Books...........

 This weeks book that I am going to go on about is '1974' by David Peace. It is a gritty novel set in Yorkshire the year is 1974. A young naive journalist comes back home from an unsuccessful stint in Fleet street and is quickly sent into a whirlpool of  child murders, corruption, violence, conspiracy, blackmail, sexual obsession. 

Even though it is a fictional book it is based on real events of that time in Yorkshire and it's surrounding areas. The Yorshire ripper is one of them. It is tightly paced with fast witty dialogue, it doesn't  take to long to read. 

I loved it but if you don't like raw books with too much swearing, violence and gritty sex I wouldn't pick it up to read.

On from this novel David Peace has written three others 1977, 1980, 1983. The series is apparently intertwined and goes by the name of Red riding quartet. I have not read any of them but intend to find 1977 to see what other violence , crime and panic he can conjure up.

For further indepth reviews read here and here.

Treasure Tuesday on Wednesday............

Sorry for no post yesterday. The day seemed to get away from me and then all of a sudden it was 10.30 and there was no way I was sitting down and writing a post about new finds. I had thought about what I was going to write all day but alas at that hour bed was calling and it won over. Anyway the new finds for this week are kids blogs. I think we are discovering them because my children are now spending a bit more time on the computer looking at what interests them(no different to me).I am going to list a few that we all like to read and included are my childrens blogs.

Django's Cute club!

Juliette's Toko's Adventures.

The others-

Craftygirl*

Coco Belle Writes

Picking Daisies

Blythe Art

I know alot of these centre around the Blythe doll but I think it has the kids thinking about a whole heap of other stuff. It gives them a place to practise their photography skills, create craft and show it off, write and learn about the computer & the world of the internet. In our household writing these blogs is also helping the kids to write and read in English. It is a kind of learning even if they don't realise it.

You can have a look at these links or if your kids are interested in blogging it is a world of inspiration for them. good luck and I hope you have a few hours spare because you will need it!!

Made it Monday.............

No craft for this Made it Monday only yummy banana choccy muffins!! I honestly thought I was not going to be able to post anything hand/homemade today but something always pops up doesn't it!! This recipe is literally a 5 minute put together and there is always brown bananas here which is always the incentive to make them.

Recipe as follows-

1 1/2 cups sr flour

1/2 cup caster sugar

1/2 cup vege oil

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

vanilla

and then anything you wanto add to them. We do love banana choc but we also love a little passionfruit mixed in too!!

Method

Place dry ingedients in a bowl, mix wet ingredients together. Put wet into dry and add your flavouring. You know the rest in a moderate oven for about 15 mins or until they spring back when touched.

Let me know if you have a favourite muffin you like to make as we are always open to trying new things around here.

The end of a weekend.............

 I am just going off to bed after a weekend at one of our most favourite camping spots, Thio. The weather was fantastic, the company great and there was even some swimming with a dugong(not me) but I couldn't go to bed without showing some images of our spot. 
I hope you enjoy the blues and the palm trees!!

Fun Fridays...........

Blythe physical challenge for this fortnight- Blythe & rainbows!!

Treasure Tuesday.............

Voodoolady's fab photography

Something very appropriate for Treasure Tuesday............' talk like a pirate day' ! I know I am a day late but that is ok. I don't think pirates would have ever arrived on time anywhere anyway!! Here is another very happy treasure flickr find foto!!

Blog find for this week- little dear tracks ................lovely felt stuffs!! 


Argh happy Tuesday to all ya scurvy seadogs out there!!!!!

 

Made it Monday............

Last Friday we had a visit from a friend and her mum. My friend is American and her folks were out here visiting. This friends mum is always sending her new things that a all the rage back home. This time she bought me a little gift. Something so completely new to me, I haven't even seen it around the internet and often you come across new stuff when you are seeking out other stuff. Anyway this new thing is called Zentangle. It is all about the creative doodle apparently! I got a book to show me where to start, some of the little cards to draw on and a pencil and fine outlining pen. So here you go my little bit of creativity this weekend was drawing and I liked it. The book & bits were left on the coffee table so I picked it up and did a little everytime I had a free minute. The kids even had a go.  I think it will be good for all of us to do as it is a bit of free thinking art, no rules that need to be followed you just go with the flow.

