Suburban Lush

Book Review - Three Cups of Tea

Author: Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin

Published: 2006 by Viking Penguin

Blurb: In 1993, after a terrifying and disastrous attempt to climb K2, a mountaineer called Greg Mortenson drifted, cold and dehydrated, into an impoverished Pakistan villages in the Karakoram Mountains. Moved by the inhabitants' kindness, he promised to return and build a school. Three Cups of Tea is the story of that promise and its extraordinary outcome. Over the next decade Mortenson built not just one but fifty-five schools in remote villages across the forbidding and breathtaking landscape of Pakistan and Afghanistan, just as the Taliban rose to power. His story is at once a riveting adventure and a testament to the power of the humanitarian spirit.

My two cents: An interesting and inspirational book without being preachy. Well written and a good read. I was particularly interested in the suggestions on how to help at the end of the book - a nice touch without being a demand for money.

Glenarm to Linford & return to Glenarm via Glenarm Forest

I went for a hike today - 26km! So yes, I'm somewhat shattered now, and drunk on one gin and tonic and two sips of wine.

The walk started out at sea-level in Glenarm, one of the nine Glens of Antrim. The first leg was steep, and on road, before we headed up through a (still steep!) field of gorse. Once we reached the plateau, the terrain was undulating. Over styles and across fields, we were ready for lunch by the time we got there. After lunch we were given the choice o doing the full day, or a half day, and more than half of the group opted for the shorter option and headed home. The remaining six headed up the road (at quite a pace, I must say). After a couple of kms we turned off the road and headed down a country road, before hopping over a barbed wire fence and heading through a lovely trackless forest. We finally reached a path through the forest, and followed it past glorious views of Glenarm Castle and back to the car.

The weather wasn't great, with hail and gale-force winds. However it wasn't awful all the time, and we had some lovely moments and the hail was only in showers. The kind of day where you are pleased with your achievement but happy to get home at the end of the day for a hot shower and a hot dinner.

List This Week

This week I have:

• Had buffalo wings and a jalapeno burger at Chilis

• Watched the turning on of the Belfast Christmas lights

• Drunk Guinness

• Went to two spin classes

• Had Bratwurst (twice), hot chocolate, and mulled wine at the continental markets

• Started Christmas shopping

• Went for a swim

A Photo Essay

In May this year, my one and only sister, Wombat, and her husband, Skippy, had a darling little boy, Munchkin (while my brother-in-law may hate me for giving him an Australian nickname, I'm pretty sure he'd go all Charlie Manson on me if I gave his darling son an Aussie nickname, so Munchkin it is).

Anyway, Munchkin recently had his first meal, and here's how it went:

 

nom nom nom

 

mmmm tasty spoon

 

Burp

Is it just me, or does he look slightly concerned? Also, this looks messy - kinda glad I live on the other side of the world!

Greased Rats

While my Mom was visiting, she introduced me to one of the joys of her youth - greased rats.

Mom went to a British boarding school, and treats were in short supply. Desert was usually something along the lines of runny banana custard, but on special occasions greased rats were on offer.

Greased rats are store-bought sweet buns (tee hee hee), with white icing, split down the middle, and buttered both sides. Perfect with a cup of tea.

Guilty

I feel bad. I'm aware that recent posts are of a "been there done that" variety. And my Mom is visiting, which is lovely but unfortunately I don't have any time off work so my nights are jam-packed catching up with her, drinking wine, eating food, visiting pubs and family . . .

I'll try to get something interesting down next week. I have some food posts waiting to be written, and, while I haven't been doing anything exciting, I have been rather introspective, so possibly some insights into my soul will be on their way. You have been warned.

But for now its lovely hanging out with Mom - someone to make me cups of tea and gin & tonics. Although she has yet to change any money, so I've been paying for lunch and dinner - I'm sure its not supposed to be this way! Heading out now to catch up with some old family friends - so old I don't know them. Greg was best man at Mom and Dad's wedding - long before my time - so hopefully I will get to hear amusing stories of what my folks got up to in their younger days. But for now I will leave you with the lovely image that I had the other night: walking through the centre of Belfast, I come across a man peeing against a wall. He's wearing a very nice suit. And its 5 pm. I had to laugh.

Change and Inspiration

As the world holds its breath for the US elections and I’m blown away by how many people are avidly following it in the news. All seem to be far too aware that the fate of the United States will influence the fate of our own. And while many US citizens appear to be undecided, non-stop television coverage of the events have helped overseas non-voters carve their opinions, discussing them over coffee and business meetings, with friends and with colleagues. It’s probable that many hold stronger opinions about the election today than about elections in their own country, and its hard to remind ourselves that, whatever America chooses, its their choice, and we have no say in it.

I hope that whoever this next president may be, he will bring change, and inspiration – the ability to lead strongly and pull America out of its current crisis. I hope that relations between countries will hold strong, and new bonds formed. I hope above all, that this president will help to bring peace to the world, and speak for those who have no voice to speak for themselves.

Hallowe'en

I'm still recovering from the Halloween party we had on Friday night.

Our flatmates love Halloween and have a huge party every year. The house was decorated: Black bags over the walls and ceiling in the lounge, "blood" (actually a combination of red hair dye and red food coloring) in the bath and smeared over the bathroom walls, even the sunflowers were decorated with masks (check out the photos).

The theme was Heroes and Villains and everyone dressed up in impressive costumes - John was a ninja, I was Sarah Palin (take your pick as to whether I was a hero or a villain!), we had Poison Ivy, Bat Girl, witches, knights, pirates, Medusa, Marilyn Manson and many more including a cigarette carton whose costume was so big he couldn't get it in the door.

The party kicked off about 9pm on Friday, and the music was finally turned off at 10:15 the next morning. Not that I stayed up all that time!

The house and its occupants are still recovering, but it was a great night.