Endearing and amusing journey of downsizing
and de-cluttering also offers recipes for diversionary tactics. (Review by
Caroline Smart)
Cecil Levin is a respected Durban music
teacher and some years back, I reviewed her delightful songbook for young children,
Take Note. She has also written a
musical play called A Special Gift.
Cecile Levin has now produced a novel, taking
in her own experience of her school years in Pietermaritzburg and her studies
as a music teacher at UCT and UKZN. As a schoolgirl and student, she wrote
children’s stories for the Witness and Sunday Times. Artfully pulling in
experiences of friends and colleagues, she has mixed this with a huge dollop of
her own imagination for her literary concoction, A Piece of Cake.
The story deals with Alison, who is
described as a “hoarder par excellence”. Her previously well-ordered life has
taken a serious tumble. Her husband has left her after 40 years of marriage for
a much younger woman. Apart from having to cope with this shattering blow, she
urgently needs to downsize her home environment which means an immediate need
to de-clutter.
Under the judgmental eye of her cat Joey,
whose sardonic comments we receive in italics, she starts this journey towards
her new life. While her older sister is constantly on the phone to badger her
progress, other friends call with useful – or useless – advice.
ATM in her case means After The Move so
anything that can be postponed till that time is put aside without hesitation. The
process is painfully slow as virtually everything she finds in the stacked
cupboards of clutter comes with a memory which in turn generates another memory
... and in no time, a snack or a meal calls.
With food very much the focus in diverting her
from her task at the slightest opportunity – A Piece of Cake also contains some mouth-watering recipes, such as Aunt Ann’s Ginger Loaf, Zoe’s Red Velvet
Cupcakes, Miffie’s Milk Tart and Mandy’s No-Bake Marie Biscuit Balls which
is simplicity itself and sounds delicious.
Levin and her husband, David, are happily
married and live in Durban. They have twin daughters, a son and seven
grandchildren ...but no cat!
Levin’s writing style is easygoing and
highly amusing. Many of us who have been through – or should be going through –
any form of tidying up will relate to this book.
In fact, perhaps it’s time to do some
tidying up myself. Now, which cupboard should I tackle first ... but actually
... maybe .. perhaps ... isn’t it time for a lunch break?!
A
Piece of Cake is available from Adams Bookshops or muffinpress@gmail.com ISBN 0620610578 –
Caroline Smart
Posts
