Are you Twilighting?

I robbed this wonderful picture from Ciara over at Milkmoon, to show you what my daughter has been up to for the last few weeks... Twilighting... 

And, it seems, so has everyone in the universe, it is everywhere isn't it?

So, I read it to see what the fuss was about.

I sat down yesterday, and over a couple of hours in a quiet room, and then another couple of hours in bed, I read the whole thing through.  I haven't done that since I was a teenager myself!

Holes in the plot aside (and there are many!) it was one of those stories that drags you kicking and screaming (with joy) back to your teen years, when books like this encouraged day dreams about the shopkeepers son, or that boy who catches the bus at the same time you do every day... At Marys age I would routinely fall in love with boys on the bus and while away the days dreaming of all the possibilities to come.  

This book reminded me of those daydreams, with all its inconsistencies, and it was probably the most romantic and sincere thing I have read in years... I threw my irritations at Meyer (who I think probably got a bit lost in the romance herself) away and jumped in head first... 

If you haven't read it - Do! True, it is a book aimed at 12-15 year olds, and it is FULL of holes (Which Meyer has attempted to resolve with Midnight Sun), it is a bit lazy, but... BUT... You will adore it... It will, he will, haunt you (You might even find yourself googling 'Edward Cullen' late at night!)!  Just let go of any adult expectations, and go with it...

Happy Reading!

I'm back!

I'm back! Thank you for your patience, for your good wishes both here and over at We Heart Ladybird! We had a wonderful trip, full of adventure and fun but now its just memories, and so back to our home, and what we eat!

I'm welcoming myself back by looking through the pictures of the wonderful foods we had while we were travelling, here is just a few... My absolute favorite meal I had on the whole trip was in Dusseldorf, a sausage, boiled potatoes and cauliflower, so simple but the sauce was exquisite - something I am determined to replicate soon!

Fresh Mackerel (We think!) - Basque Country

Prawns in oil - Barcelona

Paella Mixto and Arroz Nero - Barcelona

Cream cakes - Casalvieri

Almond macaroons - Sora  

Semi Freddo - Casalvieri 

Potato Pizza and Cheese Puffs - Florence 

Red Cabbage Risotto - Trent

Carrot Ice Cream - Trent  

Wienerschnitzel and dumplings - Innsbruck

Ice Cream filled Chocolate Dumplings - Munich 

Meat Plate - Frankfurt

Sausage, Potatoe and Cauliflower - Dusseldorf

Olive and greens quiche - Amsterdam 

McDonalds - Antwerp

Freshly baked Waffles with caramel - Bruges

Treacle Tart - Wales 

Fish and Chips - LLanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwlllanttysiliogogogoch 

Whats the irish for antipasti?

Antipasti. Mezze. Tapas. All conjure up visions of food laden tables, eager hands and spoons filling plates, tearing bread, a bit of this, a bit of that... a feast for the mouth, and for the eyes!

Its funny because most people forget we have always had our own version of this, don't you remember when your mother handed out cold dinners of egg mayonnaise, coleslaw, salad, meat, served with copious amounts of tea?

Whats the Irish for antipasti? Its an institution in most households I know. Yet it has no official name. High tea maybe, as in The Famous Five? Anyway, in our house its been nicknamed an "Irish Antipasti" and its usually served up after we've done a large food shop and I can't be bothered doing more than boiling a few eggs.



Forget the chorizo, the dolmades, even the olives and fill your plates with natives! Ham, corned beef, cheddar cheese, bread, coleslaw, vegetables and pickles - help yourself!... its such a very nice way to eat!