John Simpson - Back for more 2014, Chapter two

Thought I would start a new thread each month so stop by to enable me to do this.

Books Read in 2014.

JANUARY

1. Death of an Outsider - M.C.Beaton
2. A Cold Day for Murder - Dana Stabenow
3. The Forgotten Affairs of Youth - Alexander McCall Smith
4. Jump - Jilly Cooper
5. I, Michael Bennett - James Patterson

FEBRUARY

6. Dead in the Water - Carola Dunn
7. The Shock of the Fall - Nathan Filer
8. The Promise - Danielle Steel
9. Citadel - Kate Mosse
10. The Brethren - John Grisham
11. The Vintage Teacup Club - Vanessa Greene

MARCH

12. Notorious Nineteen - Janet Evanovich

Books Bought in 2014.

JANUARY

1.The Einstein Pursuit by Chris Kuzneski £3.50
2.Alex Cross, Run by James Patterson £3.50
3.The Wood Beyond by Reginald Hill £0.50
4.The Wildcats by J.T.Edson £0.50
5.Hangman's Choice by Ralph Cotton £0.50
6.Pancho and Black Jack by Fred Bean £0.50
7.Paper Money by Ken Follett £0.33
8.Right on Time by Pauline McLynn £0.33
9.The Summer That Never Was by Peter Robinson £0.34
10.The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty £3.50
11.Philomena by Martin Sixsmith £3.50
12.Manna From Hades by Carola Dunn £2.25
13.A Colourful Death by Carola Dunn £2.25
14.Valley of the Shadow by Carola Dunn £2.49
15.The Shadow Child by Judith Lennox £1.59
16.Divine Justice by David Baldacci £1.49
17.The City of Gold and Lead by John Christopher £1.99
18.Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik £3.49
19.Black Powder War by Naomi Novik £2.49
20.Trains and Lovers by Alexander McCall Smith £7.99
21.A Thousand Pardons by Jonathan Dee £4.00
22.The Book Thief by Markus Zusak £7.99
23.The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer £4.00
24.Our Spoons Came From Woolworths by Barbara Comyns £8.99
25.The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce £4.00
26.The French Gardener by Santa Montefiore £3.00
27.Starry Night by Debbie Macomber £3.00
28.Pilgrim's Rest by Patricia Wentworth £2.50
29.Out of the Past by Patricia Wentworth £2.00
30.Earth by David Brin £1.50

FEBRUARY

31.Private Down Under by James Patterson £3.50
32.The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith £3.80
33.Something for the Weekend by Pauline McLynn £0.33
34.Belgarath the Sorcerer by David Eddings £0.33
35.Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings £0.34

MARCH

36. The Railway Man by Eric Lomax £3.79
37. An April Shroud by Reginald Hill £1.00
38. Chances by Freya North £1.00
39. Heresy by S.J.Parris £1.00

Just to let everyone know my current reading is:

Something for the Weekend by Pauline McLynn
London by Edward Rutherfurd

Congrats on your new thread and happy reading tonight

Happy new thread, John!!

Thanks Barbara and Connie for being the first visitors to my new thread.

Happy new thread, John!

Happy new thread, John, and a fine end-of-weekend to you both!

Happy new thread, John! Have a lovely Sunday.

Amber, Richard and Diana, thank you for your kind messages, hope you all have a lovely Sunday. Whilst I am updating my thread, my darling Karen is enjoying herself in the kitchen. She has prepared and put into the slow cooker a chicken casserole, made some flapjack and is currently making Anzac biscuits, later today I will be one happy boy.

Latest reading stats:

Books on shelves at 1-1-14 - 1754
Books added in January - 30
Books read since in January - 5

Revised book total - 1779

Pages to read at 1-1-14 - 760,358
Pages added in January - 10,859
Pages read in January - 2,052

Revised total pages to read - 769,165

Update to post 12, Karen has just informed me that she is now going to make me a bread and butter pudding, happy days.

Chicken casserole, biscuits, bread and butter pudding?!

I'll be right over...

That sounds delicious, John. Enjoy all that good food and say Hi to Karen from me.

Oh, man, that sounds good!

The casserole was gorgeous, the biscuits lovely and the bread and butter pudding heavenly and as Karen is not keen I have the other half for tomorrow. When we met Karen was assistant cook at a nearby school and then became cook of her own school, she loves cooking and baking so I am spoilt and have been for thirty years.

