Lunch’s Day Out

Tags

19th Century, 2013, Courting, Food, My Suitor, Spring

Courting can be terribly romantic *blissful sigh* Seeking inspiration from Victorian pastimes, I arranged to have a picnic with My Suitor today.

Given our circumstances, we do not engage in each other’s company as much as we desire, so we are usually left scheduling our visitations. If our schedules are busy we may only see each other one hour a week. It is terribly infrequent, so I prefer to make it memorable with different activities, hence the picnic. While, it is often said cooking for another person is an expression of love, I have hope I made it quite clear in previous posts the culinary arts is not where my talents lay. A picnic seems suitable as the food is more assembling than actual heat or conduction or reduction or something of that nature. . .

I thumbed through my resource pertaining to picnicking during the turn of the century. This is the sample picnic menu from 1908

• Mock Turtle Soup
• Olives
• Celery
• Finger Sandwiches
• Minced Chicken
• Red Currant Jelly
• Cold Sliced Ham and Turkey
• Brandy Peaches
• Basket Salad
• Sponge Cake
• Cheese
• Cherry Jam
• Raspberry Shrub

It took just a mere glance to arrive at the conclusion, “Well, that is not going to happen!” I had high hopes to create a Spring Salad with eggs and edible flowers with a nod to the Spring Season . . . but then I became pensive with the reality before me. Lack of acumen and pressed for time . . . and worse yet, I could not locate my picnic basket! The horror, I tell you! So I just prepared a salad with whatever I had on hand and bagged some fruit and crackers to accompany the rest of the fare. Prior to leaving for lunch, a patron stopped by the library and gifted me with a card and a chocolate rabbit. . . a cross-eyed chocolate bunny, which I found most amusing. She said it was in appreciation for continuing to go the extra mile for her. So I included it with my picnic offerings.

My Slapdash Picnic

I do wish to make it a tradition to celebrate spring with a picnic. Perhaps, I shall put more effort into the cause next year and purchase foods inspired by the feast listed above. Notice, I said purchase, least you think I could cook.

We met up in a nearby park. The weather was divine! My Suitor picked out a shady spot and we spread out the blankets and sheets I brought for the occasion. The salad with the raspberry pomegranate vinaigrette enhanced the greens immensely. I am so pleased it was not only edible, but delectable; not that I could repeat my efforts if I gave it another go. The birds twittered, the sun sparkled between the leaves of the trees and My Suitor was there beside me. We fed each other grapes, caught up with each other’s week and shared a cuddle. It was quite lovely in a ridiculously sentimental fashion. For one hour of my day, it was complete bliss.

Have a wonderful Easter Weekend, dear readers!

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What to Do?

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2013, Book Club, Librarianship, Literature

A Connoisseur’s Corner by Benjamin Walter Spiers

Aaack! I am stymied! –Surely, ladies go “aaack!?” They must; whether inwardly or otherwise. I am have quite the conundrum. As it happens I am in the middle of planning next season’s book club at my library. The season finale ends next Wednesday, be sure to return to view the myriad of pictures and the ridiculous amount of detail I put into the performance, as it were. Alas, I shall be unveiling the tantalizing new book of next season that very day. Oh, but I digress . . . these past few months I took over the slumping organization and while it has grown exponentially, changes are in order.

First, what on earth do we christian ourselves?? Right now, it is simple the Adult Book Club. Which sounds banal or a bit saucy depending on your definition of Adult. Some member asked if we are to refer to ourselves as the ABCs. I was appalled at the idea. ABCs infers neophytes and children, amongst a few other references. So I have been mulling over options to present to the group. I have a penchant for alliteration so just tossing some names out here . . . Book Bunch? No. Sounds too cozy and not lively intellectual debate and theatrics, for which I am known for. Codex Coalition? *Heehee* While amusing, those outside profession of Libraryland may be unfamiliar with the term codex. Literature League? No, sounds akin to a woman’s suffragist party, I want to also appeal to the opposite gender. Reading Reviewers? No, too boring. Tome Troupe? Do the masses know what a tome is? Does this sound similar to Storm Troopers? Perhaps if I move away from alliteration and stick with one word name like many current celebrities. How about . . . Bookies? *Heehee!* I must admit this one I prefer so far, but its unsavory connotations may not please my superiors or the City in which I work for. Booklettes? No, too feminine. The Bookmarkers? *Meh* I am not inspired. Bookracks? *Heehee* This might fit if we were all females, but still, something tells me some ladies might bristle and take offense. Besides, where would this leave the gentlemen? Oy! Must think. Alright, let me move to phrases instead . . . Persons of Letters? Sounds a bit pretentious and might be misleading for a book group? Oooh! What about Book Solid? I quite like this one! It is gender neutral and a bit cheeky, which is always fun. There is more to my dilemma but for now, I am curious of your preference.

