I wrote this last year, but for some reason didn't quite get around to clicking on 'publish' before Christmas and heading off to Summer Gathering...
Well I'm getting there! I now have my much loved American cabinet and the blanket box out of storage and in my room, and my small bookcase full of children's paperbacks. However even with the best will in the world the larger bookcase and my chair will not fit and still leave me with enough room to actually get from the door to my bed, so they remain where they are... for now!
It was quite nostalgic going through the contents of the blanket box which had been filled to the brim with 'stuff'. Anything I couldn't remember either owning, or the origins of and had no immediate need for went in the 'get rid of' box. There were a couple of things that have long since been replaced and they too have been passed on. Having unpacked everything and sorted through it all I then began to repack the blanket box with the kitchen stuff I don't currently need, and then started filling up the remaining space with various odds and ends. But then I stopped and thought about it.If I'm trying to downsize to a Tiny House kind of quantity of belongings then I have to not only be able to fit it all in my bedroom, but if it can't be useful in this sized space then why keep it? There won't be room in a Tiny House for storing things for 'one day I might live somewhere bigger'! So the pictures in frames and stained glass came back out, and a couple of ornaments that have too much sentimental value to part with. And yes I found space for them, albeit with deciding to part with a few other things that had been previously taking up that space. A few things did go in the blanket box though earmarked for gifting on to particular individuals at some future point in time.
It feels very satisfying to have more of my belongings around me, rather than them scattered to the winds. There is a lot of history, my history and family history, represented by the things that have survived several decluttering culls. Everything has a story behind it, although there's one rather pristine looking paua pendant that I can't quite place, but I've hung it anyway on my 'mobile' of necklaces made from an embroidery hoop and a spare cord.
And you know what? I still have free cupboard space and my room doesn't feel overcrowded. Okay so the pile of Christmas presents and the pile of stuff gradually accumulating to pack to take to Summer Gathering does take away from the overall picture of an organized living space, but it is still very much livable in. It made me realize just how much I must have got rid of during this major declutter. Also it makes me realize that I might just be able to pull off this total downsizing thing after all! Which means one less hurdle in the way of doing so. An exciting, liberating, but also slightly scary thought.
Years ago the idea was mooted at a Young Friends camp for a bunch of our generation getting together at some indeterminate point in the future and forming an intentional community, a bit like the Quaker Settlement, but not at the Settlement. There were various reasons why a different set-up was felt to be preferable, and probably a totally incompatible combination of ideas as to what it could comprise of. But practicalities didn't matter as it was a 'one day in the future' idea rather than a 'lets do it now!' one. However almost 9 yrs down the track and several children later, the idea has resurfaced, suggestions as to a where have been made and there's even a possible site... and including Tiny Houses in the overall scheme of things has been suggested as one couple are in the process of building theirs! Well the timing isn't right for me if the current suggestion goes ahead, but it opens up another possible future option, whether they manage to set something up sooner or later. Again an exciting, but slightly scary thought. And then an email came through about a Quaker women's cooperative house possibility, again an immediate option that wouldn't work for me, but an new idea to mull over....
Thankfully I don't need to decide anything right now, but Leith's words in a conversation we had at the WGYF+10 event keep coming back to me; we were discussing employment rather than living circumstances at the time, but it is just as relevant. I was trying to explain my inability to articulate quite what it was I felt called to do in life, and she astutely asked 'is that because you don't know what you are called to do or because it doesn't exist yet?' Part of my Tiny House dream is to live as part of an intentional community, to have my own space, yet not be 'living alone'. I haven't explored yet whether that could be possible at the Settlement, but the fact that they are looking in to having Resident Friends has offered one possibility of a means of being there at a future date and seeing if it is the right place for me. After all I can't imagine me getting anything built in a hurry! I'm still not convinced about leaving the Far North though, but as each new option arises it helps me figure out what it is I am looking for, and where I'm being called to be. However I'm pretty certain that here is very much where I'm meant to be for now!
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Books 2015
For several years now I've kept track of the books I've read through the year. The idea is to read at least 52 books in a year, cover a range of genres, continue to work my way through the BBC's 2003 100 Big Read list and try not to let re-reads dominate my reading. Audio books have again come into their own, not just when travelling, but also when doing handcrafts and when my eyes are too tired to read at night. I've picked up a few of the 100 Big Read books 2nd hand lately so I've got several already lined up for 2016, plus of course 13 more volumes of War & Peace!
The Very Best of Charles de Lint posed an ethical dilemma - someone posted a link to it on Facebook and I had a look expecting to be able to read a few pages at most which at least would give me an idea as to whether it was worth pursuing. Well it was, and it turned out that there were several of the short stories in full that you could access. However the entire book wasn't available unless you downloaded it, for free, which sounded like a good price. But the site was Amazon and I'd signed up to the Amazon-free Christmas pledge a few months earlier fully intending it to be a year round commitment and I didn't really want to break that, as even if I wasn't going to be giving them any money it would show my account to be active... so it remains unfinished! I'm not going to lose any sleep over it, whilst I enjoyed what I read I can live without the rest.
As part of my decluttering I had decided to pass along my Deltora Quest books once I'd completed the first series, and my Linda McNabb books on top of that. This cleared several inches of shelf space and they went to a good home. As I've now got about 3/4 of my books in my room now the temptation to re-read old favourites is growing, so all the more reason to keep track of what I read this year and not find myself falling down the rabbit hole of nostalgic comfort reads never to try anything new again....
* still reading
italics - re-read
January - March 2015
i. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens (started last year)
1. God Just Is... - Curt Gardener
2. An Unexpected Hero - L.P. Hansen
3. The Sleeper And The Spindle - Neil Gaiman
4. Dune - Frank Herbert (audio book)
5. The Seventh Son - Linda McNabb
6. Shadow Girl - Sally Nicholls
7. Mountains Of Fire - Linda McNabb
8. Song Of The Selkie - Cathy Dunsford
9. Rowan and the Zebak - Emily Rodda
10. War & Peace I - Leo Tolstoy (audio book)
11. * The Very Best Of Charles de Lint - Charles de Lint
12. A Wind In The Door - Madeleine L'Engle
13. A Swiftly Tilting Planet - Madeleine L'Engle
14. The Royal Ranger - John Flanagan
15. War & Peace II - Leo Tolstoy (audio book)
16. Dune Messiah - Frank Herbert
April - June 2015
17. Tanith - Sherryl Jordan
18. Oor Wullie - DC Thompson
19. One Hundred Years Of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
20. First Test (Protector of the Small 1) - Tamora Pierce
21. Page (Protector of the Small 2) - Tamora Pierce
22. Squire (Protector of the Small 3) - Tamora Pierce
23. Lady Knight (Protector of the Small 4) - Tamora Pierce
24. Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness 1) - Tamora Pierce
July - September 2015
25. In the Hand of the Goddess (Song of the Lioness 2) - Tamora Pierce
26. The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (Song of the Lioness 3) - Tamora Pierce
27. Lioness Rampant (Song of the Lioness 4) - Tamora Pierce
28. Wild Magic (The Immortals 1) - Tamora Pierce
29. Wolf Magic (The Immortals 2) - Tamora Pierce
30. The Emperor Mage (The Immortals 3) - Tamora Pierce
31. Realms of the Gods (The Immortals 4) - Tamora Pierce
32. Trickster's Choice - Tamora Pierce
33. Trickster's Queen - Tamora Pierce
34. My Side of the Mountain - Jean Craighead George
35. The Usborne Fairy Tale Treasury (mostly read to Lucy)
36. The Forest of Silence (Deltora Quest 1) - Emily Rodda
37. The Lake of Tears (Deltora Quest 2) - Emily Rodda
38. City of the Rats (Deltora Quest 3) - Emily Rodda
39. The Shifting Sands (Deltora Quest 4) - Emily Rodda
40. Dread Mountain (Deltora Quest 5) - Emily Rodda
41. The Maze of the Beast (Deltora Quest 6) - Emily Rodda
42. The Valley of the Lost (Deltora Quest 7) - Emily Rodda
43. Return to Del (Deltora Quest 8) - Emily Rodda
44. A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving
45. Singing Home the Whale - Mandy Hager
46. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
October - December 2015
47. Scorpion Mountain (Brotherband 5) - John Flanagan
48. The Tournament of Gorlan (The Early Years) - John Flanagan
49. The Forest of Silence (Deltora Quest 1) - Emily Rodda (read to Seany)
50. The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle 1) - Patrick Rothfuss (audio book)
51. In Search of Simplicity - John P. Haines
52. The Wise Man's Fear (The Kingkiller Chronicle 2) - Patrick Rothfuss (audio book)
53. Spellsinger (Spellsinger 1) - Alan Dean Foster (audio book)
54. Hour of the Gate (Spellsinger 2) - Alan Dean Foster (audio book)
55. The Day of the Dissonance (Spellsinger 3) - Alan Dean Foster (audio book)
56. The Moment of the Magician (Spellsinger 4) - Alan Dean Foster (audio book)
57. The Paths of the Perambulator (Spellsinger 5) - Alan Dean Foster (audio book)
58. * The Time of the Transference (Spellsinger 6) - Alan Dean Foster (audio book)
The Very Best of Charles de Lint posed an ethical dilemma - someone posted a link to it on Facebook and I had a look expecting to be able to read a few pages at most which at least would give me an idea as to whether it was worth pursuing. Well it was, and it turned out that there were several of the short stories in full that you could access. However the entire book wasn't available unless you downloaded it, for free, which sounded like a good price. But the site was Amazon and I'd signed up to the Amazon-free Christmas pledge a few months earlier fully intending it to be a year round commitment and I didn't really want to break that, as even if I wasn't going to be giving them any money it would show my account to be active... so it remains unfinished! I'm not going to lose any sleep over it, whilst I enjoyed what I read I can live without the rest.
As part of my decluttering I had decided to pass along my Deltora Quest books once I'd completed the first series, and my Linda McNabb books on top of that. This cleared several inches of shelf space and they went to a good home. As I've now got about 3/4 of my books in my room now the temptation to re-read old favourites is growing, so all the more reason to keep track of what I read this year and not find myself falling down the rabbit hole of nostalgic comfort reads never to try anything new again....
* still reading
italics - re-read
January - March 2015
i. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens (started last year)
1. God Just Is... - Curt Gardener
2. An Unexpected Hero - L.P. Hansen
3. The Sleeper And The Spindle - Neil Gaiman
4. Dune - Frank Herbert (audio book)
5. The Seventh Son - Linda McNabb
6. Shadow Girl - Sally Nicholls
7. Mountains Of Fire - Linda McNabb
8. Song Of The Selkie - Cathy Dunsford
9. Rowan and the Zebak - Emily Rodda
10. War & Peace I - Leo Tolstoy (audio book)
11. * The Very Best Of Charles de Lint - Charles de Lint
12. A Wind In The Door - Madeleine L'Engle
13. A Swiftly Tilting Planet - Madeleine L'Engle
14. The Royal Ranger - John Flanagan
15. War & Peace II - Leo Tolstoy (audio book)
16. Dune Messiah - Frank Herbert
April - June 2015
17. Tanith - Sherryl Jordan
18. Oor Wullie - DC Thompson
19. One Hundred Years Of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
20. First Test (Protector of the Small 1) - Tamora Pierce
21. Page (Protector of the Small 2) - Tamora Pierce
22. Squire (Protector of the Small 3) - Tamora Pierce
23. Lady Knight (Protector of the Small 4) - Tamora Pierce
24. Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness 1) - Tamora Pierce
July - September 2015
25. In the Hand of the Goddess (Song of the Lioness 2) - Tamora Pierce
26. The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (Song of the Lioness 3) - Tamora Pierce
27. Lioness Rampant (Song of the Lioness 4) - Tamora Pierce
28. Wild Magic (The Immortals 1) - Tamora Pierce
29. Wolf Magic (The Immortals 2) - Tamora Pierce
30. The Emperor Mage (The Immortals 3) - Tamora Pierce
31. Realms of the Gods (The Immortals 4) - Tamora Pierce
32. Trickster's Choice - Tamora Pierce
33. Trickster's Queen - Tamora Pierce
34. My Side of the Mountain - Jean Craighead George
35. The Usborne Fairy Tale Treasury (mostly read to Lucy)
36. The Forest of Silence (Deltora Quest 1) - Emily Rodda
37. The Lake of Tears (Deltora Quest 2) - Emily Rodda
38. City of the Rats (Deltora Quest 3) - Emily Rodda
39. The Shifting Sands (Deltora Quest 4) - Emily Rodda
40. Dread Mountain (Deltora Quest 5) - Emily Rodda
41. The Maze of the Beast (Deltora Quest 6) - Emily Rodda
42. The Valley of the Lost (Deltora Quest 7) - Emily Rodda
43. Return to Del (Deltora Quest 8) - Emily Rodda
44. A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving
45. Singing Home the Whale - Mandy Hager
46. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
October - December 2015
47. Scorpion Mountain (Brotherband 5) - John Flanagan
48. The Tournament of Gorlan (The Early Years) - John Flanagan
49. The Forest of Silence (Deltora Quest 1) - Emily Rodda (read to Seany)
50. The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle 1) - Patrick Rothfuss (audio book)
51. In Search of Simplicity - John P. Haines
52. The Wise Man's Fear (The Kingkiller Chronicle 2) - Patrick Rothfuss (audio book)
53. Spellsinger (Spellsinger 1) - Alan Dean Foster (audio book)
54. Hour of the Gate (Spellsinger 2) - Alan Dean Foster (audio book)
55. The Day of the Dissonance (Spellsinger 3) - Alan Dean Foster (audio book)
56. The Moment of the Magician (Spellsinger 4) - Alan Dean Foster (audio book)
57. The Paths of the Perambulator (Spellsinger 5) - Alan Dean Foster (audio book)
58. * The Time of the Transference (Spellsinger 6) - Alan Dean Foster (audio book)
Thursday, September 10, 2015
making it so every day is like Sunday
No not silent and grey, although that would be appropriate enough I suppose for a Quaker, especially one with a collection of Morrissey albums! It would also match todays weather, but that's by the by.
