Thoughts on India

I seem to have been away from this space for a long time and the only reason is that I am exhausted... well I'm exhausted and blogger failed to save my last post mid-edit and I lost the lot... but mostly exhausted! Long shifts at the cafe knock me out for days, plus all the stuff involved in moving house, family issues as well as everything else that is going on has all been a bit much over the past couple of weeks. I'm not very good at stopping, asking for help or admitting that I'm tired and the cumulative effect has knocked me for six. I thought it might be restful to sit and write a long blogpost, which it was until it disappeared. It's taken me another six days to summon the enthusiasm to  write it again!

But this is a post that I needed to think carefully about writing. There has been a lot written over the past couple of weeks about racism, that seems to have started in the on-line knitting community on Ravelry and Instagram. I had been blissfully unaware until I read Julie's post here. I followed her links and read what had been going on and was alarmed at the emotion fuelled discussion and negative comment around racism and inclusion.

I am not sure I am qualified to add to the discussion at this stage and I'm still trying to understand many of the issues, especially from the viewpoint of white privilege which is where I have come from. So if you want to find out more I urge you to follow some of the links in Julie's post. However I do know that no-one should feel unwelcome, excluded, hurt or upset as a result of what someone else has said or written regarding their race, colour or anything else, whether those things were said with intention or not. And we could all do with being more aware.

Which I guess brings me to this post in which I've wanted to write about my trip to India for quite a while. But this whole discussion on racism has stemmed from a blogpost by Karen Templer about her upcoming trip to India so it has made me very wary. The problem was with the language used and sentiments expressed. I've questioned my own motives and intentions but do believe my reason for wanting to visit India stems purely from a desire to expand my horizons and learn more, first hand, about a different country, its people, culture and skills.... in the same way as the first time I visited France, Italy, the USA or anywhere else. So I truly hope I'm not offending anyone as I've only ever wished to create a space that is friendly and welcoming to all.

Whether it is in preparation or just to get me in the mood, I seem to have been drawn to books and films about India recently. I read The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel before Christmas. It was okay but full of stereotypes such as old racist white people and didn't leave me with any real sense of the country.

Then a friend loaned me The Siege of Krishnapur. Telling the story of the siege of an imaginary Indian town, although based on true events in Lucknow during the  Muslim mutiny in 1857 it was far better written than Marigold Hotel and also funny in places, in a Jeeves and Wooster kind of way. That is, all upper class, moral superiority and colonialism. It might have been a true picture of an India in days gone by but I didn't feel it really reflects life today.

I also saw the film of "A Passage to India". It is a fabulous film if you can look past the awful casting of Alec Guinness as a Hindu Brahmin, that deals with racism and prejudice in the days of the Raj. It left me feeling quite uncomfortable that people could act in such a superior manner towards another race, and worryingly I sometimes wonder if much of that underlying feeling has changed. But again I'm not sure it gave me much of a flavour of India today.

My latest read has been An Area Of Darkness a semi autobiographical account of V. S. Naipaul’s visit to his ancestral homeland. Naipaul was born in Trinidad of second generation Indian immigrants and was brought up a Hindu. It is strikingly original response to India’s caste system, its  acceptance of poverty and squalor, and the conflict between its desire for independence and its nostalgia for the past. Despite its rather negative portrayal of India and its people, it gave more of a feeling for what the country might be like, being a richly sensual and descriptive book. Of course, whatever books I read and films I watch, they will only ever give someone else's view so I'm very much looking forward to discovering the country for myself.

The main focus of the trip in September will be to attend different block printing workshops where we will be learning from skilled experts in this ancient craft. But I have been having a little dabble myself to prepare for some upcoming workshops I am holding to promote the trip. I was given a beautiful set of carved wooden blocks by Colouricious which I have been using to print fabrics.

Lots and lots of fabrics!

I have then used the fabrics for some projects... a cover for a little travel journal...

A bag for my iPad...

As you can see elephants feature heavily and another highlight of the trip will be a visit to an elephant sanctuary

 

And I have also been creating applique pictures using the various fabrics

And if you fancy joining me on this amazing trip, to discover India for yourself, you can find all the details here:

Block Printing Holiday to India 

I'm now going to hit the publish button and keep my fingers crossed it doesn't all disappear again. Tomorrow I am back at work but I hope I won't be away quite so long before my next post.

