Michelle Obama's Book Becoming - a review: Part 1

I'm very late to the party in picking up Michelle Obama's autobiography, Becoming.
I've been busy with University studies, but the light is at the end of that particular tunnel on Friday when I complete the semester with the final exam, so I have been - maybe a little too early when I should be studying - indulging in some leisurely reading.

I don't know about you, but I love biographies. I like them more than novels. Real people's lives are so fascinating.

I've always liked Michelle as a person and thought she would be a pretty interesting person to sit down and have a cup of tea with, and her book has only piqued my interest. She seems so wise and very down to earth, intelligent and relatable.
But there is so much in her book that I want to talk about, so I've decided to review the book in two parts.

I've been so enjoying hearing about her childhood growing up on the south side of Chicago. Chicago will always hold a special place in my heart for the year I spent living there.

I like the way she thinks. I like her tenacity. I like her grass-roots upbringing and I like that in her book she is not afraid to talk about the things that matter. She's a straight-talker but careful in her wording and gracious. I was excited to learn that she was a Sociology Major at College! No wonder I liked her!
In her book she is not afraid to talk about the things that had social consequence on her and her family. Things like racism.

This has always been a topic close to my heart because I've never understood racism. I still remember the shock I felt upon learning of slavery in my school Social Studies Class when I was 13 years old. That feeling has sat deep with me all these years.  Taking Sociology this year has helped me understand the why's of racism and how it has impacted our world so dramatically.

One of the most interesting aspects about Michelle's book is seeing her world through her eyes and through the eyes of the child she remembered as herself who is African American. She doesn't really directly talk about racism or growing up with racism,  she just talks about her family and friends and what she did as child, but for someone like me, not having grown up in America and not having grown up as African American, several things stood out to me in her writing:

Segregation was part of her life. She talks about white communities and black communities and the white part of town and the black part of town.

At college her roommate was moved out of her room because the mother objected to her daughter sharing with an African American girl.

Through the story of her childhood, the lens she wrote through was always with an acute awareness of her difference to the 'ruling race' in America at the time and yet she seems to have written it without fully being conscious of it. That's what I found fascinating.

It brought to mind this quote from my sociology class this semester:

W.E.B Dubois - "Those who are oppressed by race develop a dual consciousness, ever aware of their status in the eyes of others but also have a collective identity as African American, for example".

She spells that out in her books - whether it was deliberate or not, that lens is there.

I like this journey with her through her youth as she grows, matures, develops. I'm not even up to the part where she meets Barack yet - the part I imagine everyone wanted to read from that point on.
I like the cut of her gib, as the old saying goes. I'm enjoying her company.

“Do we settle for the world as it is, or do we work for the world as it should be?”  Michelle Obama, Becoming


She's a true sociologist. America is lucky to have had her as their First Lady, and lucky to still have her influence.

Downton Abbey Final - contains spoilers.

This post contains SPOILERS, so if you have not see the final yet, I suggest you come back later.

Because we got to see Downton before America!

Downton Abbey and me have had a rough relationship.

Like half the planet I fell in love with it from the beginning and then I got mad at writer and creator Julian Fellowes for killing off Matthew Crawley just as he was at his happiest, and refused to watch it again until I had forgiven him,

Julian Fellowes....

...and then I got bored of seeing Anna and Mr Bates trot off to prison every other episode, so you might say this has been a very up and down relationship.

It was like Julian Fellowes was a happiness killer for 6 whole, entire seasons.

Ok, so maybe I haven't quite forgiven him completely yet.
But he does do his best to make us like him again in the final.

So the other week when the Christmas Special Final showed in New Zealand I happened to be out at our beach house. I thought I'd just have to wait until it came out on DVD to watch it because we don't have a television at the beach house and reception has never been very good out there anyway. But not this year! The cousins had managed to hook up a tv and we were all booked in for a Downton Abbey beach-fest screening - served with a delicious Rhubarb crumble.

Have you seen the final? What did you think of it?

I am going to miss watching Maggie Smith so much. She made the series. She really did.

There are a few words I could use to sum up the final episode of Downton Abbey.

Weddings. Predictable. Happy Ending.

Julian Fellowes decided not to kill happiness.

And that pretty much sums up the last episode.

