Travellin' Penguin

The Blurb

One summer evening in the town of East Gladness, Connecticut, nineteen-year-old Hai stands on a bridge, ready to jump, when he hears someone shout across the river. The voice belongs to Grazina, an elderly widow succumbing to dementia. Over the course of the year, the unlikely pair develops a life-altering bond.

The Emperor of Gladness shows the profound ways in which our lives are changed by the most unexpected of people. When Hai takes a job at a diner to support himself and Grazina, his fellow workers become the family he didn’t expect to find. United by desperation and circumstance, and existing on the fringes of society, together they bear witness to each other’s survival.

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Eighty year old Grazina is such a character and the stories she tells of her past when her dementia kicks in are both touching and hilarious. Hai is a beautiful young man but has a secret from his mother that prevents him going home so he lives with Grazina. He works in a diner with more people who live on the edges of society, each with their own story. I love this book.

What’s happened this week? Well, my neighbour’s sister and her daughter arrived in Hobart to arrange everything for D’s funeral, which is private.

We had them over later in the week for afternoon tea and heard some wonderful stories of their family and some South Hobart history. They also knew the people who built the house we live in. We heard all about them. We are only the second occupants of this house and have been here since 1989. So that was fun.

There is a wake in our local pub for D next week. It will be a small gathering but I am happy there will be something. Then the sisters fly back to Victoria and that is that. Life may get back to normal though who knows what that means.

On the other hand look who ventured out of her room, got over her gate and visited me while I sat in my reading chair and read. I was so surprised to see Pickles. She is now ok with our cats. To my surprise, Eddie and Grizzy pretty much ignore her. Our little girl dog, Peanut (Peanny) is very caring towards Pickles. Ollie wants to play so he is still on a leash around her. Even more so he wants to play with Pickles’s toy mice. He is a Jack Russell after all.

MORE BOOKISH INFO

On another note my friend and I went to the Fullers launch by Adam Ouston and Richard Flanagan who have launched the first literary publisher in the history of Tasmania called Evercreech. They want to publish new authors not only in Tasmania but from anywhere they find good books and authors. It is all very exciting.

The book launched was Konrad Muller’s ‘My Heart at Evening’, the first book published by new Tasmanian literary publisher, Evercreech Editions. Konrad will be in-conversation with Geordie Williamson, and Adam was there to say a few words about Evercreech. Set on Tasmania’s remote northwest coast in the early 19th century, My Heart at Evening recreates the final days of colonial surveyor, artist and amateur botanist Henry Hellyer, whose 1832 suicide left many questions unanswered. The story is told by several perspectives and I understand it is quite a mystery.

Fullers was packed with more than 80 people, standing room only and it was a wonderful evening.

PHOTOGRAPHY?

Cousin Eddie makes a good prop.

Yes, I’ll be kicking it off again in another week or so. I have a street photography project book that has 124 pages of assignments of what to look for when going out with a camera. I’m going to get the random generator out and see what it chooses for me to do. I’ll be sure to share the photo with you as I go. I may mix it up with some landscape photography here and there as we all know too much of any one thing gets stale. Some examples from SNAP! are:

Zoom In

Follow the Light

Go where noone else goes

Immerse yourself in the daily routine

It should be fun and interesting as some of the topics are quite difficult to look for and find, then get a photo that actually comes out!

The first one I’m starting with, not this week but next is No 33- Zoom Out! It reads Step back! Open up a wider perspective by moving the attention from the details to the whole. This one should be a good start as it;s not too hard.

That’s it now until the next time. Have a good week.

We have had a sunny week in Hobart. I’ve been out a few times and I have noticed the days are getting longer. There are also some daffodils popping up around the place. I never mind the chilliness of our winters as we only have snow on the higher peaks around us but I don’t like the early dark.

I like a few comfort books thrown into the mix. Between reading photography magazines, journaling, creating a commonplace book and going to my exercise classes the days pass quickly.

I also took some things to auction that have been tucked away in drawers and cupboards. I had a set of four 30 year old Le Cruset pans that don’t work on our induction stove top as they are not magnetic. I understand the new ones are but I don’t need them. They sold at auction for over $500 which floored me. I also had some old jewelry that went at auction as well.

The book I tucked myself away with for a couple of evenings was Bookish by Lucy Mangan.

Good Reads explains it as:

From exploring the stacks as a student, to finding her feet as a bookseller-turned-journalist, falling for a fellow bookworm in an independent bookshop, escaping the doldrums of new motherhood and finally building a (book) room of her own, Bookish is the story of a life spent falling in love with reading. Bookworm author Lucy Mangan chronicles her years of buying, borrowing and hoarding everything from well-worn literary classics to steamy bonkbusters, gripping thrillers, young adult novels and other not-so-guilty pleasures.

Brimming with literary insights, wry observations and stellar recommendations, this book is an ode to the bookish places – from local libraries to bookstores big and small – and the stories that make us who we are.

I really liked her reference to book snobs. We all know one. The one that goes tut, tut when she (usually), hears about you reading a book by James Patterson or Jacqui Collins. We all need variety in our life so they just need to back off. I have enjoyed this book and it has been lovely to share with a hot chocolate and polar fleece robe on an early dark, winter’s night.

I also finished reading a book last week called Bliss(ters) by Gail Francis. The book chronicled her hike on the Pacific Crest trail from Mexico to Canada. It was an interesting book but not he most exciting travel book I’ve read. I did enjoy hearing her talk about all the friends and other people she met along the trail. Some were quite funny and certainly had varied habits.

