The Crack

We went to see the crack at Tate Modern the other week. Who knows whether it is art, but it is good fun. Small children were having fun throwing things over it and trying to see if anyone was in it! Here are 2 pictures:

Spot the deliberate mistake

Look at the following page, and see which picture doesn't match the caption....

http://www.guardianoffers.co.uk/mall/departmentpage.cfm/GuardianOffers/_119271/1/Cameras%2520%2526%2520binoculars

Link to concert advert

And here is a link to the spnm advert

http://www.spnm.org.uk/?page=/events/event.html&id=456

love Helen

Mr Moto

is the name of this template................

News from Wales

Well Nicky is now in Denmark, she left yesterday and won't be home till May, which means she is gone for Christmas which is a bummer, but the opportunity was too good to miss. More when I hear from her.

The other exciting news is that Brian has had the piece he put forward to the SPNM chosed by the BBC Philharmonic and it is going to be performed by them in February next year, along with 2 other pieces by shortlisted composers. This is just fantastic and such an opportunity to have the music performed by one of the BBC orchestras!!! So he gets to spend the Christmas holidays coaxing the printer into printing out the parts, which is the slightly tedious downside.

As an aside - does any priest or religion have a system of excorcizing printers? I am convinced that all the modern little Screwtapes inhabit printers and get so many brownie points in Hell by the frustrations and torments, bad language, tears and general evilness caused by printers that the angels must be all scratching their heads to think how to combat this one. The printers are winning.

love Helen

Euro 2008 - Tee hee

Well, the best team won. However, someone hasn't told the authors of this website yet http://www.2008-euro-championships.co.uk/

Nor amended the voting for "who will win euro 2008?"


Euro 2008 Winner: Results
Who will win Euro 2008
England
293 (19.48%)
France
193 (12.83%)
Holland
483 (32.11%)
Spain
181 (12.03%)
Italy
354 (23.54%)
1504 total votes

Shame....................

The Corn IS as high as an elephants eye

1. Boo told us authoritatively that corn did not grow well in England and was low and stunted. Well today we went for a walk in the Surrey countryside (posponed from yesterday when it poured, though it rained today too). We went through a field of corn that was 8feet high and prolific, for some reason stilll being unpicked in mid November.

Now I'm not sure how high is an elephants eye, but 8 ft is pretty tall.

The other highlight was the fox we saw.

The lowlight was a very muddy (spelt cowdung) area that we couldn't go round. Mike got through with it spilling over the tops of his boots, but Linda did a faceplant. We were saved by a friendly farmer who let us use his hose.

Walking in England is such fun

Sea Dogs

King Lear

Just went to see King Lear with Boo and Trev. Boo was very impressed by Lear with no clothes on.

Minster Installation Art

Further to previous mention of the video installation on the outer wall of the minster - here is the video I took of it. Quite dramatic really. (NB: You probably need to click on the video and then the play button, i.e. twice, to get it running. Don't give up!)

Trevor

Handy Phrases for Nicky

Having seen the latest post re Denmark and the lingo, clearly some useful phrases are called for, so here they are:

Merry Christmas - glædelig jul
Hello - goddag (formal) / hej (coll.)
Happy New Year - godt nytår

just in case, here are the same phrases in Dutch!

vrolijk Kerstfeest
goede morgen / goede middag / goede avond (morning / afternoon / evening)
gelukkig Nieuwjaar

We're all jealous really.

Quote of the week

Further to mum's entry below about Nicky's job in Denmark, I thought I'd just share my glee at what she said on the phone when she rang to tell me the news.

Upon telling me about said job offer in Denmark (take note, country of job opportunity = Denmark) Nicky said 'It'd be really good won't it....although, I don't speak any Dutch'. To which I said, 'Why would you need to speak Dutch? Isn't the job in Denmark?' Nicky then replied with 'Don't they speak Dutch in Denmark then?' I then informed her that no, they don't speak Dutch in Denmark, they speak Danish.

This was then followed by the question from Nicky: 'Well where do they speak Dutch then?'

