Kell

Card buying for birthdays is completely normal for male AND female - nothing to do with sexuality or geographical location.

I did, Poppy, but my oven doesn't heat properly so we don't use it except as a grill and I was afraid it mightn't sterilise the jars properly. Sop I had to stick with the boiling of the jars incstead - LOL! Made my 2nd batch of 4 jars, this time reducing the amount of sugar by 1lb and adding 2tbsp lemon juice. I've had a little taste and I think this batch tastes better, so the third batch will be made to this recipe this afternoon.

TEASER TUESDAYS 1. Grab your current read 2. Open to a random page 3. Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page 4. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) 5. Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! My teaser: Synopsis: When Mike and Gally move to a new cottage in Somerset, it’s to make a new start. But the relationship comes under strain when Gally forms an increasingly close attachment to an old countryman, Ferney, who seems to know everything about her. What is it that draws them together? Reluctantly at first, then with more urgency as he feels time slipping away, Ferney compels Gally to understand their connection – and to face an inexplicable truth about their shared past. Ferney is condemned to be reincarnated through the ages but occasionally he is allowed to meet with the woman he loves. Ferney reminds Gally of her promise – made when they were last together – that they would try to die together. What I think of it so far: The £1 bargains are turning out to be wonderful lately! This one is really intriguing me. The writing is compelling and the characters warm. It’s also rather eerie as the relationship between Gally and Ferney grows…

Unbeknownst to my sister, there's a large clump of blackcurrant bushes on her property. Of course I spotted them and promptly ased her to bring me a large tub with a lid. I quickly filled it with 2lbs of fruit and arranged to come back the next day (which was yesterday) to pick more. I reckon I picked about 4 or 5 lbs. Also, the first 2lbs had been soaked overnight, so I made my first ever jam yesterday afternoon! The second lot of blackcurrants have been soaking overnight and I wil lmake them into jam today too. On top of this, she has blackberry bushes on the property which have squillions of flowers on them now, so I can hardly wait till the betrries are ripe as blackbery jam and bvlackberrycrumble are two of my aboslute favourites! And if that wasn't enough, a friend of my hubby mentioned that he knows where there are cherry plums growing wild and almost ready, so guess what? I'll be making more jam! Hubby is bringing me some sticky labels today so I shall be designing my own "Kitchen Witch" labels for the jars of jam! Some of the blackcurrants were almost as large as grapes! This is the second day's pickings - the square pot is the one I filled the day before as well: And here are my first ever jars of homemade jam! We were litarally just reaching in and stripping off handfuls of blackcurrants, they were that thick! Of course, we couldn't and wouldn't pcik them all - there's a huge feast left for the birds and animals too. Next year we'll be prepared to start picking as soon as they appear (I hadn't been to her house in ages and she hadn't realised they were blackcurrants - she was under the impression they were gooseberry bushes and was waiting for the berries to turn green - LOL!). Anyway, the very simple recipe I used for the first batch of blackcurrant jam is: INGREDIENTS: 2lbs blackcurrants 3lbs sugar 1.5 pints of water. METHOD: 1. Wash the blackcurrants and destalk them 2. Put blackcurrants into a pan and pour on 1.5 pints of water, then bring to a boil and simmer for around 45 minutes till fruit is soft. 3. Add sugar and stir to dissolve. 4. Bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes and test viscosity on a chilled saucer 5. Pour hot into still-hot sterilised jars and seal immediately to create air-tight seal. I find this jam very thick, sticky and sweet, but it is delicious. However, I think I might tweak the recipe slightly with the second batch today...

Me too.

I wasn't meaning you, Raven, sweetie. On FB I know of several people who have been lambasted about it, not on here.

I've not read them myself, but from what I've heard, they really should be read as a series as there are far-reaching story arcs.

That's exactly what I meant, thank you, Kylie. Another young woman - a 28-y-o mother - was found dead of head injuries yesterday, but I didn't see the outpouring of sympathetic messages on Facebook for her and her family like I saw for AW. All death, especially of someone young with their entire life ahead of them, is tragic. Even more so for the families involved. But when it's a celebrity, we never hear the end of it, whereas when it's a regular person, nobody feels the need to post all over the web about it and I think it's sad that one seems to get precedence over the other when it comes to that. An example with the above story and that of AW - yesterday, the top news on Yaho featured no fewer than THREE articles about AW, all right at the top of the list, but you had to scroll right through to about #25 to reach the story of the 28-y-o mum. I also think it's pretty awful that people who DON'T start tearing their hair out and gnashing their teeth over the death of a celebrity get maligned. I know several people who ahve been given the e-equivalent of a public sermon just because they weren't wailing over the death of AW and dared to say that, although tragic and sad, it couldn't have been unexpected given the life she led. The people that were pointing the fingers were all over AW's death - not one of them mentioned any of the other horrors happening in the world, whereas those who hadn't joined in the "AW is now a saint because she's dead" crowd had ALL highlighted other tragic news items very recently, if not on that very same day. I want to go on the record here - I was no fan of AW's music and I was no fan of how she lived her life - she was a terrible role model. However, I do think her life being cut short is a tragedy and I add my heartfelt sympathies to the millions of others to her family. I only hope that something positive can come of her death and that it can serve as a reminder of how easily a life can go off the rails, highlighting the dangers of "recreational" drug use and alcohol abuse, and hopefully acting as a deterent (or at least making young people think twice about it). That is all.

