Kerry's (CDVicarage) Year of Changes

This will be my eleventh year in the 75 Books Challenge - I was just going to give it a try for one year!

I am now in my mid-sixties and a grandmother - our first grandchild, Toby, was born just before Christmas 2020. Now that my daughter, Clare, has returned to work we (my husband, Jon, and I) look after Toby for two days (Tuesday and Thursday) a week. I also work with my son-in-law, Richard for two days a week (Tuesday and Wednesday) at his small printing business. My husband is due to retire in April this year and, as we currently live in tied accomodation - a rectory, which is an early nineteenth century, converted stable block - we have been going through the process of buying our own home for the last six months or so. If everything goes to plan we should be completeing on the purchase of a new house in Holmes Chapel soon after Easter. I try not to think about all the things that could be delayed and concentrate instead on the fun of choosing my own carpets, kitchen cupboards etc. For the last thirty years we have been living in large five-bedroomed, detached houses in generous grounds, but with very little choice or control over them, and we shall have to get used to a modest three-bedroomed semi with a pocket handkerchief garden.This means drastically reducing the amount of possessions we have, including books...

That last was enough to make me wish Jon would stay in post for much longer but as I have got used to the idea I have been able to sell or donate a lot of my paper books - even my cherished Chalet School hardback collection. As long as I do it gradually I can remove two to three books a week from my shelves. It helps that I am a convert to ebooks, but I still need to keep paper copies of some of my favouites.

As far as reading numbers go I have easily managed to read seventy five titles each year and I expect to manage it this year - I shall be living close to my local public library so I hope to borrow paper books as well as ebooks in future. I am not very chatty online but I visit quite a lot of your threads and try to comment when I have something to say - if it's just 'me too' or 'happy new thread' I tend not to remember to say it! - but if I expect to have visitors (and I do like to see them) I must do my bit in return.



This was taken on Toby's birthday, in mid-December, when he was exhausted by the celebrating!

January reading:

1. Far to Go, 1st January
2. Slightly Foxed: Winning Through: No. 13, 2nd January
3. The Thursday Murder Club, 3rd January
4. The Nonesuch, read by Eve Matheson, 8th January
5. Black Narcissus, 10th January
6. Some Tame Gazelle, 12th January
7. Catherine and a Time for Love, 14th January
8. Near Neighbours, 15th January
9. In This House of Brede, 17th January
10. Doing Time, 19th January
11. A Fatal Secret, 21st January
12. A Fatal Truth, 23rd January
13. A Fatal Affair, 24th January
14. A Fatal Night, 24th January
15. The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem, 28th January
16. What Darkness Brings, 28th January
17. The Long Winter 1962-3, 29th Januuary
18. Slightly Foxed 72: the cat who was cleopatra Winter 2021, 30th January
19. Why Kings Confess, 31st January

February reading:

20. Who Buries the Dead, 4th February
21. A Passage North, 6th February
22. Hard Time, 10th February
23. Friday's Child, read by Eve Matheson, 12th February
24. The School at the Chalet, 16th February
25. The Talisman Ring, read by Phyllida Nash, 19th February
26. Did I Say That Out Loud?: Notes on the Chuff of Life, 19th February
27. Saving Time, 24th February
28. Anna and Her Daughters, 25th February
29. Two-Way Murder, 28th February
30. Murder Now and Then, 28th February

March reading:

31. The Snow and the Works on the Northern Line, 2nd March
32. The Scribbler No. 20 March 2022: A retrospective literary review, 4th March
33. Last Term at Taverton High, 4th March
34. Breakfast with the Nikolides, 6th March
35. Cotillion, read by Phyllida Nash, 7th March
36. How Steeple Sinderby Wanderers Won the F.A. Cup, 8th March
37. Slightly Foxed 73: A Year in Barsetshire Spring 2022, 18th March
38. The Perpetual Curate, 20th March ROOT
39. Henry, 21st March
40. Post after Post-Mortem, 25th March
41. These Names Make Clues, 27th March
42. The Silence of the Girls, 30th March
43. The Man Who Died Twice, 31st March

April reading:

44. The Madness of Crowds, 2nd April
45. Frederica, read by Clifford Norgate, 3rd April
46. The Consequences of Fear, 9th April
47. Cloud Cuckoo Land, 12th April
48. A Catalogue of Catastrophe, 15th April
49. Bats in the Belfry, 16th April ROOT
50. Behind the Scenes at the Museum, read by Susan Jameson, 17th April
51. Holding, 17thApril
52. Death Came Softly, 22nd April
53. The Secret Scripture, 25th April
54. Slightly Foxed 14: Major Problems Summer 2007, 26th April
55. Fell Murder, 27th April

May reading:

56. A Catalogue of Catastrophe, read by Zara Ramm, 2nd May
57. Checkmate to Murder, 2nd May
58. None So Blind, 7th May
59. Murder by Matchlight, 9th May
60. The Midnight Hour, 10th May
61. In Two Minds, 14th May
62. The Bell Family, 15th May
63. Fire in the Thatch, 16th May ROOT
64. Just One Damned Thing After Another, 17th May
65. The Very First Damned Thing, 17th May
66. A Symphony of Echoes, 19th May
67. When a Child is Born, 19th May
68. Accident By Design, 19th May
69. I Could Murder Her, 21st May
70. A Second Chance, 22nd May
71. Roman Holiday, 22nd May
72. Rope's End, Rogue's End, 23rd May
73. Slightly Foxed 15: Underwear Was Important Autumn 2007, 23rd May
74. A Trail Through Time, 23rd May
75. Christmas Present, 24th May
76. The Foundling, read by Phyllida Nash, 24th May
77. Dear Little Corpses, 26th May
78. Murderer's Mistake, 27th May
79. No Time Like the Past, 28th May
80. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?, 30th May
81. Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings, 30th May

June reading:

82. Murder in the Mill-Race, 1st June
83. Lies, Damned Lies, and History, 3rd June
84. The Great St Mary's Day Out, 3rd June
85. My Name is Markham, 4th June
86. Shroud of Darkness, 4th June
87. Murder in Vienna, 4th June
88. And The Rest Is History, 6th June
89. A Perfect Storm, 6th June
90. Christmas Past, 6th June
91. The Battersea Barricades, 8th Jume
92. An Argumentation of Historians, 11th June
93. The Steam Pump Jump, 11th June
94. And Now For Something Completely Different, 11th June
95. Excellent Women, read by Gerri Halligan, 11th June
96. Hope For The Best, 13th June
97. When Did You Last See Your Father?, 13 June
98. Why is Nothing Ever Simple?, 13th June
99. Plan For The Worst, 15th June
100. The Ordeal of the Haunted Room, 15th June
101. Dishonour Among Thieves, 16th June
102. Miss Mackenzie, 16th June
103. Jo of the Chalet School, 18th June
104. Another Time, Another Place, 19th June
105. The Toast of Time, 19th June
106. The Feast, 24th June
107. A Catalogue of Catastrophe, 26th June
108. Amberwell, 29th June
109. Summerhills, 30th June

July reading:

110. A Sunlit Weapon, 1st July
111. The Hobbit, read by Rob Inglis, 4th July
112. Call for the Dead, 4th July
113. A Murder of Quality, 5th July
114. Love in Amsterdam, 7th July
115. The Various Haunts of Men, 11th July
116. The Pure in Heart, 13th July
117. The Woman on the Island, 13th July
118. A Tidy Ending, 16th July
119. Life, Love and The Archers: recollections, reviews and other prose, 19th July ROOT
120. The Reluctant Widow, read by Cornelius Garrett, 19th July
121. Mistletoe and Murder, 23rd July
122. A Spoonful of Murder, 26th July
123. The Silver Chair, read by Jeremy Northam, 26th July
124. The Locked Room, 28th July

August reading:

125. The Saturday Night Sauvignon Sisterhood, 3rd August
126. The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax, 4th August
127. The Corinthian, read by Georgina Sutton, 8th August
128. The Light Years, 11th August
129. Young Mrs. Savage, 14th August
130. Under the Rainbow, 15th August
131. Clothes-Pegs, 16th August
132. Sally-Ann, 18th August
133. Peter and Paul
134. Village Diary, read by Gwen Watford, 21st August
135. The Guides of the Chalet School, 21st August
136. Babbacombes, 21st August
137. The Man in the Dark, 24th August
138. Summer Pudding, 25th Aigust

September reading:

139. Slightly Foxed 16: For Pheasant Read Peasant, 3rd September
140. The Late Mrs. Prioleau, 4th September
141. Venetia, read by Phyllida Nash, 7th September
142. Murder Before Evensong, 13th September
143. Ten Way Street, 13th September
144. Poppies for England, 15th September
145. The Thirty Nine Steps, read by David Thorn, 15th September
146. A Fatal end, 16th September
147. Snow, 19th September
148. Crook O'Lune, 24th September
149. Flight of a Chalet School Girl, 25th September
150. Treasure Island, read by Jasper Britton, 27th September
151. Doing Time, 30th September

October reading:

152. Hard Time, 5th October
153. The Provincial Lady in America, read by Georgina Sutton, 6th October
154. Saving Time, 11th October
155. The Thread, 12th October
156. About Time, 13th October
157. The Provincial Lady in Wartime, read by Georgina Sutton, 20th October

November reading:

158. About Time, read by Zara Ramm, 3rd November
159. Miss Marjoribanks, 5th November ROOT success
160. Lessons in Chemistry, 8th November
161. The Rising Tide, 11th November
162. The Enigma of Garlic, 12th November
163. Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, 13th November
164. Arabella, read by Phyllida Nash, 13th November
165. Annie Stanley, All At Sea, 20th November
166. Juliet of the Chalet School, 22nd November
167. Madam, Will You Talk?, 25th November

December reading:

168. Sally on the Rocks, 1st December
169. Stories for Christmas and the Festive Season, 4th December
170. The Girls of Slender Means, 7th December
171. Midwinter Murder: Fireside Mysteries from the Queen of Crime, 10th December
172. No Room at the Little Cornish Inn, 10th December
172. Mansfield Park, read by Juliet Stevenson, 12th December
173. One More Christmas at the Castle, 15th December
174. No Holly for Miss Quinn, read by Gwen Watford, 18th December
175. The Christmas Invitation, 19th December
176. A Child's Christmas in Wales, read by the author, 21st December
177. The Christmas Mystery, 24th December
178. A Christmas Carol, read by Anton Lesser, 26th December
179. Santa Grint, 26th December
180. The White Priory Murders, 27th December
181. Are We Having Fun Yet?, 29th December
182. Bleeding Heart Yard, 29th December

Now I'm ready for any passing visitors and shall be reading your new threads, but I shall also finish my 2021 thread so please keep looking at that for a few days!

Welcome back!I hope your house transition goes well - I know how stressful that can be!

Happy new year's thread!

>1 CDVicarage: Toby looks quite advanced for being a few weeks old.

>16 quondame: ! Thanks, Susan, I have now edited that post to the correct date of 2020.

Happy New Year's thread! Quite a lot of changes coming up - I hope they make this a stellar year.

Happy New Year Kerry!

This group always helps me to read; welcome back, Kerry.

Happy reading in 2022, Kerry!

I look forward to seeing what you read this year! Have a great year in books!

Happy New Year! Wishing you and your family the very best in joy, friendship, health, happiness and lots of good books for 2022.

Good luck with the house. I'm such a hoarder that the thought of downsizing horrifies me. My husband has been very good about letting me build my book collection - but I don't think he realised how it would grow once I wasn't reined in. Thank goodness for libraries.

