christmas

i love christmas.
it's so special! and this year more than any other year i've started realising that actually, s'not all about the presents.

shock horror!

this is the first year i havent been at home for all the little things leading up to christmas... the decorating, the choosing the tree, the decorating of said tree, which is usually a foot too tall and dad has to hack at it with a saw, or a foot too small and looks silly. putting up christmas lights, getting told of for eating the christmassy nibbles that are apparantly there for show. hmmm.. lol!

and loads of other stuff too. and im so excited about going home, not because of the presents and the food and stuff, but that is an exciting prospect, but because ive missed family and friends and my little doggy :) i can't wait to get home and eat dinner with my family- with everyone shouting "pass the salt" and elbowing eachother and everything! i cant wait!

so basically, two things- i love christmas, and i love my family. so the two together: perfect :)

Jane Eyre...if you've not read it, I may ruin it =)

First post, and I'm about to insult one of the best, most classic pieces of female English literature... ah well.

I'm reading Jane Eyre, for the second time. Bear in mind that I love this book, and I'm a hard one to impress with books of this generic type... i can't stand much of Austen for example, and I have no real wish to attempt much of the rest of the Bronte sisters. But I love Jane Eyre, the only thing is...

she really annoys me.

Currently, Jane is running the school house in the village and has run away from Thornfield, and all I can do is think go back! silly woman, Mr.Rochester loves you!! And I know all of the reasons why she won't go back, and I understand them... I'd feel like a mistress too, and his crazy old wife is a bit of a put-off, but still...he loves her. and perhaps naively, and without a hint of cynicism, i do wholly believe in love.

I also understand why Jane doesnt feel like the fact he loves her is a good enough reason to go back. After all, old Edward has a bit of a promiscuous past, she doesn't want to feel the guilt and shame of being his mistress, and the crazy lady in the attic probably doesn't do much for his reputation. still, Jane... he LOVES YOU WOMAN!

Maybe I need to chill out. I know I wouldn't love the book nearly as much as I do if it was all happy go lucky and wonderful, and her and Mr.Rochester lived happily after ever. and, of course, Jane's night out on the moors, yet again moved me to tears. But still.

He loves you, Jane!!

at least i have the comfort that i know what happens at the end. My apologies to those who don't, and let me console you... it's lovely, and tragic, and wonderful all at the same time.

so i think I forgive Jane for not going back. After all, I do have a strange soft spot for Mr.St John Rivers =)