Onion Budgie

Merry Christmas! Hope you have a wonderful time.

Oh muggle, that must've hurt! I bet you won't be doing that again in a hurry. I also had chili yesterday, although mine was a veggie version made with green lentils. It was delicious -- and I have lots left over for later in the week, so hurrah for that. Tonight was simple, just a baked potato with lots of steamed veg tossed in soy sauce, some sunflower seeds thrown in, and a fried egg on top.

That's good news, Nollaig! Congrats. Might the landlord allow you to repaint your room, if you asked? Worth a shot.

Oh gosh, I just thought of another one. The good news is, there's a free version of the two chapters which relate to depression, and which I'll link to below. It's from Hyperbole And a Half by Allie Brosh. Please do read! http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/adventures-in-depression.html http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/depression-part-two.html

Favourite read? Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides Favourite author? Helene Hanff Most read author? Helene Hanff (five of her books read this year -- and now only one left, waaahhhhh. I wish she'd written more!) Favourite book cover? One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie (Fontana 1969 edition) Book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)? None Book that most disappointed you? Life of Pi by Yann Martel Funniest book? Underfoot in Show Business by Helene Hanff Favourite literary character? Calliope/Cal Stephanides from Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides Favourite children's book? None Favourite classic? None this year Favourite non-fiction book? Underfoot in Show Business by Helene Hanff Favourite biography? The Marx Brothers by Kyle Crichton Favourite collection of short stories? None Favourite poetry collection? None Favourite illustrated book? Midnighter by Steve Orlando Favourite publisher? None Favourite audiobook? None Favourite re-read? None

I used to have an oven like that. Certainly not your fault!

Aha! Thanks for clarifying.

No, I'm sure everything will be delish, and he'll be immensely grateful that you took such care over the food prepared for him.

Lucky? You've lost me. I'd recommend Darkness Visible by William Styron. A great (albeit short) book recounting the author's experience with serious bouts of depression, and his eventual rise above it. Good luck. Depression is a draining, horrible thing to live with.

I read that last year; it was fun. I hope you enjoy it too.

And I always mash my Brontes. When it comes to anything Anne, Charlotte or the other one, I simply cannot brain. I'm still reading Murder for Christmas. Not enjoying it quite as much as The Santa Klaus Murder, but it's ok. It's similar in plot, and the "detective" protagonist is trying to be Hercule Poirot, but never mind.

It would be Horror-ble if there wasn't!

That's great news, Peacefield. Nothing much going on here; I'm just dreaming of & looking forward to all the delicious food I'm going to be cramming into my gob over Christmas! I'm shivering in antici...................pation.

I just finished The Santa Klaus Murder. Thoroughly enjoyed it, and gave it 4/5 on Goodreads. Just about to begin Murder for Christmas by Francis Duncan. Another country house, more posh people, and more dead bodies in the study (probably).

Middlesex is the only book by Eugenides that I've read so far -- but I've put his other two on my TBR. If you're going to explore Hanff (hooray! I hope you do!), then I'd recommend giving Underfoot in Show Business a shot. It's a memoir of her early years as a struggling playwright in New York, and it's hilarious.

Congratulations, Virginia!! That's wonderful. You must be so happy!

Here are mine: Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides Bird Love by Leila Jeffreys (a book of bird photography) The Marx Brothers by Kyle Crichton and The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street Underfoot in Show Business Letter From New York Apple of My Eye all by Helene Hanff I discovered Hanff at the beginning of the year, and have devoured almost all of her work since then. I find her an incredibly entertaining writer. (And, somewhat typically for me, the one book of hers that most everyone is familiar with -- 84 Charing Cross Road -- is the one that I like the least!)

Hey frankie I've never cooked with puff pastry, but for inspiration I'd recommend that you take a look here: http://www.recipes.vegsoc.org/results.aspx?cMenu=1&keywords=puff+pastry&andor=all&submit=Search&cVegan=yes (I've narrowed down the search to "puff pastry and vegan" for you.) I'm vegetarian, and have cooked quite a few recipes from this site, and can vouch for their quality and overall toothsomeness! I hope you're able to find something good to cook up for your friend.

A Little Is Enough -- Pete Townshend

Blankets by Craig Thompson

Orlando by Virginia Woolf. It's another one of those books that's been sat on my shelf for yonks. I'm happy that I'm slowly starting to get through them all, though, and I'm definitely keen on giving Orlando a try next year.

I am too! It's one of my favourite reads of the year. I'm just cross with myself that I left it sitting unread on my bookshelf for so long. Can you believe that I originally bought the book when it was first published?!

Good luck at the dentist, Athena! I had two fillings done back in September, and my teeth took a whole month to settle down again, it was 'orrible. My Christmas decorations go up today! I'll also be doing all of my gift wrapping, which is fun for the first 10 minutes, and then hair-pullingly tedious, but if I get some Christmas music blaring then perhaps it won't seem so bad. And brrr, it's cold today. Brrr.

I'm 80 pages into The Santa Klaus Murder by Mavis Doriel Hay, and am liking it a lot so far. Similar in style to Agatha Christie, there's a country house, a lot of posh people, a dead body in the study, and no-one likes anyone else, so they're all under suspicion. Awesome.

Dracula. Also: Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, from Perfume.