Tuesday 24 July 2018

Still Reading and Other Stuff

Finished another library book the other day, probably ordered due to  seeing on a blog, although I'm not sure whose blog it was - sorry. First novel by a new author.




This is what it says about the book on the library website.

 When Rene Hargreaves is billeted to Starlight Farm as a Land Girl, far from the city where she grew up, she finds farmer Elsie Boston and her country ways strange at first. Yet over the days and months Rene and Elsie come to understand and depend on each other. Soon they can no longer imagine a life apart. But a visitor from Rene's past threatens the life they have built together, a life that has always kept others at a careful distance. Soon they are involved in a war of their own that endangers everything and will finally expose them to the nation's press and the full force of the law. 

Rene Hargreaves is actually a Mrs, but she leaves her children with relations, leaves her husband and goes off to become a Land Girl. Elsie Boston needs help on her farm and so the two meet. But it is wartime and Elsie's farm is inspected and classed as Poor so is given to a neighbour to farm. Rene and Elsie have become reliant on each other so become itinerant workers, working for farmers wherever they can find a cottage to rent and share. A good story.

So far, from the books collected from the library van last time, I've also read Lucy Mangan - "Bookworm"(already reviewed on the blog) ."Death in the Wasteland" by George Bellairs - a crime book reprinted from the 1960s. "Shepherd of Another Flock" by David Wilbourn - The tales of a young  vicar in Yorkshire - reminiscent of James Herriot or Gervase Phinn. "Dying in the Light" by Gillian Galbraith - the 3rd in a new-to-me series of crime set in Edinburgh and "A Different Kind of Evil" by Andrew Wilson - the 2nd by this author using Agatha Christie as the detective. I'm now enjoying "A Winter Away" by Elizabeth Fair - one of the Furrowed Middlebrow reprints by Dean Street Press.
 I soon discarded unread "The Life Giving Home" by Sally Clarkson and "Metroland" by Julian Barnes and regretfully also abandoned a British Library Crime Classic"Murder of My Aunt" by Richard Hull -  it's about the planning of a murder and I couldn't be bothered with it.
 I think "Writers as Readers; A Celebration of Virago Modern Classics" will go back unread - as I'm not in the right mood for it. That leaves me with two non fiction and another George Bellairs to read before the mobile is round again next week when I know there are already 13 books that I've ordered waiting for me.

The dentist appointment was a bit of a trial. He used something I'd not had inflicted on me before which was a piece of rubber that went round the tooth he was working on to stop water spray going down my throat.
It was nasty, made me feel as if I couldn't breathe and I'm not sure which was worse - not having to try to swallow or not being able to breathe. Anyway the root canal is done, my bank balance has been hit and hopefully I won't need to go back until my 6 month check.

Got home from the dentist to find a note through the door from someone looking to buy a house in the area. Do I want to sell? No not really and No not yet, although this is not a property for someone who can't drive or very elderly. Not sure where I would want to move to either. Moving to Surrey to help with Jacob isn't an option but going back to the coast where youngest daughter lives to help with Florence would take me away from son, DIL and Willow and sisters and Brothers in law. Moving into the village where son lives to help with Willow? or back to the village we lived in through the 1980's (where I go to big WI) which has more facilities within walking/cycling distance. Luckily I don't need to think about it at the moment.

Amber weather warning in this area for Heat yesterday, that doesn't happen often in England we had bright sunshine  nearly all day, but even when it clouded up by golly it was warm, even the wind was hot. Turns out Suffolk was the hottest place in the country. The cat complained by mewing sadly and collapsing flat out on the wood floor.
I must be one of the few people loving this warmth - but it got hot even for me and  I'm lucky that I don't have to go to work. I can remember the Very Long Hot summer of 1976 when I was working on the mobile library van  in the days before air con - that was an uncomfortable summer. It was OK when we were on the move between stops but like being in a tin box oven the rest of the time.

Back Tomorrow
Sue







43 comments:

  1. When you order a book from the library make a note on the library site. You can then see what prompted you to order it.
    traveller

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    1. Is there a facility on the library website to do this?
      I could make a note in a notebook I guess but would never remember!

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    2. Yes there is, once you have selected the book and get to the “place a reservation” page there is a notes box - you can type what you want in there. Have just ordered the Man Booker long list - last year I read two pages of Lincoln in the Bardo and thought it was awful.....yup it won!

      Traveller

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    3. Well fancy that - I always thought that notes box was to tell the library something about the reservation like if you didn't need it after a certain date.

