Growing, An autobiography of the years 1904 - 1911

Leonard Woolf. The Hogath Press. London. 1967

Leonard (husband of Virginia) tells of his time in the civil service in Sri Lanka. A time about a century ago is cleanly described; pearl fishing, jungle elephants and leopards, solitude, mad dogs and Englishmen.

" ...I would  never put golf very high in the hierarchy of good games; it is too slowly long drawn out and therefore the anger against one's opponent, which in tennis and rackets, for instance, merely adds an occasional, momentary spur to one's efforts or exhaustion, in golf is apt to smoulder unpleasantly and sadistically."p119

the kangaroo pouch

Elizabeth Zimmerman wizardry, a jumper called the kangaroo pouch. Knit on circular needles without seams. Sleeves are set in and turned  like a sock heel. Magic. Less magic is knitting a sleeve on circular needles. Knitting looking like an octopus now with three circular needles in use. Happy knitting , just not so transportable. 

Joy is keeping busy with cutting and sticking.

the end of slavery and measured meringue success

Pessach, the end of slavery commemorated with a no grain 8 day festival. If it was not for the Matzoh, nuts and eggs, a girl could really detox. In preparation we made some coconut macaroons with chocolate and pistachio meringues (these could have been higher). Anyway we are well prepared.

Dress-ups

We are the happy owners of a freecycle toy box. The original owner has had it since she was 6 and is now 44. (with applied maths that's 38 years) It's perfect size on castors in a light ply with rope handles. Now in constant use as a dress up box, a tea party table, and also as a second doll's house - the warehouse apartment(?)

Super undies

I've been looking at t-shirts in a new light. Would these be better as super undies? Soft cotton, especially with funny pictures - the answer can only be yes! Two made so far and there is no reason to stop yet. Sewing knit fabrics, even, yes I am. Although the knit fear plus a 3 year old 'helping' slowed things down. Need to use the stretch of the fabric better as my first attempts are a little on the super sized side.

The White Tiger

Aravind Adiga. Free Press. 2008

To sum up - in the old days there were one thousand castes and destinies in India. These days, there are just two castes: Men with Big Bellies, and Men with Small Bellies.

And only two destinies: eat or get eaten up. p.64

Booker Prize winner. Involving story, painfully true, about life and death, horror and terror in the 'Darkness'- the poor half of India. Habits of servitude, anger and dependence, so easy to imagine, are aptly described and inhabited. Corruption of civilization, especially in politics is mercilessly noticed. 

The White Tiger is an (anti) hero, with a full range of emotions and motives. I felt pity, sympathy, almost kinship for him. An admirable writing achievement, for a murderer. Most of the characters are not good nor respectable. In their midst, we get to know the White Tiger well and he appears respectable. Although his conscience is not clear it is well examined. The pervasive ridiculous corruption around him, lends him a certain purity.

Clever use of repetition to highlight injustice. Key visual after controversial events, such as comparing the death by murder to that of untreated TB. Built like a legal defence of the White Tiger's innocence.

Sprays: A Collection of Verbal Touch-ups

HG Nelson, Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Ltd, 2008

Speeches made by HG Nelson on various topics including; fashion, racing, Lachlan Murdoch's bucks night, debates about blokes being duds, and a keynote address at a local government seminar. The jokes are all sport talk, which really appeal to me for no obvious reason. The local government theme is called

Firecrackers, home slaughtering and sprinklers on Australia Day are the real stumpers confronting local government as they plough through a heady agenda of community renewal and sustainability. (How did he guess?)

So if you dud out tonight and ...leave a loser, pop into the room of mirrors when you get home and have a bloody good hard look at yourself. When you find the door handle and emerge tomorrow around 7am, be prepared to put in and become a local government winner next year. p98