You know it's winter when ...

... you find a cat-sized lump under the doona in the middle of the day.

Lindfield, 6pm: GOLD!

These Year 5 & 6 kids all complain about their silky Concert Band shirts, but they look fabulous on stage.

But fashion horrors were all put aside by these 10-12 year olds when they heard that they were awarded Gold at the Yamaha Music Festival this evening.

Our Blossom is one of the blurry over-exposed clarinetists in the second row. You can't see her, but she's there somewhere.

Bondi 2pm

Gosh, winter in Sydney is tough.

Eleven: The birthday questionnaire

Blossom is eleven today!

The Birthday Questionnaire

Years ago I started to ask Blossom a series of questions on her birthday with the hope that I'd keep them for posterity. However, like many of my ideas, I never followed through and have no idea where the other lists are. Now, at least, I can post this list to cyberspace where it will float for all eternity...

(for last year's questionnaire, see here)

How old are you? Eleven

What is your favourite colour? Silver

What is your favourite animal? Polar Bear

What is your favourite food? Spag Bol and Avocado/Tomato/Hummus Bruschetta

What is your favourite drink? Banana Smoothie

What do you want to be when you grow up? Author

Where is your favourite place to visit on Holidays? Vail

What is your favourite subject at school? Art, Sport and Science

What subject to you like the least at school? Maths

Favourite book that you've finished reading? The Dragon Keeper series

Favourite TV show? Avatar, iCarly and Phineas & Ferb

Favourite board game? Cluedo and Trivial Pursuit

Favourite music? Classical

What makes you giggle the most? My friends

If you could travel overseas where would you go? Val d'Isere, France

What is your favourite car? Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Audi

What is your favourite item of clothing? My Felix the Cat jumper.

Methinks this little author had better write a bestseller to afford those cars and that trip to France!

Happy Birthday Blossom!

Favourite Books

This month my bookgroup has decided not to review a book. Instead we will talk about our favourite book or books. Members can bring their favourite book, or give a list of 5 or 10 favourites or simply talk about a book that influenced their thinking or that made an impact of some kind.

Some years ago my Melbourne bookgroup did this. It was fascinating to hear about the books that made it to each member's favourite pile and the reasons for it.

Over the last week I've been thinking about the books that make it to my current top 10. I say current because my top 10 changes regularly, and this top 10 is vastly different from the top 10 I presented all those years back in Melbourne.

This month my top 10 represents books I loved at the time and which I would both recommend to others and want to read again.

In no particular order

Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C Clarke

How do Humans react when they first encounter an object floating in space that has clearly not been made on Earth?

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

Such a toss up between this and Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. One a rise in social position, the other a fall from grace. I chose the fall from grace.

Little Altars Everywhere by Rebecca Wells

The prequel to Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood. And, oh, so much better. I so hope you didn't bother with the movie...

The Long Ships by Frans G Bengtssen

A rollicking saga of the viking age. Published in 1952 this is both hillarious and illuminating.

Foundation by Isaac Asimov

A group of scientists seek to preserve knowledge as the civilizations around them start to regress.

Cautionary Verses by Hillaire Belloc

The story of Jim who ran away from his Nurse and was eaten by a Lion and other fabulous verses are a staple from my childhood and best read with an English accent. I hear Stephen Fry has recorded the verses. He would be excellent.

The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkein

Hobbits on a mission to destroy a ring. Seriously, this hardly needs an introduction. A complete classic which the movies, while excellent, hardly touched in any meaningful way.

The Secret River by Kate Grenville

The story of Kate's convict ancestor, Sam Wiseman, disguised as William Thornhill. The story of convict settlement on the Hawkesbury River north of Sydney at the very beginning of white settlement in Australia. Does not pull punches.

Jonathon Strange & Mr Norell by Sussanah Clarke

An alternate reality where magicians really existed as a once-respectable profession in 18th and 19th century England. No cloaks and wands in this one. But at over 1000 pages leave it for the holidays.

Carpentaria by Alexis Wright

Oh man, this book is so amazing. A saga of indigenous Australia set in the Gulf of Carpentaria and starring the North of Australia. Written in the style of indigenous story telling this book took me 240 of its 520 pages to 'get' but once I got it I loved it and then re-read it straight away. It's one of the few books I have full of yellow post-it notes.

I always worry when I put together such a list that I have forgotten a long lost book that I love. But no matter, it can always go on next year's list.

How about you? Anyone else want to share a favourite book?