Happy new year, Kerry! Looking forward to hearing about all your adventures (bookish and non) this year.

Happy New Year, Kerry. Your grandson is growing!

Happy New Year from me n Miss Po!

>18 ffortsa:, >19 The_Hibernator:, >20 PaulCranswick:, >21 FAMeulstee:, >22 quondame:, >23 thornton37814:, >24 humouress:, >25 MickyFine:, >26 BLBera: & >27 sibylline: Thank you all for your good wishes.

Having announced a Year of Changes it will now be several weeks (months?) before any of them actually happen. Our completion date for buying our new house is 22nd April, although there may be plenty of changes and delays between now and then. It is hard to time the required tasks - nine books removed from the shelves this morning, but plenty more to go. We are fortunate in that we don't have to move out of this house and move into the new one on the same day, in fact we are planning a generous overlap. We have to arrange floorcoverings before we move in but it's a bit soon to go to carpet shop and make our choices yet. Similarly, although the house will be fitted out - kitchen cupboards, gadgets, bathroom fittings etc - we will have to arrange a TV aerial, internet connection, curtain rails etc etc. Having lived in tied accomodation for over thirty years we are used to these details being already in place, and - which may come as a shock - having the removal bill paid for us!

Still, I intend to continue my usual habit of a Sunday afternoon reading report and, although the year is only two days old, I have already started and finished a book!



Far to Go, finished 1st January. This was the second in a short series (I'd read the first the day before) and I expect more had been intended but it didn't end on a cliffhanger.

Happy New Year, Kerry. Happy reading. And good luck moving, exciting to buy your own home, and a bit of a challenge as well!

Happy New Year, Kerry! Wishing you a great year of reading in 2022.

Hi, Kerry - best of luck with all your plans for the year!

Happy new year Kerry! I hope all your changes go smoothly and you will enjoy making your new house a home when the time comes.

Hope you have a lovely weekend, Kerry.

>33 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. It's very gloomy here today and the rain and greyness will be continuing tomorrow. We are warm and cosy inside and spending our time sorting (and disposing of) 'stuff' ready for our move in April. My mother has, today, reserved a house in the same estate but she has the opposite problem as she already regrets getting rid of so much stuff before her last move just before the pandemic hit, and is thinking of what she will need to replace, going from a smallish flat to a slightly larger house.

Three more titles finished this week:



Slightly Foxed: Winning Through: No. 13, finished 2nd January.My reading of the back issues continues; this one dates from Spring 2007.



The Thursday Murder Club, finished 3rd January. After all the hype I wouldn't have been surprised to dislike this but I found it an easy and pleasant read and look forward to the next one.



The Nonesuch, read by Eve Matheson, finished 8th January. A many times re-read/listen, which I enjoyed just as much as ever.

Amongst my Currently Reading titles are Black Narcissus, for the Virago Group Themed Read January 2022: Nuns, Teachers and Governesses and Some Tame Gazelle for my RL Book Group. This is a re-read and it's my choice so I have to have an introductory spiel to justify my choice. Fortunately I have recently read The Adventures of Miss Barbara Pym so I have some background information. Other than these most of the others are fairly long-term non-fiction titles or some stalled fiction which I should probably abandon (and try again later) or make a real effort to finish.

Quite a good week:



Black Narcissus, finished 10th January. This was my choice for the Virago Group's themed read for January. Although I have read most of Rumer Godden's novels, it was a long time ago for many of them. I'm pretty sure this is the first time I have read this, although I have seen the film and a recent TV adaptation. To start with I was slightly disappointed but as it went on I became more engossed. It isn't one of my favourites but I'm pleased to have read it



Some Tame Gazelle, finished 12th January. This was my Book Group choice - chosen by me and I was quite shocked that no-one else in the group liked it all - someone even called it chick lit! It is a book I know fairly well and I realised afterwards that I know plenty of background about the book, whereas the other readers didn't, and a book should stand up on its own merits without having to know context, author's biography etc even if these details might help.



Catherine and a Time for Love, finished 14th January. I read most of this series when I was a teenager - I was a real enthusiast for historical novels and this series was - for its time - quite racy. They have been issued in ebook format and I thought I'd try them again. They have not held up over time! This cover is from the hardback edition that I borrowed from the library (and later collected). The ebook versions have terrible covers - as if they were made by a beginner at Photoshop.



Near Neighbours, finished 15th. Back to some more comfort reading - very pleasant but undemanding.

>36 CDVicarage: Oh wow, those Catherine covers really are terrible! Thanks for giving me a laugh this morning!

>36 CDVicarage: My LT screen defaults to a l- ate 1970s/early 1980s style Fontana Books paperback cover - a style which I think is uglier than the Kindle covers shown on Amazon UK, though I agree that they aren't great - they look quite generic and cliched as if they just have a box of covers that are fished out for each book at random, but quite possibly used for loads of other books too.

Ann Patchett's new essay collection/collection of memoir pieces, which I'm reading as a library ebook on Borrowbox, includes a piece about the covers of her books, the good, the bad and the ugly.

That is a good reading week, Kerry!

>39 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul!

And now another good reading week for me:



In This House of Brede, finished 17th January. This is a many times re-read and a many times owned book: my first copy was Pan paperback, followed by a hardback, which I think I sneaked from my sister's bookshelves, but she must have taken it back because it was followed by another hardback. I now own the Virago paperback, pictured above, and the matching ebook.




Doing Time, finished 19th January. Another re-read.



A Fatal Secret, finished 21st January. The fourth book in this series, which I am enjoying, especially as the characters and plots are getting into their stride now.

There are twenty seven titles in my Currently Reading collection but, of course, I'm not really reading all of them at the moment. I'm concentrating on two paper books: The Lincoln Highway, as it is lent to me by a friend, and A Passage North, a library book, which is my next RL Bookgroup book. I'm finding A Passage North quite hard work as it has long sentences and paragraphs and no dialogue. Reviews I've read recommend the audiobook for those reasons but I'm committed to paper now and the meeting is on 9th February so I don't want to start again. I also have several (well, nine actually) non-fiction ebooks on the go, which I dip into from time to time but I don't feel any urgency about those. Most of the others are Early Review books, which I do feel I must work on, even if the fact that they are languishing means that they don't really appeal!

>40 CDVicarage: I've read one in one of Faith Martin's series, and I hope to get to a few more. I've got a couple more downloaded to my Kindle that I purchased at bargain prices, but only one is the first in the series, so it will most likely be the one I read next. I'll have to check this series out since you enjoy it.

>41 CDVicarage: I've also started reading A Passage North for a reading group. The paragraphs and sentences are long but there are just about enough breaks for me to cope, but it's not top of my pile yet, as I have other books that take priority, and I want to finish it or at least make progress closer to the date of the reading group.

Six titles finished this week, although two were quite short:



A Fatal Truth, A Fatal affair & A Fatal Night, finished 23rd and 24th January. I went straight on to the others in the Ryder and Loveday Mysteries series, although I am sure there will be more. They are easy to read and set in an interesting (to me) era - the early 1960s.



The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem, read 28th January. If you watched the inauguration performance you will know how long this took to read!



What Darkness Brings, finished 28th January. I've gone back to Sebastian St. Cyr - this is the eighth in the series - and found it easy to pick up, even after a six months gap.


The Long Winter 1962-3, finished 29th January. My husband produced this booklet from his library over Christmas, after we'd watched an old documentary of the time. It seemed an odd anniversary to mark - forty nine years, instead of waiting for fifty. The last of the Ryder and Loveday mysteries above was set New Year 1963 - the beginning of the Big Freeze.

Impressive reading as always, Kerry.

Hope your Sunday is a pleasant one and that you can keep warm. No storms near you?

>45 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. We seem to be out of range, fortunately. It was quite windy yesterday and we are forecast more overnight Sunday/Monday and Monday/Tuesday but nothing like as fierce as in Scotland.

>46 CDVicarage: I saw some photos taken in Scotland on the BBC website and it looked spectacular but I wouldn't fancy being up too close.

>44 CDVicarage: You are doing quite well in reading this year. That booklet your husband found looks interesting.

>44 CDVicarage: 'My husband produced this booklet'; for a second, I thought he was responsible for printing it :0)

>44 CDVicarage: That was also a long, cold winter over here in the Netherlands. Although it was fifty nine years ago, I would love to turn forty nine this week ;-)

>44 CDVicarage: Of course it was! My arithmetic is way off - but it is still an odd anniversary to mark.

Only three titles finished this week:



Slightly Foxed 72: the cat who was cleopatra Winter 2021, finished 30th January. The latest paper copy of Slightly Foxed. The standard is as high as ever. I'm also continuing with the early backnumbers online.



Why Kings Confess and Who Buries the Dead, finished 31st January and 4th February. Episodes nine and ten in the Sebastian St Cyr series and, although I'm still enjoying them, a hint of same-ness is creeping in so I am happy to take another break from them. I like that she adds in real-life characters and incidents - the exiled French royal family in the first and Jane Austen in the second - but explains what is fictional and what is historical in the afterword.

January's round-up:

In the first month of 2022 I finished nineteen titles: two paper books, sixteen ebooks and only one audiobook. Four titles were re-reads the rest were new to me. I'm struggling a bit with my RL bookgroup book for next Wednesday, which has stopped me reading many other books, as it's long and I'm finding it boring. After Wednesday I shall either have finished it or will have given up!

Gosh, Kerry; only nineteen? ;0)

Quite a slow week, only three titles finished:



A Passage North, finished 6th February. This is partly the reason I read so many books towards the end of January - I put off reading it for as long as I could. It was the title chosen for my RL book group, which met on 9th February and I started it in good time but it was a long(ish) book, written in long paragraphs and long chapters with no dialogue and very little plot. It consists of the musings of our hero (?) and I found them boring. But I persevered and finished the book with two days to spare - and then felt so ill (unconnected with the book!) that I didn't attend the meeting - all that effort for nothing!



Hard Time, finished 10th February. I consoled myself with a re-read of book 2 in the Time Police series. I definitely like this seies as much as The Chronicles of St Mary's, which I didn't expect to happen.



Friday's Child, read by Eve Matheson, finished 12th February. Another consoling re-read. This isn't in my top five (or so) Georgette Heyers but it's still in the top half of the list of all titles, and I like the reader very much.

I've had another bad week, suffering with a bad cough, cold, sore throat, but not Covid so I haven't done very much. In fact I spent a few days mostly in bed so I didn't get much reading done either. I finished three titles this week:



The School at the Chalet, finished 16th February. Having decided last November to start on a complete chronological read through of the Chalet School series I've only now come to the original first in the series, having started with two prequels not written by EBD.



The Talisman Ring, read by Phyllida Nash, finished 19th February. This was ideal sickbed reading - I can listen with my eyes closed and I know it so well that if I fell asleep it didn't matter!



Did I Say That Out Loud?: Notes on the Chuff of Life, finished 19th February. I listen to the weekly podcast that these two produce and the book is more of the same. I've been reading it for several weeks doing a chapter at a time.

A Passage North was my reading group's book in January as well, Kerry. And I still haven't finished it. I think I'm liking it better than you did, but I do struggle a bit with the lack of pauses in the text that would be created by paragraph and sentence breaks. If I prioritised it I think I could read the second half quite quickly but as that reading group discussion is over and it's my own Kindle copy, not a library book, there's no real argument in my head for finishing this and there are other books that are more pressing (library books, reservations, making space on my mbxed out to borrow different books from the library, and other reading group books - one last week and two forthcoming in March and April.

