Books bought/quilts to be done and children in the North of Sri Lanka

I succumbed twice in one week to book buying but the cost of the books was
very reasonable so I didnt feel so very bad about it. In this country most
people would be amazed that I actually spend money and buy books - it is not
something that is commonplace!

The list of books on the first buy were A tudor tragedy - Lacey Baldwin Smith
on the life and times of Catherine Howard. My interest was piqued on this as there
was a similar book (of course published just this month) on the same subject.
This particular book was printed in 1961. Memoirs of a woman of Pleasure Fanny Hill
by John Cleland (havent heard it mentioned elsewhere), To kill a mockingbird by
Harper Lee all over the blogosphere, When will there be good news by Kate Atkinson
(these are the gems I discover as its very seldom that a recently published book
would come into the second hand bookshop but it does!) Colin Dexter's The Daughters
of Cain (again not something I have come across in a review), D H Lawrence's Women
in Love and The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (the last one I cant remember whether its this week or the one before. Anyway a goodly pile.

Todays lot - a Jean Plaidy - The Courts of Love its a British Council discard and
I just loved it despite that a few pages had been torn (I have already pasted it
and mended the spine!), Carl Hiassen Sick Puppy (I liked the prologue on this one),
havent seen it mentioned elsewhere, a classic from Daphne du Maurier The Loving Spirit, (am trying to complete the entire list), Paul Theroux Jungle Lovers set in
Malawi (havent read any set in this country), and last but not least Fanny by Gaslight by Michael Sadleir published in 1947. It looked dusty and forlorn and I thought why not!

Am elated by this pile and am awaiting a box of books discarded by someone who was
going abroad. I have told my friend who is bringing the box over that please not to give books in the pile to anyone!!! till I have seen the lot that is.

Plenty to keep me going. On a sewing note, just finished the piecing of a quilt for
a six year old. Time to get the batting out and start my hand quilting on this one.
I want to give it as soon as possible.

With regard to my other work, we have at last got all the paperwork organised for the first lot of 13 children. The work in the village is being coordinated by a Principal of the school along with a doctor from a local hospital. The logistics
are very difficult to understand. The school and village are situated in an area
which is not accessible as roads are not cleared of all mines and trying to help these children is so very difficult. There is one access road but it is restricted
to local people only at the moment. I couldnt go even if I wanted to. We start our
programme on Monday which has really made my day as I despaired of ever getting it
off the ground.

I have also started another project (albeit a smaller one) in an area called Adampan.
I am working with nuns who are setting up a base there to uplift villagers or rather the life of children in a small village. Its initially starting with just books and equipment for their schooling and hopefully it will expand. We always live in hope!

Thats it for this week.