The weather ... cold, rain and so grey. When out and about recently I was struck how most winter coats appear to be black, navy or grey, few bright colours and my mind goes back to the Kaffe Fassett exhibition which exploded with colour.
I am wearing ... pale blue polo neck cashmere and wool jumper, Gabrielle pattern cardigan I knitted and navy blue trousers
I am reading ... The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes, this is for reading group, my bedside book is Jim Pym's Listening to the Light. In between I have been dipping into Life below stairs, in the Victorian & Edwardian country house. It's a National Trust book, bought for £5.00 from local library authorities online sales. The book cost £20.00 in 2011, was borrowed twice in that year, once the following year, I suspect it would have been cheaper to have bought 3 copies from Amazon and given them to the borrowers! The book was held in one of the many small branch libraries, surely the days of a small library within a mile of each borrower has to go, a London borough should have say three good size libraries so eleven copies of a popular book are not bought for each tiny branch. I am thinking multiple copies of biographies of the latest star, especially those barely into their twenties.
I am creating ... hexipuffs, I am working on the 330th, so 50 or so to go. As a change I'm crocheting a cushion cover using half trebles, size 5 hook and Rowan big wool in various colours. Not as portable as hexipuffs but something fast growing to pick up at odd moments.
I am wearing ... pale blue polo neck cashmere and wool jumper, Gabrielle pattern cardigan I knitted and navy blue trousers
I am reading ... The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes, this is for reading group, my bedside book is Jim Pym's Listening to the Light. In between I have been dipping into Life below stairs, in the Victorian & Edwardian country house. It's a National Trust book, bought for £5.00 from local library authorities online sales. The book cost £20.00 in 2011, was borrowed twice in that year, once the following year, I suspect it would have been cheaper to have bought 3 copies from Amazon and given them to the borrowers! The book was held in one of the many small branch libraries, surely the days of a small library within a mile of each borrower has to go, a London borough should have say three good size libraries so eleven copies of a popular book are not bought for each tiny branch. I am thinking multiple copies of biographies of the latest star, especially those barely into their twenties.
I am creating ... hexipuffs, I am working on the 330th, so 50 or so to go. As a change I'm crocheting a cushion cover using half trebles, size 5 hook and Rowan big wool in various colours. Not as portable as hexipuffs but something fast growing to pick up at odd moments.
I am listening ... to the clunk and whirl of my laptop, the Toshiba will be seven years old at the end of May, I am being persuaded that an update may be a good idea. Words like Apple and Mac have been heard.
I am watching ... the Design programme on BBC2, yes another lifestyle competition, but these programmes give information too, both about the properties, their history, about design, for example where raised panels are not placed equally between dado rail and skirting board but using a golden ratio. For once thirties properties were not decried but their advantages explored for modern living.
I am enjoying ... the dreams of visiting more National Trust properties this year, reinforced by the arrival of this year's NT handbook.
From the learning rooms ... one thing I have learnt is is an electrical appliance is making a noise or buzzing as one of our standard lamps did, the answer is to turn it off then back on again. Thought that rule was just for computers.
On the menu ... I'm not good at planning ahead for meals, although today did make two cottage pies, one has been eaten and the other is for daughter and her young man tomorrow evening. Planning needed urgently for weekend meals
On the calendar ...next week is Local History Society - I think talk is about local Suffragettes; I shall be going to U3A knitting group, taking with me some patterns for toe up socks, the start of which uses the same process as the start of hexipuffs. Maybe when hexipuffs are finished I will try toe up socks, I gather it is easier to fit as you go.
It might have been borrowed more than that if some of the libraries had self-issue machines so don't use a stamp in the front - all the books I reserve at my library still have the date stamp label which is evidently still used at some libraries, but we just get a printed receipt with the return dates on.
ReplyDeleteThe book sounds interesting, it's a shame it has not been borrowed more, but good for you - I guess it is in very good condition :-)
ReplyDeleteI used to like checking the date stamps to see how often a book had been taken out (I'm immensely sad like that, but I did work in the library many years ago) but, as Daisy says, there are fewer date stamps now. And when there are, they're stamped randomly all over the sheet rather than neatly in order by the librarian.....not that I'm obsessive or anything.
ReplyDeleteThanks, hadn't considered self-issue, although the condition suggests even if borrowed more than three times it wasn't read much. It can be seen I'm a book buyer rather a borrower, but as a volunteer, member of a reading group and going to talks I support our local public library still.
ReplyDelete