Very excited to receive a package in the mail this week. The daughter has been busy divesting herself of surplus possessions and is returning all the DVDs and books she has borrowed over the past ten years. Unpacking the gift box was more exciting than Christmas, I have to tell you, except for the Eucalyptus flavoured fudge made in her home town. It was just as I imagined Vicks Vaporub, a topical ointment made of eucalyptus, camphor, and menthol, designed to unblock sinus passages, would taste. Though not a fan of fudge – hurts the teeth and the sugar surge produces headaches – it was a lovely thought, Cat Balou. Anyway, it feels good to have my Errol Flynns back in the fold.
Included in the parcel were a few recent novels to add to the Little Library for Valentines Day. Said child has been contributing to Blind Date With A Book for several years.
“The Book Ninja” by Ali Berg and Michelle Kalus has an interesting back story.
In real life these lasses instigated Books On The Rail, a movement whereby books are left on public transport services around Melbourne and beyond to be shared time and time again amongst commuters. They call themselves Book Ninjas.
The novel, first published in 2018, is set in a bookshop in Melbourne where one of the employees, a woeful book snob with a penchant for the classics, plants books on trains in her search for love. Towards the end of each book she writes a pithy comment and includes her email address with the assumption that any single young man worth his salt will make contact. Thus, her dating experiences become the fodder for her popular blog. However, it is a young man who only reads YA Fiction who wins her heart – with all the tears, angst and drama you expect.
It is an easy read which includes blog posts, emails and text messages. I guess that makes it a young persons read though it does include book quotes and references which makes it an interesting book for all ages.
I finished it whilst overseeing pineapple and lime marmalade production on the stove top.
By the way, I’m no fan of pineapples – same tooth and sugar issue- and I have a pineapple story from years back not fit for public consumption. But our Australian pineapple farmers are currently doing it tough and opting to plough their crops in rather than harvest. There is something intrinsically wrong with this, so buy a couple of pineapples and help a farmer. End of rant.
Brizzy Mays Books and Bruschetta 
I love the idea of the “rail books.” Perhaps that idea will catch on here. We do have the free little libraries, and I make a point to put good books in them every so often. “The Book Ninja” is now on my list to read – sounds enjoyable.
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I enjoy the Free Little Libraries when travelling and always have a couple of spare books for journeys. The books on trains does sound fun, though having spent the past twenty years prior to my retirement travelling to and fro the city by rail I do have, ummm, reservations…….
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Now, we ve tried a few new recipes in our day, but I must admit eucalyptus brownies was not on my radar! Lol! And I love the idea of books in the loose and pineapples and like are two of my favorites! Send it over this way, we ll take it off your hands!😂 enjoyed the read😊💜
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The Pineapple and Lime Marmalade is a success – yay! Eucalyptus fudge I might keep around for flu season – hahaha. Books on trains does sound fun, though having travelled on trains for twenty years up until my retirement, and I’m a little hesitant. Train behaviour can be. ……..unsettling.
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Lol! Well trains are not a common way to travel in America, but I took one for the first time when I was 17 in Europe. It was fun! I have since taken one here and that was cool too! I doo not like the bus however! I’m afraid the last bus I was on I had to set another passenger straight about manners😬😂 Glad the marmalade was a success!! Love those! And of course! Eucalyptus brownies would be great for flu season! 😂 Have a good one!
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Book Ninjas! I want to become one!! As for pineapple, that is one fruit that has been on sale here and I’ve had 2 in the last 3 weeks! At only 89 cents ($1.28 in Australian currency) each I couldn’t go wrong!
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Talk about bizarre. I bought three pineapples for the marmalade for 89 cents each. Where are your pineapples from? Aren’t you in the middle of winter?
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Yes in the middle of winter but it is growing season in Hawaii! So Hawaiian pineapples.
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I might have missed this in your post, but why are some farmers choosing to plough the pineapples this year?
The book sounds wonderful, and I love the idea of “Blind Date with a Book” too. Maybe I should think about starting something like that here…
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Farmers aren’t making enough $ out of production these days, mainly because we are importing cheaper pineapples from Asian countries. Who makes these decisions, I don’t know, but I’m making jars and jars of pineapple and lime jam to sell at a fundraising gig so my bookclub can purchase new books for kiddies in a country school wiped out by floods late last year.
I love trying to instil a love of reading. Making things a bit of fun. Always open to new suggestions……..
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That is a wonderful thing to do. I bet the jam will be a bestseller!
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