I am big on recycling and was glad to learn about Office of Recycling Outreach and Education where all my recycling questions can be answered.

While there, I learned that NYC residents can recycle clothing, textiles and shoes (including clothing, hats, coats, towels, bedding, jackets & shoes!). Used textiles represent almost 6% of the City's waste stream, or there are almost 190,000 tons of textiles annually that could be potentially be recovered and recycled (data from "City Sierran", Volume 24, No. 1).

I used to bring old sneakers to Nike and clothing that were in OK condition to Goodwill or homeless shelter, but it is wonderful to be able to recycle stuff that can not be donated. Textiles that can not be reused is turned into wiping and polishing cloths, fiber for mattresses and couches and so on.

I also learned about Wearable Collections organization, that can provide a collection bin for buildings. I will certainly ask our building to implement that.

Books I Want to Read in 2008

DOG MAN: AN UNCOMMON LIFE ON A FARAWAY MOUNTAIN by Martha Sherrill

"As Dog Man opens, Martha Sherrill brings us to a world that Americans know very little about-the snow country of Japan during World War II. In a mountain village, we meet Morie Sawataishi, a fierce individualist who has chosen to break the law by keeping an Akita dog hidden in a shed on his property. During the war, the magnificent and intensely loyal Japanese hunting dogs are donated to help the war effort, eaten, or used to make fur vests for the military. By the time of the Japanese surrender in 1945, there are only sixteen Akitas left in the country. The survival of the breed becomes Morie's passion and life, almost a spiritual calling. Devoted to the dogs, Morie is forever changed. His life becomes radically unconventional-almost preposterous-in ultra-ambitious, conformist Japan. For the dogs, Morie passes up promotions, bigger houses, and prestigious engineering jobs in Tokyo. Instead, he raises a family with his young wife, Kitako-a sheltered urban sophisticate-in Japan's remote and forbidding snow country."

Why: dogs; devotion to dogs; Japan; unconventional person; remote area of Japan; Akita breed - never knew that they were used this way in WWII; further research into Akitas reveals that the breed is a lot alike to my dog - not the easiest breed to have.



TWENTY CHICKENS FOR A SADDLE: AN AFRICAN CHILDHOOD by Robyn Scott

Why: AFRICA! (I think I might have lived there in previous lives as I am fascinated by it); childhood in Africa; hopefully there will be animal/nature mentions in it too.

My Favorite Christmas Story

Merry Christmas

Some Good News

PetSmart Won't Sell Bunnies
There are so many rabbits at the shelter - one cuter than the next. Thank you, PetSmart!

Japan Halts Plan to Kill Humpback Whales
Thank you Japan for taking this step. Now, you just have to stop killing other whales and dolphins. Can't wait to visit your fascinating country once you are marine mammal friendly.

Sunset

This was the view from my window the other day. It was really beautiful and kind of scary.

DogTown on National Geographic

I am going to be staying home Friday nights in January to watch DogTown show on National Geographic. It was filmed in one of my favorite no kill shelter - Best Friends and I am looking forward to seeing how they handle difficult cases of aggression and health issues in dogs.

"Best Friend's DogTown is the largest no-kill animal facility in the country, located on 33,000 acres of Southern Utah canyon country. At any given time, the sanctuary hosts hundreds of dogs from all around the country, and the world, along with cats, horses, guinea pigs, rabbits, goats, and various other farm animals—between 1,500-2,000 animals at any one time. NGC teams up with the DogTown’s top-notch staff of veterinarians and trainers to find out what it takes to rehabilitate problem pooches and find them loving homes."

Michael Vick Dogs Cleared to Come to Animal Rescue Organizations

"Judge Henry Hudson of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia has approved a recommendation by a guardian/special master appointed by the court that 22 of the 48 American pit bull terriers connected with the Michael Vick civil forfeiture action be placed with Best Friends Animal Society.

Valparaiso University School of Law Professor Rebecca J. Huss, in a Summary Report to the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, recommended that 47 dogs (one has been euthanized for medical reasons) be placed with eight organizations, with Best Friends receiving the most dogs (22). The next largest group would be placed with Bay Area Dog Lovers Responsible About Pit Bulls (BAD RAP) of Oakland, Calif. (10). Other organizations that would receive dogs are Richmond Animal League of Richmond, Va. (4); Georgia SPCA of Suwanee, Ga. (3); SPCA of Monterey County, Calif. (3); Recycled Love Inc. of Baltimore, Md. (3); Animal Rescue of Tidewater, Chesapeake, Va. (1); and PACK (Pit Bull Advocates for Compassion and Kindness), San Francisco, Calif. (1)." (Source)

Collie / Canaan / Lab Mix Needs Home

Adopt Wyatt - he is 2-3 years old, neutered, up-to-date on shots, and housetrained. He came to the shelter in Princeton, NJ after being found as a stray in Ohio.