Recently a friend was visiting and as is fairly common here she took her shoes off when she came in, and she was apologizing for the holes in her sock. Trying to reassure her that it really didn't matter I came out with an old family quip about her wearing her Sunday socks. I got a completely blank look. 'Your holy ones!' I added. More blank looks. Never mind, I assured her, a family joke, it obviously doesn't travel well!
It dawned on me later that she was of the generation where your Sunday clothes were your best ones, plus English had not been her parents' or her late husband's first language, so puns and plays on English words simply had not been a part of her everyday life in the way they have been in mine.
'Sunday best' or 'keeping it for best' was the theme of a series of adverts on tv a few months back, I think they were for Twinings Tea. They were making the point that it is silly to keep things in a cupboard for best, go ahead and wear/use/drink them and get enjoyment out of them. It's a mantra that I'd gradually been coming round to myself as I decluttered my life, or more specifically my wardrobe. After all there aren't that many 'Sunday best' occasions in my life as generally Quakers don't dress up to go to church, the idea is that all days are equal and sacred. This meant we looked like a right bunch of scruffs in Edinburgh turning up in our everyday clothes next door to the well scrubbed and polished 'Wee Frees' in all their finery!
I had a pair of smart boots that I used to keep 'for best' but my orthotic insoles didn't fit in them so I was wearing them less and less. Fortunately they fit a friend of mine perfectly who was looking for boots and she now wears them for work. When I replaced those boots last year with a pair that I could wear my insoles with I decided that whilst yes, they are expensive boots and smarter than my usual footwear choices I wasn't going to let them gather dust in the bottom of the wardrobe waiting for some special occasion to arise like the old ones. Also I'd noticed my walking shoes/trainers that had been my winter shoes for the last couple of years or so weren't quite as comfortable any more, and replacing them as well just wasn't within my budget, so my smart new boots became my winter shoes. Two winters later they are still looking smart and as they fit my orthotics I haven't worn down the heels at a ridiculous angle either! I'd been careful to buy some that could be re-heeled when necessary so I should get a few more years out of them yet. Well worth the investment in a decent pair, especially as I've still managed to postpone replacing my trainers!
When paring down the contents of my wardrobe I also made a decision to 'reclassify' a knitted top that I'd bought with birthday money from a fantastic boutique shop on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh many years ago. There aren't many advantages to an early January birthday in the UK, but the sales are one of the few! I have two items from there, both much loved but rarely worn. One I had worn regularly in Scotland, but the other was definitely kept 'for best'. The regularly worn one is a bit too thick usually for a Far North winter, but the other is fine, I just needed to get my head around wearing it as an everyday item. I still hesitate a little when getting it out, but I've worn it quite a bit this winter and I've got to enjoy the lovely softness of the merino/cashmere mix and appreciate its warm red colour properly rather than just when looking in my wardrobe for something more ordinary to wear instead! There are a couple of other tops that I love but had thought of as 'too smart' for everyday use, but they too have been integrated into use as I told myself that if they didn't get worn they'd have to go and I wasn't quite prepared to part with them yet! After all it isn't like my days are spent in the sandpit or getting clarted in glue, paint and various child produced bodily fluids any more.
When I first started clutter clearing about 15yrs or so ago (yeah yeah, you can't do it all in one go okay!) the William Morris quote Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful struck a chord with me. However I have struggled with the concept of whittling down the 'useful' pile as I inherited a hefty streak of my father's 'it might come in useful one day, and when it does I'll have it' attitude. Unfortunately I didn't quite get the required bit to go with it that means that when that day comes around I'll know exactly where it is... so whilst yes technically it might well be useful one day, it doesn't figure that it will get used. And you know what? If you have less stuff it is much quicker to look in all the places it isn't before you find the one where it is! Beautiful on the other hand has generally been a bit easier. One clutter clearing book asked 'does it make your heart sing, or sink, when you come across it?' The idea being ditch the 'sink' stuff. And I'd got quite good at that bit. But what I hadn't got so good at was making the most of the stuff that makes my heart sing. A lot of it is still tucked away, in boxes, in cupboards etc.
I've kept telling myself over the years that I haven't had enough room to have x,y,z out and in use. If I had more space, or a whole flat to fill again then sure I'd use it. But if I'm thinking of continuing to live out of a small space then something needs to change. I need to wear those 'best clothes' more often if I'm to justify them having wardrobe room, I need to find a way to make a whole pile of stuff more useful in my life as life is now, not as it was a decade or more ago. And if it isn't currently useful then maybe it is time to let it go so it can be useful somewhere else. When the time comes that I do need a whatever again then I can take pleasure in choosing something both beautiful and useful that meets my new set of circumstances. Meanwhile I have a lovely cut crystal glass tumbler by my bed for when I take my tablets every night, not quite the expected nightcap it was intended for but it is getting used far more often this way.
I'm itching to get my hands on the last box (my blanket box) of stuff in storage and find out what else is in there that I could be using and appreciating now rather than 'saving for later'. Another way of looking at this whole thing is as a former colleague of mine said, 'I always burn those fancy candles and use the fancy soaps you get given, otherwise they just gather dust, and I hate dusting!' Indeed. Get the pleasure out of things now, don't make them a chore to deal with later.
Recently a friend was visiting and as is fairly common here she took her shoes off when she came in, and she was apologizing for the holes in her sock. Trying to reassure her that it really didn't matter I came out with an old family quip about her wearing her Sunday socks. I got a completely blank look. 'Your holy ones!' I added. More blank looks. Never mind, I assured her, a family joke, it obviously doesn't travel well!
It dawned on me later that she was of the generation where your Sunday clothes were your best ones, plus English had not been her parents' or her late husband's first language, so puns and plays on English words simply had not been a part of her everyday life in the way they have been in mine.
'Sunday best' or 'keeping it for best' was the theme of a series of adverts on tv a few months back, I think they were for Twinings Tea. They were making the point that it is silly to keep things in a cupboard for best, go ahead and wear/use/drink them and get enjoyment out of them. It's a mantra that I'd gradually been coming round to myself as I decluttered my life, or more specifically my wardrobe. After all there aren't that many 'Sunday best' occasions in my life as generally Quakers don't dress up to go to church, the idea is that all days are equal and sacred. This meant we looked like a right bunch of scruffs in Edinburgh turning up in our everyday clothes next door to the well scrubbed and polished 'Wee Frees' in all their finery!
I had a pair of smart boots that I used to keep 'for best' but my orthotic insoles didn't fit in them so I was wearing them less and less. Fortunately they fit a friend of mine perfectly who was looking for boots and she now wears them for work. When I replaced those boots last year with a pair that I could wear my insoles with I decided that whilst yes, they are expensive boots and smarter than my usual footwear choices I wasn't going to let them gather dust in the bottom of the wardrobe waiting for some special occasion to arise like the old ones. Also I'd noticed my walking shoes/trainers that had been my winter shoes for the last couple of years or so weren't quite as comfortable any more, and replacing them as well just wasn't within my budget, so my smart new boots became my winter shoes. Two winters later they are still looking smart and as they fit my orthotics I haven't worn down the heels at a ridiculous angle either! I'd been careful to buy some that could be re-heeled when necessary so I should get a few more years out of them yet. Well worth the investment in a decent pair, especially as I've still managed to postpone replacing my trainers!
When paring down the contents of my wardrobe I also made a decision to 'reclassify' a knitted top that I'd bought with birthday money from a fantastic boutique shop on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh many years ago. There aren't many advantages to an early January birthday in the UK, but the sales are one of the few! I have two items from there, both much loved but rarely worn. One I had worn regularly in Scotland, but the other was definitely kept 'for best'. The regularly worn one is a bit too thick usually for a Far North winter, but the other is fine, I just needed to get my head around wearing it as an everyday item. I still hesitate a little when getting it out, but I've worn it quite a bit this winter and I've got to enjoy the lovely softness of the merino/cashmere mix and appreciate its warm red colour properly rather than just when looking in my wardrobe for something more ordinary to wear instead! There are a couple of other tops that I love but had thought of as 'too smart' for everyday use, but they too have been integrated into use as I told myself that if they didn't get worn they'd have to go and I wasn't quite prepared to part with them yet! After all it isn't like my days are spent in the sandpit or getting clarted in glue, paint and various child produced bodily fluids any more.
When I first started clutter clearing about 15yrs or so ago (yeah yeah, you can't do it all in one go okay!) the William Morris quote Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful struck a chord with me. However I have struggled with the concept of whittling down the 'useful' pile as I inherited a hefty streak of my father's 'it might come in useful one day, and when it does I'll have it' attitude. Unfortunately I didn't quite get the required bit to go with it that means that when that day comes around I'll know exactly where it is... so whilst yes technically it might well be useful one day, it doesn't figure that it will get used. And you know what? If you have less stuff it is much quicker to look in all the places it isn't before you find the one where it is! Beautiful on the other hand has generally been a bit easier. One clutter clearing book asked 'does it make your heart sing, or sink, when you come across it?' The idea being ditch the 'sink' stuff. And I'd got quite good at that bit. But what I hadn't got so good at was making the most of the stuff that makes my heart sing. A lot of it is still tucked away, in boxes, in cupboards etc.
I've kept telling myself over the years that I haven't had enough room to have x,y,z out and in use. If I had more space, or a whole flat to fill again then sure I'd use it. But if I'm thinking of continuing to live out of a small space then something needs to change. I need to wear those 'best clothes' more often if I'm to justify them having wardrobe room, I need to find a way to make a whole pile of stuff more useful in my life as life is now, not as it was a decade or more ago. And if it isn't currently useful then maybe it is time to let it go so it can be useful somewhere else. When the time comes that I do need a whatever again then I can take pleasure in choosing something both beautiful and useful that meets my new set of circumstances. Meanwhile I have a lovely cut crystal glass tumbler by my bed for when I take my tablets every night, not quite the expected nightcap it was intended for but it is getting used far more often this way.
I'm itching to get my hands on the last box (my blanket box) of stuff in storage and find out what else is in there that I could be using and appreciating now rather than 'saving for later'. Another way of looking at this whole thing is as a former colleague of mine said, 'I always burn those fancy candles and use the fancy soaps you get given, otherwise they just gather dust, and I hate dusting!' Indeed. Get the pleasure out of things now, don't make them a chore to deal with later.
Friday, September 04, 2015
If not us, then who?
When I was in my early 20s I attended the Quaker Meeting in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. At one point they had a series of people talking about particular times in their lives. How many of these there were I've no idea, I now only remember two of them: Grigor & Diana McClelland talking about their time in the Friends Ambulance Unit in WWII; and Curt Gardner's mother who I can picture perfectly but can't for the life of me remember the name of, who spoke of escaping from the Nazis in Germany and Poland with her two small boys who were 6 (Curt) and 3 at the time.
Both tales left a really strong impression on me, along with those I heard in later years from other Friends who had been the FAU or who had been Conscientious Objectors, although the passing of time had left me somewhat hazy on some of the details and whose story did what appear in. So it was with much delight that I found Curt's book God just is: Approaches to silent worship on sale at the bookstall at Summer Gathering which included in it his retelling of their wartime escape.
