This is the worst holiday blog in the history of holiday blogs...I get a prize for that right???

In case you can't count this is only the second post I've done since starting my trip, my access to the interwebs has been sadly lacking. On the upside, I've been having a grand old time galavanting around the country side. While I didn't get to Monet's Gardens, we did have two days at Disneyland, after Versailles. Which turned out to be perfect as we got to go to both parks, I discovered a fave new ride (and have the photo to prove it!). It was a keister load busier this time around and would probably not go during June-July again. Although if you do stay at one of their hotels, you get two hours in the park before it opens to the plebs...unless of course you run into evil worker William, who won't let you in 'cause you don't have the other pass, 'cause that's with your cuj, who's already in the park, and besides *I* wanted to sit on a park bench for an hour anyway >.< rarrgh!!! Apart from that and a little incident where Jake and I got stuck on a ride it was awesome! I think I also own half of Disney's stores now, can't help myself, it's all so cute.

After Paris, we had a couple of days in London to rest up and visit some more family, which was lovely, both as we hadn't seen Uncle Bill for ages and I got to meet family I'd never met before and because we got to see some English countryside, we even went over the hill that is in the opening credits of Vicar of Dibley. After a quick rest it was off to Dublin. We stayed at Trinity College, which is brilliant, I got to see part of the Book of Kells, which is housed there. Words can't really describe it, that there is something that old, still in relatively good condition, the colours are still so vibrant and just imagining how difficult it would've been to get all the different coloured paints, (crushed beetles, copper, lapis luzuli, from Persia, the Mediterranean and Afghanistan). It would've been great to have seen more, but they only display one page of illuminations and one of text. With the other two books in a separate part of the student library.

I also got to walk through the old library, apparently it's the longest building of it's kind 65 yards(?) long. I was itching to get in there though as none of it's alphabetised, they're on the shelf big to little in genres and much of it's in Latin, so really, I wouldv'e been in a bit of a pickle - so good thing Wombat & I went to the Guinness factory instead! More on that later, I'm bushed and I've got to get some beauty sleep so I can convincingly sound like I know what the hell I'm talking about when we visit the Tates tomorrow.

Until next time auf wiedersehen lovelies.

C.

Bon Jour!

Well this is the first chance I've had to sit down and write a blog post, little or no interwebs makes Cathy a cranky girl. But I can't complain too much, I'm sitting in a Maccas in Versaille! We had a lovely day walking around the palace, we had lunch in the gardens, then hopped onto a mini train thingy to have a look at the gardens further out and at Marie-Antoinette's 'mini' house. Very stately and not quite so ever the top as the palace.

Yesterday we spent the afternoon at the Louvre, which was quite busy, as it's school holidays in Paris atm, but I mananged to see a tiny bit of it! There was the bone crushing visit to see Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. I only managed to walk through the galleries with the Spanish and Italian paintings, I saw a little bit of Egyptian statues, but the exhibit I wanted to see didn't start until the next day. I've got some great photos, but I'll have to wait to post them, as I need to buy a card reader, but trust me - there shall be photo's, oh yes there shall.

The night before that we visited Le Tour Eiffel, which I'm with SJP on this one, looks lovely lit up and we managed to time it right so we saw it all sparkly (nobody told me it was a Cullen!), but it was good to see it at night, as last year Asha and I saw it during the day.

Hopefully we get to visit Monet's gardens tomorrow, and if we have time pick up some tappas!! Fingers crossed it won't be too long before I get to post again, but until then stay classy Australia :)

C.

Cathy & Julia Part Duex

Well, Saturday nights French extravaganza didn't go quite according to plan, prtly because I was feeling lazy, but mostly as I've been sick. So I'm shooting for next weekend, as I feel marginally better.

Can I say I suck, I've just found this draft, which I started on 31st May last year, it's now 7th Dec 2011 and I don't think I made anything French - I didn't end up have the delcious french dinner.  On the plus side, perhaps since I now own both volumes of the cook book in question, I will actually get off my arse and make something from them once I move into my new place.

C.

No Longer Mine by Shiloh Walker

I was happily playing on the net on Sunday night, catching up on new book titles coming out and I found a most wonderful blog Leontine's Book Realm lots of lovely reviews and it was here that I found her review of No Longer Mine. So of course in this age of instant gratification I bought it from Amazon and in the twitch of a whisker there it was on my iPhone - imagine my delight! This was at 2 in the morning, I of course was going to be on my best behaviour and only read the first couple of chapters. That was before I started the story, once I started I didn't want to stop - I did at 5:30 in the morning, after I'd read the whole thing. Here's what all my fuss is about!

As usual, I've used the blurb from Amazon, cause Ima lazy biatch. This was purchased in ebook format, at the very affordable price of US $6.40.

One woman, one man, and a love that won't let either of them go.

Born on the wrong side of the tracks and dealt a fair share of hardship, Nikki Kline never gives up a fight. Even when her reason to keep going is ripped from her, Nikki tries desperately to hang on. But when the man who broke Nikki's heart comes back into her life she doesn't know how much she can take. Especially since that man seems determined to win back her damaged heart.

Wade Lightfoot is a man who knows he's made more mistakes than most. As much as he would like to repair the damage he's done to those he loves, Wade also knows there is no going back. But when he sets out to put things right the last thing he's prepared to find out is that he had a son. A son he'll never get the chance to meet.

When the truth is out and all the old wounds are bared, it seems impossible that Nikki and Wade will find their way back to each other. But true love is an undeniable force that even past hurts can't destroy.

This book has been previously published and has been revised from its original release.

Warning: This title contains heartbreaking tragedy, lies and deception, and a scorching passion that nothing can deny.

