Royal Wedding

So, I was pretty non-fussed about the Royal Wedding before today. But as I settled to my breakfast, thinking idly that I would just watch the coverage for the next 20 minutes, I was captivated. I watched it for about 3 hours. I laughed. I cried. I had forgotten a central facet of myself.

I love weddings, most ardently. 

I cry at any and all weddings, up to and including the wedding on Glee, the impending BT advert wedding, the wedding in any book I've ever read. I love weddings. And Will and Kate's was beautiful, romantic and wholly, unashamedly British, in the most natural sense.


I'll leave you with this image, soon to be plastered across every website, newspaper and romantic's psyche for evermore. I challenge you not to well up.

Lovely.


Lizi xxx

Harry Potter and the Order of the Frickin' Phoenix

So, I know, either you're like, 'yeah, I've read that loads of times, the plot is inscribed upon my heart and will be inextricably linked to my childhood, I have a Harry Potter tattoo, why are you writing about it?' or 'you're a grown-up, why are you reading Harry Potter?'.


If you fall into the latter category, you may as well leave now. Go on, make like a tree. Also, we probably can't be friends.

Are they gone? Are we safe?


I love Harry Potter. I read the books when I need something comforting, familiar and amazingly entertaining. Some people have teddies or keepsakes that comfort them, I have books and the Harry Potter series included in there. Sure, it's less cuddleable, but in terms of pure escapism, it can't be beat.


The Order of the Phoenix is the first of the darker, more ominous Potter books and the point where the reader starts to worry about what's going to happen at the end of the series. The foreshadowing throughout all of the novels, but especially this one, is subtle and underlies much of the minor events of the plot. This interweaving is one of my favourite things about J.K. Rowling's writing style; every time I read one of the books I discover something else that I hadn't noticed before.

In terms of characterisation, it's also the point where Ginny, Neville and Luna really come into the story and become main characters. Neville is my favourite character in the books (Ron takes the biscuit in the films, but that's another story) because he's got the charming vulnerability yet tenacity of the underdog. 


Neville's backstory also comes to the fore in the Order of the Phoenix and makes not empathising with his character impossible but he is still providing the comic relief that has been a part of his role throughout the series.


I think this is the Potter book that I've read the most times and, having just finished it again, I already want to go back to the beginning. 


Have a lovely long weekend!


Lizi xxxx

Hard Times

by Charle Dickens


So, I read this book. This shouldn't really come as a surprise seeing as reading books is kinda my thing.  I recently finished this at the same time as finishing writing an essay about the changes to assessment in English laid out in the government's most recent white paper. They illuminated each other, to say the least.


I expected it to be difficult as pretty much everyone has told me that Dickens is, but, as I found with his other books I've read, this was a completely enjoyable page turner and hugely topical. 


The story revolves around Thomas Gradgrind, his family and acquaintances. Thomas Gradgrind believes, above all else, in the importance of facts. That is, until his daughter, who is highly educated in his 'system', falls into a crisis that brings Gradgrind to question his philosophy. Dicken's prose, though famously circuituous and with so many tangents you'd think you'd wandered into a maths nightmare, is enchanting, with a rhythm and security that wraps you up like a warm blanket. 


However, Dickens was 150 years before his time in terms of his message: a warning against the mistreatment of the environment and the humble and an admonition about the dangers of too much reliance on facts rather than 'fancy'.


Everybody even distantly involved in education should read this, especially Michael Gove.


Love


Lizi xx

Bundt

So, Bundt. It's a funny word. I like funny words. 


But it's more than a funny word, it is also a delicious cake. And if there's one thing I like more than funny words, it's delicious cakes.

This is the Lower Fat Deep Chocolate Bundt from Veganocomnicon. It has a depth of flavour born in the beautiful combination of coffee, chocolate and almond which creeps up on you as you one mouthful suddenly turns into the whole slice and your fork reaches for the plate only to find that it is empty. Is there any more disappointing moment? 

Who knows. 

All I know is that this cake is delightful, with a firm texture which will undoubtedly make it the perfect candidate for being taken to the library and eaten guiltily, avoiding the glares of the bottled water purists.

It's going to be a good week. 

Lizi xxx

So what happened was...

Right, let's start with an apology.


I wimped out of writing this blog, because I am a wimp. 


But... I've decided that with a few tweaks, this could actually be good.


So. I'm back. Bazow.


Lizi xx