Curt's book was doubly welcome as not only had he been someone whose vocal ministry I'd always got a lot from, he was (and presumably still is!) one of those gentle souls in the world who just make you feel better for having known them. I was aware when I knew him that he was going through a difficult time in life, although I had no knowledge of the details then, so it was nice in a way to find out more albeit +20yrs later on the other side of the world via a book! Reading the book, which is partially autobiographical, helped me get to know much better someone who felt like an old friend. Also I knew I was needing some help with getting enough out of our local entirely silent Meetings for Worship where the only vocal ministry tended to come from our cat or the sharing of something from Advices & Queries as we settled. I do enjoy the occasional totally silent MfW but right now, to paraphrase a Friend from Edinburgh, my heart not so much yearns for silence but speech! Curt's book gave me some very timely back to basics advice, which is helping.
For various reasons it took me several months to get through the book, not because it isn't an easy read, far from it. But because I'd get so far then take a while to digest that, and try to use it before moving on. This meant that I got to 'Interlude 2' where he talks about the war just in the last few weeks. I'd read that bit at Summer Gathering when I first picked up the book, but reading it again against a backdrop of endless refugees desperately seeking asylum in Europe put it into new light.
A lot of the stories I had heard of Friends work in WWII had not so much been about field ambulance work, although there had been some of that too, but of the resettlement of refugees in camps and communities across Europe. People displaced by war. Not just those who had been interned in concentration camps, but those who like the Gardner's had had to hit the road in the hope of finding a safe place to be. People fleeing fighting and tyranny, exactly as we're seeing again today by the overcrowded boat-full.
I've always been really proud of the contributions Friends made at this time, and the Nobel Peace Prize they were given for their efforts recognized the importance of it too. I realize the world is a very different place than it was then, there are far more international aid agencies working in the field, along with various UN operations. But I keep coming back to the question what can we as Quakers do to help this time around? What more can I do?
I'm hoping to hear answers, rather than silence.
Both tales left a really strong impression on me, along with those I heard in later years from other Friends who had been the FAU or who had been Conscientious Objectors, although the passing of time had left me somewhat hazy on some of the details and whose story did what appear in. So it was with much delight that I found Curt's book God just is: Approaches to silent worship on sale at the bookstall at Summer Gathering which included in it his retelling of their wartime escape.
Curt's book was doubly welcome as not only had he been someone whose vocal ministry I'd always got a lot from, he was (and presumably still is!) one of those gentle souls in the world who just make you feel better for having known them. I was aware when I knew him that he was going through a difficult time in life, although I had no knowledge of the details then, so it was nice in a way to find out more albeit +20yrs later on the other side of the world via a book! Reading the book, which is partially autobiographical, helped me get to know much better someone who felt like an old friend. Also I knew I was needing some help with getting enough out of our local entirely silent Meetings for Worship where the only vocal ministry tended to come from our cat or the sharing of something from Advices & Queries as we settled. I do enjoy the occasional totally silent MfW but right now, to paraphrase a Friend from Edinburgh, my heart not so much yearns for silence but speech! Curt's book gave me some very timely back to basics advice, which is helping.
For various reasons it took me several months to get through the book, not because it isn't an easy read, far from it. But because I'd get so far then take a while to digest that, and try to use it before moving on. This meant that I got to 'Interlude 2' where he talks about the war just in the last few weeks. I'd read that bit at Summer Gathering when I first picked up the book, but reading it again against a backdrop of endless refugees desperately seeking asylum in Europe put it into new light.
A lot of the stories I had heard of Friends work in WWII had not so much been about field ambulance work, although there had been some of that too, but of the resettlement of refugees in camps and communities across Europe. People displaced by war. Not just those who had been interned in concentration camps, but those who like the Gardner's had had to hit the road in the hope of finding a safe place to be. People fleeing fighting and tyranny, exactly as we're seeing again today by the overcrowded boat-full.
I've always been really proud of the contributions Friends made at this time, and the Nobel Peace Prize they were given for their efforts recognized the importance of it too. I realize the world is a very different place than it was then, there are far more international aid agencies working in the field, along with various UN operations. But I keep coming back to the question what can we as Quakers do to help this time around? What more can I do?
I'm hoping to hear answers, rather than silence.
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
accountability
Earlier today I opened up my blog 'dashboard' amongst other internet tabs as a reminder that the month was slipping past and I really ought to write another post soon. Finishing one of the half written ones would be even better, but a new one would do should the inspiration come along.
It's getting towards the end of my day and I was starting to close down pages and winding things up for the night when I clicked on the blogger page and spotted that Charlotte had written a new post, so I read it, as one does, and realised that there was a certain synchronicity between what she'd written and what I'd been thinking about today. So in a 'think it, do it' burst of energy here's my tuppenceworth.
I'm sure I've mentioned before that for the last couple of years or so I've been aiming to write one blog post a week on average, something I've fallen woefully short of but on the other hand after a run of decidedly lean years my yearly total is better than it had been! Why blog? When I first started blogging I was in the process of emigrating and being Resident Friend in Wellington - both of which provided plenty of material to write about. Since then life has become far more everyday and the things that used to stand out as being new and different, ie Kiwi, are now very much the norm and I struggle to find examples now to explain how things are different from the UK because I've lost track of what isn't said/done there! Generally I'm reminded with a crash and a bang when I go back though.
But anyway, why blog? Part of it replaces the journals I used to write - stream of consciousness stuff that fills a stack of notebooks that at some point I probably ought to ceremoniously burn to protect the innocent. Yeah well not all of that sort of stuff ends up blogged by any means, after all there are libel laws, but aside from it being a way to update friends and family what is going on in my life blogging replaces the personal accountability side of the journalling. It used to feel like once I'd written an idea down it had to be followed through on, or at least attempted. It was a way of recording where my thinking was at on various issues, what progress I made, how many times I went around in circles on something etc. Like my commitment to blogging once a week on average - I'd set that challenge to myself, but once I'd mentioned it in a blog post I felt like I really had to try harder to stick to it!
Today has been a day of little tasks, small steps in various commitments that I've made to myself, some on here, some not yet. If all I manage each month is a record of some of those little steps then I'll feel more accountable for them, it adds an incentive to work at them. However I'm also aware that should I slip and not manage very much for a while (entirely possibly healthwise) it would be very easy to just not blog rather than face the fact that I've not achieved what I think I ought to be able to (and yes that is the subject of the half written blog post I haven't managed to finish yet!), so I have to be prepared to be honest and say I'm having a crap week, but that's okay, they happen. They happen to everyone, but most folk are better at not beating themselves up over it... for me that is work in progress, and hopefully I can record that progress when need be.
So today's small steps: I made some small cloth bags to use for bulk bin goods that I buy from the health food shop. I have some larger ones soaking in a bucket of oxygen whitener - they are old flour bags that are probably older than me! My plan is to give them a new lease of life, once they've been washed... This is all part of my ongoing process of removing unnecessary plastic from my life and gearing up towards this year's Plastic Free July.
I fixed the hem on a towel from the EcoCentre which had come undone in the wash - making things last, and it was repurposed in the first place, being quarter of the one large towel that there was there. Much better than buying new or using paper towels.
I did some work on my current quilting project - I've managed to make this one entirely from my existing stash of materials, part of my longer term plan to reduce the amount of stuff I have in my cupboard.
I sorted out some children's picture books to pass on to various f/Friends children when I see them later in the year. They are books I'd acquired when teaching but don't really need to keep, they have no particular sentimental value so will be much better off in a new home. Again part of my downsizing plans.
I scanned a load of photos - I've started on my project to turn a shelf full of photograph albums into photobooks which will take up far fewer shelf inches/feet. They are also photos that I'll put on Facebook once I've cleaned them up/rotated them etc as they are old YFCC ones - as Marion pointed out at YM I don't put many current photos on Facebook just ones that are 20yrs old to embarrass everyone! Not that I think they are embarrassing... but then not many of them are of me.
I made up a crock of GF flour mix - I have a couple of flour recipes I try to keep made up in bulk so I don't have to faff about with tablespoons of this that and the next thing when baking. I make the vast majority of my food from scratch rather than buy ready processed stuff. I have the time, and mostly the energy. Making a big casserole today was also part of that process - several days worth of meals made in one go. I just need to remember to put some aside in the freezer for a bad day rather than just eat my way through it all week, no matter how tempting that might be!
I also did some more work on getting the YM minutes ready for the printer, and did some Quaker networking, but the latter of those is probably another post in itself...
There were other things too, but pumpkin time is calling and I've an extra stint at the EcoCentre tomorrow as someone is away, so no chance of sloping off back to bed. Whilst not quite a record of creativity in the sense Charlotte was meaning this post has put out there some of what I'm working on in life at present - hopefully doing so will not only act as a record of where I'm at, but add an extra dose of accountability to myself more than anyone else, to keep track of progress and serve as a reminder in the not so good weeks that whilst I may not be able to do as much as I'd like in life still at least I can still do some things and change my life for the better.
ps sorry this is a bit rambling but if I start trying to edit it either I'll be late to bed or this won't get posted tonight, both of which I'm trying to avoid!
It's getting towards the end of my day and I was starting to close down pages and winding things up for the night when I clicked on the blogger page and spotted that Charlotte had written a new post, so I read it, as one does, and realised that there was a certain synchronicity between what she'd written and what I'd been thinking about today. So in a 'think it, do it' burst of energy here's my tuppenceworth.
I'm sure I've mentioned before that for the last couple of years or so I've been aiming to write one blog post a week on average, something I've fallen woefully short of but on the other hand after a run of decidedly lean years my yearly total is better than it had been! Why blog? When I first started blogging I was in the process of emigrating and being Resident Friend in Wellington - both of which provided plenty of material to write about. Since then life has become far more everyday and the things that used to stand out as being new and different, ie Kiwi, are now very much the norm and I struggle to find examples now to explain how things are different from the UK because I've lost track of what isn't said/done there! Generally I'm reminded with a crash and a bang when I go back though.
But anyway, why blog? Part of it replaces the journals I used to write - stream of consciousness stuff that fills a stack of notebooks that at some point I probably ought to ceremoniously burn to protect the innocent. Yeah well not all of that sort of stuff ends up blogged by any means, after all there are libel laws, but aside from it being a way to update friends and family what is going on in my life blogging replaces the personal accountability side of the journalling. It used to feel like once I'd written an idea down it had to be followed through on, or at least attempted. It was a way of recording where my thinking was at on various issues, what progress I made, how many times I went around in circles on something etc. Like my commitment to blogging once a week on average - I'd set that challenge to myself, but once I'd mentioned it in a blog post I felt like I really had to try harder to stick to it!
Today has been a day of little tasks, small steps in various commitments that I've made to myself, some on here, some not yet. If all I manage each month is a record of some of those little steps then I'll feel more accountable for them, it adds an incentive to work at them. However I'm also aware that should I slip and not manage very much for a while (entirely possibly healthwise) it would be very easy to just not blog rather than face the fact that I've not achieved what I think I ought to be able to (and yes that is the subject of the half written blog post I haven't managed to finish yet!), so I have to be prepared to be honest and say I'm having a crap week, but that's okay, they happen. They happen to everyone, but most folk are better at not beating themselves up over it... for me that is work in progress, and hopefully I can record that progress when need be.
So today's small steps: I made some small cloth bags to use for bulk bin goods that I buy from the health food shop. I have some larger ones soaking in a bucket of oxygen whitener - they are old flour bags that are probably older than me! My plan is to give them a new lease of life, once they've been washed... This is all part of my ongoing process of removing unnecessary plastic from my life and gearing up towards this year's Plastic Free July.
I fixed the hem on a towel from the EcoCentre which had come undone in the wash - making things last, and it was repurposed in the first place, being quarter of the one large towel that there was there. Much better than buying new or using paper towels.
I did some work on my current quilting project - I've managed to make this one entirely from my existing stash of materials, part of my longer term plan to reduce the amount of stuff I have in my cupboard.
I sorted out some children's picture books to pass on to various f/Friends children when I see them later in the year. They are books I'd acquired when teaching but don't really need to keep, they have no particular sentimental value so will be much better off in a new home. Again part of my downsizing plans.
I scanned a load of photos - I've started on my project to turn a shelf full of photograph albums into photobooks which will take up far fewer shelf inches/feet. They are also photos that I'll put on Facebook once I've cleaned them up/rotated them etc as they are old YFCC ones - as Marion pointed out at YM I don't put many current photos on Facebook just ones that are 20yrs old to embarrass everyone! Not that I think they are embarrassing... but then not many of them are of me.
