Virago Salon - Spring into Summer, 2011

From dovegreyreader's blog today.....

Vintage Classics To Publish Fourteen Books By Stella Gibbons in August!

>1 bleuroses:: What a lovely place! I think I'll just pull up a chair and have a cappuccino.

>2 bleuroses:: Oh dear, I shall have to start saving up now. The new venue looks like a perfect place to read them over tea and scones with clotted cream and jam.

I'll have a glass of Pimm's and a smoked salmon sandwich, please!

Oh goodness!!!!!! I will have to start saving as well.....HURRAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My, I think I recognise it .... isn't it our Verity's new back garden?

Julie, you're a riot! Actually Verity it could be your garden - with a little work, you're garden will be magnificent. Yes, count me in on the Pimms and smoked salmon.

Lots of dining as well as reading space there -- perhaps we should gather en masse??

I'm totally charmed! Yes to the Pimms! Yes to Verity's garden! A polite "No, thank you," to the smoked salmon.

I shall have the iced tea, thank you very much. And I shall sit here and read all of the works of Gibbons.
How very lovely, our new place to read, relax and sip. Thank you Cate for finding it and allowing all of us to share the ambiance.
Verity, you lucky, lucky girl...to have such a garden!

Iced tea for me please (non sweet) and a smoked salmon sandwich with no butter. Mind if I bring my laptop? I'm trying to get ahead with my business-related blog posts, although I just wrote one easily about the Kindle!

The Kindle, the Kindle,....................
The Baron has come to reside at my house as an early Mother's Day gift from my most marvelous hubby. I can't wait to find the time to accost him. So far only the hubby has played with him and he is really into him at this point. Says there are a lot of really cool features on him.

The Baron has found me lots of lovely old out-of-copyright travel narratives for free ... and then he started to tempt me, getting Amazon to wave their special sale at me so I have been spending UP TO ONE POUND FIFTY on a bunch of books ... is this the beginnning of penury? All my copy-editing earnings eaten up by e-books?

Don't forget South Riding on Masterpiece Classics begins tonight in the U.S. I'm thinking we will record it all and save it until I've read the book, which I'm going to do before too long.

Same here Linda. Good idea.

Oh shoot! I missed it. Oh well.
I just came by to welcome Bookbets50, Betsy, to the group, but I'm not seeing her name among the new members yet. It's on her profile page though, so she's in. Welcome, Betsy! Have fun!!!
AND I just got back from a wonderful long weekend at the beach with 3 high school women friends. We had So MUCH FUN that I'm still smiling, but I'm equally glad to be home!

How wonderful when those get-togethers work out well. I haven't seen anyone from high school days in sooooo long. Seems I always have something else un-missable planned when a reunion comes up.

I am here! Thank you so much for making me feel welcome..this is the very first message I have ever posted to a group. I am so interested in these titles and look forward to reading some of them soon.

Welcome, Betsy! You are going to have so much fun with this group. The only danger might be that you'll become addicted to these lovely books. (That isn't such a bad thing).

Elaine

Welcome, Betsy! Dive right in!

Welcome Betsy! It's nice to have you with us.

Great to meet you, Betsy, and welcome! You might also be interested in the Persephone Readers group - there's a lot of us there too!!

Yep, welcome Betsy!

Welcome, Betsy! I think I may qualify as a hoarder too. :)

>19 Bookbets50:: You have so much to look forward to if you are only just discovering VMCs! And you couldn't have better company in which to do so than LT!

Hi Betsy!

Thanks everyone..I am truly going nuts looking at all of the excellent recommendations. I already had discovered Persephone through some of my library-related reading so I will definitely take a look over there also, andI am impatiently waiting for summer to come so that I can read even more. I had never even heard of South Riding until I started reading these messages and now I MUST get a copy...my public libraries around here do not have it.

>13 rainpebble:: Belva! The Baron paid me a visit on this Mother's Day as well !
It seems we both have fine hubbies. Although my daughters signed the card, I know it was his brilliant idea (AND his credit card, lol!).

Aha ... congratulations on your recent gifts Belva and Laura!! My hubby too as he gave me mine for Christmas - love it!!

Hello Betsy and welcome!

Ladies and gentlemen, may I please add into our salon something akin to a reclining chair made of pure goose-down duvets? For I walked 25 miles for charity (no - 24 miles for charity, 1 mile to see our in-laws on the way round) yesterday and, even though I'm a seasoned runner, MAN, I hurt!

Thank you.

Just had to share my excitement...I found {South Riding}-Virago Edition-at a used bookstore in Portland this weekend-for two dollars!! (It wasn't Powells either). Now I just need time to read it...

> 32
Wow, great find!

>33 sqdancer:: what she said! Lucky you!

#32 Well, that's the way to dive right in. Beginner's luck, as they say!

Hallo Betsy - welcome to the board - that is a fabulous find!

Hello all, I've read a few Viragos over the years, but have only just got round to joining this group - inspired by having bought several on a recent book-shopping-spree and LT meet up in London last Friday. I've just acquired Invitation to the Waltz, The Weather in the Streets (touchstone not working), Precious Bane and The Virago book of Victorian Ghost Stories - not a bad haul!

Welcome! I hope you have as much fun here as I am having.

Elaine

Thank you!

Oh hooray! Genny's here! I've been lurking on your 75 book thread and am glad you joined this group.

Hallo Genny - welcome to the Virago group - I hope you enjoy being here.

Hooray for Betsy and South Riding! Hooray for Genny on general principles!!!!!!

Welcome Genny! I am sure you will like it here :-))

Hello Genny, it's good to see you here. You know, it's funny, but I already thought of you as a Virago person and am quite surprised that you've only just joined us! Welcome!

Thank you for your welcomes! I'm not sure what a 'Virago person' is exactly, @Soupdragon - but I was surprised myself that it's taken me this long to join the group...

Welcome Genny!

Good to see you here, Genny!

#2 Ooh I am so late checking in on this thread great news about the Stella Gibbons and I like the look of the cover.

Welcome Betsy and Genny! I have been a bit of an absentee viragoite? viragoan? I look forward to seeing you here.

#48 I think we're all entitled to just call ourselves Viragos.
And glad to see you around, Maren.

What a beautiful garden setting. Would love an iced tea please :)

I was a member then got a bit overwhelmed and left a lot of library thing groups. But am back just belonging to a few favorite groups :)

Sally, you are obviously a woman of incomparable taste. Welcome back!

Another exciting post from our Fleur A Library notice that made my heart skip a beat!

How wonderful, Jane!

Hello everyone - good to be back. welcome Genny - I am sure you will very soon be at home here.

What a lovely opportunity and I completely understand about loving where you live but being a distance away! I was booked to go to an event in London on Storm Jameson with her biographer, Jennifer Birkett speaking and discussing her along with a few other eminent and knowledgeable ladies. I was so very much looking forward to it and then I had a return of the pneumonia and wasn't fit enough to go.

Bummer Julie. Are you okay now?

Oh, too bad, Julie. I hope you fought it off and are feeling much better now.

