Books and Doors

Do you have bigger book eyes than your book shelves? I do. I really do. It is an addiction I think, especially rummaging around in second hand book shops. New ones are fine, but the surprises to be found in second hand ones win every time for me. And then there is the mystery to be found above the sign. Joe Specks? I have found, this morning, that he is a character in 'The Uncommercial Traveller' by Charles Dickens-a doctor in his childhood hometown of Dullborough which I presume is Rochester, and which he has visited for the day, finding everything to be smaller and less impressive than his childhood memories suggest (a familiar experience to many) and who saves the day, by filling in the gaps in the history of the people they had known as children, and by talking about the past they shared. This is in chapter 12 should you be interested. The book can be read here at project Gutenberg. Books and doors go well together-both being openings to somewhere else. Last week I was living partly in 16th century border country, and now I am in 1860s Canada. I have also been visiting the 1940s, by looking at a make and do children's book of the time, and have discovered this bird sanctuary in Mousehole through a free book given to me yesterday. It was in a pile by the till that I was looking at as the man rung up my purchases. He asked if I would like it. I said no, but then he said it was free so I changed my mind! I picked it up because of the painting on the cover-a woman holding up a bird as if to give it freedom. The book tells of the two founders of the sanctuary in 1928 and has lots of black and white photos of them with various of their charges, and altogether looks like a very lovely book to have been given. The reason for it being given away was the extremely large and almost unmanageable pile of books the owners of this shop have. It is incredible. The corridors of books go on seemingly forever, over two floors. You could get lost in there for days.

I loved this door.

A view back towards the street-but I am not even at the end of the shop!

I loved the Sherlock Holmes spines. I didn't notice the book 'Goose Shooting' until I downloaded the photo. How unpleasant.

These piles of books make me feel better about my own, which are bad, but not this bad!

This is the door to the Oxfam shop, a proper old fashioned kind of charity shop which has all sorts of things to offer, including lots of books. Yesterday though I had already bought enough books in the other shop, so only bought a bag of fabric scraps-all different polka dots which are really pretty and will be useful for something. I am sure.

More piles-I like the covers of this series of books, though this one didn't come home with me.

A Rare Sort of Day

A rare day where I read in front of the fire, dozed, watched a film, and not a lot else. I seem to have been reading this book for ages, and have found time today to finish it. I really enjoyed it for its portrayal of the court of Mary 1st and for the central character Hannah, a girl/woman living in very difficult times, an independent thinker, highly educated, hiding her faith, and someone who managed to be a loyal friend to people who were in conflict with each other. She was most inspiring.

Then I read this book. The author was given a toy rabbit, and had a dream of it lying on the bottom of the sea. From that dream came this beautiful story. I had not heard of it, and bought it on the recommendation of the woman who came to do our staff meeting the other day. She was introducing a reading project and the main interest in the meeting for me was the long list of books! She said that this one would 'make you cry' and it did. I highly recommend it!

I did go out to Greenwich to get something to eat. The sun still has not come out so the mood was gloomy. The way the clouds hung around the top of Canary wharf and other tall buildings reminded me of being in Scotland in a cloud.

I liked the flashes of red of the cars and bus.

The Cutty Sark is still being rebuilt, and I had a look through the window to the work. Lots of activity and some good advice on their signs. They could mainly apply to the house too.

I have been listening to Dracula on radio 7 (my new favourite radio station) and looking at these boxes made me think of Dracula being transported across the sea. The steps that have been destroyed in the background have not been there that long. I wonder what they are doing to this area. I think it is all being tarted up in preparation for the olympics. I think that is the target for finishing the Cutty Sark.

Friday At Last

I don't even know how I have managed to get through this week as I have felt iller and iller as it went on. I don't think iller is good grammar but it is what I mean. I have resorted to beecham's max strength cold and flu tablets today and they work fairly well. Anyway, Friday is most welcome! Here are a few pictures from the week of things I liked. Above is Khy's little adapted watercolour blobby painting. I showed him how to make the blobs with the holes and how I had drawn faces and he came up with some great ones. I love the paintings the kids do with watercolours-they are really delicate with them and some of them really get into the lovely way that the paints mix. We did our ordering last night and I picked out some very nice new tins of paints to replace the tatty old ones. Most exciting!