Shepherd-Mix Rocco Needs Home

Rocco, 1 year old shepherd-mix has his heart set on a new home for Christmas. He is located in Princeton, NJ.

They Need You

Some of the beautiful dogs I met this week:



This beautiful puppy has a treatable skin condition that makes him look like he was recently shaved - army haircut style. I just wanted to hug and cuddle him. He was acting like most puppies - curious about everything, very playful and full of energy.



Big and strong! Was barking at other dogs - not sure if he was acting protective or just saying hi to them. I thought I would have trouble getting him back in his kennel but he was very obedient.



This guy gave me a workout of the day. Getting him in and out of the kennel was a challenge. The second he was out he became totally calm. He is a recent arrival so is probably totally freaked out about staying there. He has the softest fur with wrinkles, like shar pei and a cute underbite, like a bull dog (can't see it on this photo). I love his brindle color. He is very compact.



This girl has very cute ears! She was vocal at first and kept jumping on me. Turned out she was craving touch - we sat with her front paws on my knees for some time as I was petting her. She looks older than her age but still acts like a puppy a bit.

I will miss them a lot but hope that they will be out of the shelter and with loving owners soon.

******PLEASE ADOPT************

Black Friday

I did end up buying stuff on Black Friday but only because I had a day off and just needed to get some things and get it over with. One impulse purchase was these shoes from Payless.



Ever since I stopped buying real leather, most of my shoes come from Payless and the ones I buy for my Mom also. I tried these on and they were very comfortable and looked great on. I've been meaning to get open toe pair also so my big toes can breathe! Can't wear them till spring but really looking forward to it.

Uxorious

My aspiration is to learn a word a day times three (one word in English, one in French and one in Spanish).

Too tired to start with French/Spanish thing today, but have one word that I was curious about in English: uxorious.

Context: "self assured, ..., non-drinker, and, once he had married Goldwyn Girl Gloria Delson, in 1945, steadfastly uxorious."

Definition: "Excessively submissive or devoted to one's wife." (I like this word!)

Can not find a one word translation of "uxorious" into Russian. Just getting: "чрезмерно любящий свою жену".

I noticed the word in "Movies Rock" supplement magazine. It was in the article about songwriter Van Heusen (pal of Sinatra). I was shocked to read about how objectified women were in America at that time - it made me want to throw up. Seriously, I had no idea it was that bad. Van Heusen and Sinatra were womanizer pigs.

The other article I liked was on "Saturday Night Fever". Disco music and fashion turn me off so much - I never watched the movie, but now I am curious to see it. I also never knew that 22 year old Travolta had a 40 year old girlfriend who died of cancer in his arms.

Volkswagen's Cruel Experiments on Birds

"Volkswagen Foundation is paying experimenters at German and U.S. universities to capture and use songbirds in worthless experiments that terrify the birds before they are ruthlessly killed for curiosity's sake. Although the use of any animal for experimentation is objectionable, the thought of birds--who are universal symbols of joy and freedom--captured, caged, terrorized, and vivisected, is particularly heinous. Birds are indeed so fragile that they often die of fright from the capture or transportation process.

These atrocious acts are taking place at the University of Oldenburg in Germany and Duke University in North Carolina. Songbirds captured from the wild and captive canaries and finches are exposed to different light cycles or are fitted with eye caps glued tightly to their heads to block out all light. Researchers then cut the birds' heads off to slice their retinas out of their eyes, and dissect and study their brains for clues to the secret of migration."

Please Take Action and send a polite message to Stefan Jacoby, VW President and CEO asking him to use his influence to earmark funds for research that does not entail the use of animals.

Japan and Whaling

Japanese store MUJI opened in NYC last week. Although I wanted to wait before I go there, I was in the neighborhood over the weekend and decided to stop by. I love many of their products and actually need some of the things that they sell, but I've decided to not support Japanese companies because of the country's decision to hunt whales and dolphins.

Same goes for UNIQLO - I've been buying a lot of stuff there, particularly, jeans for my mom. I also shopped at Takashimaya and could not wait to check out new Kinokuniya book store and cafe.