Then how do you stay so slim?

Just seems to be my metabolism, when we met I was about ten and a half stone and Karen's mum decided I needed filling up and I hover around thirteen and a half stone and if I need to lose a little I just skip lunch for a few days. I eat lots of biscuits and crisps and Kit-Kats but nothing really makes me overweight, Karen says it's just not right.

>19 connie53: I was wondering that very thing. I'd be the size of a zeppelin!

Just seen that Philip Seymour Hoffman has been found dead in a Greenwich apartment apparently with a needle in his arm, what a waste, he was such a good actor.

John, I wish you a wonderful start into the new week.

> 21, me too. the zeppelin thing I mean.

Thank you Barbara, it is a busy start for me and Karen goes back to work tomorrow after her bereavement and sick leave. I wish you a steady and pleasant Monday and a wonderful week ahead.

Wishing both you and Karen a lovely and quiet week. It will be difficult for you both. So hang in there.

Thanks Connie, I hope that you and Peet have a pleasant start to the week and both have a wonderful week ahead.

More buying than reading as usual John in January. Guess that is a Wakey habit.

Congratulations on your second thread mate. Pretty ambitious to have one chunkster a month but I'm sure you'll cope swimmingly.

6. Dead in the Water by Carola Dunn

First book in February finished at lunchtime today, Daisy Dalrymple is invited to Henley Regatta to write an article about the rowing regatta for an American magazine and expects to have a lovely few days watching the rowing and as an added bonus Her beau Detective Inspector Alec Fletcher of Scotland Yard is coming down for a couple of days. Unfortunately when Daisy and Alec seem to get together something happens and involves Alec having to get his team down to investigate with Daisy helping/meddling as Alec sometimes puts it. Basil DeLancey is a bully and a cad to everybody so who would want to murder him and why. A rollicking tale set in Twenties England with the Upper Class as the background. I really do enjoy these mysteries and have fourteen more to enjoy.

The next book to read is the 2013 Costa winner The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer and although only up to page 22 it is a riveting read so far and I think I will not want to put it down, I can already see why it has won this prestigious prize.

John, is the Costa the Whitbread-that-was? I get confused.

!8 > Nicely spoilt there ......

>31 richardderus:, Yes Richard, the Costa used to be the Whitbread, must say I am loving the book, it is different and an unusual write.

>32 roundballnz:, Very spoilt Alex.

Hi John! How are you all?

We are all well Connie, Karen went back to work this week and all her work colleagues have been keeping an eye on her. We have had a quiet day today just getting a few small jobs done. Dad's Bungalow has gone on the property market today so we will see what sort of response we get. Hope you are well my dear and not working too hard.

Glad you are doing as well as can be expected. A dear colleague of mine, Lia, recently lost her mother and i know how difficult it must be for Karen (seeing Lia struggle). So my thoughts are with you both all the time.

And i'm working far to hard! ;-))

Hi John, your reading process is great. I'm glad to hear that Karen had a good start back to work. It's so good to have wonderful work collegues which were keeping an eye on her. Hugs xx

Good to see that Karen is back at work John. I follow suite mate and bought The Shock of the Fall as soon as it appeared over here.

Just having a quick check on here as Karen gives the gorgeous Hannah a bath, she has been a little treasure today but ready for her to go back to mum and dad.

Hi John, I wish you a wonderful weekend. It's so lovely that Hannah can stay so often with you and Karen. I'm sure she enjoys it as much as you do.

John I hope you and Karen are enjoying your weekend. I'm glad Karen has such supportive coworkers. Your reading sounds fun. Hugs to you both.

Hi John! Hope you and Karen are enjoying your weekend!

Barbara, Roberta and Chelle, Saturday has been a bit busy. It is Karen's weekend in at work so she has had a steady day at work and I have been culling old Governor meeting notes and shredding them and filing current meeting notes as well as sorting magazines out and storing old art magazines in the loft. Along with all this work I have fitted in some reading, tomorrow will be much the same as today.

Forgot to mention in the last post, I have to do a viewing tomorrow at 1pm UK time, it is a female property investor from the East coast of England, it will be good if she likes it enough to make an offer if only to get an idea of what others think the property is worth.

Sounds like you're having a busy yet cozy weekend, John. I hope what remains of it is relaxing.

I hope your appointment with the investor will be a good one, John. Enjoy your sunday.