Tragic for her family however I hope this doesn't overshadow REAL news like the recent attacks in Norway!

If I'm going away somewhere, I always like to try and take a book with me that is set in the place I'm visiting. For example, when I was visiting friends in Swindon, I took the first Thursday Next book by Jasper Fforde. Where are you going for your holiday? Perhaps we can make some suggestions set in that place that you might enjoy?

I've just taken a brief loko at my bookshelf and the majority of the books on there are by British authors. There are Americans, Canadians and other nationalities represented too though. As I only keep the books I really, really enjoy and collect books by those authors, I guess we can assume I like British authors best, but it really does come down to individual books and genres, as well as what kind of mood I am in.

And my favourite is Northanger Abbey.

BOOKING THROUGH THURSDAY There are literally countless books I’ve read more than once. I used to reread all my books when I was a kid, so all my Judy Blume books, the entire Malory Towers series by Enid Blyton, and such classics as The Snow Spider by Jenny Nimmo and Ronia, The Robber’s Daughter by Astrid Lindgren, were read so often my paperback copies became quite dog-eared, even though I’ve always been hyper-careful with my books. Moving on to my teen years, I became a HUGE horror fan, so lots of Dean Koontz, Richard Laymon and Stephen King. The two that were most often read were Lightning by Dean Koontz (which I consider to be more sci-fi than horror), and Stephen King’s “magnificent octopus” (see Blackadder the Third’s episode Ink and Incapability if you don’t get this one), The Stand which I still read at least once every few years as I love it so much. I’ve also re-read all of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. Anyway, short answers to the questions: The first book I can recall reading multiple times is Ronia, The Robber’s Daughter by Astrid Lindgren. I still adore this book now. The book I’ve re-read most often remains The Stand by Stephen King. I have read it at least a dozen times from cover to cover. And we’re talking about the unabridged Complete and Uncut Edition which, in my hardback edition, comes to over 1000 pages. It’s my third copy as I wore out two others. To be honest, the number of re-reads of this book is probably closer to two dozen. Bearing in mind that I am only in my mid-thirties and first read it when I was about 14-years-old, that averages at once a year. I’ve not read it in a couple of years (it’s definitely due another re-read soon!), but in the early years I got through it two or three times in a year. I always find something new and never get bored with it. Actually, it’s like visiting old friends – I’m particularly fond of Stu and Frannie, although Nick, Tom and Larry are all very close behind!

As Michelle said, 75 would be the minimum - most people would need and use more than that. This would, of course, be on top of the synopsis and other information.

Another reason is beacuse of averages. If 6000 have read and rated one book, but only 200 have read another, then the average for the less-read one stands a chace of benig higher (unless it's a really rubbih book and eveyrone rated it lower). The law of averages means that things tend to even out over the course of time unless something is truly exceptional, and even then, people don't agree on what is exceptional anyway - LOL!

W... W... W... Wednesdays * What are you currently reading? * What did you recently finish reading? * What do you think you’ll read next? What are you currently reading? Douglas Carlton Abrams – The Lost Diary of Don Juan See yesterday’s Teaser Tuesday for a taste of this novel. Stephenie Meyer – Midnight Sun I haven’t got any further with this one yet, but I will… it could be some time! What did you recently finish reading? Philip Pullman – The Tiger in the Well (Sally Lockhart 3) This third installment and it is the best so far, but also the most harrowing to read – Harriet (Sally’s daughter) is of a similar age to my son, and someone is trying to take her away from her mother, so it’s a terrifying thought for a mother reading this book! I actually had nightmares because of it. However, it did not deter me from continuing with the novel. It also focuses on subjects of socialism, equality of the sexes (or lack thereof) and persecution of minorities and immigrants, so it’s got some very serious issues thrown in there, making this a very interesting read! Cody Young – American Smile I received this novel for review through Book Club Forum. Read the full review HERE. What do you think you’ll read next? James Long – Ferney I didn’t get a chance to start this book this week, but it really is the next one up this time!