I could have given it a scathing review because if there is another tv show that trumps this final for trying to cram as many romances and weddings into it as Downton did in the last final, I have never heard of it. We lost count of how many times the violins played and just about everyone ends up with a romance, marriage, or the potential of a romance or marriage. But in the end, you just can't hate Downton - even in all it's predictableness and one-liners. It's been a brilliant show to watch and I'm going to miss it.

It seems like the whole series has been one big fight to find love and happiness.

And Julian Fellowes gives us that in bucketloads in the last special. He lathers it on in syrup, lavender and everything coming up roses. And while it is everything you could wish for - a happy ending - everyone goes off to live lovely and fulfilling lives - where everything comes right in the end, and truth be known, I always like a happy ending, but it did feel rather predicatable and rather squashed in.

So to sum up:

Lord Grantham is miserable and then he is happy.
Lady Mary is nasty and then she is nice.
Lady Edith is miserable and can't make up her mind and then she is suddenly happy and can make up her mind.

The Dowager Lady Grantham is just the same as always - and has the best lines.

(This. Truly. My life at the moment)!

Mrs Crawley is miserable and then she is happy.
Branson is miserable and then he is happy.
Carson is miserable and then he is happy.
Mrs. Hughes is miserable and then she is happy.
Daisy is miserable and then she is happy.
Thomas is miserable and then he is happy.

Molsely is miserable and then he is happy.
Mrs Patmore is not looking for love and then finds she quite likes it - in the last few minutes of the show.
Anna and Mr Bates have been miserable for the whole darn show, but finally in the last show they are happy and nothing bad happens.
To them.
To anyone.

Except maybe Carson.

So we bid farewell to Downton. It's the ending of a happy romance - a blissful escape from reality.
Thank you Julian Fellowes for the pleasure. I know you had to end it sometime, but I think we all hoped it would carry on forever.

We've really loved it, you know.

A Plebeian's Experience at the New Zealand Oprah Show

I remember when Oprah Winfrey started screening on television in New Zealand. We used to discuss her shows in the school playground during our lunch breaks. Fresh 15 year olds solving the problems of dysfunctional adults. It was really among the first of those kind of shows to come to New Zealand and we were all fascinated by Oprah.

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Over the years, on and off, as I left school, went overseas, worked, lived my life, Oprah came in and out of my life as time allowed.

And then I went to Chicago.

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Sometimes when we'd drive downtown, I'd look up at those tall buildings and wonder which one belonged to Oprah. I'd keep an eye out for her studio. I never saw it, and I never saw her. I didn't even watch her show during that time. There were no televisions where I was living. I never even went to one of her shows even though for one short year we lived in the same city.

But time passes and Oprah came back into my life again when I was married and had small children and was having trouble with breast-feeding. So I'd sit down in my living room with my small baby, turn on the television and watch lunchtime Oprah, while feeding my baby.

And oh the things I learned. The little seeds I gathered. Oprah was very influential in my early mid-life years. Sometimes lonely years as I'd left many friends behind in America, my husband and I moved clear to the other side of the country and lived on a rural lifestyle block. I was just emerging out of the cult that we had become involved with and it was a crucial time for me of re-adjusting my views of the world. Re-adjusting my life and little whispers of new ideas and questions that Oprah raised on her show began to wander restlessly in my mind. She reached out from the television screen and met my heart.

We share the same Myers Briggs personality type... except she's an extrovert and I'm an introvert. INFJ for me. ENFJ for Oprah. But Oprah just has this way of being real, whatever your personality type is. She instinctively meets you where you are and knows, with an authenticity that is at times, uncanny.

So when the opportunity came to go and see her in Auckland, I was waiting in line when booking opened.

Going to see Oprah has to be one of the highlights of this year for me.

Whatever you think of Oprah (and there have been some cynical reviews written about her show, and sure, the music was a bit cheezy at times, but I wasn't there for the music), you have to admire her for what she has done with her life. For where she has come from and what she has achieved, and her generous big heartedness to others. Her good intentions of wanting to help others. She is a woman among women and no matter whether you find her inspiring or not, or you roll your eyes at her words of hope and encouragment, she demands respect for that reason alone.

