Thursday, August 14, 2025

At Your Service

 We're in humble servant training at the moment as we have a visitor:
supervising Bill's after dinner clean-up

He seems to find the service acceptable so far, although there have been a few times when he has had to stand waiting with the ball in his mouth for a smidge too long. There's always room for improvement.

Sunday, August 10, 2025

Sunday Snippets

 It's been a slow weekend. As expected, yesterday I was feeling a little rough after my windy walk to the library the day before due to the grass pollen and fungal spores, so I didn't do much. I was really tired, my throat was scratchy, and my face hurt--I couldn't even read. But late in the afternoon I did manage to get some wholemeal bread dough mixed in my food processor, which I turned into a cinnamon swirl loaf before putting it into the slow cooker to bake. It's yummy and was a nice accompaniment to last night's tea and this morning's coffee.
I got myself into bed early and sat there crocheting while I listened to some podcasts. It was particularly fun listening to Shedunnit last night because it was all about Golden Age mysteries that involve books and bookshops. In her discussion, she talked about one of the books I just read and wrote about in my month-end wrap-up, The Death of Mr. Dodsley. Her newsletter about book-themed mysteries is here.

I'd planned to do laundry yesterday and put the drying rack outside, but it was too windy and the clothes would have just blown off, so I skipped it. I'll do it today. It's breezy, but not as windy as it was.

As is usually the case, the sky and the light have been interesting at various times of the day. This is what it looked like the other night around 8. I always enjoy looking at the clouds.
The field has a sort of pre-autumnal look. I was noticing how many of the wildflowers are now past the height of their blooming season and are going to seed. It won't be long now until the earlier onset of darkness is very noticeable. Now when I'm in the kitchen around 10:30 to make a cup of tea, it's dark and I need a light, which wasn't the case a month ago. 

I guess I'll go pour another cup of coffee and maybe put the laundry on. Oh, and download the audiobook that came early. I wasn't expecting it for another few weeks, but I got an email just after midnight telling me it was available. It's this one:
Naturally, I'd just finished a different audiobook and downloaded two more non-fiction titles last night, so now I am quite stocked with audiobooks--and another expected in two weeks. Ah well, I know what I'm doing tonight.

Enjoy your day, whatever your plans!

PS: I did the laundry and hauled the drying rack outside. As I was stepping back inside, I felt the first sprinkles, so hauled it back in :-) Maybe tomorrow.





Friday, August 8, 2025

Windy Walk

 I had a windy walk to the library and back this morning/early afternoon. At times I had to hold my hat on. It was great! Last week, I was walking along quite sure I'd burst into flames any minute--I was roasting. This week, it wasn't sunny or warm, but I dressed for heat anyway and was comfortable. Others not so much apparently, because they were bundled up with puffy jackets and hoods tied tightly around their faces. Whatever works.

I'm going to have to put a container in my backpack for future jaunts to the library because the lane is edged by lots of blackberry bushes and we're getting to the time of year where they'll be ready for picking. I could have picked a few today if I had something to put them in. Also along the side of the lane, I saw some wee flowers--gorgeous deep purple. I didn't get a good photo of them, but I got the leafy part of the plant (whatever it is) and I love the foliage just as much.
The bottom right hand corner reminds me of those old psychedelic posters I remember from the 70s, with their optical illusions.

I had a couple of books in and here they are:
I recently read a different classic republished by Faber Editions and in the back, they listed some of their other publications. This was one of them. It's a novel about a German immigrant living in London and working as a piano tuner. His fellow immigrants assume he fled the Nazis like they did, but as the search for Nazi war criminals heats up, it appears that he might not be what he seems. Originally published in 1966.

I listened to a fascinating hour-long interview with this poet a few weeks ago and well before the hour was up, I'd placed my request for this book. I have a feeling it's going to be excellent. And I love the cover. I'll be reading it a few poems at a time, I think. I might not start the novel right away--I have a few nonfiction books on my NetGalley shelf that I want to get to and I seem to be in the mood to read the next Virginia Woolf novel on my pile. And I have a classic mystery in audiobook nearing the end--hoping to finish tonight. So, a little of this and some of that will probably be how I read for now. I'm a mood reader, so I just follow my bookish mood and see where it leads. 