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  2. I remember the very hot summer (or was it the extremely hot summer or the boilingly hot summer?!) of 1976 too because our youngest son was born that October!
    We went through the “ where should we live when we reach the point when we are not able to cope”. We decided after quite a lot of looking and discussion that nowhere suited us as well as where we are so we'd stop thinking about it for now as it was making us very unsettled.
    No one knows what will happen in the future as you have unfortunately found out Sue.
    You know a bungalow, which many well meaning people may suggest would be a good solution, is not for you at present though as Weaver has demonstrated it is possible to be very content with such a complete change.
    The note through the door opened up a debate in your head but you know it's not one to have at present.
    I hope your mouth feels more comfortable this morning.
    Sue

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    1. I don't mind bungalows - but no need to move yet

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  3. Reached 30C here, in the shade plus the hot wind and humidity. Still 25C overnight, phew!

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    1. I kept falling asleep all uncovered and then waking up a while later covered up and Hot! - very strange.

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  4. When people try to remember when the last hot summer was, I can immediately say 1976.we had a very fractious toddler with eczema and allergies, and her days were spent in cool baths, shady places and generally trying to keep her cool. I admire how you are able to list the potential options for where you might stay, and if you can’t drive in the future. Enjoy the heat- we finally had about one hour’s rain last evening.

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  5. When I saw that amber alert I instantly thought of you and hope it doesn't get too unbearable. In most summers here it is cool enough to sleep with the thin summer-weight duvet on but NOT this summer - we are down to a sheet and a very thin hand-made patchwork quilt. All of which get thrown off at some point in the night.

    You will be glad that the dentist is over (I would be too). Sounds unpleasant, especially the struggling to breath bit.

    All I want to do is read at the moment. I have found a couple of new-to-me crime authors - Sharon Bolton (really fast-paced) and Angela Marsons (compulsive). Several others picked up at the Tesco books for charity table have been discarded - I can't be bothered with poor writing.

    We have had overnight rain and it's still raining lightly now. Thank Heavens! We will need a month or more of heavy rain to top up water supplies though . . .

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    1. Will check out those crime authors but I'm a bit of a wimp so dont like anything to gory

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    2. There's an o missing in that sentence

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  6. I am also loving the hot weather. 32C here yesterday when I got off the train on my way back from Mamma Mia. So fantastic to get up and put shorts on everyday and not even have to think about it. I don't even bother to change into something else when I go out. Long may it last. As for Julian Barnes I have never been able to get into his books either. I no longer try with them.

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    1. Shorts here too -I'm not looking forward to the day when I have to go back to leggings

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  7. Oh, I have Miss Boston and Miss Hargreaves somewhere, last year our local bookshop did a "booky dip" to raise money for charity. The owner had wrapped all her preview copies in brown paper with just "adult" "thriller" "historical" or whatever on the paper. This is what I picked out, I wonder where it got to.

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  8. The sunshine is very cheering and right now it is delightful with a warm (not hot) breeze moring the air. But it's still fairly early morning and will only get hotter. I'm staying in and the fans are staying on. :-)
    I am glad you don't have to make any major decisions in the near future.
    xxx

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    1. I haven't got a fan ( well that's not true as Col had one when he was ill but it's annoyingly noisy) so curtains drawn and windows open when the sun isn't on them is keeping me cool indoors

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  9. With regards to moving, we made the decision that we would do what was right for us. Time is precious in your 60's. The place we are hoping to move to is in a small village with a pub, chemist, post office, takeaway, hardware store and general store. There are buses on the main road to the bigger town a couple of miles away. We are still the same distance away from both daughters so it's a win, win situation.

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    1. I do hope everything goes well - that sounds a perfect village.

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  10. ridiculously hot at the moment. I bet I'm not alone in wishing for a good dose of rain this summer! (usually I am) ;o) x

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    1. I would like rain for the trees but overnight would be best

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  11. I'm with you on the need to be in the right mood for reading some books and also for not finishing ones that I simply can't get into or don't enjoy. Not point wasting time on those books when there are so many others that might be more enjoyable.

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  12. I will have to note some of those books you liked. I'm returning two that I didn't read. one that I did start was written in such an elementary style while the other was a detective mystery that after page 1 I couldn't stomach.