I made up a crock of GF flour mix - I have a couple of flour recipes I try to keep made up in bulk so I don't have to faff about with tablespoons of this that and the next thing when baking. I make the vast majority of my food from scratch rather than buy ready processed stuff. I have the time, and mostly the energy. Making a big casserole today was also part of that process - several days worth of meals made in one go. I just need to remember to put some aside in the freezer for a bad day rather than just eat my way through it all week, no matter how tempting that might be!
I also did some more work on getting the YM minutes ready for the printer, and did some Quaker networking, but the latter of those is probably another post in itself...
There were other things too, but pumpkin time is calling and I've an extra stint at the EcoCentre tomorrow as someone is away, so no chance of sloping off back to bed. Whilst not quite a record of creativity in the sense Charlotte was meaning this post has put out there some of what I'm working on in life at present - hopefully doing so will not only act as a record of where I'm at, but add an extra dose of accountability to myself more than anyone else, to keep track of progress and serve as a reminder in the not so good weeks that whilst I may not be able to do as much as I'd like in life still at least I can still do some things and change my life for the better.
ps sorry this is a bit rambling but if I start trying to edit it either I'll be late to bed or this won't get posted tonight, both of which I'm trying to avoid!
Monday, May 18, 2015
inspiration
I recently spent a long weekend at our Quaker Yearly Meeting which was held at the Quaker Settlement in Whanganui. It was reassuring to look back on YM last year and appreciate how much better I am healthwise compared to then. I managed to stay up chatting for 3 out of 5 nights away from home which I was very impressed with myself for managing given there was no leeway for a lie in!
One of those evenings was spent talking to Tracey about our future life options - downsizing featured big time for both of us. Seeking the flexibility it gives you to pretty much go anywhere fairly easily was high on both our lists of priorities. I'm in no hurry to move house, but when the time comes to do so I love the idea of being free to go wherever the spirit blows me without having to spend a silly amount of money moving or keeping things in storage. I (still!) don't have a long term life plan, but various posts on Facebook from friends struggling for assorted reasons have kindled the idea of having a time of being a Mary Poppins and going where needed to help out for a few weeks or months at a time before putting down roots anyplace else, although that obviously depends on being healthy enough to be useful.
One possible option to make that work (albeit with the cooperation of willing drivers!) is of course to have a Tiny House. Then I can take my home with me as sadly I don't have a carpet bag like Mary Poppins' or a handbag like Hermione's to fit in everything I'll need, and more importantly it would give me a quiet space of my own which massively increases the odds of staying healthy.
So when in the session the day after Tracey and I had been discussing this it was mentioned that QIET had funded a loan for a Tiny House our ears pricked up! Oooooh, maybe it could actually be possible?
The next day again after a presentation about the Settlement there were various guided tours around parts or all of the grounds. Lured by the words 'close and flat' (as opposed to a quick march over the hill in order to see the new dam and still be back in time for lunch!) and 'food forest' I followed Merilyn to see some of the new food production areas that they are developing on permaculture principles. I'm a big fan of improving the food productivity of the space we have available in an easy to maintain manner so I was keen to pick up a few tips and see how this aspect of the Settlement was developing.
At the end of the tour we stopped by at Michael & Merilyn's very small caravan which they are now living out of and renting out their house to a family who need the space far more than they do. Wow, it makes a Tiny House seem palatial! Granted they have all the communal facilities of the Settlement available to them, plus their daughter's house a few steps away complete with hot shower should they choose to use it rather than the cold outside one, which is quite different to having just that space available to them. But still it was a huge eye opener as to what they have found to be possible. Apparently the biggest challenge according to Merilyn was paring their clothes down to fit in the small wardrobe - which is about the size I thought would do just fine for me alone, and I thought that was fairly minimal!
It was lovely to hear Merilyn share how much she had enjoyed gifting various possessions that they needed to get rid of to fit into such a minute space, especially after recently writing this post about much the same. It renewed my determination to keep up that process and part with other things I've long since stopped using but haven't quite been able to let go of yet.
On a practical level it was interesting to hear how well insulated their caravan is, it is even double glazed and so is quite warm enough in winter. It could be another option for me, but I'm not (yet?) ready to let go of the few items of furniture I've inherited which could fit in a Tiny House, but not a caravan. Plus I suspect that a modern caravan of those specs would be a considerable financial outlay and the advantage of a Tiny House build is you don't need all the money at once, although it sounds like QIET would be up for lending it if needed. Something to ponder on, just as well there is no rush for a decision to be made!
Part of passing on the baton of my FWCC YM rep role to Ben was leaving him and Thomas with my supplies of spare copies of various AWPS newsletters and Friends World News etc whilst at YM. And that's another folder of stuff cleared out into the bargain! What's more that now means my files all now fit in my box-shelf properly and it looks a whole heap tidier, excellent.
So I got home with added determination to work my way through the remaining boxes that are out at Pukepoto, and reduce further the stuff I have here. I knew I had to get straight on to it whilst the fire was still burning in my belly rather than let it go back to smoldering embers which take that bit more effort to get going again. So I resolved to let go of a couple of much loved but rarely worn up here thick woolly cardigans. Perfect for Edinburgh and Wellington winters they might have been, but they just don't work for Far North frost at breakfast but back in t-shirts by lunchtime kind of days. I've hung on to them partly as I initially didn't know how long I'd be up here (at 8yrs and counting I think I can safely say it'll be a while...) and they'd come in handy if I ever moved back to Welly or similar. Well yes they would, but my multiple thin layers also work in cold places and when I do go there in winter I never take my big thick cardies anyway as they are big and thick and fill up half my rucksack!
So after a flash of inspiration one has already been re-homed to Christchurch, the other is still being deliberated over, but I'm ready to let it go. Looking round my room I was wondering 'what next?' and kept coming back to a shelf full of photo albums. I've scanned quite a lot of my photos now, mostly old Quaker ones to upload to Facebook so even though they pre-date film developed onto cds let alone digital I do now have electronic copies so I'm contemplating making some printed photobooks which will take up a fraction of the space. That will be a long term project to work through, but distinctly possible... my books on the other hand pose far more of a challenge.
Since getting home I've been on a roll of ticking off little jobs needing done, and I hope to keep up the momentum. Some of them are things I've been meaning to do for ages but haven't quite had the time and energy simultaneously, many of them are UFOs and PHDs (unfinished objects and projects half done) which take up a disproportionate amount of space in that state, both literally and mentally. The trick now is not to start other things but leave them unfinished as I uncover more potential projects!
Once getting the YM Minutes ready for the printers is done I'll be back to waiting in faith that 'something' work-wise will turn up. But it feels like I really have a longer term life project (downsizing) to focus on, and give a sense of purpose to my time. No matter where I end up living after here likely is to have less space rather than more, and it will be easier to go where the spirit blows me if I have less 'stuff' to move/store/fit in. However I can't quite see me reaching this level of downsizing, no matter how inspirational her story is!
One of those evenings was spent talking to Tracey about our future life options - downsizing featured big time for both of us. Seeking the flexibility it gives you to pretty much go anywhere fairly easily was high on both our lists of priorities. I'm in no hurry to move house, but when the time comes to do so I love the idea of being free to go wherever the spirit blows me without having to spend a silly amount of money moving or keeping things in storage. I (still!) don't have a long term life plan, but various posts on Facebook from friends struggling for assorted reasons have kindled the idea of having a time of being a Mary Poppins and going where needed to help out for a few weeks or months at a time before putting down roots anyplace else, although that obviously depends on being healthy enough to be useful.
One possible option to make that work (albeit with the cooperation of willing drivers!) is of course to have a Tiny House. Then I can take my home with me as sadly I don't have a carpet bag like Mary Poppins' or a handbag like Hermione's to fit in everything I'll need, and more importantly it would give me a quiet space of my own which massively increases the odds of staying healthy.
So when in the session the day after Tracey and I had been discussing this it was mentioned that QIET had funded a loan for a Tiny House our ears pricked up! Oooooh, maybe it could actually be possible?
The next day again after a presentation about the Settlement there were various guided tours around parts or all of the grounds. Lured by the words 'close and flat' (as opposed to a quick march over the hill in order to see the new dam and still be back in time for lunch!) and 'food forest' I followed Merilyn to see some of the new food production areas that they are developing on permaculture principles. I'm a big fan of improving the food productivity of the space we have available in an easy to maintain manner so I was keen to pick up a few tips and see how this aspect of the Settlement was developing.
At the end of the tour we stopped by at Michael & Merilyn's very small caravan which they are now living out of and renting out their house to a family who need the space far more than they do. Wow, it makes a Tiny House seem palatial! Granted they have all the communal facilities of the Settlement available to them, plus their daughter's house a few steps away complete with hot shower should they choose to use it rather than the cold outside one, which is quite different to having just that space available to them. But still it was a huge eye opener as to what they have found to be possible. Apparently the biggest challenge according to Merilyn was paring their clothes down to fit in the small wardrobe - which is about the size I thought would do just fine for me alone, and I thought that was fairly minimal!
It was lovely to hear Merilyn share how much she had enjoyed gifting various possessions that they needed to get rid of to fit into such a minute space, especially after recently writing this post about much the same. It renewed my determination to keep up that process and part with other things I've long since stopped using but haven't quite been able to let go of yet.
On a practical level it was interesting to hear how well insulated their caravan is, it is even double glazed and so is quite warm enough in winter. It could be another option for me, but I'm not (yet?) ready to let go of the few items of furniture I've inherited which could fit in a Tiny House, but not a caravan. Plus I suspect that a modern caravan of those specs would be a considerable financial outlay and the advantage of a Tiny House build is you don't need all the money at once, although it sounds like QIET would be up for lending it if needed. Something to ponder on, just as well there is no rush for a decision to be made!
Part of passing on the baton of my FWCC YM rep role to Ben was leaving him and Thomas with my supplies of spare copies of various AWPS newsletters and Friends World News etc whilst at YM. And that's another folder of stuff cleared out into the bargain! What's more that now means my files all now fit in my box-shelf properly and it looks a whole heap tidier, excellent.
So I got home with added determination to work my way through the remaining boxes that are out at Pukepoto, and reduce further the stuff I have here. I knew I had to get straight on to it whilst the fire was still burning in my belly rather than let it go back to smoldering embers which take that bit more effort to get going again. So I resolved to let go of a couple of much loved but rarely worn up here thick woolly cardigans. Perfect for Edinburgh and Wellington winters they might have been, but they just don't work for Far North frost at breakfast but back in t-shirts by lunchtime kind of days. I've hung on to them partly as I initially didn't know how long I'd be up here (at 8yrs and counting I think I can safely say it'll be a while...) and they'd come in handy if I ever moved back to Welly or similar. Well yes they would, but my multiple thin layers also work in cold places and when I do go there in winter I never take my big thick cardies anyway as they are big and thick and fill up half my rucksack!
So after a flash of inspiration one has already been re-homed to Christchurch, the other is still being deliberated over, but I'm ready to let it go. Looking round my room I was wondering 'what next?' and kept coming back to a shelf full of photo albums. I've scanned quite a lot of my photos now, mostly old Quaker ones to upload to Facebook so even though they pre-date film developed onto cds let alone digital I do now have electronic copies so I'm contemplating making some printed photobooks which will take up a fraction of the space. That will be a long term project to work through, but distinctly possible... my books on the other hand pose far more of a challenge.
Since getting home I've been on a roll of ticking off little jobs needing done, and I hope to keep up the momentum. Some of them are things I've been meaning to do for ages but haven't quite had the time and energy simultaneously, many of them are UFOs and PHDs (unfinished objects and projects half done) which take up a disproportionate amount of space in that state, both literally and mentally. The trick now is not to start other things but leave them unfinished as I uncover more potential projects!
Once getting the YM Minutes ready for the printers is done I'll be back to waiting in faith that 'something' work-wise will turn up. But it feels like I really have a longer term life project (downsizing) to focus on, and give a sense of purpose to my time. No matter where I end up living after here likely is to have less space rather than more, and it will be easier to go where the spirit blows me if I have less 'stuff' to move/store/fit in. However I can't quite see me reaching this level of downsizing, no matter how inspirational her story is!
Friday, May 01, 2015
gifting
Some years ago I was given a beautifully illustrated booked called 'The Quiltmaker's gift', one of those books that appeals to children of all generations. Not wanting to spoil the story for anyone I'll just say that it is about the pleasure in giving things away. A pleasure I've been relating to quite a bit lately.
