Libraries

This week I'm joining Barbara, the hostess of Tuesday Intros, with a book of short stories that I chose from our travelling library. It's a service that is very much under threat as councils try to make their money stretch. Ali Smith's book is her plea for the continuation of a library service that is free to all.

This is the information on the flyleaf.

The stories are interspaced with reflections from a variety of people on the value of libraries.

The book opens with

Here's a true story. Simon, my editor, and I had been meeting to talk about how to put together this book you're reading right now. We set off on a short walk across central London to his office to photocopy some stories I'd brought with me.

Just off Covent Garden we saw a building with the word LIBRARY above its doors.

It didn't look like a library. It looked like a fancy shop.

What do you think it is? Simon said.

Let's see, I said.

We crossed the road and went in.

Everything inside was painted black. There was a little vestibule and in it a woman was standing behind a high reception desk. She smiled a hello. Further in, ahead of us, I could just glimpse some people sitting at a table and we could hear from behind a thin partition wall the sounds of people drinking and talking.

Hello, we said. Is this a library?

The woman lost her smile.

No, she said.

The travelling library stops right outside our garden gate. I've always joked that as long as I'm able to stagger down the garden path as an old lady to select my books then I shall be alright. Now there is a very real risk that the library will no longer exist before ever I get to the staggering stage!

Tuesday Intros.

I've just finished reading this book by the popular English playwright and novelist, Michael Frayn. It's the answer to a request from his daughters to know something about his childhood and gives a warm portrait of his father whilst describing his own journey from child to adult. I think the first chapters suffer from information that the family may well find riveting  but that is frankly rather boring for other readers. Biographies and autobiographies are fascinating for what they leave out and this book is no exception, too much information one minute, then gliding over situations that would fascinate the next.

Here is the opening page.

If you've read any of his novels or seen his plays then it may be of interest to you.

Joining up with Barbara who hosts Tuesday Intros.

Visible Monday - well wrapped up.

Today was somewhat more visible than usual for we were out to lunch with friends to celebrate Himself's birthday. After a murky start to the day the sun eventually broke through. We are lucky to have a good place to eat in the village where we live and arrived on the dot of one in time to greet our friends.

Although the sun was shining it was cold and we were well wrapped up for the short walk up the hill, woollen jumper under woollen dress, tights, boots, big pink pashmina, warm coat. Yup, that's winter in Blighty folks! (This is a grey coat, the camera is playing tricks with the colour. And I'm not going to get a haircut until the weather warms up!))

We had a lovely time, lots of chat, good food.

I had fish stew.

Himself had presents.                       

A long, long skinny scarf from me with fox terriers decorating each end to remind us of much missed Bella and Maisie. From our friends a fancy shirt and a card, staying with the dog theme, of one of Steve's paintings, 'Swimming Dog.'

Here is my outfit to share with Visible Monday.

Cowl neck wool jumper from Jaeger

wool dress from Hobbs

boots so old I can't remember where they are from!

I looked in my 2016 diary to calculate how much money I'd spent on clothing throughout the year. I'd started out last January with the intention of buying as little as possible and told myself that for any item I bought I would give away an existing piece. I'm pleased with the result. I spent a total of £138. Each item was a sale purchase and included a sun hat, suede flats, crops, a funnel neck jumper and a chambray dress. If something irresistible comes along this year then I shan't feel too guilty about buying it!

Tuesday Intros: London Fog.

 

I'm just getting back into the routine of things after the holiday celebrations, so it's good to join Barbara, the hostess of Tuesday Intros, with the opening lines of a book that I've just finished reading. I chose it from the library because I liked the cover and thought, ah, yes, I know all about London rain, I've padded about with it dripping down my neck often enough!

I'd never heard of the author but discovered that she's written a number of books featuring the central character, Josephine Tey.  What did I think of it? Far too over researched for my taste. I'm confident that all the period details were accurate but they slowed the story down and caused me to be uninvolved in the story line.

Just goes to show, you can't tell a book from it's cover!