Seven Quick Takes, episode 19: Translation translated

It's been a while since I did one of these... I've still been enjoying everyone else's takes, though! Anyway, off we go...

1. I've had quite a lot of work on recently, hence the radio silence (can you still say that when you're talking about a computer  ? Hmmmmm). One of my main clients is publishing a series on philosophy of science, which is ever-so-slightly more "artsy" than their usual fare. Being one of the only translators on their books with a background in something other than "conventional" science, I've ended up doing quite a lot of work on it. Let's just say that translating philosophy is a LOT harder than applied mathematics, fluid dynamics or, for that matter, fashion catalogues. Interesting, but my leeetle grey cells were ready for a rest this week.

2. Es can now climb stairs, as I discovered yesterday when I found her halfway up ours. It's exactly like when we discovered that the Daleks could levitate in Dr Who. We'll just have to keep her away from sink plungers.

3. Since my last 7QT, Mx has STARTED SCHOOL, to everyone's great relief. She's very outgoing, very sociable, and was very, very definitely ready for school. 

 4. I've finally accepted that my high-intensity music days are over (at least for now) and that it might be time to pass a few things on to people who will actually use them. The tenor sax (AKA Mildred - no particular reason) needed to go, it's far too loud to play at home and was taking up a lot of space. I'm never going to get round to refretting the mandolin, and I don't believe in using instruments just as decoration. Finally - and this one was hardest to let go - I haven't done any orchestral playing for several years now, so my clarinet in A is leaving for pastures new. Just in case anyone fancies bidding on any of them, here are the links...

The mandolin

The saxophone

The clarinet

I even made some slightly silly demo videos:

 

(I must say, I find listening to the sound of my own voice EXTREMELY unpleasant. Sorry).

Also, just in case anyone was worried, there are still plenty of instruments in our house. 

5. R. has decided he doesn't like visible vegetables, especially those of a green variety. I can still sneak them past him in pasta sauce or soup, and there are some he eats even if he can see them, but heaven forbid we should attempt to serve him anything even vaguely resembling a leaf ("that's a LEAF! I don't LIKE leaves!"). I just try not to laugh too much.

6. Ze Husband and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary on Sunday. He gave me a bar of chocolate and a packet of shiny insect stickers. I gave him a Lego minifigure and a bag of Haribo. We haven't changed much.

7. Finally - it's nearly October! I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers... I think we may have to go and find some leaves to jump in this weekend to celebrate.

On that note, happy weekend!

Linking up with Kelly for 7QT.

What I've been reading: Summer edition

Summer, for me, is not ideal reading time. No preschool, no nursery... you get the picture. Some books still got read, though...

1. Giovanni Boccaccio, The Decameron. 

Once a medievalist, always a medievalist...
Actually quite surprising, in many ways. Think people in the middle ages were prim and proper and well-behaved (ok, apart from all the wars...)? Think again.

2. Sheila Kaye Smith, The End of the House of Alard.
No pretty pictures for this one, it's out of print (sniff).

This book. THIS BOOK. In many ways, it reminded me of Mazo de la Roche's Jalna series, and I was plodding along, quite enjoying it, and then this happened:


"Catholic Christianity stands fast because it belongs to an order of things which doesn't change. It's made up of the same stuff of our hearts. It's the supernatural satisfaction of all our natural instincts. I doesn't deal with abstractions, but with everyday life. Its sacraments are all common things- food, drink, marriage, birth and death. Its highest act of worship is a meal; its most sacred figures are a dying man and a mother nursing her child. It's traditional in the sense that nature and life are traditional".

There was another passage that exactly pinned down something I'd never been able to put into words about the Anglican church, too, but I can't find the scrap of paper I copied it onto... I'll attempt to post it when I find it.

Also, it smelt AMAZING. Not just standard old-book-smell, but the very best sort of old-book-smell.

3. Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter.

I felt I should read this. Now I've read it. The end.
(I genuinely have no strong feelings about this book. Then again, I've never got the appeal of Gatsby either. Am I a philistine, or am I just too... not-American?)

4. Liz Moore, Heft.

This one was July's book of the month at our local library, described as "the most unsentimental sentimental journey this year", or words to that effect. Also, as it turns out, rather forgettable - I couldn't remember what the book was actually about when I saw the title in my Goodreads list.

5. Elizabeth Jane Howard, Mr. Wrong.

Elizabeth Jane Howard is one of the (many) authors I added to my list whilst reading Howards End is on the Landing. This is a collection of short stories with a fairly wide range of subject matter. I didn't enjoy the first one (REALLY not my style), but the others were more to my taste. Summer Picnic merits an individual mention, if only for the following quotation:

"One of the babies began to cry. He had lunched lightly off dandelion heads, some milk chocolate, and a Monopoly card, and was now quite properly resisting any further nourishment". 

It's like she's been watching my children or something.

That brings us to mid-August, so I suspect another book post may be coming before too long. Also, Ze Husband has been reading Brideshead Revisited, and I suspect his reactions could be interesting...

Hymns of the Week: 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C

I've spent the last few weeks dealing with a really bigandcomplicated (yes, that IS all one word) translation project, which has been taking over my time to the point where I've actually been choosing hymns ON Sunday morning. Oh yes.

Now that the project in question has gone off for author review, I actually have some time on my hands, so here goes...

Entrance: All my Hope on God is Founded

Offertory: Father, I place into Your Hands

Communion: O Praise our Great and Gracious Lord  (Kingsfold. You can't go wrong with Kingsfold.)

Recessional: Though the Mountains may Fall (I would love to put Faith of our Fathers here, but it has a tendency to upset people. Also, our priest is on holiday so I can't run it past him first).