I was talking to a 20-something colleague last week and remarked that I needed to find a birthday present for my mother who was turning 70. She suggested a possum fur gloves and scarf "Gifts like that are always great for the elderly!".
I nearly choked. "Elderly?" Amongst other things my mother still runs around after us, picks up Mr 11 three days a week after school, is the secretary on a committee,has coffee and lunch dates with 'the girls' several times a week, does the accounts for her church and still gets blonde streaks in her hair.
And then it occurred to me. To my 20-something year old colleague I am probably old enough to be her mother. So my mother must be really, well, elderly.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
This is what 16 looks like
Blinked and I missed it. On 27 April Miss 16 turned, well, 16. Her party theme was "A 6 year olds party". Tiaras and pink stuff galore.
'
Check out the latest 'must have' daywear. The purple and black cargdigan I knitted for her father about 15 years ago (and which has probably been hidden in a closet for 14 years!)
And, incidentally, this is what 3 looked like (courtesy of a scrapbooking page by Granny who came to the rescue and decorated the house and made a birthday cake while we were delayed in Nelson. We got home 2 hours before the party!)
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
COME ON DOWN, MR 11
Move over Mr 10. There's a new bloke in the house.
Mr 11 emerges this morning. An inch or so taller. Hair definitely shorter. Attitude? The same. Still obsessed with Minecraft. Still a foodie (he chooses Ichiban Teppanyaki for his birthday dinner). Still likes Up 'n' Go and a muffin split for breakfast (every day!). There's a new iPod touch to play with (and make movies with). And a paintball party to look forward to next week. He might be 11 but he's still sweet.
Happy birthday, Mr 11.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
DORK OF THE WEEK
Dork of the week goes to the person who said to me. "You are lucky E is so good with his diabetes. I'd never be able to get P to inject. Her tummy is so little. And she doesn't like needles."
Excuse me?
Lucky?
Little tummy?
Like needles?
You ****wit!
If you don't inject you die.
Excuse me while I puke.
PS "Dork' doesn't know I blog!
Excuse me?
Lucky?
Little tummy?
Like needles?
You ****wit!
If you don't inject you die.
Excuse me while I puke.
PS "Dork' doesn't know I blog!
WHY I BLOG
Julie from Bittersweet Diabetes has invited me to blog about blogging! Specifically why I blog. It's a bit of a project really, because she was invited by Christy from My 2 Sweet Babies who was asked by Dawn from Sugar Free CandyLand who in turn was invited to participate by DawnMarie from Words from DUG (hope I got all that right.)
So 5 good reasons? Not sure if they're good but here goes...
1. I blog because I like writing. I blame my mother, who was a journalist in the days before women did that sort of job.
2. I originally blogged as a way to keep in touch with a wide network of scrapbookers around the world. Through my conversations with these scrapbookers many of us discovered other shared interests and blogging became a way to connect with like minded people who shared interests in books (a book club formed), writing, art, baking, cooking, parenting, green household products, gardening. Many of my current blogging friends are people I have never met in real life.
3. Over the years my blog has morphed into a bit of a family diary/snapshot. It gives extended family and friends a wee glimpse into how life is for us. Better than keeping a diary and easier than scrapbooking.
4. When Mr 10 was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes last year I found there was a whole new community out there in cyberspace: bloggers who share the Type 1 journey. Our stories are remarkably similar. It has been an amazing relief to find out that we are not alone. I have received some great advice and information from what my family call my 'pretend friends'. I like to think that maybe I have helped other parents of Type 1 diabetics in some small way.
5. One of my biggest disappointments when Mr 10 was diagnosed with Type 1 (well apart from him having a life threatening condition and having to learn to inject himself and having to do zillions of blood tests and never being able to eat anything ever again in his entire life without considering the blood glucose implications) apart from all that, my biggest disappointment was that there was so much ignorance and judgement about Type 1. The number of people who insinuated that we somehow caused it or that it had something to do with what we fed him or how much exercise he did or didn't do really bothered me. I love being able to use my blog to educate people about Type 1 diabetes. Just a little. (Though I'll bet the people who were the worst offenders never read this!)
