Sunday Summary

Happy Mother's Day!

This week, I have mostly been...

Finishing 

My Goodreads review is here but to summarise: Meh.

Now reading

and about to start simu-reading

Walking

Today's Big 'Un took me on a neat if perilous little loop around the wilds of Woodhatch and Reigate, onto the little highways and byways alongside which no pavements are destined to run. (RIP the poor deer whose remains I spied in a gulley on Slipshatch Road at one point. Grim... Not that a deer sees the benefit of a footpath but nevertheless)

I'll say this for local drivers: sometimes they do bomb it down those lanes like they just don't care. But more often than not they'll slow and acknowledge you for stepping aside and for being a responsible walker (and walking facing traffic). And that gives me the warm fuzzies inside.

I took off my iPod the minute the pavement dropped away and as a result had a very quiet but mindful little yomp on the outskirts of the pretty little villages of Betchworth

{Betchworth Bridge}

and Buckland

(at which point I nearly fist-pumped the air when the pavement reappeared).

Clocked up 12.24 miles in 3 and a half hours. Not bad given all the hedgerow-hopping. And yes, that comedy wrong turn deviation I made before I'd even got out of Redhill.

Watching

House. Binge-watching would be a more accurate description (Netflix, you feeder, you). I began drafting this post from the tail-end of Series 5. I'm now three and a half eps into Series 6 and obsessed with the re-emergence of "Huddy" (that marvellous House-and-Cuddy sexual chemistry come to fruition).

How will it all pan out?!

Best I finish watching that episode, eh, just to put my mind at rest?

I've also been trying to get into Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, the new comedy (also on Netflix, darn it) about a girl released from an apocalypse cult who re-establishes herself in NY (yay to the NY backdrop) -- still trying to fully warm to it as it seems a leetle over-acted at times, but there are some great cameos and some great lines so maybe I'll persist.

Hanging out with Natalie

Yea verily, on Friday evening I got to spend some long-overdue, much-needed qualidee time with my beautiful bestest friend (who bears more than a passing resemblance to a younger Julianne Moore). We shopped for photo props (and twirling batons, and aviator glasses -- thank you, Nats, I love 'em!), made cocktails:

"Here's your Cosmo, miss..."

sang highlights from the Queer as Folk soundtrack very loudly to the amusement (very possibly) of my neighbours, made more cocktails (enter the Sexy Solero: Malibu and mango juice), cooked cremated pasta-with-tomato-and-mozzarella, subsequently set off the smoke alarm, put the world to rights in between the frivolity, and took a shedload of selfies (some with wigs and glasses to set off our inherent fabulosity, natch):

{"Livin' with my bitches #live"}

With requisite postmodern irony (because we're both in our thirties...) this tune became our theme de la nuit (on Spotify because there's a very rude word that pops up in the video!).

The shenans of the evening led to a great need for a Saturday-morning fry-up, and a local caff obliged.

{...need... coffee... and... carbs... now...}

Excellent start to the weekend? We nailed it.

Pinterest Pin of the Week 

...because I can't stay away from the boards at the moment:

via Pinterest | Ruche on Tumblr

Reminding you lovely people that, yes...

Want to write the Sunday Summary for me one week? Don't be shy. These size-five shoes are not so hard to fill. Drop me a comment on the quirky brunette's Facebook page if you're keen.


Weekly Weblinks

Literary Linkage

• Egmont shortlisted for Children's Publisher of the Year @ Bookseller Awards | {via The Bookseller} Yay!
• Why digital natives prefer reading in print | {via NYPL, @ Washington Post}
• New Margaret Atwood novel due in Autumn | {via The Bookseller}
• State investigators interview Harper Lee | {via The Bookseller} There is something very sad about this whole situation now...
• Virago acquires Shena Mackay memoir and backlist | {via The Bookseller} Mackay wrote this book:

• James Patterson to fund school libraries in US | {via The Bookseller}
• 40 Pieces of Jewellery for Book Lovers | {via Pulptastic} Thanks to Charlie for the link

The Great Gatsby West and East Egg necklaces | via Pulptastic

• Slightly less demanding cookery books | {via The Poke}

| via here

Non-literary Linkage

Only a couple this week...

• Great optical illusions by artist Rob Gonsalves | {via George Takei on Facebook}

| Rob Gonsalves

• Flippin' brilliant: The Archers, as depicted by Playmobil, ergo, The Plarchers | {on Twitter} Thanks to Ma QB for this one!

| Ambridge Synthetics on Twitter

Right, well, bits of me are protesting at sitting at this desk when they could be sprawled over a POÄNG armchair and footstool and rejuvenated with a ready-meal dinner and wine, so I'll 'op to it. The body wants what it wants.