A Little Surprise

I am sharing a photo that was posted up on the Fullers Book shop Facebook page this week. This is a sketch of the shop from 1928! It was given to them this past week by a member of the community. The shop has been open now for 105 consecutive years. Just amazing.

So- what else is new?

Pickles is continuing to settle into our household though she remains in her room. We have opened the door though. She is under supervision as the dogs have met her. Peanny is sweet about it and even gave Pickles a quick kiss on the nose without getting slapped. Ollie, being a Jack Russell will take a bit more watching. He is curious but very boisterous and I imagine he will be the first household member to get the claws, besides me.

I finally got a quick photo of her. Once Ollie worked out he couldn’t chase her, he left the room with one of her toys.

To wrap up: I have not forgotten my photography and I will be back soon with some photos of Bruny Island. The Japan photography workshop is coming up end of October but more on that later.

Closer to home I walked past the Hobart Geographica shop the other day. They have many beautiful travel books and maps and these two books were in the window. I would really like to read them as I love travel writing so much.

These look very inviting. Well, I guess that brings this to the end of another week. I hope all of you have a good week and see you next week!

Bye for now …🌻❤️🌻

“He who this book tears or steals, God send him the black sickness of hell.”

These people did not mess around with the theft of a book all these years ago. I found this curse in a little book I picked up not long ago called: Book Curses by Eleanor Baker. I have to say though I do own a few books I feel this way about. I imagine my bookish friends do also.

This book is full of very disturbing quotes found in literature from over the years.

The blurb on the back states:

Have you ever wanted to protect your books from forgetful borrowers, merciless page-folders or outright thieves? Perhaps you have even wished harm on those that have damaged your books, but would you threaten them with hellfire, hanging or the plague?

This book contains a collection of some of the most ferocious and humorous book curses ever inscribed. Here you will find an engaging introduction to the history and development of the book curse and perhaps some inspiration to pen a few of your own.

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My book of the week.

I finished an interesting book that was recommended by a friend who enjoyed it. The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer. This is a book I would probably not have picked up but it isn’t exceedingly long and the topic is a bit different to what I normally read. Clover lives in New York City and she is a death doula. A death doula (a term I was not familiar with) is someone who spends a dying person’s last days with them. Clover had difficulty getting over the death of her grandfather who raised her after a boating accident killed her parents when young. She was travelling in Cambodia when he died and she felt bad he had died alone. She sits with people who are alone and have no family or friends anymore.

One night she meets a young man named Sebastian at a death cafe. These cafes have popped up around the place, including one I heard about here in Hobart.

People gather over a coffee and discuss death. Sebastian’s beloved grandmother is dying. She had been a successful photographer in her past and there was an old love interest that also popped up. Clover begins visiting his grandmother as Sebastian’s family were a family that definitely wouldn’t discuss death and Sebastian felt the need to talk about it. Therefore the death cafe visits. Clover becomes friends with the woman and from there a mystery develops. More characters enter the picture and the story branches out from there in a few different directions. I really enjoyed this book. It sounds morbid but I did not find that at all. I really cared about the characters and think I will remember them for a long time. It has a lot of uplifting discussions as well as a few around dying.

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Another week of life here. This week was a very busy week. If you read my last post you will know about our friend and neighbours cat. Pickles, who we have, so far, agreed to adopt. For those who have not read last week’s post, our friend has gone into palliative care.

Over the course of Monday and Tuesday we went to the house and caught Pickles and set her up in a spare room. I had to get a big litter tray the dogs can’t get into and picked up some of her things from the house that had her scent on it. I also checked with my veterinarian friend and googled how to transfer an adult cat to two adult cats that we own. We don’t want fights and spraying all over the house.

Pickles has lived indoors as do ours and only ever known one person. She was quite terrified. The first few days did involve band aids.

The vet suggested using a Feliway diffuser that will calm her. It seems to work. After almost a week she is letting me pet her as long as I don’t make any sudden moves. She has a nice big boxed in bed she retreats to. The goal will be to get her out of it of her own accord. Baby steps.

Our vet friend has told us to keep her isolated in her own room for 3 weeks. Next week we will begin exchanging scents from our cats to her and vice versa. We will use Feliway spray on everyone. Humans can’t smell it but cats can. Our vet uses it in her kennels at the practice. The next step after that will be putting our 2 dogs and 2 cats in a separate room and let Pickles explore the house by herself. Hopefully we will continue to make progress. I don’t have a photo of her yet but hopefully soon.

In the meantime I have visited the hospital several times over the week to visit her owner and let her know Pickles is okay and to let her know we will give her a good home. It is all very sad as our friend doesn’t have much time left. She is also quite alone as family aren’t coming from the mainland.

Of all the times I could have read a book about a death doula. The Dalai Lama says when one needs to learn something a teacher will appear. I have always believed this as it has been true for me several times in my life.

But it is not all gloom and doom. On Thursday I spent a lovely lunch at a popular pub with 12 friends from my senior group. Then in the evening three of us saw the Jane Austen play Emma that was excellent. I also had coffee with a friend one morning and we talked about everything life related and then watching a couple of hilarious comedians on Instagram! I believe one needs to create a balance when sad events happen because laughter seems to blot out tears. I am journaling this week too. Thoughts in one journal and fun things in my junk journal.

That brings you up to date on another week so stay tuned. Keep that balance in your life too. Sometimes you need to work at it.

Stay sane🌻🌻🌻

Always look for the unique and beauty in the world.

photo PS Parks (travellinpenguin)