As part of my current de-cluttering I've been finding new homes for a number of things by sending or giving them to people who I think could and would use them and appreciate them. It takes a bit longer, but it is far more satisfying than just taking them to the nearest op/charity shop. It started because I had a t-shirt campaigning against cuts in Early Childhood Education (ECE) that I used to wear for work but that had sat in my drawer unworn since I left kindergarten. I thought about passing it on to a former colleague but the only ones who it might've fit were either on or heading for maternity leave and weren't their usual size or shape or were looking like they weren't heading back to ECE any more than I was. It wasn't cheap in the first place and so it made sense to pass it on to someone who could wear it as part of their work where it meant more, so it got posted to one of my fellow Grad Dip students and she was delighted to get it.
So after that when I came across something that had a bit of a story behind it, or was somewhat out of the ordinary I put it to one side where I could see it in my room until the right person came to mind. Mostly I've gained my inspiration from Facebook posts, but some have involved a bit of indirect research asking.
I like how the process gets me thinking about the people I know. But rather than the usual run of birthdays and Christmas where you have a list of people and then have to come up with presents, I have a box of things and have to come up with people who are so far all folk who don't make it on to the annual gifting list. As I'm not doing the 'pay it forward' crafting challenge this year this re-homing has filled that slot nicely.
Another bonus is that when I am faced with another box or drawer to clear out instead of opening it with a sigh, wondering what on earth I can still have to 'get rid of' after all these years of clutter clearing I approach it with an attitude of more excited anticipation wondering what treasures I can pass along knowing their time with me is up and it is time for them to be enjoyed elsewhere.
There is still a pile of stuff mounting up to go to the SPCA or Salvation Army, but that is 'stuff' that you'd have to know someone really well to know that they needed it - like a set of measuring spoons, or an over-door hook, and other such odds and ends that really aren't likely to make anyone's day to find them in the mail box, but could, in the right place, still be useful. I'm being fairly ruthless with divesting myself of plastic stuff that I either already have or could easily replace with an alternative when the time finally comes for me to need them again (should that day ever come!): a large bundle of coathangers, various tubs, the aforementioned measuring spoons etc. Yes one day I may need to equip a kitchen on my own, but where it is worth hanging on to my rather nice saucepans for another decade if need be before needing them again, the same really can't be said for assorted paraphernalia that can be found in most kitchen drawers, and also in most op shops should I find I do need it after all!
It's amazing how much further I've managed to cut back on my possessions, although I know there are still more boxes to be tackled in the shed at Pukepoto. I may yet fit it all in my room here which is my goal. I also need to use up more of my material stash, but that is a whole different (set of) project(s)!
As part of my current de-cluttering I've been finding new homes for a number of things by sending or giving them to people who I think could and would use them and appreciate them. It takes a bit longer, but it is far more satisfying than just taking them to the nearest op/charity shop. It started because I had a t-shirt campaigning against cuts in Early Childhood Education (ECE) that I used to wear for work but that had sat in my drawer unworn since I left kindergarten. I thought about passing it on to a former colleague but the only ones who it might've fit were either on or heading for maternity leave and weren't their usual size or shape or were looking like they weren't heading back to ECE any more than I was. It wasn't cheap in the first place and so it made sense to pass it on to someone who could wear it as part of their work where it meant more, so it got posted to one of my fellow Grad Dip students and she was delighted to get it.
So after that when I came across something that had a bit of a story behind it, or was somewhat out of the ordinary I put it to one side where I could see it in my room until the right person came to mind. Mostly I've gained my inspiration from Facebook posts, but some have involved a bit of indirect research asking.
I like how the process gets me thinking about the people I know. But rather than the usual run of birthdays and Christmas where you have a list of people and then have to come up with presents, I have a box of things and have to come up with people who are so far all folk who don't make it on to the annual gifting list. As I'm not doing the 'pay it forward' crafting challenge this year this re-homing has filled that slot nicely.
Another bonus is that when I am faced with another box or drawer to clear out instead of opening it with a sigh, wondering what on earth I can still have to 'get rid of' after all these years of clutter clearing I approach it with an attitude of more excited anticipation wondering what treasures I can pass along knowing their time with me is up and it is time for them to be enjoyed elsewhere.
There is still a pile of stuff mounting up to go to the SPCA or Salvation Army, but that is 'stuff' that you'd have to know someone really well to know that they needed it - like a set of measuring spoons, or an over-door hook, and other such odds and ends that really aren't likely to make anyone's day to find them in the mail box, but could, in the right place, still be useful. I'm being fairly ruthless with divesting myself of plastic stuff that I either already have or could easily replace with an alternative when the time finally comes for me to need them again (should that day ever come!): a large bundle of coathangers, various tubs, the aforementioned measuring spoons etc. Yes one day I may need to equip a kitchen on my own, but where it is worth hanging on to my rather nice saucepans for another decade if need be before needing them again, the same really can't be said for assorted paraphernalia that can be found in most kitchen drawers, and also in most op shops should I find I do need it after all!
It's amazing how much further I've managed to cut back on my possessions, although I know there are still more boxes to be tackled in the shed at Pukepoto. I may yet fit it all in my room here which is my goal. I also need to use up more of my material stash, but that is a whole different (set of) project(s)!
Sunday, January 25, 2015
what canst thou say, and do?
Somehow I managed to find myself on an email list this week to whom a discussion document was circulated by the Futures Committee (a national Quaker committee looking at issues around global change etc and what we can do about it). It was addressing issues around climate change and what we as Quakers were called to do collectively and individually.
"Can we work together to develop ways in which we can cope with this daunting challenge and bring it on board as a part of our everyday life? Can we develop ways of expression that makes the story accessible to our community, even to the extent of changing our priorities and world view? Can we develop ways of taking the message outside the Quaker community and help other organisations to “break the silence” in such a way that it enables them to address their challenges more effectively?"
And if Quakers can't stand up, speak out and take action on this who will???
So here's my tuppenceworth for now.... For many years I've been slowly chipping away at 'bad' habits, rethinking my consumption patterns, decluttering so I need less space, taking part in 'Plastic free July', weighing up the pros and cons of various travel options etc etc. It is, as the document says, a daunting challenge, as nothing is ever straightforward. We've reached the point now where the carbon footprint of keeping the internet functioning internationally is becoming significant, so skyping instead of flying somewhere isn't necessarily always the answer! This doesn't mean we shouldn't be trying to work towards zero carbon travel, or finding more sustainable means to keep the worlds' servers cool, or that we should all just jump on a plane anyway regardless. It's about weighing up the pros and cons and each doing the best we can. And that is where the importance of support comes in and sharing different ideas and experiences.
One of the choices I have control over again in my life is food shopping. For several years I wasn't the one doing the shopping so I had less say in the matter, but over the last four years that ball has been back in my court again. Eleanor's recent post covers some of the dilemmas and thought processes that I've worked through over the years. I have to say simply cutting out a lot of processed/pre-packaged food from my life makes supermarket shopping much quicker again! Luckily my life is such that I have the luxury of time to cook all my meals from scratch and I don't have to convince anyone else to change their habits to match.
A couple of years ago I switched to buying organic raw milk from Rainbow Falls Farm over near Kerikeri. It gets delivered to local drop off points, ours is the health food shop, in glass jars which are returned each week and reused. I could get non-organic raw milk more locally (fewer food miles) but I'd have to collect it from the farm which is way further than I could get to under my own steam, so I'd need a lift in someone's car... I decided to get raw milk as unlike pasteurised it doesn't make me sick (literally if I consume enough!), and it replaced the soy or rice milk I'd been buying. Pricewise it was comparable with what I was already paying per litre even though compared to ordinary milk it is more expensive. The soy/rice milk came from Australia (more food-miles) in tetrapaks (not recyclable locally). I had to balance that against the down sides of dairy farming, even organically, and the ethics around animal farming. Oh and the fact that medically adults simply don't need to consume the liquid intended for baby cows, and indeed there are plenty good reasons for not doing so!
A couple of years ago I switched to buying organic raw milk from Rainbow Falls Farm over near Kerikeri. It gets delivered to local drop off points, ours is the health food shop, in glass jars which are returned each week and reused. I could get non-organic raw milk more locally (fewer food miles) but I'd have to collect it from the farm which is way further than I could get to under my own steam, so I'd need a lift in someone's car... I decided to get raw milk as unlike pasteurised it doesn't make me sick (literally if I consume enough!), and it replaced the soy or rice milk I'd been buying. Pricewise it was comparable with what I was already paying per litre even though compared to ordinary milk it is more expensive. The soy/rice milk came from Australia (more food-miles) in tetrapaks (not recyclable locally). I had to balance that against the down sides of dairy farming, even organically, and the ethics around animal farming. Oh and the fact that medically adults simply don't need to consume the liquid intended for baby cows, and indeed there are plenty good reasons for not doing so!
But, I like some yoghurt on my porridge, it is one of the few ways I consume probiotics (although Marion would argue that the quantity in yoghurt is negligible I reckon it is still better than none!), and the paneer I occasionally make tends to get used instead of tofu which whilst I can buy Kiwi made (and from a company that pays a Living Wage!), the beans still come from Australia.
One alternative is make my own almond milk which I have also done, especially over the winter when the cows are dried off, but generally almonds aren't grown commercially in this country so they too are shipped in from who knows where and I can't really afford large quantities of organic nuts, so who knows what nasties are involved in their growing?
Another alternative is use coconut cream, and water it down for using as milk. Yes I can get organic, but organic or not it is still in tins (recyclable at least) or in tetrapaks, still comes from the South Pacific if not further afield, and those food-miles have crept right back up again...
So, as with Penn and his sword, for now I'm sticking with my one litre of organic raw milk a week as long as I can!
I came across another interesting dilemma recently, it was an infographic (which of course I now can't find, but this is similar) about the environmental cost of alternatives to plastic bags. Basically cane, and for us here harakeke (flax), baskets are best. If locally sourced, sustainably harvested, and handmade they come up trumps in terms of mileage, water usage, and production/wages/working conditions are hopefully at least liveable with, given that handcrafts are seldom lucrative sources of income! Cotton/calico bags often come at a higher ethical price than you'd expect - producing cotton involves a lot of water, and cotton often comes from factories paying very low wages and with poor working conditions etc...
That made me think about my main hobby of sewing, as I tend to use mostly cotton fabric. For a many years I've tried to use what I have rather than buy material specially for a project, but that has primarily been for financial and space reasons - I have a lot of material! It isn't that I buy a lot, it often gets given to me, plus there are old clothes, linens etc that can be re-purposed but meanwhile take up room in my cupboard/under the bed, which kind of goes against the whole not collecting 'stuff' idea! So when no matter how much I tried the different options on hand and there still really wasn't anything suitable in my stash for my current project, I headed to the market and bought a second hand duvet cover (for a whopping $3!) which I unpicked to use for the extra material I needed. Re-purposing something already out there rather than buying new. Another ongoing project is making a ragrug doormat out of old t-shirts, leggings etc and some long since inherited fabric of a similar ilk. My challenge for that is not to buy anything at all for it. I might need to start putting the word out though if I'm to find any brighter colours for it!
A lot of the changes I, and many others, are consciously making in our lives harkens back to the way our grandparents' generation lived. But for us it is through choice, rather than necessity. Sure I could buy imported fruit and vegetables to ensure I had the same variety available to me year round, but actually I'd rather just eat fresh tomatoes from our garden in the summer and autumn that taste like tomatoes than eat the watery alternatives the rest of the year. Here in the Far North the growing season is year round so I could have lettuce every day of the year (if we water it through the summer!) if I really wanted to, but we still have seasons where some stuff grows better than others and I like that changing variety. I'm sure I'll be sick of beans soon, but that's okay, I'll have plenty of months without them before long! Yes I could have half a dozen scooshy bottles of assorted cleaning fluids in the cupboard, but you know what? I'm discovering that there's precious little you can't get clean without some combination of white or cider vinegar, baking soda, washing soda, salt and lemon juice.
There are some good local websites for Kiwis also working towards a more sustainable life, whether for economic or sustainability reasons, a couple I keep track of are Wendyl Nissen's (whose book A Home Companion I really enjoyed and I use her recipes for cleaning/toiletries regularly) and Lyn Webster's 'Pig tits and parlsey sauce' - she's also written a similar book. Lyn moved up here not that long back, hopefully our paths will cross at some point!