A strange little counting book with beautiful kitschy illustrations. I like the way mangoes have been used rather than the predictable apples!

And the birds make me want to paint birds.

Rainy windscreen. Not good all the things the rain has been doing around the world.

Handmade breakfast. My sister in law's home made bread and marmalade. Delicious.

I hope whatever you are doing, that you have a good weekend!

Birthday Post

The title is a pun-ha ha! It is my birthday and I did get some post. Thanks to Anne and Kat for real and virtual birthday cards! This is my cake at work-I was amazed by it's beauty and had to take a photo before it was cut. Dion who made it was 'secretly' lighting the candles but I had to get into the kitchen to get my coffee as it was nearly time for the children to come in! This morning was a rush to say the least.

This is my latest sketchbook page-me on the first day of being 44. I got 88 claps at work today from the children (morning and afternoon) -we always give them 4 big or small claps as part of birthday fun-so I got mine too! Chloe sang 'How old are you now' to me and Nicole sang 'If you're happy and you know it'. I was touched!

My Mum and brother came up for the day yesterday so we had a little trip to Greenwich. This doll caught my eye-she reminded me of Maggie Thatcher. All she needs is a solid handbag and a high pitched and strident voice and she would be there. I do like her blue eyes though-her staring, scary eyes.

Scary doll bookmark!

A lovely book my friend Jessica sent me (via Amazon-so an unexpected surprise!) It is really great and very inspiring.

Just one choice page from a great book of 'Comical Signs For The Workplace'.(From Marianne at work) Sometimes these gimmicky things can be a bit naff but this is genuinely funny. I may share more at a later date. Thanks everyone who visited the party at the weekend. I ran out of time getting round and about but intend to catch up later in the week.

Yesterday and Today

This is my brother Antony, altering my polka dot wall while Andy cooks something delicious. It was creativityville here last night. Although it was fun drawing on the wall I did actually really like it before! Now it has become a journal wall of a sort. I will take pics to show you but then I may scrub it off and go back to the graphic simplicity of my dots! Another of Antony's journal pages-from Angkor Wat. I looked at lots of his photos at the weekend. I would love to go there as it looks amazing.

I worked at home this afternoon-we have something called PPA time-planning, preparation and assessment-today was the turn of assessment-oh joy! While I was working I noticed the beautiful light display going on on my kitchen ceiling. I am very easily distracted!

During another 'brain break' I went into the garden and took a few photos-I loved the colours in this one. The snails rule outside at the moment.

At about 4 o'clock I decided to go to the garden centre to buy a birthday present for my friend at work. However the road was shut so I had to detour back past the common where there is a fair at the moment. It was such a gorgeous afternoon-so good for photos. Funder Park. Hmmm! Next I decided to go to Greenwich to see HMS Illustrious which is visiting from Portsmouth as part of the Royal Navy's celebration of 100 years of naval aviation. It is big and impressive and made the ferries look tiny.

Then it seemed a shame not to go and have a look in the bookshop. It was busy in Greenwich as there was a French food market on as well as the attraction of the ship. Once in the bookshop I then could not resist a number of purchases-one was a present is my excuse! I bought a fantastic book of Penguin book covers. Such beauty and great design. Then I had to get out lots of our penguins to see more beauty and great design in reality!

Paper Dolls In The House Of Books

The tiny paper dolls say "Welcome to the house of books!" They are saying welcome to some visitors from overseas who came to stay today. The chilly, foggy weather of London has not put them off. Our first visitors, all the way from Athens, Georgia, are little paper doll likenesses of me and Candace that she has cleverly made into book marks. Book marks are always particularly welcome in the house of books. Thanks Candace!
The second visitor, from Belgium, is this beautiful paper doll made by Inge. She looks as if she has walked straight out of a fairy tale. We took part in a paper doll swap on Suzi Blu's Petite dolls workshop. Her name is Victoria and she expressed an interest in my paper people book so I photographed her in front of that. She is beautifully made. Thanks Inge!

I love the back of Victoria too.

Last of all-this is the cover of the roof of the house. Isn't it lovely? I like the Witch's big needles and cotton reel, or is the witch tiny?