What I've read lately, on holiday

It’s been a while since I’ve done a post like this, and mainly because while I want to read as much as I can it all comes down to time, and the amount available. And there hasn’t been much of that lately. But a slow week away in Italy last week provided some of that much needed time, and in that time I clocked up four books which is quite a few, even for me.

I’m the sort that once I get into a book it becomes all consuming and I’ll need to finish it and quite often I’m happy to forgo the routine of daily life, such as sleeping to make that happen, which is something else to be wary of in everyday life, or else I’m likely to re-enact the photo below at my desk.

Photo by Aziz Acharki on Unsplash

What I like about books, as well as the stories and adventure without moving, is the emotions they evoke, and one of the books in this post had tears rolling down my cheeks…

1 The Sapphire Widow, Dinah Jefferies

I’m a fan of Dinah Jefferies’ writing so it’s no surprise that this was the book I started on. I’d read, and loved, The Tea Planter’s Wife previously, and I was hoping for something equally as gripping, and I wasn’t disappointed - I’m not sure I ever will be with one of Dinah’s books if I’m honest. The story is once again set in Ceylon, but 1935 for this book. It’s a story of love and betrayal, but don’t worry I’m not about to share if there’s a happy ending, or not.

Louisa, the central character is the daughter of a successful jewel trader, and that’s the sapphire connection. The story starts to gather pace and (even more) grip-ability when her husband dies unexpectedly. As with all the best stories, there’s a tricky path to navigate, but I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with this one, whether you’re a Dinah Jefferies fan already or not.

2 The Mersey Daughter, Annie Groves

My other go to genre for reading is females in a war time setting, and this book has plenty of that. There’s Kitty who joins the WRENS and leaving Liverpool to do so, there’s Rita who’s sent her children to a farm outside of Liverpool. Rita’s also a nurse and her husband has gone AWOL with his latest fancy woman. There’s her mother-in-law too who has a secret daughter, and there’s the warmth of an extended Liverpool family, and the bombs that rain down on the city.

This is the first Annie Groves book I’ve read, and I’d certainly read more, as there’s definitely the emotional pull in these stories, but this wasn’t the book that had tears rolling down my cheeks as I read, but it came close.

3 The Plus One, Sophia Money-Coutts

It was obvious from the start of this book that it was yet another genre, and one that would easily fit into the chick-lit category. I’ve seen one review online which describes it as jolly, and that’s fair I think. I enjoy a good, upbeat, happy story and this one was more likely to have me in tears of laughter, so this wasn’t the one that made me cry either, but it was a quick and energetic read.

Polly, the main character works for the society magazine Posh! as a trainee journalist, and there’s a feel of Bridget Jones-ness to this book, so if that’s not your thing, this isn’t likely to be either. It is mine, and the writing evokes vivid pictures which I’m sure I’d replicate if I was in the same situations in real life, and I’m thinking the country visits rather than the adult entertainment, before you ask.

4 A Moment of Grace, Patrick Dillon

So if none of the other three on this list made me cry, it must be this one. And it was. This book is beautifully written, and full of the emotion I mentioned before, there’s love, much love in fact, but also raw emotion as it tells the story of Nicola’s last thirteen months; the day of diagnosis when their life changed forever, though to the decision Patrick and their children made to let her go. It’s a story with fight and realism, and tears, mostly mine. There’s also hope, and particularly how Patrick wanted the house to be right for when Nicola returned, truth of an everyday and ordinary life, and how quickly that can change.

Patrick Dillon is an award-winning architect and writer, his wife of 28 years Nicola Thorold was Executive Producer at London’s Roundhouse and awarded an OBE for services to the arts. It’s a compelling read, and more so I think because these are real people and real lives.

And that’s not all, I’ve started a fifth book which unbelievably could be my first Marian Keyes book. I’m hoping that I’ll have some time this week to finish this one, and who knows maybe there’ll be more - I hope so, reading is definitely good for the soul.

