'In Aleppo Once'

Such a nice day, today. 

A drive across Snake Pass, which was shrouded in mist as we went over the tops but still very beautiful. A drive with the Minx really is one of my very favourite things. 

Back in Chorley I went for a run, which was longish but made far more difficult by the mud, which may have been one of the reasons why I then had such a long and blissful nap* while the Minx practised some macrame. 

I woke up in good time to record the radio show and then in the evening I left the Minx and miniMinx to some hair braiding fun while I went to meet Dom for a drink. I went a little early, thinking I'd have some time with my book, but he was already there. He always is!

The book in question is 'In Aleppo Once', written by the eldest of the children that inspired Arthur Ransome to write the 'Swallows and Amazons' books, which I loved as a boy. It's out of print and usually sells for eye-watering prices: I managed to get my copy for a 'bargain' £42 :-/

But it is a very lovely book. Wonderfully written and a view into a totally different world. In some ways, Taqui Altounyan's experiences in Aleppo mirror my own ex-pat childhood in Hong Kong. Sure, her family were clearly from a different class to mine but it seems that the adventure of immersion into a new culture is independent of that. 

Anyway, the book lay on the table, unread, while Dom and I caught up, and if we didn't put the world to rights, we certainly identified some of its deficiencies!

****
No scales
Reading: 'In Aleppo Once' by Taqui Altounyan (as you'll have gathered!)