Blond? My sister? Na..... ;)
xxxxxxxxxxx

The Sheep Murderer's tale

Today in London, our friends regaled us with the following real event: Some time ago, at a tourist spot, it matters not where, our friend A*** and family was enjoying the outdoors with friends. Said spot had many a sheep, which were determined sandwich eaters and minor menaces to children. One sheep in particular was the potential chief snatcher and minor admonishments had failed to divert his attention. In steps our hero A*** (identity concealed) and marches up to the woolly carpetbagger, wagging a finger of power and uttering the mighty charm "shoo".

Backwards went the sheep, until reaching the hill (oh, yes, it was the tourist spot up a hill), at which point it rolled over backwards down the hill until it hit a ledge, whereupon the dying fly position was adopted.

At this point, friends 10 year old set up a mighty wail of "sheep murderer, sheep murderer". A*** was rather worried, so he scrambled down and poked the sheep.

Thankfully, after a few moments, sheep came round, and after a pause to reflect on the dangers of a life of crime, scrambled to its feet and wandered away.

Ever since, A*** is know in that particular circle as the sheep murderer. The things people do to get a nickname.....

Return of the stare

Today we were in London, meeting some friends. On the way we crossed at traffic lights. As we did so a cyclist gently went through the red light, causing us no problem - but directly behind the cyclist was a police van. At first nothing happened, then Boo engaged the famous stare of power, first at the cyclist, then at the driver of said Police van. 5 seconds later, blue lights, cyclist pulled over.

A victory for the stare.

Nicky off to Denmark

Nicky is off to Denmark next week for 6 months, so she is joining the expat family members scattered around and adding Scandanvia to the family map. She has got a job as a groom in a showjumping yard for a 6 month contract and goes next week. She is very excited as it is good money and terrific experience. The down side (for me) is that she won't be home for Christmas, however such is life. We shall have to send her a care parcel for Xmas day.

Books

Do we have a book club book going right now and I missed it? Is there not a book?

Signed
Confused in Spain

Ooops, I done it again. (Changed the blog template that is)

So exciting as it is a 3 day weekend - we're going Christmas shopping on Monday. Woo. Todays news at one o'clock was essentially "There has been no serious flooding", with lots of pictures of waves and inches of water on some roads. A reporter was on Lowestoft beach saying the sea was rough as very small waves simpered behind him. Good news really, just the journalists don't understand how not to be dramatic.

Adminman

Fruit and veg

In an effort to shop stopping at Asda and therby willfully supporting the evil Wal-Mart, the first change Carl and I have made in our shopping habits is to order a fruit and veg box from a local supplier in Wiltshire, G+S Fruits. All produce is seasonal, sourced locally and delivered once a week, although I'm not sure how much of it is organically farmed and how much isn't.

However, our first box arrived yesterday and it was all very exciting, delving around and pulling out delights such as a huge cabbage complete with all the leaves (reminded me of the plant in Little Shop of Horrors) and the biggest leeks either of us have ever seen, plus pears and apples and all sorts of fruity and veggie delights.

So now we feel all smug as if we are single handedly saving the environment...not sure that's quite true but, I'm looking forward to some very nice dinners (cooked by Carl of course) on the back of it :)

Love Kate xxxx

York

We have just returned from a weekend of visiting Erin in the beautiful city of York. We decided to do the touristy things. We went to the Minster, quite splendid but if they are going to charge you to get in they need to get their cashiers sorted out. A geriatric and a twelve year old just weren’t shortening the queue quickly! In the evening they have an Art Installation projected against the West Face which reacts to sound. It is quite snazzy

