Me and books

I'm now a fan of Lesley Pearse books. I'm still working out what I like so much about her books. There is a central underlying theme of women who were abused or mistreated by their parents or main carers when they were young, their struggles to overcome their circumstances, failing and prevailing, and finding peace and resolution at the end. There is a bit of a drama, a bit of a mystery, and a bit of familial ties to her plot. I have to admit Pearse have an excellent way of telling the story and engaging her readers right up to the end.

I've been devouring the libraries in the city and hornsby and willoughby for her books. I read them on the train and most times I wished it's not my train stop yet. These are the books I have read so far.

My favorite at the moment is Secrets. This is the book that I tried to finish during my day off when I should be doing housework and cooking pots of food but found myself snuggling on the bed with a napping Clarisse. It was that addictive. I'm currently reading Trust Me. But this story, which is based on true account of the Child Migration Scheme by England, is too much to stomach - young orphaned children being physically and emotionally tortured by religious Christian Brothers and Sisters of Mercy is just too much. I can understand people not being able to love young children. But torturing them is over the top. Torturing war enemies maybe I can condone, but not young children, it's too demented, especially from a religious organisation.

Me and Clarisse

It is such fun taking her out with me in my food shopping runs. She has such a good memory of places that she works her way to places she's familiar with. The places she's very familiar with are:

1. The Westfield public toilet on level 1P. Whenever we would walk in from the parking lot, she'd said "Mommy I want to go to the toilet." even when we just went to the toilet before leaving home. Then we have to make our way into the toilet as I don't want to risk letting her wet herself just because I think she don't have to go.

2. Freshco fruit shop. After her now customary toilet break, we'd walked past our fruit shop that also sells gourmet yoghurt. She'd asked "Mommy I want strawberry yoghurt". Now what parent would refuse their child a healthy sustenance.

3. Daily bakers bakery. Further down is a bread shop. When I stopped by to purchase a few loaves, she'd ask for either a finger bun or any sample bread they have on their counter.

4. Greg's shop. A couple of shops down the bakery is her father's shop. She'd say she wants to stop by her dad's shop. She'd enter in shouting "DADDY!DADDY!". Run around the shop, grab off the "Received on" stamps and have a play.

5. Pet shop. After stopping by her dad's shop, it's onto the pet shop. She'd say "I'm going to see the dogs." I sometimes would let her lead me just to test her. She loves watching the puppies and playing with them when the shop keeper allows it.

6. Coles / Guide Dogs Australia dog-statue. Normally I'd go straight to Coles from the pet shop to get our groceries. There is this labrador guide dog statue situated outside Coles that has a tiny coin slot on top of its head for donations to Guide Dogs Australia. And guess what, little clarisse has to practice her charitable deeds by asking a coin from mommy to donate to the dog each time.

7. Westfield Playcentre. I don't think she knows her way around to the playcentre area but she does ask that she would like to have a play.

Then I'd take her to a toy shop if there is time and let her play the train set the toy shops put up for children.