Well the viewing seemed to go well but not sure that they will make an offer and if they do I think it will be a cheeky one.

I keep my fingers crossed :-D

The property market in Yorkshire is not exactly buoyant John so it is encouraging to see you get viewings already. Hope your Sunday goes off fine.

>48 Ameise1:. I will too!

Another lovely food weekend for me again, Bread and Butter pudding this time using Stollen after the marzipan and icing had been removed. It was absolutely yummy, what a lucky boy I am.

Indeed, you are :-D

John, your thread always makes me so hungry! You are a lucky boy, indeed, and I would like to know if Karen would ever consider a vacation gig cooking in the US for a week or two?!

Hi Julia, I am sure she would love a vacation to the US and would do some cooking as long as she had some free time.

John, I wish you a lovely new week :-D

Thanks Barbara.

Hi John! I hope you have a fabulous week!

7. The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer

This has got to be my read of the year, for a future book to beat this it is going to have to be very special. I can see why it won the Costa, it is a superb read and a debut novel at that. The Author has set his bar high and I can see why. It is a heartrending tale and an illuminating tale and had me hooked from the first page. I don't want to go into too much detail so as not to spoil it for everybody. The story grabbed me so much it felt as if I was watching everything unfold before my eyes. I will comment on this later when more have had chance to read it and I have composed what I want to say about this wonderful book.

Oh, so you hated it, eh John? I don't need to add it to the wishlist, you say? Excellent!

*skedaddles*

I refuse to add The Shock of the Fall to my too-long wishlist until you write your longer review, John, in hopes that you will say something to convince me I shouldn't read it. :-)

I just clicked on the link and read the first review. This sounds similar in theme to the book I am reading now, Still Alice, by first-time author Lisa Genova. She is a neuroscientist so she also writes from knowledge. And it is also a very powerful and heartbreaking story. I highly recommend it, too.

I will make a note of this one, John, thanks

Busy morning for me, had to sort out some school governor issues prior to calling an additional full governors meeting to discuss and act on a Review of governance report. Apart from this I am doing a bit of reading and some Olympic viewing before getting some housework jobs done.

That sounds really busy. I hope you got enough time on the reading and watching Olympic :-D

John - I did well to snap up The Shock of the Fall as soon as it hit the stores here by the looks of it.

It's an excellent book Paul and is flying off the shelves, one of those books you have to read. As I said, it's my book of the year and will take some beating. Hope you are well mate and the family, love to Hani and the kids.

The weather here is getting a bit scary, heavy rain and 70mph+ winds battering us with no sign of respite for the next couple of days. The poor devils down south are having it even worse, the folks on the Somerset levels have been flooded out in some cases for the last eight weeks and the waters are not receding and now up to 100mm of rain forecast between now and Friday, Noah's ark is needed.

Oh John, I've read and saw it on the news. It's so terrible. I hope that Wakefield stay safe. I keep my fingers crossed. The weather this winter is really crazy. Nothing as normal. Hugs xx

Thanks Barbara, it has been crazy weather since just before Christmas and no sign of any let up. When the summer comes the people of the UK need to visit the West Country to help the businesses out to show our support for them.

I saw Sky News yesterday and a reporter on the ground, just about, from Lyme Regis as the waves crashed onto the shore. Poor lady could barely keep her feet. Stay safe mate.

Will do mate.

*Horrible* weather! HORRIBLE! Be safe and warm, you and Karen.

Be safe over there, John! And all of your family. This is really a crazy winter.

A steady day today, we had Hannah for a few hours, Karen did a bit of baking and now she is out with her two best friends and I am on here. She deserves a night out bless her.

Yes, she does. Some chatting and laughing will do her good!

Oh yes, there will be plenty of chatting going on and some laughter.

Happy Valentine's day to everyone on LT especially the ladies on here.

Happy Valentine's day, dear John and Karen.

*grumble* Yeah, whatever.

I want to wish you and Karen a very happy Valentine's Day, John! I hope it's a day of smiles and sweetness.

Happy Valentine's Day John, Karen, and, of course, Hannah : ).

John and Karen, Happy Valentine's day. Hugs xx

Happy Valentine's day John and Karen!

Once again the Women's skeleton gold goes to Great Britain, big congratulations to Lizzie Yarnold for her performance and now to become part of the Yarny army.

Another good day for Team Switzerland.

