Janet Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 I'm so sorry to hear about your Dad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Sorry about your Dad KM. Take great care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 So sorry to hear about your Dad KM, I'm sure you have done the best you can. {{hugs}} I have Mrs Palfrey and The Light Years on my TBR shelf too so hopefully we'll both get to read them sometime soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 I went to Waterstones today to spend my Christmas money, i spent ages trying to make up my mind but eventually came out with Cousin Henry Anthony Trollope The Light Years Elizabeth Jane Howard Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont Elizabeth Taylor Two on a Tower Thomas Hardy I know i could have got more for my money online but it was nice just to have some time out doing something that i enjoy shopping for books. Life has been so stressful for the last few weeks, my dad who's 88 went into hospital just before Christmas for tests & treatment for what we thought was just a water infection but they found that he's had some bleeds on the brain & they told us this week that he's not going to recover so at the moment we're waiting for him to be transferred to a nursing home where he'll be looked after for the last few weeks of his life. I know 88 is a good age & he's been fairly lucky with his health up till now but i guess i thought he'd go on for ever. He's been living in a residential home for the last few years & i'd go up & visit him every week , i admit that sometimes it just felt that life was so busy & this was one more thing that i had to find time to do, both my sisters live abroad so it's always felt like all the responsibility for my dad has been on my shoulders & at times that's been really hard but now that i know he's not going to be here for much longer i would give anything to turn back time & still have those weekly visits. I'm very sorry to hear about your Dad, KM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inver Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 So so sorry to hear about your dad.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 KM Sorry to hear about your dad. I know you'll treasure all the time you have yet to visit with him . You deserved to get out a bit by yourself and go book shopping .We all need that time to gather ourselves when life gets difficult . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 I'm so sorry to hear about your dad, KM . I hope you enjoy your new books, sometimes we just have to go and treat ourselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 I'm very sorry to hear about your Dad Samantha Don't be hard on yourself .. we all feel that way. Life is so busy that we rarely get time to think straight and it must be extra stressful with your sisters not there to share the visits etc. It's not that it was a burden it's just that it's burdensome on top of everything else you have to do. I think parents could live to be a hundred plus and it still would be too soon to lose them These last few visits with him will be sad but hopefully special too. Glad you were able to give yourself a little treat. Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont is a lovely book .. quite sad and very poignant .. especially given your Dad's situation but beautifully written. Hope you enjoy reading all your new books, love and hugs xx Thanks Kay, one of my sisters is over at the moment so she's helping with the hospital visits hence the day off & we've asked for him to be moved to a nursing home as near us as possible because i don't drive so i'm relying on Alan to take me to the hospital everyday after he finishes work which of course is very tiring for him though he's very good & never complains about it so at least if he was nearer i could get there on my own steam. I think your right about it being too soon to lose your parents whatever their age . Re Mrs Palfrey At The Claremont - i picked it up with the intention of just reading the introduction but ended up reading the first 70 pages, your right it is beautifully written & Mrs Palfrey is a wonderful character I'm so sorry to hear about your Dad. Sorry about your Dad KM. Take great care. Thanks Janet & Chrissy we're just trying to take things one day at a time at the moment. So sorry to hear about your Dad KM, I'm sure you have done the best you can. {{hugs}} I have Mrs Palfrey and The Light Years on my TBR shelf too so hopefully we'll both get to read them sometime soon. Thanks Chaliepud, i hope i have done the best i can. If only i'd known this was going to happen i would have appreciated our time together more but i guess that goes for everyone in our lives you think they'll always be there & so take them for granted. I'm enjoying Mrs Palfrey At The Claremont very much so i'm sure to read more by her, we'll have to compare notes I'm very sorry to hear about your Dad, KM. So so sorry to hear about your dad.... Thanks Pontalba & Inver it's nice to hear kind words at this time KM Sorry to hear about your dad. I know you'll treasure all the time you have yet to visit with him . You deserved to get out a bit by yourself and go book shopping .We all need that time to gather ourselves when life gets difficult . Thanks Julie, it was good to take a break, it's been a help having my sister over for the past few days. My dad has been quite sleepy & confused when we've been to see him but i know from my own time in hospital a couple of years ago visitors are your only connection to the outside world, i suppose as he gets closer to the end he'll sleep more & more but i hope that he'll still be able to hear us talking & know we're there & he's not alone. I probably wouldn't have even posted about my Dad if he was going to recover but somehow it seemed wrong to keep posting & not mention it as though there was nothing going on & i'm glad i did as it's been really helpful to read only your kind comments so thank you all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 I'm so sorry to hear about your dad, KM . I hope you enjoy your new books, sometimes we