Keira-anne.com

I have always gone through spurts when it comes to reading, putting books away for months at a time and burning through a handful for many months more. After finally reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert earlier this year, my hungerlust for books was reignited, and I’ve decided that I will read a minimum of 10 books between now and December 31, 2009.

I found both Star and Star Struck by Pamela Anderson (no judgment) in the bargain bin and got through each in record time. You know how sinfully delightful it feels to peel through a tabloid? Yeah, they’re like that. Last weekend I grabbed Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange and The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway. Ever since reading A Farewell To Arms a decade ago, he has undoubtedly been my favourite author.

I cracked open The Old Man And The Sea tonight and found myself restlessly bursting with pleasure over what I read. Only 35 pages in, I know this old man. I can see him, I feel the rough fabric of his well-worn shirt, smell the faint sea salt on his sun-leathered skin and see the stories in his face. I have sat in the boat with him and understand what he thinks and what he feels and how his experiences have configured the man that is sitting in the tiny skiff amongst the lapping waves.

I read this paragraph three times in a row because I was simply astounded at how I felt reading it.

“He always thought of the sea as la mar which is what people call her in Spanish when they love her. Sometimes those who love her say bad things of her but they are always said as though she were a woman. Some of the younger fishermen, those who used buoys as floats for their lines and had motorboats, bought when the shark livers had brought much money, spoke of her as el mar which is masculine. They spoke of her as a contestant or a place or even an enemy. But the old man always thought of her as feminine and as something that gave or withheld great favours, and if she did wild or wicked things it was because she could not help them. The moon affects her as it does a woman, he thought.”

Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man And The Sea, 1952 Simon & Schuster

Photo: D.B. Blas on Flickr

Hemingway never, ever fails to pull me into his stories from word-one – even if the story is about nothing at all. His words truly make me want to jump up and down, run laps and make gleefully giddy sounds. The vividly descriptive words employed by Hemingway should make any and every writer jealous.

Ernest Hemingway’s talent is incomparable and I am so grateful to have discovered his works.

I like my boots.

I wear them a lot.

I also love my UGGs.

I also wear them a lot. I have two pairs.

I am pretty sure that Long Beach sand is still stuck in my brown ones.

Ever since I decided to switch to a vegetarian diet and an animal product-free lifestyle several weeks ago, I’ve received many joking nudges from friends. “Sooo… what are you going to do with those boots now?”

I can’t change what I did/bought/said in the past. I can only change what I do from now on. I’m not going to chuck all my boots in the garbage and I’m not going to give them away either. So don’t ask.

Go buy some of these when they’re available instead. I am pretty sure I will.

P.S. Remember this chicken? Epic failure, Wings.

Barf.

P.S. Look who’s on Twitter now!

After spending my days at work and away from Jordy during the week, I was super pumped for the weekend. I had a whole lot of plans to do nothing, but it seems to me that Blizzards with Andrea are becoming a tradition. Good thing I signed up for the Blizzard Fan Club.

After a full-on grocery shopping trip Friday night, I tackled my kitchen on Saturday evening and whipped up some coconut curry vegetable soup with pan-fried tofu.

I found the recipe here.

There are large misconceptions about tofu. Buying a package is no different than buying a package of raw chicken… it’s all in the preparation.

Sizzle it in the pan with a bit of olive oil, soy sauce and minced garlic and you’ve got yourself a yummy topping for the soup. And like it or not, cilantro is the true cherry on top.

I decided to devote Sunday to Jordy and me, so I wasn’t leaving him alone for a second. I thought his first trip to the off-leash shores at Sunset Beach would be the perfect way to take in the day.

Unlucky for him, however, he had to wait until Mommy got ready before heading out the door.

Jordy took to the beach like a fish to water. While I half expected him to cling to my side, he was happy to roam, sniff and interact with the other dogs that were enjoying surf and sunshine.

I am pretty sure this is going to become a regular spot for us this summer.

Tania‘s boy, George, was certainly intrigued by the waves until they decided to turn on him. He came scooting right back!

It’s true love.

A romp in the sand requires a warm bath. I grabbed some “Mango Tango” scented shampoo for Jordy, but despite the fruity fun, having a bath was his least favourite part of the day.

I grabbed a few presents for myself also.

I think the new squeaky toy I got for Jordy more than made up for bath time.

I think I’ll spend the rest of today pretending that tomorrow isn’t Monday.