Notes of Life

Autumn and Winter seem to be fighting, but it’s chilly outside and Winter is beginning to take hold. The brown leaves are still clinging to some trees while others float to the ground. However, Mid Wales is now covered in a layer of snow.

Today’s plans changed (as I didn’t fancy driving on snowy & icy roads to go to the Medieval Christmas Fayre in Ludlow), so I decided to take a walk around the block (a walk that’s nearly 3 miles long) with my camera. Dad came along too, but slipped over half way around (I panicked briefly at the thought of trying to get an injured 70-something old man home, but he just got up and brushed himself off… I’m sure he’ll be aching tomorrow!).

Half-way around the block is my favourite tree (is it weird to have a favourite tree?!). I don’t know why I like it, but I guess it’s the way it seems to lean to one side. Long-time visitors will have seen this tree before.

See the bench? When I was a kid we used to either cycle or walk around the block and sit there eating our sandwiches!

Poor sheep! I feel sorry for them having to spend the cold winter outside, but then I guess they’re used to it (unlike me who spent ages trying to warm up when I got home after the walk!).

I did make it to town after my walk (the main roads are clear) and I bought myself a Christmas book to read in the run up to Christmas. I bought Falling for Christmas by Debbie Macomber – it’s 2 stories (‘A Cedar Cove Christmas’ and ‘Call Me Mrs Miracle’) in one book. I only popped to town for a couple of birthday cards, but ended up buying quite a bit more! Also, when I got home I couldn’t park the car on the drive, because it just kept slipping backwards (we live on the side of a hill)!

I love snow and we’re forecast this kind of weather for the next 10 days or so, but I’m hoping we don’t get much more because I’ve got plans for a meal out tomorrow, Christmas shopping on Wednesday and a Meat Loaf concert next Sunday!

… and this week I’m reading The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag by Alan Bradley.

The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag is book 2 in the Flavia de Luce series. While I haven’t actually read the first book, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, I have read a number of reviews that have raved about it. From what I’ve read of book 2 (much easier than typing the whole title all the time!), I think it can be read as a stand-alone book as well as a continuation of the series. Having said that, I’m sure I’ll soon be investing in buying book 1 of the series as I’m definitely enjoying book 2 so far!

The Flavia de Luce series is about a young girl called Flavia who lives in an ancient country house somewhere in 1950′s England. Flavia loves bizzare chemistry experiments and sleuthing.

In The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag, a battered van carrying a travelling puppet show unexpectedly arrives in the village of Bishop’s Lacey and puts on a show. A shocking death occurs during the finale of the puppet show and 11 year old Flavia finds herself in a prime position for some sleuthing.

A review will be forthcoming as soon as I’ve finished the book. Thanks to Bookdagger for sending me a copy of The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag to review.

The last book I read was Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick (read my review). Crescendo is the sequel to Hush, Hush (read my review) and is well worth reading.

The next book I’ll be reading? I’m not sure yet, but there’s plenty to choose from!

I’m considering reading some feel-good Christmas books in the run up to Christmas, so feel free to recommend some…

Posted for It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? Why not join in?!

Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 978-1-84738-719-6

Crescendo is the sequel to Becca Fitzpatrick’s Hush, Hush (so if you haven’t read that, you may prefer to read my review of Hush, Hush instead).

After Nora’s traumatic time in Hush, Hush, you would think that Nora should know better than to think her life would go back to normal. She’s fallen in love with a fallen angel, so life is anything but normal! Also, Nora begins to realise that the facts about her dad’s murder just don’t add up and once again her own life is in danger. Will she and Patch survive this? Will they survive it together?

While it took me a while to get into Hush, Hush, I had no such problems with Crescendo. I found this book to be more fast-paced and exciting, with twists and turns and a few that I didn’t see coming!

Some of the characters that we met in Hush, Hush were back. I thought Patch blew more hot & cold in Crescendo than he did in Hush, Hush and I didn’t like him as much in this book, but then all of a sudden something would happen to change that. Nora’s best friend Vee wasn’t so annoying in this book, I think the fact that she was a best friend to rely on made up for the fact that she was annoying and over the top at times. We also get to read a lot more about Patch’s best friend Rixon and Nora’s nemesis Marcie, as well as meeting a new character called Scott who has once been Nora’s childhood friend and has recently returned to Coldwater.

There’s a bit of a shocking twist at the end of the book which leaves us with quite a cliffhanger. I now can’t wait for the release of the third and final book of the series, but it seems that I’m in for a bit of a wait as Tempest isn’t due out until mid-October 2011!

So, all in all, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it (even to those who weren’t sure about Hush, Hush).

Buy Hush, Hush and Crescendo at The Book Depository.

‘To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar’ stars Patrick Swayze and Wesley Snipes as you’ve probably never seen them before… and in roles that you’d never expect them to play! Along with John Leguizamo, they play Noxeema (Snipes), Vida (Swayze) and Chi-Chi (Leguizamo), drag queens on a journey from New York to Hollywood for a drag queen beauty pageant. Along the way, things don’t go quite as they’d planned and they end up stuck in the sleepy, Mid West, small town of Snydersville for the weekend. In this drab town, they stand out a mile in their flamboyant and glitzy outfits, but they make the best of the unfortunate situation.