Possibilities

I'm sure I am not the only one who finds the prospect of the new year an exciting one full of new possibilities, which is ridiculous when you think about it as every new day holds the prospect of new adventures and a fresh start. A chance to leave old habits and bad things behind, moving forward with a sense of discovery. Yes, we all know that but somehow 1st January seems endowed with significance, a chance to do things differently, a time for re-invention.

The first day of the year was a good one. The morning was spent taking down the Christmas decorations. I don't like them lingering into the new year and the tree was definitely past its best. Harnessing my inner Nigella, I do however leave fairy lights up in my kitchen. I think we could all do with some fairy lights during the first few months of the year. Once the house was clear we had some brunch, having skipped breakfast due to the vast amounts of food consumed on New Year's Eve, and then ventured out for a long walk to blow the cobwebs away. On our return I made large mugs of hot chocolate with some lovely raw cacao that Joe had brought us back from Costa Rica.

Then to round off the day we went to the cinema to see "Mary Poppins Returns", which I thoroughly enjoyed. Stewart's reaction was "What a lot of nonsense" but really what did he expect? Mary Poppins flew in on a kite to take care of a new generation of Banks children. There were lamp lighters instead of chimney sweeps but other than that there was singing and dancing, a cartoon sequence and pretty much all the elements of the original film. It was slick and well produced, with fabulous costumes so all in all an hour and a half of pure escapism. I think he enjoyed it really!

It did bring to mind a Brownies production of Mary Poppins that took place in 1966 where yours truly took the title role. A role secured largely by the fact I had the loudest voice rather than any other talents. My Dad kept this newspaper clipping and I'm the one on the right.... don't laugh!

Despite liking the idea of a new year with new possibilities I don't really go in for resolutions etc. I tried the trend for adopting a word for the year once... "Balance" if I remember rightly. That didn't last long so I only ever did it the once. However when I spotted an initiative on Instagram called the "Make Nine Challenge" it really appealed to me. It is supposed to be a slow fashion intitative where participants pledge to make nine projects throughout the year. Last year I tried to finish off things that I had started but I lost track once I started to make things for the weddings, but knowing I still have a huge stash of fabrics, yarns and half finished kits this seemed like a good opportunity to do a bit of stash busting before we move. So the following are my nine projects, which I will document here as well as on Instagram. You can ask me at the end of the year how I have done! In no particular order...

 

1. I will make a Hitchhiker scarf/shawl  by Martina Behm in either the green or the grey yarn... or possibly both should the fancy take me!

2. I will make this apron dress, bought as a kit several years ago after seeing someone else had made one on a blog I was following. I no longer remember the blog and the kit remains in its bag untouched, so I either need to make it or give it away.

3. Another kit I bought many years ago was this wall hanging kit that required machine embroidery skills before I even knew what machine embroidery involved. Yes, that long ago! It doesn't really qualify as a fashion item but it's textiles so I'm going with it.

4. I will use these fabrics to make something to wear. These were another purchase after seeing them featured on a blog. I fell in love with the colours and then when it arrived I wasn't sure I was brave enough to wear them. I'm now older and don't care so I'm thinking I will make a pinafore dress... or two! I sent for the pattern today.

5. Blogs really do have a lot to answer  for don't they.... An Attic 24 kit to crochet a blanket, bought on a whim and never started. Having resisted the urge (only just) to buy the latest Attic 24 crochet along Sweet Pea blanket, I might just crochet this one along instead.

6. A Camber dress by Merchant and Mills. I have the pattern and the fabric was bought and pre-washed two years ago. I have no idea why I've not made it yet. I just need to get it done!

7. This Kaffe Fassett sweater was featured in Living magazine in 1988. The photo is of the original page. I bought the yarn as a kit and it has remained in a drawer for thirty years. It has been so long ago I'm hoping it will be back in fashion if I finish it this year.

8. I'm pleased to say I only found this pattern last year rather than thirty years ago. It's a free pattern on Purl Soho but I fell in love with that yoke. It may require a yarn purchase though which feels slightly against my rules. Perhaps if I finish the other eight projects this can be a little treat to myself!

 

9. And last of all an Ehrman tapestry kit for a cushion... about a third completed so it really does need to be finished... although I'm not really sure I like it enough. Maybe it should just go?

