Oh but it's good!

Inspired by the lovely DM, I have been consciously watching less television. I do love it as a creative medium but am very aware that it can quickly become the focus for an evening in or even an addiction. So, I've reduced my viewing to those programmes that I really love.
However I was tempted by the teasers seen on C5 over the past few weeks for the pilot of Flash forward - a new US series starring our very own Joseph Fiennes and featuring Jack Davenport.
The basic premise is that all the people on the planet blacks out at the same time for 2 minutes and 19 seconds. During this time everyone sees a vision of their future at the same point six months ahead.
Mr Fiennes character is an FBI agent and is part of an investigation that begins to explore the reason behind this event. The first episode ended with one of the FBI agents studying random CCTV footage from the event and she sees the same thing over and over again, at the same time everyone blacks out....except on a football field in Detroit they see one man walking around awake - who is he?
You see I'm gripped already - when TV is good, it can be really good so Flashforward may be included in my limited viewing hours. It's actually based on a book which I like, there are so many brilliant stories out there, it's nice to see one adapted for screen.
Still a programme is going to have to be amazing to steal me away from all the things that I have so much more time to do now that I'm not watching TV!

Dreams can be dangerous

In my dream last night I received the little known advice that when powdering one's nose, better coverage is achieved by sweeping the powder brush towards the forehead rather than away from your face. In a slightly sleepy state this morning, I thought it would be a good idea to test this theory. I simply succeeded in flicking loose powder into my eye.
There are times when it is good to follow your dreams and others when it's just plain foolish - note to self - try to learn the difference...or at the very least do not attempt to act on anything seen or heard in a dream until after at least one cup of tea.

There's been a murder

Last night I went to the South Bank Centre to attend a panel discussion on Agatha Christie. It was chaired by Simon Brett and featured authors Kate Mosse, Japser Fforde and Val McDermid. Jasper is one of my favourite authors, I'm in the middle of a book by Val and have enjoyed the TV adaptations of Wire in the Blood and though I haven't read anything by Kate Mosse, I intend to as, she is such a lovely lady!
It was an entertaining evening - listening to writers talk about an author they find inspiring is so interesting. Kate Mosse made an interesting point that your reading voice isn't necessarily the same as your writing voice, which I found most comforting as I LOVE crime thrillers but don't think I could ever write one. The added bonus was that Jasper signed my well loved, rather beaten up copy of The Eyre Affair. He seem quite pleased by the fact that my name was written in pencil on the inside (a request made by the very wise Mrs R when borrowing the book so it could be returned to it's correct owner) so he could seem mystical by knowing my name without me telling him. It also meant that he spelt my name correctly - it always feels a little odd if I am addressed on email as Clare, it just isn't me! Jasper is well known for giving away postcards at book signings so I know have one advertising his new book Shades of Grey which is definitely going on my Christmas list. All in all it was lovely to spend an evening listening to other Christie enthusiasts share why they love her work.

Those who know me well are aware that I possess the Miss Marple box set of the BBC adaptations, aside from Pride and Prejudice they are the most likely DVDs to be bought out on a dull or rainy afternoon, it's so comforting to snuggle down with a cup of tea and slice of cake and watch something so quintessentially English. Despite the fact that there is murder involved I find them very relaxing and it doesn't matter a jot that I know who did it.
One lovely anecdote to finish, an actor who had starred in couple of Christie adaptations was travelling in a taxi with the Agatha herself to a new theatre production of one of her plays. As she settled into the car, Agatha she beseeched her companion - 'Don't tell me who did it will you? I've forgotten so it will be a nice surprise'

I made that!

Having finally purchased some baking tins I've been enjoying trying out some cake recipes that I've been drooling over.
I was pleased that this looked and tasted good! There is something very satisfying about eating something that has made from scratch by your own fair hands.
Though I may have to now invest in a hand mixer as the blending of ingredients is quite hard work!