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    1. I don't like crime fiction that is too gruesome

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  13. If I came home to a note like that through the letter box I'd be selling up in a heartbeat ... not sure what Alan would think though 🤣😃

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    1. Its so quiet here that I don't want to move yet but by a busy road I might

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  14. I remember the summer of 1976 as my mother had died in the March and I needed a break from looking after younger siblings etc. and came back to Scotland to visit grandparents. I was there for 6 weeks and a couple of friends joined me at various times and we did a road trip through Scotland and England. I remember 2 days with a bit of rain the entire time - very unusual!
    It is going up to 28C here today but will feel more like 35C with he humidity - and it has been this hot and hotter for the past month! Plus we get terrible humidity which means many days have felt more like 40C. But we have more access to A/C than you do so it must be exhausting for you all - please take care as the effects can creep up on you and be very dangerous.
    I'm just back from the library where I picked up 6 books that I'd placed on hold and I am about to start Anne Cleeves' latest "The Seagull" and I'm really looking forward to it as I enjoy watching the "Vera" series so much. I just read one that might be of interest to some readers called "The Witches of New York" - really enjoyed it and there is definitely scope for a sequel or two so I hope that comes to pass.
    Stay cool everyone.

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    1. I'm staying inside as much as possible, curtains closed, windows open.

      I enjoyed The Seagull - I don't think that it has been turned into a TV programme yet

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  15. I can remember the summer of 76. I was only 9 and although I don't recall any standing in queues for water I do remember going to the kitchen taps and nothing coming out. I'm also enjoying the weather. As somebody who is permanently freezing cold I'm finding it just nice although the past couple of days have been stifling.

    The house is something to think about but as you say the if/when/where's don't have to be decided just yet, if at all. Glad to hear your dental treatment is done and dusted. I get myself worked up over a filling so I'm in total admiration of you having root canal treatment. xx

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    1. I don't think we had the water turned off in 76 just the usual hosepipe ban etc. The water in this part of the world comes mostly from deep underground aquifers and they don't get low like reservoirs and according to a person from the water company we use less water per person in East Anglia than other places! Goodness knows how and why.

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  16. So glad that your dental treatment is over and done with. I don't like the sound of rubber things put in your mouth.

    I've just finished the most dreadful book.....well three quarters of it was pretty dire but the last few chapters were quite exciting. I'll be glad to start on something new.
    Hugs-x-

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    1. The rubber sheet thing was quite horrible, he cut holes in it to make it a bit better but it didn't smell good either!
      What was your book - I shall avoid it!

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  17. I am dreaming of some hot weather, although to be fair the tepid temperatures we have here on the Isle of Lewis do suit Gerard.

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    1. We do need rain for the trees and tree fruit but I'm liking the heat - although I haven't had to go outside in it too much

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  18. I'm glad you don't have to make a decision on where you will live in the future right now.. but I think it's kind of neat to have options and the idea of living somewhere wonderful and charming.. maybe even with a view of the sea. I'm glad your root canal is over.. it sounded horrific. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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    1. A sea view would be good but not feasible as I want to stay near the family

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  19. Your book selections always sound good and I search for them in our library system which sadly only carries about 1 in 10 : (
    We live in the high desert on the west side of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado USA where it is near or over 100 that last 2 weeks. It does cool to the low 70's at night tho.

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  20. Oh I know just what you are talking about in regards to that awful rubber thing the dentist used. Here I think it is called a "rubber damn" and I had it for my last couple of root canals. I also felt like I could not breath with it. It is just horrid. Did they tell you that you would need a crown over that tooth? I have had to have a crown over each root canal I've had because the dentist said it was a "dead tooth" with the root gone and would lose its strength. I now have a mouthful of crowns but I suppose it is better than false teeth!

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  21. I downloaded about 6 books this weekend...alll free from Kindle and non returnable. I just have to get in the mood to read.
    It got up to 28 today and 12 miles inland from us it's still 36 according to the plethora of weather people on the 5pm news. This isn't the worst of it. We've got humidity and wind. No rain though. We desperately need some rain, in Central CA there is a raging fire nearing Yosemite National Park. Someone on twitter posted a time lapse of the smoke coming in and obscuring Half Dome.
    I nearly choked to death because of that damn rubber dam. They left me tilted backwards and I could not breathe. Basically ignored me. I still have panic attacks going in or near a dental office.

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  22. I hate that rubber thing the dentists now use. I always think I am going to gag and cause no end of problems. So happy that my checkup yesterday showed no cavities, and my cleaning went as smoothly as possible.

    I am getting some great ideas for reading material, now I just hope I can find them here at my library (or that they can order them). I love your lists and reviews.

    God bless.

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