Congratulations to your gold lady! Well done!!!!

Thanks John, it's unbelievable and fatastic what those three have achieved.

Karen and Hannah making scones

Hannah and Grandma's scones, they are delicious

Amy and Andy with me and Karen.

>85 johnsimpson:: Oh my goodness, how sweet is that?! I have such wonderful memories of baking in the kitchen with my mom, and I always get a bit teary to see young'uns baking with loved ones. And the results look amazing!

She is as cute as a button bless her, but today she has been like a whirling dervish, we were exhausted keeping her entertained, so glad when it came time to take her to pick daddy up and take them home.

Happy Valentine's Day John. It looks like you and Karen kept busy with the lovely Hannah. The scones look delicious but my what a gorgeous family you are. I know you are all good a gold and Hannah is blessed to grow up in a wonderful family.

OMG, John, those photos are GORGEOUS. You can be very proud of your family.

You have a lovely family John! And I could eat Hannah!

Congrats on the gold medal!

*baaaaaawwwwwwwww* Hannah is such a precious! *smoochiesmoochsmooch*

Now to steal a scone....

What a lovely family! It looked like Karen and Hannah had a great time in the kitchen together.

83 > Was a very impressive performance .... great win there - have to admit Luge/Skeleton are the main events I watch

John, I wish you a lovely Sunday

John - Thanks for putting up those photos and for Karen to take centre-stage here as well as in Walton.
Scones look delightful and marvellously therapeutic work with Hannah for Gran.

Have a great Sunday.

>97 PaulCranswick:, Karen says she's not sure therapeutic quite cut it on Friday, Hannah was really hyper and even after a lovely relaxing bath she came down like a whirling dervish.

Have a good week mate.

Had a good day watching the winter Olympics and doing a bit of reading, Karen has been doing a bit of cooking and then some knitting.

I suppose it's just another February Monday there, John, but here in the US it's a national holiday celebrating Presidents Lincoln and Washington, two of the still-popular ones. The Monday that falls between their birthdays is called Presidents' Day, and is traditionally the time when mattresses go on sale.

No, really. No joke.

And cars. He's really not joking.

That sounds very funny

Good morning John. Richard is not kidding about the mattress sales today. They are everywhere LOL. Love the pictures above, I wish I could have tasted one of the scones they look yummy :) Hope you are having a wonderful day. Sending Hugs and smooches to you, Karen and Leo from Angel and I.

How come I don't believe that for a minute, RD?

8. The Promise by Danielle Steel.

One of Ms Steel's early novels, an interesting read of a young couples love devastated by an horrific accident and then compounded by a matriarch's overriding aim to run her son's life. Marion Hillyard is the matriarch in question and you hate her from early in the book to near the end when she gets the chance to redeem herself but she just can't quite do it all even when she gets the chance to find love again and enjoy her later years rather than driving herself to an early grave.

>104 connie53:: Believe it, Connie, it's true; Tomm and I just bought our new recliner and TV stand at an *early* President's Day sale. Weird but true.

Hi, John!

I wish we had something like Presidents day with things happening like that, must visit the US.

John, if cheap mattresses and furniture are what it takes to get you and Karen over here, then so be it!

Good morning John. I wish you a lovely day.

>108 rosalita:, Hi Julia, not sure we could get mattresses and furniture home but the idea of these sort of things going on amuse me. When we have holiday days nothing much happens especially near us and it would be nice if we had unusual things going on. Hope you have a lovely Wednesday my dear.

Good morning Barbara, I hope you have a lovely day as well my dear and enjoy yourself.

Hi John, I hope you are enjoying your Wednesday.

Good afternoon Connie, I have had a good morning. I went into Wakefield and visited the antiques centre and picked up a nice old Sheaffer fountain pen but missed out on the old cricket cigarette cards (should have got them yesterday when I saw them) and then picked up Karen's dad's ashes from the funeral director and then picked up Leo's cat food. Just sat checking e-mails, facebook and now LT. Have a good afternoon my dear.

Hardly just another day, what with the ashes and all. How poignant to have the cremains left to care for.

Wow, it sound like picking up errands, but I bet it's not that easy!

Is there a ceremony you have planned?

Hi Connie, we went to the bungalow today to dig up Karen's mums ashes and they are now on our sideboard in the dining room reunited. Karen hasn't decided what she is going to do, thinks she might put some in a container and buy a peace rose and put the ashes underneath and also sprinkle some ashes under the apple trees and then her brother will then do something with the remaining ashes.

