People of the Lakes - Read me, I'm Awesome!

People of the Lakes.

After avoiding the series for a few years I was surprised when the back of the book lured me in a few months ago. I'm even more surprised that it was one of the most interesting books I've read for the past while.

I'd read a fair way in to Jean M. Auel's series Earth's Children, and by the fourth book, I found my self incredibly bored. I attempted the fifth, but it was more of the same. The plots became watered down and repeated, with nothing innovative for what the first three books started. It was disappointing.

So I worried with the People series would do the same, so I stopped after the second book, People of the Fire. But when I finished today, I wondered if I was missing out on something. It nearly didn't make it across the pond. The quality of a paperback publishing often results in a heavy book. Nearing the thickness of 2 inches, with fine paper, and small text size, think . But in the last minute, it slipped into my coat pocket, all the way over.

After a week of hard reading I've chewed through People of the Lakes.

What a good story. Not only that, but it was interesting perspective on pre-colombian native american culture, and a really vivid bringing to life of historical fact, which for so many people, are non-existent due to education, or are limited by fragments and the first chapter of a history text book. For me it did the glorious thing of making me want to read up on it.

The best novels do this.

What's more, my tie to Niagara Falls and the Great Lakes area makes the story even more interesting. I know that place and those areas and I often wonder what the world was like before iron and concrete marred the shorelines.

Additionally, the characters are lovely, with a glorious arch and development. Each recovers and becomes something more. There is a delightful humor to it, which I found absent in others, while not glossing over the darkness that can be the real world. It is a good adventure for all involved.

The nice thing about this series is that no other books need to be read. I got a few references from reading the first two, and there was a reference to the third and fourth. Well worth the venture out from the best seller shelf. I've now wanted to gobble up the remaining books, and see if any of the others can make me smile, gasp and completely forget lunch.

My only complaint is the cover. Once you read the book, you kinda think.... huh? Still. Awesome book. 

Indie Games and Let's Plays

I follow you tubers who make their living, or a portion of it by playing games and uploading those playthroughs with voice over on line. They're like watching a sports game for me. I enjoy the commentary and seeing something that I couldn't afford, and could't spend the time on on my own. Having some else flesh out the content is way better, especially while I'm cleaning up the house, working on any food or little projects.

And I love me some survival games. I have a few favourites, or go to people; Splattercatgaming, Paulsoaresjr, Weaselzone, and Accurize2. The games I follow are the Long Dark, Sheltered, and most recently Firewatch, but I'll get back to that one.  These are lower budget Steam games. Not triple A giants that have the at budget to form real people crawling out of the uncanny valley. They're art is different and more stylized leaving room for game play. Many of these are still works in progress.


Yatzee19 is another, but I've watched his for ages, but not for anything but the hilarious dialogue between him and his 'mate'.

Firewatch is one that's come up and is more about story than anything else. I've come across its fab artwork. I wish these posters weren't so pricy, or I'd gobble them up!

They speak to my urge to do more wild work.

Strange Things I've Found On Etsy

The Shirtless Goldblum Mug

Offered by a few different sellers, in various backgrounds, I scoffed at first but found I secretly desired to drink my morning tea out of it.

Here are some sellers: Memeskins, FoolishHumanSociety, and Gwenys

T

The Wild Places

How do I mend the world before my passing? I am young. I know this. But my time on the world will be brief.

How do I look on each tree and rock and worry for its lasting time in the world. Trees die. Rocks erode.

Yet non so quickly and so slow to recover as they do in the hands of Man.

We should not be so quick to squander. So quick to tear up that which took time beyond thought to create.

Yet we cannot dismiss the world we have created. How to strike a balance? Should we ever be pleased with the comfort we have created, while so much of time's work crumbles in the hands of thoughtless beasts, barely risen from the ground we came from.

How do we move on, holding the broken chains we've created? How do we mend the chain, and move with it again with all the destruction wrought against it? The progress of Man. The progress. Is it progress? How do we become more than meager folk of sword and superstition--for we are still--and become the enlightened, the informed, and then the doers of such great and magnificent thought? Do we just wallow in our petty day to day? Do we sit in our distraction and do nothing and beings fall heavily with no thought into the sights they have seen for centuries longer than we have had such fine thought.

It feels like a great weight, knowing the history of the world, then sitting unsure of how to bring more eyes to the past, to follow it, towards a distant, murky future.


I have been pondering my direction. How do I make my mark on the world, and yet leave none so bitter as cement, asphalt and steel. This history of the world is more than just we people, we humans. It is a world, so fragile, yet resilient against this blight that is us. I want to learn it and help in some way.

But how?

Stirling Day 2

I historically fan-girled. We went to Bannockburn battle site.

It has been on my historical Bucket list since I first came to Scotland.

After reading Scottish history for the last three years the Battle of Bannockburn has become one of my most favourite moments in its history.  As one of the turning points in Robert the Bruce's history, it marks a high point in Scottish history. He is way cooler than William Wallace (sorry darling). Kicking the English out was just one aspect, he also consolidated his country and reigned prosperously for 23 years. This after nearly being crushed and kicked from his country, resulting in the famous  He learned and became something of a legend.* 

So I took a selfie with Robert the Bruce at the Castle and another at the battle field. History moment achieved.

