JudyB

I saw this in Crewe a few years ago - thought it was really good.

On the subject of her short stories I would recommend The Birds - very different to the film but equally scary.

My OH didn't enjoy it either - don't think he finished it.

If I was to have a re-read list Daphne Du Maurier would definately be on it - I read her novels in the 90's so can only remember that the stories were good.

Hello Maggie! The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox is next on my reading list (just got to finish The Earth by Emile Zola first!). I'm looking forward to reading it particularly as you are a new author for me.

Yes it's next on my list too!

Mowed the lawn and watered this evening. Garden looks better for a haircut.

Oh goody!

Photos please - sounds like a good idea. My mum did her front garden with just white (flowers) plants and interesting shapes. We've gone low maintainance - life's a lot easier!

I'll second that. In fact I often forget how good she is. When I read J I it was in a book with 3 other stories:- My Cousin Rachel, Frenchman's Creek and Rebecca - all great reads.

It's wonderful stuff!

Just opened my box of Thorntons Dessert Gallery Chocs bought for my birthday - yum!

Zola going fine - enjoying it more than I thought I would. Have to admit that the subject matter of Two Cities never appealed to me. Must read Dickens again though - I've always enjoyed his work. One for the classics challenge.

It's hard to know what to recommend. The first one I read (age 16 and then again in my 30's) was Germinal which made quite an impact on me. In terms of imagery it's amazing - it's about mining and the descriptions are very evocative. It's number 13 in the Rougon-Macquart cycle (which I'm not reading in order) and each book although linked by the family threads is very much a book in its own right and tends to deal with a different aspect of French 19th century life, eg Au Bonheur des Dames is about a large department store in Paris. I suggest you have a look to see what the main ones (some are easier to get hold of than others) are about and see which one attracts you by its subject. Therese Raquin (not part of the cycle) is my favourite - a shocking tale! Very happy to have Moomin talk on my thread - they're such gorgeous creatures (still can't believe my sister had never heard of them - see earlier post!).

A lovely buffet provided by the course organisers - went round twice and then walked into town with another library assistant mainly to stop me going round a third time! I love my food

You like the smell too - I thought I was the only one!

Actually I rave constantly about his novels but then start one with a sense of trepidation as they are never lighthearted reads. I quickly get into them though and am certainly enjoying The Earth.

I planted the free lettuce seeds that came with my Gardener's World magazine - they're doing well.

I'm all for this men that BBQ thing - my OH loves BBQ-ing I get a tad bored with cooking everynight and welcome the chance to let him get on with it. My OH is quite good at BBq-ing but recently we did one for my mum and dad - of course that had to be the one that created loads of smoke (cheap sausages!) and set my dad off talking about smog and asking him why he didn't cook everything in the oven first. I think that day my OH exercised a lot of patience:lol:

Forgot to have lunch today as my Wednesday morning lady filled me up with scones (jam and cream included). Am on a library course tomorrow and have just realised that I've not even thought what I'm going to have for lunch - good job it's in the middle of Shrewsbury town centre.

My daughter made some chocolate brownies tonight -yum!

April's Classic is The Earth by Emile Zola. (Summary from Amazon) When Jean Macquart arrives in the peasant community of Beauce, where farmers have worked the same land for generations, he quickly finds himself involved in the corrupt affairs of the local Fouan family. Aging and Lear-like, Old Man Fouan has decided to divide his land between his three children: his penny-pinching daughter Fanny, his eldest son - a far from holy figure known as Jesus Christ' - and the lecherous Buteau, Macquart's friend. But, in a community where land is everything, sibling rivalry quickly turns to brutal hatred, as Buteau declares himself unsatisfied with his lot. Part of the vast Rougon-Macquart cycle, "The Earth" was regarded by Zola as his greatest novel. A fascinating portrayal of a struggling but decadent community, it offers a compelling exploration of the destructive nature of human ignorance and greed. Really enjoying it so far - don't think I've read any Zola since the summer - so it's good to read him again.

My rocket is doing well - I live on the stuff - it'll be nice not to have to rely on Tesco's for it.

No, we get paid! Most libraries do have a 'friends of the library' set up which is made up of volunteers. We ask them to help when we have to do surveys (grabbing people and asking them to fill in the forms). We also have volunteers that collect and return books for the housebound.

Glad you're enjoying them - I had the last one of ours this afternoon (I'll deny taking it of course!!!)