Sunday, January 9, 2011
Sunday Snaps 46
Today the snow is but a memory, we now have warm (above zero is warm) wet weather and pretty much no snow. So here's 2 pics from last week, can you tell which is the result of German snow clearing and which the result of British clearing?
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Book Reviews #11
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
This was another book group read & amazingly I finished it with 2 days to spare and this despite it being Christmas and having a houseful of guests. Someone came up with the idea that we should read more classics & this is definitely a classic, most of us had read it for school (which doesn't necessarily make for good memories!) and I think it's probably still on the curriculum...
I have to admit that when I started the book I couldn't remember the plot (not too surprising as I was 16 when I last read it) and the main plot line, that of the defending of a Negro on a charge of rape, by the father doesn't kick in until about a third of the way into the story.
The storyteller is 9 year old Scout who lives with her 13 year old brother Jem and her lawyer father Atticus in a one horse town in deepest Alabama. It's the 1930's and segregation and the Great Depression play a huge part in this story. The novel kicks off with the siblings plotting with a friend how to get the mysterious guy (Boo Radley) next door, out. It never happens but they do enough to bring themselves to his attention and after that they start finding little, insignificant gifts in the hollow of the tree in front of the Radley house until they find it filled up with cement.
This novel is a truly great period piece, undated and still with an important story to tell, what is more amazing is that this was the first novel by Harper Lee.
At book group last night we actually managed a decent discussion about the book, despite the fact that only a few of us had read it, I think for some it still holds too many school time memories for them to contemplate re-reading it. We were agreed that the story has a valuable message even today and personally I feel that any book that has me reaching for Google to continue research is good for me, with my poor knowledge of both history and geography!
It's also a book that clearly impacts on many people, since I first read it Bruce Willis named one of his daughters Scout and in the 80's there was a moderately successful pop band called the Boo Radleys.
Book group was busy last night, 15 of us, 6 male (shock, horror - the normal male quota is 1) so the conversations were well spread and diverse, from the joys of Colin Firth films to the film Animal House, which only the Americans in the group had seen, Chilean erotic poetry got a look in as did the subject of hairs styles & cutting hair to donate to cancer charities for wig making purposes, which led seamlessly onto John's new wig (he's a barrister or something). We had an interesting chat about nicknames or rather terms of endearment and the fact that in Germany they all seem to be animal based (mouse and snail being popular) while in Spain they're food based and England they tend to be adjectival, Michelle gets upset by her boyfriend calling her little fat mouse and insisting that he doesn't mean that she's fat, but that's not the way she sees it, Felix (German) agreed with us that it wasn't nice and that he would never dare to use it as an endearment for his wife (who was sat right next to him). I managed to leave before the end of the evening (although it was after 11:30) having drunk enough Sauvignon blanc to give me a fuzzy head this morning, I shall have to make enquiries as to when the last diehards left the bar.
This was another book group read & amazingly I finished it with 2 days to spare and this despite it being Christmas and having a houseful of guests. Someone came up with the idea that we should read more classics & this is definitely a classic, most of us had read it for school (which doesn't necessarily make for good memories!) and I think it's probably still on the curriculum...
I have to admit that when I started the book I couldn't remember the plot (not too surprising as I was 16 when I last read it) and the main plot line, that of the defending of a Negro on a charge of rape, by the father doesn't kick in until about a third of the way into the story.
The storyteller is 9 year old Scout who lives with her 13 year old brother Jem and her lawyer father Atticus in a one horse town in deepest Alabama. It's the 1930's and segregation and the Great Depression play a huge part in this story. The novel kicks off with the siblings plotting with a friend how to get the mysterious guy (Boo Radley) next door, out. It never happens but they do enough to bring themselves to his attention and after that they start finding little, insignificant gifts in the hollow of the tree in front of the Radley house until they find it filled up with cement.
This novel is a truly great period piece, undated and still with an important story to tell, what is more amazing is that this was the first novel by Harper Lee.
At book group last night we actually managed a decent discussion about the book, despite the fact that only a few of us had read it, I think for some it still holds too many school time memories for them to contemplate re-reading it. We were agreed that the story has a valuable message even today and personally I feel that any book that has me reaching for Google to continue research is good for me, with my poor knowledge of both history and geography!
It's also a book that clearly impacts on many people, since I first read it Bruce Willis named one of his daughters Scout and in the 80's there was a moderately successful pop band called the Boo Radleys.
Book group was busy last night, 15 of us, 6 male (shock, horror - the normal male quota is 1) so the conversations were well spread and diverse, from the joys of Colin Firth films to the film Animal House, which only the Americans in the group had seen, Chilean erotic poetry got a look in as did the subject of hairs styles & cutting hair to donate to cancer charities for wig making purposes, which led seamlessly onto John's new wig (he's a barrister or something). We had an interesting chat about nicknames or rather terms of endearment and the fact that in Germany they all seem to be animal based (mouse and snail being popular) while in Spain they're food based and England they tend to be adjectival, Michelle gets upset by her boyfriend calling her little fat mouse and insisting that he doesn't mean that she's fat, but that's not the way she sees it, Felix (German) agreed with us that it wasn't nice and that he would never dare to use it as an endearment for his wife (who was sat right next to him). I managed to leave before the end of the evening (although it was after 11:30) having drunk enough Sauvignon blanc to give me a fuzzy head this morning, I shall have to make enquiries as to when the last diehards left the bar.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
That was 2009 that was
I appologise now for the reduction in blogging action over the festive period, I haven't been away, just a little too pre-occupied with a houseful of guests to find the time to sit at the keyboard and do anything other than simply absorb what's on the screen above.
