More Bookish Thoughts...

Multifaceted, lucid and compelling, Dawn Promislow's stories certainly represent a collection of "jewels."  Each takes place in 1970s South Africa and touches on the polarities of race and class at the forefront of Apartheid: two nannies see the ocean for the first time, a housewife savours her secret freedom, an impoverished boy develops into a successful artist and police brutality disrupts a quiet workday. 

No story runs longer than ten pages, forcing Promislow to write tight, controlled prose.  The result is fourteen haunting tales that, though repetitive at times, clearly illuminate a tense and divided society. 

More Bookish Thoughts...

When I refer to Jodi Picoult's work as "trashy fiction for snobs," I mean it as a compliment.  True, her books border on formulaic (contentious topic + multiple voices + courtroom drama + final plot twist = happy ending) but she does write engaging prose about current, controversial issues.

Sing You Home is Picoult's eighteenth novel (so she's doing something right!) and the fifth that I've read.  It centers around music therapist Zoe Baxter who, in the span of six months, has a miscarriage, gets divorced, falls in love with her female best friend, remarries and fights in court for the rights to her own embryos. Geez, I thought I was busy baking, running, walking the dog and raising an infant!    

Predictable? Slightly. Corny? Absolutely.  But also thought-provoking: at what point do two cells become an "unborn child?"  Can a middle ground exist between atheism and fundamentalism? What does it mean to be a parent?  And, perhaps most interestingly, how does one explain the healing power of music?  After all, "there is no evolutionary context within which people's response to music makes sense...the only way to be moved by the spirit, so to speak, is to have one in the first place."    

Bon Voyage!

Eliot's godparents are off to Australia for five weeks.  He and his Mamas will miss them but wish them a safe trip and a wonderful vacation.  

Saying goodbye

Godfather hugs

A dance before we go

I'll be thinking about you!

Seven Months

It's been another eventful month of growing up.  Highlights include pushing up onto hands and knees, sampling yummy new foods and learning to play the drums!

Practice, Practice...

What's for lunch?

Makin' some noise

Phew, so much learning is exhausting!

More Bookish Thoughts...

It sounds like an engaging premise: the author bakes a loaf of bread each week for a year, learning about the science of fermentation and visiting some of the world's most famous artisan bakeries in the process.  However, upon realizing that he bakes the SAME recipe in each of the 52 chapters, the book becomes less interesting.

William Alexander displays his talent when he humourously describes harvesting his own wheat crop and attempting to build a hearth oven in his backyard.  Otherwise, though, the book contains a tedious (and sometimes inaccurate) catalogue of the infinite ways to combine water, flour, salt and yeast.  If such a memoir can't sustain the attention of a certified bread nerd like myself, there's little hope for it!

Traveling Baby

Jean took Eliot to Winnipeg last weekend, where he attended his first wedding and met all his Prairie relatives.  It sounds like he had a great time socializing, getting dressed up and staying up WAY past his bedtime!

Sporting his wedding finery

Dancing with Nana and Grandpa

Racing In The Rain

Impressively, the torrents on Sunday didn't deter a record 1100 runners from participating in the Oak Bay Kool Half Marathon.  I enjoyed the course as always and finished in 1:32:22.  Not a personal best, unfortunately, but good enough for second in my age category.

From Sitting To Jumping

Eliot's sitting has really taken off these past couple days; he's grown more confident and can even look over his shoulder without toppling. Because his neck and legs are so strong, I decided to break out the Jolly Jumper yesterday.  How did it go?  I'll let the pictures speak for themselves!

Look, Mom, no help!

So proud

Finding the balance...

...and having a blast!

Tango no Sekku

On May 5, the Japanese celebrate Children's Day to honour boys' courage and determination (Children's Day for girls is March 3).  The holiday originated 1000 years ago in the houses of warriors; thus, the symbols of the day reflect the characteristics of a warrior.  Carp windsocks, called koinobori, adorn the outdoors because carp swim upstream and are considered strong and successful.  The shobu iris has leaves that resemble swords and boys often bathe in aromatic shobu leaves to mark this festival.


   

A Red-Letter Week

One royal wedding, one slain terrorist, one majority government, one new opposition leader, one seat for the Green Party...Phew, I can barely keep up with the news, watch the hockey and wade through my library books!  Of course, there's always time to play with new toys; thanks to Auntie Marg for sewing the adorable Jonah Giraffe.

The wet feet mean he's a hit!