Fireplace

I ended up off work all of last week – sprained my wrist according to a&e and had to wear a lovely sling for a couple of days. Then donut came to stay which was fab, and we went to the aquarium and got blown along the tynemouth coast. On bank holiday monday, she went back to London and me, Duncan and Duncan’s mum went to Durham and climbed the cathedral tower. It said 325 steps (but I counted on the way down and it was 340) and I was knackered by the top but the views were amazing. Now we have a digital camera I must remember to upload the photos and share them. I finally went back to work properly on Tuesday and I can honestly say it sucks. I’m half-heartedly considering a new job but really I like my job, I just have post-holiday/wedding blues. Last night I went to the bank and discussed lots of very grown-up things including the possibility of a mortgage after Christmas and life assurance. We reckon that, assuming we can find a house we like and can afford, we should be in our own place this time next year. It’s pretty exciting (and a little scary at the same time).

And what do I have to look forward to this month? Duncan’s mum leaves on Sunday (yay! Remind me to explain why she is a nice woman but I’m happy to see the back of her), I’m off to see REM and possible Tori Amos as well and there’s now less than a month till the bookcrossing unconvention in Birmingham. Things I’m not so much looking forward to is Duncan being in Ireland for a week for work. I’ll miss him loads but I can imagine I’ll get plenty of reading done and slobbing on the couch.

Anyway, I promised I’d do this survey and it seems appropriate, what with me being an avid member of bookcrossing

1) Total number of books owned? At the moment, I have about 500 books in the house but I have a book-buying addiction and add to it every week. There are books everywhere.

2) The last book I bought? I got Philippa Gregory’s The Queen’s Fool with the Times on Wednesday for 99p. I can’t remember the last book I paid full price for, it was probably something for my birthday. I usually buy my books second hand from the local charity shops. Last book I bought cos I wanted it was Michael Connelly’s The Narrows and Jean M Auel’s Plains of Passage (from the Earth’s Children series) 

3) The last book I read? Atm, I’m reading Jack Kerouac’s On The Road (which makes me wanna travel so badly) and Julian Barnes’ Staring At The Sun, which is fab. Last book I finished was Matt Dickinson’s Black Ice, which I quite enjoyed. It was an easy-read thriller. 

4) Five books that mean a lot to me:

I think this is as tough for me as it was for Mrs B. There were so many I could have picked, so many I read and reread over and over again. Gone With The Wind, Pride and Prejudice, War of the Worlds. I could probably do a series of entries on the books I’ve loved over the years.

1. I know, technically, this isn’t a book, but Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. I love this, it’s by far one of my fav Shakespeare plays. I don’t know why, I just know I was drawn to it as a kid and I still love it.

2. Wuthering Heights – Bronte The language is beautiful and I have always been drawn to Cathy.

3. Before I say Goodbye – Ruth Picardie. This makes me cry every time I read it but it also makes me thankful of life and makes me appreciate it a whole lot more.

4. The Wheel of Time Series – Robert Jordan. I started reading these as a teenager, I borrowed them from my dad (who, btw, has an impressive collection of fantasy books). They opened up the fantasy genre for me and lead to a different way of thinking. It was the interest in the magic and the spiritual side of that, that eventually led me to learning more about paganism. I now own the books myself and am waiting desperately for Jordan to finish the series.

5. The Stand – Stephen King. Every time I read this, it blows me away. It’s such a classic good vs evil story and is, far and away, one of the greatest King books.

 5) Five people whose answers I’d like to see:  I would also like to see everyone’s answers, but especially ::blueberrymarcus and sapphire as I think they’d struggle as much as I did.

Until there is a next time…

xx