Only two titles finished this week - my cough/cold continues.



Saving Time, finished 24th February. Another re-read. The next book in this series isn't due out until October but the next St Mary's story is due in April.



Anna and Her Daughters, finished 25th February. I was reminde of this title when I read Heaven-Ali's review of it. It's the sort of reading I need at the moment - worthwhile but not too hard. A good story but it came to a rather abrupt (?) end, in fact it just seemed to stop. I have an ebook copy so I'm sure that it wasn't a question of some missing pages!

I started to write a note and then had to go . . . but I will just say that I also love the Time Police books as much as the St. Mary's.

I hope your cold and cough clear up soon.

Hope you are now fully recovered, Kerry, and will have a splendid weekend.

A good week as far as numbers go:



Two-Way Murder, finished 28th February. Another British Library Crime Classic and I think I've liked all those I have read so far, including this one, and I have plenty left to read.



Murder Now and Then, finished 28th February. This, the 19th in the Hillary Greene series is closer to contemporary. I have liked all of this series and read through the majority one after another. I can't put my finger on what I like so much - probably the character of Hillary.



The Snow and the Works on the Northern Line, finished 2nd March. My sister and I tend to share what our respective book groups are reading and this was one of hers. While finding it perfectly readable neither of us was particulary impressed by this one.



The Scribbler No. 20 March 2022: A retrospective literary review, finished 4th March. Books featuring twins, office girls and Bonnie Prince Charlie and a literary trail in Westmorland. I already own (and mostly have read) seven of the nine titles featured on the front cover so no major additions to my bookshelves this time!



Last term at Taverton High, finished 4th March. The fourth book in my complete chronological Chalet School readthrough, which takes place during the same term as The School at the Chalet and it suffers by comparison - Abroad is bound to be more glamorous - but it is still interesting to get a different point of view.



Breakfast with the Nikolides, finished 6th March. This is for my book group - due to meet on Wednesday. I am a convinced Rumer Godden fan and I think I have read most, if not all of her fiction. I read this one when I was a teenager (a long time ago) and didn't really remember it and I can't imagine what I must have made of it then! If a story is good enough I just read through, ignoring what I don't understand, which is what i must have done then as I certainly wouldn't have understood it all - I'm not sure I do this time! - but it will provoke a good discussion, I'm sure.

ETA: it did. Partly the pleasure of meeting face to face made the discussion flow much more easily than it does on Zoom, but it was a book we all enjoyed - in different ways - and the way that Rumer Godden makes you think about what she has written - she isn't explicit - also enlivened the discussion as we weren't in complete agreement about what actually happened.

>60 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul, my cough/cold is mostly gone, just a little huskiness left, but it has been a sad weekend as our cat, Kevin, made his final visit to the vet on Saturday, and is now buried in our garden. He was visibly failing for some time, and, in a way we hoped the end would come before we move, but in the end it was quite sudden, which made the decision easier but we do miss him.

Here he is in sunnier times:

>62 CDVicarage: I am so sorry to hear about Kevin. He looks like he's really enjoying the sunshine there.

I'm glad your cough/ cold has improved.

Poor sweet Kevin. I'm sorry for your loss, Kerry.

>62 CDVicarage: I am sorry for your loss. Kevin looks to have been a lovely fellow.

>62 CDVicarage: So sorry for your loss, Kerry.
Vale Kevin.

>62 CDVicarage: Sorry to hear about Kevin.

I'm so sorry to hear about Kevin, Kerry.

>63 humouress: >64 lauralkeet: >65 quondame: >66 FAMeulstee: >67 SandDune: >68 MickyFine: Thank you all for your sympathy. It's been a sad week - I keep thinking I see him out of the corner of my eye but when I look round there's no-one there.

It's also been a busy week. My mother has come to stay for a week or so to sign various forms pertaining to her new house - just round the corner from ours! - and was able to look at the show houses to give her an idea of what she is buying. I was also able to look at the outside of our house to check on progress there; will it be ready by 22nd April?

Only two titles finished this week:



Cotillion, read by Phyllida Nash, finished 7th March. Another re-read of a favourite. This is the only sort of book I can cope with as a bedtime read at the moment.



How Steeple Sinderby Wanderers Won the F.A. Cup, finished 8th March. The only other book by J. L. Carr that I have read is A Month in the Country and the two books could hardly have been more different. This was very funny and you don't need any knowledge of, or interest in, football to enjoy it. I'd like to read more by this author but would have no idea what to expect!

>70 CDVicarage: I’ve not read anything by J.L.Carr although A month in the Country keeps almost making my choice for my RL book club. I’ve heard such good things about it. And we have the Steeple Sinderby Wanderers book as well, but I haven’t read that either.

>69 CDVicarage: Oooh, very exciting!

My reading is still going quite slowly and I've only finished two titles this week, but I'm close to the end of several others.



Slightly Foxed 73: A Year in Barsetshire Spring 2022, finished 18th March. Another good edition; I particularly enjoyed articles about Anthony Trollope's Barsetshire novels, Island of Wings, set on St Kilda, The Last of the Wine, Julian Trevelyan, Vyvyan Holland and The Midnight Folk amongst others.



The Perpetual Curate, finished 20th March. The Virago group is reading this along with a very helpful tutored thread written by Lyzard at the moment. I've gone ahead of the timetable as the story was such a good read. It's the fifth (of seven) in the Chronicles of Carlingford and I'm looking forward to the next as Mrs Oliphant has really got into her stride.

I almost read How Steeple Sinderby Won the FA Cup last week too, Kerry. Maybe soon.

Today is the second anniversary of the first lockdown in Britain - it seems both far in the past and barely last week. Andrew, my son, had already had Covid by the time lockdown began and, although he didn't suffer too badly with it, he went on to suffer Long Covid symptons for two years. He finally feels he is over it and can get back to normal (for him) life.

This evening I had a phone call from Clare, my daughter: she began by asking if it was alright to talk and then went on, " He says he's fine but Andrew's in A&E." He is fine but it's been an anxious evening. He was knocked off his bike by a careless motorist, who then tried to persuade him not to report it to the police and not to go to hospital. Fortunately there were witnesses and one of them - an ex-bicycle courier - drove Andrew and his bike to A&E. He was seen quite quickly and pronounced OK and has now gone home. When he was knocked over he was in the middle of delivering a curry, so he had to report the problem to his employers, but he now has a curry to eat for his dinner!

Andrew is a serious, and careful, cyclist but I am relieved (and amazed) that he has never been in an accident before as the roads are so dangerous for cyclists. He will be back at work tomorrow, after buying a new helmet.

Kerry, I'm so glad to see that Andrew is okay. I cannot imagine how stressful it must have been, waiting to learn if he had any injuries. The motorist's behavior is reprehensible -- I'm glad there were others present who helped Andrew.

>76 lauralkeet: thank you, Laura, he is fine, although very cross!

Sounds scary! Glad to hear that Andrew is OK.

>75 CDVicarage: I'm glad Andrew is okay, that could have been much worse. I hope someone got the driver's details, their behaviour was reprehensible.

>75 CDVicarage: Glad your son is fine, Kerry, quiet the scare.
I can't believe the motorist tried to keep him from hospital!

A bit more reading this week as I had a long train journey and am spending some time with my sister:



Henry, finished 21st March. I've not really liked, or disliked, any of the Elizabeth Eliot novels that I've read but I shall persevere and go on to read the final one that I have - at some time.



Post After Post-Mortem, finished 25th March. Another good Golden Age mystery from the British Library series, improved by having a long train journey to read it in!



These Names Make Clues, finished 27th March. And another one. Although these titles are part of a series featuring the same detective they can be read in any order - something that I usually abhor - which is fortunate as I don't have many available yet.

Another good reading week, helped by another train journey!



The Silence of the Girls, finished 30th March. I've read several re-tellings of Greek myths (some from a female POV) recently and some I liked more than this one and some less. I have the next one - The Women of Troy - and shall read it soon, I think.



The Man who Died Twice, finished 31st March. Better than the first one - I found the characters easier to remember - and very easy to read. I'm looking forward to the next one.



The Madness of Crowds, finished 2nd April. I found the previous story in this series less engaging - set in Paris, not Three Pines, and with complex financial details - but this one is back to the usual standard and was a very intense read. Interestingly, the touchstone comes up (until corrected) with Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, the book mentioned in the story. I hadn't known that it was a real book and assumed that Louise Penny had created the title for her story!



Frederica, read by Clifford Norgate, finished 3rd April. This has been my bedtime book for a few weeks - it's one of Heyer's longest - and it's a favourite and many times re-read.

So, in March I finished thirteen titles (more than the previous month): three paper books, nine ebooks and one audiobook. Ten titles were new to me and three were re-reads but only one title The Perpetual Curate was a ROOT success.

The next book in the Chronicles of St Mary's series is due to be published on 14th April and I shall be reading it on that day. We are in the process of buying a house and completion date was set for 22nd April but it has been put back to 6th May, which is disappointing , but means that I have more time to pack etc and therefore more time to read!

>83 CDVicarage: Best wishes on the move . . . and the reading!

>82 CDVicarage: I might try The Man who Died Twice as I found the first one entertaining if not great.

>75 CDVicarage: As a fairly serious racing cyclist back in the day I was always so blase about safety - we used to wear those leather racing helmets that would have been next to useless in a serious fall, but now I am no longer racing I realise just how dangerous the roads really are.

Relieved that your son is fine and I hope he had a really tremendous curry!

Have a great week, Kerry.

Frederica is one of my favourite Heyer novels too.

I hope the moving prep continues to go well!

Only one title finished this week:



The Consequences of Fear, fiished 9th April. This is the eighteenth story in the series, and they have been variable. This was OK and it's a relief for Maisie to get a little happiness!

My Currently Reading collection is quite full. The most urgent book in it is Cloud Cuckoo Land, which I have just started and have to have finished by Wednesday evening for my book group meeting. I wasn't keen (hence the delay) and have to read all 622 pages of it in hardback format as my library doesn't have the ebook and I don't wish to buy it.

Our house completion date has been put back again until 12th May, but sorting (and disposal) of stuff is going well so we may be ready by then. We don't expect to move straightaway as carpets and other floor coverings have to be fitted first, and we can stay in this house until the end of May if we want to.

At some point, I should start the Maisie Dobbs series. I hope your transition to the new place goes well!

>89 drneutron: Thanks, Jim! Although variable, I think the Maisie Dobbs series is worth reading. The historical aspect is very interesting.

Three titles finished this week, including my book group book:



Cloud Cuckoo Land, finished 12th April. This is the book group book; our meeting was on Wednesday so despite putting it off and off I did finish in good time. We had an interesting discussion - no-one liked it entirely but everyone like one aspect or another of it, and we all grateful for others' opinions as we all felt we missed something. My main problem was rather superficial - it's a big hardback book so it was physically difficult to read. I prefer ebooks these days but wasn't prepared to spend £8 on a book I didn't expect to like so I borrowed a copy from the library. My kndle is always in my handbag or pocket so I always have it with me. This book was always upstairs when I was downstairs or vice versa. The content was - interesting. I didn't really empathise with any of the characters and I found there was too much information about their situations - I felt I'd grasped his point long before he finished writing - and conversely there were times when you were just dropped into the next part of the story without any explanation of how it happened.