None of us are wanting to sound sanctimonious or self-righteous about the changes we have made. As Ben Pink Dandelion said in his 2014 Swarthmore Lecture giving up the Bentley can be a challenge, especially these days when our lives are no longer under the scrutiny of Elders making sure we're being 'proper' Quakers living out our Testimonies! (He wasn't joking by the way, he really did have an old Bentley!). Both Britain YM and the YM of Aotearoa New Zealand have made a commitment of working towards sustainability and included it among out Testimonies. Australia YM calls it 'Earthcare'. Whatever we call it, it is becoming an increasingly important part of our Quaker journeys, and as with any other aspect of spiritual journeys they aren't all the same; they twist and turn around each other, often covering some of the same ground but in a different order (or direction!). Sharing our journeys towards a more sustainable life, as with sharing our understandings of god, the inner light, what we do in the silence of Meeting for Worship etc adds different perspectives, strengthens and enriches our collected witness; and helps us get to know each other better in that which is more mundane as well as eternal.
Our lives are all different and what might be easy for one can be a huge challenge for another. What is important is doing what we can in our own lives, making the changes and the commitment to keep that a process rather than just recycling the milk bottles and considering that's the end of it. There's always something more that can be done... by sharing our stories hopefully we'll inspire each other and provide some moral support along the way, especially when it all starts to look 'too hard' to make any further progress.
There are some good local websites for Kiwis also working towards a more sustainable life, whether for economic or sustainability reasons, a couple I keep track of are Wendyl Nissen's (whose book A Home Companion I really enjoyed and I use her recipes for cleaning/toiletries regularly) and Lyn Webster's 'Pig tits and parlsey sauce' - she's also written a similar book. Lyn moved up here not that long back, hopefully our paths will cross at some point!
None of us are wanting to sound sanctimonious or self-righteous about the changes we have made. As Ben Pink Dandelion said in his 2014 Swarthmore Lecture giving up the Bentley can be a challenge, especially these days when our lives are no longer under the scrutiny of Elders making sure we're being 'proper' Quakers living out our Testimonies! (He wasn't joking by the way, he really did have an old Bentley!). Both Britain YM and the YM of Aotearoa New Zealand have made a commitment of working towards sustainability and included it among out Testimonies. Australia YM calls it 'Earthcare'. Whatever we call it, it is becoming an increasingly important part of our Quaker journeys, and as with any other aspect of spiritual journeys they aren't all the same; they twist and turn around each other, often covering some of the same ground but in a different order (or direction!). Sharing our journeys towards a more sustainable life, as with sharing our understandings of god, the inner light, what we do in the silence of Meeting for Worship etc adds different perspectives, strengthens and enriches our collected witness; and helps us get to know each other better in that which is more mundane as well as eternal.
Our lives are all different and what might be easy for one can be a huge challenge for another. What is important is doing what we can in our own lives, making the changes and the commitment to keep that a process rather than just recycling the milk bottles and considering that's the end of it. There's always something more that can be done... by sharing our stories hopefully we'll inspire each other and provide some moral support along the way, especially when it all starts to look 'too hard' to make any further progress.
Monday, January 12, 2015
Books 2014
For the last few years I've been keeping track of what books I've read throughout the year. This started off when I realised that since starting my Grad Dip in Early Childhood Education in early 2008 the only things I seemed to read were academic papers and children's picture books, followed by a binge of re-reading old favourites once I finished my studies.
The aim was to read 52 books in a year, it didn't matter whether they had a few hundred words or a couple of thousand pages, they all counted unless they were read ad infinitum to small children! I've also been challenging myself to read auto/biographies, more non-fiction (as long as it isn't a text book for the purposes of essay writing!) and genres that I generally don't read much of if any. I've been trying to read more new books than re-reads and explore new authors.
2014 certainly broke all records in terms of the number of books I got through, mainly because I spent the first half of the year not being able to do very much and listening to audio books became not just a coping mechanism but a survival tool. Reading has always been my way of coping so when migraines ruled that out there was mild panic until it dawned on me that the audio books I had didn't just have to be saved for travelling! I felt rather proud of myself that instead of going straight for the comfort 'reads' of Pern and Harry Potter books (yet again!) I continued my explorations of Valdemar through the centuries.
In 2003 the BBC compiled the 100 Big Reads list; having realised at the time I'd read a goodly number of them I decided to work my way through the rest. However a couple of years later I emigrated here and threw myself into reading Kiwi novels in an attempt to absorb as many cultural reference points as I could in an easy way, and then of course I started studying. So another aspect of my reading challenge each year has been to tick a few more off that list - I've now read 68 of them and currently have two more in progress. Luckily Dawn is also trying to work her way through them all too so we're able to encourage each other along when faced with 2,000 pages of a literary 'classic' that is really hard to get to grips with!
I was more lenient on myself about re-reads last year, especially when I unwittingly skipped several books in the Liaden Universe series, of course re-reading the whole lot from the beginning (almost) in chronological order and slotting the missed volumes in was the obvious way to rectify that! I'm currently trying to convince myself that the new Outlander book warrants a re-read of the entire series too, but that is an entire shelf full of thick books! I might instead just re-read the one before it, we'll see...
Whilst I haven't counted books read at work etc over the years I have counted the books I read to Seany whilst visiting them in Hokitika as all but one had 10 chapters and I certainly felt like I'd earned the right to include them!
Anyway, rather than waffle on any further, here is my list of books read/listened to in 2014:
The aim was to read 52 books in a year, it didn't matter whether they had a few hundred words or a couple of thousand pages, they all counted unless they were read ad infinitum to small children! I've also been challenging myself to read auto/biographies, more non-fiction (as long as it isn't a text book for the purposes of essay writing!) and genres that I generally don't read much of if any. I've been trying to read more new books than re-reads and explore new authors.
2014 certainly broke all records in terms of the number of books I got through, mainly because I spent the first half of the year not being able to do very much and listening to audio books became not just a coping mechanism but a survival tool. Reading has always been my way of coping so when migraines ruled that out there was mild panic until it dawned on me that the audio books I had didn't just have to be saved for travelling! I felt rather proud of myself that instead of going straight for the comfort 'reads' of Pern and Harry Potter books (yet again!) I continued my explorations of Valdemar through the centuries.
In 2003 the BBC compiled the 100 Big Reads list; having realised at the time I'd read a goodly number of them I decided to work my way through the rest. However a couple of years later I emigrated here and threw myself into reading Kiwi novels in an attempt to absorb as many cultural reference points as I could in an easy way, and then of course I started studying. So another aspect of my reading challenge each year has been to tick a few more off that list - I've now read 68 of them and currently have two more in progress. Luckily Dawn is also trying to work her way through them all too so we're able to encourage each other along when faced with 2,000 pages of a literary 'classic' that is really hard to get to grips with!
I was more lenient on myself about re-reads last year, especially when I unwittingly skipped several books in the Liaden Universe series, of course re-reading the whole lot from the beginning (almost) in chronological order and slotting the missed volumes in was the obvious way to rectify that! I'm currently trying to convince myself that the new Outlander book warrants a re-read of the entire series too, but that is an entire shelf full of thick books! I might instead just re-read the one before it, we'll see...
Whilst I haven't counted books read at work etc over the years I have counted the books I read to Seany whilst visiting them in Hokitika as all but one had 10 chapters and I certainly felt like I'd earned the right to include them!
Anyway, rather than waffle on any further, here is my list of books read/listened to in 2014:
* - I'm still reading it
italics - a re-read
January
- March 2014
i.
Being Salt and Light - 6th World Conference of Friends book (started
last year)
ii.
To Be Broken and Tender - Margery Post-Abbott (started last year)
iii.
Middlemarch - George Elliott (started last year)
iv.
White Gryphon (Valdemar: Mage Wars, #2) - Mercedes Lackey & Larry
Dixon (audio book) (started last year)
1.
Asterix and Obelix's Birthday: The Golden Book - Albert Uderzo
2.
Silver Gryphon (Valdemar: Mage Wars, #3) - Mercedes Lackey &
Larry Dixon (audio book)
3.
Fortunately, the milk... - Neil Gaiman
4.
Foundation (Valdemar: Collegium Chronicles, #1) - Mercedes Lackey
(audio book)
5.
Intrigues (Valdemar: Collegium Chronicles, #2) - Mercedes Lackey
(audio book)
6.
Changes (Valdemar: Collegium Chronicles, #3) - Mercedes Lackey (audio
book)
7.
Magic's Pawn (Valdemar: Last Herald-Mage, #1) - Mercedes Lackey
(audio book)
8.
Magic's Promise (Valdemar: Last Herald-Mage, #2) - Mercedes Lackey
(audio book)
9.
Magic's Price (Valdemar: Last Herald-Mage, #3) - Mercedes Lackey
(audio book)
10.
Brightly Burning (Valdemar) - Mercedes Lackey (audio book)
11.
Exile's Honour (Valdemar: Heralds of Valdemar, #1) - Mercedes Lackey
(audio book)
12.
Exile's Valor (Valdemar: Heralds of Valdemar, #2) - Mercedes Lackey
(audio book)
13.
Take a Thief (Valdemar: Heralds of Valdemar, #3) - Mercedes Lackey
(audio book)
14.
Arrows of the Queen (Valdemar: Heralds of Valdemar, #4) - Mercedes
Lackey (audio book)
15.
Arrow's Flight (Valdemar: Heralds of Valdemar, #5) - Mercedes Lackey
(audio book)
16.
Arrow's Fall (Valdemar: Heralds of Valdemar, #6) - Mercedes Lackey
(audio book)
17.
Oathbound (Valdemar: Vows and Honor, #1) - Mercedes Lackey (audio
book)
18.
Oathbreakers (Valdemar: Vows and Honor, #2) - Mercedes Lackey (audio
book)
19.
* Oathblood (Valdemar: Vows and Honor, #3) - Mercedes Lackey (audio
book – file incomplete)
20.
Kerowyn's Tale: By the Sword (Valdemar) - Mercedes Lackey (audio
book)
21.
Winds of Fate (Valdemar: The Mage Winds, #1) - Mercedes Lackey (audio
book)
22.
Winds of Change (Valdemar: The Mage Winds, #2) - Mercedes Lackey
(audio book)
23.
Winds of Fury (Valdemar: The Mage Winds, #3) - Mercedes Lackey (audio
book)
24.
Storm Warning (Valdemar: The Mage Storms, #1) - Mercedes Lackey
(audio book)
25.
Storm Rising (Valdemar: The Mage Storms, #2) - Mercedes Lackey (audio
book)
26.
Storm Breaking (Valdemar: The Mage Storms, #3) - Mercedes Lackey
(audio book)
27.
Owlflight (Valdemar: Darian's Tale, #1) - Mercedes Lackey & Larry
Dixon (audio book)
28.
Owlsight (Valdemar: Darian's Tale, #2) - Mercedes Lackey & Larry
Dixon (audio book)
29.
Owlknight (Valdemar: Darian's Tale, #3) - Mercedes Lackey & Larry
Dixon (audio book)
30.
Swordspoint - Ellen Kushner (audio book)
April
- June 2014
31.
The Stonekeeper's Daughter - Linda McNabb
32.
The Crystal Runners - Linda McNabb
33.
The Last Summoner - Sherryl Jordan
34.
Trickster's Choice - Tamora Pierce
35.
Close Your Pretty Eyes - Sally Nicholls
36.
Rowan of Rin - Emily Rodda
37.
Mouse and Dragon - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
38.
Winnie-the-Pooh in Scots - translated by James Robertson
39.
Dragon Ship - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
40.
Kitchen Organisation Made Easy - Sherrie Le Masurie
41.
Unclutter Your Life! How to Tame Your Mess, Calm Your Life, Lighten
Your Load - Jen Williams
42.
The Courage to Change - Cary Bergeron
43.
Crystal Soldier - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
July
- September 2014
44.
Crystal Dragon - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
45.
Balance of Trade - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
46.
Local Custom - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
47.
Scout's Progress - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
48.
Conflict of Honors - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
49.
Trade Secret - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
50.
Agent of Change - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
51.
Carpe Diem - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
52.
Plan B - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
53.
Fledgeling - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
54.
Saltation - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
55.
I Dare - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
56.
Ghost Ship - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
57.
Dragon Ship - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
58.
The Trouble With God - David Boulton
59.
South Coast (Shaman Tales 1) - Nathan Lowell (audio book)
60. * David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
60. * David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
October
- December 2014
61.
A Wrinkle In Time - Madeleine L'Engle
62.
Slaves of Socoro (Brotherband book 4) - John Flannagan
63.
Tagus the Horseman (Beast Quest 4) - Adam Blade, read to Seany
64.
