What’s the Story in Dalamory

I have been watching a series of programmes that were on BBC4 (I downloaded them from BBCiplayer – still available I suspect). So far I have watched the first two – absolutely fascinating. They explore the people, what makes a diarist write, and the interviewers ask insightful questions about character, motivation and literary worth. Of course a blog is not a diary, as the latter is not intended for publication (unless one is a politician or celebrity of some kind), but a blog does have certain characteristics in common. What fascinates me is the ordinary minutiae of life described within the context of the diarist’s thoughts, feelings and disposition.

Above all, it is an exercise in making sense of oneself and the world in which we live.

Keep blogging and keep writing. It makes life more fun.

Never let it be said that the power of advertising does not work. Over the Christmas period a firm was continually advertising that they bought mobile phones via their website. So I have given it a try. The whole process was made more complicated by having to wipe the phone clear of any personal detail – (a hard reset, for those of a technical bent). Trying to follow the directions in the instruction book made me realise how easy the iphone is to work in comparison. Then there was the hunt to find the individual keycode for each phone.

Anyway, I now await further instructions with bated breath.  If all is well, the firm will send a padded envelope to dispatch the mobile phone . (Better than the padded cell I was envisaging earlier when in the midst of all the clicking and clunking and brain cell fatigue).

It is nearly my pre-birthday month.

It has taken me longer than usual to read The Return by Victoria Hislop. What an incredible read. I almost don’t want to spoil it by spilling any of the beans, as it were.  However, I should mention a couple of my prejudices at the start. I was given this book as a present and had been looking forward to Hislop’s second book since enjoying her first (The Island). At the start it was difficult to get into. I have never been to Spain and have a dislike of the whole idea of bull-fighting, and antipathy towards flamenco dancing and castanets. Not a good start then to have to wade through detailed descriptions of both to begin with. But the narrative suddenly jumped back (in a clever way) to the time of the Spanish Civil war in the 1930s. It became compelling reading, all brought to life in a vivid way.

I was sad to finish the book today and am sure I will read it again. I find myself enchanted by the history of a people and knowing far more about the European state of mind than ever before. Definitely a ten out of ten. A very good story for its own sake as well.

Misty has been on her post-Christmas diet for the past week. She has lost 0.2kgs which is quite  a commendable start considering she is such a little dog. Half a dentastix in the morning and half the quality of evening doggy meal, that way she is able to have the occasional treat.

Wish it was as easy to diet me.

Thanks to Joan for bringing this to attention…..

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc80G6Yzu04]

No – don’t worry, I am not starting to fret about Christmas 2010 – but it did occur to me to comment on the the innovative gifts which formed part of the present pile a couple of weeks ago. These are all ongoing in one way or another. They included a part adoption of a wild baby elephant called Esprit, hand designed and painted mugs, a little pig computer screen cleaner, an itunes voucher and a book (very informative – all about Spain in the 1930’s. The Return by Victoria Hislop); I also continue to laugh at the Michael McIntyre CD (I did drop a lot of hints about that one).

I registered the elephant online and discovered that she was five years old yesterday; the mugs are used nearly every day, as is the cute fuzzy  screen-wipe; I am having great fun choosing apps from the itunes store, and the book is proving challenging in many ways – it is teaching me about a place and a time of which I knew very little.

Well done everybody, and many thanks.

Managed to get out to Oban today for the first time this year. Amazing to see all the streets and paths clear of snow. The sales were tempting, so I purchased more fleecy PJs and ordinary fleeces. The thaw is very slow here in Dalamory but it is definitely happening. Hope it lasts. I hadn’t realised just how tiring the extreme cold is.