Thursday 18 April 2019

Happy Easter Weekend


Hello there, I hope you are all well and enjoy a lovely Easter weekend break.

This week after finishing another crocheted basket, this time in purple, sorry I've no photo, I've crocheted a scrubby for the kitchen at 'Knit & Natter'. The yarn itself is a bit tricky to work with as you can't easily see the stitches. But...it's only a scrubby for washing dishes in bubbly water, so does it really matter if it's not perfect! There is a pattern included with the yarn on the inside of the band label. It has a few rounds finishing with a scalloped round.

I've listened to a few more audiobooks that I've thoroughly enjoyed. Two were by Jacqueline Winspear -
The Mapping of Love and Death 
A Lesson in Secrets.

book cover of The Mapping of Love and Death    book cover of A Lesson in Secrets

They are both part of the Maisie Dobbs series set in the 1930's. There are no mobile phones or google to hand, her young assistant calls her Miss Dobbs and makes an awful lot of tea. Maisie a private detective working with Scotland yard at times, solving crime the old fashioned way. Thinking, writing, talking and using the public telephone box, she walks, takes the train or drives her 'motor car' (MG). The country is between wars, poorer children lack shoes and living conditions are hard. The class system is evident making it hard to 'rise above your station.' Maisie is fortunate having somehow climbed from a maid, studied at Cambridge and served as a nurse in the great war. I'm not sure why it appeals so much, the story is very slow moving, the character just grows on you. I will be listening to more in the series on audiobook. 

Lastly I've listened to 'The Day of Second Chances' which is also called After the Fall or even Falling by Julie Cohen. It's weird how the book has so many different titles but it's the same book.

book cover of The Day Of Second Chances

Wow, what a book! You'll be taken on a roller coaster of feelings with laughter, shock and tears - yes real heart jerking tears. I suppose it may not appeal to everyone containing some explicit content, gender issues and colourful language, but that's life. The picture on the cover photo shows three generations of women, each with a secret so devastating, they can't even tell the ones they love. Jo's 2 younger children provide many laughs throughout the story keeping it light and amusing. Lydia, Jo's older daughter made me want to shout, with her 'teenager life' in the family. Anyone with teens may know how this feels. Honor is...a formidable character...is that too harsh? The 3 protagonists challenge each other, each character telling their chapter in turn, starting slow and building towards something almost too big to contain them. It is heartbreaking in places but...

I'm not going to tell you the ending and if it turns out ok.  I can only recommend it to you and hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

Bye for now,
Cathy x 



8 comments:

  1. I like your scrubby! How odd for a book to have so many titles. It does sound interesting though. Hope you have a wonderful and happy Easter weekend!

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  2. Thanks Jean, the audiobook seems to be the day of second chances but why the book has different titles, maybe it's due to a republish. Cx

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  3. Thank you for the book suggestion, they look great. Happy Easter!

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  4. Thank you for coming by my blog and I'm catching up with your news, trusting you had a good Easter weekend. For us it's been a lovely family time. I've appreciated the last few weeks of busyness. Now for some quiet time and reading catch up! Thank you for the book recommendations. I have a similar library book to read as the Jacqueline Winspear's, also part of a series, by author Frances Brody set in 1920s Yorkshire. Happy reading, crocheting and family time, Cathy.

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    1. It's lovely to see family but good to get back into a routine again. First day back at school for teen 2, so he wasn't so pleased but it's a short week after the bank holiday. I'll take a look at your recommendation thank you, Cx

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  5. I haven't come across any of those books but they do sound interesting. I just wanted to thank you for the lovely comment you left on my last post about the death of my mum, it was very much appreciated and helped so much to know that people were thinking of me at this sad time xx

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    1. You are very welcome Jo, you've been missed. Take care Cx

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