Christmas Reading

A good Christmas read seems to put me in the festive mood so I thought I would give you a few recommendations:


Maeve is the Queen of warm Irish feel good novels, this collection of stories based around Christmas will gladden the heart. The good thing about story collections is you can fit the odd story in between all the hundreds of tasks to do this time of year. I particularly enjoyed the one where the little girl was given a digital camera, should be a warning to everyone!








If you are up to your neck in Christmas preparations, your list of jobs to do is getting longer and longer and everyone is putting pressure on you then this book will appeal to you. The protagonist and his wife decide to completely skip the Christmas Celebrations and go off on a cruise instead - a wonderful idea! However, plans don't always work out the way we expect them to. Lovely read.





A gem of a writer, I love the way she adds just a little hint of magic to the ordinary! This is about a guy who would like to be in two places at once what a great gift! This is a quirky novel, but a great read all the same. A little bit like Christmas Carol in that our protagonist has a change of heart.

Book Review - Found Wanting

I have been a fan of Robert Goddard for about ten years. I read hand in glove and could not put it down, it was absolutely brilliant. I think my favourite is In Pale Battalions, which had me desperate to read right to the end as the plot weaves its mysteries until the tension builds to fever pitch!

This is his latest out in paperback, a bundle of letters that could identify the mystery surrounding Anastasia the Russian Royal Family mystery. The story weaves around the colder countries in Europe during a cold February, and the protagonist, Richard Eusden is trying to help his school friend by delivering the case of letters to a buyer.

What follows is a wander from Belgium, Germany and Copenhagen and Iceland, Eusden getting his hands on the case only to have it snatched away. There are a number of interested parties trying to get their hands on the case, a world wide corporation, an American, a seedy guy called Straub and a young student. They all are trying to get at the case and its contents with their own motives, the contents was supposed to solve the mystery of Anastasia. There is a love interest for our protagonist, which is usual in Goddard's books.

I wanted to enjoy this novel, but I have to admit, after the fifth time Eusden was hit on the head after getting his hands on the case I just got bored. Basically I did not care about the mystery, it was just the same incident over and over, just different characters getting their hands on the case.

I have noticed the last few novels just don't seem to have the pace or the twists and turns of his previous books, Goddard always writes about historical facts, the JFK, Winston Churchill, WW 1, the mysteries believable and interesting, but this one is just boring. He writes that he was asked to write about this mystery, but it isn't written with enough passion or conviction. While he does give a sense of these bleak countries, the descriptions of the cold are very good, there just isn't enough to keep me reading. I actually skipped to the last chapter. The ending was a little predictable, but I would not recommend this book, it isn't his best. However, I think I will pick up the next one and hope the magic is back.

If you enjoy mysteries, then I would recommend Nicci French, Beneath the Skin, secret smile or land of the living. They are real terrifying page turners.

Twilight Series - New Moon Film

Warning, approach with caution!

Do you remember the snow? Well I was fortunate enough to be tucked up at home as the school had been closed. Did I see any of it? Well no actually! You see I was in the grip of a real addiction which started with the first book of the Twilight series!

Now you will have seen Twilight everywhere, in fact True Blood is a follow up for all the stirred up passion created by the books. But I will say the books are seriously addictive, you will actually kill someone who gets in the way of you starting the next book because you will be under some sort of spell. These books are seriously fantastic! I know that sounds ludicrous coming from a forty year old woman, but you will fall in love like it is the first time all over again!

Let me tell you I never read any books on vampires before this, but my partner was complaining that he only saw the top of my head for the whole eight days it took me to read all four books.

When I say it is an addiction, it is an understatement! It left me restless for weeks as I tried to find something to read that could even come close to touching me as these books did.

So why the post now, well I am counting down the days until the next film in the series is out, it is called New Moon and I can't wait!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYBF3HKzrmE

You can preview it here, but really it is better to read the books first and you just about have time!