The world just seems a bit smaller when I blog.
I don't like tagging people but if you feel inspired to write about why you blog why don't you do it? I'd love to hear your story.
So 5 good reasons? Not sure if they're good but here goes...
1. I blog because I like writing. I blame my mother, who was a journalist in the days before women did that sort of job.
2. I originally blogged as a way to keep in touch with a wide network of scrapbookers around the world. Through my conversations with these scrapbookers many of us discovered other shared interests and blogging became a way to connect with like minded people who shared interests in books (a book club formed), writing, art, baking, cooking, parenting, green household products, gardening. Many of my current blogging friends are people I have never met in real life.
3. Over the years my blog has morphed into a bit of a family diary/snapshot. It gives extended family and friends a wee glimpse into how life is for us. Better than keeping a diary and easier than scrapbooking.
4. When Mr 10 was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes last year I found there was a whole new community out there in cyberspace: bloggers who share the Type 1 journey. Our stories are remarkably similar. It has been an amazing relief to find out that we are not alone. I have received some great advice and information from what my family call my 'pretend friends'. I like to think that maybe I have helped other parents of Type 1 diabetics in some small way.
5. One of my biggest disappointments when Mr 10 was diagnosed with Type 1 (well apart from him having a life threatening condition and having to learn to inject himself and having to do zillions of blood tests and never being able to eat anything ever again in his entire life without considering the blood glucose implications) apart from all that, my biggest disappointment was that there was so much ignorance and judgement about Type 1. The number of people who insinuated that we somehow caused it or that it had something to do with what we fed him or how much exercise he did or didn't do really bothered me. I love being able to use my blog to educate people about Type 1 diabetes. Just a little. (Though I'll bet the people who were the worst offenders never read this!)
The world just seems a bit smaller when I blog.
I don't like tagging people but if you feel inspired to write about why you blog why don't you do it? I'd love to hear your story.
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
REMEMBERING CANTERBURY
Today I went to a birthday lunch with some friends at the bustling Cafe Reka at The Dowse.
At 12.45pm we observed that there was a huge downpour. The heavens just opened.
At 12.51pm the manager banged a water jug with a spoon. All she said was "We would like to observe 2 minutes silence." Interestingly, she didn't say what it was for. She didn't need to. Everyone knew.
Some people stood.
Others sat.
You could hear a pin drop.
Some people cried.
And then the rain stopped.
Friday, February 25, 2011
That helps
Parent note to teacher:
"Re homework - Mr 10 is not sure whether he needs to cut out ingredients lists from the backs of packets or does he need to provide an actual recipe?"
Teacher note to parent:
"Yes."
"Re homework - Mr 10 is not sure whether he needs to cut out ingredients lists from the backs of packets or does he need to provide an actual recipe?"
Teacher note to parent:
"Yes."
Thursday, February 24, 2011
WELCOME TO HOLLAND
I found this on the internet somewhere - can't remember where. I hope it's OK to reproduce it. I love this...
"WELCOME TO HOLLAND
by Emily Perl Kingsley
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability- to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this...
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip -to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
" Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guidebooks. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills... and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy...and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.
But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ...about Holland.
1987 copyright by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved."
Monday, February 14, 2011
ANSWERS TO LEARN
Recently I've been reading blogs of parents who have children with Type 1 diabetes. One I've just come across is Beta Buddies . In an earlier post she makes a list of the things that parents have to very quickly get to grips with when their kids are first diagnosed. Here's my list:
1: What is type one diabetes?
2: What does the pancreas do?
3: What is a glucometer?
2: What is a test strip?
4: How do you calibrate the glucometer?
5: How to test your child's blood sugar?
6: How do you operate a lancing device?
7: How do you change the needle of the lancing device?
8: What is a normal blood sugar level?
9: How do you treat a low blood sugar?
10: What is a high blood sugar?
11: How do you treat that?
