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Sunday, October 18, 2009

Weekend over

The week and weekend went by so fast - but at last I got the photographs of the quilt
and table runner sets that I had done posted. I still have not learnt how to do it and
totally depend on my son doing this for me!

The week in the book blogging world has been very good. I have won two books this
week and am delighted. One is in a CD format and for me this is a first. The other one
is a book that is just published and has been in heaps of competitions and I never thought
I'd win that one as there are many people entering these contests. The book is Beat the
Reaper and the one on CD is a very intriguing sounding account from Kabul, Afghanistan.
The book I am really eyeing is Cleo's Daughter by Michelle Moran and despite entering
over 20 contests for this book no luck as yet but I have not given up hope as there are
still several contests going on for this book.

As I mentioned before books are prohibitively expensive in this part of the world but this
last week I was in luck. The shop which sells used books had a very good selection and for
roughly 20 US dollars I got almost nine books and practically all of them have been best
sellers/reviewed amongst book bloggers and maybe just one of them is something I just
liked the look of and picked up. I finished one by Rosie Thomas - light reading, the sort of
book you can read and pick up later but am now starting the rest. I was also able to pick up
from another book shop again second hand, a whole lot of books including a couple of Shakespeare. I have been wanting to read some classics for sometime and here they were
just waiting to be picked up.

On the quilting side, am in the middle of a simple Sunshine and Shadows design of blocks,
very easy to put together for a little girl for Christmas. Pictures will be posted. I have also cut
out and am in the process of putting together a quilt for my very fussy brother who I hope
will like the final product! I generally like to have two or three projects on the go at the same
time and do bits and pieces from each one as and when I find the time.

Sadly my son is not coming down to Sri Lanka this month but both girls will be here fairly soon.
Cant be helped though it was a real disappointment for me. Trying to cope as best we can.

Hindus all over the world celebrated Deepavali as we call it the Festival of Lights. We also celebrate this festival in our island country. To everyone out there Happy Deepavali. Let light
and joy enter your hearts and minds. Till my next posting!

Cheers!

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Christmas Gifts Done


Gift for Little Boy












Table Runners












Table Runners



























































Saturday, October 3, 2009

Christmas and children coming home

I know its a long way off for Christmas but its something great to look forward to specially when all three children are hopefully going to be home for Christmas. My son is coming home on vacation this month and will be staying with us for a looonng time which is wonderful and the two girls returning very early in December for a shorter stay!

We have had very unusual weather in this part of the world with heavy rains and gale force winds in some parts of the country. In the southern area in a district called Galle a tree had fallen on a house killing five inmates and in a very sad incident in Kurunegala a bomb went off in a van killing a 12 year old school girl. This was really very tragic. The bomb had apparently been intended for the van driver and had been allegedly done by someone who wanted him out of the way on a personal vendetta. The bomb had been fixed to go off when he started the ignition. This man was a van driver who picked up school children and dropped them off at school - something like a school run. In Sri Lanka private vehicles do this as a business as everyone does not have cars and upto 20 children at a time travel in these vans to and from school. This particular day had been a very rainy day and instead of the van driver going to each house as was the norm, some children had been brought by parents to the van drivers house and had got into the van from his house. The little girl who died was one of those who was sitting beside the van driver. Eleven people injured totally and for what.... At the time it happened we really thought it was a terrorist attack once again and we were surprised as this area is not one where such attacks take place normally. What sadness for all the families involved.

On a brighter note my sewing is coming along very well. I have done table runner sets (sets as with matching coasters) for Christmas. I am now on my third set (I have to do about six in all) so still some way to go but its coming along nicely.

On the book reading side, I have come across a blog today which I find very good. Please go across to it and have a look. Its www.stepandtonyinvestigate.com - its a bit different to other book blogs but you need to go and have a look yourself. I have not been buying books new recently as prices are prohibitive but I picked up a Joanna Trollope from the book stall near Commercial Bank, Fort from the man who has a rather ecletic selection of books! Paul Coelho was at Rs 600 I felt a good buy and reasonable at that. I have found another second hand bookshop in Wellawatte and will post on that once I go and have a look. If any Sri Lankan readers find other good sources of books please post details here so that we can share the good fortune. On a nice note, I won a book known as The White Queen on a blog Planet Books and am anxiously awaiting its arrival. Michelle Moran also very kindly sent me bookmarks as well as a personally autographed bookplate which was very nice to receive!

Till the next time! Cheers!