I spent the week wading through
Wuthering Heights.
When I was a lot younger I plucked it off the bookshelf downstairs, (the same bookshelf that supplied material for my insatiable appetite for reading most of my childhood), read maybe the first chapter, and then tossed it aside, thoroughly and utterly confused. The old English, lengthy descriptive paragraphs, and odd colloquial accents, threw me off I guess.
However, being a "classic", its always been on my To Read list. I figured I would read it when I was older and could understand the big words. Well, I read it, but I'm not going to say I understood it all!
To be honest I was disappointed, because I really wanted to like it, but I just couldn't. I thought it was going to be a Pride & Prejudice-esque read, maybe requiring a little more concentration than your average story, but worth the time.
Instead there seemed to be little reason to like or sympathize with any of the characters, or become emotionally attached, since someone would drop dead every few chapters. They were all bad-tempered, spiteful, cruel, and prone to fits and rages. If they were pale, blond, and blue-eyed, they inevitably fell dangerously ill and cried all the time, and if they had dark hair, they were surly, strong, and silent. It was apparently a love story, but there was plenty more hating than loving in that book, let me tell you.
When it comes down to it, I plodded through the story just to say I had finished it. And I really don't understand what makes it so great.
Well, that is a work of dark Romantic Fiction from long ago. Fast forward to the present time, and you have the wildly popular "Twilight" series.
The first I heard of these was in Ireland...one of the girls in the church was reading them, and left them at my house one time. I didn't really know anything about them, and didn't even bother to take a peek inside. Then last summer the movie was announced, and then all of sudden "I Heart Edward Cullen" groups were popping up on Facebook like a bad case of acne. When the movie was released it was all the girls at school were talking about, and I still had no clue what the book was even about, beyond that the guy was apparently like, really hot, and the girl was like, really pretty, and they were like, really in love.
Ick.
But everyone assured me the book was really good, and everyone was comparing it to Harry Potter, which -not gonna lie here- I truly enjoy, and may have even obsessed over...in the past... ;)
For that reason alone, I didn't reject the book entirely, but merely relegated it to the "I'll probably read it someday" spot. I had no overwhelming urge to subject myself to a cheesy teenage romance; the movie trailer certainly did nothing to entice me.
The other day however, my
mom of all people, brought it home from the library. "To see what all the fuss is about".
Having just put myself through the painful ordeal of
Wuthering Heights, and having made no plans for the day, I decided a bit of fictional fluff might be in order.
An hour or two (!) later I was halfway through, and the pages were still turning.
Was I desperately bored, or hopelessly addicted?
I stayed up late to read, and made it to the brink of the climax before my aching eyes forced me to go to sleep. When I woke up, I had to find out what happened, and I finished it before 10 AM, ending on a cliffhanger of the sample first chapter from the sequel.
Now that it is done, I'm reflecting on whether or not I actually liked it, and what the allure is.
I'm a little perplexed. On one hand it was very addictive and exciting, but I'm left wondering exaclty why, since its also fairly predictable. As it is a series of 4, I think its pretty safe to assume that the main characters don't die in the first book. Having established character immunity early on takes a lot of suspense out of the plot.
The main character, Bella, I liked. The story is told in her first-person perspective, and her "voice" is entertaining and well-written. A real-ish heroine, she has plenty of faults, flaws, and feelings that the reader can (probably) relate to. Of course, there are always elements of the character that drive me insane, but I'm getting to that...
Its the romance...well, I can see how it appeals, but it is still painfully
fictional. What I mean by that is, its a classic case of truly-unexplainable-love-at-first-sight. Why
exactly do they love each other? Apparently she is like, so pretty, and smells
soooooo good, and he is like, so beautiful, and mysterious, and did I mention
beautiful???
Its so typically shallow. They are "deeply and irrevocably in love" a week into their acquaintance, and there's really no reason for it. Normally I could overlook that, except in this case its the basis of
the entire story.
It makes no sense. I'm reading their declarations of passion, and I'm thinking, "What the heck? Didn't you just meet?"
Maybe I'm just a cynical old fogey, and you just want me to shut up, and enjoy a girly romance. After, all these are precisely the reasons why its a best-seller, right? The target audience wants to be that shy, new girl that attracts the most handsome, unattainable, boy in school, and is immediately in a dangerous, exciting relationship. It doesn't happen in real life, so we read the book. Ok, cool. I get it. Its an escape, a fantasy, a fairytale. Its not supposed to be "realistic". But I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I don't truly enjoy a story of romance for the sake of romance. There's just not enough substance there. I'm left rolling my eyes, and groaning, "What
ever."
So, summing up: well written, sexy, and shallow...in all honesty, my opinion on the series hasn't changed all that much from what is was before I started. I would read the sequels for entertainment, but I don't really care enough about it to seek them out.
