Kingsolver, Barbara "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle"About the author and her family spending one year eating locally, which for them means eating as much from their own garden as possible (while not being too precious about it (although this is a woman who hasn't eaten bananas in years in protest at the gas they use getting to the USA.))
What did I think?
This has made me more determined to eat locally, in season and also possibly to go organic. I've read lots about this and always think this is a good idea but never quite get going on it. Hopefully this time it will be different. There will be some challenges to overcome. We don't live on a farm. We live in a rented, steep, sea-view suburban house. Growing things to eat isn't something that I have grown up doing - the garden was always my Dad's area of expertise. We are both people who find it easier to keep doing the things we have always done because they are easier rather than making a bit of extra effort to change. Oh, and our fridge freezes anything lower than the second shelf in random and mysterious ways. Recommended. (The book not dodgy cooling units.)
Lackey, Mercedes "Sanctuary"The final book in a triology following the adventures of a former serf who has risen to become the leader of a group of new style dragon riders.
What did I think?
Had to read this to finish off the set. Not her best work.
Morris, Paula "Trendy but Casual"About publicity girl Jane who is told she is "ugly on the inside" by a street person (bag lady? Crazy woman? Can't remember the term) and then spends the rest of the book trying not to be while interacting with a large cast of characters.
What did I think?
A much easier read than her first one "Hibiscus Coast" (local! to me!) as this is more in the vein of the 'Shoppaholic' series rather than a look at art forgery through a detached narrator. Easy and with a much lighter plot (which doesn't mean better as I enjoyed the other one as well.) Recommended.
#76 Attend films I want to see - by myself if necessary.
Watched the inspiration for this task on DVD today -"Hot Fuzz". Laughed until I cried. Am having lots of luck with funny English comedies at the moment.
#31 Go away for a romantic weekend
Left early on Saturday morning to drive up to the Farmers market in Matakana. Bought beers, (bit of advice - if you buy beer from the Leigh Sawmill Brewers make sure to take a note of which type of beer matches which colour sticker and then mark all the other cans so you know which is which) lemons, dried banana chips, (if we eat local within 100km (seems to be the thing although it's the 100 mile diet overseas which would give us a few more kms to play with (another 60 in fact)) we can still have bananas) spicy hot chocolate and whitebait fritters. Drove over to Pakiri then to Leigh, winding our way back to Matakana taking every turn to a beach and going via Snells Beach. Paused at a local tea cafe (recommended - if only I could remember the name - it's on the roundabout corner opposite the cinema and shares the space with a stitching shop and soon potters and something else) before holing up in the motel for a quick rugby break. Decided not to go to the movies as there wasn't anyting on that we really wanted to see. Went to dinner at the place downstairs - delicious, expensive and we left pretty soon because we gatecrashed a table - then spent slightly longer in the wine bar upstairs. Spent some of the movie money on a bottle of a delicious local red. Next morning we'd planned to go to breakfast at a place in Warkworth but it wasn't open so we went to the Queen Street cafe and had a great breakfast there. Took the backroad to Puhoi before stopping at the Cheese factory. Spent teh rest of the movie money on cheese, took in a couple of open homes and then went to our home. About 3 minutes after we had unpacked the van it bucketed down. Great weekend looking around places we usually just drive through/past.
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