Oh dear Julie! I hope you are feeling better now.

I hope you are rid of it by now, Julie dear. It is a bad beast, that one!

Belated Greetings and Welcome to Genny and Sally! Looking forward to sharing the Virago passion with you both!

Miss Julie....I do hope you've been well recovered. I know you must have been very disappointed to miss the Storm Jameson event, but I'm glad you heeded your health first.

On a lark, I looked up Jennifer Birkett and found this info on the University of Birmingham website:

Jennifer Birkett MA, D Phil; FRSA; Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques
Professor of French Studies

Email: J.Birkett@bham.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)121 414 5981

Perhaps send her an email to find out if she has future speaking engagements scheduled? Wouldn't it be grand if she did and you could attend at last!!

Our car is to be sold this week and, on clearing it out, I discovered my long-lost, original green-spined version of Miss Mole. It's been missing for several years and I had bought a replacement hardback edition (second-hand) but I'm so pleased to have my Virago back. I bought it on 5th April 1986, one of my first ever Viragos, after hearing it serialised on Woman's Hour.

How wonderful, Kerry! So pleased that you've been reunited with the wonderful Miss Mole!

>59 CDVicarage:: that's great news! Not just because it was long-lost and a great book, but especially since it was one of your first Viragos.

Oh! I work at the University - at the Library and only part-time now, but ... if I can do anything I will!

Rejoicing in Virago-Land for Kerry! Isn't this a great group that knows how excited you are!?!?!!!!!
Speaking of lost VMC's , I DID something with a copy of Maurice Guest and haven't recovered it yet.

Thank you everyone - I am feeling better but tire easily. The Dr prescribed more antibiotics which helped thank you. I smiled when I read your post Kerry - we should all check our cars now!!

Thanks so much Cate and co - I can but try :) The disappointment was all the more as the organisers had given me a complimentary ticket and it was going to be a *big* trip!! In fact, PEN www.englishpen.org was the venue as this year English PEN is celebrating 90 years of campaigning for the freedom to write and the freedom to read.

They were paying tribute to one of their most illustrious presidents - Virago author, Margaret Storm Jameson who was an indefatigable campaigner, a suffragette and committed pacifist, who argued for literature as a tool in post-war reconstruction and helped a number of threatened writers escape Nazi Germany.

Hello, everyone! I haven't been as regular here as I once was, so I hope that Grant and Andrew have been upholding the honor of the Virago men in my absence. My reading has been rather anemic lately, but I've putting in miles of walking and biking (a combined 29 miles today, for example) in preparation for a 6-day, 100-mile walk on the West Highland Way a month from now. So, between 4 July and 11 July, you can think of me walking in the Scottish rain, drinking whisky, eating haggis, and trudging up Ben Nevis. This is what my wife wanted to do for her 50th birthday, and I'm thrilled with it!

After the walk, we head to York to see our niece graduate from university there, then we spend a few days in Kenilworth and a day in London, culminating with David Tennant and Catherine Tate in "Much Ado About Nothing" before we fly back home.

What summer plans do the rest of you have?

We've rented a house on Great William Street in Stratford on Avon for the month of August. It's a five minute walk from the Birthplace and Shakespeare Institute and a short walk down the canal tow path under Clopton Bridge to the newly designed (fabulous!!) RSC theatre. Highlight will probably be Patrick Stewart in Merchant of Venice and a Macbeth which, according to friends, will scare the bejezzus out of you!

Much Ado in London!!! Sounds like a day trip into town.

I'm breathless!

#66 Do you have a spare room?

#66 Ooh - meetup meetup meetup! I'm sure I can make the train journey from Birmingham down to Stratford in August! Or you're welcome to come and have a guided tour around our lovely city if you'd like!

>65 rbhardy3rd:: The walk sounds amazing, and I hope you have good weather. I'm spending a week on the isle of Ulva doing wildlife surveys later this month, so I too am keeping my fingers crossed for sunshine on the west coast of Scotland.

Then a week after that, I'm doing a walking holiday in the area around the borders of Dorset/Wiltshire/Somerset with a friend who is visiting from Melbourne. Again, I'm hoping the sunshine lasts!

>66 Liz1564:: Summer in Stratford sounds wonderful too! A whole month . . . envy :-)

Rob & Elaine, I envy your travels to England and Scotland!

This is our last vacation before daughter #1 leaves for college. We are spending a week in San Diego to get some sun and see the sights. And I've booked tickets to an outdoor production of "Much Ado About Nothing."

~ 66 Elaine - what a wonderful holiday! I would love to see you but we will be away - in France!

~ 65 Rob - that is a wonderful way to celebrate a 50th birthday.... but it is tough ... whisky, haggis, Ben Nevis ... and then just to cap it all ... you have to go to York!

(Sorry - caught the post by mistake)

~ 70 Claire What wildlife will you be surveying ?

As for me - I will be surveying the Pyenees once again as we return to Rennes les Bains at the end of July. We will be sailing from Portsmouth to Bilbao and then driving Eastwards across the mountains. On our return we will be journeying North through France with more exploring and visitng friends en route!

It all sounds lovely. We don't have any definite plans yet but we are going to see a couple of shows in London over the August bank holiday weekend. Les Miserables for my mum's birthday and Much Ado about Nothing with David Tennant and Catherine Tate.

I will be with you in spirit. I am not going anywhere, but I can dream to! :-))

Walking the West Highland Way sounds fantastic, especially with a decent malt whisky to warm you and a good book in hand at the end of the long (and possibly wet) days!

My summer plans are not so energetic. I've decided to go back to one of my favourite places to stay, Britain's only residential library - Gladstone's Library, formerly called St Deiniol's just outside Chester and just into North Wales. I usually go there in the autumn for a reading week, but this time I'll be spending 10 days there in August, using it as a base for some expeditions into North Wales or the Liverpool area, while enjoying the meals, intelligent conversations with other residents, and relaxing library atmosphere, when I don't want to go out. As they don't charge peak rates for the holiday season, I realised it makes more sense to go there in August and to do something else in November.

I am not going anywhere either, except to work if I get on the summer school list. However I am thrilled by the sound of your walking tour Rob. I wish you good weather, and relaxing evenings in the pub. One of my favorite films I Know Where I'm Going is on TCM on Wed June 29th at 8.00 pm. It's set during the Second World War in the Hebrides and is incredibly atmospheric and Scottish and romantic.

Yes, Lyzzy you should have Elaine up to Brum for a visit. I lived there very happily for 3 years.

A young Wendy Hiller! Isn't she marvelous! And, yes, I hope to hook up with Lyzzy this summer,

What would you recommend as the perfect book to read while drying out and sipping whisky at the end of a day of walking in the Highlands? I'm currently reading Kidnapped out loud to my wife (while enjoying a dram of Highland Park 12 or Glenfarclas 15), and am thinking about reading The 39 Steps. Any other recommendations?

And, if there are any single malt connoisseurs out there, what is the one precious single malt, unavailable in the US, that we should pick up while we're there?

Laura (#71): This is our last big fling before tuition payments start, too!

