Madeleine

Just got A Cold Case in Amsterdam Central by Anja de Jager.

Yes exactly, the other day I was in a shop and there was quite a long queue at the staffed checkouts, but no one at the self service tills, and instead they had a member of staff practically begging people to use the self service tills, but no one wanted to, so he had nothing to do, and meanwhile the queue was getting longer at the staffed tills! So if he'd been on another staffed till, there wouldn't have been such a queue

Yes we've had the heating on in the evening as well, but during the day, if it's sunny, it's quite pleasant. It chucked it down with rain last night though. Quite nice today and meant to get a bit warmer, so we might get a bit of an Indian summer yet!

It makes such a difference when the schools are on holiday, the bus was half empty and coasted along (except when it kept hanging around at empty bus stops, as they're not allowed to be early; apparently they get fined if they're early). Now it's back to solid traffic, not helped by endless roadworks seemingly everywhere which make it even worse. That banking system sounds a nightmare; I agree it's much nicer to talk to a human, I hardly even use the self service tills in shops, as when I do it usually goes wrong! And sometimes (especially our local Sainsbury's) they have more staff helping people on the supposed self-service tills, then they have on the staffed checkouts

The Bed's too Big without You - The Police

HI and welcome

Thanks chaliepud!

I find the dark mornings are the worst, don't mind it getting dark early in the afternoon/evening so much, but getting up in the dark is horrendous! As you said, it doesn't start to get light til around 7.15/7.30 ish in the deep winter, so it's awful I shall try to look forward to the lovely autumn colours though.

Yep nice in the sun but rain in between and chilly in the evenings and mornings.

Thank you, even though she wasn't ours we're missing her.

Wideacre by Phillippa Gregory

It's up to you Athena about your trip - I work in London and obviously it's at the back of most people's minds but you have to just get on with it, however if it's going to really worry you then it's probably not worth it. Congrats on your sister's engagement by the way. Does anyone else find this time of year depressing? With the summer plants dying off, weather unpredictable (well OK no change there!) and it's dark by 8.00.

We have a guy who wears shorts nearly all year round, but on Thursday even he was cold. I asked him if he'd be putting his shorts away for the winter, and he said it was too soon! so good luck with the shorts Talisman!

We had some sad news, the spaniel who holidayed with us for over 11 years passed away last Monday. We only had her a couple of weeks ago, and although she was 14, we thought she'd be around for a bit longer. So it's been a sad weekend.

Today I got The good People by Hannah Kent, and The Hiding Places by Katherine Webb.

Pretty here too, nice and sunny but I'm into light layers now - long sleeved top, cardigan and a fleece, shorts.....no way warm enough for those!

I read that one too and also really enjoyed it, she's such a great author and so sad she's not more widely known. And it's thanks to her that I've bought all Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles.

Yes I've bought the same book twice a few times as well, when they change the covers so that they all look the same is a nightmare!

I think it's probably warmer outside right now!

And what makes it harder is when the titles get changed!

It's turned so cold! Froze my *** off this morning waiting for a bus, and the office heating has broken down as well! Winter is coming......!

Yes they should be banned! there's a website called Fantastic Fiction which generally lists book series in order, I find them quite helpful. Or you could look at the author's own website, as they usually list their books too.

The Cruellest Month by Louise Penny - 3rd in the Inspector Gamache series, and this time the investigation centres around the death of a newish resident in Three Pines (if it's so idyllic why do people keep getting killed ) at a séance held at Hadley House, which holds terrible memories for everyone, including Gamache. At first it's thought the death was from a heart attack, but then a herbal substance, which has banned after several people died after using it as a slimming aid, is found in the woman's body. It turns out that many in the village didn't like this seemingly perfect woman, and the secret might lie in her past. Meanwhile Gamache finds his own past coming back to haunt him, as the press seem to be doing their best to discredit him, but he and his team soldier on, determined to find out the killer's identity. This was another, enjoyable, solid mystery, although Gamache does seem to be a bit too perfect and saintly. I would work for him though! This is definitely the Canadian equivalent of the UK's Midsomer Murders. 8/10

I once read a review of the last Harry Potter book, posted about 2 days after it was published, which listed all the characters who got killed off.

I think I have something similar, especially after eating something like a rich pasta sauce, it's really painful sometimes.