Weekend Adventures

Last weekend saw EG and I travel down south for a bit of an adventure. We stayed in an amazing place with some amazing people (thank you to both of them, you know who you are :) ) and we had some adventures too.

As usual buying one book soon turned into buying multiple books, but most of them were 50p - what a bargain! EG tried to buy a picture frame from a charity shop but was told it was part of the shop and therefore not for sale. Not that it matched anything else in the shop and I doubt it would have been missed had it been sold.

Tired of raiding the charity shops for books we returned and sat in the sun to read. I managed three pages before I realised that I had been asleep for the past half hour. Not much reading done but it was nice to see the sun - an old friend we don't see very often. Our weekend also involved a trip to see a film that had partly been filmed in a location that we knew - all top secret of course, and lots of Mexican food provided by our hosts.

So although our adventures were not that daring we had fun. And now I need to work out where I am going to put my new books.

Room for Books

The problems start when you go out for the day and don't intend to buy any books. Then you see one that you would like, so you buy that one - because it is only one book and you're not going to buy any more that day. But somehow that one book turns into three books, and because this isn't a one off event, it happens almost everytime that you go out, you are starting to run out of space.

Still friends despite near desk death

Which is why I spent the weekend shifting furniture around my room so that I can have another bookcase. It wasn't all bad, I've done some sorting and clearing out, but the biggest change was the removal of the desk. Which was a challenge in itself.

EG and I had to get it out my room, down the stairs, through the living room and out the front door. We did succeed but only after we had come close to dropping it on, first my head, and then EG's head. Without too much injury to ourselves we got it out and to its destination.

Now I have space for a bookcase, which I don't think will remain empty for very long!

Odd Reading Locations

What's the weirdest place that you have read a book or seen someone reading one? For me I've read books in some odd places.

Books provided entertainment when I was waiting for something. So I've read in the obvious places; cars, railway stations, waiting rooms etc. When I was younger they were a good way to avoid watching my sister receive her vaccinations (I'm squeamish), so I can add a doctor's room to my list.

In earlier posts I've talked about my love of cycling. I used to sometimes cycle with my parents, but as I got older I got faster, and they didn't. My solution to this was to cycle on ahead for a few miles and then pull out a book and sit on the grass verge and wait for them to catch up. Now that I spend some time on a turbo trainer I've worked out a way to read while I sit on that (and exercise!).

What are your strange reading experiences?

Tour de France Fever

Two of the three Grand Tours this year are starting from somewhere in the British Isles. The Giro d'Italia started in Ireland this May, and the Tour de France starts from Leeds in Yorkshire. I didn't feel like trekking over to Ireland, but Leeds is an option that I may make the most of. 

I've loved cycling for as long as I can remember, although I've only been following pro cycling for a few years.  I wish that I was better at getting out on my bike and doing some longer rides. This summer I'm planning to cycle through Norfolk. Norfolk is my favourite place to cycle (it's flat).

My problem is the cycling to reading ratio. On a sunny day do I sit and read or go cycling? If only I could do both... 

Coming Soon...

A Steady Response to a Challenge

The arms that hurt

It's another week and another two stars added to the chart. EG remains ahead on 16 books read, but I am now catching up with my 12. The Bank Holiday helped, but I feel that progress will continue to be made. Even if it is slow.

I like to think that I can read in any conditions. Last weekend saw me reading whilst wearing only one slipper, because I forgot to take both slippers home with me. Muppet. Although reading with one cold foot was distracting, I pressed on, and another star on the chart made it all worthwhile.

The challenge of this week will be reading with the non-existent muscles in my arms aching, because I helped my housemate carry 17 kilos of bookcase up the hill. It was fun, but my arms hurt.

Book of the Month - May '14

Walking with God by J. C. Ryle is a book that I have read at least twice... I've lost count. It is hard to keep track of a book that you read over and over because you like it so much. I know that reading it twice doesn't count as reading it over and over, but I don't think this will be the last time that I read it.

And that is why Walking with God is the best thing that I have read this month. It may be a short book, but it is not short on challenges. Each time I read it I can work out how well I've responded to the challenges from the last time I read it, and I think that I will see other areas in my life where there needs to be change. Doesn't sound like a book that will make you feel good.

But that is what is good about this book. It makes you look at Jesus and realise that the best way to live is to live following Him. Looking at Jesus gives you the right perspective on life and that is better than a good feeling that will fade. You will have to read it to find out what I'm talking about.