Books and Bookshops

Whenever I visit the shopping districts, I would head straight to the bookshop. They are always a source of inspiration and ideas. The amount of books published under any one subject is phenomenal. The internet may be good for browsing but one can never get the feel of a book - the quality of the paper, the layout, the illustrations and more importantly the content. Also many bookshops are closing owing to lack of support from the general public who would want to save a few pounds in these days of tight budgets. At what expense I ask.

The small local shops are fast disappearing from our streets and it is these shops which give character to our towns and villages. Together they form the heart of any small town and without our patronage, the town would soon lose its heart. Try walking down a street with lots of empty shops and see how you feel.

I am currently on holiday in Singapore and the bookstalls and bookshops are teeming with people who are constantly trying to find something to read. Owing to the huge influx from Chinese from mainland China, there is an increasing demand for Chinese language books. My brother who now lives in Australia with his family has bought countless books to take home as they are difficult to locate and buy. Titles ranging from business strategies to what food to eat to maintain a healthy lifestyle are readily available.

One of my ambitions is to record the types of local food which are fast disappearing from the local markets of Singapore and perhaps learn how to make or cook them so that the younger generations in my family can enjoy and partake in the heritage of a culture which is rich and multi-faceted. Luckily, there are many books available for reference and you can tell my luggage is getting heavier by the day!

So, go shopping and keep scouring the bookshops. The culture of a country is often reflected in the food her citizens consume and food often open up a host of questions and answers at a party!

Mundane Mondays?

The clocks went forwards yesterday and I am still struggling to cope with that lost hour. Woke up with a start at four this morning (three according to the biological clock) and Flower was whining to go to the loo... Got up and let her out to do her usual circling before settling on a spot in the garden.

Tried desperately to get back to sleep and started to think about the orders I had to do today and I mean, I don't really want to go to Virginia Water - seems like such a long way. Still, I tried to think of all the things I could do afterwards and I felt much better.

Ordered a book published by Rose Cassarini (?) who owns the Rose Bakery in Paris via Amazon - such a good place to get those elusive DVDs and books and started to dream of cooking each and every recipe in there. Shall I do the Julie thing?

I started making potato and leek soup from Julia Child's mini recipe book which came with the DVD and thought it was an easy start. The soup was made simply with sliced leeks and chopped potatoes in water and then blitzed. I had to add a stock cube, a glass of wine, some butter and cream to make it a little full bodied. It was tasty but not what I would proudly serve. You can add watercress to make it into a vichyssoise. I would like to try the boeuf bourguignon soon and I shall be taking photos to make you guys go gaga!

Lots more paper work, endless cleaning and mindless but yummelicious cooking for the husband. When am I going to drop?

The photos of Spring are to remind me of the good times ahead!

The Networking Phenomenon

I have recently joined a networking circle for women in business in the hope of expanding my client base and found the whole exercise to be one which consumes time, effort and money! All good for the business, some would say, but it really depends on which business you are in.

However, you can always look at it as a form of marketing and a way of reaching out to people who you would probably not have the time or opportunity to do so. From image and colour consultants to photographers, PR and marketing gurus to even people who can plan your holidays - all encompassing and thought provoking.

My initial thought was whether I will be able to increase business and gain something out of it but it was a little premature to even think that.

This month, I have attended some of the talks usually presented at these meet ups and they have enlightened me on the bigger and longer-term effects of being in a network. Learning how to tweet and blog and most of all, learning how to network!

I am an artisan and I work with flowers and nature. I would love to have the time to paint and draw and even scribe thoughts on life and its intentions... I find time is constantly diminishing - more and more with everything we have to do or learn to do to get where we want to go.

Do you feel the same?

Christmas 2009

Christmas has been and gone. We chose to do nothing this year as I was so exhausted that all I needed was rest.

All the usual 'trimmings' of the day were dispensed with and David made a good fish and chips meal in the evening. The salad of tomatoes and cucumbers with sunflower seeds and nuts dressed with olive oil, seasalt and lemon juice was delicious. By George he has got it!

Went for a walk at Thames Ditton Green with Flower and watched TV - news and Eastenders where everyone wanted to kill 'Archie'. Then it was just staring into the TV for a couple more hours and then to bed.

Merry Christmas.

Doctor Zhivago

Bedtime last night was spent watching an account of the making of Dr Zhivago. A Russian set was created in Spain and Omar Shariff looked absolutely the part. Although I like the beauty of the new ITV version starring Kiera Knightley, I somehow feel the Julie Christie version move convincing and atmospheric, starting with the funeral right at the beginning. The wind was howling and the whiteness of the snow is simply breathtaking.

The theme tune ' Lara's Theme' evokes so much emotion and romance, which only existed in films made long ago.

Big businesses going under...

David and I took Flower to Pimlico to see how the shops are celebrating Christmas. I was hoping to get some ideas for next year at the Queens Road Christmas Celebration.

The streets were not that populated and so we decided to walk down to Appley Hoare Antiques first. In there, I saw French furniture of various periods and styles and most of them were most desirable. There were Louis XVI sofas and chairs and numerous garden ornaments. Spoke to the lady who owns the business to find that all is not as well as it seems owing to the current financial situation.

She bought a house in France but found it costly to travel and live permanently over there. Therefore she has to continue living and running her business in London. She did say she might jack it all in when the lease terminates in three years' time.

When asked about the level of spending on antiques, she related that many interior design firms have gone bust and Marston and Langinger went under a week ago but was salvaged by an investor in good time. Such a shock to hear of successful companies going down gradually as a result of spending cuts with private clients.

Flower got to meet a few dogs on the way and actually came face to face with a black pug which was a nice surprise. The owner asked if we would swap dogs??!!

She is definitely popular with the crowd.

We had a couple of baguette sandwiches from Daylesford which turned out to be absolutely tasteless and Flower had some beef and chicken as a result.

The band played some Christmas music and then a juggler turned up followed by two fairies/angels dressed in white. Most shops had food and drinks but not for free!

Most of the shops were well decorated and the wreaths in the Linley shop were enormous! Cinnamon sticks, ginger bread biscuits etc...

Remembering...

A customer came in and ordered an arrangement for her son's grave
for Christmas. She has been for the past four years and this is the fifth anniversary of his passing and without doubt would come in to the shop to arrange for flowers to remember him by.

What struck me most is her eyes were always filled with tears before she came in. I almost felt uncomfortable because I did not know what I should do. Half of me wanted to hug her and reassure her and half of me wanted to help her remove that pain. I guess I will never understand how great the sorrow is when it is one's child who has passed away. You simply do not forget, do you? The ache in your heart will always be there and it must be harder when the child died young.

My job is to make the arrangement so beautiful that it helps to take the mind off momentarily and also provide some degree of comfort.