Sometimes you just have to push yourself away from the computer. For a couple of days I focused on other things and spent more down-time reading my book instead of in blogland. But yesterday after work, when I was feeling caught up, I went to log on and discovered that we had no internet service, shock and horror! After an hour on the phone to someone in India and then another hour on the phone to someone in a city closer to home I was told there was a problem in my area and it would last into the evening hours. Never one to waste an opportunity, every time that I was put on hold I managed to get my meatloaf one step closer to being in the oven. So R and I had an evening of visiting the 40's. He's reading Sure and Certain Death by Barbara Nadel, a murder mystery set in 1941 amidst the bombed remains of East London. I brought it home from the library for myself but he snuck off with it first and is really enjoying it. I watched Housewife, 49 whilst trying to make some headway on a pair of socks that I started last May. It tells the story of Nella Last, who wrote a diary as part of a public project to record the effects of war on the general population. It's an award-winning drama so if you're at all interested in that era then do try your library to see if they carry it. Two bits of good news, our internet service is back and my Persephone book, Minnie's Room by Mollie Panter-Downes has finally shown up in my mailbox, hooray!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Nella, Nadel and Knitting
Sometimes you just have to push yourself away from the computer. For a couple of days I focused on other things and spent more down-time reading my book instead of in blogland. But yesterday after work, when I was feeling caught up, I went to log on and discovered that we had no internet service, shock and horror! After an hour on the phone to someone in India and then another hour on the phone to someone in a city closer to home I was told there was a problem in my area and it would last into the evening hours. Never one to waste an opportunity, every time that I was put on hold I managed to get my meatloaf one step closer to being in the oven. So R and I had an evening of visiting the 40's. He's reading Sure and Certain Death by Barbara Nadel, a murder mystery set in 1941 amidst the bombed remains of East London. I brought it home from the library for myself but he snuck off with it first and is really enjoying it. I watched Housewife, 49 whilst trying to make some headway on a pair of socks that I started last May. It tells the story of Nella Last, who wrote a diary as part of a public project to record the effects of war on the general population. It's an award-winning drama so if you're at all interested in that era then do try your library to see if they carry it. Two bits of good news, our internet service is back and my Persephone book, Minnie's Room by Mollie Panter-Downes has finally shown up in my mailbox, hooray!
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Victoria Wood was just right, wasn't she? I've just finished Nella Last's Peace although it's not nearly as good as her war diaries; she really came into her own during the war years, but post-1945 she's clearly at a bit of a loose end with her cranky husband who is rather feeble specimen!
ReplyDeleteDo you think you'd have liked Nella? I started the war diaries thinking, oh, isn't she marvellous ... but after a while I found all that brave little me cheerfulness rather grated on me. Have a feeling that all her chirpy making-do and seeing the bright side could have driven you mad if you lived next door to her!
Ooh, I'm so glad you watched Housewife 49, I had a feeling you'd enjoy that. You must read Nella Last's Peace too if you haven't already.
ReplyDeleteA little time away from the computer can be a good thing...sounds like you accomplished quite a bit!
ReplyDeleteHooray! It's typical for books to turn up once you've contacted the seller about them, as if by magic...
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I agree with you about Victoria Wood, she was fantastic. I wanted to stick my knitting needle in Nella's husband's eye - several times though! I'm pretty cheery by nature myself (disregard the needle in the eye bit) but even I can't imagine seeing the sunny side of life for that amount of time under those cicumstances. I must read the book!
ReplyDeleteverity, On my last trip to Nicholas Hoare, I flipped through a copy of Nella Last's, Peace. But having not read the first book, which they didn't have on the shelf, I thought I'd best leave it. Now I'm interested to read both titles...it never ends does it!
JoAnn, It's way too easy for a few quick minutes on the computer to turn into an hour isn't it!
Paperback Reader, TBD said to wait until the 18th before doing anything else and ta-da...there it was right on schedule. As if by magic is right!
ReplyDeleteYea on both counts of your good news:) Both the book and the film sound interesting. I will have to check them out. Can we hope for a guest review by R soon?
ReplyDeleteBook Psmith, I'll let him know that you were asking and we'll see what he says:)
ReplyDeleteI always feel a little shaky and out of touch when my internet is down (silly I know). It's okay if I want to take a break from it as long as it's there to go back to later! I must look up Barbara Nadel--I've never heard of her, but it's a mystery I think I might like. I will have to see if I can get Housewife 49--something else I'd not heard of! This is dangerous...Glad your book finally arrived--sigh of relief. :)
ReplyDeleteDanielle, I'd never heard of the Nadel book either. Last week I went to pull it out of a courier box and thought it looked like a good read. There wasn't a single hold on it so I was able to bring it home. It's been flying under the radar I suppose.
ReplyDelete