Hobbies - Reading

Reading is one of my favourite pastimes. I know some people who do not read and I feel incredibly sorry for them because I believe that they miss out on so much. Reading takes me away to another world than neither real life nor television can achieve. Any book is different to any reader too because you create the fantasy world in your own imagination.

The images which you create in your mind are not something that you can explain to another person because they are unique to you as the reader. I am never without a book to read and usually have a queue of them bought or borrowed from friends waiting to take the place of the last. If a film adaptation of a book is released, I always read the book before I go to the cinema so that my imagination cannot be inhibited by the power of the visual image - for me Edward Cullen is not Robert Pattinson!

I love a good autobiography so that I can delve into the lives of the rich and famous and I love a fictional book which will take me away from real life to an amazing world where anything can happen. Here are a few of my favourites:

1. The Time Traveler's Wife
The sad but romantic story of Clair and Henry melts my heart. I cannot get my head around the whole concept of time travel and it took me a while to put that aside but once I did I thought the story was clever and beautiful.

2. The Twilight Saga
Ok, so I know it is predictable and every warm blooded female loves this, I also know it is aimed at a market of teenage girls (and if my husband is reading this - yes I know it is not real!!!). However in spite of all of the above I do not think I have ever read a book which has conveyed emotion in the way that Stephanie Meyer did in those books. Reading them makes me feel warm inside and describes in detail the ultimate love. Cheesy I know but Edward is without doubt my dream man (yes I am a little obsessed!).

3. Slash - It Seems Excessive... But that Doesn't Mean It Didn't Happen
The autobiography of Slash, formerly lead guitarist of Guns n' Roses. This is probably the most aptly named book I have ever read and left me wondering how that man is still alive. The fact he had a Pacemaker fitted by the age of 35 seems very tame after reading about his antics. It was interesting in many ways. I do however have a lot of respect for the talent and determination of this incredible character.

4. The Very Hungry Caterpillar
This has to make the list as it is one of the first books I remember reading and I loved it. This created my passion and love of books.

5. The Last Dive
A very sad (and true) story of the demise of a father and son during a very avoidable scuba diving accident. A bit of a miserable read but a lot of lessons to be learnt for a scuba diver! A gripping read.

7. The Harry Potter series
Just like a child, again I loved these books for the fantasy and imagination contained within them. Who cannot be interest in magic and wizardry!

Wonder Woman

I do not blog very often and one of the reasons for this is simply a lack of time and too many hobbies! I have however realised that I know a real life Wonder Woman and she goes by the blog name "Snaffles Mummy".

Snaffles Mummy is so talented and finds the time to do so many things, here are just a few examples:

1. Her blogs are second to none. They are funny, informative and sometimes emotional. I love sitting down and reading her tales - usually about 5 at a time because I have not had time!

2. She makes the best cakes. She makes cakes for family and friends and they are of a professional standard in both looks and taste. Mine however, on the rare occasion I get round to making them are inferior in both taste and looks!!

3. She is a Mummy and spends quality time with her son every single week. She is not a Mum who just carries on with mundane life dragging her son in tow. She enjoys being a Mummy and loves nothing more than spending time with her little boy. Every week, on her days off, she has some activity or other planned with him.

4. She works three days a week and travels about 40 miles each way to get there, yet never complains about the journey or long day and still seems to have more quality time at home than me!

5. This list could be endless but unfortunately being Little Miss "I haven't got time" I will have to end it on this final note. She is the kind of friend that some people can only dream of having. She is always there no matter what and makes the biggest effort for all of her friends and I am so proud to be one of them. I never feel I have enough time for friends and am always spread so thinly. Snaffles Mummy however is all things to all people - wife, mother, lawyer, author, baker friend... whatever your need she is always there to provide the service. She really is a real life Wonder Woman.


I am slightly jealous of her amazing talents... only a little, but thank goodness I am the recipient of such amazing skills. Keep up the good work xxx