Watch Your Langauage

Tags

19th Century, Deaf, Language, Society

The Lecture by Fredrico Zandomenghi

What is it that attracts us so to 19th century speech? Why are we tickled at the formality of their lexicon and their sparse use of contractions? And more pointedly, does anyone else read 19th century literature with the Queen’s English in mind, regardless of the novel’s setting?

As a lover of words, I am intrigued by the dialog of the past. I am also amused modern ears deem the speech as formal, while during the day their own elders were having apoplectic fits to their word choices. Heavens, it was colloquial, then, my dear! –So it was, as it will forever be. Re-enactors advise the first step back into history is eliminating the contractions out of one’s vocabulary. Rather quickly the alteration sounds formal to modern ears. Another tip, is to read as much primary sources as possible to get acquainted with the terms and slang of the era. This is much more difficult to acquire, as informal terms, by nature is regional and familial. Lastly, be sure your thesaurus is well-thumbed; choosing a more pretentious sounding word, works best when conveying a person of wealth. The trouble with speaking in this manner, is it is difficult to maintain a conscious effort over one’s vernacular without sounding wooden and rehearsed or alternately becoming overly excited and slipping in 21st century idioms and euphemisms. It truly takes diligent acting until the speaker is comfortable and thus convincing.

All Women

Tags

Engagment, Marriage, Society

The topic of matrimony has been heavily swirling in these past few days. Not my own nuptials, mind you—believe me, my dear readers; you shall know beyond any doubt when I am engaged, but marriages of the fictitious or otherwise. Incidentally, the worthiness of the individuals has all come into question. In most of these cases, worthiness implies a person’s financial state; others it refers to the tarnish of scandal. Perhaps an individual’s family character is frowned upon. Perhaps they are not of the some religion or too young or uneducated. Maybe the person the gentleman does not earn more than the lady. Maybe the parents are divorced or there are children born out of wedlock or the person is a different race; not one of the more desirable ethnicities to choose from. Goodness, I could go on with the faultfinding!

I am rather logical lady with romantic tendencies. I am also an unmarried woman. Rationally, I completely comprehend agree it is ideal to be set financially prior to joining in holy matrimony, but at what point does Love toss that ideal out the window? I am familiar with many couples who were not equally educated, financially set, of the same religion, or untouched by divorce, children out of wedlock, or of different ethnicities. At what point does “all that” become irrelevant? Most people rejoice when fictitious characters take the romantic road and marry for love in less than ideal circumstances, yet there is an abrupt resistance should it occur in “real life;” in “our family.” My quest for a mathematical formula is futile at best and laughable in all circumstances. . . Are we to imply felicity with being irrational? Can happiness be rational?—Good heavens, it appears I am wadding into philosophical territory here.

To say 19^th century marriages were all arranged, as the stereotype would have us believe, is absurd. In fact, the same obstacles occur in every decade. Ladies were with child prior to marriage, people had affairs, and people of any century will marry into the other neighborhood. I struggle with why this ideology continues to pervade the modern psyche?  Are we ever worthy of our chosen life partner? And they, of us?

It gives credence to Nancy Astor’s famous line,

I married beneath me; all women do.

Women Aside

Tags

19th Century, Author, Librarianship, Society, Spain, Women, Work

National Library of Spain

In addition to this month hosting “Teen Tech Week,” March also happens to be anointed as Women’s History Month. A chance encounter lead me to a jot of Spanish history. As I happened to pay a visit to Spain once or twice in my worldly travels, and much enamoured with the capital city, I was delighted to come upon this article. It is an amalgamation of many interests; women’s studies, Spain, 19th century, authors and librarianship! What is there not to enjoy?!