One of those Saturdays which don't come round very often when I had nothing to do but please myself. Early morning visit to hairdressers for trim, roots done (all golden again now...), manicure and chat with the girls and then emerged into town, sit down with a cappo and the paper for an hour and watch the world go by, which I was able to do as it was a lovely day, no rain and sun shining.
Then a visit to the Castle Book shop, just next door to my hairdresser, very handy and a rummage around and out I came with these two EF Benson paperbacks, one of which, Mrs Ames is set in Riseborough, home of Lucia before her move to Tilling, so not sure if any other characters turn up. No doubt I shall soon find out. Sun still shining, so took a wander down East Hill into Greyfriars Books, another lovely second hand book shop and spent an hour in there sitting on the floor in a back room having a read through piles of books, and eventually came out with two Rosemary Sutcliff children's books.
The main reason I bought these, apart from them being two of my favourite stories, is that they are illustrated by the simply wonderful Walter Hodges who also illustrated my copy of the Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge, which edition is now out of print so it is a precious possession.
Then home, lunch and feet up, visit my good friend Rosemary who has now fully recovered from her heart operation, cup of tea, chocolate brownie and then home and feet up again. I am now watching one of the very early Inspector Lynley mysteries which the BBC are reshowing and while I am enjoying it, it is some years old and the irritating wife Helen is very much alive and in situ. I can't understand why the BBC stopped making this series, it was done so abruptly and while I feel they fell off somewhat in tension towards the final instalments, the production values are high, cast lists interesting and it seems a bit shortsighted not to have made any more and to end it so abruptly.
My current work contract ends next week and I have an interview with another law firm, another maternity contract hopefully, but until that materialises, I am having a few weeks at home and I must say I am really looking forward to it. Not getting up in the morning at 6 am, cup of tea in bed, all the time in the world to read and write and I have a list a mile long of tasks to do, including clearing out cupboards, painting the bathroom, sorting out jumble, you know the usual odds and sods that need to be done but which one never seems to have time to deal with. Hardly riveting I know, but oddly enough it sounds quite fun to me at the moment.