A Catalogue of Catastrophe, finished 15th April. By contrast I was waiting with bated breath for the arrival of this book and was cross because I couldn't spend the whole day reading it as I had Toby, my grandson, to care for that day. It was a good episode - I'd been in two minds about the previous one, Another Time, Another Place. It ends on a cliffhanger -again - but at least we can be sure there will be another one, even though we have to wait a whole year for it. I've got the audio version, too, and I shall listen to that next week.



Bats in the Belfry, finished 16th April. I calmed myself down with another story about Detective Robert MacDonald. He appears in over forty stories by E. C. R. Lorac but, as none of them refers to another, they can be read in any order, which is as well as I don't have the whole series.

Today - Easter Day - was Jon's last working day before his retirement, so It was a good day to finish on. Next Sunday there will be a Farewell service at which Jon will not officiate but will be part of the congregation. Clare and Richard will be there responsible for the music, so I will be in charge of Toby! Andrew is coming up for a few days so he will be there too. Unfortunately, my best friend, Libby, cannot make it. She usually spends Easter weekend with us but this year her local Vicar is moving parishes and Easter Day is his last service, and since Libby is one of the churchwardens she is obliged (and wants) to be there. Other committments will prevent her attendance next weekend.

So, the changes mentioned in the thread opening are gathering momentum. We have until the end of May to vacate the Rectory but the completion date on the new house is back to 12th May so we are getting a little anxious, although I'm pretty sure that if the worst comes to the worst the CofE will not put us out on the street! and there is no new Rector waiting to move in.

>92 CDVicarage: So Jon's working days are done, Kerry. Nice to have his last service with Easter.
Good luck in the next weeks, I hope the completion day of the new house holds.

I imagine yesterday's service was bittersweet for Jon, but a good day to officiate his final service. Next week he can just sit back, accept everyone's well-wishes, and no doubt enjoy tea and sandwiches, or whatever the Excellent Women have in store. I'm sure it will be a lovely celebration.

I'm happy to hear there's no Rector moving in immediately. That would ease my anxiety quite a bit. Still, moving is stressful and I hope it all goes smoothly for you.

Three more titles finished this week:



Behind the Scenes at the Museum, read by Susan Jameson, finished 17th April. This is my favourite of all Kate Atkinson's novels (so far), possibly because it was the first one I read. I particularly like this audio version as the reader is just right. Susan Jameson also reads the first of the Jackson Brodie stories, although there are three different readers for the other four stories in the series.



Holding, finished 17th April. I noticed this was televised recently but I haven't watched it. Having read the book I wouldn't have expected the TV adaptation to be a comedy.



Death Came Softly, finished 22nd April. Back to some comfortable Golden Age crime with Inspector Macdonald.

This morning was Jon's Farewell service at St Mary's - the church next door - but including the congregation of St Catherine's and many from St Philip's, in Alderley Edge, which is combining with them. The service was taken by the current Vicar of St Philip's, as he will be incumbent of the new set-up. It didn't go quite as planned as Richard is unwell and couldn't play the organ, but things went well. There was a gathering afterwards, with plenty to eat and drink, and speeches with thanks for Jon's work. He was presented with a generous cheque and there were flowers for me. Jon has a memorial service to take on Tuesday, for a member of St Catherine's who died at the beginning of the pandemic. Sir David Barnes was a churchwarden and was very helpful and kind to us so, despite being officially retired, Jon is very happy to take this service. I will be looking after Toby so will not attend. David had a large family and circle of friends and was a Captain of Industry (he founded AstraZeneca) so there is bound to be a large turnout so space will be at a premium in our small medieval church anyway.

We are still working on a completion date of 12th May for our new house, and a removal date of 30th May. I think our house may be the first on the development to be finished (apart from the show houses) so we may be living there on our own for a while!

Sounds like an emotional weekend. I hope everything goes smoothly as you near the date for moving into your new house.

Three titles finished this week:



The Secret Scripture, finished 25th April. This is my current Book Group book and I was disappointed. It is the second in a series of five and, having finished this book, I wish I had started at the beginning. I didn't find the character of Rosanne particularly interesting and think reading about the McNultys would have been better. I'll see what the other group members think on Wednesday.



Slightly Foxed 14: Major Problems Summer 2007, finished 26th April. Another back number finished.



Fell Murder, finished 27th April. I'm enjoying these Golden age mysteries. Inspector Mcdonald is a lovely character - polite, intelligent and reasonable - and, although it's a series, it doesn't have to be read in order as no story references any other!

April round-up:

Twelve titles finished this month: one paper book, nine ebooks and two audiobooks. Ten tiles were new to me and two (the audiobooks) were re-reads. No ROOT successes this month.

It's felt a long month - not for the amount of reading I've done but for all the other happenings. This week we finally saw the inside of our new house. The finishing is still far from complete to our eyes but I expect professional builders and house fitters will make short work of the remaining details. The bad news is that our completion date has been put back again and is now 1st June, so we don't expect to have completely moved in until about 20th June. We have a holiday booked starting 30th June and we are getting a little anxious. The delay is being caused by the water company - United Utilities - rather than the building company, who are as keen to be finished as we are. We can stay in our current house, rent-free, for a while yet so we shan't end up on the street or in expensive temporary accommodation but I want to get things - phone, broadband, gas, electricity, TV aerial, curtain rails, floor coverings, change-of-address notifications etc etc in train asap and until the date is definite I can't.

The house also seemed smaller than I had anticipated. I know empty rooms can seem smaller than furnished ones but when I came home I looked through my bookshelves again and reduced the number of paper books still further. I wouldn't have believed it when I started the process but it actually does get easier, although I'm sure there is a limit!

As well as books we have disposed of some items of furniture and it is quite nice living in an emptier house for the time being. It was also a good feeling to send to the charity shop all the kitchen gadgets that had sat at the back of the cupboards, unused, since we moved into this house. Andrew came to stay last weekend and he took the opportunity of sorting through his belongings and deciding what to do with them. We now have five boxes of stuff to be sent to his Bristol address this week. I don't know where he is going to put it all as he shares a small, attic flat and his room already contains two full sized bikes in addition to the usual bed, cupboards, desk etc.

>99 CDVicarage: I feel that empty rooms look bigger that furnished ones. As for Andrew and the boxes of stuff, well young people can bend around corners without even thinking of it.

>99 CDVicarage: You and Jon have been very much in my thoughts as you move on to 'another life'.

Moving home, as I can attest, is very stressful and I trust that you will be happy in your new place. xx

I'm sorry to read about the delay (again), Kerry. I completely understand the frustration of things to do that are just waiting on a firm date.

We built a house several years back and had that same "these rooms look smaller" feeling but in the end, they were perfectly fine. I hope it's the same for you.

>100 quondame: I'm sure Andrew will cope!

>101 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul, and thinking of you as your family reunites at last!

>102 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura, I know we shall be happy with what we get - we're quite adaptable - but I am longing for a firm date!

I think building delays are the norm here in the U.S. I had some friends who were building a new home in a new subdivision. They were on track until the house being built next to them caught fire and damaged some of the siding on their home. They were moving from Utah to Delaware, and they are presently living in a hotel near their new home which should be finished soon.

Three titles finished this week:



A Catalogue of Catastrophe, read by Zara Ramm, finished 2nd May. A swift re-read, as audiobook, for this title. It seemed quite a complex story so I may read it again quite soon.



Checkmate to Murder, finished 2nd May. Back to Inspector Macdonald - this is 25 of 46 stories and I have no expectation of reading them all, but I am enjoying them.



None So Blind, finished 7th May. This was recommended by several people on LT and it sounded interesting as it is set in a time and place not often (never in my experience) covered in fiction. It didn't 'grab' me so it took quite a while to read but by the end I had decided that I would continue with the series - this is the first of four (so far). I expect that the series will improve, I often find the first in a series hard work as you need to get to know the characters and situations involved.

My book group meeting was postponed from last Wednesday as the host is unwell. It's now fixed for 1st June (house day, I hope) and I might have forgotten the details by then!

>105 CDVicarage: I'm currently reading the second Teifi Valley Coroner book, Kerry. I think the first one grabbed me more than you, but anyway the second is off to a promising start.

Four titles finished this week:



Murder by Matchlight, finished 9th May. Back to Robert Macdonald and back to wartime London. These books are easy and comfortable to read and I am very pleased that there are so many!



The Midnight Hour, finished 10th May. The sixth book in the Stephens & Mephisto series and, although the original protagonists still get a look in, the story is branching out and is, I think, stronger for it.



In Two Minds, finished 14th May. As expected the second in the series is better in several ways than the first: I know the main characters (the books are written in the first person and in the first book I was sometimes unsure which character we were hearing) and the setting. It did seem over-complicated and rather long but I am enjoying reading about a new (to me) area and era.



The Bell Family, finished 15th May. One of the many Streatfeild stories that I didn't read as a child. I would have appreciated it more then, I think, but I still quite liked it now. I find it annoying that the publishers(?) have combined and renamed so many of her books into a Shoes series when they have no real links to each other. This one has been renamed Family Shoes!

I had hoped that I would be able to report some encouraging news about our imminent(?) house move but the date has been put back again: completion is now planned for 24th June. As we have a holiday booked (and postponed from two years ago) for 30th June, we shan't be moving until sometime in July. The builders are as annoyed as we are by the delays and have been as helpful and flexible as they can be. The delay is with the water company who still have not connected the site to the mains. I am not a tory voter and I find it very annoying and ironic that privatisation, which was supposed to improve things for the customer by introducing competition and choice has caused this problem, as we have no choice which water company we patronise. I shall be paying my water bills through gritted teeth in the future.

>107 CDVicarage: I just finished In Two Minds and posted about it on my thread! I liked it a lot, too, although I agree it may have been a bit over complicated.

I'm so sorry to hear about the home move-in delays. That seems to happen quite a lot for all manner of reasons.

>108 CDVicarage: I do hope that your move gets settled by its latest completion date, Kerry. Public utility companies the world over are a contemptible bunch.

Seven titles finished this week, but only two authors involved:



Fire in the Thatch, finished 16th May. Back to Inspector Macdonald. This story is set post-war, in rural Devon, and is a pleasant read.



Just One Damned Thing After Another, finished 17th May. I've decide to re-read the whole Chronicles of St Mary's in print and to try and take my time instead of rushing through as I usually do! I know these books very well but still find something I'd forgotten or never noticed every time.



The Very First Damned Thing, finished 17th May. Although this is chronologically the first story it's no good reading it until you have learned about the set-up at St Mary's. Jodi Taylor's website now recommends it as the second title in the series and it fits well there as you can now alternate full length novels with a short story throughout.



A Symphony of Echoes, finished 19th May. Apart from the first story I felt that the first few were fillers and That Jodi didn't really get into her stride until the fourth story but I enjoyed this one much more than I remembered.



When a Child is Born, finished 19th May. This was the first Christmas short story, when the short stories were almost standalones.



Accident By Design, finished 19th May. I had to look this one up to remember what it was about! However it was an enjoyable read.



I Could Murder Her, finished 21st May. Back to post-war London and the Servant Problem. The victim - martinet - could have been murdered by every other person in the house. You will notice that there are two different titles for this book, one for USA and one for UK, I think.

>111 CDVicarage: I do love the Jodi Taylor books. E.C.R. Lorac is new to me.

I haven’t been by in a while, Kerry (my LT attendance this year, like my reading, has been a bit spotty) and I’ve missed quite a bit of news. I’m glad to hear Andrew is over his long covid and was okay after his bike accident. Congratulations to Jon on his retirement. Best of luck for moving and for your moving date not moving backwards any more.