I would also really love to visit Japan but this trip would have to wait. If one day soon, Japan will put a stop to these senseless killings, I will be overjoyed and will book my trip asap.

Please tell the US government to do all it can to put pressure on Japan to stop whaling and save the whales.

"Japan's annual Southern Ocean whale hunt is conducted under the guise of science but has been condemned internationally. This season, Japan aims to kill more than 1,000 whales, including 50 endangered fin whales and, for the first time in 40 years, 50 threatened humpback whales will also be harpooned." (greenpeace.com)

Marketing Mystery

I was looking at amazon bestseller list today and this was at #1 spot:



Who is Supreme Master Ching Hai? How did this book published in June get to #1 spot? Verrry interesting....

Hound Pointer Mix Needs a Good Home

There's more to Kaylah than her extraordinary ears! She's a friendly dog who knows how to sit on command. She displays admirable focus even in the hectic shelter environment. She's primed for more obedience training.

Kaylah was found as a stray on Metropolitan Avenue in Queens.

The people at Animal Care and Control have dubbed her a hound-pointer mix. In any case she's an active dog who will need plenty of exercise in her new home.

To find out more about Kaylah (I.D. # A734835) contact the NYC Animal Care & Control at 212-788-4000.

Lab-Shepherd Mix Needs a Good Home

Constantine is an energetic Lab-Shepherd mix just emerging from the puppy phase. He's got the good qualities of both breeds -- he's intelligent, friendly, and energetic. As a bonus, he's also housebroken and walks well on the leash.

He lost his former home to a landlord's no-pets rule.

Constantine gets along well with other dogs and all kinds of people, including kids.


To find out more about Constantine (I.D. # A728995) contact the NYC Animal Care & Control at 212-788-4000. He may be gone by the time you call!

Shepherd Mix Needs a Good Home

Stash is a bright Shepherd mix. He is a friendly and sociable dog who gets along well with children and adults alike.

Stash was brought to the shelter because his former owner's landlord didn't allow pets.

That rule seems particularly unjust in the case of Stash. He is a well-behaved dog who has mastered basic obedience skills and seems to be quite a quick learner.

To find out more about Stash (I.D. # A729361) contact the NYC Animal Care & Control at 212-788-4000. He may be gone by the time you call!

Shepherd Rottweiler Mix Needs a Good Home

The people at Animal Care & Control are never happy when a dog they have found a home for ends up back at the shelter. Unfortunately, that's the case with Bob, through no fault of his own. The person who adopted him when he was a puppy four years ago can no longer care for him.

Bob is a Shepherd mix who looks to have some Rottweiler in him. He's well-behaved, friendly to kids and other dogs, and has had some basic training. Once Bob settles in at his new home, he'll need to start a diet and exercise regimen - he could stand to use a few pounds.

Three Bags Full - A Perfect Vegetarian Read

I finally finished Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann. I highly recommend this book to all animal lovers and vegetarians out there. It makes you feel good! I wonder if Leonie Swann is a vegetarian.

Spoilers:
- I was overjoyed to find out the content of the will. I even had to tell my boyfriend - I was so happy for the sheep.

- Being the worrier that I am, I was wondering about the shepherd's dog and totally unexpectedly for me, the author did resolve that issue! I was reading that part on the subway and almost started to cry happy tears.

- The book had these Buddhist, being in the moment undertones - and I am really into that.

New Chinese Rules on Dalai Lama

"No outside organisation or individual will influence or control the reincarnation of living Buddhas [eminent monks]," states one article of the new regulations.

They also say that any reincarnation has to be approved by various levels of government. (source: bbc.co.uk)

Do Chinese people realize how ridiculous this sounds? Especially the part about various levels of government.

I feel so bad about the little boy that was selected as 11th Panchen Lama by Dalai Lama - nobody has seen him or his family soon after the selection. Was he killed? He was supposed to help in selecting the next Dalai Lama.

10 Questions for the Dalai Lama

I just saw "10 Questions for the Dalai Lama". It was really inspiring and I learned a lot from this documentary especially about Dalai Lama's younger years.

I also was not aware that

- Tibet is about the size of Europe.

- All Tibetan refugees in Dharamsala are given refugee status, shelter and each can see the Dalai Lama.

- Google and Yahoo let China censor their Chinese search engine results, so if you search for "Dalai Lama" in Chinese version of Google or Yahoo you get only Chinese government approved results. There was also something about Microsoft letting China edit blogs. This is unbelievable... I certainly did not expect it from Google. I have Google's Adwords ads on this blog but I am going to remove them.

