June Books- 2020

No book post in May because it took me the whole month to read this one

Dostoevsky- Crime and Punishment-  plus some of June. Not an easy read- I think some of the difficulty lay in the translation which felt clunky in parts. Set in pre- revoluntionary St Petersburg, the protagonist Raskolnikov convinces himself that it would be heroic to murder a pawn broker- he would be a Napoleon of men. Unfortunately he also kills the pawn brokers sister, flees from the scene with difficulty taking with him some loot which he hides in his rooms and then buries. He then becomes racked with fear that he will be caught. The majority of the book concerns the various people he knows , how he gives himself away, and finally in the last few chapters is sent to Siberia. I just found the book very hard going, and were not my other books all packed away may well have given up, but I did get to the end.

Ken Follett- The Pillars of the Earth- and it took the rest of June to read over 1000 pages of this epic novel. Apparently it does appear in the BBC 100 good reads, but I’d not heard of it till my eldest son passed it onto me. It was enjoyable, but not quite certain why it’s in the 100 list. It’s set in the turbulent times of the 12th century- civil war, famine, religious strife- and centres on the art of building cathedrals. It reminded me a lot of Edward Rutherford’s books with a bit of Ellis Peter’s Cadfael thrown in. It went on a bit long, I think tighter plotting might have helped, although each event fed into another, but there is only so much strife one can take. As I say enjoyable, highly readable, perfect holiday read… when we are allowed one again.

And that’s all my reading for two whole months- I’m slipping. Unless you count the book middle son sent on how to keep my Northern Monkey status now I was living down south with a bunch of Southern Jessies. So lucky to have such a kind son.

Have you read any very good books recently? Love to hear.

Scrap Happy – June 2020

Not surprisingly there has not been much sewing going on here. But I have finished one more card. This is for Mr B and Mrs G’s first wedding anniversary. Aida and floss left over from other projects- in the case of the green I was playing floss chicken and won.

Please visit Kate’s blog for lots of scrap happy posts- here

Beginning to feel like home.

Everyone is getting used to a new normal, one which changes weekly, and quite frankly is somewhat bewildering. Our new normal also includes settling into the new house and making it home, remembering where we put things, starting to think about things other than boxes and letting the powers that be know where we are, and more importantly for them- where to send their bills. We’re getting there slowly and surely day by day.

Scary oven and hob are being tamed.

The dining room is nearly clear of boxes. I think I could put the sewing machine on the table now.

I love the display in the hall- my Mum’s paperweight and the crochet cactus kindly sent by Rainbow Junkie- it brightens  my day every time I see it, thank you.

The rest of the house is slowly appearing from under the sea of cardboard. Best of all of course is being able to go for a walk with my son and grandchildren.

This is our walk yesterday at Coate Water park.

A lovely walk round the lake, swans, geese, ducks, dragonflies.

Trees and children , and a most unusual grade two listed structure.

Yes, it’s listed, and yes it is a diving board. Should you be interested into why it’s listed , here’s a link-Coate Water Diving Platform

Can’t wait for the putting course and museum to open, when they do.

It’s beginning to feel like home.