Reading numbers are up again this week:

,

A Second Chance, Roman Holiday, both finished 22nd May. I always find it mildly annoying that the third book in the series is called A Second Chance! Roman Holiday is a standalone short story/novella but it does affect a later book in the Time Police series



Rope’s End, Rogue’s End, finished 23rd May. This is the first book in this series that I haven’t liked as much. I read the ebook edition published by Rare Treasure Editions and it was poorly proof read and formatted. I was warned of this in reviews but for 99p I was happy to risk it. I found the plot too twisted and contrived but I may have been already annoyed by the print quality.



Slightly Foxed 15: Underwear Was Important Autumn 2007, finished 23rd May. Another back number finished, and although there were some interesting and enjoyable articles, there were not as many as usual.



A Trail Through Time, finished 23rd May. I usually feel that this is the book at which the series really gets going but I have found more in the first three books on this read through. This may be because I have been taking them slower – normally I’m whizzing through getting ready for the new book – but things really do get going in this one!



Christmas Present, finished 24th May. This is the first of the short stories/novellas that are important to the overall series narrative.



The Foundling, read by Phyllida Nash, finished 24th May. This is one of the longest of Georgette Heyer’s books and it has taken me three weeks of bedtime listening. There are some slow patches but it is still a lovely story.



Dear Little Corpses, finished 26th May. The tenth book in the Josephine Tey Mysteries and I am still enjoying them and looking forward to the next one. I also have the audiobook to read at a later date.



Murderer’s Mistake, finished 27th May. Another Rare Treasure Editions edition and as poorly produced. The story, however, was better and uses some characters from Macdonald’s previous visit to this area.



No Time Like the Past, finished 28th May. Another excellent story in the series with, what was on my first read, an unexpected ending!

>114 CDVicarage: Congratulations on reaching 75, Kerry!

>115 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. I was going to choose a book specially to be my 75th but then I noticed I'd just passed that number, so it was a re-read of a short story!

>116 CDVicarage: I did the same for 75 this year, Kerry.
Now I am reading a special book for 150.

Congratulations on 75!

>118 quondame: Thanks, Susan. After feeling my reading was slower this year for ages it suddenly crept up on me without my noticing!

Congrats!

>120 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

Seven titles finished this week, although three were short stories/novellas, so not as impressive as it might sound!:



What Could Possibly Go Wrong?, Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings, both finished 30th May. What Could Possibly Go Wrong? is, I think one of the funniest, although with hard parts, of the whole series. Max takes on the trainees. The Christmas story is not quite a standalone as what happens is important for the whole narrative arc.



Murder in the Mill-race, finished 1st June. Back to a well-produced British Library ebook and a better story.



Lies, Damned Lies, and History, The Great St Mary's Day Out and My Name is Markham, finished 3rd and 4th June. One full length and two short stories. The main story arc is getting darker for Max (and the next one is worse) but the short stories are funny.



Shroud of Darkness, finished 4th June. Back to London for Inspector Macdonald. Stories set in London - particularly detective stories - use London fog as a plot device and, for someone of my age, it is very hard to imagine as the pea-soupers were over by my lifetime.

I finished twenty-six titles in May - dramatic leap from previous months - and, although some were short stories, most were full-length books, but there were no really long ones:

No paper books, twenty-four ebooks and two audiobooks (but one was a long one). Fourteen titles were new to me - one was a ROOT success - and twelve were re-reads - mostly Chronicles of St Mary's titles. The next in the series is And the Rest is History, which you will know, if you have read it, is a very hard book. Even though I have now read it six times (or more) in print and audio.

Another good reading week as far as numbers go, although several were short stories/novellas:



Murder in Vienna, finished 5th June. Poor Inspector Macdonald tries to have a holiday! I've only one more title in this series so I hope the British Library are preparing to re-publish more.



And The Rest Is History, A Perfect Storm and Christmas Past, finished 6th June. Even though I've read and listened to And the Rest Is History many times it is still so harrowing that I have to work myself up to read it each time. The two following short stories are much more cheerful.



The Battersea Barricades, finished 8th June. This was an extra short story. It suffers a bit from being, in effect, a giant info-dump: some characters telling some other characters what happened during the Civil Uprising but it is very well done.



An Argumentation of Historians, The Steam Pump Jump and And Now For Something Completely Different, finished 11th June. I think An Argumentation of Historians may be my favourite of the series especially the parts in the 14th century, although that only takes up chapters 15 to 33 (out of 40). The Steam Pump Jump advances the story in an interesting way but And Now For Something Completely Different is completely out on its own - the Mars Project - and again is one character relaying a story to another.



Excellent Women, read by Gerri Halligan, finished 11th June. This has been my bedtime book for a week or so, and was a re-read.

I've been suffering from a cold (I thought) but with some odd symptons so I did a Covid test and it was faintly positive. Fortunately it does feel like just a cold but I have a horrible taste in my mouth most of the time and can't really taste what I'm eating. Still, it should be over by the time I am due to go on holiday at the end of the month.

Get well soon, dear Kerry. Plenty of rest. At least I am in good company with my own COVID positive test.

>126 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. I have come to feel that we will all get it at some time, however careful we may be. I feel lucky that I'm not really ill with it - although I am cross about the taste business!

Another good reading week - nine titles finished:



Hope For The Best, When Did You Last See Your Father? and Why Is Nothing ever Simple?, finished 13th June. Two short stories/novellas and a full-length book. This is only the second time of reading, in print, for these titles so I have taken them more slowly. Hope For the Best is the tenth book in the series but the quality is still high. When Did You last See Your Father? is a good story but Leon's early (future) history is recounted again, which is unneccessary for all committed readers.



Plan For The Worst and The Ordeal of the Haunted Room, finished 15th June. The eleventh story and the following Christmas short. And Ronan finally meets his well-deserved end.



Dishonour Among Thieves, finished 16th June. The 46th and last in the Robert Macdonald series. I haven't read them all but order is not important so I am happy to go back to those I've missed if they turn up in future.



Miss Mackenzie, finished 16th June. This is the latest Trollope tutored thread, courtesy Lyzard, and her input and explanations have been very useful but I'm sure I haven't 'got' all the victorian nuances.



Jo of the Chalet School, finished 18th June. This is the second in the original series but the fifth title if I count the new titles published. It is definitely one of the best of the original stories, although unseasonal reading for the moment as it covers Christmas! There are now three new titles before the next EBD original.



Another Time, Another Place, finished 19th June. The story now goes in quite a different direction - although we have had hints - and I didn't really like it on my first reading but now I am more familiar with it I appreciated it more.

>128 CDVicarage: Wow that is a good reading week, Kerry!

Hope you are fully recovered.

>129 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. Yes, I think it's over - my taste is back!

>130 CDVicarage: My sense of smell was compromised for some reason but it is also back.

A much slower reading week this time - only three titles finished - but life has ben rather busy. I've spent a lot of time on the phone or online trying to organise gas, electricity, phone broadband etc etc for our new house. Because it is a new house the address doesn't yet appear on any databases so I have had to explain EVERYTHING every time I spoke to anybody. I can't be the first person to move into a new house but, from the reactions I've been getting, you'd think I was! Anyway on Friday we finally got the keys to our house. Apart from the fiittings it's quite empty. As we shan't be moving in until mid-July we don't quite know what to do first. Jon has started to put up curtain poles - it's a long time since he's done much DIY but he can still remember how to use an electric drill.
As well as packing boxes to move we are also having to pack to go on holiday. We had a trip to Austria and Oberammergau booked for July 2020, which had to be postponed, and is now timed for this coming Thursday. We'll be away for a week so that will give us another week for the final move preparations. The good thing is that we are not moving far - less than ten miles - so we will be taking stuff to the new house ourselves before moving day. My remaining paper books are fast disappearing into boxes but I shan't be able to unpack them until the bookcases have been moved too. That's the bit I'm looking forward to!



The Toast of Time, finished 19th June. This was last year's Christmas short story, which I originally managed to read on Christmas Day as I wasn't cooking the dinner!



The Feast, finished 24th June. I had a free edition of this (from Project Gutenberg?) but then it was reissued for 99p so I bought this edition and read it this week. At first I wasn't taken with it but as I got to know, and remember, the characters I enjoyed it more and more. Although we know from the first page how it ends I did get anxious that the characters who deserved it should suffer. they did



A Catalogue of Catastrophe, finished 26th June. This is currently the last in the Chronicles of St Mary's but there will be more I'm glad to say.

It's two weeks since my last update as I have been on holiday - postponed from July 2020. We have been in Austria, visiting Chalet School locations, including a trip to Oberammergau to see a performance of the Passion Play. We had a lovely, relaxing time and I felt as though I did plenty of reading although I only finished seven titles in the last fortnight:



Amberwell and Summerhills, finished 29th and 30th June. I always find holiday preparation time to be rather stressfull so these two titles about a family in the Scottish borders was just what I needed. They are definitely 'Furrowed Middlebrow' and you can be sure that nothing really terrible will happen to any of the characters.



A Sunlit Weapon, finished 1st July. The latest in the Maisie Dobbs series; the war continues and a visit from Eleanor Roosevelt is compromised.



The Hobbit, read by Rob Inglis. This has been my bedtime book for sometime; it is a re-read so there is no hurry to find out what happens!



Call for the Dead, finished 4th July. I've never been interested in these novels as I thought it was all about spying but having tried this one I was impressed by the writing and the spying seemed to be quite in the background.



A Murder of Quality, finished 5th July. This was the book that I first wanted read, having read about it in a Slightly Foxed article but I had to read Call for the Dead first as I always read series in order! I wanted to go straight on to the third one but I didn't have it on my Kindle so it must wait until I get home.



Love in Amsterdam, finished 7th July. I watched and enjoyed the recent TV version of Van der Valk and can even remember the version (and the theme tune) of the 70s version but this book - and the character of Van der Valk - was unlike either of them. The middle section was mostly unecessary - to me - covering too much back story. If the next in the series turns up in my library I would read it but I shan't be searching for it.

I finished twenty eight titles in June: one paper book, twenty six ebooks and one audiobook. The ebooks were mostly re-reads of The Chronicles of St Mary's and so included many of the short stories. I have to wait until October for the next book in the Time Police series for more Jodi Taylor. Of the others eight were new to me, including the Miss Mackenzie the latest in Liz/Lyzard's tutored read through of Trollope's novels. My only audiobook was a re-read, too.

I don't know how July will go, reading-wise, as we are moving - at last! I am surrounded by empty bookshelves at the moment but of course my Kindle is full. It seems we will have the hottest week of the year to pack and unpack. Fortunately the removal men will do most of the packing, although I've done my books, but we will be unpacking and deciding where to put everything at the other end. We are not moving far so the plan is for the removal company to use a smallish van, fill it up, empty it at the other end, and then come back to fill it again. When we moved in to this house all our stuff went into one huge van and a smaller one but we live down a narrow country lane with a sharp turn into the drive and the large van couldn't get in. It had to be taken to the depot and unpacked into two smaller vans and then unpacked again at our house.

Kerry, I'm glad your move is finally happening! We had a large van on our last move and unfortunately it couldn't get into our driveway either. They parked on the road which isn't very far from the side entrance to the house, but it was less than ideal for anyone wanting to use the road that day. How not to make a good impression on your new neighbors ...

I'm excited for you to be finally able to settle into your new place. Good luck with everything.

>134 CDVicarage: Glad to read you are finally moving, Kerry. Good luck, and I hope you can settle soon in your new place.