Purebred Yorkie Needs a Good Home

Julius is a purebred Yorkie who was found in Elmhurst, Queens. He's about twelve, and no one knows how he ended up on the street.

Despite his advanced age Julius is healthy and active. He has cataracts, but they don't seem to be slowing him down much.

Yorkies are one of the most long-lived breeds, and chances are Julius has a few more good years. He deserves to spend them in a loving home.

To find out more about Julius (I.D. # A725958) contact the NYC Animal Care & Control at 212-788-4000.

Rest in Peace

Coworker's little dog got hit by a car this morning. She died. She was rescued less than a year ago and was such a lovely dog. It is so sad. Hope she wasn't in pain and died quickly. Please, if you have a pet be extra careful and if you have kids walking your dog, do teach them how to be responsible and never let the dog(s) off the leash.

Met Opera Box Office Breaks Opening-Day Record

"$2.08M - Opening day sales for the Metropolitan Opera, which opened its box office to the general public on Sunday. That's a 25 percent jump over last season's opening-day take of $1.66 million." AP

And $60 of that is from me. :)

Big Cats, Dogs, Music, Words and Metaphysics

I would love to read these:



Ratha's Creature by Clare Bell



Merle's Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog by Ted Kerasote



This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession by Daniel J. Levitin



The First Word: The Search for the Origins of Language by Christine Kenneally



2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl by Daniel Pinchbeck

I would have linked all these for you but I am still boycotting amazon.com. I now shop with alibris.com or at local indie bookstores and so does my boyfriend.

Kantoku · Banzai! by Takeshi Kitano

I wonder when this will come out in theaters here (if at all):



(Kantoku · Banzai! by Takeshi Kitano, English title: Glory to the Filmmaker!)

Kitano is my favorite director and seems like such a cool person.

"2 Days in Paris"

I saw "2 Days in Paris" and really enjoyed it. I haven't laughed so much at the movies in a long time. Julie Delpy's parents were great in it. Adam Goldberg's character reminds me so much of my boyfriend: his complaining, his Mediterranean/terrorist looks, him worrying about how he looks.

I loved the scenes after the big fight. That is exactly how I feel after having a fight.

I also saw "Mr. and Mrs. Smith". The movie was OK, if you ignore the stupid assumptions one has to make - but that is typical for a big Hollywood movie. I've never seen anything with Angelina Jolie - she is not a bad actress. I enjoyed looking at her outfits and I love the scene where she is forced to hold the baby. That's what happened to me once - I was asked if I want to hold the baby and I said, "No, that's OK." Ever since then, my boyfriend reminds me of it as an example of my antisocial behavior. :)

New Season at the Metropolitan Opera

Tickets went on sale today at the box office for 2007/2008 Met opera season. After standing in line for three (!) hours I got tickets for:

* Madama Butterfly (don't really know any of the singers in this one, but I loved it so much when I saw it at NYC opera, that I want to see it again.)

* La Traviata (with Renee Fleming. Loved her in Eugene Onegin last season)

* Romeo et Juliette (looking forward to seeing Anna Netrebko live - I have her CD and recorded one of her performances on the radio last year. Also Placido Domingo is conducting.)

* War and Peace (predominantly Russian cast with Valery Gergiev conducting. Looking forward to seeing costumes for Imperial ball scenes.)

Hour at the Museum

My Metropolitan Museum membership expires soon. I haven't taken advantage of it that much, but I intend to in the next couple of weeks. Saturdays museum is open until 9pm. I got there at 6 and only had enough space in my mind for 70% of the Greek and Roman section - I get overwhelmed and dizzy after too much museum (just like too much shopping).

Some cool stuff I found:





Bronze head of a griffin
Greek, third quarter of the 7th century B.C., From Olympia

It makes me want to learn more about griffins and their origins.



Pair of eyes
Bronze, marble, frit, quartz and obsidian
Probably Greek, 5th century B.C. or later

Burmese, Hound and Pit Mix Needs Home

Six-month-old Jay is under the illusion that he is a lap dog. Though he weighs 40 pounds, he will do his best to compress himself into a ball and settle in on your lap for a cozy snuggle.

Jay looks to be a melange of Burmese, Hound, and Pit. He was found on 164th Street in the Bronx.

Jay passed his temperament test with flying colors. He is good natured and affectionate. He's eager to learn and at the perfect age for obedience training.

To find out more about Jay (I.D. # A 722496) contact the NYC Animal Care & Control at 212-788-4000.