Has anybody got anything to show on made it Monday!!

Fun Fridays............

 

 Friday morning I have started to get together with some new craft girls in town. Twice so far!! We get together talk, drink tea, I crochet others sew. I had fun this morning and am excited at the prospect of more  sessions to come. This get together is not just about the craft but also about me making some new friends. Many have departed this year leaving a little hole. That aside I think my husband is happy about these session too as he is hoping he will no longer have to give his opinion on matters concering fabric combinations and other such crafty matters.

Hope your having a fun Friday too!!!

Books..........

I am in a book club here in Noumea and have been for a couple of years now but never seem to have written about the books we have read or will read so I  thought Thursday could be the day I talk about books. I am going to start with the one I have just finished reading and will be discussed next week at our monthly meet-up. The Hunger Games. Here is a blurb written by the author Suzanne Collins-

In a not-too-distant future, North America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcast throughout Panem. As the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss' young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart Peeta, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Written by Suzanne Collins   

  

Young adult science fiction, fast paced & not hard to read all equals a good book. I liked the characters, they weren't soppy as in the Twilight series(which I read). They have a bit of guts and determination about them, a bit of spunk. Everybody was likable even the badies! The theme of reality tv is so relevent to us at the moment with so much of it in our faces. I know it is in a grander scale in the book but who knows what our future holds for us!

Anyway we are a diverse bunch in age and nationality in our group so it will be interesting to see what everybody thinks but me I give it a thumbs up. I would suggest it to any young adult, boy or girl as I think they would enjoy it.

Let me know if you have read the book and if you liked it or not. I see the movie is coming in 2012 some of you may hang off until then!!

Treasure Tuesday.........

Prairie mouse treaure bottles- flickr find!!

It's Tuesday and on this Tuesday and future Tuesday's I am going to give you some links to new treasures I have found. It could be a new blog, something from Etsy, a photo from flickr or even a fab recipe. Who knows what it will be, I will see where the winds takes me on any particular Tuesday!!!

Blog find- Ana Camamiel horror vacui  she makes some wicked dolls!!

I am sure you all know the Pioneer women blog and I go back there every now and again to check out what she is up to and today I found this recipe. It is on the dessert menu tonight cause who doesn't love bananas cooked in brown sugar, butter & cream. Yum Yum!!!

Happy Tuesday readers!!

Made it Monday...........

Over the last few months my little blog has been floundering all about the place. I lost interest a bit, I didn't think I had much to write about and sometimes I just didn't have the time. I was having thoughts of giving it up but then did a backflip on that idea. I do really like having my blog and sharing some of my life with you all. Anyway I thought to get No life without wife back on track I would give it a bit of structure. A few days of the week I will talk about something in particular. I am going to start it off with Made it Monday. Usually on the weekends I get a little time to do some crafting and thought on a Monday I can showcase what I have done and if I don't get to do anything I am sure I will find someone in blogland that has been crafty.

Here is my offering for this week! Yesterday while watching the rugby with my hubby I finally worked out the pattern for a pixie helmut for my dollies. I love it and the pattern is so easy I have completed another 2 already in between looking after everybody else in the house. 

Decorated with a couple of flower shaped yo-yo's.

Let me know if you got up to anything crafty on the weekend that's what Made it Monday is for!!

 

Rompers & rainbows........

The new girls in town need some new clothes. Little rompers and hats are just the thing!!!

For more cuteness take a look at all these other sweeties!!

P.S some of the rompers are in my shop- La petite chouette:)

L'oeuf du coq........

An afternoon at the library, a little reading picked up by the kids for the rest of the holidays and my entry done for the "Blythe Physical Challenge" group.

Monday am...........

We went out this Monday morn to do some bike riding, roller bladeing and photo taking. All started out ok it was a little windy but there were blue skies. 15 minutes into our outing it clouded over and then the rains came...............that put an end to that!! I got a few shots in and the kids did a bit of exercise so we weren't to disappointed.

What is happening in your part of the world??

Spring...........

New season, new header, new colours, better weather, fresh frame of mind and hopefully more blogging.

Let me know what you think!!