Tuesday 11 October 2022

Book Group

 Book Group morning again - how quickly these monthly meetings come round and how much all five of us enjoyed discussing "The Night Tiger" - it generated more discussion than I ever remember before.  Accompanied by a Garibaldi and a cup of "Lazy Sunday" coffee - perfect.   I don't think I would like a biscuit named after me though!   And how interesting that more or less all of us had lived and / or worked abroad -   looking back to when I was young - very few folk had "been abroad".

The first time I went overseas was in 1953 on a slightly delayed honeymoon when we went to Paris for a week and stayed in the Hotel Rembrandt on Rue Caumartin.  (interesting that I can't remember  what I intended to put on my Tesco order five minutes ago and yet I just dredged this up from almost 70 years ago.)  I also remember that my mother asked not to be told which day we were flying (out on an Elizabethan and back on a Viscount with BEA) because she knew she would be sitting on the toilet all day!   Now of course we nip over to the States for a holiday and think no more of it than crossing the road to go into the supermarket.

And as for Supermarkets - I can't imagine how my dear mother would have viewed them when I think of the village shop where she shopped for the whole of her married life - the same order each week:  sugar, butter, marg, lard, tea, coffee. yeast. dried fruit= and from which she fashioned delicious bread and cakes and pies (jam and fruit from the garden).   Women staying at home and having their man's tea on the table when he came through the door.

Those were they days (or were they girls?)

13 comments:

Heather said...

Those days seem far simpler than life today. We certainly have many benefits now, but at what price?

Anonymous said...

How wonderful you went to Paris when you did, would have been exciting ! I was quite ill when there in 1982 and saw nothing much but the wallpaper in the hotel room for days, (in such an exciting city too, so far from home). Rallied eventually, but too weak to do much. Not easy for Aussies to 'nip back' to such wonderful places. - Pam.

Tom Stephenson said...

Ah, Fly Biscuits...

Brenda said...

I loved the days of being a housewife and mom. I also loved the days of owning a business and then going to college an advanced age and teaching. We have so many things east today but maybe the stress. Not sure. I just live and love my life always. Glad your book club was fun. What is your next book?

Susan said...

You certainly stepped outside your mother's comfort zone. One generation to the next the strides are large and impressive in many ways. Like your mother, my mother chose to not work as a surgical RN once she married. Why? I have no idea. She encouraged my sister and I to excel at school and establish careers. We both did so. That said, life in the fast lane is not always ideal for women. Having the choice is important.

Anonymous said...

It might be fun to have a cookie named in one's honor? If it was a good one, anyway. Now I'm thinking about what I would choose. So many options!

My mom, now 98, quit working as a teacher when she got married, and was at times fairly critical of my working steadily except for a couple too short maternity leaves. I guess it was just too different for her to identify with. She seems pretty supportive of the working granddaughters, however. So maybe it was just me?

Interested to hear what the next book group choice is!

ceci

sparklingmerlot said...

Squashed fly biscuits!! I haven't had one of them since I was a kid. I don't think we get the real garibaldi in Australia.

Granny Sue said...

I have had it both ways, a stay-home wife and mother, and a working mom/wife. I much preferred the former, and now that I am retired, I am so happy to be able to really cook again. And to have my tea whenever I want. Such little things bring great pleasure.

Debby said...

I have to say that I am much enjoying being retired and cooking. Tim likes it too. It has been a while since I've had the time to put things together properly. Sometimes, when we are tucked in bed, and the lights turned out, I hear his voice saying, "So...what are you making for supper tomorrow?"

The romantic!

Cro Magnon said...

My native village (Lingfield in Surrey) had a Butcher, Baker, General store, Chemist, and petrol station; as well as other assorted shops such as tobacconist, etc. It was a small village but catered for a large surrounding area. I don't think there was much need to travel far.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Debby - this made me laugh!!
Sparkling merlot -- forgot we used to call them that! Tesco here do a super crisp one.

Anon - when I was at school mmarried women had to leave teaching so all the teachers in my Grammar school were spinsters apart from Mrs Lucas who was a war widow (it was still wartime)


Thanks for your visit.
Our next book is george Elliot's 'Silas Marner'

Joyce F said...

I did not like Silas Marner when we had to read it for English Literature class. I wonder what I would think if I reread it now? May give it a try. I put Night Tiger on my read next list so hope to read it soon. I'm always interested in what everyone is reading though can't always find the books you gals in England talk about.

Brenda said...

I did not love Silas Marner either...Had to read for Literature class when in college. I graduated college in my 40's...Master's age 58...and worked on doctorate. I had a difficult time discerning why we did that book. My degrees are in English/LA 5-12...Psychology, Humanities, Reading, Writing...Literature...guess that was why. LOL You might like it. Your club picks some obscure books for sure, but I suppose that is what a book club is about...out of one's comfort zone.