John, that's a lovely thought to use the ashes for roses and apple trees. I like it very much.
I hope you are well, my friend. Soon will be Hannah's birthday. Have you already made some plans?

That sounds lovely, John.

coming in late here ... but there is national "Mattress sale" day ???? bizarre to say the least .....

Hannah's first baking set

Hannah's first baking done with minimal help from grandma

Ahhhm that's really cute!

Hannah's first biscuits, think we may have a baking queen and she is not three till next Friday.

Gorgeous. Give her a big hug from me.

Will do Barbara.

*baaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwww* My papaw-meter just pegged out, John!

Yes, she is talented! Very much so!

Looks like Hannah is going to keep you in muffins and biscuits for a while, John! Obviously Grandma Karen is a good and patient teacher. I love the "Kidchen" baking set. Very clever.

>126 richardderus:, you just want one of the cakes Richard.

> 127, she is a clever little girl Connie, Karen thought she wasn't quite old enough for it but she was desperate to bake so this was got out to pacify her but it didn't work and so baking is what they did, I'm not complaining, they were very tasty.

>128 rosalita: Julia I have got another supplier of cakes if ever Karen is too ill to bake, looks like Friday is going to be baking day in this household.

9. Citadel by Kate Mosse

Ninth book of the year finished and the 2nd of the big chunksters, Citadel is the final part of the Languedoc trilogy and what a way to finish it. This is a very interesting and heartrending tale of the Midi region of France filled with romance, treachery and cliffhangers with a long-buried secret waiting to be discovered. This has been one of the best set of books I have read in a long while.

I thougth so too, John! There were things in that book that really surprised me. That I did not know about WWII and the French people. I love all three of the books.

10. The Brethren by John Grisham

Book ten of 2014 finished this morning, an interesting read with two stories running that are intertwined. I know that American politics can get dirty but not this bad I hope. The author has a way with telling a tale and I do enjoy his books and have plenty more on the TBR pile. This one took me over the 350,000 page mark since I started tracking my reading way back in 1995, onwards and upwards for a million pages.

Oh what lovely baking utensils - and what amazing results! Good for Hannah!

Looking forward to Hannah's next baking on Friday which is her third birthday and I am chief taster.

Can I join in? I would be a wonderful taster :-D

Always room for more tasters.

Morning all, just taken Karen to work and then got home and thought I'd tackle one of the jobs Karen has left me, a simple job you'd think just cut down and old fuchcia, but oh no, I have managed to cut the side of my left hand with the pruners and then after I had dressed my wound managed to nick the end of my third finger so that had to be dressed and there was a lot of blood, I am just clumsy.

Just having a drink of tea and watching the bobsleigh and then off to find a knitting pattern book for Karen, it's all go for me today.

John! That's really a bloody story! I'm looking at my own hand and trying to get an idea of what you did. Just sit down and do not move any more until Karen is home. And leave the pruners alone. You are a danger to yourself!!

Chief taster is a great job! Happy Sunday, John.

John, Stay Away From Sharp Objects Today!

Hannah looks like a very tall girl for just three years old! Takes after her grandfather perhaps?

And for those doubters...



Just search in Google Images under "presidents day mattress sale."

OMG, John, I hope you get well soon. So please, no manual labour anymore for today. Take a good book and a mug of tea.

I agree with Connie - just sit still and don't touch anything sharp until Karen gets home! Ha!

Also, what time should I be there on Friday? I'm ready to be an assistant taster!

After my mishaps this morning I have been very careful, went to a couple of places to find the knitting pattern book for Karen and then went to an antiques centre that I haven't been to for a while. My son Robert phoned me then to say he was available to help me move a chest freezer from my late FIL's to our house and then we went back to his house before I picked Karen up from work.

Had a lovely 40 minutes or so with the gorgeous baker, Hannah. Baking on Friday will be mid afternoon so plenty of time to get here to do the tasting.

John - we better make sure that you don't have a barbeque with Caro or else the mishaps may be manifest! Stay safe and enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

Cheers mate, hope you had a good weekend and have a good working week.

Hello, it's a lovely sunny but cool morning here in Walton, just been catching up with a couple of minor jobs (not involving sharp objects) and then read for an hour. Just on here to catch up with everybody and on facebook and any e-mails. A nice steady day ahead I hope.

