Rik here ...
Today we went off to Crathes Castle - a manor house not too far from Aberdeen. They had the inside set up as a true Victorian Christmas, down to the oranges and cloves. People wandered the house in character and you could partake in mulled wine and cheese scones. The gardens looked pretty elaborate and I think we'll have to go back when they're blooming (and when it's not dark at 3pm!) They had a giant sequoia on the grounds that truly boggled the mind. Another castle to add to the itinerary, should anyone choose to visit. Enjoy the pics...
We went to the butchershop down the street yesterday and ordered our Christmas turkey. Minimum order was 5kg, so we'll be accepting your favorite turkey leftover recipes.
We also saw a good looking leg of lamb, which we roasted tonight with rosemary and garlic. Fantastico, as this odd Italian cook on local TV likes to say. It also makes us feel good to be supporting our local shopowners, as well. As cheap and high quality as the Wal-Mart cuts are, it just isn't the same.
My bus trip to work has been taking a little longer than normal the past few weeks, early darkness worsens the already horrible Aberdeen traffic situation. The upside, small though it is, is that I have been getting caught up on my reading. I've burnt through a few books lately, including a history of the Texas Revolution, Norman Mailer's last book (a horribly gratuitous and vulgar historical fiction of Adolf Hitler) and my brother in law's recommendation "Freakonomics". Some interesting topics, but probably not everyone's cup of tea. I'm currently going through a history of the Peloponessian War, which is quite interesting. Sparta versus Athens, with good coverage of the changing methods of warfare and use of terror as a weapon. Interesting parallels with current methods. I've got a few more waiting on the shelf, including the new Salman Rushdie and a biography of Chairman Mao. I would like some suggestions, however, for something new once I'm done. Leave your comments with anything good that you've read in the last few months ....
Cheers,
Rik
2 comments:
Rik,
Suggestion for a book which shows from a firsthand perspective what a rotten [insert your choice of derogatory here] Mao was: Da Chen's Colors of the Mountain and also his Sounds of the River. They are autobiographical accounts of his suffering as child as a result of the filthy Great Helmsman's policies and of the active participation of so many Chinese. Very well written. He eventually got out of China and was valedictorian at Columbia Law School.
Doug ddarnowski2@yahoo.com
read that book on the british monarchy I gave you in july... unless you already have. It's pretty interesting...seriously
-Linda
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