Up the ladder, without a wobble

This is one of those lustful garden posts that I make no apology for. Since we saw the Henchman ladders at the home shows a year or two ago they’ve been on my wish list. But no longer, as we finally took the plunge and bought a six foot tripod ladder with three adjustable legs, and I was probably a little bit too excited about it.

I’m a bit wobbly up ladders you see. But when I nominated MOH to try one out at Grand Designs earlier this year, he was impressed too. So when our existing stepladder became even more wobbly than before (and without any extra help too I’ll add) there was only one choice for us both.

The decision really was, what size and how many adjustable legs.

And in case you’re wondering, we went for 6ft and 3 adjustable legs.

As you can see that gives us quite a bit of flexibility. We probably could have gone for a larger size, but we wanted to make sure it went in the shed. But the three adjustable legs are great. Our garden isn’t flat or level, not many are in reality are they, and with the slate beds around the grass this will come in really handy.

What we should have bought at the same time is the rubber feet, not because we need them for the garden but because we both think this is going to be a useful purchase and it’s more than likely that we’ll use it indoors too.

The lowest step is a way off the ground but it’s do-able, even for me, and the extra stability and confidence in the stability are worth it. It’s really light too so is easy for me to move from one end of the garden to the other. I used it at the weekend to tame the out of control chilean potato plant which was growing at least three foot above the top of the fence.

And for a change MOH didn’t have to stay close by while I was up the ladder (I really am that wobbly up a ladder), the only trouble is it’s much easier to cut more down and clearing it all up back on ground level really isn’t much fun at all.

At some point I’m sure I’ll let MOH use our new purchase, but perhaps not just yet.

My garden in September

September turned out to be rather glorious didn’t it? Well, if you forget that bit of rain, although my garden was very thankful for that because I’ve not been very good at keeping it watered. I’ve been following the tough love approach rather than pandering to it, and while some plants are a bit crispy around the edges, mostly they’re ok.

It’s been great for me that the temperatures were slightly cooler, so I was able to get back out there and actually garden again, rather than just melt in a bit of shade. Seeing the sun on the ferns at the back of the garden can’t help but make me smile.

September has also been one of those practical months. The wildlife - the foxes this time - have made a reappearance, and so, therefore has our sonic fox scarer. It worked before so I’m hoping it’ll work again and dissuade the foxes from taking up residency in our garden. The squirrels continue to annoy MOH with their digging up the lawn antics, they’re oblivious to the angst they’re causing, in fact I’m sure there’s more of them before, so it seems our garden is regularly host to a squirrel nut stashing party.

The little shed is still in its temporary home behind the pizza oven, which I’m sad to say we haven’t lit at all this year. That itself is a sign of how we’ve not been around at weekends, and of how warm it’s been. I mean, let’s be honest this summer standing in front of a fire that’s 400 degrees doesn’t sound like much fun does it?

I’m hopeful that the autumn will continue to be mild and we’ll have time to get it into its more permanent home before the weather turns. Although if we believe the reports we’re having four months of snow this winter, I seriously hope not!

There’s been signs that autumn is well and truly on the way with the delicate mauve of the colchium (autumn crocuses) and cyclamen making themselves known. They’re pretty, but surely it’s too soon…

The foxgloves I rescued from in front of the pizza oven are doing well and are my triumph of the year so far. I couldn’t help but keep taking their picture, and so here’s a few of them looking gorgeous.

They’ll look even more gorgeous next year when there’s flowers. I’ve a feeling one of my new annual tasks will be to rescue self-seeded foxglove plants from MOH’s boots, and I’ll be sneaking them in around the garden just as I have with the ferns. He’s now a fan of ferns, so he’s getting the hang of this free plant thing.

The rhubarb which we brought back from the plot surprised me, I’d left it in a trug out of earth, but still it grew. So as it probably knew best it’s now in a large plastic pot and thriving. So it seems it’s in this pot for a while at least as i don’t want to keep moving it from pot to pot. And I hope that means there’ll be a stem or two of rhubarb next year, even though I know you’re not supposed to when you after you’ve moved it, but ssh, I won’t tell if you don’t.