A friend and I got two of the cheapest tickets we could - the rich and entitled paid thousands for the best seats in the house - but most of us mere plebeians had to settle for seats way up the back of the arena. And it was still good. We were way up the back, but we were looking full on to the stage. And they had music playing with a DJ before Oprah came out. The camera would zoom in on random people in the audience who would cheer, dance or pull faces. I love Kiwis.

Oprah said she felt a contentment in New Zealand that she hasn't felt anywhere else in any other country. Maybe she was flattering us, but maybe there is some truth to that too. I think New Zealanders are generally down-to-earth and real about life and we don't really go in for a lot of fluff.

What she had to say that night came at a crucial time in my life. I know I was meant to be there.
Sometimes things like this happen in your life and you know they happened for a reason. That night was one of those moments.

Oprah shared one of her favourite poems with us. She said the name of this author twice, and I locked it away in my memory because I wanted to be sure to find it when I got home. Thank you Oprah, for saying his name twice.

When I read this poem, I think over my life - I remember my happy childhood and my turbulent romances of my teen years. I remember the years of my early adulthood that were stolen from me by a manipulative and powerful man from Chicago.
And I think it's kind of ironic that two people from Chicago could have two such opposing influence over me. One for evil. One for good.

And then I recall Oprah's words to us on Wednesday night.



"Everything that has happened to you, was also happening for you".

Oprah talked a lot that night about co-authoring our lives with God. If I take anything away from her show, it is those words. It is the wisdom in those words. When you have come from my experience of having someone tell you that God is a dictator and that he has a plan for your life whether you like that plan or not, these words have the power to bring great healing and clarification.

She talked about the importance of meeting with God everyday. Talking over as you would with a close friend, your plans and decisions. Sometimes during the evening, it almost felt a little like we were at a revival meeting. She unashamedly talked about her relationship with God.
We are spiritual beings having a human experience. To deny that, is to deny our purpose for being here.

Oprah kept stressing, over and over, that God has a plan for every single person. That we are not a mistake. That we are not insignificant. That it doesn't matter where we come from or what we have done. That God has given us a unique passion, a job to do, a life-fulfilment, a legacy to enjoy and to leave behind.

I know what it is I want to do with my life. I think I've always known, but this past year I have allowed other things to crowd out those little whispers. Oprah told us a story of her personal assistant who wanted a filing cabinet for her 8th birthday. I thought 'what did I want for my 8th birthday?" I know exactly what it was I wanted for my 8th birthday. I wanted blank notebooks to write my stories inside. And the desire is still the same all these years later. It's not the notebook or the pens, it's the desire to write and to do something good with the writing.

I came away from Oprah with a determination to use this summer break to really sit back and think about how to make each day count in the pursuit of my dreams, the pursuit of my intentions. To again, re-adjust the path of my life. I was inspired by her words, her passion, her experience and her wisdom. She has been a great influence in my life at various times over the years and Wednesday night was no exception.

To co-author with God - the things he has in store for my life.

That's what I love about that poem by Derek Walcott. That one day I will come back to meet my old self, and we will smile at each other.

photo credit: P1110007 via photopin (license)

photo credit: Chicago (ILL) Willis Tower ( Ex. SEARS Tower ) 1974, N-E side " the loop " + notes via photopin (license)

Downton Abbey - my advice to Julian Fellowes

Dear Mr. Fellowes,

Thank you for creating Downton Abbey.

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Thank you for providing a reason... a very valid reason.... for me to not do my housework so I can catch up on episodes, and to go out and buy pretty dresses, and to dream of hiring servants, and to pretend for a fleeting moment that the basement in my house is my very own Downstairs and that dinner will be served promptly.

And thank you for making me feel good about not hiring a Nanny.

I have forgiven you for killing Matthew. It took me two whole seasons, but I have. Truly.

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As one of your millions of viewers, I wondered if you'd be interested in my humble opinions

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Downton Abbey gives us a little escape from the madness that is the modern world. It sweeps us through the ages gone, back to a time in the world in which my grandfather always described to me as a 'golden era to grow up.' The 1920's.

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Have you ever given any thought to what era in history you would like to live, if you had the chance to choose?