I attempted a few selfies. Here is the result:

Tried to find feather grey pants and decided I am old because I like my pants to be intact when I buy them. The one store I went to had them, and a pare of canvas worker style pants. Unfortunately my fabulous work out regiment has resulted in Wonder Woman thighs. Pants did not get over those thighs. The only other size, other than a 2cnd(6uk) was size enormous. 

Proof I'm not 20 any more. I'm FABULOUS :D Fuck you size two, on to curvier things.

The majority of the day was spent book hunting in the charity shops. I found two books on the history of Vikings and in Waterstones I got a biography of John Muir. I almost got myself another book, on the before mentioned king, but found in the preface, an authors note on how his facts were wrong and he was unable to change them because of the publisher. By they'd let him write the forward. Foolish publishers.

Neil Oliver is a cool author. He lives in Stirling. But He looks rather funny on all of his covers.
Excited about John Muir.

I had a nice food panic again. Went between two pubs cause two old men looked at me funny in both. "Dear jesus, the locals think I'm a rube." A true thing, but probably not what the old men reading the newspaper and the others watching the football were thinking. I ended in a pub eating a long awaited steak and ale pie.

The gravy.... Soooooo good.

I found a good deal of interesting signs and a wee tidbit on how a wolf saved Stirling from the Vikings.

My feet hate me for it all, but worth it. 

Finally, in one of the pettiest gripes I have about this country, (although an interesting reflection on Scotland) I ate the WORST caesar salad ever. I know the rules of Scottish food. No salads. They're rotten at them. Yet I was not feeling up to a full meal (see last post on 12" sub) so try I did. It was jarred dressing, with an off flavour. No bacon, no parmesan cheese and chives. Mother suggested this was innovative. I think not. It was a franchisee. 

Pizza Hut does better salads. And they're pizza hut!

Thus I will forever make my own salad. 

*I cannot forget Bishop Wishart and William de Lamberton who were also instrumental in pushing the Bruce forward 

Day 1 in Stirling

Visions of me in a cafe with a fine pen, my leather dragon note book, and a big mug of milky tea (bag in) after a fresh, hand made lunch of baked something.. This was how I pictured lunch time.

In a fresh town, with some verity, and what do I do? I panic, sprinting into the nearest Subway. I'm not happy with my self.

Food resentment after foodpanic. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective 

Thus was my conclusion to a day spent out in Stirling. I didn't want to pay 16.00 pounds(30 dollars) to go in a castle I'd been in. The gift shop where I knew there would be lots of post cards was closed. So I wandered to the canons and beheading block, sat, with the intention to write before my fingers froze and I felt the starts of the hunger pangs which haunted me for the rest of the day. 

Further down the road I went into a yarn shop but the people there had a sort of surly look about their faces, or I felt that way. 

"WHAT IS THIS PLEB DOING IN OUR YARN CASTLE. DOES SHE THINK THIS IS WHERE THE PINTERESTS COME FROM???" Were my thoughts. My mom called me stupid for thoughts like that and in retrospect I think I agree. 

I found a fabric store further up. (JESUS ONE PROJECT AT A TIME WOMAN!)

I'll avoid it. I went in a mall and felt like I frowned at too many people. Until I found the book store (Waterstones for you Cool Canadians)where it had lots of my Favourite things (BOOKS). There were some Everest ones I looked at because Will subjected me to the mass dying upon the biggest above water rock that was the 2015 movie Everest. We have 20ish something of the John Krakauer(Which I read often as crack head {sorry John}) books for much cheaper in the used book store. There were lots of Canadian books in the Best Seller Section. Yay Canadians (sorry). 

In Waterstones I also discover, then confirmed in Castle Gift Shop (the one with out postcards). Camping cups are hip, daddio! Those metal and enamal ones from your old childhood camping trips have made a return, with hip new patterns on them, and frankly, after last year's flirtation with tea pots of the same making, I am going to be hardpressed not to bat my eye lids, lift me skirt and be seduced by these stylin cups. 

Buuuuuuut I have too many mugs. Well  I've given Will too many mugs and he had nearly 8 to 9 of them already. I have 3, the tomato recipe soup one, the couple one and my Group of 7 mug (REPRESENT {sorry}). I suppose.... I could get ride of some of them some how. Or! I could hide it, all sneaky like in the Kitchen.

How can I deny my favourite beverage a nice place to hang out in? It would be like denying myself clothing in the firdged winter...How can I? How can I not?

Grass and Contemplation

Walking the Green grassy and wondering the future. Where will we go? What are our goals? How far should we reach and where should we put our time and efforts?

Its things every couple is faced with these questions though less so with the weight of geography and the pressures of making sure that we are together. 

So we work for the future.

Deep-Fried Apples

It was the moment I realized cooking isn't that hard.

The deep fried apples also made me realize that food can be made delicously cheep as well. 

The apples cost nearly nothing, the flour, icing sugar and oil were pretty cheap as well. The water was free. 

Mix it all up and fry till crispy. 

The best part is it came from one of those upteen inspirational easy looking videos of people making gorgeous food under bright lights and heightened colour. I did one of them. I didn't just look as the pretty pictures flashed by. 

And by gum it worked. 

Better still I didn't need to take out a loan for cheese as some of the other videos would make you believe. 

The apples were quite filling as well.