I wish I were a single malt connoisseur! For me it's Laphraoig, young and liquid smoke. I'll wait to hear about your discoveries with interest! Oh - and about the trekking too....

All the Brit trips sound wonderful. We're off to the western US -- driving from Florida to Colorado and then on to Bryce and Zion Canyons, back the northern route to visit my mother in Western NY and then probably due South back to FL. Planning on doing some literary touring -- Oxford, MS Faulkner); Montgomery, MS (Welty); Hannibal, MO (Twain), and whatever else we come across -- along with art and historical museums.

>73 juliette07:: We're still waiting for exact details of what we'll be looking at. Apparently the scientist in charge is a last-minute person! But I expect it will involve nesting seabirds (including puffins), eagles (golden and white-tailed), deer and otters. There is also a species of moth that is unique to Ulva and Mull that we may be looking for too.

>76 gennyt:: The residential library sounds *wonderful*!

Yes, I didn't even know it existed. What a marvellous place to stay.

#82, 83 Yes, it is a wonderful place. I've waxed lyrical about it over on the 75 books challenge group often. If you are in that part of the UK, it's worth a visit, and it's a convenient and reasonably priced base for anyone visiting the North West of England/North Wales.

*sigh*
I will be here reading about your adventures, so be generous with descriptions, please.

Cripes, I'm greener than Elphaba here, what with walking tours of the old ancestral lands, Languedoc and Stratford.

Rob, if you visit the distilleries in person, you'll find that they have special releases which are limited and about which they will be glad to tell you. Highland Park is a case in point although you might not be heading up into the Orkneys. There are a lot of Whisky Shops about, some with very knowledgeable proprietors, so if you aren't going to the out islands, you should get good help there. We had hoped to get out to Islay to stand on our plot of 12"x12" land as Laphraoig members but the weather wasn't cooperative - Himself gets seasick so the ferry would have been too rough for him. Also, the duty free has some astonishing deals for the trip home!

>86 tiffin:: Also, the duty free has some astonishing deals for the trip home!
Yes, but be careful of US TSA rules. My dad had to chuck a fine bottle of something or other because he had to change planes in New York, requiring him to retrieve and re-check luggage, at which point he was subject to rules limiting liquids on board the flight. I think he had already re-checked his bag and couldn't put it in his suitcase or something ... sad story !

That sounds a great way to celebrate turning 50 and I think the 39 steps is a good read too...hmmm, the only scottish literature that comes to mind is adam smith's wealth of nations...not exactly bedtime reading!
I will be travelling to london, paris, and on to amsterdam in september. Just need to find a house/pet sitter now...

Romain - you lived in Birmingham? When and where?

I love seeing the travels we're on! I'm hoping to go to France some time in the next month, on the train, which we liked doing last year. Don't know where - possibly Lyon - just somewhere in France where I can talk French and the only Libro work I'll be doing is for one regular customer whose projects are frequent but small.

It's lovely hearing about everyone's holidays!

I've just come back from a week at Hay-on-Wye - my annual pilgrimage to the Festival. I heard loads of fascinating speakers, some authors, some not. Here's the list of the people I saw, in order: Sandi Toksvig, Sue Perkins, Allison Pearson (author of I Think I Love You), V.S. Naipaul, Gilbert and George, Nigella, Gaynor Arnold, Polly Samson, David Baddiel, A.A. Gill, Michael Wood, Daisy Goodwin (who wrote My Last Duchess), Stephanie Merritt (aka S.J. Parris, author of the Giordano Bruno books), the always fabulous David Sedaris, Paul Merton doing improv, Justine Picardie who has written an amazing biography of Coco Chanel, Tim Smit, Edward St. Aubyn, David Lodge, Jo Brand, Michael Wright, Lucy Worsley and her fascinating If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home, Dan Cruickshank, Lizzie Collingham (talking about the role of food in WWII), Mavis Nicholson, Andrew Davies talking about his adaptation of South Riding, Virginia Nicholson, Marcus Brigstocke (my imaginary boyfriend who is sporting some very unfortunate facial hair at present for a stage role) and the gorgeous Vanessa Redgrave.

Next up on the holiday front is a two-week trip back to Rhode Island to see my old haunts and spend time with some of my oldest and dearest friends. Then a camping trip to Normandy in August with the husband. Then a few days in Spain sometimes in September to visit my sister-in-law and her partner. Then finally a weekend in Paris in either November or December. And hopefully a few camping trips to Fowey if we get any sunny Cornish weekends between holidays!

~79 Rob - Keith and I would definitely go for Laphraoig with a delicious peaty type of taste ... I am not a great lover of whisky but this one I absolutely love! The link to more information plus the land parcels is http://www.laphroaig.com/

Lyzzy - I lived on Mayfield Road in Moseley from 89-92. I worked for Lucas Industries as an exec secretary at their Edgbaston offices. I had a garden flat in a converted Victorian. I was very happy in Birmingham and have only the fondest memories.

Helen - I can't stand it! I used to come and go like that too when I lived in England. I'm lucky now if I get an occasional trip into Manhattan.

Helen, I am not even going to comment on that whirlwind of travel. I go to Manhattan every day, and NOT to enjoy myself, but other than that......

*I* will be waiting for all of you in the Virago garden when you finally settle.

#90 (Helen): One of the best things I heard on Radio 4 while I was in England (2006-2007) was Marcus Brigstocke ranting about the 3 Abrahamic faiths. Absol brill. I even sampled it in my farewell to organized religion sermon.

I have to get back to Providence some day, if only to see what the river looks like now that it's not covered over with pavement, and to eat littlenecks in olive oil, garlic and white wine at Estela do Mar in East Providence.

Rob, the riverfront in Providence is pretty beautiful these days! Or was, the last time I saw it about five or six years ago. And, yes, Marcus Brigstocke's religion rants are wonderful - and remarkably thoughtful and human at the same time. He can be flippant at times, but this isn't in the least bit. Last year I saw his 'God Collar' stand-up act, which is now a book (without a touchstone). That's what he was plugging this year at Hay.

Lovely blog entry too, Rob. :)

I had been wondering if "anyone" was at Hay this year. You certainly got your money's worth there, Miss Read. What a wonderful group of speakers! I am also a Marcus Brigstocke fan and have seen his stand-up act once but unfortunately missed last year's God Collar tour. My husband and I had tickets but on the day I had an exceptionally horrible cold and Mr Dragon went on his own :(

>92 romain: Romain, that's amazing - I came up here to University in 89-92 (stayed a while afterwards as well) and used to go to or through Moseley quite a lot - we probably crossed paths, had we but known it!

Just had a long weekend in Staunton, VA. Met up with @lycomayflower and @spaceboy9702 (daughter and son-in-law), to see the American Shakespeare Center's Macbeth at Blackfriars Playhouse. It didn't quite scare the beejesus out of us, but it was fantastic. Lady Macbeth's final scene was heart-rending. We also did a lot of great eating (try Emilio's or Mill Street Grill -- or both-- if you're in town.). No further summer plans at the moment, other than possibly a canoe trip down the Delaware with brother and family, if schedules and weather cooperate.