After that , as Erin didn’t want to go to the railway museum(I can’t think why), we decided to go to the Treasurer’s house (pictured) and more specifically the vaults as they were supposed to be haunted by a Roman Legion, but only from their knees up.
It’s a National Trust property and both Trev and I are members so the house was free but we had to pay and extra 2.50 to get in the vaults. Erin is not a member so we would have to pay for her entry to the house plus the money to the vaults. It was here that the cashier decided to try and sell annual NT membership to Erin. Honestly, Erin is queen of the contemptuous, leave me alone stare, but this woman was having none of it. She kept trying to sell membership, clearly not realising that Erin could buy a seasons wardrobe from Primark with £20! When we realised that we would have to pay the extra to get into the vaults the said: “ See the member ship looks good now.” Well it looked exactly the same as members had to pay the extra.
As it happens we didn’t have enough cash and they wouldn’t accept any cards so we went shopping instead. I bought myself some lovely earrings, which in a way were free as we hadn’t spent the money getting into the Vaults.
On our way home we passed through a village called Spital in the Street! Excellent name

Halloween

Can you find the Canadians???

Dumbledore

I am not sure that it is possible that I am the first to see this, but did you catch the news???

Dumbledore is gay!

Dumbledore is gay," the author responded to gasps and applause.

She then explained that Dumbledore was smitten with rival Gellert Grindelwald, whom he defeated long ago in a battle between good and bad wizards. "Falling in love can blind us to an extent," Rowling said of Dumbledore's feelings, adding that Dumbledore was "horribly, terribly let down."

Dumbledore's love, she observed, was his "great tragedy."

This may go some distance to reducing homophobia, eh?

Trivia

Today is St Luke's day. Apparently the weather is often mild on this day, as indeed it is in East Anglia today, hence the expression luke warm!

New layout

In order to edit the links section, I had to choose a new layout for the blog. Looks almost the same as the old one to me. We can move things around, and try other colour variants. Any suggestions (constructive only!) then please blog them...........

Trevor

Fame (nearly) at last

The adult choir I'm in were asked to sing some appropriate music (ie 1520) at the opening of the new church at the open air museum at St fagans yesterday. The museum pick up old buildings and reconstruct them on a large site and get them historically accurate so you can see how people lived and worked iin them. this church has been disused since 1850 and they have spent the last few years dismantling it and rebuilding it as it would have been in 1520. One of our choir works as a part time guide there and suggested us to sing as people were coming in etc. Fine, ok we thought. However it was all rather grander than we realised. We had 3 (yes 3) Archbishops - the Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop of Wales, and the Archbishop of Cardiff (who is the Catholic one) and tv cameras, etc etc! Luckily we were behind the rood screen and not very visible - if you can pull up the action shot we are just visible behind the guy singing the Salve Regina http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7043147.stm
I have no idea what we sounded like in the attached marquee where lots of people were sitting, but it went ok I think. None of our groupies ( ie partners of members) said ie was dire. They have done a stunning job on the rebuilding though

Dali museum...

We took the girls off to the Dali museum...which was crappy..over crowded. abysmally curated and poorly maintained...that said, we had some fun.

First we gilded youngest's arm and hand:



Then we let Eldest have a Rocky Horror moment that presages bad things for the next decade or so...



Some of it was fun...though overall, I wouldn't go if I were you.

A few words of advice

For my dear family, a few friendly words of advice. Don't ever purchase Tile Loc laminate flooring from B&Q for your homes. It fools you into thinking it is an attractive, low-cost option with which to cover your kitchen floor, it comes with an instruction dvd that further hoodwinks you into thinking the fitting process will be simple and that the strips will just magically click together and that you'll be finished in time for Strictly Come Dancing on a Saturday evening....don't believe a bloody word of it, it's RUBBISH!!!

However, the tears and tantrums (believe it or not that was Carl not me) are now over and it looks fabulous but I have two words: NEVER. AGAIN.

Love Kate xxxx

Rats!

I will proceed no futher with the Browning poem than the title.

Anyway, yesterday we were walking the dog in a stubble field. As we walked up the hill about 20 t0 30 rats ran out of the field in front or us, crossed our path, and ran towards a ditch by the side of the field.

It was so wierd. I have never seen so many at once.

It could be that they were disturbed by the ploughing going on in the adjacent field or maybe there are more of them due to the recent addition to Saffron Walden of a skatepark nearby and all the discarded food that goes with that. Or maybe we are like the anithesis of the pied piper of Hamelin and rats run away from us. Needless to say, Gromit proved again how far evolved he is from the wolf by totally ignoring them.