13: What is a fast acting carbohydrate?
14: What is Glucagon?
15: What is Insulin?
16: How do I give an insulin shot?
17: How do I give a glucagon shot (it's different)?
18: What is a pen needle?
19: How do I change the needle on a pen?
20: How to carb count?
21: What are ketones?
All of this stuff the superhero paediatric diabetes team taught me. But I had to teach myself the worst bit - how to convince your crying child that he will have to have these tests and injections day after day after day forever. And that he will never ever be able to eat without considering about what insulin he may or may not need.
No wonder I took my eye off my own weight loss needs last year. When there was all this to learn. when the food rules changed. Ah well, I know all this stuff now. Roll on 2011.
1: What is type one diabetes?
2: What does the pancreas do?
3: What is a glucometer?
2: What is a test strip?
4: How do you calibrate the glucometer?
5: How to test your child's blood sugar?
6: How do you operate a lancing device?
7: How do you change the needle of the lancing device?
8: What is a normal blood sugar level?
9: How do you treat a low blood sugar?
10: What is a high blood sugar?
11: How do you treat that?
13: What is a fast acting carbohydrate?
14: What is Glucagon?
15: What is Insulin?
16: How do I give an insulin shot?
17: How do I give a glucagon shot (it's different)?
18: What is a pen needle?
19: How do I change the needle on a pen?
20: How to carb count?
21: What are ketones?
All of this stuff the superhero paediatric diabetes team taught me. But I had to teach myself the worst bit - how to convince your crying child that he will have to have these tests and injections day after day after day forever. And that he will never ever be able to eat without considering about what insulin he may or may not need.
No wonder I took my eye off my own weight loss needs last year. When there was all this to learn. when the food rules changed. Ah well, I know all this stuff now. Roll on 2011.
Sunday, February 06, 2011
Saturday, February 05, 2011
A WINNER
"I'd like to nominate my husband and my sonto win the VIP tour of the new A320.
E is 10 years old and 9 months ago he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. It has been a huge learning curve for E and our family. He has learned to inject himself in the stomach with insulin and prick his finger numerous times a day to do blood tests. He is my hero. But heroes sometimes struggle and E hates that Type 1 diabetes makes him different to other kids. Maybe if he won this prize he could learn that being different is sometimes a good thing!"
We won. Well rather they did. Tomorrow morning DH and Mr 10 have an appointment to be on the tarmac at Wellington airport to greet the new Air New Zealand A320. And stepping off the plane to meet them and 9 other lucky kids will be All Black captain Ritchie McCaw and a few of his mates.
Was I bad to play the Type 1 Diabetes card? Maybe. But it paid off.
E is 10 years old and 9 months ago he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. It has been a huge learning curve for E and our family. He has learned to inject himself in the stomach with insulin and prick his finger numerous times a day to do blood tests. He is my hero. But heroes sometimes struggle and E hates that Type 1 diabetes makes him different to other kids. Maybe if he won this prize he could learn that being different is sometimes a good thing!"
We won. Well rather they did. Tomorrow morning DH and Mr 10 have an appointment to be on the tarmac at Wellington airport to greet the new Air New Zealand A320. And stepping off the plane to meet them and 9 other lucky kids will be All Black captain Ritchie McCaw and a few of his mates.
Was I bad to play the Type 1 Diabetes card? Maybe. But it paid off.
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
SIZE MATTERS
In the 90s people with Type 1 diabetes had to inject themselves several times a day with a needle precisely 12.7mm long. The needle has to go all the way in. Get out your ruler and take a look. That's a lot of needle.
Although the daily injection regime continues thank goodness when Mr 10 was diagnosed the needle size on a pen injection (one of his insulin devises - he also uses a syringe but that's another story) was down to 8mm. It's still quite long. Nearly a centimetre to be squeezed into your tummy a couple of times a day (or more).
So imagine how excited we were to find out that in November a 4mm needle has been added to the Pharmeceutical Schedule - meaning it's available, subsidised, on prescription.
