Weekend Shortlist

Currently Wishful Thinking About: My Summer Holiday

It’s not that I’m trying to shirk work; it’s just that I wish it were summer, and I was in Vancouver. Eating a lot of sushi.

Sigh.

Only 3 more months to go. Meanwhile, I’ll be going to Moncton, on a short business trip, in 2 weeks. Recommendations for good places to eat, see and shop are welcome (keeping in mind that I won’t have a car, or much time for touristing).

Currently Loving: Caran d’Ache Watercolour Pastels

True story: I got a box of pastels as a gift from my Swiss relatives, um, way back in the day. (Who’s keeping count of years? Pshaw!) I became a little bit obsessed with them, and especially with drawing hyper-realistic portraits, and whiled away my wild (LOL!) teenage years holed up in my room, doodling. I did eventually discover the meaning of “a social life”, and art went on the back-burner. For the last decade or so, I’ve found my creative outlet in writing, but recently I’ve been feeling the urge to do something else. Something with my hands.

I was looking through my old boxes in the basement the other week, and came across – wouldn’t you know it – my old box of pastels. Nearly 20 years later, it’s in sorry shape, but I’ve been having a lot of fun playing with the leftovers. In fact, I may have ordered a new box for myself from Amazon. (Side note: Swiss made things are priiiiicey, like whoa. Damn my unwittingly expensive tastes!)

Currently Hunting: Boden Floral Skirt

I bought this skirt nearly two years ago, while pregnant, and gave it away (in a swap to Lou) last year after I finally convinced myself that I was never going to get back down to my pre-pregnancy weight. (I was wrong, but that’s a whole other issue. I’m basically no longer purging any wrong-size clothing for the time being, because I’m tired of re-buying clothes I just got rid of.) Anywaaaaay. Lou looks fantastic in this skirt, and I need to have it. Again.

Currently Reading: The Romanov Sisters

If you’re interested in Russian history, or the Romanovs, this is an excellent choice. Be warned that it is a sad read, and not just because of the sisters’ ultimate fate. (The book doesn’t spend a lot of time on their imprisonment at Tobolsk and then St. Ekaterinburg; the same author wrote The Last Days of the Romanovs, which covers that ground in great detail. Also recommended, although the last few chapters are heart-rending.) The Romanov children lived incredibly sheltered lives, always under the Damocles’ sword of the tsarevich’s hemophilia and the czarina’s own health problems, and the almost claustrophobic atmosphere pervades the book. Rappaport does a great job of outlining the different personalities of the grand duchesses, who were by all accounts lovely girls. I dunno, maybe it’s the mom in me, but I had a hard time finishing the book, even though it’s very well written and otherwise an enjoyable read.

On a more lightweight note, I also re-read this and it was fun.

In response, I posted a make-up free selfie on IG, and an interesting discussion about our relationship with make-up happened. Short version: I basically can’t exist without make-up (just an ever so slight exaggeration), but others can and I’m definitely jealous of everyone who’s not a slave to their mascara.

Currently Obsessing Over: That Scene at Winterfell

Needless to say, SPOILERS.

Did my favourite GoT rat bastard, Petyr Baelish, just confirm the R+L=J theory? He sure gave Sansa a funny look when she rattled off Lyanna’s fate. Or was it just his usual scheming stare? Eh, I’m gonna ride the fan fiction train until GRRM definitively shuts it down. I’m also going to enjoy the Petyr-Sansa ship until it sinks, hopefully not at the hands of Ramsay Bolton. I will say this: I am worried about Petyr’s nonchalance regarding House Bolton. Maybe he’s understating his concerns for Sansa’s benefit, but I hope he has some sort of genius back-up plan. Because shizz? Will surely hit the fan very soon.