While I am on the subject I would just like to say that it always pleases me that the Black Rat's Latin name is Ratus Ratus. It's like Lineus got to naming it on a Friday evening when he wanted to go to the pub and just said Oh that'll do!

I didn't used to have this question....

OK British grammar wizards...here's a pressing ESL question.

One of the grammar texts I am using with quite advanced students states that you can use these phrases, and others like them quite correctly.

I didn't used to like carrots.

Did you used to swim every day?

Now in N.Am, the only folks who use this kind of phrasing live far back in the Ozarks and haven't seen education beyond the third grade for several generations. They haven't been employed as long as anyone can remember and their uncle ain't neither...get my drift?

Well, this book was published in Oxford UK in 2003, making me wonder if these grammatical structures have a totally different implication on this side of the pond.

Please let me know, m'kay?

Mike

Erin is quite correct. Mike does look a bit odd in that picture. I think I was focusing on the food!

I should be like Christine and just take a picture of the food and nothing else!

Here is another picture of Mike with Erin and me at Mont St Michel

Brittany

Bonjour ma famille


We have returned from Brittany having had a very nice time. Rambling on the coast and eating! We watched some of the Rugby world cup on the tv and were pleased to find that French rugby commentators actually say Oo la la




When we arrived the lady who owned the gite thought that Trev spoke french like a native! French people always think we will be french because our surname is one of the commonest in France. However, usually that impression doesn't last for long. And before you ask she did not seem deaf, drunk or mad!



The gite was very nice although I was glad that I only discovered Aragog living in the downstairs loo on the penultimate day of the holiday. Even Trev didn't have the courage to evict him. Maybe he was there to avenge Laurent the lizard whose tail I managed to chop off when shutting the window. He looked a bit stunned but he did walk off later. The tail twitching in the window was rather unpleasant.


Erin and her boyfriend Mike came over for a few days in the second week thanks to Ryan air and Dinard airport which is little bigger than our local train station!


Here are some pictures.

This is the Pont De Normandie which we crossed on the way. It crosses the Seine between Le Havre and Honfluer. An amazing structure. It's so steep it's a bit like the escalator to Heaven in a "Matter of Life and Death"


















Here is the Port de Dinan which was a 10 minute walk from our house. We tried many of the eateries there.




















Here are some old men playing petanque. Not so unusual, I hear you say. However if you look closely you will see that they each have a bit of string at the end of which there is a magnet. When it is time to retrieve their balls they just put the magnet on the ball and voila no bending.

















Here is a picture of the coast from the coastal Grand Radonee that we did bits of.
















This is a view from the very top of Fort du Latte, reached by stone steps up a roof with a rope banister to cling on to, and I mean cling!

















Finally here is the plateau de fruit de mer being admired by Erin and her boyfriend Mike. That was for all four of us.

Check out the website

Hi everyone - this is a link to the entry about Brian on the spnm website
http://www.spnm.org.uk/?page=shortlist/composer.html&id=283
This is making it feel very real! Also he has his picture in the magazine this month too! He is going to London at the end of october to have a sort of meeting of all the new shortlisted composers which is both exciting and scary.

We are off to Poland in march with the Choir - (did my email reach you Jo? We would really really appreciate it if anyone has any folk songs we could use - we do have a Polish student to teach us pronounciation) which is exciting too, though perhaps chillier.

Nic is back from the USA having had a wonderful time and with a pressing need to find work to earn money - good thing say I.

I have downloaded a web authoring package and had my first play with it this afternoon. If it all works *(very big if that) you will be able to look at Brian's own website. As a daughter and a niece are professional marketing managers I feel a bit on thin ice here, doing the marketing thing with Brian, however everyone has to learn something new and start somewhere. We are not being ambitious with this website though - simple and elegant is what we're aiming for.
(my aim has never been very good either) I hope everyone is well and happy
love Helen

Joanne in BCN

While I am nervous of pushing HP off the top of the list here, I thought I would toss up this photo of Joanne and the girls in Barcelona today, she was here for five or so hours, of which we could see her for about two...work is a pain sometimes...