I'm off to the US on holiday today! I'm staying with a dear friend in Rhode Island (where I used to live) and have a jam-packed 10 days to look forward to. Although my flight from Heathrow isn't until after 6pm, living all the way down here in Cornwall means getting on the train at 8:30am. Ugh.

>101 miss_read:: have a wonderful trip, Helen!

#101 At least the long train trip should mean plenty of reading time! Hope you have a good trip.

Exciting! I hope you enjoy every minute.

Have a great trip, Helen! Too bad you are not closer to NY....:-(

Say hello to Brown for me!

By the way, whence this tendency of yours to live in little bits of countries that jut out into the Atlantic?

*sigh* Linda, your trip sounds grand! Staunton is a mighty pretty town....
Helen, you are no doubt able to read on a train trip from Cornwall to London. I would be hanging my head out the train window like a dog trying to take it all in. Be safe and enjoy!
Will anybody be driving up or down I-95 this summer??? Remember Lizzie!

I am simply drooling with all of your summer plans. I would love to do them all. But here I stay sweltering in my classroom, (but just one class for summer), & day-caring my youngest grand. He is 8 years old and on Friday past, he took a fall on my watch, (his first day out of school for summer holiday), and broke both bones in his right wrist or rather just above the wrist. But he is wearing his badge (cast) of courage proudly. When they asked him what color he wanted, he said he wanted the Seattle Seahawks colors.......blue and green. So the cast is very bright and colorful.
Rob, I so envy you & your bride. I wish that I were in good enough condition to hike and climb the hills and mounts here as I used to. With Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams and Mt. Hood right in my back yard it seems a crime.
Enjoy your holidays all. There will be some of us remaining behind to hold down the fort.

It's been a little while since I made my way over here --so lovely to read about everyone's summer plans. I won't be venturing more than a tiny bit out of the Northeast but we will be going to the Cape a couple of times -- for a few days next week, and then for a slightly longer visit in mid-July. In between that I'll be working at the Somerset Harp Festival in New Brunswick NJ. I'm looking forward to staying home, actually, as we are still unpacking and trying to get settled a whole year after the move. And I know there are still boxes with Viragos in them over in the storage unit..... but I never seem to get there. I love gloating over the shelves of Viragos that I have assembled but I haven't been reading them.

A trip to the Shaw Festival in a couple of weeks to take in a couple of comedies: The Admirable Crichton by J.M. Barrie and "Drama at Inish" by Lennox Robinson. This will include a backstage tour, a box lunch by the Festival chefs, dinner at a heritage inn and some wine touring.

Sounds absolutely lovely Tui. Enjoy.

We've been promising ourselves the Shaw festival for years, but I don't think we'll make it this year. My mother and sister have gone regularly and love it. Have a lovely trip!

Do any UK Viragoites live in the Lake District? We'll be visiting for a week - yes, FINALLY sorted out a holiday for this summer!

Oh LyzzyBee; wouldn't that be wonderful if you could have a meet-up with some of our awesome readers there? I so envy all of you who live in the U.K. Just waiting for the hubby to kick the bucket so I can sell it all and go. hee hee........

#113 I've vacationed/holidayed twice (2000 and 2007) in the Lake District, both times based in the lovely little village of Dacre, not far from Ullswater. What an amazing place! You're sure to have a wonderful time.

#113 The Lake District is wonderful - lots of people where I live nip over there for weekends as we are fairly close (Newcastle is on the east coast but it's only about 80-90 miles across to the Lakes). Whereabouts will you be staying?

We're going to be by Windermere - between the rail station and the lake. It's only going to take a couple of hours up from Birmingham, which is a lovely thought, I have to say. And I'll be able to do a leeeetle bit of work for my regular clients if they have anything urgent, but the hotel is quite luxurious and there's free wifi, so it won't be too painful.

Luxurious hotel by lake Windermere with free wifi sounds great! Good to have somewhere nice to retreat to if the notorious rain threatens... Have a great week - and I hope you don't have to do too much work while on holiday.

Oh, that sounds lovely LyzzyBee. Enjoy!

Rob - have you packed? Are you all set?

And can we come? Any room in your carry-on?

Not packed yet, but soon. Today Clara and I celebrated our 22nd anniversary with her brother and sister-in-law, who just returned from a year in York. (Clara's brother has a master's degree in medieval studies from York, and was there teaching a course on stained glass in a study abroad program for the Minnesota college where he's on the faculty). Tomorrow, the packing begins. Strange to think that a week from now, we will have walked the entire length of Loch Lomond (and will undoubtedly be soaked to the skin and covered in mud)! Two weeks from now, we'll actually be in the city my brother- and sister-in-law just vacated, York, for my niece's graduation from the University (with a degree in linguistics).

We won't be far from each other in about 1.5 weeks' time, then! Happy holidays!

>122 rbhardy3rd:: I'm just back from a week in Western Scotland, and the weather was mostly fab. A couple of rainy days, but lots of glorious sunshine too. I will keep my fingers crossed that you are as lucky. (And at least you are walking Loch Lomond, instead of driving along it stuck behind 2 coaches, a lorry and a timber trailer!)

Happy anniversary, Rob!!!!

Rob, we celebrated our 25th anniversary in Scotland and it was the best holiday I've ever had. If you head just a wee bit east from Loch Lomond, along Loch Tay, you'll find the clan castle on the north bank of the River Tay! And on the east side of Loch Lomond is Rob Roy MacGregor country, which is beautiful. Listen closely and you'll hear the sound of reivers rustling in the fields and maybe even the ring of swords in the hills.

Skin on back of neck is prickling.....

#126 Dear woman...you are the only person other than myself and Himself (you know who I mean) I have ever known to use the word "reivers". It's such a wonderful word.

Reivers get mentioned a lot in my area especially in any discussion of the history of Northumberland and the Borders region. A wonderful word (and another exception to the 'i before e expect after c' rule) but not such a friendly concept; with the root meaning of to reave being "to plunder" or "to rob", reivers are related to modern English 'ruffians'.

Well, Genny, being lucky enough to live "over there", you probably hear and use a lot of great words that haven't caught on or survived on the North American continent.

'Himself' being 'your man Bill'?

You all are making this girl turn green.

A very Happy Anniversary to you & your bride Rob.

#130 True, though even over here I didn't hear much about reivers until I moved to this particular area. Any fans of the sci-fi Firefly series or the film Serenity however may notice that the writer Joss Whedon used the word (but with the spelling Reavers) for a terrifying race of humans who conduct bloody raids on the fringes and outer reaches of civilised space - so the concept lives on in a way.

#131 You are perceptive, Belva! He used it in a rather less blood-thirsty way, to mean simply "thieves".

Linda - I saw the movie of The Reivers as a teen and then attempted the book. After all it was a Steve McQueen thing, right? Big mistake!

Well I was thinking of cattle thieves, not anything bloodthirsty...although I guess they could be, if caught and trying to flee!

Over here in the American Civil War South we had "bummers" who scouted for Sherman's march to the sea. The term was generalized to mean anybody who crept into houses and stole.