Have splendid weeks, people.

#splendid

qb xx

Sunday Summary

Happy International Women's Day!

This week, I have mostly been...

Reading

is all I'll say. I just cannot connect emotionally with this book. I think the issue is that there's no conflict. Everything goes too swimmingly. Shame, because from a title that involved bookshops (squee!), I expected more.

Walking

I'm about to commence Week 5 of training for the London 2 Brighton Challenge, and my groove, my mojo, my stride, whatever was lacking when the Lurg was in residence, is properly back, babies! I'm wearing this badge with pride:

On Friday I changed up my normal Shepherds Bush—Clapham yomp with a segue – yes, friends, a segue, not to be confused with a Segway –

through Brompton Cemetery. And it was a gorgeous, mindful diversion (so mindful I even turned off my iPod) so I enjoyed a slightly slower, more contemplative meander through...

...before rejoining my normal route and heading off across the Battersea Bridge.

Then, yesterday I took the train (albeit a glacial service) down to Lancing, and walked for three hours to sunny busy Brighton. 12.15 miles were hitherto clocked up, which would explain the delightful niggling in my back and my heels.

And in spite of my preparatory plotting and scrupulous writing-out of directions, and very grown-up purchase of yet another OS Explorer map, somehow, somehow, I still managed to take a wrong turn on the outskirts of Shoreham-on-Sea, and end up in No-Man's-Land, or, that sticky-outy-dockyardy bit of Shoreham from where you just cannae get back onto the mainland without swimming. #fail

(All right, there may have been a bridge somewhere but I didn't spot it, mmkay?)

Kindly see below some photographic highlights. Incidentally, I can't help but wonder whether an imitation Go Pro or other hands-free recording device might save me time in stopping and taking photos along the way. I can't be doing that on the day but I know I'll spot things worth snapping. Hmm.

{Starting off in Lancing | Gorgeous day for it!}

{Lunch spot in Shoreham (after the deviation...), looking
over to where I'd gone so wrong...}

{Shoreham Harbour lighthouse}

{Surf Shop, dude! | Portslade}

{Beautiful beach huts at Hove}

{I'm here! It's the Pier!}

{Done, and done!}

In total it took me 3 hours 9 minutes (with stops discounted) from Lancing to Brighton, and would have taken less time had I not made that wrong turning. Still wiped me right out though.

The amount of time I spend training over the next two-and-a-half months (whaaat now?!) will only increase weekend by weekend until the 10-hour trek crux and the 100k walk itself.

So if I don't socialise on a Saturday night, or post the Summary on a Sunday, it's because I'm in a walk-coma and I'm issuing pre-emptive apologies for no-shows now.

Which brings me to ...

AN INVITATION!

YES! I am inviting you, my loyal readers, to contribute to the Sunday Summary as guest QBs on a one-off basis, when I'm too horizontal to function post-walk or walk-training.

(Quirky Redheads, Blondes and Raven-haired-ones also welcome to apply.)

Want to find out more? Drop me a comment on the quirky brunette's Facebook page.

Weekly Weblinks

Literary Linkage

• Transworld signs polemic by No More Page 3 founder | {via The Bookseller}
• Bookshops that understand the power of display | {via The Poke}
• Realistic children's book covers | some grossness, much greatness {via The Poke}

Non-literary Linkage

• IKEA unveils phone-charging furniture | Genius! {via the BBC}
• Also genius: The coffee mug with built-in grinder | {via the Daily Mail, via Julie}
• The art of before-and-after photos | {via the BBC magazine}
• Brilliant stock photos posed by Vince Vaughn and costars | These are for public use, apparently! {via AdWeek}

• 12 essential office health and safety tips | {via The Poke}

• Visit Britain posters improved by Yelp reviews | {via The Poke... again}

• Cows chase a remote controlled car | Bovine brilliance {via Evie}
• Llama Drama! Two llamas on the loose in Arizona | {also via Evie}

And finally...

• Here's Elsa from Frozen, singing Let it Go-at... {via Giphy}

...I'll get my coat.

Stay sunny, my friends.

qb xx

Sunday Summary

Thank you all for being lovely this past week and bit while I've been a disgusting, snotty mess with a voice that has teetered between old man, teenage boy and donkey (we're now onto Jo Whiley, which is nice), and a frankly annoying-as-chuff cough that just keeps giving. (Really, it shouldn't bother.)