We met, we ate paella and ice cream, we ran for the bus, and we parted.

Short and sweet, but a little too short.

Book 7

I've been waiting around, oh so politely, for a while for someone to pick up and talk about #7...that's enough of that now, since you all waited for me to read it, I'll start.

First of all, it was brilliant. I loved it and it was fantastic. Not as dark or scary as some of them, and I think she has managed to keep Harry aging appropriately.

I had two concerns toward the end of the book. These were the fact that Harry, Ron and Hermione never killed anyone, portraying them as good guys, unsullied and in direct opposition to Voldemort. That said, obviously Harry kills off the big V, but that was indispensable. Their friends however, also good guys are left with all the dirty work of off-ing folks left right and center, while the central trio at worst go for a crucio curse. I couldn't quite hold those two images.

The second problem that I had was in the King's Cross station scene at the end when D and Harry are chatting. The flapping 'flayed' baby in the background that they are unmoved by and inured too I could not get past. It goes without saying that it is an image of the underdeveloped soul/inner being/nature of V, but the fact that these two could be so disinterested, especially when the image was specifically a flayed child I could not go beyond. I was abruptly and fatally unable to suspend my disbelief at this stage, and it just didn't work for me. The word flayed alone is probably what did me in. The thought that those two could just walk past a child in that condition, however dream like was untenable.

Those were my only beefs with the book, I was sorry my problems with it came towards the end because they stand more strongly in my mind than if they had occurred earlier, but that was a great series. What is she going to do next?

Things

Just some general things as lots of stuff seems to be happening at the moment:

1) Finally received some birthday greetings from my errant sister - all is forgiven :)
2) Carl and I are getting a new kitchen next week, courtesy of dad, veeerrrrry excited about it.
3) Carl whisked me away to Paris for my birthday which was absolutely fabulous but I've lost the lead that connects my camera to my laptop so can't upload the phots :(
4) I tried oysters for the first time in Paris. Have discovered I don't like them and they didn't like me either...
4) My new job (I still call it that although I've been there a year now) is going really well and I've just been told I'm getting a payrise - yay!
5) Is anyone else watching Heroes? I think it's aboslutely brilliant.
6) Are we nominating another book for everyone to read? I was late finishing the last one but would love some recommendations for books as I'm still mourning post-Harry-book-7.

Hope everyone's well
Love Kate xxxx

Nicky goes sailing!!!

The arrival of Nicky and her home girls, along with a, well, a guy. Chaperoned carefully by her Uncle....



On the ferry....



On the boat....they had lovely short skirts on a windy day.



They were a ton of fun, and we had a lovely time, though I hear a rumour that book 7 may be headed my way, although it seemed to have been forgotten.

Ah well.


They were lovely fun, they are headed off to the shoe museum, and possibly the Art Gallery, there is a show on of photographic weaving, and one of Nicky's friends is in textile design school specialising in weaving so interest is high.

They are all off to Niagara Falls tomorrow, another boat ride, this time the Maid of the Mist. An apparently obligatory trip on a voyage to Canada.

Hooray!!

We have cause to celebrate. There is an organisation called the Society for the Promotion of New Music (SPNM and the title says it all) who have what they call a shortlist of undiscovered composers who they take on for a period of 3 years on what they call their shortlist. The people on the shortlist appear in a brochure that spnm produces, they are promoted on the website, they have access to training and classes for free, the spnm try to get their compositions played and promote any concert at which the music is played. it is a hefty push to open the door for an unknown composer. And Brian has been selected as one of the 18 who are going to be on the shortlist over the next 3 years. chosen from more than 400 applicants. Happy - scared and happy. Hooray!!

