1. For Christmas I received The Art of Howl's Moving Castle. Howl's Moving Castle is one of my favourite books, and it was made into a film by one of my favourite directors, Hayao Miyazaki who heads Studio Ghibli. I've been looking through the art a few pages at a time, and enjoying the commentaries by the artists and animators who worked on the film. They are disarmingly humble about their work -- there is often a slightly self-critical tone to their comments, particularly the never-ending quest to achieve a European look.
2. A plate of marshmallow teacakes wrapped in blue foil.
3. Alec has had a hard afternoon of socialising, and when we get home, he falls asleep across my knees while I listen to an episode of Lord Peter Wimsey on BBC Radio 7.