For me it would be the 1920's, based purely on my grandfather's recommendation, and the clothes that they wore. I realize that, given our current time in history, we know that the second world war was just around the corner for those who lived then, but is any time in world history safe? Maybe those born in the 1950s and 1960s have had the most peaceful and comfortable time in history, but those children may yet live to see their grandchildren caught up in a terror fight against the evil that is rampaging across the middle east at the moment.

So please don't stop writing this loveliness that is Downton Abbey.

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So Downton Abbey gives us a blissful escape back into a world of order and beauty and we love it for the sheer humanness of it, where the struggles of the people then are similar to the struggles we have now. Human nature never changes. We still want love and happiness.

So Mr. Fellowes, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for creating this series, this escapism, these indulgent hours.

But (and there's always a but, isn't there), here is some free advice for series 6.

1. Please, please, please can we dispense with the storyline that sees Anna and Mr Bates heading off to jail at every other episode. It's getting very tiresome. I think they are due some happiness, and if they are not, can you please find something different to torment them with.  It is done now, Mr. Fellowes. It is so done.

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2. Could someone, anyone, please give Mary some better lines. Poor girl always looks like someone's holding a gun to her back for every word she speaks. The lines need to be longer than one sentence, also.

3. Please don't kill off anymore spouses. Each one of those three little kiddos has a parent who has been killed off. The odds of that happening in one family, in real life, are pretty rare, so it's starting to look a little ridiculous.

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4. Please don't ever, ever kill off Mrs. Hughes. I will stop watching it, if you do. She is by far the best character in this entire thing. And don't kill off the Dowager Lady Grantham either, if you don't mind.

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5. It would be nice to see Mrs. Crawley find romance. She does it so well.

6. To be honest, it's getting rather predictable with all the love affairs and love children that keep popping out of the woodwork. Could we think of some more original story-lines now that those have been done to death? If you're heading into WWII you could really have some fun with thinking up new plot ideas. Lady Mary could join the Resistance. I bet she'd make a super spy making love to the enemy while stabbing him in the back at the same time. She wouldn't even wince.

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And one final thought Mr. Fellowes....

What happened to Mrs. Patmore's bad eyesight? She never wears her glasses anymore.

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What I Learned From Reading Gone Girl

It was the cover on the paperback that first attracted me.

I was shopping in our local mall, and the bookstore has a stand with new releases just outside the entrance to the store. The book stood out to me. It was black and velvety with white words. I picked it up, touched it, read the back, then made myself remember the title, went home and ordered it on audio books. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

Simply put, Gone Girl is the story of Nick and Amy Dunn, the perfect couple, with perfect lives and a perfect marriage. Until one day, Nick comes home and finds that Amy is missing. And there's a lot of blood. The hunt for Amy commences, and Nick finds himself as the prime suspect.

Without giving any spoilers, I want to tell you what I learned from this book. I have recommended it to many friends, and two of those I recommended it to, who read it, hated it.
Gone Girl is the kind of book that provokes strong emotion. I was fascinated by it.

Why?

I have to be in the mood for a thriller. And the day I picked up Gone Girl at the bookshop I was in the mood. But this book has given me much more than just a thrill.

I view this book in two parts. The first half and the second half. If you've read it, you'll understand that. If you haven't, persevere with the first half. I nearly didn't. I nearly got bored and moved on to the next book.

I'm so glad I didn't.

At about halfway, the story takes a dramatic turn, and then you won't be able to put it down. Like, seriously. You won't be able to put it down. So it might be a good idea to get it on audio, because then you can drive while listening to it, and you can cook dinner while listening to it, and you can pretty much do anything you want, short of having conversations with real people in real life, and still be absorbed in the story.

Gone Girl came into my life at a crucial time.

I was struggling to understand the actions of a former employer of mine. I was shocked, confused, dismayed and had many huge choices to make ahead of me as I worked through the ramifications of realising I had been a victim of sexual harassment and predatory grooming.

So what did this book teach me?

It taught me about a word I was not formerly familiar with.



Gone Girl is narcissism on steroids.

It's evil. It's dark. It's deadly. It's frightening. But, if you have an interest in human behaviour or the psychology of the human mind, it's fascinating.

Gone Girl woke me up to the narcissists in my life, and the impact that narcissism has had on my life.  It was the catalyst that started me on my journey of discovery and mourning and healing.