The grimitude still lingers on but I'm vanquishing it by, well, ignoring it, largely, or suppressing it with Olbas oil and hope.

This week, then, aside from coughing like a decrepit old mule, I have mostly been...

Reading 

Walking

I'm definitely on the mend (praise be): I managed a 1-hour-20 yomp back to Clapham on Thursday and I didn't diiiiiiie. And then a 3-hour yomp round Reigate (9 miles, for the record):

{I like my routes to have an element of whimsy...}

And I'm still aliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive!

Today's route started at Reigate Station and took me all the way up Pilgrims' Way (veh veh nahce hoises... bit out of my life range), and up through the chalk paths onto the Reigate Hill path. Veh veh nahce views.

{Don't look doooooooown...}

{Selfie with crow's-feet. Fresh air ages me.}

I then trailed a bunch of very earnest walking families with dogs onto a hairpin bend of a path which leads up to this wondrous structure in one corner of the field (a topograph, I'm told):

{View from the top-ograph...}

{#Show me the way to go hooooome...#}

After a long muddy yomp through the Four Acre Wood (sadly not the Hundred Acre Wood...) I found myself on the periphery of Gatton Park again, took a weird turning, walked part way down Wray Lane and rejoined the Gatton walk I'd done previously, but in the opposite direction.

More mud ensued, but it was a gorgeous sunny noontide so no harm done! Plus I had the sticks. Oh, those wondrous Nordic Poles. Lifesavers, if I do say so yet again.

{Green and pleasant land, what-ho?}

{PIG!}

By the time I'd ambled around the park, dodged the traffic and then moseyed home via Wray Mill

then pottered into town to do a quick circuit of the Memorial Park to make up time, I'd clocked up three hours. Rah.

My body is making me well aware of this accomplishment now, though I was also carrying the additional weight of my newly acquired 2L hydration bladder (it's a water bottle, not a catheter, let's just clear that up right now).

By the by... if these accounts have served to convince you as to my dedication to the cause, you can still sponsor me to walk the London 2 Brighton Challenge here or by clicking on the Sponsor Me link in the right sidebar of this blog page. #shamelessplug

Singing "Some day my prints will come"

...in tribute to having ordered £25 worth (eek!) of prints of my NYC photos. Actually, no, that doesn't really elicit an Eek reaction. The NY trip in September last year was a Bucket List item well and truly ticked, and I'm just sorry it's taken me up until now (over five months, what?!) to get my derriere in gear to start properly scrapbooking the whole experience.

{this one's going to be an enlargement,
to be framed!}

And since online photobooks are just too fiddly to assemble and don't really allow for the inclusion of souvenirs, I'm going back to dead trees and glue.

{the excellent travel journal
of Kondo Yoshi, via Pinterest}

Falling ever so slightly in love...

...with Lady Gaga. And here's for why: her blinkin' astounding performance of a Sound of Music medley at the Oscars last weekend:

As my friend AJ so rightly commented, she's wasted in pop. (Ditto Nicole Scherzinger, for that matter although actually Gaga surprised me more.)

Thanks to gorgeous Glenda for posting the Lady Gaga video on Facebook -- it pretty much made my week. Fallen Madonna who now?

{The internet is superb, isn't it?}

Weekly Weblinks

Literary Linkage

• National Book Tokens launches eBook gift card | See, that's just...

{I love this man. #justsaying}

• Why are so many adults reading YA? | Because it's an intelligent genre, maybe? Or we're regressing...
• Dahl and Kinney most read by UK school pupils
• Egmont rebrands Michelle Magorian titles | and they look beautiful

• US publisher Lerner acquires Egmont USA list
• Film adaptation on cards for Where'd You Go Bernadette
• 20 fabulous bookmarks | Thanks to Emma J for sharing

{Hungry hippos!}

• Waterstones recommendations are just getting weird | Bit rude. Still entertaining. 

Non-literary Linkage

• Young children must be protected from ingrained gender stereotypes
• The girl who gets gifts from birds | This is magical
• The Owl Bar: the next hip London thing...?

{Darwin thinks you've had one too many mojitos already...}

• Greedy possum! | Photoshopped? Maybe. (This is from the Daily Fail, nuff said.) Adorbs? Fo' sho'.

"Dude, stick a fork in me, I'm so done... Urrrrrrrrrrrrrrp."

And finally, to play us out...

• LOVE this tribute to 80s teen movies:

On that note, I'm off to dust off my pixie boots and dance off my distaste for adult authority. (Or maybe just watch that Gaga video again.)

Bye-zee-bye!

qb xx