As we went to bed last night (before 10pm) after shipping the last guests off to the airport, Si commented that he couldn't understand why we were both so tired, he at least has a halfway decent excuse in that he went back to the grindstone on Monday. Personally I blame my tiredness on never being able to fully relax (as you would normally) when there are guests in the house, it doesn't matter whether they need 'entertaining' or not, you just never never feel like you can slob out in your pj's on the sofa with a bowl of crisps and a glass of white wine, you always have to be smiley...
So there you have it, my feeble excuse for my absence, I hope it's acceptable.
As my first proper blog of the new year I thought I should look back at the last one (kind of traditional isn't it?) but I shan't give you a top 5, merely a meander throughout my year - highs and lows...and not in any particular order apart from date, I'll start with January.
As we went to bed last night (before 10pm) after shipping the last guests off to the airport, Si commented that he couldn't understand why we were both so tired, he at least has a halfway decent excuse in that he went back to the grindstone on Monday. Personally I blame my tiredness on never being able to fully relax (as you would normally) when there are guests in the house, it doesn't matter whether they need 'entertaining' or not, you just never never feel like you can slob out in your pj's on the sofa with a bowl of crisps and a glass of white wine, you always have to be smiley...
So there you have it, my feeble excuse for my absence, I hope it's acceptable.
As my first proper blog of the new year I thought I should look back at the last one (kind of traditional isn't it?) but I shan't give you a top 5, merely a meander throughout my year - highs and lows...and not in any particular order apart from date, I'll start with January.
- for Jas it wasn't a great year healthwise, we had almost 2 weeks of some revolting viral bug that involved at least 3 trips to the doc and then in the spring she broke her arm badly enough to need it operating on and pinning, here's hoping that 2010 is healthier!
- I discovered culture and went to numerous exhibitions at the newly refurb'd Folkwang Museum in Essen, an appropriate year to be doing so I guess, seeing as 2009 was Essen's turn as 'European City of Culture' - mind you, despite the myriad of cultural events put on in this area during the last 12 months that was all I managed.
- We spent Easter in New York, an amazing holiday that we'd all love to repeat and I think the best bit for all of us was the guided bike tour of Central Park, although the shopping was pretty damn good too!
- I spent a great girlie weekend at my friend Ali's, eating, drinking and shopping, even got to the cinema, what a treat. Had thought that I wouldn't make it as that was the weekend straight after Jas had broken her arm.
- Jas's school choir performed several times in a special Kettwig concert thing over a blisteringly hot bank holiday weekend, the outlaws came over to watch.
- I got a Mini Cooper S, finally a fun car to drive, the Corolla Verso is practical and sensible but ultimately for a secret petrol head - DULL. The Cooper puts a smile on my face, although it's confined to the garage at the moment as the snow is so deep that it grounds on the middle of the road!
- I went to several performances at the Recklinghouse Arts thingummy, including The Tempest, Our Lady something and Infernal Comedy - shall have to look out for that this year, it was good fun.
- The number of expats in Kettwig grew and grew, first we 'found' Emma in Isenbugel, then Robina, then towards the end of the year, Jane and Rachel and Princie - the English speakers are taking over Kettwig!
- The Football World Cup came and went, accompanied by much drinking and bbq-ing and honking of horns.
- Simon flew around the world on business, managing to clock up 96,000 miles in the air (and that doesn't include private mileage) am currently trying to work out how big a carbon footprint that makes and how many trees he needs to plant to offset this...
- We spent a relaxing 2 weeks in Spain while my parents house and dog sat for us, this year we're going again (but only for 10 days this time, grumble, mutter, grumble) wonder if they fancy the job again?! Although last year they only just made it as mom had nearly been hospitalised with pneumonia but they hadn't told me because I'd only have worried....parents!
- My brother came for a short visit and demanded to be taken to a nudist beach so that he could swim in the lake...yeah, right, apparently it's all part of training for ironman competitions!
- My friend Jacky finally got married and I spent a very excited week helping in last minute preparations, it was a great day.
- Went to England again in the autumn half term, me and 3 kids - a crazy idea but it was kind of good fun once we got there...Cornwall is stunning given the right weather, and we had wall to wall blue skies and sunshine.
- My sister in law, Rachel finally made it to Germany to visit us, along with her family of course, it was bitterly cold that weekend at the end of November and on the Monday after they'd left it started to snow...since then we've had snow on the ground more days than not and only today, 38 days later is it starting to seriously thaw (helped by +4 and rain - never have I been so glad to see rain)
- We had our first Christmas Cocktail 'do' here, which was fun, mixing together our English and German friends, shall have to repeat it this year, especially as I now have a proper punch bowl to serve heated wine in (a clever Christmas present that one)
- And that brings me to Chrstmas itself, I feel as though I've eaten far too much of the wrong things for the last 2 weeks and I know I've certainly drunk too much. Bring on the salad.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Sunday Snaps 45
A few pics from December 31, New Year's Eve/Silvester celebrations in the Evans' household:
me & Al, at the beginning of the evening.
Dinner.
Bleigießen.
Children's fireworks.
Karaoke(!)
Midnight fireworks.
me & Al, at the beginning of the evening.
Dinner.
Bleigießen.
Children's fireworks.
Karaoke(!)
Midnight fireworks.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)