If you have read the books then you will know exactly what I am talking about! you might like to take a peek at the chapters from Midnight Sun, (Twilight from Edward's perspective)

http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/midnightsun.html

the film is out on the 27th November in the UK, so I am counting down the days!

Gastrocnemius tear and tips!

Well, it has nearly been six weeks, and I thought I would share a few things I have learned since tearing my gastrocnemius. The first lesson was knowing I actually had a gastrocnemius, realising it was in my leg rather than a word to describe someone who enjoys their food, or a posh way of saying you have been on the loo more than usual!

If you are reading this because you have torn your gastrocnemius muscle then you are obviously sporty! As this usually occurs during sporting activities! (you can't injure yourself while sitting on the sofa!) Although government guidelines state you should participate in 30 minutes exercise a day, most hospital casualty departments are filled with people with sporting injuries, so you decide!

I could go into some brilliant description about tears, first aid advice etc, however, there is a brilliant website dedicated to the medical stuff, http://www.physioroom.com/injuries/calf_and_shin/calf_strain_full.php and from my little diagram, you will realise that I am not really an expert scientist! Anyway this blog article is really support to help someone who is looking for advice once they have their diagnosis!

This picture / sketch is supposed to be the inside of your leg, showing the muscles and more importantly the gastrocnemius! If your leg actually looks like this then seek medical advice immediately! As there is something seriously wrong with you!

How I found my Gastrocnemius

I was dancing, well technically I was actually walking, when I felt a sensation similar to an elastic band pinging on the back of my leg, followed by the most awful cramp I have ever experienced! Now my first real piece of advice to you is not to do what I did immediately afterwards. I had just asked someone to dance, a rather fast rock and roll dance and my gastrocnemius chose the moment I was walking onto the dance floor with this young man. (he was rather good looking but that is another matter!) The fact was I did not know him well enough to turn round and walk off, or to explain that I had hurt myself. So, I actually danced, well rather hopped through the dance while leaving my foot firmly on the floor. It must have been the worse dance in the world, but the man (obviously a very polite gentleman) asked me for another . I declined and slowly, trying stupidly not to limp and pretending everything was fine (Embarrassment can be a dangerous thing!), I struggled off the dance floor. Reaching my long suffering partner, I told him I had hurt myself and scuppered his chances of actually enjoying the pint he had to his lips, explaining, in what was to be quite an understatement, that I thought I might not be able to drive home. The understatement became apparent when we got outside and I admitted it was actually agony to walk! I managed to hop, using C's shoulder for balance all the way to the car! I got to bed, by going up the stairs on my bum, hoping that all would be well in the morning after a dose of the strongest painkillers in the house! Sadly, we found ourselves among the footballers and pub brawlers the next morning at the casualty department! That is when I discovered I had a second degree tear on my gastrocnemius! And luckily for me I had not ruptured it, or the Achilles tendon! So we returned, armed with crutches, a sick note and some small round tablets called co-drydamol.

So now you know how I met my gastrocnemius, I would be interested to hear your stories!

Actual Advice

Well, that was six weeks ago, I am still on the sofa, (sorry to disappoint you it can take up to eight weeks!) hereare my tips for anyone surfing looking to benefit from someone else's experience (mistakes), while recovering from a tear in their gastocnemius!

Rest

When they tell you to rest your leg, that actually means sitting on the sofa with your feet at roughly the same level as your hips. It does not mean you can climb stairs, do housework or stand up to cook a meal, try and feed chickens or bake cakes, it actually means REST. This may be the only time in your life when you can justifiably leave the housework! Horay!

Rescue and old bag!

It is a good idea to carry a bag around with you, as your crutches tend to take up both your hands! (this does not work with a cup of tea!) It is also advisable, (sadly it took me several days to realise this) to bring all objects down with you when you come down the stairs in the morning! (glasses, books, etc! Are best brought down together rather than one at a time when you remember!) This of course won't be a problem if you live in a flat!