This film was released in 1995, but I only got around to watching it earlier this year… and if you’ve not watched it then you’re missing out! In fact, I’d only heard of “To Wong Foo…” after reading Patrick Swayze’s autobiography last year.

This is a feel good film that had me laughing at various points during the film. For a start, you get to see the trasformation of Patrick Swayze and Wesley Snipes as their characters glam themselves up at the beginning of the film, and they actually look pretty good in dresses, especially Wesley Snipes! Who’d have thought it?! The beginning of the film is the only time you’ll see them as men.

Voice-wise, the actors have obviously put on softer voices (as they’re playing “ladies”) and it is done well. Vida Boheme, in particular, is a classy drag queen (as shown in the way he/she dresses) and this comes across well in the way that Patrick Swayze speaks and conducts the character. We do get to hear Swayze’s real voice at one point in the film when he shouts “Get your hand off my DICK, buddy!” after a sherriff tries it on with Vida.

All three men seemed very comfortable in the roles and had them down to a T. In fact, not far into the film, I’d pretty much forgotten I was watching Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo in drag as they pulled it off so well. I would have never have chosen Swayze or Snipes to act in a film about drag queens (in fact, I’ve never taken much notice of Snipes, other than seeing him in action films), however this film was cast perfectly and just goes to show how good actors they are.

You may be wondering what the title of the film has to do with anything… Well, early on in the film Vida spots an autographed picture on the wall of a restaurant which reads “To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar” and she decides that she must have it. The autographed picture then goes on the journey with them as inspiration. In fact, Julie Newmar (famous for her role as Catwoman in the Batman TV series) even makes a brief appearance (as herself) in the film.

Other people who appear in the film include Robin Williams, Stockard Channing, Chris Penn (as Sherriff Dullard), Naomi Campbell, Quentin Crisp and RuPaul.

The soundtrack includes classics (and very appropriate songs) such as ‘Free Yourself’ by Chaka Khan, ‘She’s A Lady’ by Tom Jones and ‘Girls Just Want To Have Fun’ by Cyndi Lauper.

As I’m sure you’ll have guessed by now, this is one film that I definitely recommend! It’s a PG rated film, so almost anyone can watch it, though I don’t think kids will be too interested in it. However, this is certainly a film I’ll be watching time & time again.

I wrote this review for Dooyoo a few months back, but have just realised that I haven’t posted it here. So, here’s an updated version!

Do Me Up Cuddly Bear Book

Publishers: Zuza Books
ISBN: 978-0-9559129-7-9

The ‘Do Me Up’ Cuddly Bear Book is not just a book, it’s a cuddly toy too! Who would have thought you could get a bear that’s also a book?! The idea of this is so that toddlers can play and learn at the same time.

The bear is light brown with a smiley, happy face and wears a blue corduroy top with the words “Do Me Up!” on the front. There is a zip at the side… Un-zipping this reveals the first page of the book, which starts with “Round and round the garden,” (I think you can see where this little story is leading!). Now the bear is wearing a yellow and blue stripey knitted cardigan… Undoing the Velcro reveals two more pages “like a teddy bear”. Now the bear is wearing a blue gingham shirt and we need to undo the shirt buttons – “one step, two step,”. Bear is now wearing his flannel vest, we undo the Velcro to reveal a bear-chested bear and “tickle me, under there!”. He’s also wearing a belt, undoing that doesn’t reveal anything but my niece loves to play with the belt anyway.

Of course, there’s now the task of redressing the bear!

As you might have guessed, this book/bear helps toddlers learn how to undo and do-up a variety of fastenings. I actually found the zip a little bit fiddly as rather than going straight down (like a zip on a jacket normally would) it follows the curve of the bear. I think a chunkier zip would have been easier to use for little ones and perhaps a bit sturdier.

The ‘Do Me Up’ Cuddly Bear Book comes in a sturdy plastic and cloth bag with a carry handle, so kids can take him along where ever they go (as I know kids like to take toys with them when they go places). The book/bear itself can be washed with a damp cloth

My baby niece is perhaps a bit young for this bear/book at 12 months old, but she already loves it. She doesn’t yet have the dexterity to undo the buttons and she finds the zip a bit tricky, but she can undo the Velcro with ease. She also loves to feel all the different textures of the fabric used and loves to give the bear a cuddle. She even gives his ears a chew from time to time! Oh, and she loves a good tickle too!

I think that the ‘Do Me Up’ Cuddly Bear Book is a wonderful concept and is great for parents to use to interact with toddlers and help them learn how to fasten up their clothes. I’m sure this will help my niece when she’s learning to dress herself, but for now she’s enjoying listening to me read “Round and round the garden” to her and playing with it.

I bought the ‘Do Me Up’ Cuddly Bear Book from The Book People website for £7.99 a few months ago, which is a saving of £8 from the RRP of £15.99. The Book People have the age range down as 1 to 3 years old.

Zuza Books do a range of wonderful, interactive books for little kids which are well worth checking out.

Highly recommended for your little one!