Glad to hear the move is finally happening. I hope everything goes super smoothly and you have fun deciding where to put things in your new home.

Hi Kerry! I missed your 75 so belated congratulations!

How nice that you got to see Chalet School locations on your holiday. I forget, are you reading the non-EBD books and, if so, how do you find them? I mean not physically but are they as good/ better/ worse than the originals? I think I read my first Chalet School book just before going to boarding school myself. Though, of course, they were nothing like actual school they were a step up from the Enid Blyton stories I'd read.

Good luck with your move and settling in. I hope it all goes smoothly - and have fun refilling your bookshelves.

Hope things go smoothly with the moving process.

Well, it's been quite a week! Our house was mostly packed up on Thursday - leaving a bed, a table and two chairs - and delivered to the new house. On Friday boxes began to be unpacked and we wondered how we would fit the rest in. The remainder of the stuff in the old house was soon packed up and brought to the new house. The bed was re-assembled and made up - the most important thing! - and the removal men seemed to want to fill their time so they assembled the new spare bed, which was still in its box, and a wardrobe as well. They had been very good about labelling the boxes so we were able to be quite organised in unpacking, but there were still odd, important items which haven't surfaced yet. On Saturday I assembled the ingredients for a sandwich lunch but was unable to find the breadknife (it still hasn't surfaced and we've bought sliced bread, instead of the usual home-made). But the worst thing of all is that bits of my coffee maker are missing so I am unable to have coffee at home. Fortunately we have a Costa close by and we have have been going there for breakfast and coffee breaks. But, even worse, the first time we went there, their coffee machine wasn't working. As it is very hot here I made do with a cold drink.
Jon had been visiting the house before we moved and had put up curtain rails and we soon found the curtains but so far have not found the curtain hooks. In our bedroom we used two large paintings, perched on the window sill, so that it was dark enough to sleep, although we were so tired it probably wouldn't have mattered.
My books are all unpacked - 1,733 volumes according to my catalogue - but are randomly distributed. I thought this might upset my librarian's attitude but for the moment I am enjoying the unexpected juxtapositions. I mostly packed my books myself, intending to do it in order, to make unpacking easier, but of course size and shape matters so that didn't really happen, although my Virago and Persephone collections have stayed together.

Astonishingly, I have finished four books this week - well three books and a short story:



The Various Haunts of Men, finished 11th July. This is the first in a series that I have been meaning to try for a while. While it's very well written I'm not sure about the set-up.



The Pure in Heart, finished 13th July. I had a double volume so I was able to go straight on to the next in the series. As is usually the case, the second in a series was easier to read as you know the characters, situation etc already and I think I will go on with the series.



The Woman on the Island, finished 13th July. I follow Ann Cleeves on Twitter and she mentioned that there was a new, free short story available in advance of the next Vera Stanhope book so I rushed to get it and read it. I enjoy the books and the TV series, partly because we know the area as well as for the content.



A Tidy Ending, finished 16th July. I was very pleased to get this from the library so soon, as I had liked Joanna Cannon's previous two books and it didn't disappoint. I think I'd guessed the ending but it did lead me a long and twisted way round.

Happy moving in!

Kerry, thank you for visiting my thread. I've just had a read-through of what you've been up to and goodness, you've had a busy first half of the year! Reading from the start was like following a TV show, as I learned of each new development and setback on your moving date post by post, without knowing how it all turned out in the end. I'm quite happy to hear that it seems to have turned out wonderfully, apart from not being able to find things.

And to have kept up your steady reading pace through it all — I am in awe. I've also made note of some new-to-me authors to look for, so thanks (I think) for that, too.

I'm glad the move went pretty smoothly. I hope the coffee maker parts surface shortly, even if it may need to be iced coffee this week with the heat wave going on on your side of the pond.

>140 CDVicarage: Thanks for the heads-up on the free Vera short story!

>144 thornton37814: Glad to be of use, Lori!

>142 rosalita: It's good to see you here, Julia. Yes, it's been a busy, and uncertain, year so far but things definitely seem more settled now.

Only three titles finished this week, but I have unpacked a lot of boxes! In fact they were all unpacked remarkably quickly, unfortunately everything went into the nearest available cupboard. When doing anything in the kitchen it's necessary to open every cupboard - often several times. A lot of stuff has been carefully packed, moved and unpacked only to go straight to the charity shop or the tip. I'm finding that the more I dispose of the easier it gets but I must stop before I regret something. We are also having to buy a lot of stuff - things that you take for granted in an established set-up. There are no mirrors, shelves or towel rails in the bathrooms, no rubbish bins in any room etc etc. We are writing a (long) list of items that we need to get and trying to decide where from. So far Amazon has had a lot of custom: envelopes, safety catches - Toby loves all the new cupboards and too many are within his reach - extension leads, curtain hooks, a new lawnmower... Of course we do have a lot of these things already but cannot find them. My desktop computer set-up has been moved twice, many kitchen gadgets have been on the counter, in the cupboards and back again. Not all windows have curtains yet - we used some large pictures, perched on the window ledge for our bedroom for several days, and, although we now have matching curtains there, they are not matching lengths, as we must have two different sets in the same fabric. My books are all on the shelves but still in random order but I shall leave it a while before I decide where every collection will go.



Life, Love and The Archers: recollections, reviews and other prose, finished 19th July. This book has been on my shelves for some time but it came to my notice because it was immediately in my eyeline as I was on the phone (on hold), and bored, so I picked it out and started to read. It has lots of short chapters and sections so it has been ideal for this week.



The Reluctant Widow, read by Cornelius Garrett, finished 19th July. This is definitely in my top 5 Georgette Heyers and is a many times re-read.



Mistletoe and Murder, finished 23rd July. Book five in the Murder Most Unladylike series and, as you can probably guess from the title, is set at Christmas.

I've still got the whole Vera series ahead of me - have read 4 Shetland books and the Two Roads books and I bought the first Vera book before she was famous. I've met Ann Cleeves a few times at events, mostly before my 15 year old was born! I'm really glad for her that she's had the breakthrough on book sales and TV. Anyway, thanks for posting about the short story, have downloaded on my Kindle too.

Have you found the coffee machine parts or the breadknife yet? That sounds very frustrating.

>148 elkiedee: Breadknife soon turned up in a container of spoons, whisks etc. The coffee gadget bits surfaced from the very last box mixed in with a very odd selection of bits and pieces. Unfortunately that was on the very hottest day and I didn't really want any coffee! but it's in regular use now.

We've been in our house for over a year now. It took us quite a while to get everything in its place. I made the kitchen a priority although I did end up rearranging things later. Books were a priority but we didn't have enough shelves, and it took forever for them to arrive. Some furniture sat in a clump in one area until we decided where we wanted it. There are still some things that we know we would not have disposed of, but cannot find. I suppose one box might have gone missing, but I would not be the least bit surprised to find it someday in one of two areas where we've stored seldom/rarely/never used items.

It's a process. It sounds like you're doing quite well!

Another three titles finished this week:



A Spoonful of Murder, finished 26th July. It was there in my kindle so I went straight on to the next in the series. It wasn't so enjoyable because, like Daisy, I just don't understand how things are in Hong Kong (at that time).



The Silver Chair, read by Jeremy Northam, finished 26th July. Although I have a complete set of the Narnia audiobooks there are only two that I really like and they are different from my favourite ones in print. Jeremy Northam does this one very well, especially Puddleglum.



The Locked Room, finished 28th July. This was an Amazon special offer this week so I snapped it up and read it straightaway.

Unpacking and re-organising continues. All the bedrooms now have curtains so we can have guests! The novelty of having my books spread at random throughout the house has definitely worn off as I spent ages searching for a particular one that I wanted, so I'd like to arrange them all properly. In our last house I had the 'main' collection, in simplified Dewey order in our living room and the 'special' collections - Virago and Persephone, Girlsown and the Chalet School - upstairs in the spare bedrooms, but I am considering combining some of them. I am constrained a bit by the sizes of the books and the fixed shelves of some bookcases and it is nice to see shelves of green Viragos and grey Persephones so my mind is not yet made up. Jon reduced his library fairly dramatically before we moved - he doesn't think he'll need his theology books now he's retired - but now we have more space than we thought (in book shelves) he rushed to the charity shop and bought some (non-theology) back again!

>152 CDVicarage: but now we have more space than we thought (in book shelves) he rushed to the charity shop and bought some (non-theology) back again!

Too funny! But I'd probably do the same🤣

>152 CDVicarage: Jon is a true FoLT (Friend of LibraryThing) with that attitude toward book (re)acquisition!

>153 kac522: What an interesting way of donating to charity. Awwwwww.

>152 CDVicarage: >153 kac522: Book shelves should be filled, Kerry, I like Jons way of thinking.
I have done the same, buying books again that were culled before. Although there were some years in between ;-)
And everyone needs some spare shelves for future acquistions.

Only two titles finished this week and both were quite light and easy to read:



The Saturday Night Sauvignon Sisterhood, finished 3rd August. Very similar style, plot etc to the Why Mummy books but enjoyable and still worth reading. At the moment it's a standalone but I expect there may be more.



The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax, finished 4th August. Ninie mentioned this series on her thread and as it has been on my radar for some time it prompted me to get a copy and read it. In many ways I found it dated - when does 'dated' turn into 'historical'? - but a very easy and mostly enjoyable read. There were some flat (slightly boring) sections but not enough to put me off so I shall be happy to go on to the next one. (But not this week).

The books are still randomly arranged as other things have come up. We had Toby for three days this week, instead of the usual two, and today we went to Christ Church with Clare, Richard and Toby so that we could watch over Toby while Clare was cantor and Richard played the organ. It was the church's 140th anniversary so it was a celebratory Eucharist - lots of incense and a visiting preacher - and cake and wine to follow. We went out to lunch (Middle Eastern cuisine) and then went on to a local park so that Toby could have a ride on the miniature railway there. However as we arrived he fell asleep so Jon, Clare and Richard had to ride on their own! I watched the sleeping boy.

I've had two weekends away so my usual Sunday afternoon updates haven't happened. As I have been travelling - several long car and train journeys - I have finished more titles than of late:



The Corinthian, read by Georgina Sutton, finished 8th August. One of my favourites and a many times re-read.



The Light Years, finished 11th August. This was my Bookgroup book and I finished it well in advance. It was a re-read, as I had first read it when it was originally published in 1990, and I had forgotten most of the plot and character details but they came back as I read. I think I enjoyed it more this time, and it went down well with the group, although someone complained that 'nothing happened'. I also learned more about the author, which , I think, affects the way one feels about the book. I shall go on to re-read the others and read the fifth one for the first time.



Young Mrs. Savage, finished 14th August. More Furrowed Middlebrow, which is just what I needed for the hot weather - easy to read but worthwhile.



Under the Rainbow, Clothes-Pegs, Sally-Ann, Peter and Paul and Babbacombe's, finished 15th to 21st August. The latest batch re-published by Dean Street Press is by Susan Scarlett, also known as Noel Streatfeild. These are all light romances - the Chicklit of their day - which follow a pattern: poor but honest working class girl meets upper class, rich man, with a bitchy rival in the background. They are often set in the fashion or retail industries. Of course all ends well but with unexpected twists on the way. I'm enjoying them but it's probably not a good idea to read too many in a row.



Village Diary, read by Gwen Watford, finished 21st August. Another easy bedtime re-read.



