Earlier this month we had my husband's birthday and some surprisingly nice weather. He has been able to get out with his solar telescope in the daytime and a few evening sessions with his other scope. Perfect.
Now we are prepping for Hurricane Helene. Getting the Kindle, phones, etc all charged for the loss of electricty.
My week has been a dermatologist appointment, biopsy, bread making and a slow cooker recipe my son sent. The excitement never ends :-)
While looking at a news story on my phone I saw there was an Instagram post embedded and I couldn't access it. So I dusted off my old Instagram account to have a look. Then I tried to follow a few book blogs and authors. Apparently you have to get permission now even if the accounts are public.
Currently reading Trust and while very well written it's more narrative than dialogue. Thus I took a short break to read Sipsworth. I finished this in a day and it's a sweet story. Helen Cartwright is in her eighties and returned to England to live out her last years quietly and alone.
She had a full life in Australia with her husband and son but they are gone now. She isn't ill but she knows at her age the end is coming. Without friends or family she decides to settle in the English neighborhood where she grew up over 60 years ago. Helen finds that life still has a few surprises for her.
Simon Van Booy is an author new to me. He grew up in rural Wales and currently lives in New York, writing and volunteering as an E.M.T. I will seek out more of his work.
Sharing with:
At my age, I enjoy reading books about older people. I haven't read anything else by Simon Van Booy. Maybe I should look for more by him, too.
ReplyDeleteI have loved the majority of the books I've read for the Classics Club. It helped me to make a long list of possibilities (my list I laughingly call "my list of books to read before I die"), a list I am constantly adding to and deleting from, and to focus on reading what sounds especially promising. I use all the wonderful tools out there that help me get through really challenging books---versions that have been abridged, audiobooks, synopses of chapters, graphic novel versions of the book. There are some great lists on the Classics Club blog that helped me shape my own list of books. Honestly, for me, it helps me to focus on books I *want* to read, rather than trying to force myself to read books that I think I *should* read. And buddy-reads have helped me get through some especially tough books like War and Peace (whew!) and Moby Dick.
You can see that I am passionate about the Classics Club, mainly because it's been such a good experience for me. If I can help, feel free to holler at me off-the-blog at debnance at gmail dot com anytime!
Deb, I appreciate that comment very much and I will indeed call on you for help. You have made the Classics Club sound less intimidating than I had thought it was. That's one reason I tend to shy away from it.
DeleteThe latest from Matt Haig is also about an older woman, a widow, and I tried to start it but want to get others caught up on.
Oh no Helene. Ugh. Batten down the hatches. I hope the damage is not severe to your place. The Van Booy novel sounds like a good story ... but I have not read him. I didn't make it all the way through Trust when I tried a year or two ago ... but perhaps I should try again. Stay safe with Loki and your husband.
ReplyDeleteSusan, so far we are good. Bought ice and gas, the winds are not too severe now.
DeleteThe Van Booy style was appealing and I will look for more. Trust is harder to read. So much narrative but I am thinking by the end it will all come together - we will see!
Thinking of you today, Tina. Sanibel has had some minor flooding, but thankfully the tide is going out now as the storm is about even with us. Stay safe and check in with us when you can!
ReplyDeleteThank you, JoAnn. I hope the floodiing isn't too bad on Sanibel. Looks like it will be shifting a bit more east which is good for us ... but not for those east. We bought ice and filled two coolers and gas for a generator. Will update as it is supposed to bring us more rain and higher winds near 10:00.
DeleteI’m glad you were prepared but safely made it through Tina. Stay safe!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jodie. I appreciate it. Getting together food supplies, gas for generators, etc. is getting old. I think we are ready to move out.
DeleteThinking about you and JoAnn with all the Hurricane Helene news. I hope all is well with you. Sipsworth sounds like one I would enjoy.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Joy. Sipsworth is a nice story, slow moving and not a long book at all. I liked it. We are well here and have power, doing much better than some.
DeleteSipsworth sounds like a good read.
ReplyDeleteI hope that you are safe and well!
Erin, it's a cute book. Sad at times but overall a lovely story. Thank yu for the good wishes. Sometimes I wish I never left Michigan as these storms are very wearing. Ugh.
DeleteI've added Sipsworth to my TBR list as well as something by Matt Haig.
ReplyDeleteJackie, the Matt Haig book I am finishing is odd, but I LOVED Midnight Library.
DeleteHope you're ok after the hurricane!!! Was it scary times with the wind and water???
ReplyDeleteI just emailed the gardner to find out how our house in Hudson, just north of Tampa is doing. No one has set foot inside since the last time my sister was there in...2018???...and I know the window of the Florida room has been busted out for years and there's probably birds living in there and snakes and bugs and mold...probably be better if the hurricane whisked it away. LOL
Having telescopes must be pretty amazing! I would probably spy on my neighborhood with one. Not my close neighbors in my building because that would feel creepy, but the people in the adjacent buildings. LOL I am the definition of nosy neighbor.
Jinjer, we were extremely fortunate that it shifted a bit eastward and our trees are still standing. That was the big worry, a pine crashing into the house. I am so over living in Florida and I'm ready for a change. Thanks for checking in with us!
DeleteMaybe time to think of selling the Hudson property? Even with damage I think after people get the hurricane amnesia back someone would want to buy the property and build.
He has many scopes but they are mostly for deep sky objects and of course the solar one :-)
I hope all is well after the storm. We lucked out here and it wasn't too bad. I did the same thing making sure all my devices were charged just in case. Sipworth sounds like a good one. I'll have to look for it.
ReplyDeleteYvonne, we were fortunate, especailly after seeing such flooding and devastaion. thanks for asking. We couldn't go into Tallahassee with the mess of trees and power outages so...stayed home and read.
DeleteOddly, it seems like Helene hit hardest in places that were actually away from the coast.
DeleteIt is odd, Deb. The coastal area in Keaton Beach was destroyed but N.C. surprises me. And yesterday we lost water! I am brushing my teeth and making coffee using bottled water! Ought to come back today.
DeleteI hope you were not in one of the areas that was hit hardest with Helene! Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cindy!!
DeleteI've been thanking of you as we are seeing all the pictures of the devestation from Helene. I hope you are far enough inland that you weren't affected too much. Sipsworth is on my TBR. It looks like an interesting read. Have you ever been to The Bookshelf in Thomasville, GA? Or Thomasville in general? We are going to be going on a cruise leaving from Port Canaveral at the end of October and on the way home I was thinking of taking a detour there. I listen to The Bookshelf's podcast regularly and Thomasville looks gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteKatherine, we were so very fortunate. Lost water for a bit the other day but we have bottled. Sipsworth is nice, it's also short.
DeleteI have not been to that bookshop and we haven;t been to Thomasville in years. We are closer to the GA. border near bainbridge. I have heard it's an excellent bookstore.
Thanks for your kind thoughts!
Hi, Simon VanBooy is a favorite; was able to meet him a few years back at an author event. I've read at least 3 of his books and they are all quiet yet impressive. I'm loving seeing all the praise for Sipsworth.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed Trust - it REALLY comes together at the end.
Care, that's always neat to meet an author get to an event to hear one speak. Good to know his other work is so good as I will look for more. Thansk for visiting!
DeleteI've only read one book by Simon Van Booy (reviewed here), but I'm very excited to read Sipsworth. For some reason, I love books about elderly women.
ReplyDeleteLes, I would like to get more of his work as well. My reading has slowed now and we are aboout to travel so....dn't expect much to get read anytime soon.
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