Ooh-la-la:
Virago Modern Classics Designer Collection !!!

>137 lauralkeet:: OOOOH!!!!!!!

Funnily enough I've just added The Tortoise and the Hare to my wishlist after Barbara (I think) mentioned it on the Virago August thread. Maybe what I really need is The Tortoise and the Hare in a designer edition...

>138 Soupdragon:: oh yes, I'm sure you do :)

Yep - wonderful book and one of Carmen Callil's favorite Viragos as well. But then Angel is one of her favorites as well, and the only ET I didn't like. Tortoise and the Hare has a 'shock' ending that I didn't see coming. Callil writes - "Jenkins negotiates Imogen to a startling and satisfactory finale'. And never mind that you've felt like throttling Imogen all the way through the book for allowing herself to be bullied by her truly horrible husband and his girlfriend.

When I first heard about Tortoise, it didn't particularly appeal but it seems to be well thought of. Endorsement from Carmen Callil and Barbara is good enough for me!

What do we think of the new covers then? I remember the ones Virago brought out for their 30th anniversary. I loved the two I bought but thought it was a shame they didn't have dustjackets. They are lovely covers though.

It looks as if they will be available at Waterstones before Amazon in the UK, as was the case last time. I don't know this for sure but I can't see them on Amazon.co.uk whilst they are available to pre-order on Waterstones.com.

Barbara, your link goes to Aesop's fable about the tortoise and the hare! Gave me a good laugh. I liked the book a lot. My Virago secret Santa sent me that a couple of years ago.

LOL!~! Ah Tui, our Babara is always good for a chuckle!~! hee hee

The fabric inspired designs for the Designer Classics seems to be an idea borrowed from Persephone books perhaps? With the twist of putting the design on the outside not the inside. Very pretty, anyway.

I agree Genny.

>106 rbhardy3rd: - Thanks, Rob! I did indeed say hi to Brown. I seem to make a trip back every 5-6 years or so to replenish my supply of alma mater sweatshirts. And, yes, I do have a penchant for sticky-out-into-the-sea bits of land, don't I? I hadn't realised that until now. Shall I tell you about my years in Mauritius? ;) Happy anniversary, by the way! Hope you enjoy Loch Lomond!

>117 LyzzyBee: - LyzzyBee, that sounds like pure heaven!

> 146 It was indeed idyllic. I am in love with the Lake District, and we will be back. The hotel was great and catered well (on the whole) for my slightly odd diet (I did have an ice cream, and resultant tummy ache, on our last day - couldn't resist). The bed was comfy and we woke with the dawn streaming in - the weather was AMAZING and we came back with tans - I went near Dove Cottage but only took a picture of Dorothy Wordsworth's grave - I surprised other half by being a fairly decent rower and myself by being a lot stronger at it than 15 years ago (thanks, gym!). I did a bit of work but only in the early mornings and the one client was most apologetic about disturbing my holiday) and it was just lovely! And I read FOUR BOOKS!!!!

Back from the UK! Had a fantastic time! Walked about 125 miles; climbed from sea level to 825 metres; sipped nine different single malt whiskies; visited two cathedrals (Glasgow and York) and two castles (Mugdock and Kenilworth); ate haggis; ate my favorite English dessert (summer pudding), attended graduation at the University of York, saw David Tennant and Catherine Tate in Much Ado About Nothing in London; listened to a group of schoolchildren singing angelically inside Holy Trinity in Stratford (where Shakespeare is buried); enjoyed the warmth and friendliness of the Scots, and the cask-conditioned ale of the English; entered only one bookshop (the Chaucer Head in Stratford) and bought nothing.

At our B&B in Kinlochleven, we ate breakfast with a Londoner (originally from South Africa) who was walking from Land's End to John O'Groats. He's blogging his journey, and we got a mention:

For me breakfast this morning was a particularly interesting affair as I found myself sitting with a classics professor and a poet from Minnesota, Clara and Bob (sic). They were gracious and interesting, and like so many people I have met on the Way, just a little bit different. I think that is what is so absorbing about meeting people on this journey. They are the kind of person who fully accepts that having a holiday can include making an effort in sometimes uncomfortable surroundings, because the reward is as much to do with what one puts into it as what one gets out of it. And if that sounds a little “holier than thou”, I apologise and admit that I appreciate a little bit of luxury as much as anyone!!

I must admit that I had more and deeper conversations with complete strangers (Scots, English, Americans, French) over a single week on the trail in Scotland than I did during an entire year in England!

Rob, this is a wonderful condensation of your week. The Scots love a "guid crack". Had many a wonderful conversation myself while there so I know just what you mean. Glad your trip was such a success.

Rob, I have to say that if I can't go myself (and I can't), you sound like the traveler I'd want to be. Thanks for the report! (And a list of the single malts with comments would not go amiss.)

Sounds like an ideal get-away, Rob. Someday I hope to see some of England and Scotland for myself, but in the meantime I love these vicarious trips we get to take.

Indeed, what Linda said.
Rob, you should be a paid spokesperson for Tourism of Scotland. I love how you share all of your travels with us. This group is very gracious in that way. And it allows we, who must stay at home, to share in your wonderful adventures. Would love to know how you found the Cathedrals and the Castles to be.
hugs,
belva

Belva: I love cathedrals and castles. Especially cathedrals. York Minster is one of the glories of England. The 14th century stained glass is brilliant and awe-inspiring. Kenilworth Castle is my favorite castle, albeit a ruined one. In 2006-2007, I walked around it nearly every day. It was so amazing to be back. It felt so familiar, as if I had never left. I forgot to add, above, that I also spent an hour or so, before going to the theatre, soaking up Titians and Raphaels at the National Gallery. What an extraordinary museum!

We had a fab time in the Lake District, fell completely in love with the place and are seriously considering buying a static caravan so we can return again and again. Stayed between Windermere and Bowness, did a minibus tour, refused to look at Wordsworth's grave, rowed (a boat!) on Windermere and impressed other half, fed swans in Bowness, visited Hawkshead and had a lovely walk, stayed in a great hotel which catered beautifully for my special diet, my clients pretty well let me have a holiday and I only did a couple of hours of work ... ooh it was marvellous!

Rob, it sounds wonderful. Chris and I have often thought about taking a similar trip. Did you travel with a group or on your own?

LyzzyBee: Buy that caravan!

Laura: We booked with a company called Absolute Escapes, which made all of the arrangements, but we traveled on our own. But the great thing about walking the West Highland Way is that you meet up with so many interesting people. I walked a mile or so deep in conversation with a retired Scottish fireman with the world's greatest accent, who filled me in on Highlands history; Clara and I spent a couple of hours in a pub with a lovely Scottish couple who were walking the Way with their border collie; we crossed paths several times with Pierre from Lyon, who was walking the Way on his own after a painful break-up; we toured the Glengoyne Distillery with a large group of Swedes; etc. I kept thinking that we were in a modern version of The Canterbury Tales, all traveling on the same road, to the same place, and sharing a little bit of our separate histories.