Reminder: Last Day to Vote for the Elephant Sanctuary

Today is the last day to vote for The Elephant Sanctuary in a competition where the winning charity will get $100,000. Please cast your vote.

Happiest Moment: My Dog For the 1,000th Time

The best Wednesday moment was the sight of my dog in the morning. It rained hard right before I got up to walk her (the rain flooded the subway, so getting to work was a challenge).

My doggie does not like to get up in rainy weather. All I could see sticking out from under the blanket was the tip of her wet black nose and tips of her front paws. She can't help being super cute!

I am also happy that she might not need to go to the vet. She was sick to her stomach last week and this week with similar symptoms. I just hope it was something she swallowed - possibly foil. Please, please, please never throw stuff on the ground no matter how tiny - use garbage cans.

Happies Memory: Inspiration to Cook

Best Tuesday memory - I made this vegan pasta recipe. It came out OK - next time I'll use less garlic and lemon and more olive oil.

I've been such a Martha Stewart - did laundry two days in a row, cleaned on Monday, cooked on Tuesday - very proud of myself. I don't mind cleaning, but have trouble finding time, energy and motivation. To get myself inspired, I've been using this Meyer Lemon surface cleaner from Restoration Hardware. I love the smell! It has no animal ingredients, was not tested on animals and uses "naturally biodegradable and nontoxic plant-based cleaning agents with pure essential oils".

Happiest Moment: Unexpected News

I will try to post here about best moments of each day.

Monday started out stressful, but my spirit was lifted when I received good news in a letter from my aunt. (Isn't it wonderful to receive letters. I'll try to write more to people in order to give them the pleasant feeling of receiving a letter.)

About a month ago my Mom told me that my uncle's alcoholism addiction is getting much worse and that he does not want to do anything about it and says that it is time for him to die.

I suggested that as a last resort maybe they can try to visit an old acquaintance of my dad's who is a healer who happens to live 4 hours away from them.

In the letter I received, my aunt told me that they did go to see the healer. She was very brief about it but said that it was an amazing experience. (By the way, this healer does not charge money.)

I can't wait to find out more details about their visit. I am so happy that they convinced my uncle. I thought there would be million excuses for them not to go. At least there is some hope now. I've been praying form him. He spent most time with me out of all my uncles when I was growing up. I don't want him to die and to cause so much pain to people around him.

They live in Russia where alcoholism kills men and ruins lives left and right.

Chihuahua Mix Needs Home

Poor little Minnie, a Chihuahua mix, was found wandering near 167th Street and Freeman Street in the Bronx.

She's clearly not a street dog. For one thing, she's been spayed. For another, she has a sparkling personality and is never happier than when she is being cuddled.

All in all she is a sweet lapdog who would make an excellent pet for someone in search of a diminutive companion.

To find out more about Minnie (I.D. # A 722006) contact the Animal Care & Control at 212-788-4000. She may be gone by the time you call!

Blonde Redhead at McCarren Park Pool

Blonde Redhead were great live! The girl singer has unusual but strong voice. They rocked out enough for me to get a little high from music.

Lab / Hound Mix Needs a Good Home

Mecca looks to be mostly Lab, but he's leaner than your typical Lab, and the Animal Care and Control folks think there is probably some slight hound (Greyhound? Whippet?) in his pedigree somewhere. With his glossy black coat and muscled physique, he also looks a bit like a Doberman.

Whatever his heritage, Mecca is a lean and athletic dog who would make an excellent running companion. He was found in Brooklyn in the Dr. Richard Greene Playground between Brownsville and East New York.

To find out more about Mecca (I.D. # A 720841) contact the NYC Animal Care & Control at 212-788-4000. He may be gone by the time you call.

Savings

Here is an interesting article about cutting your expenses drastically while saving for an apartment in NYC. I've been much better at saving lately - I think I never had as much money saved as I do now. I would love to move to a bigger place. My dream is to have enough space, so that I can adopt a second dog, adopt a child and I would love to have a backyard because I love plants. The place can't be too big because I never have time/energy to clean as much as I would love too.

I don't really spend that much - being an environmentalist, I always bring lunch with me, never go out for coffee, never buy bottled water and so on. My main expense is traveling.

I also don't make that much because I work part time. I just can't picture myself doing 9 to 5 (or more) if I am not passionate about the job. Unfortunately, the jobs that I might be passionate about do not pay that much. Hopefully, I can master my sewing machine and make something to support my income.

On Japan

I would love to go to Japan - as soon as they stop hunting whales. In the meantime, here is very zen blog about daily life there. It is written for kids so that is why it feels "zen" to me.