When we visited the hospital last week we were able to take samples home to try. No more squeezing. It still hurts a bit but it's less daunting.
Roll on more medicsal advances. Because when it somes to needles - size does matter.
Although the daily injection regime continues thank goodness when Mr 10 was diagnosed the needle size on a pen injection (one of his insulin devises - he also uses a syringe but that's another story) was down to 8mm. It's still quite long. Nearly a centimetre to be squeezed into your tummy a couple of times a day (or more).
So imagine how excited we were to find out that in November a 4mm needle has been added to the Pharmeceutical Schedule - meaning it's available, subsidised, on prescription.
When we visited the hospital last week we were able to take samples home to try. No more squeezing. It still hurts a bit but it's less daunting.
Roll on more medicsal advances. Because when it somes to needles - size does matter.
Thursday, December 02, 2010
OTHER HEROES
I've read a few blogs lately. A few Christmas newsletters. Seen a few Facebook posts. Heard a few stories. Proud parents sharing the happy news of kid successes. Top of the class. The sports award. The excellence results.
Is your kid one of these? A high achiever?
Be proud. Congratulate them. Urge them to do it again next year.
And while you're there would you mind taking a moment to get them to think. About the other kids. The rest of the class.
For every kid who wins there are 2 or 3 dozen others who don't. These dozens will never be top of the class. Or play in a representative sports team. They struggle to make an achieve grade.
These kids, through their own lesser ability, allow your child to shine.
These kids learn early about disappointment. They learn not to get their hopes up. They know they will never be feted or lauded. They know what second place or last is like.
Spare a thought for them.
Is your kid one of these? A high achiever?
Be proud. Congratulate them. Urge them to do it again next year.
And while you're there would you mind taking a moment to get them to think. About the other kids. The rest of the class.
For every kid who wins there are 2 or 3 dozen others who don't. These dozens will never be top of the class. Or play in a representative sports team. They struggle to make an achieve grade.
These kids, through their own lesser ability, allow your child to shine.
These kids learn early about disappointment. They learn not to get their hopes up. They know they will never be feted or lauded. They know what second place or last is like.
Spare a thought for them.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
TRUE STORY
Miss 15 makes a very quick phone call to DH's mobile.
She finishes: 'I can't talk. I've got no credit left."
She hangs up.
DH hangs up and looks at the caller ID.
She was calling from our home phone!
She finishes: 'I can't talk. I've got no credit left."
She hangs up.
DH hangs up and looks at the caller ID.
She was calling from our home phone!
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
How God Selects the Mother of a Child with Type 1 Diabetes
How God Selects the Mother of a Child with Type 1 Diabetes
by Erma Bombeck
Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures and a couple by habit. Did you ever wonder how mothers of children with diabetes are chosen? Somehow I visualize God hovering over earth selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he observes, he instructs his angels to make notes in a giant ledger.
"Armstrong, Beth, son. Patron Saint Matthew."
"Forrest, Marjorie, daughter, Patron Saint Cecilia."
"Rutledge, Carrie, twins. Patron Saint Gerard. He's used to profanity."
Finally, He passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a child with diabetes." The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy."
"Exactly", smiles God. "Could I give child with diabetes to a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."
"But has she the patience?" asks the angel.
"I don't want her to have too much patience, or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it. I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I am going to give her has its own world. She has to make it live in her world and that's not going to be easy."
"But, Lord, I don't think she even believes in You."
God smiles. "No matter. I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness."
The angel gasps. "Selfishness? Is that a virtue?"
God nods. "If she cannot separate herself from the child occasionally, she will never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with less than perfect."
"She does not realize it yet, but she is to be envied. I will permit her to see clearly the things I see .... ignorance, cruelty, prejudice ... and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as if she is here by my side."
"And what about her patron saint?" asks the angel,his pen poised in mid air.
God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."
by Erma Bombeck
Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures and a couple by habit. Did you ever wonder how mothers of children with diabetes are chosen? Somehow I visualize God hovering over earth selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he observes, he instructs his angels to make notes in a giant ledger.
