READING
Really enjoy reading a good thriller and Kathy Reichs’s “The Bone Code” didn’t disappoint! She has written over twenty books in the Tempe Brennan series and they are all gripping, thrilling and a bit disturbing. A Forensic Anthropologist herself, her main protagonist works as a Forensic Anthropologist between Charlotte, North Carolina and Montreal, Québec, as does the author. Reichs is highly qualified and skilled at telling a great story. This book was also full of information about DNA. I really enjoyed it.
Also enjoyed Lily Brett’s ” Old Seems To Be Other People”. She has written six novels, nine books of poetry and four essay collections. Brett was born in the Feldafing Displaced Persons Camp in Bavaria. The family then came to Australia. She later moved to London as a journalist, back to Melbourne and finally, to New York where she lives with her husband, Australian painter David Rankin.
The daughter of Holocaust survivors, her works often focus on what it means to be Jewish. She frequently writes about the survivors of the death camps and the impact of this on their children and grand children. It is a theme common to all she writes, including her new book, “Old Seems To Be Other People”. This collection of 32 essays on ageing is witty, thoughtful and quite informative about NYC. A multi award winning author, Brett’s unique thoughts on getting older was an easy, funny and enjoyable read.
I hesitated before picking up Nina George’s “The Little French Bistro” because of the plethora of books with “Paris” or “France” in the title, intended to tempt the reader to buy a book they might otherwise leave on the shelf! Both words promise something special, mystical and stylish. This book is all that and more. A lovely surprise, this is the story of Marianne, who escapes after 41 years in a loveless marriage and finds a new life, new friends and hope in Brittany. This is a whimsical story with a happy ending, just like a fairy tale. Thoroughly enjoyed it and really liked reminiscing about our own holiday on the same stretch of Brittany’s coast.
MAKING
What do you do with a loaf of brioche that is nothing short of disappointing? De-core, peel and slice up three ageing apples and make an apple and brioche pudding! Layered buttered brioche and sliced apples with added currants in a casserole dish, poured over a jug of egg, sugar and milk custard. Sprinkled the top with nutmeg and weighted down the whole lot until the custard was absorbed. Cooked at 165º F for 45 minutes, delicious.
BUYING
I like all the pretty lacy, gathered, frothy nighties I see in shops and magazines, but I don’t want to wear them. I’m a fan of nighties that look like over grown T-shirts, prefer them without images or messages on the front and always look for 100% cotton. That’s the tricky bit! So I was really pleased when I found 100% cotton, patterned but fairly plain nighties and bought two for this winter. Unfortunately, they are not made in Australia but I’ll keep hoping and looking.
When I was a child my grandparents lived in a rambling old farmhouse along with my parents and brothers and myself. My Grandfather used a cologne called 4711. It was an eau de cologne so the scent disappeared quite quickly. So, wisps of the scent but not overpowering and not long lasting, either. I hadn’t thought about it for years until I saw a comment online about 4711 Aqua Colonia Blood Orange & Basil eau de cologne.
I really like citrus smells. Not a big fan of candles and room sprays but I have both in various citrus scents. I cook a lot with lemon, lime and oranges. Also kumquat and grapefruit. So I set off to find 4711 Aqua Colonia Blood Orange & Basil eau de cologne. Loved it! Started off with 50ml as a test, liked it so much I next bought 170ml. I spray it generously and enjoy little whiffs of the fruity scents throughout the day. Invigorating and refreshing. And a bit nostalgic.
PAINTING
Discovering painting lessons and demonstrations on ZOOM has resulted in me painting almost every day. I continue with flowers, enjoying a more relaxed, less formal and much faster style of paining than the classical botanical paintings I’ve done for years.
I’ve also fiddled about with blue and white vases and bowls because I have a house full of them.
I am really enjoying quick paintings and this week will do a session on butterflies.
Did you know, in Australia, you can take all your skincare and cosmetic containers back to David Jones and Mecca for recycling? They’ll take all empty tubes, jars and bottles and empty or near empty makeup containers? They will be recycled into pellets which can be used