Tags: moose

Ealing

I woke up to a cat in the face. Reeve wanted his breakfast. At least there was purring.

I had lunch in Ealing with venta, chrestomancy and Chris C. There was a ham/gammon roast (we're not sure which). We then did Writers - our last one of 2018. However, we've already scheduled the first couple of months of 2019.

Now I'm writing my end of year entry. I'll finish it tomorrow, but as I've got other things on I thought I'd start it now.

Detroit: Become Human

I've been playing Detroit: Become Human. It's an interesting game; although I'm finding it hard enough on the easy/story mode! It's about making choices and finding clues. It's also about surviving the navigation system which seems clunky.

Chocky

For Birthday/Christmas, one of the things on Bea's list was a book. She wanted something she wouldn't normally read, a recommendation from me (she gets book recs and borrows from bateleur usually). This was rather hard. I've recommended and lent her things before. I know she isn't into romantic tales and so my previous suggestions have included The Screaming Staircase and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. However, she finished neither of those. (She's also struggling with Jane Eyre which someone bought for her, but I never thought that was a good idea...)

I discussed the prospect with bateleur and he suggested something decent, but that wasn't quite in the Literature Reading Lists department (I've got plenty of such things from my OU degree). So I ended up buying two books: Chocky and Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow, as one Christmas present. She's now read Chocky. (Note: For anyone who doesn't know it, it's a short book published in 1968 by John "Day of the Triffids" Wyndham about a child's interaction with their imaginary friend. There was a TV series or three based on it.)

To my relief - she liked it. I'm not sure she'll necessarily read more Wyndham, or even if it's a good idea, but I was pleased to finally recommend something she found readable. I also wonder if she'll finish the other book.

Xmas presents

Happy Christmas everyone! I've got many, lovely edibles and several new computer games (Martin bought me Mass Effect Andromeda, Detroit Become Human and Pillars of Eternity II) and two books (The Sudden Appearance of Hope from bateleur and The Ivy Tree from venta). Also, I might post about my main present from bateleur as it gets created.

Christmas dinner went very well - it helped that I prepared it whilst playing The Black Mages - a present from Krystyna from previous years.

A fireplace with stockings

The last, double window opened to show a fireplace with stockings. Overall, it's been a pretty, wildlife calendar. Not all that seasonal, but nice enough in its way.

Here's a picture of the finished Xmas cake.



I've finally finished all the wrapping and all the pre-Xmas preparations, I think. chrestomancy was over for a present exchange.

A snowman

Today I wrapped almost all the remaining presents. I finally put marzipan and icing on the Christmas cake. Plus we went for a walk in the nearby park.

And I got to see a familiar face from a computer game of long ago.



This is Nigel Danvers, protagonist of The Lost Crown. The sequel has been due out for nearly a decade. This isn't quite it - it's the first section of a mini-game that he's also worked on (called Silent Night), but it's good to see, all the same.

The advent window was a snowman. Actually Xmassy!

A bird feeder and two birds

It's the first day of my holiday and it still all feels rather strange. I need to get back into the habit of taking time out. This is the picture of the team cactus that I mentioned a few days ago.



A bird feeder and two birds was the advent window today.
Cake

A row of houses

Today was bateleur's birthday. I baked a cake - the chocolate cake recipe in the book I was given as a kid. It uses egg whites, ground almonds and lots of plain chocolate. It went down very well.

It's otherwise been pretty quiet. Working from home and not much going on.