So there we are, nine projects I aim to finish this year. I'd like to tell you these are the only projects I have to finish but despite there being others, these will do for now. What possibilities are you hoping to achieve this year? Whatever you do, in the words of Neil Gaiman I wish you "A year filled with magic and dreams and good madness"

A Day to Remember

When I write a blog post I like to try to stick to a theme or to have some semblence of continuity in what I'm writing about, at least that is how it starts out in my head even if it doesn't end up that way. But sometimes something random pops up in my brain (sometimes? Who am I kidding?) and I end up writing about that instead. Which is by way of an explanation as to why a post about a rather splendid day out (I'm coming to it, I promise) starts with a quick mention of a self help book. You may well have already heard of the very handsome Dr Chatterjee as apparently he has appeared on TV, not that I had noticed!

However I did hear him speak on Saturday Live on radio 4 last week and was so impressed with the common sense he was talking that his book seemed to end up in my Amazon shopping cart. And I am just as impressed with the book. His basic premise is that all parts of the body are connected and so we should be looking at the whole body and taking a more rounded approach to treatment of ailments. A lot of it is what we know already (although possibly ignore), like eat more vegetables, drink more water, walk more steps etc. but it is presented as clear easily achievable chunks e.i. small changes in our lifestyles that can make a difference. As someone who often has digestive problems and hardly ever has a decent night's sleep it seems worth trying some of his suggestions.... so I am starting by foregoing my nightly cuppa for a herbal tea, trying to cut out sugar again (it made me feel so much better last year) and all devices/screens are going off by 8.30 pm... no checking messages before I go to bed. I'll be reporting back! He also advocates making time for ourselves to relax and that leads me rather nicely into my lovely day out.

My friend Kim couldn't make it to my birthday party last year so offered to take me out instead. At her suggestion we met in London at a fabulous vegetarian restaurant off Regent's Street, Tibits, where we had a wonderful lunch of the most delicious salads. There was so much choice and such wonderful flavours... see, I'm already taking Dr Chatterjee's advice and feeding my body with five a day. From there we off to the Regent Street Cinema, apparently the birthplace of British cinema.

We arrived to the sound of the organ being played just like in times gone by and were both amazed that the place was absolutely packed in the middle of the day. This historic cinema dates back to 1848 and was the first theatre in the country to show moving pictures. Over the years it was used for various screenings and diferent types of entertainment but it closed to the public in 1980 and became a lecture theatre. In 2015 it was reopened as a cinema, having been restored to its former grandeur. And what better place to see the classic love story "An Affair to Remember". A delicious lunch with a lovely friend followed by an afternoon spent with Cary Grant... definitely fits the bill for taking time out to relax! And as the Regent Street cinema is another 'first' for me, it also means another sixty x sixty ticked off my list... and quite appropriate as it is the sixtieth anniversary of the first screening of the film, released in 1957 when I was born!

Kim and I also managed a quick visit to Anthropologie where I treated myself to this rather gorgeous cup... which made working all day today on tedious admin tasks so much nicer. It's the small pleasures that make all the difference.

Now if you'll excuse me I must go... my laptop/screen watershed is rapidly approaching and I'm going to do some drawing and read a book before bed instead of browsing the internet and checking emails.

A Life of Cake

Where does the time go... aside from the little bit of self promotion mid week which wasn't exactly overly successful... although many thanks to the couple of people who did buy patterns from my shop... I've barely had time to think about this little blog. Except for wondering should I carry on bothering with it at all... but then I'm feeling like that about a lot of things lately! My weeks seem to be defined by cake. Lots of other things get done but it is all interspersed with cake.

I'm continuing to bake for the farm shop but it does feel like flogging a dead horse at times. I make them small loaf cakes and quiche to sell by the slice. There were a couple of weeks in October when I made three quiches and over twenty cakes in a week and I thought that it was really taking off at last. But I popped in on Friday and they had sold two slices of quiche and one little cake all week which seems to be a trend lately. And of course if it doesn't sell I bring it home and we either eat or bin any profit I might have made.

I made my first batch of mince pies of the year for my last embroidery class on Tuesday. I actually made two batches... who knew that gluten free pastry was so difficult? You probably did, but not me! But my gluten free lady was very appreciative so it was worth while. 

