October 2020

 Here we are, half way through autumn already and it is set to be a different one with no Halloween trick or treating and no bonfire parties next month. I have to be honest and say that I have reconsidered November 5th activities and decided that potential harm to pets and wildlife makes it not worth it. Today is quite warm and sunny, unlike yesterday which was mostly rain all day. On a couple of evenings recently when we looked out late at night we have seen a hedgehog, quite near to the house so we consider ourselves lucky as their numbers are decreasing rapidly due a number of factors: strimming injuries, road injuries. poisoning by slug pellets and people wanting too-tidy gardens. The hog hotel may not be occupied yet, but I am hopeful that it may be when winter comes as we have provided fressh hay and leaves in an attempt to make it cosy, and I put hedgehog food out nearby each night (which does get eaten).

Among the last remaining stash of books I have been adding to the shop are a collection of books about the Brontes, and Emily Bronte in particular. If you are a fan check them out - they are reasonably priced.

Since my last post I have read 'The Horse Dancer' by Jojo Moyes for the Book Club of which I am a member, finished 'Hamnet' by Maggie O'Farrell and have started reading 'Rag and Bone' by Lisa Woollett, the last of which is a fascinating accoung of mudlarking, family history and the modern day problems of what to do with our rubbish. We also finished watching 'Little Fires Everywhere' on Amazon Prime which we both enjoyed. We found the quality of the picture on Amazon Prime excellent. 'Rag and Bone' was among a consignment of books which I ordered from our local indie bookshop in Burford and collected last week. Here they are:

It was our first trip out anywhere, apart from collecting prescriptions, since August and we wore our masks as I knew that I was going into a shop and the pavements are quite narrow. It was busy and about half the people on the streets were wearing masks there unlike in Cheltenham, where we went to visit our son and his girlfriend in their flat, where nobody was as we observed in our walk around the park. 

My pressing task, however, is to get my Etsy shed sorted out before the worst of the winter weather turns up and I, at least, want to get all the books safely stored away indoors as the shed can get quite damp - I do have a heater in there - but I still have a bit of work to do!

Enjoy your reading and keep well and healthy,

Julie