Happy Friday!










Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Almost Neon

 When we moved to this area the first time, one of the things I noticed right away was the intense, vivid, deep colors of the hydrangeas. I love hydrangeas and years ago, we used to have a beautiful one outside our dining room window. It bloomed in a lovely periwinkle blue color. The same color hydrangeas were outside another place we lived here in Ireland. They're abundant here in all kinds of colors. But up here, the colors tend to be much deeper and intense--jewel-tone--instead of being more pastel. There are some of the latter, but more of the former. I've enjoyed looking at the new-to-me hydrangea colors as I've come across them. Today as were were on a walk, I saw one that was almost neon.
I'm told the color depends on the soil. Like all of us I guess, they bloom where they're planted and present themselves accordingly. 😏 

Sunday, August 3, 2025

A Small Slice of Life

 I've mentioned before that I really enjoy the bus rides we go on here, especially the ride between here and Gortahork--we take narrow rural roads, whether we're on the smaller Local Link bus or one of the larger buses. Each one takes a different road and each has different scenery. I'm developing favorite parts of each route. I find these rides so relaxing. Since we've been back, I've realized how much I missed the rocks, hills, views of the sea, and simply riding through some very, very rural areas. It's not that we weren't rural before, but this is a different level--as one friend said, 'You're in the back of beyond now.'  The other day we were on the Local Link. 

At this time of year, people are taking advantage of every dry day to get their turf cut, dried, home, and covered before the next rain arrives.
He was slow and as you can see, passing wasn't really an option for a while so best to just enjoy the ride without worrying too much about how fast the destination will be reached. Eventually there was a spot for the tractor guy to move over and the bus driver to pass. Shortly after we did that, we passed a small cottage with another tractor and trailer full of turf parked out front. People do light their open fires all year long, but they'll also want to get ready for winter. The wind can be fierce in this region as it blows off the ocean.

The sky was pretty typical of the sort we've been experiencing lately. I love a grey sky with puffy clouds--like a piece of abstract art. In spite of the clouds, we haven't really had much rain for a few days. This is apparently about to change as Storm Floris arrives, bringing unseasonably high winds and lots of rain.
Earlier in the week, we were in Letterkenny with a bit of time before we had to look out for our bus home. This means a visit to the charity shop. I don't know when they opened the one right next to the bus stop, but it was a genius move. It was a good book day. Bill got a bunch and I picked up 3 classics.
I'm always thrilled to find classics, especially the black Wordsworth Editions. I find they have excellent introductions (which should always be read after reading the book due to spoilers).
I've read Pride and Prejudice and to be honest, it's not my favorite Austen. But they had two copies of this and we had 9 books, so I would've been charged €2 whether I got the 10th one or not (the books there are priced at 5 for €1). I decided to give it another shot. I'm wondering if I'm just ornery and have an aversion to it because so many people are quite wild about it. I'll read it again and find out. I don't think I've read the Sherlock Holmes novels, although I've listened to radio dramatizations. I'll be interested to read these and the introduction. And I've never read Dracula or seen the movie the cover image is taken from. I think I did see Abbott and Costello Meet Dracula when I was a child, but that's about it.

One of the things I love about this cottage is the kitchen. I have so much counter space! It used to be that I kept my large slow cooker in a cupboard and when I wanted to use it, I had to move other things around to make space for it on the counter near a plug. Then it would be in the way, so I mostly used it overnight. Now it has a dedicated space on the counter away from the area where I do most of my work and it's within reach of a plug that I don't need to use for anything else. I can put supper ingredients in there in the morning and by suppertime, the meal is finished. Yesterday morning, I put in a whole chicken and some chunks of potato, onion, and carrot, turned it on high and 8 hours later, we had supper. 
Of course, there was leftover veg and plenty of chicken--I usually get 4 meals for both of us out of a whole chicken of this size. I add a small amount of water at the start and as things cook, a nice broth is also created. I pour this in a jar and usually use it for soup or gravy. This is the only way I've cooked whole chickens for years. For one thing, it's an energy efficient way to cook--it would take eons in the ovens I've had here, but I was doing it this way even before we came to Ireland. It comes out beautifully--falls off the bone and because it's not a dry heat, the chicken and veg do not dry out. I do like roasted veg, but this is a nice way to have them, too. 