The Guides of the Chalet school, finished 21st August. I have three (of which this is the first) fill-in books in a row before I get back to the original EBD written Chalet School books. This one concentrates on the new Guide company but adds some other information about the Maynard family, which is very important for Joey...

That's some good reading you've done during your travels, Kerry! I read the whole Cazalet Chronicles series over the past couple of years and enjoyed it very much, although the last book was a little weak, I thought. I don't know anything about the author, so I'm curious what you learned about her that colored your view of the book, if you feel like sharing.

>160 rosalita: The books are quite autobiographical. EJH divided herself over several of the characters. Her own mother was a dancer with the Ballet Russes, she suffered the abuse that Louise does, was an actress for a while and became a writer as does Polly etc etc. She wrote an autobiography - Slipstream - and had her biography written by Artemis Cooper - Elizabeth Jane Howard: A Dangerous Innocence. I think I had regarded the Cazalet Chronicles as on the 'light' side, but knowing that the characters and the events were based on real ones made me take them more seriously.

It's a Bank Holiday weekend in England so, having lost track of the day of the week, I've missed my Sunday update again. It's been a busy week, getting ready for our first guest in our new house and I've only finished two titles:



The Man in the Dark, finished 24th August. Slightly different approach - no real class difference to be overcome and no love rival but our hero had been blinded and become a recluse.



Summer Pudding, finished 25th August. A wartime-set story, with the heroine having a selfish sister and a jealous rival both trying to confound her happy ending.

>161 CDVicarage: Oh, that's very interesting, Kerry. I will have to see if I can find a copy of either her memoir or the biography.

I've not done much reading this week and I've only finished one title:



Slightly Foxed 16: For Pheasant Read Peasant, finished 3rd September. I was prompted to return to this e-book copy by the arrival of the latest paper copy (no. 75), and the realisation that I hadn't yet finished the previous paper copy (no. 74). I couldn't go back to no. 74 because I can't find it - it's still submerged somewhere amongst the moving chaos. I hope it will turn up soon.

August round-up:

I finished fourteen titles this month: one paper book, eleven ebooks and two audiobooks. Ten were new to me and the other four were re-reads, although one was from so long ago it felt like a new book.

>161 CDVicarage: I agree that there are strong elements of autobiography although there are differences too. From reading A Dangerous Innocence, I'd say the Cazalets are a lot posher than the London upper middle class Howard family, with the large family home in Sussex. I also think that the books were clearly aimed at a wider more commercial market than her other novels but they are family sagas with literary quality. Apparently her stepson Martin Amis suggested that she should write these books. I've generally that the reissues probably sold far more copies than they did when they were first published (between 1990 and 1995). I've just looked at Wikipedia because I think I read at least the first 3 from the library when they first came out, and had read some of her earlier novels in my teens, starting with The Beautiful Visit. There was a TV serial in 2000 but it seems as if the books have gradually become much better known steadily since then. I'd quibble with Wikipedia describing the Cazalets simply as middle class though.

Back after a long gap! My weekends, which is when I usually update my thread have been rather busy lately. Since the last report (two weeks ago) I have finished seven titles:



The Late Mrs. Prioleau, finished 4th September. I have had this Furrowed Middlebrow title in my library for quite a while but it never really appealed. Having finally read it I think my first impression was right, it was an interesting idea - to create a lifestory from other people's reminiscences and observations - but it went on too long for me. And the final twist(?) was the first thing that I thought of after the first chapter!



Venetia, read by Phyllida Nash, finished 7th September. A many times re-read, with an excellent reader. I had a nearly complete collection of Georgette Heyer's regency novels in audio format. The few I didn't have, because I disliked the narration (Sian Phillips sounded too old for her characters, and some of the Yorkshire accents didn't sound right to me) I had hoped, with the new productions available from Penguin, to get the missing ones, but no luck so far. I tried the new version of Sprig Muslin but the reading was so awful - I should have read the reviews first - that I returned it to Audible straightaway. Where is Phyllida Nash when I need her?



Murder Before Evensong, finished 13th September. This is the first in a planned series and I liked it very much, although it wasn't quite what I expected. It was more serious, I had expected it to show the more humorous side of C of E parish ministry. It was also set earlier - early 80s - I had assumed it would be contemporary. I'm looking forward to the next one.



Ten Way Street and Poppies for England, finished 13th and 15th September. Two more from Susan Scarlett. I don't know if I've now read too many - there is a definite formula to them all - but I'm now enjoying them less. There are more typos - OCR mistakes that are uncorrected - which are distracting, even when I can guess what the word should be. The setting of Poppies for England - a concert party at a post-war holiday camp - was less attractive to me. There are two more titles to read yet but I won't hurry to get to them.



The Thirty-nine Steps, read by David Thorn, finished 15th September. Another favourite re-read.



A Fatal End, finished 16th September. The eighth (and final, I think) volume in this series, which I have mostly enjoyed. I particularly liked the date - the early 60s - but I'm glad if it is the end now, instead of its fading away.

Life has now entered a slightly more hectic stage for me: ten days ago my sister brought my mother up here to live with us until her house is ready. Unfortunately she also brought Covid. First my sister, then my mother, then Jon went down with it in quick succession. I must still be immune from my bout back in March/April but Clare and then Richard succumbed. Toby was also ill, though probably a cough/cold rather covid. I felt as though I was running two households and babyminding for several days. Fortunately Carolyn (my sister) was able to go home after her five days and Jon recovered quite quickly. My mother, who is 83, has been knocked back by it but is now beginning to recover. Her completion date has been put back from 29th September to 21st October so she will be living with us for the next month anyway. She was keen to get out to choose carpets, curtains and other fittings ready for moving but ceratinly doesn't feel up to it at the moment, so the delay isn't really a problem yet.

>168 CDVicarage: I'm so sorry to hear of the bout of illness that has run through your family, Kerry. I'm glad everyone is on the mend and hope your mother's recovery continues apace.

Venetia is one of my most favorite Heyers. I've actually never listened to the audiobook versions of any of her books, although I've read all of the Regency romances at least once. I'll have to see if the local library has the audios in the collection.

>168 CDVicarage: oh dear, that's awful Kerry. I'm glad to see everyone is recovering and like Julia, hope you mum continues to improve.

>168 CDVicarage: What a drag about the family bout of Covid. So not needed and so hard to avoid. I hope your immunity holds up through this exposure at least.

>167 CDVicarage: I bought Murder Before Evensong too. I wonder if Rev Richard Coles set out to be more serious or if he found he couldn't just be funny in these times, like losing his beloved partner and all the issues facing his parishioners - even though he's retiring he may not want to hurt the communities he worked with in the church.

>172 elkiedee: Yes, if I'd thought more about it I would have known that he wouldn't be humorous (in a trivial or flippant) way about a subject/lifestyle that he obviously takes very seriously.

My reading has gone by the wayside recently. My mother is living with us for a few weeks, until her house is ready, and, although she is no trouble, she talks. My quiet mealtimes - breakfast and lunch - when I used to read and eat are gone for the moment. Jon has now retired and I thought that wouldn't really make much difference as he worked from home anyway but he also wants to talk to me all the time! We do have plenty to discuss about the new house and garden but he wants a fuller discussion than I do - and then we usually end up doing what he suggested/wants despite my input. It's not quite as bad as it sounds - if I definitely want something, I just buy/fit it without discussion. You can't argue with a fait accompli.

Anyway I have finished only two titles this week:



Snow, finished 19th September. What a gloomy book! It shouldn't be cheerful as it's about murder and sexual abuse but I did wonder if I would finish it (I did). It's the beginning of one, and part of another, series but I don't know if I will continue either of them.



Crook O'Lune, finished 24th September. A much more cheerful book, even though it has murders too, as Macdonald has a much more cheerful and balanced outlook on life in general. There are forty-six books in this series and I have read seventeen of them, mostly those recently re-published by the British Library. They don't need to be read in order so I shall quite likely read more when I see them.

Kerry, I read Snow last year and agree it's gloomy. I also thought it formulaic and the detective didn't engage me in the story. I don't think I knew it was part of a series (or two series), but there are absolutely far better series out there.

It sounds like you're going through a bit of an adjustment period. I suspect it will all work out in time, especially once your mum is settled and the initial new house flurry dies down. I totally understand the desire to reclaim your reading time. Hope it works out for you soon.

>176 elkiedee: Hope your mum's able to move and settle into her new home soon, and then perhaps you can talk to your husband and develop a new routine.

I know at the end of the summer holidays I longed for a bit of time with less people around the house, even though the older one rarely got up particularly early. And while sometimes it's useful that my partner Mike has flexibility, I wish he'd actually look at me before he starts conversations, and think, oh, she looks as if she's in the middle of something. Sometimes it's bizarre things and I end up asking why he thinks I'm suddenly interested in his favourite football team's ups and downs, and not the new novel that I've been looking forward to for ages.

Well, things are stiil busier than usual so I've missed a week of reporting my reading:



Flight of a Chalet School Girl, finished 25th September. The latest Chalet School fill-in and it's a good one although rather different from the others. There's hardly any School in it but it's certainly not a holiday book. It deals with Elisaveta's life after her time at the Chalet School - her marriage and her dangerous wartime flight from Belsornia to England - and is aimed at adults rather than Young Adults. This is the sixth fill-in written by Katherine Bruce and hers are definitely my favourites.



Treasure Island, read by Jasper Britton, finished 27th September. A good Ripping Yarn for my bedtime listening.



Doing Time and Hard Time, finished 30th September and 5th October. Re-reading the Time Police series ready for the new story on 13th October.



The Provincial Lady in America, read by Georgina Sutton, finished 6th October. I often read, or listen to, bits of the Provincial Lady books but this time I went all the way through this one as my bedtime book.

September round-up:

I finished thirteen titles this month - more than it felt at the time: one paper book, nine ebooks and three audiobooks. Nine were new to me, although no ROOT successes, and the other four were re-reads.

October has started quite well and I'm looking forward to the new Time Police book. I'm also following along with Liz's tutored read of Miss Marjoribanks. My RL book group meets on Wednesday evening and I've barely started that book - The Thread - but I have my flu jab on Tuesday evening and my next Covid booster on Wednesday morning so it's in the back of my mind that I may not feel up to going out on Wednesday evening. I had a rather severe reaction to my last Covid booster (or to something else) but it didn't happen until a few days after so it may not affect Wednesday evening anyway (fingers crossed).

>174 CDVicarage: >176 elkiedee: I like to read in my bedroom but, like your's and Luci's partners, my husband tends to meander in, see me reading and start wittering on about something irrelevant when I'd rather catch up with my reading backlog (sorry; I'm annoyed with my husband, not yours).

>177 CDVicarage: I wish my libraries had Chalet School books but they don't even have the EBD books (though the library system here did used to have them, and I went through the series before I had kids, but they've purged them now).

>177 CDVicarage: I purchased Doing Time and Hard Time but well, haven't read them. Bad me. Also unusual behavior, very. Hmm, what could be wrong. Oh, Amazon tells me I own Saving Time as well. Really unusual behavior.

Dropping by to wish you well, Kerry.

Hope things are not quite as hectic just now.

>181 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul. It's been flu jab and covid booster this week, which knocked me out for a day, but things with our house and Mum's house are progressing well and it seems as though the end might be in sight!

Three titles finished this week:



Saving Time, finished 11th October. Finished in Good Time for the new one published on Thursday.



The Thread, finished 12th October. This was for my RL bookgroup and I left it to the last minute so I can't claim to have read it very thoroughly. We all felt much the same: it was an interesting period and place in history but the characters and plot were a bit clunky.