Nanook the Snow Monster (Beast Quest 5) - Adam Blade, read to Seany
65.
Epos the Flame Bird (Beast Quest 6) - Adam Blade, read to Seany
66.
Zepha the Monster Squid (Beast Quest 7) - Adam Blade, read to Seany
67.
Claw the Giant Monkey (Beast Quest 8) - Adam Blade, read to Seany
68.
The Dreamkeeper - Robert Ingpen, read to Seany
69.
The Broken Bridge - Philip Pullman
70.
Ravenwood - Nathan Lowell (audio book)
71.
Finding Our Voice - Australian YFs, Backhouse Lecture 2010
Monday, December 15, 2014
on a mission
No, it isn't dark and I'm not wearing sunglasses...
However, apart from the usual repatriation of of certain confectionery items and one CD that has become something of a tradition, I have been spending the last few weeks trying to meet my own goal of giving only hand made items for Christmas. Admittedly I have only got close to achieving this thanks to the efforts of my lovely friend Sue at SuperVery, but it feels very satisfying none the less.
I'm afraid you're not getting any more details than that as the chances are at least some of the recipients will read this before Christmas and I know for a fact there is no way at least one of them could get this far through a post then close it down if she thought there would be a clue as to what is in the parcel! Sorry Mum...
It all started off thanks to a couple of things doing the rounds on Facebook, one was variations on a theme of shop from local independent stores/make/swap/etc presents and the other was a campaign to boycott Amazon due to their very poor working conditions/wages and tax avoidance.
I've used Amazon UK over the years to avoid paying postage twice when sending books/cds back to the UK as we don't have much available locally in the way of books/music here so as often as not I'd bought them online. So if I'm buying online anyway it makes sense to buy online in the country they're heading to! Given it has become something of a tradition for me to send someone a cd of a Kiwi band/artist each year for Christmas that was the first crunch test. However my trusty music guru Thomas, who happens to be in Villainy, gave me a link with this year's suggestion to the ecommerce platform that the artist is selling through, sorted! Proving once again it's not what you know but who you know that makes all the difference.
So, with a pile of presents being made for Christmas, plus some belated birthday presents to complete I've been a bit busy of late, hence the lack of blog posts. But with the last two presents needing posted completed today I thought I'd post something before I got completely out of the habit again...
I've been extremely grateful to have had the energy to even attempt this, and whilst I've over estimated my brain's capacity to think a few things through at times I've got there in the end. My quick-unpick has had a lot of use of late, and a few measurements ended up being something other than originally intended as "it's good enough" won over the prospect of 'Merry July'.
Whether I'll manage to get my annual Christmas epistle sent out before Christmas Eve for a change still remains to be seen. As the saying goes, miracles I can do, the impossible takes a little longer...
However, apart from the usual repatriation of of certain confectionery items and one CD that has become something of a tradition, I have been spending the last few weeks trying to meet my own goal of giving only hand made items for Christmas. Admittedly I have only got close to achieving this thanks to the efforts of my lovely friend Sue at SuperVery, but it feels very satisfying none the less.
I'm afraid you're not getting any more details than that as the chances are at least some of the recipients will read this before Christmas and I know for a fact there is no way at least one of them could get this far through a post then close it down if she thought there would be a clue as to what is in the parcel! Sorry Mum...
It all started off thanks to a couple of things doing the rounds on Facebook, one was variations on a theme of shop from local independent stores/make/swap/etc presents and the other was a campaign to boycott Amazon due to their very poor working conditions/wages and tax avoidance.
I've used Amazon UK over the years to avoid paying postage twice when sending books/cds back to the UK as we don't have much available locally in the way of books/music here so as often as not I'd bought them online. So if I'm buying online anyway it makes sense to buy online in the country they're heading to! Given it has become something of a tradition for me to send someone a cd of a Kiwi band/artist each year for Christmas that was the first crunch test. However my trusty music guru Thomas, who happens to be in Villainy, gave me a link with this year's suggestion to the ecommerce platform that the artist is selling through, sorted! Proving once again it's not what you know but who you know that makes all the difference.
So, with a pile of presents being made for Christmas, plus some belated birthday presents to complete I've been a bit busy of late, hence the lack of blog posts. But with the last two presents needing posted completed today I thought I'd post something before I got completely out of the habit again...
I've been extremely grateful to have had the energy to even attempt this, and whilst I've over estimated my brain's capacity to think a few things through at times I've got there in the end. My quick-unpick has had a lot of use of late, and a few measurements ended up being something other than originally intended as "it's good enough" won over the prospect of 'Merry July'.
Whether I'll manage to get my annual Christmas epistle sent out before Christmas Eve for a change still remains to be seen. As the saying goes, miracles I can do, the impossible takes a little longer...
Saturday, October 25, 2014
on the road
This was written a few days ago, it's just taken me a while to simultaneously have time and an internet connection in order to post it....
There
are times when you just have to make space in life to Get Things
Done. For one of my co-editors of the national Friends Newsletter
that meant going on retreat this last weekend to catch up on some
academic writing. For me it has been allowing myself not to
feel obliged to make the most of being in Auckland for a few hours
and find someone to catch up with. So a couple of work in-house
training questionnaires and a report on Yearly Meeting later (yes,
exactly – that was in May!) I'm feeling as though the first half of
my 3hr wait at the airport has been quite productive. It's much
harder to procrastinate when doing what needs done is probably the
most interesting option available!
I was
about to pack away my notepad when I decided that I could draft a
blogpost too, especially having failed to write one all month. Well
that's not quite true, there are two half written ones in the
Drafts folder... so it might be a case of buses posting again –
nothing for ages then three come along at once. Then again, perhaps
not.
I'm
heading off for my annual tiki tour around assorted f/Friends and
family, both a blood relation and adoptive whānau. It's a few months
later in the year than usual but back in July I wasn't really up to
it. So instead I'm encompassing Labour Weekend in order to get three
non-school days with the boys in Hokitika in the middle of it all.
I'm hoping my carefully planned bunny hops with a night in a bed
between all but the first two stages (ie this one from home to
Wellington) will ensure my energy levels keep high enough to enjoy
the trip rather than simply enduring the travel. So far so good...
I must
admit I'm feeling someone less organised that usual with several days
only sorted in terms of a bed for that night rather than a busy
diary of people as would be usual. This is partially intentional in
terms of wanting to allow crash-out time should I need it, but some
of it is simply slipping into the Kiwi 'she'll be right' attitude and
making it up as I go along. Which was fine until it appeared that
someone had changed their cellphone number and I realise I've left at home an address I need... ah well, it'll work out somehow [ed note - it did!]
Having
set off though I've decided that I'll leave this trip very much in
the lap of the Gods, or Fate, or whoever else is listening; but
hopefully Thunder will be rolling sixes elsewhere and Death will be
too busy rescuing kittens! (Mum you really do need to read some
Discworld books then this will all make so much more sense...). These
days the universe generally seems to have more of a plan than I do
anyway. I've just come across this Harry Potter quote in my notes
from the Yearly Meeting Co-clerks' address It's our choices that
make us who we are, not our ability (Dumbledore to Harry, J.K.
Rowling) I'm not entirely sure what that is saying about me at
present, but choosing to let the universe decide is still a choice
after all! My abilities are still something I'm getting to grips with
as they continue to change week to week; many things that used to be
easy still feel quite daunting, especially when they are cerebrally
challenging. But at least physically things are somewhat easier
again.
ps I'm
still quite impressed that the first session of our YM included a
Harry Potter quote; as the t-shirts say, 'Quakers are cooler than you
think!' ;)
Friday, April 18, 2014
tiny houses vs communal living
When I was a child, and well into my teens, I spent hours drawing plans for living on a canal boat, or in a camper van. We'd had a few canal holidays which I'd loved, and we got a Bedford camper van when I was 9yrs old. It was great when my brother and I were small, but by the time we sold it about six yrs later it was getting to be a bit of a squish for the four of us. So I would eye up those big Dreamliner mobile homes and speculate how best to use the space.
There was something that always captivated me about making the most of absolutely every last square inch of space; having multi-purpose seating with storage underneath, foldaway tables, counter tops over the tops of stoves when not in use etc. One conundrum always reared its head though - how would I find enough space for all my books? In fact this was to become a real life conundrum as an adult and resulted in shelving over the top of doorways in a couple of flats I lived in in Edinburgh where high ceilings made this an excellent solution. In these days of e-books and digital music finding shelving space for such is less of an issue for anyone with limited space, but there's nothing quite like looking along the bookshelves and music collection to get the feel of a new acquaintance and to me it looks far more homely. In one flat we got a friend to build in a loft bed which encorporated wardrobe space underneath which meant the relatively small bedroom easily doubled up as a study which was useful as my partner was studying at the time.
I've known a few people over the years who have lived in narrowboats, houseboats and caravans. For those on the water it was partly a lifestyle choice, but for all it was the only affordable way to live where they did. And none of them stuck with it long term. So when I started seeing links to pages about tiny houses I was very curious. Part of me is very excited by the idea, especially as it is a form of home ownership that is potentially possible for me, and I could go back to drawing umpteen plans on scraps of paper trying to figure out how to fit everything in (or these days trawl the internet to see what other people have drawn up!). But I wonder how long folk will last in them - especially the couples plus dog etc who have next to no way of getting space from each other at home. And then I start thinking, how on earth would I lay out a patchwork quilt before sewing it up in such a small space? Where would I put all my sewing stuff? I certainly couldn't leave my machine set up anywhere. What about bulk food purchases - you can't fit those into a tiny kitchen. And then there's wanting a veggie garden, and needing somewhere to put gardening tools....Plus I love having visitors come to stay, where can you put them???
On the flip side though I've spent the last decade or so thinking more and more about communal housing. It is something I've been interested in since a Young Friends event at Pardshaw to discuss intentional communities, like the then new Quaker community in Bamford, Derbyshire which was over 20yrs ago now. At the time four of us were flatting together, three Young Friends and a very tolerant and understanding forth not-quite-Quaker. We lived together as a household and whilst not without its occasional downsides (more to do with the standard of housing and furnishings than the people usually!) it worked better than a lot of student type flats did. The idea of having several households living together in community seemed like a good idea - as long as you could find enough likeminded people to make it work...
So musings in recent years have tended to be around large buildings divvied up into self-contained spaces with communal facilities; collections of buildings; a stair of tenement flats with communal facilities like a laundry, common room etc. on the ground floor (I never did like lugging wet washing down to the drying green to hang out! Thankfully I never lived higher than the 2nd floor) and so on. I've discovered over the years that whilst I like having my own space to withdraw to or be able to leave projects spread out in, I'm not very good at nor keen on living on my own. Especially when I have had spells of illness/low energy, having people around without having to go to any effort to find them is important to me.
So it was with great interest that I watched this clip about a tiny house at the Earthsong community in West Auckland. I visited Earthsong a few years back as f/Friends of mine who live there were having a celebration and a few of us got the guided tour around several of the homes and the communal gardens. It is a lovely space and idea, but, or should that be BUT, it is in Auckland, admittedly out west, but even so, still Auckland. And let's face it, Auckland is pretty low on my list of places I'd chose to live. I do like the idea of combining tiny house space with community - it certainly solves the gardening and where to do your laundry when you can't drive to the laundromat dilemma. But do you think I could persuade anywhere to have a sewing room? I've been to The Quaker Settlement, Whanganui a few times over the years for various events, and they do have a craft room so it isn't entirely out of the question.... but there it would make far more sense to flat with others in one of the existing houses - if I can find folk to flat with of course! Unless there is someone like Phyllis who could use someone living in to help out I can't see another way of making it work as a single person.
Some years back a group of older Young Friends started throwing ideas around about setting up another intentional community somewhere sometime perhaps as we got a bit older, particularly aimed at those of us without families, but when ideals as to where it should be covered both islands, city and countryside it was obvious it wasn't going to happen in a hurry, if ever. But I'm thinking that it would be far easier to set up a larger community if you had a communal building with lots of land and then individuals had their own tiny houses around it - then if they wanted to move on they could take their house with them... we could take over a camping ground!
Recently someone was telling me about a new house built up the road from them - five bedrooms and four bathrooms, 'why one earth would anyone want to clean four bathrooms?' was her fair comment. Aside from the fact that anyone buying a place that size in that part of Auckland would probably pay a cleaner, it occurred to me later that actually a place like that could possibly work quite well for several folk living in community together, and then they could each clean their own bathroom! Despite the adverts that I find highly irritating about the pitfalls of folk flatting together and why you wouldn't want to still be doing that when you're older (when you could get a mortgage from that bank instead...) given the way property prices are going in this country, especially in Auckland, that is the kind of thinking that could solve a lot of peoples' problems - we don't have to all have our own castle, not to mention washing machine, etc.