OMG Rob, it sounds divine. What exactly is the West Highland Way? From which point A to which point Z?

There is a wonderful book sometimes called Spanish Steps and sometimes called Travels with my Donkey by Tim Moore which is about walking the pilgrimage route to Santiago with a very badly behaved donkey named Shinto. Very Bill Bryson-ish. There is also a book called One Man and his Bog which is about walking the Pennine Way, which is laugh-out-loud funny. Both these routes are on my mental list for when I finally retire. Sounds as if the West Highland Way could be added as well.

Point A: Milngavie, a suburb of Glasgow. Point Z: Fort William, scrunched between Ben Nevis and Loch Linnhe (a saltwater loch). Here is what purports to be a public link to one of my Facebook albums of photos of the walk. This is Day 4: Tyndrum to Kingshouse (19 miles), featuring my favorite Highlands mountain (Ben Dorain), the uninhabited expanse of Rannoch Moor, and a charmingly photogenic chaffinch posing for my camera.

Fabulous photos thanks Rob. All those open spaces with no people - marvellous!

Thank you Rob, I loved looking at them. Will you be posting more? I would love to see them if you do.

Fabulous photos, Rob! My kind of landscape, and my kind of weather...wish I were there!

>156 rbhardy3rd:: Thanks Rob, I'm going to bookmark Absolute Escapes for future reference!

Rob, thank you so much for generously sharing your pics with us and your descriptions are wonderfully "there". How fabulous that you were able to make this trip and a repeat trip to some parts. I am, as I am sure a lot of us are, just a wee envious of you and the bride that you were able to have such an awesome walking tour of such beautiful places. I may not be able to walk it, but I can dream it and read it. So I guess I am fortunate also.
Blessings on you friend.

Rob, I thoroughly enjoyed your pics. We went from the Bridge of Orchy all along the river right up to Glencoe. The only people we saw was a group of kayakers taking on the river (which was very high and rushing swiftly). Were you buffeted by the winds there? And oh, you are so brave to go in midge season! Love your analogy of the Canterbury Tales. I found Glencoe overwhelming. An air of overpowering sadness hangs on the place and by the end of the valley, my spirits were very low, to the point of tears - a feeling which dissipated as we got around by Loch Leven (we went the long way around). I learned later that my 5x great grandmother, a MacDonald, was a survivor of the massacre. (Her grandson, my 3x great grandfather, emigrated to Canada in 1820.) Och, you are bringing back such memories of being there!

Am loving these heart-felt stories and conversations. How wonderful, Tui, that you had this opportunity and how very interesting are all the ties. I am happy for you that Loch Leven cheered you up, but what a marvelous experience this must have been for you even with the sadness.
hugs,

>158 rbhardy3rd:: What wonderful photos! The scenery is a lot more dramatic in that area than where I was on the isle of Ulva (whose highest peak is only 306m). I'm glad the weather seems to have been good and that you met so many interesting, friendly people along the way. I think we met a relative of your cheeky chaffinch in the car park at Duart Castle on Mull - he was certainly just as keen to have his photo taken!

Wanted to share this lovely post I found: Persephone is on the landing and eating chocolate. Enjoy!

Thank you for that! :)

I just happened to come across this and was very surprised that I did not know.

*

New Sarah Waters novel in 2009
Virago to publish The Little Stranger in late spring
Sarah Waters

Virago are delighted to announce publication of the wonderful new novel by Sarah Waters.

Called The Little Stranger, it will be published late in the spring of 2009.

After her award-winning trilogy of Victorian novels, Sarah Waters turned to the 1940s and wrote The Night Watch, a tender and tragic novel set against the backdrop of wartime Britain. Shortlisted for both the Orange and the Man Booker Prize, it went straight to number one in the bestseller chart. In this highly anticipated new novel she remains in the 1940s, setting her story in rural Warwickshire, in a crumbling country manor house haunted by a dying way of life - and perhaps by something more sinister... From this wonderful writer who continues to astonish us, comes a chilling ghost story.

Virago have UK and Commonwealth rights excluding Canada and will publish in June.

Did any of you know? Perhaps it is time to update my listing of Virago books.

Welcome to our friend Karen who will be a great asset here!
I'm not sure whether I knew Waters was a Virago author, Belva. I've now read Fingersmith and The Night Watch. She is a solid, entertaining author. Updating the Virago list might be a good thing for me to do too..... I tend to want only green and forget that they are publishing exciting new people.

We don't have an ahpha-author list of Viragos either do we? Elaine made one up and sent me a hard copy a year or two ago. So much easier use the list if it is in Alpha Order. I should have my daughter show me how to do that on the computer. I know she knows how to do spread sheets. But yeah, it would be good to have the new books & authors too.
Well, gotta hit the shower, etc.
hugs Peggy,

You can see the author list alphabetically on the Virago website. And there is a link there to the new releases, as well.

Wow, did not know. Thank you Linda. You are a doll.

;-0

Despite overwhelming odds and heat stroke, Mother Urania still has a garden in late July. How I envy the British. Cottage gardening is so much easier there.



And she has FIGS!!!

Well, now, doesn't that look inviting! (How's your mosquito and chigger population this year?)

Overwhelming. Mother Urania has been bitten in places that nuns don't have. Of course rumors abound (completely unreliable) that she has been seen gardening naked without so much as a fig leaf on.

That's a gorgeous garden. Is it yours or just the one you wish you had? I am a mosquito magnet usually but this year I bought that little fan device that you wear on your belt loop. I believe it is made by OFF. Anyway I am mosquito free and have been since May. You will have to find somewhere to hang it, of course...

>179 romain: romain,
The garden is mine. I have been a wreck this summer trying to keep it going in the heat wave and drought. Thank god for cisterns.

Enjoying all the conversations and stories of trips and gardens....

#179 I'm glad to hear someone say those things work. I've been waffling as to whether to try one. I'm also a mosquito magnet, and we have an irresponsible neighbor who hasn't drained his above-ground pool in at least 2 years----Mosquito Maternity Ward, right there.

Oh I wish I could garden - that looks absolutely beautiful....well done you...lots of hard work there....I think that's my problem...I am at heart bone lazy.....

OMG I am impressed Mary! I finally had enough of my back garden and just put down weed barrier and mulch. I envisaged what you have but somehow it never happened. Just weeds, weeds and more weeds.

Beautiful! Beautiful!! Beautiful!!! I do love a well-kept garden and do loathe and despise to work in one. Besides, my thumbs are brown. I am also a mosquito and red bug magnet. I sat beside my husband while he fished a little fresh water pond years ago. Woke up the next morning with 96 red bugs. I'm sure of the number because I had plenty of time to count them in the tub where I spent 2 days trying to get relief so that I could go back to school. (DH got 2.)

I have always loved gardens and salivate over Monty Don's garden books. Six years ago this area was full of nothing but weeds and scrub trees. Robbie terraced it, we double dug most of it and add manure each year. I still have no idea what I am doing but I am getting more courageous about moving plants and Radical Prunings a hysterically funny novel about gardening and one I recommend for anyone feeling the need for a giggle.

