Cold, damp and dreary weather tends to wear down my cheerfulness even though I enjoy mysterious mist or a winter's day with a book by a log fire provided the house is nice and warm.
My free access to the Foxtel drama offerings has ended and I am pleased because I was watching too much TV along with being addicted to coronavirus news updates. At last I can go back to reading.
I am half way through reading Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister: Three Women at the Heart of 20th Centry China by Jung Chang. I enjoyed her previous book Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China which covered the story of her grandmother, mother and herself in Mao's China. This book covers the extraordinary lives of three sisters who were each married to powerful men of the era and exerted much power in their own right.
With China displaying much "discontent" with Australia at the moment I find it interesting to understand a little more of their history and motivations.
It sure is a difficult subject. A very difficult one.
ReplyDeleteThere are still monuments of Mao. Yet (I am VERY thankful for that) none of Hit#er.
America turns down monuments of history, what is wrong, what is right.
China. So many medical stuff is not available because (Germany at least) got many ingredients from China and the're not available anymore.
I saw many a docu on how the average Chinese has to make a living and it's sad, it´'s tough.
And it's so different! In Australia I witnessed how many "Asian" people would not adapt, not speaking English etc. Here they arrive and learn German in a blink of an eye...
It's hard to understand...
And... reading is good :-)
Like Germany, Australia is finding our supply chains are disrupted. As part of the recovery there is will certainly be an evaluation of how dependent we are on overseas supply of essential items. However, we will never be entirely self sufficient, not would we wish to be since we depend on trading our own goods for prosperity.
DeleteIt is difficult to learn a new language so it is not surprising that older folk and family groups speak in another language. I think that in general the younger generation of immigrants raised or born here speak perfect English and their parent's language at home.
I got the extra free Foxtel programs also Joan Elizabeth, I definitely won't miss them :) I do remember how cold it got in the Blue Mountains, keep warm and cosy. a good book, a cup of tea, perfect!
ReplyDeleteIf Foxtel was hoping on us signing up after our free programs it looks like at least two of us are not persuaded. Yep it can be cold, when we drove through today there was snow on the ground in the upper mountains.
DeleteYes a good book in front of the fire in the mountains sounds perfect.
ReplyDeletePerfect. Way too chilly outside today.
DeleteI have read fifty books since our library closed in March. Oops! I shouldn't have admitted that đŸ˜³ Needless to say I need to do more housework. However, our library is gradually betting back to normal thankfully. Cold weather and a good book go hand in hand.
ReplyDeleteFifty books - that's massive. I am proud of myself if I manage that many in a year.
DeleteI read that our houses are very cold. My cousin lives in Finland and when she comes here during winter she finds it impossible to keep warm because our houses lack proper heating, insulation and double glazing. Some old houses in the Blue Mountains are flimsy, poorly constructed and draughty. Our house is constructed of single brick and pretty cold!
ReplyDeleteYes our houses are cold by world standards. Certainly when I have visited the USA in winter we found their houses are very very hot. I don't think it would be possible to heat ours to that extent even if we were prepared to pay the massive gas bill.
DeleteIt seems to be so easy to be captured by television these days and our evenings have been captured by a couple of series. I haven't read nearly as much as I'd like but we also have the added distraction of a summer garden and other seasonal projects.
ReplyDeleteAh a summer garden what a delight but I am glad for winter when I can have some downtime. Yes TV is way too easy.
DeleteOur winter days are a delight. Chilly start with sunny skies to follow. A welcome rainy dawn today. I can't imagine months of cold and drab skies.
ReplyDeleteFortunately it is not too drab, especially out at Kandos. We have days of bright sunshine after frosty mornings.
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