I'm not just talking about my former employer and groomer, but others who have had an impact on my life throughout the years and whom I believe have this personality disorder.

You cannot have a close relationship or encounter with a narcissist and come away unscathed.

I researched it. I read about it. I joined Facebook groups and I read books and talked to others on how to deal with a narcissist.  I consulted with experts and those with a deep understanding of the disorder. Here is one of those writers who has been a great help to me personally, and given me good advice in how to deal with it.

I have not seen the movie Gone Girl, yet.  I am a firm believer in reading the book first; unless I hate the book, then I'll watch the movie in the hopes that it will spark my interest in the book!

But with Gone Girl, the book came first.

It's a story that haunts you, will stay with you and will provoke a strong reaction in you.

Have you read the book? Have you seen the movie? I'd love to know what you think!

A Weekend in Martinborough

We have four children, and right now, life is pretty full on. When they tell you that the baby stage is the busiest stage, don't believe them, they're telling you lies! It gets busier as they get older, trust me!
And they don't go to sleep at 7pm like they used to.

So, to have some down-time and time just for us, Rob and I try to get away on our own at least once a year for a couple of nights. We've had fun in the past choosing places to go - not too far away, and nothing very expensive. We've been to Wellington to watch a show, and we've been to little country bed and breakfasts and this year we chose to go to Martinborough, which seems a little off the beaten path, but is a thriving little town on the lower east coast of the North Island, very similar to my home town of Blenheim with its burgeoning vineyards and boutique shops and restaurants and dry climate.

We stayed at the Brackenridge Country Spa and Retreat for two nights.

It's just a couple of minutes outside of the town and was so nice to walk into their immaculate cottages, light the fire and collapse in front of it for a couple of hours.

We were booked to go out for dinner that night, but it was such a beautiful evening - I couldn't resist taking a few photos of the pretty light out the back door.

For dinner we went to the Tirohana Estate. Honestly, we were completely blown away by the place. We pulled up in the dark and parked right outside the front doors. Silly me had brought the wrong shoes, so I was taking my time getting the right ones onto my feet, with Rob hurrying me along because two of the staff were waiting for us at the door to let us in. The service was amazing before we'd even gotten out of the car! From the moment we stepped in, to the warm room with the fire crackling away, the cheerful welcome with a little glass of something wonderful, to our table by the fire, to the beautiful food, it was a really pleasant evening, and a lovely start to our weekend. I'd love to go back there again.

And we came home and crashed by the open fire. I love open fires, don't you?

I don't know if it's just this year, but we were exhausted. Two days of this wasn't long enough, but it was so good just to relax and have no time pressures or little children needing attention and caring for. Thank you to their grandparents for taking care of them for those two days. The only thing I didn't like about the Brackenridge, which was perfect in every other way, was their terrible wifi service, but in some ways that was a good thing, because I was forced to stay away from the internet, which is rather an addiction of mine.

If you can, I highly recommend just getting away like this once a year, at least, with your significant other, especially if you're in that busy stage like us with lots of children. Even if it's just somewhere local, it's a chance to recharge and reconnect and just relax and unwind. That is probably the best marriage advice I can give!

The following day we spent wandering around Greytown, the cutest little village, with some amazing shops, but I'll write about that in my next post, as it deserves a whole post of its own.

We bought this weekend from Grabone - which also came with a special spa package - massage, facial and eyelash tint/eyebrow wax (for me). Hot stones for hubby. Could that be any more perfect!

Grey Gardens

Every week I get a couple of movies from the rental shop, and I watch them while I do my ironing.

It makes ironing interesting at least, and worth sitting over a steaming, hot board in the middle of summer.

For many years I have been fascinated by the American Kennedy family. I've read biography after biography about them, and that has only served to increase my fascination with this complicated, mysterious, flawed, powerful family.

Somehow I stumbled upon the movie, Grey Gardens, a true story portraying the Aunt and first cousin of Jackie O. Big Edie and Little Edie (Bouvier) Beale. Mother and daughter. Their house. Their lives. The strange inter-dependent relationship they shared, the control of the mother over the daughter. It is a strange and sad tale, and interwoven with that is the decline of this beautiful East Hampton home and the filth that these two women eventually found themselves living among. Many have written about it and a documentary was made in the 1970's.

