photos of their children here.)

It was a lovely gathering and it was really good to keep the numbers low - Jimmy, like so many small children, can be overwhelmed by crowds and lots of noise even in his own home. The two small children who were able to make it seemed to have a great time and left tired but happy, even if one of them wasn't that interested in going home. Jimmy slept well once the guests were all gone, and he was happy to see his friends today, so I think he enjoyed his birthday party.

One of the things about having guests over for special events like birthday parties is that it's nice to have a clean house for everyone. Yes, I'm not a huge fan of cleaning and sorting, but there is something about clean surfaces and organised books. It won't last long. The mess is already returning.

On Sunday we found some uninvited guests on our sage... Three little, green caterpillars had been happily munching away on some of the leaves. And of course I didn't take any photos. Story of the weekend? The wee beasties are gone now, so are the damaged leaves, but the sage might still need a little attention. Ah well...

Michael and I stayed up late on Sunday night, reading our books. And then there was a storm, just as I was crawling into bed. Let's just say today required lots of coffee and a nap. At least it was cool enough to have the windows open.

This book!

Oh man, this book... Jimmy and I were at the library, and I had a small collection of books for him, one for me, and a few DVDs, and as we were leaving the children's section I saw this lovely book on a shelf, standing there, just asking to be borrowed, on display because it was new to the library.

Well, with a dust cover as pretty as this I couldn't leave it on the shelf. So I didn't.

At first I thought Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt was going to be a little beyond Jimmy, given that it is not rhyme-y or sing-songy like his all-time favourite books, but I was oh so totally wrong - he loves it, and so do I.

The illustrations are beautiful and playful, the content informative, and for Jimmy it is a good introduction in the notion of gardening, it helps him make sense of the changing seasons (not that it has confused him, but any little bit about changing seasons helps), and it has planted a seed in his mind, so that when we visit Granny and Pop or Grandma he has an understanding of what a veggie garden is - which is the main reason why I picked it up off the shelf, it wasn't just the lovely dust cover.

The content is north American centric, but, for now, that is appropriate. When we are back in Australia, it will be worth finding ourselves a copy because the illustrations really are beautiful.

And most importantly, there are insects on almost every page, making Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt a nice follow on from this book.

This book!

Seriously, this book is the best "bug" themed childrens' book I've come across in the last two years. Not only are the illustrations gorgeous, but the book is actually informative, and a little humorous at times. After checking the first few entries, The Icky Bug Alphabet Board Book made the cut and came home with us from the library.

And then we started reading it. Well, first time through, Jimmy wasn't impressed, so I stopped somewhere before F. It is on the wordy side for a board book, especially as it doesn't rely on rhymes to keep the audience's attention. Michael had better luck that evening, and discovered some of the funnier entries.

A few days later I was checking the copyright information, and found this:

Although the general public considers every creature in this book a bug, in fact only the Yellow Plant Bug and the Cotton Stainer are true bugs. The Velvet Mite and the Scorpion are arachnids. The Orb Weaver, Water Spider, and Tarantula are spiders, a specific type of arachnid. The rest, including the true bugs, are insects.

This insect ecologist is incredibly happy with this book, and this book is now on the "to buy" list of things for our home, when we are done moving around and have funds. We may not get the board book edition, but The Icky Bug Alphabet Board Book is an excellent find and will always be welcome in our home.

What Jimmy is reading...

Jimmy loves books. Really, really loves books. He has a nice little collection of books, but sometimes something new needs to be added. And sometimes we can't afford to buy the new additions, because of funds and because of luggage allowance (we are coming back to Australia at some stage, even if it feels forever away, and can't bring back everything), so we make use of the library...

While shopping for a birthday present for someone else, we came across Alex Schertle's Little Blue Truck, a tale about a friendly little truck, who helps out a big dump truck, only to need a little help himself (herself?) from his/her animal friends. We were attracted by the Jill McElmurry's beautiful illustrations, but moral of the story sealed the deal (we bought the book from Claflin Books, and were able to read the whole story before buying it). Not only is it a lovely book, it's also a great introduction into animal noises, and it started a sound and word explosion to occur in Jimmy. We bought the book in December, and recently Jimmy has been making almost all of the animal noises, along with Little Blue's beep's, the honk's and roooooooom of the Dump Truck. It's a few kinds of cute and awesome.

