Well, then. Here’s something different…
It’s not often you see a palm tree in one of my pictures…
Nor lovely bridges across lakes….
There is a reason for that, of course. At the moment the Bear and I are in Malaysia, just for a quick visit, while we sort things out, before moving here in the summer. I know that back home it is, as it usually is at this time of year, cold and damp and grey, so the warmth and the sunshine of Kuala Lumpur and down here in Seminyeh is even more appreciated. Who wouldn’t want to live here?
It’s not going to be plain sailing, of course, as there’s lots to do and not a lot of time to sort things. I have to go through everything we own and decided whether I keep it and ship it over here or I get rid of it. Some things are easy enough to deal with and go straight into either bags for the bin or to charity shops.
Other things are more difficult. This is where I need your help.
River Cottage Every Day, by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall… and yes, there are two copies.
There is a slight difference between them….
One I bought for the Bear as a Valentine’s present and one he bought for me as a Christmas present. Yes, I know he should have paid more attention because I bought him the book first but, you know, he’s a man… what can you expect? And I suppose I have to confess that while I did buy it for his Valentine’s present, it may have been because I knew I could read it too….
Normally, you’d have to hold me to gunpoint to give away a cookery book but really, we don’t need two copies. What am I going to do? Ship both copies half way across the world?
Each one is heavy.
Nearly 1.5 kg heavy. It doesn’t make sense, does it?
What does make sense is that I give one of them away, but the next question is WHICH one? I don’t want to give away the one the Bear gave me and he doesn’t want to give away the one I gave him. We can’t decide… so what we think is best is that YOU decide.
One of you (unfortunately only those of you who live in the UK because I have to pay the postage) can have one of these books…
All you have to do is comment below and tell me why you’d want the book I gave to the Bear or why you want the book he gave to me.
After a week, on 28th March, I will see how many comments there are and use a random number generator to pick the lucky recipient. Simple, eh?
That way we don’t have to choose which of us loses a book the other gave and one of you gets to get a copy of River Cottage Every Day.
Think of it as being like a goodbye to the UK present from us to you!
So… do you want his book to me, or mine to him?
I would dearly love the one he gave you as I have run out of Andrex and have heard that it is thouroughy absorbant….and you obviously think it was about as much use as loo roll for a Christmas gift as you had one already…… and don’t forget….. as I only live 300 metres from where the book is in your kutchen….it will save on postage
I really want a cookbook
you know I need it too
cos cooking is the one thing I really cannot do
It’s hard to make the choice though
of which should head my way
as both, to you, commemorate a really special day
Perhaps I’ll toss a coin up
and go with the result
or ask some random stranger from the local secret cult
It’s difficult to know what’s best
Beloved, Bear and Lump
But guess I’ll choose from her to him
or else she’ll get the hump! x
I would love a copy of this book! I am a great fan of Hugh and his book and TV programmes. I think I’d feel funny about having a cookery book that you were given as a valentines present. A christmas present is somehow less personal. I have no idea why!!! Pls could you enter me in the draw, and best of luck with the move! :O)
Hmm what a dilemma…..but decided really it should be the Christmas gift that is given away not the Valentine’s, as Christmas is full of duty and Valentine is full of lurve, well of course that gets into both but Valentine’s wins through (and there is no such thing as a valentine’s prezzie in this house – boo hoo).
Oh and it would look nice on my shelf next The Meat Book which is the only one of his books I have (well also pages and pages of torn out of magazine ones), and means I get to think of the two of you living it up with your cocktails in KL whilst I’m slaving over a hot stove on a yet another cold UK day (hmmm again……)
Well really, you need to give away the one your bought for the Bear, because really your bought it for yourself whereas he gave you something he knew you’d love 😉
Glad you’re happy with KL
You bought the book first so really the second one should go 🙁
I don’t think he needs the book you gave to him cos, let’s face it … you’re the cook extraordinaire and you’ll be looking at the river cottage recipes while you’re settling into your new life in KL and cooking any one of those recipes will give you a little slice of UK when you need it. I would love to have a cook book, signed by a Bear and in my hands ….. I need all the help I can get as I’m not the best cook in the world x
I would say give the one that was given as a Christmas present as (in my house anyway) we all get lots of presents at Christmas but usually only one on Valentine’s Day.
In a way it depends on whether or not one of you has written anything loving and personal in one of the books – I couldn’t bear to part with a lovingly inscribed gift. However, unless inscribed, I think you ought to give away the one you bought for the Bear. I would always want to keep the one someone had bought me as a gift, for fear of offending!