Last week I was out five nights out of seven... mostly meetings but I'm getting too old for this lark. I hanker after cosy evenings round a fire with my knitting. This week was better, just two nights out. One to get defibrillator training and learn about a village first response group. It was a really interesting evening but something I hope I never have to put into practice. My second night out was to see the wonderful Laura Mvula. I thought she was fantastic and  it made me forget all about cosy fires and knitting. Stewart wasn't so impressed unfortunately.

The farm shop baking maybe somewhat demoralising but the orders for birthday cakes keep trickling in. Which is good because they are fun to do, although if I'm realistically going to be making a living I need to be doing several a week (or put my prices up!)... but then I'm guessing that might stop being so much fun! The two this week were lots of fun though.

Friday night I got my night in with my knitting and we watched this film. I read the book a while ago and thought it was excellent so I was apprehensive that the film would be disappointing  but it was really good. Very gentle, quality acting... I can definitely recommend it. And the knitting... that might even be a post all of it's own as I optimistically delude myself into thinking I can make everyone hand knitted gifts for Christmas. See even my knitting is a frantic attempt at doing too much!

And yesterday I had an afternoon out with some of the other volunteers from Free Cakes for Kids and the very generous Helen Marie who runs Helen Marie's Cake Boutique. We spent a happy couple of hours playing with fondant decorations and I think all my Christmas cake orders might be topped with fondant poinsettias this year.

And if the tone of this post sounds tired and grumpy I do apologise. I'm not particularly grumpy but I am tired, probably doing too much, packing too much in and trying to make decisions about the future. I listened to a snippet of a radio programme whilst in the car this week. Not sure what it was but there was a woman who works as an end of life companion being interviewed. It wasn't at all morbid but she said the thing she has learned from listening to those who are dying is that she no longers feels she needs to pack her life full of doing things and being constantly busy, but she now tries to do less and savours the moment. I'm working on it... but the week ahead looks just as packed!

Rest and Relaxation

So many of you in recent comments have wished me time for a bit of rest and relaxation over the past few weeks... You really are a very kind and concerned group of readers. But in truth, I find it quite hard to do rest. As I finish a busy period of teaching, I fill my time with other things, but maybe that is a form of rest. There has been time to do gardening, more time for reading and best of all for me, lots of time for cooking too... All of which I find relaxing. So when I say I don't do rest, I guess I mean I don't do sitting around doing nothing!

This weekend has been a particular relaxing weekend, despite having put in many hours working in the kitchen. It all started with friends suggesting we went to see The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel... And me coming up with the idea of a curry evening to follow.

We went to see the film on Saturday afternoon... How decadent was that... Cinema in the middle of the day! That's pretty relaxing in my book! It was lovely, colourful and full of fun and laugh out loud moments. A feel good movie with the added benefit of Richard Gere! I'm now going to make a confession... If I had to choose a one all time favourite film of all the wonderful films I've seen it would be An Officer and a Gentleman. I know... It is sentimental tosh... But sentimental tosh with Richard Gere in that uniform on a motorbike. I just love it... So now you know my guilty secret! 

 

Anyway... I digress! After the film it was back to our house for the curry evening. Well, more of an Indian inspired menu than actual curries. I made deep fried spicy fish to start. There was then a version of sag aloo with kale rather than spinach...

Tandoori style chicken, spicy lamb kebabs, herb coated paneer all with various chutneys and raita... But I was far too busy to remember to take photos! I made naan bread too...

But the highlight of the evening for me was dessert. Over the week I experimented with ice cream flavours and came up with three Indian inspired ice creams.... An orange and cardamom gelato, a mango and coconut ice and a pistachio kulfi.

And today has been another relaxing day... A morning spent cooking resulting in a family lunch that involved cake... Followed by a very blustery walk!

So that's my weekend of rest and relaxation... Friends and family, a good film, long walks and lots of good food to share that has given me hours of pleasure in the kitchen. And what's more, there are plenty of leftovers for supper followed by Poldark this evening... can't be bad! What is your perfect way to rest and relax?

 

 

After all that excitment I nearly forgot... After a bit of random selecting of names, Christina has won one of my little birds. I'm not making any promises, but if I get time I'll do a tutorial so you can all make one should you choose.

Sweet Sunday

Because I often work weekends I really value a lazy Sunday with no pressure to do anything in particular...

 

 

time to spend an hour or so in the garden raking leaves.

