More books

My holiday in Melbourne is sadly coming to an end but it has been a
very nice holiday specially since all three children are returning home for Christmas. Getting back to Sri Lanka and getting ready for christmas is now the next thing on the list. Strangely enough, despite the shops here in Melbourne being full of christmassy stuff, I dont feel very christmassy yet.
I think one of the things I miss is the carols. Other than church having christmas carol services, I havent heard carols being played in shops and shopping malls yet. Maybe because of the multi cultural society Melbourne does not like to upset other communities?? I thought this was strange because back at home where Christians are a very, very small minority christmas carols and the message of christmas is very much evident. Here its only shopping, shopping and more shopping.

I dont want to sound rabid but the message of christmas is completely absent in Melbourne - there are appeals for help for the homeless, for aid to families and its nice that people do these things but these are big organisations helping people but individuals doing anything specific is not there. The entire emphasis seems to be on food (huge), the bbq (also huge) and how you could do it easily and better than anyone else, and of course gifts and more gifts and how to get the perfect gift for everyone. I havent seen advertisements or notices for church services, for nativity plays (dont schools do nativity plays at the end of the year) for carol services. With the hosts of facilities and talent available, I thought these would be commonplace. Maybe I am not looking in the correct places???

Enough of my rant! Getting back to books, I have just finished Cleopatra's Daughter which I loved. I have also gone back to Georgette Heyer and read a couple of them plus a couple of Agatha Christie which I always loved and love to read again and again!!! I have also been able to read so many books on my book list and for this I am very grateful. I was also able to read Love Marriage by Ganeshananthan which was recommended on a book blog - chasing bawa - which I also liked very much. Thanks to all the book bloggers who recommended such lovely reading material.

In the meantime I have also won two books - one a seasonal one with a Christmassy theme and the other was The Barbarian Earl and hopefully when I get back I would have received both of them. Thank you Ioanna and Janna.