A not-so-recent trip to the library yielded two very good finds: Room on the Broom; and Walter the Baker. I didn't think about it at the time, but what drew me to both books was the illustrations (again!). It turns out that Room on the Broom is written and illustrated by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, the pair who put together The Gruffalo, a favourite of Jimmy's that we brought with us. Room on the Broom is just as rhyme-y and fun and brains vs brawn as The Gruffalo, and tells the story of a generous, if somewhat careless, witch who says "Yes!" to a few too many requests by animals to ride on her broom. It almost ends in tears, but the animals come to her aid and save the day. We read it a lot and really, Michael and I didn't mind (too much). Oh and it turns out that the book has its own website and short movie!

Walter the Baker, by Eric Carl, is illustrated in true Carl fashion, and tells the story of a baker who is an excellent baker, held in high favour by the duke and duchess, until one morning when their usual order is messed up (due to the cat spilling the milk used in the bread). Walter must complete the dukes request or be banished from the whole duchy. It all ends happily, and while a little wordy for Jimmy, he still enjoys it - perhaps because he sees me making bread and so understands that I am a little like Walter the Baker. Or Jimmy just likes the pictures, and that's ok too, because they are nice pictures.

Hairy Maclary Scattercat arrived with Granny and Pop, way back in August last year, but it's still on high rotation. I don't know if it's the illustrations (which are lovely), or the story of the naughty Hairy Maclary as he chases the neighbourhood cats and the rhyming and sing-song style of Lynley Dodd, but Jimmy really enjoys Scattercat, and can now point to Hairy Maclary on each page, as he gets ready to disturb the unsuspecting cats. Hairy Maclary gets what's coming to him when he comes across Scarface Claw, and Jimmy recites the last lines that see Hairy Maclary seeking a safe place from the toughest tom in town.

The library books have since been returned and replaced with new ones, and we don't have to decide whether or not to bring back the other two (not to mention all the others we own...). There's still time to decide. And there's still time to find new favourites at the library.

Distractions...

It's not what you think! I've been a little distracted by knitting a vest for Michael and reading William Powers' Twelve by Twelve... I'm excited to be knitting the front of this vest - the cables look like DNA... And Twelve by Twelve is speaking to me on a few levels and making me think about how I'd like us to live. More on both sometime soonish.

Plus we've been entertaining guests for the past 3 weeks or more and have a few more wonderful days of entertaining to go. We've also been doing some sightseeing and road tripping and visiting family. Actually, it's all rather fun and busy.

And with all the goings on and entertaining and planning and prep and traveling, it's been hard to set time aside for blogging. Actually, it was hard to do anything online, and I kept it to emails and fleeting glances at Facebook. Having time away from my computer (and the internet) was nice, but it's almost time to make up for my absence.

Stay tuned for photos and details of our entertaining and adventures :)

On the needles: Striped Boatneck Sweater

I managed to finish this jumper for Jimmy, in time for his birthday!! It was fresh off the knitting needles 1 week before the big day, giving me a week to sew all the seams. Sewing seams is really satisfying. All it needs is to be blocked lightly and then we just have to wait until the seasons change, so that it's actually cool enough for Jimmy to wear it.

I'm really proud of how it's come out. The pattern is from a lovely book titled What To Knit When You're Expecting. I bought it in my 3rd trimester, which was a slight oversight on my part. Ah well... I cast-on the sleeping bag while in hospital but Jimmy grew very quickly, quicker than I could knit, so it's still unfinished...

Because of this, I was really worried that if I followed the pattern for the Striped Boatneck Sweater, it would be too small for Jimmy when it was needed, so I added a 2 stitches to every piece that was knitted. I had bought the yarn used in the book, it's lovely and light but it should be lovely and warm too, but I knit tightly so I had to check my gauge to see if I needed to go up 1 or 2 needle size. After checking my gauge, I went up 1 needle size, because the knitted swatch was too open, and then used instructions for the largest size. I figured that by going up 1 needle size and adding the extra stitches the sweater would be a little too large for a mid year winter but about the right size by New Years.