 

Having spicy parsnip soup for lunch...

 

With a homemade cottage loaf,,,

 

even if the top did go rather askew...

 

It still tasted good! And then after a lazy afternoon reading the paper, a night out at the cinema to see a good film.

 

A Sunday all the more sweet for knowing that next weekend I'll be working!

Good Reads

 Thank you to everyone who left a comment with advice. The problem did indeed seem to be Blogger not working with Internet Explorer so I've used Firefox instead and there was my 'Choose Files' option back where it should be.I don't think I'll ever understand the way computers work!

 

My reading group's book for November was Life of Pi. I read it ten years ago as Stewart bought it for me for our first Christmas together. I thought it sounded an unlikely book for me to enjoy but I loved it. Roll forward ten years and I didn't feel I needed to read it again, but when the group met to discuss it, the resulting conversation was lively and fascinating and I realised just how much I had forgotten. So I read it again over Christmas and loved it all over again.

Then last weekend we went to see the film (although only in 2D... I find 3D makes me feel a bit queasy!). I couldn't really imagine how they could stay true to the book but again I was surprised. It was brilliant and spectacular with the most wonderful photography so I can highly recommend it. I've now got less than two weeks to read the book for January which is Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman.

It is written in the voice of a young African boy who has come to London with his mother and sister. It is has a fresh and lively style and is often funny but it deals with gang warfare and the stabbing of a young boy... so I sense it may not be all light hearted. I think this is what I love about belonging to a reading group - not always reading books I would have automatically chosen, yet finding I enjoy them.

Fear of Flying

That is probably a misleading title because I don't actually have a fear of flying, I just dislike it intensely. Something about being confined in that small space (ironic given I had no problem with the small spaces in the caves), all the other people and the fact that it all feels out of my control... which I think is the real problem as I know I have issues with control! With any other form of transport I feel at least I have the option of stopping and getting off if I want. (Although the reality might be something else... it might not be that easy to stop a speeding train!). So given that I was going to be airborn for 7 hours to Dubai, then another 14 hours to Australia and finally 3 hours to New Zealand not to mention the 24 hours coming home too, I decided to turn my journey into something of a film and literary festival! In total I saw six films and read almost four books.

The Descendants... was okay and fairly entertaining given I was a captive audience, although I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it.

My Week With Marilyn...  was excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed this and thought that Michelle Williams was superb as Marilyn Monroe.

The Help... was also excellent. I had read the book a couple of months ago, which I also thoroughly enjoyed, and I think it was probably a good thing as the Jackson, Mississippi accents weren't easy to understand against the background of airplane noise. But this one I would like to see again.

The Artist... was delightful. I had my doubts after all the hype and the oscars but it didn't disappoint. It was original, charming and funny. And the little dog was an absolute star!

The Iron Lady... I didn't really fancy this being no great Thatcher fan but I was pleasantly surprised and actually found it enjoyable but quite sad, although think she lost the plot long before the onset of dementia.

War Horse... this was another film I didn't really fancy but I ended up thoroughly enjoying it. It was over romanticised, sentimental and far fetched but still a great story and a real epic of a film that totally absorbed me.

As well as watching films I also managed a fair bit of reading.

The Fine Colour of Rust by P. A. O'Reilly - Nancy very kindly passed this on to me and it arrived the morning I left. I read it cover to cover on the flight out and loved it. A really delightful feel good story set in rural Australia and laugh out loud funny in places too. My Mum is reading it at the moment but when she is finished I'll pass this on if anyone else fancies it.

Unless by Carol Sheilds... this was another excellent read although quite a thought provoking story looking at complex issues within a family. I read this for this for my book club this month so think I might have to be more eloquent in my review by the time we meet!

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes... I really enjoyed this story looking at memory and how our memories can be quite selective and how difficult it can be to discern what is actual truth and what we believe to be truth. Then when I got to the end I didn't understand what had happened at all and I wasn't sure whether this was deliberate or not. The main character is always being told "He doesn't get it" and I'm not sure I do either. As it's so short I'm reading it again in case I missed something!

And finally Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell... which I'm still reading, finding a bit strange and yet also quite compelling. It is six separate yet intertwined stories written in different styles or genres so quite unusual.

Now I'm back home I'll probably revert back to my usual 2 or 3 films a year and one book a month!