Mary, that isn't the stone wall where you cracked your head open a year ago, is it? It does look lovely...your cosmos are about to bloom, I see. My poor old garden took a drubbing in the recent heat wave but the rain last night and this morning has soothed its troubled spirit somewhat.

What a spectacular place! I have some serious garden envy now!

Wonderful garden Mary. How very lovely. Ladies & gents, wouldn't you love to sit in that garden with your favorite Virago and a glass of iced tea? You have done a beautiful job Mother.
hugs,
belva

Beautiful ..... but where *are* the goats?

I'm off to the airport and there is no rain in sight! I will write from Stratford next week!

Elaine

Julie, kept well out of the garden, I imagine, or there wouldn't BE one. ;)

@ Tui lol!~!

Travel with care and safety Elaine. 'See' you when you get home.
hugs,

Whoo hoo - happy landing and see you soon!

>190 juliette07: Julie
>192 tiffin: tiffin


Gabrielle in Garden - Mother U Perplexed at Gabby's Bad Behavior

This photo taken in spring when the primroses where in bloom. Gabrielle is the most intrepid of all the goats and the cleverest at getting her own way. She shrieks bloody murder when she does not get her way and then charms the socks off Mother U by sitting in her lap every day.

P.S. I want to go to England where gardening is a national pastime.

Mary, you have the best of both worlds. Wonderful pic.
hugs (((Mother)))

I think I may be turning into Mrs. Carl Sandburg.

I love that little goat!

Mary - that is soooo adorable and cute!! Such a brilliant photo. Butter wouldn't melt in her mouth! How many goats do you have now and do you make chevre?

Re ... big hint about gardening in England - you are welcome anytime as long as you can find a reserve goat minder!

>196 urania1: - Mary, please come to England and sort out *my* garden!!! I wouldn't even mind a goat or two (or six)!

I have eight goats at the moment. More babies expected at end of October. We will probably sell most if not all for pets (Nigerian Dwarfs are all the pet rage right now). If we get two females from the two mamas we will probably keep them as we would like to have four milking pairs. We only have two right now and two who will be ready next spring. That leaves Mr. Darcy and Nikki both wethers and good for nothing but their affection. I really want to come to England. If someone will put me up and could probably scrape together the plane fare. And I do make chevre!

My niece raises goats, and she has one of those adorable Nigerian dwarfs. But WHAT a sound it can make. Shrieking is a mild term for it. Worse than a peacock....bloodcurdling.

Does anyone happen to know of any Booker listed Virago books?

I did a tag mash on booker and virago, and the resulting list is here. Obviously, not all of these are VMC's.

Interesting! Thank you, Linda.

Oh, you are a wonder Linda. Thank you so much! The only 'mash' I know are 'ed' potatoes and the monster mash.

For those who are fans of Vera Brittain and Winifred Holtby, you might like to listen to this radio interview with Shirley Williams, British politician and daughter of Brittain, reflecting on her childhood and the adults who were influential in her growing up.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b012wzf8#synopsis

You can listen on BBC iPlayer or access a podcast.

In today's New York Times Book Review section there's a wonderful review of A Book of Secrets, Michael Holroyd's account of the relationships between Violet Trefusis, Vita Sackville-West, and Virginia Woolf. It looks like a superb book -- anyone here read it?

Here's the NYT review.

No but I read the review and the book is on the Must Read list.

"Must have"

HA!~!; just ordered it and can't wait 'til it arrives. I am a great "Bloomsbury" fan anyway so anything like this catches my fancy.

>210 tiffin:-212: OK, I caved. $9.99 on Kindle. It's mine, mine, mine !!!

Ah, and YOU don't have to wait for it. Blast me!~!

Hey - is everyone in the UK OK? We're fine even though there were rumours the rioting was spreading to our neighbourhood; all of our friends are OK except one who was injured - but he's a film-maker and photographer who was trying to record what was happening, and he got home OK.

Thinking of everyone else in / with loved ones in / the areas affected, and hoping for calm tonight.

All ok here. As long as the riots don't spread to Oxford Street (which has been rumoured as a target since Saturday) then I should stay fine.

I hope everyone else is staying safe.

I'm okay - was totally unaware of what was happening yesterday until I got home from work at 11pm and my mum phoned to check I was okay. My parents live in Croydon, but fortunately not near where the riots were. Still, it is upsetting to have such things happening so close to home. One of my friends will be on duty as a Special Constable today, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for her.

I'm also hoping that Oxford St stays clear as I work 5 mins away.

Hope everyone else is okay, and that things calm down soon so that people can start rebuilding their lives again.

I live in New Jersey but am familiar with many of the locales where the riots are happening. Birmingham, of course, but also Peckham, Lewisham and Hackney, all of which were very down at heel when I lived there in the 60s. Funnily enough, I had given up the news for August, preferring to not know what was going on in the world, so this thread was my first inkling of trouble. Stay safe.

Thinking of all of you in the UK, and hoping you are safe. Please do be careful.

A young friend of ours in London is a dispatcher for the police. I read in The Guardian this morning that the police had received over 2 million calls in one night, so thought that our friend must be fried by now. Be safe, all in London!

Adding my wishes for safety too. It seems to me that this could be happening anywhere, and it's not so much that London is unlucky or worse or anything than that the rest of us are getting away with something. (I hope that makes sense.)

It does make sense, Peggy, and I worry that a spark from this conflagration could fly almost anywhere. London seems a strange place for it to flare up, and since that has happened, I think we all must be on alert.

Birmingham is bad again for the second night in a row; there was some trouble in my local area this afternoon but it seems calm now.

Thinking of and praying for the safekeeping of all of you and the other residents in these areas. Such a time of worry. Stay safe dear & gentle friends.
hugs,
~belva

Reading in the Guardian this morning I found that the rioters seem to have no cohesive cause. They are a mix of all races, creeds and colors. But this did make me smile.

'I think it's just about possible that you could see your actions refashioned into a noble cause if you were stealing the staples: bread, milk. But it can't be done while you're nicking trainers, let alone laptops. In Clapham Junction, the only shop left untouched was Waterstone's, and the looters of Boots had, unaccountably, stolen a load of Imodium. So this kept Twitter alive all night with tweets about how uneducated these people must be and the condition of their digestive systems. '

Waterstones - for American residents - is England's Barnes and Noble. So no looting of books!

Goodness, were I to be of the looting type....that is the FIRST place I would go.

I read that the rioters are primarily young teenaged boys. Hormones having a reckless but not wreckless holiday???

P.S. I would loot the museums. There are a few nice paintings I would like to have. Seriously though, I am sending green thoughts to all English Viragoes.

According to Julie's lastest post on FB - she's given birth to her twins, yesterday! and bringing them home today!

Yes, isn't it wonderful? I am so thrilled for them and it sounds like she is doing really well. ♥

Quick update from Birmingham - looks like it's quieter today. I spent the day with about 40 other citizens of all creeds, colours, ages, etc., cleaning up the mess these b*stards left behind them. I feel much better for having done something concrete today. We will be out there tomorrow if needs be, and every day. Has restored much of my faith in human nature.

