Blame the non blogging on birthday celebrations (oh ancient me! I have stopped counting how many white hairs have sprung up on my head - only a few years ago I could name each one).

And despite my keenness to get cracking this morning, I've been side-tracked by a nice long phonecall catching up on relative excursions to India and Sri Lanka. I'm off to London again for Tamil class, but will update you all tomorrow on the festivities, including a wonderful Amadou & Mariam concert.

I have African children's books, my "From the Stacks" challenge, and more to report!

Let me just sneak in here (for those of you within easy reach of London) that Persephone Books has a Christmas Party tonight, from 6-8pm, with books on sale. Darn it, I have class! Technically speaking, it is not compulsory because the lecturer went on holiday to India for the past two weeks, so he has arranged tonight to make up the time, otherwise I would have been free. However, I do feel duty bound to attend (gritted teeth). Enjoy yourselves, if you Persephone...