Hello John, we have a sunny and warm day in Zürich, too. How is your hand? I hope it doesn't hurt too much. I wish you a lovely day.

The hand is fine thanks, making sure I don't do anything to aggravate the wounds.

Howdy John! I missed your drama with sharp objects over the weekend but I'm glad you're recovering. That always seems to be the way — one mishap leads to another and another ... good idea to just remove yourself from danger!

Busy day today for me, spent the morning sorting documents out and been into school to get some photocopying done for tonight's extra governors meeting. Just checking e-mails for tonight's meeting as well as facebook and all my friends on LT whilst having a quick cuppa. This afternoon I have to do some housework and then I might get some reading done before picking Karen up from work and then off to the meeting that starts at 7pm, I might be back for 10pm and then it will be time for bed.

That's really busy, John! I hope the meeting goes well!

*fans self* Too busy, too busy, skip the meeting and stay at home with a bottle of champers.

>152 connie53:, Hi Connie, depending how you view it the meeting went well although I am no longer Chair of Governors, I need to review my position as a School Governor. I have no hard feelings towards them as I was only in position of Chair for four months but the report queried whether I was the right person not by name though.

John. What a pity. Are you still in this board with another task?
I wish you a lovely day.

I am Barbara but am considering my position after last nights meeting although that has nothing to do with my losing the CoG role. I had told the reports author and the governing body that it is the school that counts not the holder of the position, I am concerned that UK education is more concerned about the various stats that are examined rather than the education of the children and this is something that has concerned me for a while. I am not rushing into anything yet, I would rather carefully consider my options.

I hope you have a lovely day Barbara.

That really is a pity, John. But I think I see the same thing happening over at my school. They try to get kids in each year with elaborate speeches and when school starts lots of those plans get lost in the daily turmoil of finances and cuts. I hope you will find your spot somewhere.

John, it's a shame that your term on the Board of Governors might be coming to an end. You seem to be the sort of smart, caring person that we need guiding our schools now more than ever.

Thanks Connie and Julia for your kind comments, we are short of parent governors and the way Governance seems to be going you are required to visit school during the day more often as well as the numerous courses that need to be done and after nine years of going into school three afternoons a week listening to children read as some were not listened to by their parents, what are the chances of getting these parents onto the governing body. The role of a governor is unpaid as it should be but now it is getting more involved and with the work situation in the UK, I don't see how people are going to take time out of work to fulfil the role. I have time on my hands but because I took time out to look after my FIL, I am now using the time I spent in school reading and getting back to my art which I really want to do more of, I will take a week or so to come to a decision.

John, I feel with you for education and politic. In 2011 I spent three weeks at a primary school in Torquay to get a feeling about English education and to do some assistance in teaching. For me it was a very interesting and informative time. I was welcomed very friendly. There were things that made me sad and it wasn't the school, no it was/is the system. The classrooms are very small with over 30 pupils in it. When everybody was sitting there was no way to move from the back of the room to the front because with those furnitures and the pupils it was/is too cramped. Threrefore the teacher or me wasn't able to move to individual pupils if they needed help. It was a 4th year class but there were pupils they had a knowledge of a first year one. Their frustration for learning was visible because they had no clue what's going on. During my time at this school a took care especially of them. They were so thankful that they could learn something at hteir level.
Here in Switzerland, I know we are very privileged, we have classes up to 20-25 pupils. At the moment I have 19 pupils. My classroom is much bigger then those in England. Each pupils has his own desk with a special chair, not like in England. Each pupil has enough room. They have 24 lessons a week and therefrom are 10 lessons in half classes (10 pupils) and 4 lessons in quarter classes (4-5 pupils). As you can see I have a lot of time to occupy with each one individually.

Sorry to read of your Board of Governors meeting and its decisions. To not properly appreciate the donated time and obvious care you have in fulfilling your role is only a little short of scandalous. I do hope that you feel able to continue with your voluntary role as it is really important whether the Board appreciates it fully or not. You are doing it for the kids not for them.

Thanks Barbara and Paul for your lovely comments, I haven't made a final decision yet but if I do decide to quit I may offer my services to the school in Walton where everything started in 1999 with my volunteering. I will remain a Governor at Crofton Academy as things are a lot different there and I had already extended my term of office to May 2018 which will then mean I will have been on the governing body for 16 years.