Harry Potter Your questions answered

For all who have finished the septology (is that a word)http://www.mugglenet.com/app/news/full_story/1156
This is a webcast JKR did answering fans question. It is chock full of spoilers so you'd better not read it, Chris!
Enjoy

Lapdog Vs Laptop

Out dog Gromit is a cavalier king charles spaniel. He is a lap dog and after centuries of interbreeding he may be as far removed from the wolf original as is possible but he is an expert at getting on people’s laps. You go around any stately home in the UK and the chances are you will see a painting of a bulgy eyed cavvy gazing out at you from somebody’s lap. They have few talents but this is one of them.
Gromit’s favourite lap is Erin’s. However since she became a student she has had a laptop computer which has become a rival for her lap. This does not defeat our small toothless hound however as with some persistance he still manages to find a bit of her lap to rest his head even when the computer is already there.
Imagine his surprise then, when the other day she shut her computer and trapped one of his ears in it. Apparently, he didn’t notice it till she moved the computer and his ear went with it! Ouch!
Toshiba 1 Canine 0!

Broody...

So my friend Alison who Carl and I met in Cyprus and whose wedding we went to last year, has just had her first baby. Wee Isla Buchanan joined the world on 28th July (same birthday as you mum) so I went out at lunch time today to get her some presents. Found myself in the baby clothes section of Next and just turned into a gibbering, broody wreck! Can't believe it! Who'd have thought a few cute pink frocks and some Winnie the Pooh merchandise could do that to a Marketing-Manager-who's-quite-happy-having-a-dog-and-no-children-thank-you-very-much?

So she ended up with a gorgeous denim dungaree dress and this lush teeny hoodie plus a little cuddly Piglet to go with her Winnie the Pooh...she's also pictured here with their dog Ringo who Carl still misses 5 years after leaving Cyprus.

Swimming Pool Rage!

Well, enough of lovely holidays and weddings and I will relate the strange experience I had this morning. I have taken to going swimming at our local baths at 6.45am. A bit ghastly but to be honest I’m barely awake enough to know what’s happening and the pool is full of people who just want to swim, no flirting teenagers or other people generally enjoying themselves. Anyway, at this time I often see people I know. (I’m not saying that Saffron Walden is a small town, but at Jon and Niamh’s wedding I was talking to Niamh’s Irish aunt who knew one person in SW and I know them too!)
The swimming pool is 25m by 10m. Two lanes are cordoned off for fast swimmers, two for slower swimmers and the other four just for general dawdlers (like me!)
Anyway, one of my acquaintances, Carol, is rather a fast swimmer but she was doing her serious lengths in the dawdling area for some unknown reason. Kathy, another acquaintance was swimming rather slowly with a friend chatting all the time. (How does one hold a conversations at that hour in the morning is beyond me). Suddenly Carol went up to them and told them off. She said that the pool was for swimming not chatting! They went and complained to the lifeguard who obviously couldn’t really do anything (because he was 12!). But when Carol saw this she went ballistic and laid into them again. Very strange indeed.
To be honest, I think Carol was wrong. You pay your £3 to use the pool, providing you don’t break the rules I don’t think you actually have to swim. Actually Carol and I talked about doing a job share when our kids were younger. I’m glad that didn’t go anywhere, she would have shouted at me for being a slacker!

Sea dogs in China

The Wedding pictures were great. Chris has finally told us how to get in to this site. Attached is a link to our China pictures. Please see if it works and let us know.

Click here

Marriage of Niamh and Jonathan

A few pictures from 28th July in Silverton and Fursdon. All of these are available at high resolution so if anyone wants any let me know and I'll either mail (if one or two max) or put on CD and post.
Here is the church of Saint Mary the Virgin.



















Followed by the bride, groom, best man and bridesmaids just outside the church. No pictures inside as the camera declined to steady my hand or focus properly, I blame the technology.















Here is Bill and Piers.















Happy Hulls
















The new family, well parents and new children if you like.















After the church, we all went to Fursdon House for the reception. Here is a view from the front of Fursdon house - before it rained!















Next we have a bunch of cousins
















Helen conversing with Richard's sister and brother in-law (yes, Iforgot the names...)
