So that's a random slice of my life lately--quiet, peaceful, and full of gratitude. It's a holiday weekend here, so of course rain is in the forecast and a potentially disruptive storm. I'll have all the rechargeable lamps, my e-reader, and my mp3 player charged up and ready. 

I hope August has been treating you well so far!




Friday, August 1, 2025

July Reading Wrap Up (Second Half)

 Before I get to my 2nd half reading wrap up, I wanted to give an update on our electric company saga. Yesterday I got a corrected bill, which stated that it was replacing the previous bill. The correct bill is €113 lower than the incorrect one. Glad that's sorted. Now on to the books! My reading wrap up for the first half of the month is here.

Shockwave: The Countdown to Hiroshima by Stephen Walker (library book)
Here's how this books begins:
" For the rest of his life, Sumao Tsubori would never forget how beautiful the garden looked that night. The trees, the lake, the little rainbow bridge, the ancient wooden teahouses dotting the banks, the smell of fresh pine, the white heron sleeping on the rock. The perfect stillness of it all. Outside beyond the garden walls, the city slept in the darkness. In the blackout, it was almost possible to believe there was no city out there at all, no houses, no army, no war. As if he and Reiko, lying together under the stars, were the only people alive in the world. That is how he remembered it the night before the bomb." (p3)

This was quite a read. It does exactly what the subtitle says--looks at the weeks leading up to the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima from a few weeks before when the bomb was tested, through to the aftermath and the next bomb drop on Nagasaki. The author concludes with a chapter on the men involved in the years after the war and what they thought of their part in this horrific episode. There were many ways in which I found this narrative chilling as well as heartbreaking. The people going about their lives as best as they could under the circumstances couldn't possibly imagine the horror that was heading their way. As I was reading, I kept thinking about how incredibly stupid war is and how we know this and keep on doing it anyway. I understand that the Japanese military people were incredibly brutal--not just at this time in history, either. I don't know whether dropping the bombs was justified. I'm glad I will never have to make such a decision. In the end, had they listened to one advisor in particular, they could have gotten the same terms of surrender before the bombs were dropped. It's also true that if the US hadn't dropped the bomb, then another country would have at some point. What was not ambiguous at all to me was some of the attitudes on the part of the (very unlikable) US military guys involved, who expressed no remorse and in one case, even celebrated this catastrophe decades later, when he reproduced the flight and the bomb drop at a Texas air show. That is obscene. You can have no regrets for your actions, be convinced that you did the right thing, and still recognize that it was horrific, even if you think it was justified. I don't think the slaughter of all those people is cause for celebration or entertainment, war or no war. As you can probably tell, this was a powerful book that will stay with me.

Death of a Bookseller by Bernard J. Farmer (library book)
This was the 100th title published in the British Library Crime Classics series. It's a fun read, which is set in the world of secondhand book dealing in London in the 1950s. In the book, Sergeant Wigan escorts a drunk man home, befriends him, and becomes interested in the man's trade, which is secondhand books. Some of these books are quite rare and the dealers and runners can be quite competitive. Still, Wigan's new friend begins teaching him about books and how to find desirable ones. They visit one another regularly. But one day, the book dealer is found dead. Wigan sets out to find the murderer of his friend with help from various others. The author had a foot in both worlds as he was a police officer and a book person, so he was able to bring that world to life. As I was reading, I was thinking about the book Jane Austen's Bookshelf by Rebecca Romney, who is a rare book dealer herself and includes a lot about the book trade of the present day. In both cases, this adds a lot to the books.

Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie (Serial Reader)
I've been enjoying reading some of Agatha Christie's early work again via the Serial Reader app. In the case of this book, although I read it before, I had no recollection of it at all and in fact, I think I thought the plot was different than it actually was. It was like reading it for the first time again. It's not one of Christie's best works, but reading it little by little was a fun experience nonetheless. In the book, Anne Beddingfield has come of age running her father's household after the death of her mother. When her father dies, she learns that he left many debts, so house and possessions are sold off to pay them, leaving her about £87. She goes to stay with a family friend while she tries to find work. One day, while on the platform at the train station, she looks up to see a man near the edge. Suddenly a look of horror comes over his face. He takes a step backwards and falls. Anne finds a piece of paper with some numbers on it. What do they mean? And what is the ticket to go view a house all about? What's the connection to the dead body that was found there? Anne decides to investigate and with her £87, which is just enough to buy a ticket for a boat to South Africa, she begins her adventure. 