TEASER TUESDAYS 1. Grab your current read 2. Open to a random page 3. Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page 4. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) 5. Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! My teaser: Synopsis: An editor receives a manuscript purporting to be the lost diary of history’s greatest lover, Don Juan. An orphan left on the steps of a convent, Don Juan grew up within the church but his ambitions towards the priesthood fell to the wayside when he was seduced by a young nun. Evicted from the convent, he was taken under the wing of the libertine Don Pedro, the Marquis of Mota, who coached him in skills both courtly and amorous and then employed him as a spy at court. So began a life devoted to giving and receiving pleasure. But Abrams’ Don Juan is no playboy; instead Don Juan’s mastery of the arts of passion liberates the women he beds. Through his connections with Don Pedro, he is made an ‘hidalgo’, an honorary nobleman, and is therefore protected from the wrath of the Inquisition by the King, but his position is precarious. Then Don Juan embarks on the most perilous adventure of all – he falls in love, and finds that not only his reputation but also his life is in danger. What I think of it so far: This is another £1 bargain from the pound shop – double the bargain because it’s a hardback book! I picked it up simply because I thought the cover looked elegant and I’m pleased to report that the writing reflects that elegance. It has a little titillation, but nothing graphic or sordid, and it’s rather a joy to read. I’m almost half way through and am enjoying it immensely. I chose to share the opening paragraph of the story, as told by Don Juan himself, as it serves as such an eloquent introduction to the famous (or infamous) seducer of women…

I might make it along for a short while.

Yup, Cleopatra VII (the last pharaoh of Egypt) married TWO of her brothers - Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV - before she had her liaison with Julius Caesar and then later married Mark Antony. It was common practice to make sure the royal line was kept "pure" and power did not pass to another family. It's not the first time such mariage practices have been mirrored in fantasy literature.

I've not read the books, but the deal with the Targaryens is that traditionally they marry brother to sister to "keep the bloodline of the Dragons pure" (in much the same way that the royals of Ancient Egypt often did). This would partially explain why Vyseris feels it is natural to act in a sexual manner towards his sister. Add to that te fact that he's a bit sadistic, and you can see that he enjoys making Daenerys feel uncomfortable and show ihis complete control over her at all times. In this instance, he's trying to make a political marriage for her in the hopes that Khal Drogo will provide an army to help him reconquer the Seven Kingdoms so that he can return his family to the ruling class as monarchs. In the case of the Starks, I believe there were three reasons for Eddard marrying Catelyn. Firstly, as she was betrothed to his brother who died before they could be married, I think he thought it a point of duty and honour to marry and provide for her in his place. Secondly, a marriage between the families would have been politically advantageous, so the agreement of a wedding between the two houses would still be something that was wanted on both sides, even if the original groom was dead, therefore the brother steps up and takes his place. Thirdly, by all accounts she was something of a beauty and many men (including Little Finger - Lord Petyr Baelish) wanted to marry he, so Eddard probably did have at least some atraction to her as well. Both of these examples have actual historical precedent - the Ancient Egyptians for the marriage between siblings and our very own British monarchy for the second (Henry VIII married Katherine of Aragon - the widow of his older brother), so they add an element of realism to the fantasy. I hope that helps a little.

I find it very difficult not to read aloud the lines of a character with whom I identify, so if I'm reading a realy great book and identifying with multiple characters it cn sound like I have multiple personality disorder, as each character will have a different voice (and I used to be an actor, so the voices can be very different too - LOL!). My poor hubby has, on several occasions, come home and thought I have people over, only to find I am alone with a book. I can tone it down when need be, so if I'm reading on a public place, I'll hold my book high in front of my face and very quietly whisper or mouth the dialogue, so people won't notice and/or think I'm TOO insane. I also visualise very easily, and if something is written well, I can get lost in just a few words of discription that will depict entire scenes for me. Fortunately, I seem to have very rapid visualisation skills (and can talk very fast too) or it would take me weeks to finish each book I read and enjoy!

Would that be Howards End is On the Landing? I've been meaning to get hold of that one! I frequently go through periods of self-imposed book-embargo, where I don't buy any books for a while, as I always have loads of unread books waiting. However, during that time, I stil luse the library and borrow from my sister. Currently, I only buy books if they are a) very very cheap (I.e. from the pound shop - I like to try out uthors who are new to me that way - less of a risk) or b) are authors I collect.

I know someone who *ahem* downloads it. Shhhh! Don't tell anyone!

Don't worry, you'l lsee Alcide again. And yes, Sookie still works at Merlottes, she's just spending so much tmie away on vampire business that Sam has had to hire others to pick up the slack. Season 4 is only showing in the US at the moment (3 episodes so far), but there are means of seeing it even if you're not over there...

I can hardly wait for the new one to come out! It's another City Watch book, so I'm OVER THE MOON!