Billy don't be a hero!

Or heroine! Call all your friends, get as much sympathy as you possibly can! After a couple of days you will find you are drifting into a world of Jeremy Kyle and GMTV, the four walls will be closing in on you and your brain will turn to mush! You will need your friends to keep your sanity! It is difficult, I know, to ask for help, but remember how good it feels to actually help someone? Don't deny your friends the chance to feel good!

Take pride in your appearance

You might be a little more sternly built than I am, but after a week or so, you may find you are wearing soft stretchy sportswear, comfy clothes that are the equivalent of pyjamas, or they are actually pyjamas! This is not good for your self esteem, with no work to dress up for, you may find you haven't worn make-up for weeks, (or if you are guy, you might consider growing a beard!) Take a firm hold of yourself, and pick at least one day a week when you are dressed, spruced up and ready to go! Even if it is another day on the sofa with loose women.

Seize the day!

You can take advantage of services for the disabled even though it is only temporary! (sadly not a blue badge!) but enjoy parking in the disabled bays at your local supermarket! Watch as people wait and spy on you to see if you really are disabled! Then get out your crutches and go for it! Some supermarkets actually have electric wheelchairs! Go on, you have been dying to try them. There is a great organisation called SHOP MOBILITY, http://www.disabilityuk.com/mobility/ambilidx.htm They usually operate in most towns and they actually let you borrow an electric wheelchair or a mobility scooter! Yipee, this is fun! They will also stamp your parking so you park for free! However, be warned, shops, lifts and people are really hard to negotiate! Fortunately the shop mobility people cover you for insurance!

You will encounter two distinct groups of people as you make your way around the shops, hostile and friendly!

Hostile people will swear at you, walk directly in your path and then shout at you if you narrowly avoid hitting them by performing an emergency stop procedure. People will hit you with their handbags, as your head is now at just the right height. There will be hostile stares as they try to work out why you are in a wheelchair and not dribbling!

Kind people smile at you! They will press the floor numbers on the lift and risk white finger by holding the door open button while it takes you ten minutes to reverse out without hitting the side doors! They help pick things up when you have knocked them off shelves and still smile at you! (perfuse apologies are a really good idea at this point, don't lean out of the chair, as you could actually fall out of it with the chair on top of you!)

Manage your pain

Although they give you really strong painkillers, take as many as you need to help with the pain. Even though you can have six co-drydamol a day, you can actually lose days or even weeks if you do this! (I lost a whole day and I only took half the recommended dose!) I might be going against medical advice, and I am not advising this for anyone here. I am an ants in the pants sort of person, when I took the painkillers, during the five minutes I was not comatose, I did stupid things, like walking in the garden etc! I think pain is actually my body's way of telling me to sit on the sofa and be nice to gastrocnemius. So just because I preferred to be awake, I did not take the painkillers all the time. As I was in some discomfort I did not feel up to chasing the chickens or mopping the floor!

Keep busy! (A blog challenge!)

You will be aware of many things you are no longer able to do, while you are resting and being really kind to your gastrocnemius! I have started a little list of suggestions, but I am opening up to you guys to come up with some ideas of your own!

1. Complete a crossword, Sudoku or even a whole puzzle book

2. Write a blog

3. Write a book

4. Learn to crochet,

5. Meditate

6. Plan a holiday for when you are fit and well again

7. Shop on line and get it delivered to your door

8. Write a letter, (or thank you cards for your friends)

9. Read a book (this site is a great way to buy books cheaply and save the planet!) http://www.greenmetropolis.com/index2.asp

10. Come up with your own ideas and post them here!

11. Tell me how you got to know your gastrocnemius and post it here!

12. Take out the whole series of Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives or lost (it might make sense if you watch it all together!)

Well, that is about all for now, take care of yourself, more importantly, be kind to your gastrocnemius!

Rainy days and Wednesdays!

