Tuesday 12 July 2022

Torpor

 One of those days- no sunshine, cloudy, hot and every now and then a few drops of useless rain.  It dampens the patio but the patio is so hot that you blink and it has dried again - useless in fact.  The sun finally came out at around four oclock but there is a pleasant breeze today -set to get really hot by the week end.

For the next couple of months attendance at our Book Group is going to be a bit thin on the ground - just two of us can attend both meetings and then a smattering at one or the other.   So we had a chat and I remarked that we had had several books lately which had been a bit hard going - could we perhaps have something a bit easier.  "Like a Barbara Pym" I said.   At this the other lady who is going to be there murmured "Excellent Women", so that is what we are reading.   I used to be a great Barbara Pym fan and the book came today (thank you to M who walked round with it).   I have had a lazy day reading it.   It has been like a meeting with an old, dear friend.   All about the goings on of the ladies of a church group who organise the bazaars etc.  And the flats in London where they live and the goings on.   Perfect hot weather reading - brilliant writing, brilliant humour and fantastic observation.  It has been like spending a day with an old friend.

I spent an hour in the garden where I can reach, cutting back aquelegia which have finished flowering and are going to seed.   Some are lovely colours- I am leaving them to drop their seed but others I am cutting back before they get a chance to seed otherwise the garden becomes overrun with them.

Like others amongst you I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of Roger, John*Going Gently's new puppy.  Not as good as having one of my own - but the next best thing and one thing is for sure - he will have a jolly good home - of that we can be sure.

See you tomorrow.

18 comments:

JayCee said...

It has been warm and cloudy over here all day with a good breeze. Perfect for catching up with all my holiday laundry.
Enjoy your relaxing read.

Rachel Phillips said...

I like Barbara Pym.

Barbara Anne said...

I've been reading Laurie R. King's books about Mary Russell becoming Sherlock Holmes' assistant and am on book 4 of that good, long series.

The other thing I've done on this hot day is to sew 9 Patch blocks together for the Single Irish Chain Christmas quilt I'm making for us. The fabrics are subtly Christmas so I'm calling the quilt "A Quiet Irish Christmas'. These blocks had their beginning in 2015!

Hugs!

gmv said...

It is 104 at almost 4 pm here in northern Texas. I'm a transplanted Californian and I thought I knew about hot summer days but the humidity adds a blazing new dimension to the heat.

I read that you are enjoying a Barbara Pym book and the easy pleasure of reading a book of hers. I am ever on the lookout for books like you describe and researched Ms Pym and have written down all the names of books she wrote so that I may have a new author to enjoy. One of my all time favorites that wrote so many enjoyable novels is Miss Read. I have every book she ever wrote (20 some) and have re-read each one several times.

I hope your weather cools a bit and rain falls and refreshes all your plants.

Anonymous said...

Barbara Pym is one of my favorites. Her wit is sharp and yet gentle.
Definitely an excellent choice, pun intended.
Mary

Debby said...

Isn't it funny how a group of bloggers can become so excited about a happening in someone else's life? I'm excited to see Roger too.

Anonymous said...

I'm imagining the joy of a garden with so much columbine that it could be over-run - it is not very happy here with our months of high heat and humidity and has to be babied along to bloom at all.

And yes, waiting to hear about the new puppy - a friend here just got a Golden Retriever/poodle cross and we have been treated to some pictures of her, but an in-person visit would be even better!

ceci

Susan said...

We are baking hot in Massachusetts, 88 degrees F today with high (hot) winds further drying everything out. No rain in sight. I also like Barbara Pym. Like you, I'm looking forward to meeting Roger.

jan b said...

Hi, in our Book Club we have had a similar situation and have read 'A Fortnight in September' by R. C. Sherriff which was an absolute delight. Quite the antidote to our present woes, well for a short while! Also 'Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont' by Elizabeth Taylor is a good read. Take care doing the watering. Jan Bx

Ellen D. said...

My daughter who is 33 just got her first dog last week, an Australian shepherd named Sofie. She said it was her life-long dream to have a dog and it is true that we never had a dog when she was young as keeping track of her and her 4 brothers was enough for me! Her puppy is just a furry ball of sweetness. I hope she has as much success and joy with her new pup as John has had with his beloved dogs and you with your sweet dogs.

Joanne Noragon said...

It's slightly less hot in Ohio; low 80's by evening. We've certainly needed water for the gardens every evening. And come winter we'll be wishing for some hot sunshine.

Cro Magnon said...

35 C here yesterday. I did all my outside work before about 10 am, then wandered aimlessly under a wide brimmed hat. Looks like it'll be the same today; and for the next week at least.

Librarian said...

I am sure I have heard the name before, but have so far never read anyhting by Barbara Pym. Easy reading is what I like most of the time; there is enough not-so-easy stuff to get my head round at work all day.
We're bound to have 32C today and tomorrow. Hopefully, by Saturday when my sister and I will be on trains all day, it won't be too hot - or at least the a/c on the trains will work!

thelma said...

Mostly humid and dull here but very warm. I listen, not read, so the choosing of the book is sometimes complicated by the fact that I don't like the reading voice. Puppies may be glorious but they are also a handful.

Frances said...

It must be much cooler up there in " the north". I couldn't spend 5 minutes in the garden yesterday, never mind an hour!!

Tasker Dunham said...

I'm a Barbara Pym fan too.

Robin said...

We have had a number of hot, humid days too but thankfully we received two inches of rain yesterday.
I first read Barbara Pym thirty years ago and then promptly forgot about her until I saw an article in the paper about her. I ordered all her books from a used book site in the UK and I am thoroughly enjoying them again.

Anonymous said...

I adore Barbara Pym
Alison in Wales x