Help! I think I'm an addict.
I just can't stop buying books. Worse than that, I can't let go of them once I have them. I'm in the midst of a big sort out at home so I have managed to get rid of some books, if only to make room for new ones. Some of the books I've parted with I've never read. I sometimes wonder if I should have all the books I order online delivered directly to a charity shop and cut out the middle man.
The above photo depicts the books I have bought in the last 10 days. 'You are what you eat' goes the saying, but it could equally say 'You are what you read.' So what do my purchases say about me?
Let's start with Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith. This was an impulse buy. I've read the other 9 books in the Number One Ladies' Detective Agency series and I loved them all. This one came out earlier this year but somehow got under my radar. What better way to spend a cold winter evening than to lose yourself in the warmth of Africa and McCall Smith's brilliant writing?
What would make it better though is some nice winter food. And what is more inviting at this time of year than a lovely bowl of soup and fresh bread? Hence the two cook books.
The Covent Garden Food Co. Not only make fantastic soups but kindly share their recipes through a number of books. I've had this book just over a week and already made 4 soups. Last night it was Goulash soup. I might have been a bit heavy handed with the cayenne pepper, but what a tasty soup.
As the days are at their shortest there is something really comforting about spending the afternoon in the kitchen creating mouth watering aromas whilst baking batches of cakes and pastries. My mum used to do this every week but the ready made versions are so available now and inexpensive that I have never got into the habit. Until now. Low fat blueberry muffins are on my list to be made today. Mmm.
I don't suppose the Step-by-Step Guide to Bait and Rigs is everyone's idea of bedtime reading but I thoroughly enjoyed browsing through this well illustrated and informative book whilst tucked up in bed a few nights ago. There's more to fishing than just sticking a worm on a hook. With this book as my guide it is only a matter of time before I land that whopper. I do seem to be having some trouble though forcing myself away from my cosy kitchen to stand for hours overlooking the North Sea or the River Humber whilst freezing off important bits of me. I think a flask of hot soup and a box of muffins might be need to be packed alongside the lugworm and squid.
The final book, The Man on Seat 61, by Mark Smith, is a hint of how I may end my gap year this summer. It is a guide to travelling around Europe by train.
One item on my list of objectives for my gap year is to visit 10 countries I haven't been to before. Having cancelled my trip to Hong Kong and Vietnam I find myself 2 countries short of my target. It is possible to buy a month's rail pass for Europe and having looked at the countries where it is valid I counted 19 that I have never been to. Tempting.
This is another book to be dipped into and not read cover to cover. It explains about obtaining tickets and timetables but most usefully it provides a guide to train travel in 35 countries and even beyond on the Trans-Siberian Railway. It is laden with web addresses to help the would be traveller. I think I'll need a month just to plan my journey.
Talking of planning. My friend Pete and I have finally managed to create an itinerary for getting around New Zealand. In the end we have steered clear of the most obvious choices of hiring a camper van or hiring a car. We envisaged that in order to see all the things we want to see we would spend most of our time driving with these options. We have cunningly opted for a combination of planes, trains and automobiles instead.
Finally, Wainwright and I have received a very exciting invitation which may enable us to tick off a major objective on my list. I'll tell you all about it next time.
Live long and prosper.
I just can't stop buying books. Worse than that, I can't let go of them once I have them. I'm in the midst of a big sort out at home so I have managed to get rid of some books, if only to make room for new ones. Some of the books I've parted with I've never read. I sometimes wonder if I should have all the books I order online delivered directly to a charity shop and cut out the middle man.
The above photo depicts the books I have bought in the last 10 days. 'You are what you eat' goes the saying, but it could equally say 'You are what you read.' So what do my purchases say about me?
Let's start with Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith. This was an impulse buy. I've read the other 9 books in the Number One Ladies' Detective Agency series and I loved them all. This one came out earlier this year but somehow got under my radar. What better way to spend a cold winter evening than to lose yourself in the warmth of Africa and McCall Smith's brilliant writing?
What would make it better though is some nice winter food. And what is more inviting at this time of year than a lovely bowl of soup and fresh bread? Hence the two cook books.
The Covent Garden Food Co. Not only make fantastic soups but kindly share their recipes through a number of books. I've had this book just over a week and already made 4 soups. Last night it was Goulash soup. I might have been a bit heavy handed with the cayenne pepper, but what a tasty soup.
As the days are at their shortest there is something really comforting about spending the afternoon in the kitchen creating mouth watering aromas whilst baking batches of cakes and pastries. My mum used to do this every week but the ready made versions are so available now and inexpensive that I have never got into the habit. Until now. Low fat blueberry muffins are on my list to be made today. Mmm.
I don't suppose the Step-by-Step Guide to Bait and Rigs is everyone's idea of bedtime reading but I thoroughly enjoyed browsing through this well illustrated and informative book whilst tucked up in bed a few nights ago. There's more to fishing than just sticking a worm on a hook. With this book as my guide it is only a matter of time before I land that whopper. I do seem to be having some trouble though forcing myself away from my cosy kitchen to stand for hours overlooking the North Sea or the River Humber whilst freezing off important bits of me. I think a flask of hot soup and a box of muffins might be need to be packed alongside the lugworm and squid.
The final book, The Man on Seat 61, by Mark Smith, is a hint of how I may end my gap year this summer. It is a guide to travelling around Europe by train.
One item on my list of objectives for my gap year is to visit 10 countries I haven't been to before. Having cancelled my trip to Hong Kong and Vietnam I find myself 2 countries short of my target. It is possible to buy a month's rail pass for Europe and having looked at the countries where it is valid I counted 19 that I have never been to. Tempting.
This is another book to be dipped into and not read cover to cover. It explains about obtaining tickets and timetables but most usefully it provides a guide to train travel in 35 countries and even beyond on the Trans-Siberian Railway. It is laden with web addresses to help the would be traveller. I think I'll need a month just to plan my journey.
Talking of planning. My friend Pete and I have finally managed to create an itinerary for getting around New Zealand. In the end we have steered clear of the most obvious choices of hiring a camper van or hiring a car. We envisaged that in order to see all the things we want to see we would spend most of our time driving with these options. We have cunningly opted for a combination of planes, trains and automobiles instead.
Finally, Wainwright and I have received a very exciting invitation which may enable us to tick off a major objective on my list. I'll tell you all about it next time.
Live long and prosper.
Welcome back, much missed. I LOVE Covent Garden soups, but sadly have had to lay off them for a while. I decided to downsize my book collection and so I didn't feel too bad about it, decided to get rid of all the fiction first for recycling at a local fire station. Because this freed up so much room, I decided to put on hold getting rid of other for the time being, but don't tell her indoors!
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