I would love to visit Fushimi-Inari Taisha Shrine. It reminds me of bathhouse in Spirited Away.

Votes for The Elephant Sanctuary Needed

Please vote for The Elephant Sanctuary in rezoom.com's competition. You can vote every day until August 10th. The sanctuary will get a $100,000 donation if they win.

New York Times Article on Animal Rights

"Bringing Moos and Oinks Into the Food Debate"



Good overview - too bad author KIM SEVERSON was not inspired by what she learned and ordered a pork dish in her video report.

Collie Mix Needs a Good Home

Angel is a Collie mix who was found at 106th Street and the FDR Drive.

He's at the tail end of puppy-hood and loves to play. He's eager to learn and very responsive to training.

Angel may not be a purebred Collie, but he definitely has one characteristic that the AKC says that breed must have: "a bright, alert, full-of-sense look."

To find out more about Angel (I.D. # A 719670) contact the NYC Animal Care & Control at 212-788-4000. He may be gone by the time you call!

Lab Mix Needs Home

Sebastian is a Lab mix who has all the qualities that make Labs the number one breed in the US. He's super friendly to people (including kids), and dogs too. He's sweet, playful, and a little goofy.

Sebastian's previous owner had to give him up because of allergies.

Sebastian needs to lose a few pounds, and he's very comfortable traveling by car. So Saturday hikes at Bear Mountain would be an excellent weight loss regimen.

He is at NYC's Animal Care & Control shelter. Please adopt him if you can.

TV

Make sure to read and save this beautiful post. I also quit watching TV at least a month ago. What a time waister it was.

Pit Mix Needs Home

Pantro is a pit mix who was found on the streets of Corona, Queens. He has extremely soft floppy ears and interesting markings on his face.

With his heritage and history, you might thing Pantro would be unruly and ill-mannered. In fact, though, he's one of a select group of dogs at Animal Care and Control deemed well-behaved enough to be walked by the shelter's teenaged volunteers. He's sweet and friendly to dogs and people alike.

Pantro probably wasn't a stray for long. Someone has housebroken him and taught him how to walk properly on a leash. He's only ten months old and should have no trouble adapting to a new home.

To find out more about Pantro (I.D. #A 715638) contact the NYC Animal Care & Control at 212-788-4000.

Discontinuing Amazon

I applaud this decision:

"The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee will be discontinuing its association with Amazon.com as they have admitted in their reply to us that they will continue to sell animal fighting books and magazines. This will represent a significant loss of annual income to the Sanctuary, (last year over $10,000), but we will not support any association with animal abuse. As the nation's largest natural habitat refuge for elephants, we dedicate our lives to the well being of this species and the education of the human species. As caring individuals we are concerned for the well being of all species. This is not, as Amazon.com asserts, an issue of censorship but rather a violation of the Federal Animal Welfare Act, as excerpted in these paragraphs from the HSUS lawsuit."

Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann

I am dying to read Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann. I've read something about it when it came out in Europe, but figured that it would be too hard to find in the US. This summer it got published in here and I was able to get a free copy.

I am going to Montreal for couple of days and Three Bags Full will be my reading material for the trip.

The premise of the book is that a flock of sheep has to solve a mystery. How adorable/original is this:

The sheep include the last flock of Cladoir sheep in Ireland, bred for wool (not for meat). Their beloved shepherd, George, a loner who the sheep realize has left his own "flock," reads to them every evening and has promised to take them to Europe. One morning, the sheep find George lying in the grass, "unusually cold and lifeless." They think he was done in by a wolf. But the cleverest among them, Miss Maple (a tip of the hat to Agatha Christie's Miss Marple), explains: "Even the most sophisticated wolves didn't drive spades through the bodies of their victims. For such a tool was undoubtedly sticking out of the shepherd's insides, which were now wet with dew."

Othello, the only black sheep in the flock, adds, "It can only have been a human who did it -- or a very large monkey" -- a reference to Edgar Allan Poe's "Murders in the Rue Morgue," in which the orangutan did it. Realizing it was murder, the sheep bleat for "justice."

The sheep are, of course, unreliable narrators. Their muddled notion of justice derives from a mystery novel George read to them but didn't finish because it was too upsetting. Their understanding of relationships between men and women is based on the romance novels George read them. They overhear a priest say "The Lord is my shepherd" and become convinced that "the Lord" is the butcher, the last person on earth that they'd want for their shepherd, smelling as he does of death.