Ah well, it is still all completely academic, I'm not moving anywhere in a hurry and chances are that when I do move the destination will be not so much out of my hands but with a sense of being chosen for me if the last decade has been anything to go by. But in the mean time it adds another dimension to my daydreams of how one day I might utilise my living space, big or small.
There was something that always captivated me about making the most of absolutely every last square inch of space; having multi-purpose seating with storage underneath, foldaway tables, counter tops over the tops of stoves when not in use etc. One conundrum always reared its head though - how would I find enough space for all my books? In fact this was to become a real life conundrum as an adult and resulted in shelving over the top of doorways in a couple of flats I lived in in Edinburgh where high ceilings made this an excellent solution. In these days of e-books and digital music finding shelving space for such is less of an issue for anyone with limited space, but there's nothing quite like looking along the bookshelves and music collection to get the feel of a new acquaintance and to me it looks far more homely. In one flat we got a friend to build in a loft bed which encorporated wardrobe space underneath which meant the relatively small bedroom easily doubled up as a study which was useful as my partner was studying at the time.
I've known a few people over the years who have lived in narrowboats, houseboats and caravans. For those on the water it was partly a lifestyle choice, but for all it was the only affordable way to live where they did. And none of them stuck with it long term. So when I started seeing links to pages about tiny houses I was very curious. Part of me is very excited by the idea, especially as it is a form of home ownership that is potentially possible for me, and I could go back to drawing umpteen plans on scraps of paper trying to figure out how to fit everything in (or these days trawl the internet to see what other people have drawn up!). But I wonder how long folk will last in them - especially the couples plus dog etc who have next to no way of getting space from each other at home. And then I start thinking, how on earth would I lay out a patchwork quilt before sewing it up in such a small space? Where would I put all my sewing stuff? I certainly couldn't leave my machine set up anywhere. What about bulk food purchases - you can't fit those into a tiny kitchen. And then there's wanting a veggie garden, and needing somewhere to put gardening tools....Plus I love having visitors come to stay, where can you put them???
On the flip side though I've spent the last decade or so thinking more and more about communal housing. It is something I've been interested in since a Young Friends event at Pardshaw to discuss intentional communities, like the then new Quaker community in Bamford, Derbyshire which was over 20yrs ago now. At the time four of us were flatting together, three Young Friends and a very tolerant and understanding forth not-quite-Quaker. We lived together as a household and whilst not without its occasional downsides (more to do with the standard of housing and furnishings than the people usually!) it worked better than a lot of student type flats did. The idea of having several households living together in community seemed like a good idea - as long as you could find enough likeminded people to make it work...
So musings in recent years have tended to be around large buildings divvied up into self-contained spaces with communal facilities; collections of buildings; a stair of tenement flats with communal facilities like a laundry, common room etc. on the ground floor (I never did like lugging wet washing down to the drying green to hang out! Thankfully I never lived higher than the 2nd floor) and so on. I've discovered over the years that whilst I like having my own space to withdraw to or be able to leave projects spread out in, I'm not very good at nor keen on living on my own. Especially when I have had spells of illness/low energy, having people around without having to go to any effort to find them is important to me.
So it was with great interest that I watched this clip about a tiny house at the Earthsong community in West Auckland. I visited Earthsong a few years back as f/Friends of mine who live there were having a celebration and a few of us got the guided tour around several of the homes and the communal gardens. It is a lovely space and idea, but, or should that be BUT, it is in Auckland, admittedly out west, but even so, still Auckland. And let's face it, Auckland is pretty low on my list of places I'd chose to live. I do like the idea of combining tiny house space with community - it certainly solves the gardening and where to do your laundry when you can't drive to the laundromat dilemma. But do you think I could persuade anywhere to have a sewing room? I've been to The Quaker Settlement, Whanganui a few times over the years for various events, and they do have a craft room so it isn't entirely out of the question.... but there it would make far more sense to flat with others in one of the existing houses - if I can find folk to flat with of course! Unless there is someone like Phyllis who could use someone living in to help out I can't see another way of making it work as a single person.
Some years back a group of older Young Friends started throwing ideas around about setting up another intentional community somewhere sometime perhaps as we got a bit older, particularly aimed at those of us without families, but when ideals as to where it should be covered both islands, city and countryside it was obvious it wasn't going to happen in a hurry, if ever. But I'm thinking that it would be far easier to set up a larger community if you had a communal building with lots of land and then individuals had their own tiny houses around it - then if they wanted to move on they could take their house with them... we could take over a camping ground!
Recently someone was telling me about a new house built up the road from them - five bedrooms and four bathrooms, 'why one earth would anyone want to clean four bathrooms?' was her fair comment. Aside from the fact that anyone buying a place that size in that part of Auckland would probably pay a cleaner, it occurred to me later that actually a place like that could possibly work quite well for several folk living in community together, and then they could each clean their own bathroom! Despite the adverts that I find highly irritating about the pitfalls of folk flatting together and why you wouldn't want to still be doing that when you're older (when you could get a mortgage from that bank instead...) given the way property prices are going in this country, especially in Auckland, that is the kind of thinking that could solve a lot of peoples' problems - we don't have to all have our own castle, not to mention washing machine, etc.
Ah well, it is still all completely academic, I'm not moving anywhere in a hurry and chances are that when I do move the destination will be not so much out of my hands but with a sense of being chosen for me if the last decade has been anything to go by. But in the mean time it adds another dimension to my daydreams of how one day I might utilise my living space, big or small.
Wednesday, January 08, 2014
2013 in books
Well I didn't quite manage 52 books in 2013, mainly due to spending the last 3 months of the year working my way through the entire back catalogue of Time Team before returning them - I managed 15/20 series! Good accompaniment for the large amount of hand sewing and cutting out I was doing in the run up to Christmas and the Summer Gathering craft stall which was raising funds for FWCC World Office and the Philippines appeal. That rush of activity also partially explains the lack of blogging towards the end of the year....
I've grown to love audio books, especially when travelling (I can't read in road vehicles, I get travel sick) and when my eyes are simply too tired.
I've been making a concerted effort to continue to work my way through the 2003 BBC 100 Big Reads list as well as tackle some new authors and a variety of genre. Sci-fi/fantasy have started to dominate the list again though I have to confess.
I have a long list of titles ready and waiting for me in 2014, hopefully I'll get through at least 52 this year!
* means still to finish
italics means a re-read
January - March 2013
i. Medicinal Cookery - Dale Pinnock (started in 2012)
ii. The Spirit Level - Richard G. Wilkinson & Kate Pickett (started in 2012)
1. Crystal Soldier - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
2. Battle of Rondo - Emily Rodda
3. Crystal Dragon - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
4. This Charming Man - Marian Keyes (totally swayed by 'The Smiths' song title!)
5. The English Patient - Michael Ondaatje
6. Committed - Elizabeth Gilbert
7. Brisingr - Christopher Paolini
8. Inheritance - Christopher Paolini
9. Jennie - Paul Gallico
April - June 2013
10. The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
11. A Quaker Astronomer Reflects - Jocelyn Bell Burnell (Backhouse Lecture 2013)
12. Sky Dragons - Anne & Todd McCaffrey
13. One Week in December - Holly Chamberlin
14. The Wise Woman's Tale - Phillipa Bowers
15. The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Schaffer
16. The Long Earth - Terry Pratchett & Steven Baxter
17. Dragon Time - Anne & Todd McCaffrey
July - September 2013
18. The Outcasts - John Flanagan
19. Mr Chen's Emporium - Deborah O'Brien
20. Things I Overheard When Talking To Myself - Alan Alda
21. The Invaders - John Flanagan
22. * Being Salt and Light - book of the 6th World Conference of Friends
23. Trader Tales: Quarter Share - Nathan Lowell (audio book)
24. The Hunters - John Flanagan
25. Trader Tales: Half Share - Nathan Lowell (audio book)
26. Trader Tales: Full Share - Nathan Lowell (audio book)
27. Trader Tales: Double Share - Nathan Lowell (audio book)
28. Trader Tales: Captain's Share - Nathan Lowell (audio book)
29. Trader Tales: Owner's Share - Nathan Lowell (audio book)
30. * To be Broken and Tender - Margery Post Abbott
31. The Bone Tiki - David Hair
32. Asterix in Spain - Goscinny & Uderzo
33. Asterix in Britain - Goscinny & Uderzo
34. The Witches - Roald Dahl
35. Esio Trott - Roald Dahl
36. The Twits - Roald Dahl
37. The Giraffe & the Pelly & Me - Roald Dahl
38. The Story of Tracy Beaker - Jacqueline Wilson
39. Matilda - Roald Dahl
October - December 2013
40. The Wit and Wisdom of Mothers - Ulysses Brave
41. Holes - Louis Sachar
42. One More River - Lynne Reid Banks
43. * Middlemarch - George Elliot
44. Nation - Terry Pratchett
45. The Taniwha's Tear - David Hair
46. The Lost Tohunga - David Hair
47. The Unbearable Lightness of Scones - Alexander McCall-Smith
48. A Trail of Fire - Diana Gabaldon
49. The Black Gryphon - Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon (audio book)
50. * The White Gryphon - Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon (audio book)
I've grown to love audio books, especially when travelling (I can't read in road vehicles, I get travel sick) and when my eyes are simply too tired.
I've been making a concerted effort to continue to work my way through the 2003 BBC 100 Big Reads list as well as tackle some new authors and a variety of genre. Sci-fi/fantasy have started to dominate the list again though I have to confess.
I have a long list of titles ready and waiting for me in 2014, hopefully I'll get through at least 52 this year!
* means still to finish
italics means a re-read
January - March 2013
i. Medicinal Cookery - Dale Pinnock (started in 2012)
ii. The Spirit Level - Richard G. Wilkinson & Kate Pickett (started in 2012)
1. Crystal Soldier - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
2. Battle of Rondo - Emily Rodda
3. Crystal Dragon - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
4. This Charming Man - Marian Keyes (totally swayed by 'The Smiths' song title!)
5. The English Patient - Michael Ondaatje
6. Committed - Elizabeth Gilbert
7. Brisingr - Christopher Paolini
8. Inheritance - Christopher Paolini
9. Jennie - Paul Gallico
April - June 2013
10. The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
11. A Quaker Astronomer Reflects - Jocelyn Bell Burnell (Backhouse Lecture 2013)
12. Sky Dragons - Anne & Todd McCaffrey
13. One Week in December - Holly Chamberlin
14. The Wise Woman's Tale - Phillipa Bowers
15. The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Schaffer
16. The Long Earth - Terry Pratchett & Steven Baxter
17. Dragon Time - Anne & Todd McCaffrey
July - September 2013
18. The Outcasts - John Flanagan
19. Mr Chen's Emporium - Deborah O'Brien
20. Things I Overheard When Talking To Myself - Alan Alda
21. The Invaders - John Flanagan
22. * Being Salt and Light - book of the 6th World Conference of Friends
23. Trader Tales: Quarter Share - Nathan Lowell (audio book)
24. The Hunters - John Flanagan
25. Trader Tales: Half Share - Nathan Lowell (audio book)
26. Trader Tales: Full Share - Nathan Lowell (audio book)
27. Trader Tales: Double Share - Nathan Lowell (audio book)
28. Trader Tales: Captain's Share - Nathan Lowell (audio book)
29. Trader Tales: Owner's Share - Nathan Lowell (audio book)
30. * To be Broken and Tender - Margery Post Abbott
31. The Bone Tiki - David Hair
32. Asterix in Spain - Goscinny & Uderzo
33. Asterix in Britain - Goscinny & Uderzo
34. The Witches - Roald Dahl
35. Esio Trott - Roald Dahl
36. The Twits - Roald Dahl
37. The Giraffe & the Pelly & Me - Roald Dahl
38. The Story of Tracy Beaker - Jacqueline Wilson
39. Matilda - Roald Dahl
October - December 2013
40. The Wit and Wisdom of Mothers - Ulysses Brave
41. Holes - Louis Sachar
42. One More River - Lynne Reid Banks
43. * Middlemarch - George Elliot
44. Nation - Terry Pratchett
45. The Taniwha's Tear - David Hair
46. The Lost Tohunga - David Hair
47. The Unbearable Lightness of Scones - Alexander McCall-Smith
48. A Trail of Fire - Diana Gabaldon
49. The Black Gryphon - Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon (audio book)
50. * The White Gryphon - Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon (audio book)
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