We were starting to pack up when I started the body of the sweater, and I finished the second body piece before leaving Australia. Once we were moved into our apartment I started on the sleeves and decided to knit both at the same time... It was slow going and some nights I didn't have the headspace for 4 balls of wool but it was worth it.

When it came to attaching the sleeves I couldn't use the measurements from the pattern, so I gently stretched out the sewn sleeves, measured the large opening, and pinned and sewed the side seams. Then I attached the sleeves. This seems to have worked and the sleeves sit well in the body.

While we're yet to see the sweater on Jimmy, it is nice and long, and roomy too. He's going to look so dapper!

A big day out...

Last week we decided to head to the part of town known as Aggieville. This is where the bars and a lot of restaurants are. We went in search of gelati, without an address, just the knowledge that it was there. We also had a mission: a friend had recommended that we go to Arby's because he liked the food and thought we might like it too.

Friday night the plan was to have a quick breakfast and head out before the day heated up. The best laid plans of mice and men... Fortunately the weather had been fairly mild, so when 10 am came around and we were still at home I wasn't too worried. Our route took us for a nice ~4 km (~2.5 mile) walk and after a little walking around, we made for Arby's. Hey! I'd just walked 4 km or more, in the sun, wearing a ~9 kg baby, and let's not forget the breastfeeding while walking.

Michael is getting good at taking group photos.

Michael's food photography isn't bad either.

Hmmmm curly fries... That was a win: the food was good; the unsweetened iced tea was spot on; the toilet was clean, but lacked a change table (good thing Jimmy was still dry). While it's a long way for us to go for a meal when we don't have a car, we'll be happy to head to an Arby's when the opportunity presents itself. On to the next thing!

We walked around for a bit and went into the bike shop, Big Poppi Bicycle Co., where we found the hipsters of Manhattan... No really, the staff are all hipsters. It's also a local business, so is well worthy of support. They had a nice range of bicycles, but nothing we were really interested in, or that was within our price range (we have bicycles back in Australia, and as we're only here for a year we basically only need beater bikes*). They did have one of these for sale... we're pretty excited about the prospect of getting around with Jimmy in a bicycle trailer, but there's not much point getting one if we don't have a bicycle. So, we kept going. On to the Dusty Bookshelf!

This was both relaxing and torture... All those books... So little time to browse... So little time to read... They have a children's section and with toys on the floor I let Jimmy loose. He had been in the Manduca for a good while and his patience needed rewarding.

Jimmy was more interested in throwing the books around... Don't worry, I didn't let him damage any, and while I was looking after the books I found one book for Jimmy - an abridged, board book edition Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. I'll admit that it's an odd reduction, with some (important) details missed and others (not so important) included, but it has Miss Potter's pretty pictures and the tale of that naughty rabbit. Jimmy likes it, and I suspect that it'll be easy enough to leave behind, when we return to Australia.

The Dusty Bookshelf visited, it was time to move on to finding that gelato. We didn't have to go very far because just across the road was the Coldstone Creamery. There were some hard decisions to be made, mostly which flavour of icecream to have.

After having a few samples, we decided to have a big waffle cone, dipped in chocolate and Oreo crumbs, with 3 flavours of ice cream: mojito; blueberry pancake batter; and [something else that we don't remember the name of, but it was delicious and creamy].

The big waffle cones... (and more of Michael's food photography)

Our order... and the last of Michael's food photography for that weekend.

We enjoyed the ice cream, oh did we ever! It would almost have been worth skipping lunch and going straight for the Creamery, but it was probably best this way. (And yes, even Jimmy had tiny little tastes and while I felt a little guilt in giving my baby sugary food, it was better than the tantrum that would have ensued otherwise. And later I remembered that my parents weren't strict on no sugar, and the 3 of us turned out fine, so the mum-guilt disappeared.) After we polished off the ice cream, we walked around a little bit more, found a little park to give Jimmy a nappy change and let him crawl about for a bit. Then we walked home, pushing through sugar comas, but we made it**.