Today we have had little Hannah for two or three hours and she has been to the local farm shop for coffee with grandma and grandma's friend Mandy, Mandy needed a bit of cheering up and Hannah has done the trick. Tomorrow it is little Hannah's third birthday and it is also Hannah's baking day so it is going to be special. We are having a special birthday lunch on Sunday with all the family and a special friend at ours so a nice weekend in prospect.

11. The Vintage Teacup Club by Vanessa Greene.

I loved this book, a tale of love and friendship. The story begins in May when Jenny is at a car boot sale looking for vintage teacups for her forthcoming wedding, as she see a pretty tea set two other ladies are also perusing the cups and ask the stall holder to hold the set for 30 mins whilst they go for a welcoming cup of tea, whilst having a nice drink they decided to buy the set between them and Jenny can have first dibs on their use before passing them onto Maggie to use at a wedding she is doing the flowers for and then onto Alison to make teacup candles. A wonderful friendship is born and the story is told by the three friends as the year unfolds and their lives move on with hiccups along the way and they each learn more of each other and what life has to offer. A wonderfully told maiden book that does make you think about your own life and loves.

Oh, it sounds like you've got a lovely weekend coming up! Happiest of birthday wishes to sweet Hannah!

>164 johnsimpson: Sounds like a delightful book. I'll add it to Mount TBR.

>167 richardderus:, thank you kind sir, I will show Hannah tomorrow.

Happy birthday, Hannah

Thank you Connie, she is going to be a very lucky girl with all these messages for her birthday.

Hannah deciding what to baking today.

I think it will be biscuits today.

<img

width="450"src="https://pics.librarything.com/picsizes/54/03/54038a72619e01863744d7969514468414b6b41.jpg".

Hannah's lemon brownies

We have had a lovely day with the birthday girl, after dropping her mum off at work we went to Ikea and granddad bought Hannah an easel which she loved. After a couple of DVD's it was time for granddaughter bake off and of course granddad has to do a taste test. Looking forward to Sunday when we will all get together to really celebrate her birthday, three years old, where has the time gone seems only yesterday I had this small bundle in my arms.

>176 johnsimpson: Hannah is gorgeous!

>176 johnsimpson: It's astounding, isn't it, how time moves so quickly on the macro scale and so slowly within a day.

Hannah's lemon brownies look wonderful, and the biscuits are lovely and crispy-looking (my favorite!), and of course Hannah herself...charm personified.

>163 johnsimpson: She is a lovely kid John and must make you and Karen very proud. I think I have been to that farm shop. Like that sort of place.

Have a great weekend buddy. I am not sure how much I'll be on line this weekend but I'll try to keep up.

>176 johnsimpson: Congratulations, John. Hannah is wonderful!

John,

A good day so far, had a little lie-in and then we got a couple of jobs done, then off to meet Amy and Andy at the car dealership as she looks at her first new car. After a test drive and all the info, Amy decided to get a Suzuki Swift 5-dr model. She is really chuffed as her current car is on its last legs. After all the paperwork done it was back to ours and a little snack before we have a pizza fest tonight whilst watching the Voice on T.V. I might get a bit of reading done later.

Oh by the way, before we met up with Amy we popped into Costco and I picked up The Railway Man by Eric Lomax, I think this will be an emotional read and I must get the film on DVD.

Latest reading stats:

Books on shelves at 1-2-14 - 1779
Books added in February - 5
Books read in February - 6

Revised book total - 1778

Pages to read at 1-2-14 - 769,165
Pages added in February - 2,649
Pages read in February - 2,546

Revised total pages to read - 769,268

First month when the TBR pile is reduced, it's a start.

Keep up the reducing part, John. I have not been able to do so this year! I hope I will do better in march (or april, or may!)

Tired now after a long day, Had a lovely Saturday night with Amy and Andy staying and then this morning the Pork joint we got for the gathering seemed to shrink dramatically so had to dash to the supermarket to get another one. All the family arrived for lunch to celebrate Hannah's third birthday and see her open all her presents. I didn't know there was that much Peppa Pig stuff to be bought. Everyone has now gone and it is just me and Mrs S having a relaxing cup of tea and a bit of T.V.

John that sounds lovely. Do you have some photos of the party to share? I wish you and Karen a relaxing evening. Hugs xx

Not yet but should have some tomorrow Barbara, hope you have had a good Sunday my dear.