The more I see of River Cottage and HFW the more impressed I am with his take on life and sustainability but as yet I don’t own any of the books. If I don’t win this one perhaps I ought to add it to my Santa list!
Happy packing!
hopeeternal
‘Meanderings through my Cookbook’
i would like the book you bought him wendy, men dont appreciate things like that anyway ;o) what are the chances of him using his??? yet you, i think would use yours often 😀 x
then again i could have his as it says merry xmas lump…. it could get jase all jealous hahaha x
Ah now, this is my kind of giveaway 🙂 For some reason I don’t have a copy of this book. In fact I don’t own a single Hugh F-W book, although I have got the book his mother wrote about being a granny! So which copy? As you are giving away the book, I think it has to be the copy which you own, in other words, the one the Bear gave to you, whereas HE will have to pay for HIS book to be sent to Malaysia lol! Lovely to see Malaysia, it doesn’t look like it has changed much in 30 years but I am sure some parts have. I think the railway station in K-L is probably the most impressive I’ve ever seen. Thanks for this opportunity to win.
I’d prefer the copy you gave to him.
My reason for this is that if he’s anything like my man – gifts a a rare occurence and really mean something.
Whereas men don’t really think the same way and it probably dosent mean so much.
sandy hallett
I am really sentimental so I would keep the one you were given and remember each time you use it who gave it to you and smile
Give away the one you gave to him then a least when you argue he can’t say ‘Well, at least I don’t give away presents I receive…’
How cute!
How to decide which one I’d like?
I’d ask you to get yourself a pair of those disposable chopsticks, you know the ones where the two sticks are joined at the top and you must pull and break them apart before using them?
Traditionally, so I was told, you silently name one for yourself and one for your love and when you break them, if one part is bigger than the other, that person loves the other more that day! If they are the same, so is the love!
I would change this and say that whichever one is the biggest, that’s the book I’d like!
Er… if they are both the same, um… I’ve not thought of that!
I think you should keep the copy he gave you, then you are not giving away a present you received.
I’d give the one away from the bear. It might make him take more notice in future, though it can’t be guaranteed, when my other half buys me anything I nearly always end up giving it away or taking it back and we’ve been together 25 years – men are useless at finding the right gift.
I would live the copy you got 🙂 no man should buy anything domestic (i.e, pans, irons etc) Thanks
If I were lucky enough to win I’d like the one you gave to him because then you could keep and treasure the book he gave to you 🙂
I’d love to have this book and I’d like it to be the Christmas book because a Valentine present is so special and personal it should be kept and treasured!
I want the book the bear ghave to u..he wouldnt give it to u if he didnt think it was brilliant.pls cvan i have that book x
I would love the book! I agree with others, I’d prefer the one you gave to him as gifts are a rare occurrence from my man (just like Sandy’s) and I think you should treasure your gift 🙂
Rebecca x
Um, I think the Valentines gift is more special, so I would take the other please x x
I don’t want either, you can’t split them up, sniff sniff!!!
Aww this is adorable; I love the little personal messages in each! I think you should give away the book that was brought in to the Bear household last, as it’s not fair on the first book to get all settled and comfortable, then replaced for a younger model! Hee hee 🙂
I think you should give away the one you bought, and replace it with something else. It’s okay to give practical gifts for Christmas, but never for Valentine’s Day – Valentine’s gifts should be whimsical and ethereal, like love itself.
Is a difficult choice but the book that was purchased and given last should be the one given away. Someone needs to pay more attention.
I would happily take either books I love cooking and it would be very well read and used in our household I’m a big fan of hugh and his style of cooking
Donate the Christmas book he gave you because it’s not as romantic and you’ll always have each other even if you don’t have the book. If you ‘randomly’ choose me then I don’t think you would have to pay postage!
Right then… competition closed! I am going to be using Random.org’s random number generator to pick the winner once I get a minute…. (or take a coffee break at work ;-)) I think you all deserve to win so I’m rather glad I don’t have to choose! The winner will be announced later…..
True Random Number Generator
Min: 1
Max: 28
Result:
7
Powered by RANDOM.ORG
… and the winner is KATH!
Kath, send me your address and I shall post down the book!
Another Kath eh? I just wondered how you were getting on. How was your visit? How is your packing going? How are the nerves? x
Ah yes, Kath…. a different Kath! I could tell by the email address.
Packing is a nightmare and I can’t sleep! But the visit was great and I am so looking forward to living there.