About Time, finished 13th October. This arrived on my kindle on Thursday morning and I read it all day. I'd had my flu jab on Tuesday evening and my Covid booster on Wednesday morning and the effects hit me overnight so I spent the morning in bed, which was convenient! It's another good story with several unexpected (by me) plot twists. I have the audio version too, which I shall listen to soon to get the details of what I missed by whizzing through the print version.

I just noticed up thread you reached and passed 2 x 75 in September, Kerry. Congratulations!

Congratulations Kerry!

>185 humouress:, >186 CDVicarage: Thanks, Anita and Nina, and I fear it's downhill from here - I finished only one book this week...



The Provincial Lady in Wartime, read by Georgina Sutton, finished 20th October. A many times re-read and re-listen.

What's my excuse for so little reading? My mother's house move! She has been living with us for six weeks now and completion on her new house (around the corner from ours) was on Friday. Sorting out the payment seemed to take the whole week - money had to be moved from various savings accounts to her current account and the whole paid to the lawyers via a CHAPS payment for which we had to go to the nearest bank branch, where we caused a huge queue to build up behind us. There was (rightly) quite an emphasis on warnings about scams etc but it made us worried about a process that we had been quite confident about when we entered the bank! Anyway, it was finally sorted and the keys were handed over on Friday afternoon. Mum will still be living with us for a while as she has to wait for floor coverings to be installed and then for her furniture, which has been in store since the end of August, to be delivered. She will probably move in on 7th November. Meanwhile she (or rather me) has to organise curtain tracks, a TV aerial, a broadband and phone set-up, extra bits of furniture and shelving etc etc right down to the mundane extra doormats, toilet brushes, door numbers and so on. It seems to be more effort than our own move but I suppose we have blotted out the memories of that. Now it's definite I think we're all a bit more relaxed about it so I hope my reading will resume it's normal level.

>186 CDVicarage: It is understandable that moving your mothers household takes a lot of your reading time, Kerry. Looks like it is mainly a lot of work for you. Good luck with all!

>186 CDVicarage: Congratulations on managing the purchase of your mum's new house. That's a significant milestone and, I can imagine, a load off your mind to have come so far.

>186 CDVicarage: That all sounds a lot of work Kerry. Great news that everything seems to be coalescing around a moving-in date now.

Congratulation on your new house and move. And on getting your mother's house squared away too!

I love it that you have been rereading the entire St. Mary's oeuvre! I also have both the books and the audio, I do love Zara Ram.

My life is still full up with my mother's house move and some extra days caring for Toby, so I didn't have time yesterday to write my weekly reading report. However it didn't matter as I didn't finish any books last week! I can't remember when this last happened, if ever, but it's due to a combination of being too busy for much reading and not really keen on my current title, which I will mention when I finish it.

Since it's the end of the month I can make a monthly round-up:

Only six titles finished this month: one paper book, three ebooks and two audiobooks. Two titles were new to me the others were re-reads, but no ROOT successes. On Goodreads my annual Reading Challenge is 200 books and I am currently nine books behind schedule. I usually do a fair bit of Christmas re-reading so that might enable me to catch up.

Ooh, another new house done. How exciting - and move in day is around the corner now. No wonder it's keeping you busy.

A better week - I finished two titles:



About Time, read by Zara Ramm, finished 3rd November. A re-read of the latest in the Time Police series, helping me to sort out some of the complexities, which I missed when I whizzed through it in print last month.



Miss Marjoribanks, finished 5th November. Because of my busy life at the moment, I never managed to catch up with the rest of the group. Liz's comments and background were invaluable, as usual, as I would have missed a lot of important points without them. I wasn't taken with Lucilla at the start but had warmed to her by the (rather rushed) end. Only one more title in this series to go!

My RL book group meets this coming Friday and it's my choice - Lessons in Chemistry - but I have only just started it. My mother's furniture arrives tomorrow and she is hoping to take up residence in her new house from Tuesday, so I'm hoping I shall have a bit more spare time this week. My sister is arriving on Thursday for a few days and she will stay with Mum, so my spare room will be empty!

Still improving - finished three titles this week:



Lessons in Chemistry, finished 8th November. This was my RL Book Group book, which I started on Monday, finished on Tuesday and discussed on Wednesday. Imagine if you didn't manage to finish your own choice! Fortunately, for me, it was a very easy to read book, which I enjoyed, and even better, so did the rest of the group. I've been in this group for just over three years and made six choices: three went down very well with all group members, two, some liked or were polite about but one only I liked. So my record is quite good but that one still preys on my mind!



The Rising Tide, finished 11th November. The latest in the Vera series and as good as the others. Although I also enjoy the TV series, Vera in that has been a bit 'smoothed' compared with the book version.



The Enigma of Garlic, finished 12th November. This was just what I needed; overnight on Friday, Jon and I both suffered digestive upsets (no details - it must have been something we ate) which, while shortlived, left us drained. So I spent Saturday, when I wasn't asleep, reading this. It was ideal: lots of short chapters about familiar and (mostly) well-loved characters, with not a lot of plot. This is the sixteenth in the series but fortunately the quality is maintained.

Still not got my reading mojo back but I did finish two titles this week:



Mrs Harris Goes to Paris, finished 13th November. A delightful, easy read, but of its time. I think I'd like to see the film too.



Arabella, read by Phyllida Nash, finished 13th November. A many times re-read.

I'm currently reading a perfectly pleasant book - Annie Stanley, All at Sea - but it hasn't grabbed me somehow, although I'm far enough through it now that I'm going to finish it. My bedtime audiobook is Mansfield Park, which, of course, never fails to entertain. It will soon be time to start my Christmas reading (or rather, re-reading) which will, I think, both cheer me up and get me enthusiastic about reading again. This will be Jon's first non-working Christmas for thirty-five years so I'm hoping it will be less stressful than usual.

I do hope you have a fine Christmas season -- what a change this will be for you all.

>197 CDVicarage: Arabella always make me laugh. It's one of my favourite Heyers.

Still going quite slowly but three titles finished this week:



Annie Stanley, All At Sea, finished 20th November. A perfectly pleasant read but not outstanding in any way.



Juliet of the Chalet School, finished 22nd November. This is the second of a string of three non-EBD written books and is another good one. I was surprised that this is the third time I have read it and that it was first published in 2009 - twelve years ago!



Madam, will You Talk?, finished 25th November. Another re-read. This was the first of Mary Stewart's 'Romantic Suspense' novels, published in 1955. When I first read them I read them in published order and they gradually changed from being 'historical' to being 'dated'. Eight years later I wonder, if I do the same again, if the change point will have moved on too? This one was set earlier than 1955 (I think) and definitely felt 'historical' and was a good story.

It's Advent Sunday today so time to start my Christmas reading, particularly The Christmas Mystery, which is an Advent calendar book.

Kerry your life does seem quite hectic at the moment. Comfort reads are obviously the order of the day!

Take good care of yourself. xx

>201 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. While I'm pleased that Advent and Christmas will probably not be as busy and stressful as in previous years, I'm now feeling a certain emptiness with nothing that I must do. You just can't please some people!

>200 CDVicarage: I vaguely remember that there was a Juliet in the early Chalet School books. Is this her story or is it about another girl?

>203 humouress: Yes, this is about Juliet Carrick, who joins the CS early on and is abandoned by her parents and becomes Madge's ward. She is Head Girl after Gisela Marani (the very first one) but EBD left a big time gap between Jo of the Chalet School and The Princess of the Chalet School and there are now three fill-in titles in that gap.

>204 CDVicarage: I shall have to search for a timeline for the Chalet School books; as well as a way to find them and read them.

>205 humouress: I can give you a list, chronological by story, if you'd like but I can't supply the books!

I'm behind in my reading report; my usual update time is Sunday afternoon but we have had Toby to look after for a few Sundays lately, while Clare and Richard have been busy with church related activities. Richard is the organist at the church they attend and Clare belongs to a choir and acts as cantor on some Sundays.

I can do my November round-up first as I didn't finish any more books since the last one reported above:

I finished ten titles in November - not as many as I'd hoped: two paper books, six ebooks and two audiobooks. Six were new to me, with one ROOT success, and the others were re-reads - some many times!

With the start of December (and Advent) I have started my Christmas reading (and re-reading):



Sally on the Rocks, finished 1st December. This was from the British Library Women Writers series. It is set during WW1 and Sally has decided to get married to a rich man. Fortunately her better nature wins through. She and her rival for the rich man become friends, which gives an unexpected twist to the plot.



Stories for Christmas and the Festive Season, finished 4th December. Another in the British Library series, this collection of Christmas-themed short stories was variable (of course) but I'm pleased to have read it, even though I am not a fan of short stories generally.



The Girls of Slender Means, finished 7th December. This was read for my RL book group. I had read it before, many years ago, and, since it is a slender volume, it didn't take long. I didn't enjoy it as much as I remembered but it promoted a good discussion, even though we had to meet on Zoom instead of in person.



Midwinter Murder: Fireside Mysteries from the Queen of Crime, finished 10th December. Another short story collection, but all by one writer this time. Again - variable but an easy read.



No Room at the Little Cornish Inn, finished 10th December. A light Christmas romance, set in Cornwall (!), which was very easy to read but very predictable. I was caught up short by an Americanism (?) 'diapers' instead of nappies. I'm pretty sure no British person has ever changed a diaper!



Mansfield Park, read by Juliet Stevenson, finished 12th Decmber. A lovely many times re-read.



One More Christmas at the Castle, finished 15th December. I was surprised to see, from my records, how many books by Trisha Ashley I have read, and enjoyed. They aren't all set at Christmas but many are.

Malaysia's branch of the 75er's wishes you and yours a happy holiday season, Kerry.

I was so busy setting up my 2023 thread that I nearly forgot to finish this year's. I haven't managed my regular weekly updates very well during December but here's the last one:



No Holly for Miss Quinn, read by Gwen Watford, finished 18th December. A Christmas regular



A Christmas Invitation, finished 19th December. While all Christmas 'chick lit' type books have much the same plot and outcome, some writers do it better than others and I have liked all of the Trisha Ashley titles I have read, and a lot of them are set at Christmas.



A Child's Christmas in Wales, read by the author, finished 21st December. Well obviously...



The Christmas Mystery, finished 24th December. My Advent calendar book.



A Christmas Carol, read by Anton Lesser, finished 26th December. I didn't quite manage to finish this for Christmas this year.



Santa Grint, finished 26th December. This year's Christmas offering from Jodi Taylor was set in the Time Police series, not in St Mary's but I have been surprised that I like the Time Police as much (if not more) than the St Mary's set-up so I'm happy.



The White Priory Murders: A Mystery for Christmas, finished 27th December. A slightly disappointing British Library Crime Classic, probably because I didn't care for Sir Henry Merrivale, so i may not try any others in the series.



Are We Having Fun Yet?, finished 29th December. This was both funny and thought-provoking, and very well written.



Bleeding Heart Yard, finished 29th December. The third in the Harbinder Kaur series and I'm enjoying them.

I finished sixteen titles in December, not as many as I'd hoped but a good number. Two paper books, ten ebooks and four audiobooks. Amazingly (as I expected only re-reads) ten were new to me and only six were re-reads.

My annual total was 182, not quite the 200 I was aiming for, but it has been a busy year!

Now I'm ready for next year, please join me here.

Happy New Year, Kerry.

>211 CDVicarage: I will certainly be joining you next year. It is always a pleasure catching up with your readings and ruminations over here.