The whole adventure was a win, with a little sunburn (not for Jimmy), and aching feet (and back and hips for me, from all that baby wearing). It's a nice part of town, it's fairly close to the city park, which we need to get to, so we'll be heading out that way again, sometime before the summer is over.



*Beater bikes: these are the sort of bike that you don't worry about, the sort of bike that can spend all day in the snow, end up with a rusty chain and it's just an "oh well, better remember to look at that when I get home", they are the sort of bike that, when stolen, is just an inconvenience ("damn, oh well, looks like I might need to take the bus/get a lift/walk home"). People who spend over $2000-3000 on one bicycle are likely to have a beater bike that they're happy to lockup with other bikes for a few hours, so they don't have to worry about someone scratching the paintwork..

**If you come and visit us, we will most likely take you to the Creamery, but we'll be walking there and back, so bring some good walking shoes. No, really, walking ~8 km is necessary so that we can enjoy all that sugary, creamy goodness and not feel sick.

Cheap thrills...

In a bid to save money and to stave off boredom, Michael suggested that each weekend we cook something we haven't cooked before from one of the cook books I brought with us. Genius! We both like cooking and all three of us enjoy eating, and with two adults around for the whole weekend it's easier to take the time to cook something unfamiliar. As an added bonus we might even get some leftovers for lunches or the freezer for emergencies...

So we started last Saturday night, looking at recipes in River Cottage Everyday Cook Book. With our selection made and shopping list written, we made an evening run to our local supermarket. Yes. You read that correctly. And it's open 24/7, probably with a few exceptions, but still. Saturday night food shopping, with a baby! I digress...

It was a good thing we went when we did because we wouldn't have been able to walk to the shops until Sunday afternoon because it rained, and rained, and rained. There was thunder and lightning too and a National Weather Service warning for flash flooding in the area. So, it was good weather for soup...

A thrifty fish soup! Follow the link - it's worth it!

Now, I had to change it a little... We don't live near a proper fish monger, so instead of whole fish, I used about 1.5 kg catfish fillets, with one fillet going into the stock along with two chicken drumstick bones. Dry thyme was used instead of fresh thyme (about 3 pinches). There was also no wine in the stock. I also retained the carrot from the stock and put it in the soup, along with the well cooked fillet of fish. The leeks were kinda huge, so I needed to add water to cover everything. Instead of cleaned squid I used 200 g of frozen mixed seafood. And because I'm a mum, I added a bit of chilli and garlic to store bought whole egg mayonnaise.

The apartment smelled delicious, making stock was fun and a little therapeutic, having lunch simmering away during the rain was a little romantic, and Jimmy's enthusiasm for it was just wonderful. Ok, so I drained his so that he could eat it with his hands, that way it was a baby friendly meal too! And the store bought mayo? With the chilli and garlic, it made the meal, although home-made mayo might be better.

I'm looking forward to eating the last of the thrifty fish soup that's in the freezer and when I remember to take photos, I'll share the results of my variation on oxtail stew (also from River Cottage Everyday Cookbook). In the meantime, here's our resident food critics' response to the thrifty fish soup:

(The bowl of drained soup was eaten by the handful and there was hardly any mess.)

We're settling in...

Home is where the nappies/dippers dry, where we eat and sleep, where I have a comfy chair for knitting and nursing Jimmy, where I display collected pine cones because we need some sort of decorations, where books collect, and where cups of tea, coffee, and hot chocolate are consumed throughout the day. This place is starting to feel like home, and nothing says that better than Jimmy happy to sleep on his own.

17/52

“a portrait of my son, once a week, every week in 2014”

Jimmy: reading an old favourite, Mem Fox's "Where is the Green Sheep?", that came in a care package from Granny and Pop (because Mumma and Dada were silly and didn't bring enough books for their avid reader).

It also has the Spanish translation, along side the original English, which is pretty cool. The edition of Ellen Stoll Walsh's "Mouse Paint" is the same. But the best thing of all was seeing Jimmy's face light up with recognition as I read him "Where is the Green Sheep?" for the first time in weeks. He also recognised Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Caterpillar", but he was looking for the finger puppet (quite cute).

And as we have internet at home (yay!), I'll fill you in on settling in and spring etc. over the coming weeks.