Manby, Chris ' Girl Meets Ape '

Chicklit-time. I don't mind a bit of light entertainment in between more serious stuff.
The book's heroine, Dr. Jennifer Niederhauser, is a young zoologist who buries herself into her work after a failed relationship with a fellow student zoologist, Timothy, who cheats on her. At a friends hen party, she has a slightly annoying encounter with an Ape-strippogram. And when she takes on a new job at a ape sanctuary, her colleague is - the very strippogram called Guy, who is of course a very nice bloke. Then her old sanctuary is in financial dire straits, and when they accept a TV fly-on-the-wall in the sanctuary, Jennifers old flame Timothy turns up as the TV-presenter. It's a 'Which one will she choose?' story. A lot of facts on ape conservation, plenty of research has gone into the book. The characters are a bit 'OTT' and the end is predictable, but hey...

I had 3 call-outs last night and feel really tired today. I don't actually have to go to the scene, but deal with most stuff on the phone, but once you get called 2am, it's not that easy going back to sleep.

Imran lost his new phone yesterday... I told him I will definitely not buy him another one - £50 down the drain. But my new routine seems to work. I do a weekly 'eating' plan,and we have a tight schedule now every evening for the kids to keep to - 7pm food, 8pm homework, 9pm bed. So far, it works really well and everyone is keeping to it.

And today, I finally started to pick up my cross stitch again. I found it difficult to arrange my new 'stitching area' in the living room since we've got the new settee and my big old armchair is gone. I picked up the Glasgow Rose cat again, will show an update after the weekend.

Here's 1 part of the new settee (and Thomas caliming his seat)

Anna Funder ' Stasiland '

A story about the GDR and those who survived (or not). Anna Funder is a journalist in East Germany (after the wall came down) and seeks out stories about the old regime, and of course, those persecuted by the Stasi, the feared Secret Service of East Germany. We learn about Miriam, who attempted the cross the wall and ended up in prison, or the dreadful story of the woman who's child had to go to a hospital in West Berlin for treatment, and she remained in East Berlin - they tried to flee via a tunnel but were set up. There are many stories like this in the book, it is well written and I found her descriptions of people and situations absolutely lifelike (I could see the people she descriped). she often gives us her personal opinion For me, the translations of many 'inside' GDR words into English are helpful.

For someone who has been brought up in the GDR - well, I appreciate that this is what most people want to know about (and I don't deny those dreadful things did happen). But, especially in the English speaking world, those are the ONLY stories about the GDR, which leaves the impression that absoulutely everyone suffered dreadfully all the time. Well, most people can't believe it here, but I had a very nice childhood, and I didn't know anyone who had anything to do with Stasi. Of course, lots of the heavy stuff only started to emerge for me after the wall came down. , neither me, my parents, family, friends etc were ever interviewed/intorregated etc -But I knew, if I were an open rebel against the government or attempting stuff which was illegal for us (e.g. trying to cross the border) - I would have suffered the consequences. OK, of my soapbox for the day.

Here is Imran in his new school uniform. I'm really impressed by him, and I think he is quite happy with Secondary School. He seems really relaxed and I don't get any of the 'I hate school' which we had ever so often in the past year. Looks like he feels all grown up and happy to be in the 'big boys gang' now. Hope it will last.


And here are Ruby and Casey in Legoland
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Phinn, Gervase ' The Other Side of the Dale '

A delightful story of romantic England. In this fictional account of his early years as school inspector, Gervase Phinn vividly describes the classrooms of the Yorkshire Dales, where children are often wiser than their teachers, and where many a lesson provokes laughter as well as learning. And back in the office, his colleagues are an unforgettable bunch: Julie, the office chatterbox, the irrepressible Sidney Clamp, and Connie, the caretaker from hell. Not to mention

the formidable Mrs. Savage, scourge of the inspector's office. Nothing controversial here, easy reading, pleasant language.

Imran had his first day in Secondary School today, and I couldn't be there... I am an call, and after a weekend on call, there is no way I can take Mondays off. And Ruby went to Leogland Windsor today with Casey, lucky Ruby! I'm still waiting for them to return, they are somewhere on the M25 now!

Worked the whole weekend to get TMA06 ready. It's done now, just have to reduce the wordcount a bit. good thing is that now that I don't have OU reading to do, I can read for pleasure in the train.

And here is the picture I stitched for Sigi. I stitched like a woman possessed in the first week of my holiday - I'd already missed Sigi's birthday, and we met up at Barbara's house during my holiday - finally another opportunity for a stitcher's meeting! Glad you liked it Sigi!