The weather has been very wet today, the chooks looked very sad and bedraggled as they sheltered under the rosemary bush! It is one of those days when it is just wonderful to be cosy and warm, (using the gas fire as the boiler has decided to go to boiler heaven!) sit with a good book and listen to the rain drops on the window!

The book I am reading is called the Thirteenth tale and is rather Gothic! Despite feeling cosy and happy when I started reading the story is very oppressive and after I while I had to give up and make some biscuits! (Don't get me wrong, I love this book but with the weather outside it was getting a little oppressive! Think Jane Eyre or the turn of the screw! and you will understand what I mean!)


After listening to the radio and baking I felt in much lighter mood, and returned to my crochet! With a tea tray, my little tea pot (with cosy) and some lovely home made biscuits! I discovered the plate in a charity shop for a pound! It matches my tea set perfectly! I have always loved little rose buds!

Personally I think we have lost something by using mugs and tea bags. Using a tray, tray cloth, tea pot, cosy, milk jug and tea cups with saucers make it a real luxury! You can always have another cup!

Book Review The Story of Us Marcia Preston

‘The story of Us’ by Marcia Preston

After reading the Butterfly House, I was intrigued to read more from Maria Preston; I found her writing so evocative I did not want to just read one of her books before passing judgement, I am so glad I did. This book is so much fuller than the Butterfly House, the characters are more developed, Marcia writes beautifully. It is rare these days for me to just stop reading for a moment and savour the lines, but I had to stop at one point and simply admire her skill of writing! The emotion she conveyed in that moment really touched me.

You will think I am very maudlin at the moment, because this is the tale about a young man dying in a car crash, however, it is more about the characters around this event, namely his mother, his girlfriend the recipient of his heart, his father and the man who causes the accident. Their stories are beautifully woven, sometimes you see the same event through two different perspectives; it is delicately done.

It is about loss and coming to terms with grief, but also about how damaged people can find their way back as well as how we can all be connected through circumstances. The chapter where the mother places her hands above her son’s heart is simply beautiful, I had to stop reading and just savour the writing. If I could change one thing it is that Marcia seems to pile on the difficulties, her characters seem to be drowned in tragedy rather than just one event, I think it stresses the point a little too much. (the butterfly house was layered on too thickly!). I think this writer just gets better and better, however, I think it is time for something a little more light hearted!

The Shop on Blossom Street

This is a wonderful read, if you want to get away from all the miserable credit crunch the end of summer and how most people around seem to be grumpy and downright nasty. Debbie is a fantastic writer amazingly she has dyslexia and really struggled to get published, I am so glad she did.

This book is about a yarn store, and delivers a cosy tale of four very different women, (this lived up to the promise of the Friday Night Knitting Club, which I personally found rather disappointing!).

I know it all seemed to fit very neatly at the end, with a lovely happy ever after, but it is so nice to inhabit a world where people connect and care about each other.

Pippa this one is for you, especially as it is a lovely crafty tale! You just want to pick up your knitting, curl up under a cosy quilt and enjoy the lovely Autumn evenings.

The Butterfly House

This is our book this month, and on the whole I enjoyed the book, it was well written, the descriptions of the locations, (Canada and the North American border) are very evocative, and the relationships between the women slowly unfolds in the book. I think the story tells us how love can actually be a destructive force in relationships, as it is love that seems to destroy and affect all the characters, from Bobbie the main character, who seems to have been left emotionally wrecked by an event in her childhood, to her mother Ruth, who's husband left because he was in love with her brother, in fact each character suffers because of loving someone!

This book is a strong contrast to the usual upsides of love, Bobbie is so emotionally crippled by her past, she is unable to love her husband, who in turn is hurt by her inability!

I think it would have been nice to have at least one character who benefits from love, but it just doesn't happen.

I enjoyed the writing, the story was gentle, but left me feeling just a little sad. It would be interesting to read something different by the same Author to see if they are able to write something more uplifting! Worth a read as it is not particularly long!