Having gone from opulence, parties, beautiful clothing, servants and popularity to an overgrown garden that penetrates the walls of the house, to animals roaming free, to piles of excrement and rubbish.

It almost became too sad for me to continue watching. I wanted to shout at Little Edie and tell her to go, go, go, and not look back. I think partly, my pain at watching this movie came too close on the heels for me of my own experiences with a christian cult, and my newly awakened understanding of narcissism. In Big Edie, I can see those same traits of power and control and influence over a life. I have seen this firsthand and I have friends who are in relationships like this. It is an evil thing. In many ways, one of the most evil things that a human being can wield over another.

Yes, I want to shout 'Run Little Edie. Run for your life!'

Reading on the Beach

I have had this blog post in draft for the entire week, because I simply haven't had time to finish it. Isn't this a crazy time of  year. It's a fun time, but definitely very busy.

Now, with the huge list of Things To Do Before Christmas starting to whittle down, I'm beginning to turn my mind to long, sunny, days stretched out on the beach.

I can feel the hot sand between my toes and the hear the shouts and laughter of my kids as they swim and sail and sunbathe, and fish for shrimp. And I can feel the warmth of the sun, and the shadows reflecting through my straw hat onto the pages of my book.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about what to read while we are on holiday.
With my plan of writing full time in 2014, my mind is abuzz of ideas and stories and I want to do some of this while on holiday, but it's not the best idea to take the laptop onto the beach - in fact, I wouldn't do it!
So, for the times where I'm on 'duty' to watch the kids around the water, I'm taking some reading with me.
I enjoy three different types of reading.

Good old traditional - paper and ink. Audible - have a brilliant actor or actress read the book to me through my earplugs from my phone/ipad or MP3, and Kindle - the app I have on my iPad.

I have different loves about all three. Of course, the paper and ink is my favourite, but with life so busy these days, it is a rare chance when I can sit down with a book in hand, which is why Audio books are my number one way of reading these days. I strap my device to my arm, ear plugs in, and away I go, whether that's ironing, cooking, walking around the block, or just driving across town.
Kindle is my least-favourite way of reading, but the books are so cheap to buy and it's instant (I'm an instant kiwi and I hate waiting for stuff to arrive in the mail).

But this summer I'll be using all three methods.

Traditional Books I'll be reading:

Beyond the Microphone by Leighton Smith. I have been listening to Leighton (a New Zealand radio talkshow host) since I was about 20 years old when I discovered he loved radio (I was working at a radio station at the time), Willie Nelson and Texas - just like me! He kindly conspired with Rob this year to send one of his books, hot off the press, to me on my birthday, arriving on the doormat on the day, signed by himself. I've been saving this for the first book I'm going to read on the beach.

 

The second book I'm taking to the beach is one that has been sitting by my bed for months. 

Murder on the Home Front by Molly Lefebure

I pick it up occasionally and read about a page before I get called away or have to go and do something else. It's such an interesting book and one of my children is showing an interest in a career in this field (forensic pathology), so I wanted to learn more about it anyway. And there's nothing nicer than a good mystery to read while you're on holiday.

It's the true account of a journalist who takes a job during the war as an assistant to a forensic pathologist in London.

My Audio book choices this Christmas are:

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien - as a recommendation from my brother-in-law and a personal challenge to myself because this is not my genre of choice! At all! I have zero interest in science fiction of this type, but there is so much hype around it, I'm really curious to find out if I like it.

And Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith. I started listening to this on a solo car journey up to Auckland, and found myself laughing out loud. Can't wait to finish this witty book. I love his writings.

As for Kindle, I have so many books on there to read, but there are two that are my top priority.

Smart but Scattered - a revolutionary "executive skills' approach to helping kids reach their potential by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare. This is for help with one of my kids who really struggles to focus and follow instructions. Hoping I can incorporate some of these strategies to help them succeed and reach their potential at school and home, and also help out Mum and Dad in managing them!

And I wouldn't be a self-employed writer if I didn't try and expand my knowledge on my craft. I have read rave reviews of this book, so I am looking forward to reading it.