"Armstrong, Beth, son. Patron Saint Matthew."
"Forrest, Marjorie, daughter, Patron Saint Cecilia."
"Rutledge, Carrie, twins. Patron Saint Gerard. He's used to profanity."
Finally, He passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a child with diabetes." The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy."
"Exactly", smiles God. "Could I give child with diabetes to a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."
"But has she the patience?" asks the angel.
"I don't want her to have too much patience, or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it. I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I am going to give her has its own world. She has to make it live in her world and that's not going to be easy."
"But, Lord, I don't think she even believes in You."
God smiles. "No matter. I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness."
The angel gasps. "Selfishness? Is that a virtue?"
God nods. "If she cannot separate herself from the child occasionally, she will never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with less than perfect."
"She does not realize it yet, but she is to be envied. I will permit her to see clearly the things I see .... ignorance, cruelty, prejudice ... and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as if she is here by my side."
"And what about her patron saint?" asks the angel,his pen poised in mid air.
God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
WOO HOO WOJO
How exciting to see my friend, Bernadette Casey, in the Dompost and also on the TVNZ news tonight.
Bernadette and Sally Shanks own The Formary. I describe them as designers who are saving the earth.
This from their website:
We decided to do it another way…
Moving from designing and producing home wares and furniture to using our specialised knowledge and decades of expertise to meet the demand for workable solutions for the vast amounts of commercial waste generated each year.
Our team of designers, from textile to industrial, in collaboration with our materials engineer now work with industries world wide, providing assistance through de-production processes and extending the useable life of waste products through clever and thoughtful redesign.
Today's big news from their website is this:
Starbucks store interiors are being further enhanced by a revolutionary new textile made from natural and renewable raw materials. Created by The Formary, a New Zealand based design company, using a unique, upcycling process, Starbucks coffee sacks are combined with wool resulting in a new sustainable textile called “WoJo”.
Wojo will be used to upholster seating in Starbucks all around the world.
(photo by Starbucks)
Don't you love that?
Bernadette and Sally Shanks own The Formary. I describe them as designers who are saving the earth.
This from their website:
We decided to do it another way…
Moving from designing and producing home wares and furniture to using our specialised knowledge and decades of expertise to meet the demand for workable solutions for the vast amounts of commercial waste generated each year.
Our team of designers, from textile to industrial, in collaboration with our materials engineer now work with industries world wide, providing assistance through de-production processes and extending the useable life of waste products through clever and thoughtful redesign.
Today's big news from their website is this:
Starbucks store interiors are being further enhanced by a revolutionary new textile made from natural and renewable raw materials. Created by The Formary, a New Zealand based design company, using a unique, upcycling process, Starbucks coffee sacks are combined with wool resulting in a new sustainable textile called “WoJo”.
Wojo will be used to upholster seating in Starbucks all around the world.
(photo by Starbucks)
Don't you love that?
Thursday, September 30, 2010
BLOGOSPHERE BOOK CIRCLE -September
September Book: The Lacuna
Author: Barbara Kingsolver
Didn't read it. Got it from the library. No time. Didn't perservere with it. Took it back.Story of my life this year.
Epic fail.
Author: Barbara Kingsolver
Didn't read it. Got it from the library. No time. Didn't perservere with it. Took it back.Story of my life this year.
Epic fail.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
A HONEY!
Today I received an unexpected courier package. A big basket of beautiful products from Aratiki Honey.
A recipe I entered in an Aratiki promotion was a winner.
Here it is below...
SPICY HONEY NUTS
Ingredients
• 2 1/2 cups mixed raw nuts - almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, peanuts (anything you have)
• 1/2 cup mixed seeds - sunflowers, pumpkin
• 1 egg white
1/4 cup honey
• 1 Tbsp Chinese five spice powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• salt
Method:
Beat an egg white in a large bowl. Add to thenuts and seeds and mix til nuts are coated.
