The absent birthday cake and many books

[lathany]

End of the month, time to update.

• Birthday celebration - We travelled up to Cambridge last weekend for my mother-in-law's birthday. This became a weekend of food, of which the main event was the meal out in Cambridge (at Alimentum). I had "Broccoli soupe, blue cheese and almond croquette" which was yum, followed by "Roast locally shot pigeon, spiced pearl barley, fig jam" which was rather disappointing and I found I didn't like some of the pieces (heart, etc) and then "Chocolate fondant, ginger and caramel ice cream" which was nice, but I've had too many excellent chocolate desserts to rate this any higher. It was a good meal overall, though (I'm just rather picky about the sort of food I expect for some prices - that said, my mother-in-law paid). Before we left for the restaurant we had champagne and after we returned (to my sister-in-law's before going home) we had sparkling pink. The one downside is that we were travelling around by taxi and the taxi home apparently arrived and then left without the driver coming and knocking on the door and the company felt this was our fault for not standing in the street waiting (and we had to phone a different company). The Sunday was dinner with both sets of parents and the duo. Ryan was disappointed that there wasn't a birthday cake with candles, but otherwise it all went well. There was nearly a mutiny at the end of the weekend, when we told the duo they were heading homewards (school on Monday!), but we eventually got away without tears or tantrums.
• The House of Many Ways - This was Diana Wynne Jones' most recent publication and a sequel to Howl's Moving Castle and Castles in the Air. I rather liked it, but it was a long way from her best work. However the heroine was quite strong, even if Sophie and Howl dominated matters. Plus Peter seemed too insignificant a character, I wasn't quite sure what he was doing in the story despite much being made of him at the end.
• The Picture of Dorian Gray - I knew the plot, but still enjoyed it. It was fun to read with interesting characters, but occasionally got caught up in contemporary lists.
• The Diary of a Nobody - This was very Adrian Mole in a lot of ways (the characters were surprisingly similar, although the protagonist of Nobody had a grown-up son and no love life issues). The foreword commented on it being a demonstration Veblen's conspicuous consumption (the idea that you spend to show off your wealth) which amused me as I had only just finished studying this as part of my OU diploma.
• Supernatural - After a certain amount of hesitation, I watched the next three episodes (Wendigo, Dead in the Water and Phantom Traveler). These had nothing on the pilot for horror, which was a relief, but had a frustrating absence of main plot as well. We know no more than we did about the Big Bad and Family stuff than after the pilot. We're planning to go to the end of the first season - assuming we make it that far (we have the first two seasons), but if there's still no real movement, we'll call that our lot.
• From The Cellars Of Xanadu - The party stomped around on Mars in Mechs, then switched to a passenger ship (The Kestrel) waiting for pirates to show up whilst waiting to move through the Web Point to Sirius. So far, still going OK.

Now for the month of Valentines and pancakes.

Comments

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

you spend to show off your wealth

Specifically, you spend an extra number of crowns equal to your SL, to get +1 SP for the month.

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

Joining a club, or taking a mistress, might be better value. But not Mr Pooter's style perhaps.

Diana Wynne Jones

[a-llusive.livejournal.com]

The appallingly titled 'Deep Secret' I read recently (though it is somewhat older) was enjoyable.
I have been trying to avoid commenting on your efforts with Supernatural. All the best but don't expect much.