The Naked Truth About Self Publishing - apparently very practical, according to some writing groups I belong to,  and practical is just what I need!

I wonder what I'll do more of this summer - writing or reading? Or maybe neither. Maybe the lure of sand and sea and summer warmth and watermelon might be the only temptations I succumb to.

What is on your reading list this summer?

Thunder Dog - a book review

I am not even finished this book yet, and I'm on here telling you about it.
If you were forced to choose just one book in the world that you could read, this would have to be it!

 

Thunder Dog by Michael Hingson

I have had it on my wish list in Audible.com for months and months, having recently gone on a September 11 book drive, but somehow this just kept getting pushed down the list.

Until this weekend, after finishing about three murder thrillers one after the other and feeling like something hopeful and inspiring and real, so I downloaded this, and what a book!

Michael Hingson is blind. He has been blind from birth. And he escaped from the first of the Twin Towers to be hit by the airplanes. He was on the 74th floor with his guidedog Rosella when the plane hit. This story not only takes you through the harrowing hours following this, but his descent down the long stairway flight by flight, but also tells you about his life, and I actually found this to be the most inspirational.

I am sure people buy the book for the twin tower story, which is what I did, but it is his life as a blind man that astounded me. It will break down any misconceptions that you might have about being blind. He actually makes it sound fun!

I am in amazement and absolute admiration of his parents who insisted he attend school with his brother and his cousins and sighted children. He even learned how to ride a bike around his neighbourhood! And if that doesn't make you gasp, wait 'till you hear that he also flew an airplane!

I also loved the telling of his relationships with his dogs. The friendships, the trust, the learning to 'read' each other. If you love dogs, you will enjoy this aspecct of the book.

This book has to be high on my list of the best inspirational books I've ever read, just because you come away from it with this amazing sense that anything is possible. That life is full of purpose and to be enjoyed. 

The Minefield of School Lunches

This is a sponsored post.

When the children first started at school, I really enjoyed making their lunches every night.
But now, with four lunchboxes to get organised, the novelty of that has slowly worn off in my desperation to find food that is interesting, healthy, nourishing and will actually get eaten.

My stand-by are ham sandwiches, and if the pantry is really empty then it's vegemite sandwiches. The kindergarten that Alice is going to this year insist on healthy food. And they check. At her last kindy they were more relaxed about it, but the kindy food police are most definitely on the warpath and I did get told off for putting a tiny little easter egg into Alice's lunchbox the first week she was there.

So, no more little lolly treats for Alice.
So it's ham sandwiches, fruit, fruit and more fruit, homebaking is allowed (what a relief), and I do manage to get away with a little packet of bagel bites.
But this week I have discovered a little treat for her - and actually all the kids - that is healthy and that they love and I don't get slapped over the hand for!

The school where the older children go, doesn't actually mind what I put in the lunchboxes. To the extent that my children tend to share their lunches out with friends who don't bring enough food. I do have a tendency to overload their lunchboxes. I figure that they are using up all kinds of energy in their day at school, not to mention all the physical activity and that they walk home most days. So I like to think that they've got enough food to keep them going through the day. I was really surprised to hear from my son that he gives away some of his food, because some of friends only have an apple and a jam sandwich to eat all day. These are boys who are at a crucial growing stage in their early teens, and I was truly shocked.

I was asked to review a product by Mother Earth. Their fabulous Fruit Sticks which come in little packets perfect for the lunchboxes.
Now, to be honest, my kids are normally not fans of muesli bars or fruit sticks like this, so I was interested to try these out and see if the kids liked them. The two we tested were Apricot and Chocolate and Raspberry.

I told them that they had to give me their honest opinion. Even if they hated them.
I tried one myself, and they are really delicious. The kids loved them and asked for a second one straight away. I put the boxes back in the pantry, but a few minutes later what do I find, but Miss Alice sneaking her hand into one of them.  So I put them higher up on the shelf!

So, if you are looking for something yummy and nutricious, and that kindy will approve of, the Mother Earth fruit sticks are great! And they're priced well too. There are 8 bars in a box for $3.49 (Countdown), and that will last me two school days - if I keep the boxes high enough where little fingers can't get into them. It just helps that I have something different to add to the variety of their lunchboxes.

Made in New Zealand too.