Abortion: A History by Mary Fissell (library book)
The title tells you what this is about. It's a very interesting look at how attitudes to abortion changed in different places at different times, going from a commonplace medical procedure that was accepted and not considered anyone's business but the pregnant woman's, to a punishable offence when both women and fetuses were considered male property. Older women explained to younger ones what herbs/plants they could use to encourage miscarriage. Hot baths, jumping up and down, and other physical things were also advised. Then, when women and fetuses were considered property of men, miscarrying was considered a theft of property. Surveillance was common (sound familiar?). Nonetheless, whatever the laws and attitudes at any particular time, women have always and will always find ways to have abortions. 

The Death of Mr Dodsley by John Ferguson (library book)
Another secondhand bookshop! This one is located in the Charing Cross Road and is owned by Mr. Dodsley. One night, he is found murdered in his office. The scene looks remarkably like the cover of a newly published mystery novel written by the estranged daughter of an MP. Is there a connection? Turns out that the owner had called in a private detective to look into another matter shortly before his death. He continues his investigation, expanding it to include the murder. Scotland Yard is pursuing their own investigation and there are some amusing conversations within the police hierarchy. I enjoyed this book, but didn't think it was as good as Death of a Bookseller above. That said, it was a classic mystery (first published in 1937) and books are central to the plot, so it was still a good read. And there was some lovely writing, such as this sentence, " Envy is not a soil on which love thrives." (p 66)

The Waves by Virginia Woolf (my copy)
Well, this was one of the strangest books I've ever read. I'm not really sure whether I liked it or not. At the moment, I can't see myself re-reading it, but I'm going to keep it, so you never know. The 'plot' involves the lives of 6 friends as they grow up, enter adulthood, become middle-aged, and grow old. There is a 7th friend, but he is only talked about, and we never hear from him directly. This is in contrast to the others--the entire book is a sort of stream of consciousness moving between one and the next. These inner monologues are interspersed with a poetic story about the sun rising over the waves and shining through the day until it sets again. It took me a while to get into the flow of the narrative as there are no breaks between one character's thoughts and the next one--as I read, I was trying to keep up with quick jumps between 'Susan said' and 'Louis said' and on and on. The exception to this jumping around was near the end, when Bernard 'says' for many, many pages. After a while, I could see who was speaking/thinking, but it did take a while. These were sometimes profound thoughts and sometimes observations of the surroundings, for example (not actual quotes, because I am too lazy to get the book from the bottom of my Woolf pile, but sentences like this): 'The crumbs are on the table. Soon, I will push my glass away.' The style was such that at first it wasn't clear to be that these were thoughts left unspoken--I mean, I do not think this way. But it was a different time and Woolf was trying to create a work of art, so that is perhaps not so important here.

The Mysterious Mr. Badman by W.F. Harvey (library book)
This is another bibliomystery--my third and most favorite one of the month. This one is set in Yorkshire and is quite amusing. Mr. Athelstan Digby is a delightful character. He is staying in a village near where his nephew, Dr. Jim Pickering, may take over the local medical practice. They plan to go hiking. Mr. Digby offers to watch the bookstore owned by the person he's staying with as he and his wife have somewhere to go. Mr. Digby is astonished when three very different people show up looking for a book by Bunyan--The Mysterious Mr. Badman. He's even more astonished when a young lad comes in to sell him some books and that very title is included. Why do people want that book? When someone takes the book from Mr Digby's possession, it's clear something weird is going on. Mr Digby and Jim decide to find out what. This was a fun read--quite an amusing caper, full of implausible episodes. I learned that the author published a book of interconnected short stories featuring Athelstan Digby, but the library system doesn't have it and it's not on Project Gutenberg. Maybe one day I'll find it. I'd definitely love to read it.

So that's it for July reading. I hope you had an excellent reading month, too. Here's hoping for more wonderful books in August!