More goodies from Sandy in Australia in another parcel. I'm feeling very spoiled. She sent me a copy of The Australian 40th Anniversary CD that I've been enjoying immensely. It covers breaking events and people in Australia between 1964-2004 and it has been fantastic to read back over the times and look at pictures of events that have shaped Australia over the last 40 years.

She also sent me a knitted woollen cap, like the one I linked to here back in November. It seems that this has captured the imagination of several people and Sandy has been knitting them since. I got Lars-Göran to pose for it, on condition that I didn't put the picture in my blog. So I won't put in the picture, merely a link. That's not the same thing, is it?

Also included was a clipping from an article in The Age about Sweden. In the article, Mark Butler asks how the Swedes went from Vikings intent on burning down monasteries, looting villages and slaughtering entire communities for fun a thousand years ago to these modern day sensible, organised and sedate people.

This is a very timely clipping, as the king has recently made a speech about how the Swedish character appears to outsiders and whether this is something they need to work on. It was an amazing speech and one that seems to have generated heated debate in the country, especially in relation to the tardy response of the authorities to the disaster in Thailand. I've not heard the king make such a speech before and it showed a more personal and thoughtful side to him that I had not previously considered. Add to that his poignant address to those children left without parents after the tragedy, where he spoke about losing his father as a small child and growing up always wondering who his pappa was as a person. And his wish that he had the powers of kings in fairytales to make everyone live happily ever after and it is not surprising that his popularity has soared in the opinion polls. Of course not everyone is happy, but then these are the same people who are trying to by pass responsibility in the whole issue. How sad that it has come to this.

I have just finished reading this book and really enjoyed it very much. Last month, I read his book A Short History of Nearly Everything, which I couldn't put down, even though it was about science - a subject I loathed at school. I wanted to read more of his books, so I ordered Down Under from the fabulous inter-library loan system they have here and read it in a couple of days. Brilliant stuff! I needed to read something good as the first two books I read this year were utter shite. Can someone please tell me how such a obvious, poorly written and thoroughly annoying book like The Davinci Code ever became a best seller. If it wasn't the library's book I would have thrown it against the wall. I wish I could "unread" it. Absolute unadulterated drivel (and I'm being kind here - I used far less flattering terms when discussing it with some friends here last week). This was followed by Mary, Called Magdalene by the usually reliable writer Margaret George. I have loved her previous historical novels about Cleopatra, Henry VIII and Mary Queen of Scots, but this one was very disappointing. All 800 pages of it. Sigh.

Still continues cool and mild here, though it's great weather for the ducks.



Lambi has been soaking up compliments as a fashion princess for her lovely coat - but then she does look cute.

Thankyou, Sandy!