This whole weekend was a delight. Four whole days off...indescribably wonderful.
What did I do with my time? Well, beyond what you've read about the past 3 days, I've really done a whole lot of nothing!
I got some summer shopping done, and I watched a lot of tv, and the highlight was a quick visit from the Homewood director and his family on their way to Calgary. Very fun!
But other than that...well...
For as long as I can remember, I've had a weird fascination with mice.
Luckily, he was unhurt...though he did get a good dousing when Mike tried to rescue him with a rake and he fell off. And then he got catapulted over the fence into the yard. I didn't see him after that, but I hope he is ok, and that he lives a long and prosperous life...just not in our house.
We went to Drumheller once when I was younger, and I remember climbing up to Hoo Doos there, and it seemed very exotic.
Little did I know that we had our very own Hoo Doos right here in Kamloops!
Today I went out there to hike with my parents, Mike, and my friend Lin, from school. 
Lin is from Taiwan, and though she has lived in Kamloops for about 3 years, she's never really explored the area. It was fun to bring her out for the experience.
She is a good sport, and always up for any kind of adventure! 
There were a lot of cacti out and about! Every once in a while one would pounce on our unsuspecting legs...I have no idea how, but one thing was certain: it desired our flesh.
Mike had an unusual way of dealing with the threat. But what else is new.
They struck back with a vengeance.
There were a lot of tricky sections on our "trail". Sometimes it was really scary.
In the end we all survived, and it was a beautiful day. A great way to start the holiday!
Necessary materials for Tim Tam Slamming: Hot Chocolate, and Tim Tams
...but I wasn't exactly sure how to do that. So this weekend, I got the expert to teach me, and now I'm sharing that knowledge with you!
This may look like the Pioneer Woman set-up, but I'm definitely no Pioneer Woman. You'll see for yourself...
The recipe from my textbook makes a huge batch, and I wasn't exactly sure how much I wanted to do...so I just eyeballed it. Around 1 1/2 cups of Ricotta, probably. Lots of parm. The egg. And the seasonings. Mix 'em up. Pop it in the fridge until your pasta is done. Just say "NO" to salmonella poisoning!
I threw some cheddar in as an afterthought. I wanted a little more bite.
This also makes a large amount, so...ya, I guessed on this one too! Probably somewhere near a third of this recipe.
Flour, olive oil, salt, and egg! If you can find semolina sub it for half your flour. It makes a much nicer, and more professional product. Dump your flour (and semolina if you have it) on the table and make a well in the center. Crack your egg and toss it in there.
Bonjour Katie! She is demonstrating for us how to mix the egg. Start by beating just the egg with a fork. Then slowly start incorporating the flour by brushing the sides of the well as you beat. Don't forget to add about a tablespoon of olive oil to the egg at this point. I did.
It should begin to form a gooey dough.
Eventually you will have to get your hands dirty and give that goo a little press or two, until it holds together. Don't be like me and add waaaay too much flour. It makes it tough.
I don't own a pasta maker. Its a handy-dandy tool we use at school that reminds of me of those old-fashioned contraptions people would use to wring the water out of their wet laundry. Only at school we are squeezing pasta through it, not underwear.
When your pasta is nice and thin, like construction paper (?!), cut it into 4 inch squares. Or if you are completely angle-cutting deficient, just make irregular rectangles, like me!
Now here's the fun part! Get a cup of water and a pastry brush. Lightly dip your brush in the water, and wipe it on the edge. You don't want toooo much water on there, just enough to moisten your pasta square, so that it will stick together.
Now its time to pull out that scrumptious cheese filling! Place a little spoonful a little to one side of the center.
Fold one corner over to meet the opposite corner.
Now, starting at one side and working your way to the other, press the pasta together. The trick is to get all the air out of the pocket, and make it seal cleanly, with no cheese in between the layers. If this happens, when you boil it, the tortellini is going to open up and leak cheese into your water....ewwwww!
Take the two side points and fold them, one on top of the other.
Like so. Now take the point, and tuck it back, on the opposite side of the folds.
Isn't it CUUUUUTE?!?!?! (I forgot to take a picture of our finished product on Saturday, so I had to go and make one single little tortellini to take a shot of! That's why this ones a little pale. I didn't use an egg in making him.)
Scrumptious homemade cheese tortellini! It really doesn't take that long to make at all, and it tastes soooo good :)
The weather was sooooo nice and sunny yesterday, we decided to go for a hike.
I spent the week wading through Wuthering Heights.
After a very long week(end) of being very sick, laying in bed, hacking up both lungs, and trying to get them back in, I think its time for something nice and comforting.