****Here Be Spoilers and my review :)****

What can I say, this book had me as soon as I started reading it, from the first chapter I was hooked. I think I spent the majority of the book with my hand on my chest, having a little cry every now and then, it's just that kinda book, a little bit dramatic I know, but the story got to me. In most romance stories, the main characters don't have quite so much angst to deal with. This story seems to be heavier in subject matter than usual, I know that you need something that needs to be resolved for the characters to move on and I think anyone reading this would be hard pressed to not be moved by the story.

Walker does this without being too sentimental, it's written with honesty and feeling. It's heartbreaking without being too superficial or sentimental. I was wondering what it would be like as Walker herself had said it wasn't her finest writing, but to be honest I didn't even notice and normally shit like that annoys me, but I was too busy loving it.

There were a few times when the characters made me cranky, I was wanting to slap Wade upside the head Gibbs style. The scene with Wade and Leanne at dinner when Wade hears about Jason's death was particulary difficult to read and I found it hard to like him at that point. And while Nikki's stubborness was frustrating at times, it was refreshing that she wasn't just another character that just 'gives in', which often happens in these types of stories.

Then again, I could handle Walker drawing out the teasey bits as it made it all the sweeter when they finally get together, even if it's not 100% outta love on both sides. And as sexy bits go it was rather sexy, although slightly tamer than what I've been reading lately. But it read real to me, it wasn't over the top, just two people rediscovering, in all their hot nekkid glory, what they've lost and could have again if they can forgive each other. (As an aside, what's up with all the car sex?? It's all up in my shit lately, I think the last 3 or 4 books I've read have had some auto loving - not in the creepy "Mmm hello exhaust pipe" kinda way, but in the "Lets christen the car"!!).

I do wish that there was more, I would've loved to have been able to explore Nikki and Wade's world more. To see where they went after the final chapter. One can dream, I would also love to see a story between Dylan (Nikki's older brother) and Kris (her editor), as there seemed to be a story there.

Overall, this book is of teh awesome, I've actually read it through again, twice. I love it when you find a book like that. It's only made me want to read more of Walker's books, which are on my ever increasing Mt. TBR, which is threatening to topple and crush me in my sleep. Bring it on for Fragile and Broken, I wants to read them. Now.

C.

P.S: FYI, I asked Walker if she was considering a sequel, with Dylan and Kris' story. And it's already out (and I had bought it the same night as NLM), colour me stupid!! So expect a review on Always Yours once I'm done. And yay! I don't have to wait to read it.

Cathy & Julia

Earlier on in the year I watched Julie & Julia, which I loved. For those living under a rock it's the story of Julie Powell who decides to cook all 536 recipes from Julia Child's Mastering the art of French Cooking, while blogging about it. On the flip side it tells the story of Julia Child's life at the beginning of her culinary career and throughout the creation and publication of her cookbook.

It was a fun movie, I thought Meryl Streep did a fantastic job and the delicious Stanley Tucci who played her husband. Amy Adams was great as Julie Powell. I loved her in Sunshine Cleaning also. I loved the scenes with Julie creating the recipes, but I have to admit that I enjoyed the Julia part of the movie more than the Julie. i haven't read the book (or much of the blog, I did have a play after I saw the movie, but Julie hasn't really added anything for a few years).

So all enthused, I've borrowed Volumes 1 & 2 of Mastering the art of French Cooking (no I'm NOT goind to be cooking every recipe), what I will be doing is have a French night, which I haven't done for ages. But I'll choose starters, main, dessert - the whole hog, just not turbacyducken style, there be slightly more class. While I'm attempting the madness, I'll try and take photos and post the recipes that I choose.

C.

I need minions and lots of them.

Well the shiny has officially worn off of uni. Now I'm all just hurry up and finish the semester already. Not that I'm not enjoying my subjects, I just shouldn't have chosen two. The good thing is that there's not a management text in sight! Joy :)
Apart from that I've been lazy, I need to post a gazillion book reviews, I've already read some great stuff this year, and happily only a couple of crap books. I've discoveredthe wonderful world of Kindle, with an iPhone app. It's great to be able to go anywhere and know that I've got a half dozen books to choose from. So much easier that carrying a bag full of books. But I gotta say, I still prefer having an actual book in my hands :) But what do you expect - I'm surrounded by books everyday.

It's been a busy couple of months, Sloppy nearly lost her other eye, (instead she got an eye lift!), which was way better than the alternative. I don't know what I'd do without my bundle of purr. So now she actually looks like her eye is open, which is kinda funny after 8 years of squinty face.

And because after all that stress, I'm giving myself some holidays! It's off to Europe again, this time with the family. This time I'll be spending more time in London, I'll also get to visit Ireland and the Oxygen Festival with Jake. I'm also looking forward to a week in Paris and where ever else my fancy feet feel like taking me. Looking forward to it.

Well that's it for tonight, You stay classy, San Diego.

C.

Hippy New Year (March is the new January!)

It's been awhile folks, how was the end of '09 for you? It's been that long I can hardly remember! Christmas was good, rather quiet, I stayed in Mildura, as the boys were over from the UK and it was Holly's Christening. Apart from that and eating WAY to much crap, not much happened - good Christmas all in all. New Year was celebrated with copious amounts of bubbles, a heart attack (Rustyn was introduced to sparklers - NEVER AGAIN!! Or at least until he is old and I can't see him playing with them), Scary!! He of course thought it was hilarious to chase everyone around with said sparkler.

But now I'm off to Office Works, gotta buy stuff for Uni, looking forward to this semester, I'm doing electives Children's Services and Marketing so it'll make a nice change to more Management subjects.

C.