I was deeply impressed by the father of the young man killed in Birmingham - Tariq Jahan. A voice of peace and reason. NPR this evening says it is nearly all young men between 10-20 doing the looting.

Cate - please keep us posted on photos of these two beautiful new babies.

Julie! Congratulations!

Great news about our Julie's babies indeed - Oliver and Lydia - welcome to life's journey and with thanks that you were safely delivered and that your Mummy is well!

As we are still in la belle France we have been following the events in the UK vicariously. However, frustrated, alienated etc one maybe .... respect for life comes at the top of my list. The really good news is the way in which communities in Birmingham and places like Croydon have pulled together to try and clear up the devastation. Many of our young friends have been FB posting and so we are getting quite an insight as they try to get to work, go out and generally live normal lives.

I'm listening to NPR too, Barbara, and hoping that everything will quiet down now rather than later. Be very careful over there!
Julie's Twins!!!! I haven't been to facebook this week, but I'm off now!!!!! Great news!!! (I'm stumbling trying to get my mind around "twins born yesterday, going home today"!!!!! Mama doesn't even get one whole day in bed before the 18 year onslaught?)

I accidentally Xd the new 'What else are we reading' thread and it went bye-bye. Anyone know how I can get it back? If not, Peggy, could you start another new one for me please? I cannot live without those rex!
thanx luv,
~belva

Here's the link Belva. Just unclick the "X".

Linda, you never cease to amaze me. Seems like you know everything. Thank you so much!~!

LOL, Belva. Years ago, I worked with a wonderful woman---she was secretary to my boss and me. She would always say we were an unbeatable team, because "Linda knows everything, and I'm never wrong!"

Hoping that all of you on the east coast of the US are taking proper precautions and evacuating if need be. Scary predictions about what Irene might do to the Jersey shore and NYC.

I keep getting different stories Jane. NPR said yesterday to go home and clear your yard of furniture etc. I didn't. Today in the PO I was told to go home immediately and tie everything down. So I did. But now people are saying it won't hit till Sunday. What about you? Is it by passing Florida and heading straight for us?

It definitely seems to be bypassing FL and heading first for NC and then on up the I-95 corridor. I definitely would bring in lawn furniture and anything that could blow around and keep an eye on the track to see if windows need to be boarded up. Lord knows what it will do to coastal tides.

Yep. At the moment they are predicting 75 mph winds for us but nothing more. (As if that isn't bad enough!) We live very close to Philly and will not be affected by tides but this development has many huge old trees. I already put away all the garden furniture and bird houses etc and have got out the emergency radios and flashlights. We went through something similar 7-8 years ago. Husband was away with the military and the kid and I hunkered down here alone. That time it fizzled before it got here. Here's hoping...

Praying for all of our gentle friends who may be the pathway.

Yep, I am praying it decides to go out to sea.....

Thinking of you ladies xxx

Yes it looks quite worrying even from this distance. Keep well and safe.

Just checking in to say that SE N.C. is fine. It blew all night long, not hard, but sustained and loud enough to hear. Right now it's just gusting from time to time. We'll get better as the day goes on. I am concerned for our friends to the north. Stay in and safe! Take a day off and read!!

Thank you all for the concern. It has been raining on and off all morning here. However, Irene should arrive at about 5 p.m.
Thankfully, I am not on the coast, although not far from the Hudson river.
Big parts of the city have been evacuated, subway and trains shut down today at noon and will not start until Monday, highways and bridges are being closed.
It would be nice and cozy to be here, listening to the rain, were it not for the worry. This too shall pass.
I am glad to know you are safe, Peggy.

I am happy to hear that the both of you are safe. Take extra care Paolina.
Has it passed you by at this point Peggy?
praying for all on the East Coast,
~belva

Thank you, Belva. It was past here before it came ashore. The thing is that it's so huge! I add my prayers for you all to the north.

Right now, here, it is all very quiet. I guess it the quiet before the storm.

Not much happening down here, either. A lot of tree branches came down last night, but nothing major. It's not even raining at the moment. Tonight is supposed to be another story, however.

Our night was very quiet. Lots of leaves and small branches down but not much else. We have had weeks of rain though and trees may yet fall due to soil erosion.

Last night they were predicting the storm would hit around 8 pm tonight, but apparently it's already passed us by. Which i good, because I was concerned about soil erosion and tree falling on the house as well.

So good to hear that you are safe and well thus far.
Continuing to pray..........

Here I am, even if later than I thought I would be.

Last night I slept on and off, because my room is right under the roof and I could hear the pouring rain and the wind howling. Since we are surrounded by trees, some huge ones, I was not really comfortable. Finally, at about 5 a.m., I decided to go downstairs and sleep in my son Joseph's bed, while Eric went to sleep in Julia's bed. All my children are away at the moment, so we could choose.
I woke up at at about 10:30, and it was still raining but the wind was not as strong.

I doubt I shall be able to go to work tomorrow; the Hudson line, which I take, is partially under water, and there are mudslides. I doubt the subways will be operative again, at least for part of the day.
So far, we have lost power only briefly, during the night.

Glad to know things are okay Paola. I also slept downstairs on the couch as my room has a massive tree in front of it.

Good to know you are ok too, Barbara :-))

Thank you for checking in dear friends. I have been worried about all of you in the East as I am sure all of our kind and gentle friends have been. Take care and be safe.
hugs,

I'm so relieved that you all are safe. I hope the aftermath is not too bad.

Right now it is very windy, but no rain.

We had very little trouble here---just a lot of rain, and some wind. I guess within a few miles of us, things were different, trees down, streams flooded, bridges closed, power out. Somehow our immediate vicinity was very lucky. I am, however, quite ready to say "Good night, Irene."

Ha! Always knew you were a witch Linda! lol!~! Seriously, so glad you are safe & sound.

#263 Knew somebody had to use that line, glad it wasn't me.

>264 rainpebble:: and she has good friends who are witches, who send out magic circles of safety and hexes. White witches, of course.

@266:
Well of course and she, herself, a white witch. She could be the reincarnation of 'The Good Witch Linda', er, I mean 'The Good Witch Glenda'. Hmmm, wonder if 'Glenda' knew Faulkner.......highly doubtful.

So thankful that all of our friends are safe and unharmed throughout this horrendous storm. We, here on the West Coast, are so fortunate. We rarely have extremes either way. Just the rare pop-off of the volcano.

My R/L B/C meets this evening and our book for August was The Help. We should have a lively discussion with this one.

Have any of you ever flown Virgin Atlantic? Round trip tickets to London can now be had for $500.00 from specific airports round the states. None near me, more's the pity.

So pleased to hear you are all OK - been watching the reports here and thinking of you ladies.

#267 We, here on the West Coast, are so fortunate. We rarely have extremes either way. Just the rare pop-off of the volcano. Well, what about earthquakes, fires and mudslides?

Well yes, there is that as well as flash flooding at times. But nothing like what you folks have endured back there.

We have a new Salon for a new season of the year. Come on over for a visit!