Heat the honey in the microwave (or in a small pot on the stove) until warm and runny.Add the spices and mix.
Pour the honey and spice mixture over the nuts and seeds, stir well, then place in a roasting tray which has been lined with baking paper.
Bake in the oven (180°C)for 15 minutes. Stir then bake for 5 more minutes until golden and crisp.
Cool. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Maybe I truly am a domestic goddess?
A recipe I entered in an Aratiki promotion was a winner.
Here it is below...
SPICY HONEY NUTS
Ingredients
• 2 1/2 cups mixed raw nuts - almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, peanuts (anything you have)
• 1/2 cup mixed seeds - sunflowers, pumpkin
• 1 egg white
1/4 cup honey
• 1 Tbsp Chinese five spice powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• salt
Method:
Beat an egg white in a large bowl. Add to thenuts and seeds and mix til nuts are coated.
Heat the honey in the microwave (or in a small pot on the stove) until warm and runny.Add the spices and mix.
Pour the honey and spice mixture over the nuts and seeds, stir well, then place in a roasting tray which has been lined with baking paper.
Bake in the oven (180°C)for 15 minutes. Stir then bake for 5 more minutes until golden and crisp.
Cool. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Maybe I truly am a domestic goddess?
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Hmmm...
A full month since I last blogged.
Questions:
Is anyone out there in blogland?
Does anyone blog anymore?
Does anyone read them?
I'm not sure I have anything left to say.
I''ll be over at Facebook for a while til I get my blogging mojo back...
Questions:
Is anyone out there in blogland?
Does anyone blog anymore?
Does anyone read them?
I'm not sure I have anything left to say.
I''ll be over at Facebook for a while til I get my blogging mojo back...
Thursday, August 12, 2010
BLOGOSPHERE BOOK CIRCLE - AUGUST BOOK
August Book: Novel About my wife
Author: Emily Perkins
"Tom Stone, skinnyish, fortyish, English, is madly in love with his wife Ann, an Australian in self-imposed exile in London. Expecting their first child, they buy a semi-derelict house in Hackney. They believe this their settled future, despite Tom's stalling career and their spiralling money troubles." -from the back cover.
It doesn't take long to work out that the 'novel' refers to the husband's efforts to tell the story of what leads to his wife's death although it seemed to me that he actually didn't always understand her very well. And neither did I. When Ann becomes convinced she is being followed/stalked by a strange man it's never clear whether this is a real person or a vision created by some pyschosis (maybe brought on by her somewhat non-mainstream previous lives). But this is all part of the intrigue of the book.
The only slightly jarring aspect for me was that the book was written in Tom's voice.I kept thinking that Emily Perkins is a woman and wondered how difficult it might be for a woman writer to think/write like a man. This distracted me at times from the story. It seemed like a woman was talking the whole time.
However it was a great read. Ann was complex and compelling character.It moved quickly and the other minor characters were interesting.
Melissa's rating: 7 out of 10
Author: Emily Perkins
"Tom Stone, skinnyish, fortyish, English, is madly in love with his wife Ann, an Australian in self-imposed exile in London. Expecting their first child, they buy a semi-derelict house in Hackney. They believe this their settled future, despite Tom's stalling career and their spiralling money troubles." -from the back cover.
It doesn't take long to work out that the 'novel' refers to the husband's efforts to tell the story of what leads to his wife's death although it seemed to me that he actually didn't always understand her very well. And neither did I. When Ann becomes convinced she is being followed/stalked by a strange man it's never clear whether this is a real person or a vision created by some pyschosis (maybe brought on by her somewhat non-mainstream previous lives). But this is all part of the intrigue of the book.
The only slightly jarring aspect for me was that the book was written in Tom's voice.I kept thinking that Emily Perkins is a woman and wondered how difficult it might be for a woman writer to think/write like a man. This distracted me at times from the story. It seemed like a woman was talking the whole time.
However it was a great read. Ann was complex and compelling character.It moved quickly and the other minor characters were interesting.
Melissa's rating: 7 out of 10
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