Chocolate cake and books
On Friday night, I got a craving for some yummy moist chocolate cake. I had all the ingredients in the cupboard, and I remembered a recipe posted by Clothide of Chocolate & Zucchini that I'd been meaning to try. I had some raspberry coulis sitting in the freezer too, which I used used inbetween the two halves of cake. The result was heavenly! Needless to say, the cake has long since disappeared :) If you love chocolate, and cake, like me, then give this recipe a try! It's so easy, honestly.
I stayed up until 4am this morning, to finish reading Captain Corelli's Mandolin. And then afterwards, I couldn't sleep for thinking about it. It was such a touching story, one that made me cry, but I couldn't help but feel frustrated and angry for the waste of Pelagia's youth whilst she waited for her Captain. It felt sort of unsatisfying, not having the happy ending that you long for, but thinking about it now, if de Bernieres had given us that happily-ever-after ending, it would have been too perfect, too saccharine, and I'd probably be looking back at it in disgust right now. A bit like Harry Potter, I suppose. So, de Bernieres got it right, after all. He's a great story teller.
What should I read next, I wonder? Any recommendations?
I spent yesterday sitting on the floor of the upstairs hall, clearing out a bookshelf so crammed full of books that they were sitting in piles on the floor around it, on top of it, filling every space imaginable. These were books that my sister and I had grown up reading - everything from picture books to ABC to Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl and all the children's classics - Heidi, Peter Pan, Little Women, What Katy did. I could go on, but we'd be here forever. The aim of the clear out was to give these books away or to charity, since we've long since grown out of them. But all these well-thumbed copies had so many memories on every page, that as I sat turning their pages, I couldn't bear to give them away. These were the very pages that stirred my imagination as a child and ignited my love for reading today.
I lovingly packed the classics and the ones closest to my heart in boxes which are now sitting in the attic and waiting for a day when my children can too fall in love with the words on their pages. Silly, I know, how precious some things can become to us, but these books were such a big part of my childhood, and I owe them a lot for allowing me to escape to all sorts of worlds whenever I picked one up.
I stayed up until 4am this morning, to finish reading Captain Corelli's Mandolin. And then afterwards, I couldn't sleep for thinking about it. It was such a touching story, one that made me cry, but I couldn't help but feel frustrated and angry for the waste of Pelagia's youth whilst she waited for her Captain. It felt sort of unsatisfying, not having the happy ending that you long for, but thinking about it now, if de Bernieres had given us that happily-ever-after ending, it would have been too perfect, too saccharine, and I'd probably be looking back at it in disgust right now. A bit like Harry Potter, I suppose. So, de Bernieres got it right, after all. He's a great story teller.
What should I read next, I wonder? Any recommendations?
I'm going to have to part with my beloved books soon, and I'll have nowhere to put them, so I really really do have to.
Maybe you can borrow some before they go.
xoxoxoxoxox
Know whAT YOU MEAN ABOUT THE BOOKS POPPET AND i AGREE WITH YOUR IDEA WHOLEHEARTEDLY! :O) OH BUM CAPS LOCK oh god I'm too shattered to change it all, just know I'm not shouting, just tired! LOL ;o)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Oh, I wish you didn't have to give all your stuff away.. I wish you didn't have to go too.. :| Love you sweetie xxx
Boso, *laughs at image of the big man reading Enid Blyton* :) You're so right - the classics are the best - they never grow old :) I hope your little girl enjoys them as much as you did :) xxx
Diiiivaaa! Yay! Hehe @ poor tired you! I hope you've had a good rest since :) Ooh, I see you and the gang in a few days time! Yayyy!! Love ya! xxx
Flighty, they are two of my very favourite things too :D xxx
Hehe Nikki, you really ought to try it out - it's too good to be true :)
Re. the reprints - that's what I thought too - it's an investment for the future :) xxx
Were you there at Halloween? Do you remember the nasty chewy fangs and smelly brain sweets?
Livs, I think I was there, but for some reason I don't remember the sweets.. Hmm.. too much alcohol perhaps? Hope you're feeling better soon, love! xxx