Yes, indeed, with a lot of reading. Tomorrow I go back to school.

Hannah's birthday cake courtesy of Grandma.

OMG, that looks GORGEOUS!!!

It tasted lovely as well

So cute!

Oh, what a cute cake! I bet she loved it.

Stopping by to say Hello to you. Looks like little Hannah is going to be quite the baker. :) Everything looked tasty. Sending Hugs to you all.

Karen did a wonderful job with Hannah's birthday cake! I'm glad you had such a good weekend with your precious little one.

>193 connie53: Karen loved doing it.

>194 scaifea: Karen loved making it and Hannah loved eating it.

>195 MonicaLynn: Hannah loves baking so much that yesterday as we went into the living room to watch her with her presents she proceeded to go into the kitchen and started banging about, Karen went to investigate and there was Hannah with her apron on and her baking tools wanting to bake.

>196 rosalita: we had a lovely weekend with all the family together.

>197 johnsimpson: I can imagine she loved making it. I would to if I was any kind of cook, which I'm not!

I'm sure you are a decent cook my dear.

No, because I don't cook! I have Peet to do the cooking! I have not cooked in 10 years! Okay, sometimes a pasta dish or a salad. But that is really it. I don't like to cook.

>200 connie53:, You have a Peet and I have a Karen, we are both lucky.

Yes we are!

Checking in on you John. Thanks for coming by my thread with hugs and good wishes while I was sick. I love the photos of Hannah. Happy Belated Birthday to her.

Well it was a cool and chilly start to the day but now the sun is out and it is warming up nicely. Just doing a bit of housework after a little bit of reading, got to make sure I have done everything that Karen has left me to do.

So you're ready for inspection now, soldier? And what did you read?

Just saying 'hi' !

>204 johnsimpson: John, we have a lot of sun, too. It's great!!

>205 richardderus:, inspected and passed muster and I was reading Notorious Nineteen and a bit of London.

12. Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich

Yet another laugh a minute romp with Stephanie plum and pals, I love this gal, she makes me smile, laugh until I am crying and eventually gets her skips, dead or alive. Unfortunately for Stephanie she is no nearer to deciding who she should be with in the love stakes although Morelli remains the favourite. I can't wait for the next in the series.

On the housework front I got the jobs done but whilst cleaning the kitchen I decided to listen to R.E.M, I love this band and was saddened when they split up but as the tracks went by the cleaning was going great and suddenly I had a bit of an emotional moment. I had no idea why and pulled myself together and a few minutes later it happened again, nothing in the tracks to remind me of anything but obviously there must have been something that attacked my subconscious, I am ok now.

Glad you are ok, John. Of course there will be this kind of moments. Just allow them in. There is nothing wrong with a being emotional!

>211 connie53:, thanks Connie.

Had a lovely day with Hannah, she is a little star. She played with her toys and then gave me her two dolls to cuddle and granddad did as he was told. Before we took her home she got her baking tools out but we didn't have enough time and so it will be baking day again tomorrow, yay.

John, you are a lucky man with your little sunshine. I hope you'll keep us informed what the little baking queen is up to.

Hannah told me I had to cuddle the dolls.

Nice pic Mr. S. :-D

Thought you would all like this one, I will update tomorrow on the baking, I think it might be chocolate biscuits and muffins.

>214 johnsimpson: that's priceless!

>217 connie53:, when Hannah says Grandad do this, this is what I do. When we were going to pick her mum up from work Hannah told Grandma to hold on in the car and when Grandma told her she had her seatbelt on Hannah's reply was, ok. She is as cute as a button and has got me just where she wants me, but I don't mind.

>214 johnsimpson: That made me smile! I have to read Stephanie Plum novels in small doses. I'm up to fifteen or so. The love triangle drives me nuts. Evanovich really needs to wrap that up.

>209 johnsimpson:: I need to get round to that series soon - it sounds like so much fun.

>210 johnsimpson:: I knew a guy in college who was friends with the REM members when they were an unknown college band; he said they're pretty nice guys, really. Great music, at least their early stuff.

>214 johnsimpson:: Love the photo! Hannah certainly does have you wrapped right round her finger, which is just where a grandpa ought to be.

>214 johnsimpson: John this is precisely what every Grandad and Dad should do when asked by their little princess. Look how lovingly you are holding her dolls. You are a very good man my friend.