Fran snapping














Pensive Jon, are they memories leaking out of his head? (On their way to a pensieve? Just had to get an HP reference somewhere....)














After the photographs, and there was the obligatory bossy photographer, we went into a marquee. Here is Jon watching his memories being transferred via a cup (Stop it!)















Jon doing his speech:




















Not to be outdone, Niamh did a speech


















Boo enraptured by the speech, Ann and Helen watching it on a portable TV















Andy and Moira talking at each other

















The throwing of the Bouquet. I have a brief video, so we know who caught it.
















And finally, the cake. Made by Fran, hereafter to be known as superwoman. Fabulous wedding, brilliantly organised, and lovely to see such a happy couple. And no embarrasing drunks! Well done everyone.

Spot the baby moorhen among the lillies

Very old Celtic cross with Ogham writing by Carew Castle
Sunset from the back garden in Llandeloy
Wierd stratification on the rocks you get all along this coast, plus the black rocks as well - very peculiar.
Sunny day - the sea off St David's Head - spot the seagull this time !!

Arty picture of a bit of heather
These were all taken in Pembrokeshire last week. Not quite as glamorous as Morocco, but as you can see stunningly beautiful in the right weather!!

I'm back...

...following Carl's tinkering with things he knows nothing about and breaking our laptop, it's now been mended so I'm back contributing posts again.

Diet updates will resume this week as I'm still plugging away with the weightloss.

I just wanted to a) exhort everybody to finish Harry asap so we can discuss! And b) post some piccies up of our trip to Marrakech which is now nearly 2 months ago. However, it's a wonderful place and one I'd thoroughly recommend - lots to see and do, bargains to be had in the souks and great food :)

Love Kate xxxxx

No spoilers please!!!

OK OK OK.....


SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooo

how is it???

Holes by Louis Sachar

Well at last I am ready to blog. I have been putting this off as it was becoming like and English essay. Anyway here goes. It is not an in depth analysis but if I don't post what I've got so far I never will!

Holes
Although this is obviously a children’s book I think it has appeal to all ages. I first heard of it when the BBC did a list of the top 100 most loved books as voted for by the public. It had all the usual suspects – Austen, Brontes etc. As well as some, like the Da Vinci Code, which will probably prove more passing popularity? This however was the only book I had never heard of. I decided I needed to see why so many had voted for it.
I suppose a lot of its popularity is down to the fact it is about an underdog becoming triumphant and a hero. However I think there are a lot of layers to the story which makes it stand out. It is written like a folk story. Sachar simply expects you to believe in ancient curses and bad luck. So it is like going to the opera where you have to suspend disbelief. That done you enter into Stanley’s world and can empathize with him more fully. Like many good folk stories it has horrible baddies, mythical beasts (the lizards) a lost civilization and magical food (the onions). Like a lot of children’s literature, such as Secret Garden, the Narnia books and of course Harry Potter, Stanley ditches his parents and all the trammels of his previous life which have been holding him back. This allows him to start from scratch and it means that everything is as new to him as it is to us. So we see this whole new rather alarming world through his eyes. On this new stage Stanley manages to make friends for the first time in his life and actually have some respect in his new community.
This is a book that I know is taught in schools so I looked on the Web for crib notes. And apparently the main themes in it are the benefits of friendship, fate reuniting people and the importance of history in every day life. There are also adult themes like racism. I think the power of fate could be an annoying theme (Ok, Helen – let’s not start the Thomas Hardy thing up again!) however the way it is handled just emphasises the folk story feel. So it becomes like Greek legends or even the Bible. However fate also means that Stanley and Zero meet again and make right ancient wrongs. I liked the way the history was introduced and made relevant to the current story being told. I suppose it could be argued that the coincidences were a bit hard to believe but this has not held back a lot of great literature – Oliver Twist for example.
Basically, sweeping themes or not I enjoyed this book because I rooted for Stanley and Zero and was glad that it ended happily. I think it was like a Shawshank Redemption for children and as that is in my top ten films ever what further compliment can I give it?