just have to go and treat ourselves. Thanks Athena, it was a treat to go book shopping Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 (edited) Im so sorry to hear about your dad KM. I lost my dad so I can understand what you are feeling, if you ever need to talk my inbox is open. Edited January 11, 2014 by Devi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 I'm sorry to hear of your Dad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted January 12, 2014 Author Share Posted January 12, 2014 Im so sorry to hear about your dad KM. I lost my dad so I can understand what you are feeling, if you ever need to talk my inbox is open. Thanks Devi, i appreciate that I'm sorry to hear of your Dad. Thanks Marie, it's a difficult time but my OH is very supportive so it really helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted January 16, 2014 Author Share Posted January 16, 2014 Trying not to fall behind with my reviews like i usually do The Harpole Report J.L.Carr Written as a series of journal entries, official log book recordings & letters between various characters the book tells the story of George Harpole appointed temporary Headmaster of a small primary school in the East Midlands. Harpole has his own ideas on how to improve the teaching in the school & sees his appointment as a step on the way to greater things but he encounters trouble at every turn from staff, petty officials & parents. After reading & enjoying both A Month in the Country & Carr's Biography i really wanted to try some of his other books, The Harpole Report is a very funny book with great characters - Mr Theaker the caretaker who is an ever present thorn in his side & the Widmerpool family with their 11 uncontrollable children were my favourites. It would be interesting to know how much of it was based on real life as Carr worked as a primary school teacher himself for a number of years. 5/6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 The Harpole Report J.L.Carr Great review This book sounds really good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted January 16, 2014 Author Share Posted January 16, 2014 Great review This book sounds really good It was really good Laura, if it wasn't for Willoyd mentioning A Month In The Country on the forum i don't think i would of come across the author at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted January 16, 2014 Author Share Posted January 16, 2014 Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont Elizabeth Taylor The story of Mrs Palfrey an elderly lady who moves into The Claremont Hotel where she hopes to live out her remaining years in relative comfort. She shares her new home with a group of elderly residents who like Mrs Palfrey are all on a budget, hoping there health will hold out so they don't end up in a nursing home & looking forward to infrequent duty visits from various relatives. Then one day Mrs Palfrey meets a young aspiring author called Ludo & they become friends..... This is a sad story of aging, loneliness, keeping up appearances & dependency but it's so sensitively written that it steers clear of being depressing & there are some lighter moments as well, like when the residents are all trying to outdo each other as to who's had the most operations & who's was the most serious. So far this is my favourite book of the year, i know that's not saying much as we're only in January but i shall be adding more Elizabeth Taylor books to my wishlist 6/6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Sorry to hear the sad news about your Dad, KM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted January 16, 2014 Author Share Posted January 16, 2014 Sorry to hear the sad news about your Dad, KM. thank you, Little Pixie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 So sorry to hear about your dad, Kidsmum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 I'm so sorry about your Dad, thinking of you x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 So sorry to hear about your dad, Kidsmum. I'm so sorry about your Dad, thinking of you x Thanks Steve & Paula Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 I fell off the wagon this morning, i couldn't walk past the charity shops without going in for a little look - i came out with Sacred Hearts Sarah Dunant Orley Farm Anthony Trollope Ralph The Heir Anthony Trollope Castle Richmond Anthony Trollope The Trumpet- Major Thomas Hardy They were just too tempting to leave behind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I fell off the wagon this morning, i couldn't walk past the charity shops without going in for a little look - i came out with Sacred Hearts Sarah Dunant Orley Farm Anthony Trollope Ralph The Heir Anthony Trollope Castle Richmond Anthony Trollope The Trumpet- Major Thomas Hardy They were just too tempting to leave behind Oh, charity shops are hard to ignore, but at least you can feel slightly more virtuous buying a armful to books then... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I fell off the wagon this morning, i couldn't walk past the charity shops without going in for a little look - i came out with Sacred Hearts Sarah Dunant Orley Farm Anthony Trollope Ralph The Heir Anthony Trollope Castle Richmond Anthony Trollope The Trumpet- Major Thomas Hardy They were just too tempting to leave behind Lovely new books. I`ve only read one Trollope - The Warden - after a friend raved about him. I think he`ll be one of those `get round to on Kindle at some point` authors for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 Lovely new books. I`ve only read one Trollope - The Warden - after a friend raved about him. I think he`ll be one of those `get round to on Kindle at some point` authors for me. Thanks Pixie, i was really pleased with my finds I loved The Barchester Chronicles but i always think of The Warden as more of an introduction to the characters, the rest of the books are much stronger IMO Good idea to get them on Kindle though, am i right in thinking that all the classics are free? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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