Saturday 20 April 2013

Sunshine? Warmth? Is it time for Z to spend a whole day indoors sorting things out?

Big Pinkie is here!  Her arrival is a harbinger of Spring of course, but the joy wasn't quite as unalloyed as usual, because she had fallen down in the trailer, or possibly sat down for a little rest, and she and the other two cows had christened it exuberantly: in short, Big Pinkie was covered in shit.  So of course I got a bucket of warm soapy water and a sponge to give her a wash-down.  Sadly, she didn't appreciate this and after a few minutes she swished her tail and walked away.

I changed my top and sponged down my jeans.  They weren't very much splashed.

I've been busy today, taking books through to the annexe.  We're having our internet connection upgraded on Monday and, if it reaches through there as I jolly well trust it will, I'm going to have my study in there.  In any case, it will be furnished - the annexe, that is - and books furnish a room.  I do have a couple of rooms here without bookcases admittedly, but they're dining rooms, so I hope that's okay - anyway, I've put a couple of hundred or so books in the annexe sitting room, which makes a start at least.  That almost empties one bookcase, which is to go into the study.    If the Sage has his way, a few thousand will go through there.  The only other thing that has gone through so far is my music stand, that he made for me for my 40th birthday - it's walnut and has a brass thingy that means you can put it up and down and is lovely.  It's one of the several good presents he has given me over the years, though I asked him for it, admittedly.  He's not very imaginative, present-wise, though he can do well if he's told what to buy (especially if one of the children does the shopping for him).  While I was doing that, I was sorting things out, as one does, and found various things, including a framed photo of me playing the clarinet at the village school Saturday music club end-of-term concert, that I really didn't enjoy taking part in at all, but did to encourage the children (yes, I was the only adult pupil), where I looked solemn, puffy-cheeked and really quite hairy.  That is, my hair was short then (my music teacher gave the picture to me for my fortieth birthday)  but it was really thick and rather blonder than it is now.  I think I've got a better haircut now, I have to say.

It having been sunny and warm, I went and cleaned the clothes line and put it to good use.  Three washes are dried, another is out there and a fifth still in the washing machine.  I only do the washing once in a while, when I can group things together according to colour and material, which needs good timing to line-dry them successfully.  But it usually works out.  Today, being warm and sunny with a reasonably robust breeze, was perfect.

I know, you come here for information on my laundry.  Or maybe not.  Sorry.

The other big news of the day is that Squiffany won another gymnastics competition.  Isn't she splendid?  Here's the trophy.
I don't know that she did that, though.  Looks a bit tricky.  

Oh yes, the other things I found were books - well, obv, but I mean I hadn't realised where they were.  The copy of Pilgrim's Progress that I unwisely slogged through at the age of 8.  Squiffany is 8 now, perhaps I should try her on it.  And A Cambridge Childhood, by Gwen Raverat, that my mother gave me when I was a child - not my copy though, which was softback with a pink cover - I haven't seen it for years but remember it clearly, having loved the book and read it several times.  I'm rather charmed to discover that she owned it herself (in a different edition) but liked it enough to buy it for me too.

I found many books that I want to read or re-read, but I'm finding it hard to give time to books, for the first time in my life.  Yet another indication that it's time for change.

42 spam emails today (and one that wasn't but was deleted accidentally with the rest).  I may have to turn on wv again soon, I'm sorry.

8 comments:

janerowena said...

What a coincidence! (Yet another) I am just reading the Gwen Raverat book. Cambridge sounds very different back then, it's a lovely bedtime read.

Z said...

Goodness, really? That really is a coincidence, I haven't read it for several decades. I first read it back in the 60s sometime. I must add it to the pile of books waiting to be read - my eyes are too tired in the evenings at present, I can only manage a few pages at a time.

martina said...

Isn't it wonderful to see children reading books we remember reading and enjoying at their age? King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry is one I treasured. It was about the Godolphin Arabian. I gave it to a friend's grandchildren a few years ago and they loved it too.

Rog said...

I think 8 is a tad young
For Mister Bunyan
I found it quite grim
As a 14 yo Pilgrim

Zig said...

I have bought 4 books this week, actual books not kindle books which is what I normally buy these days, especially as I'm extremely limited for room. But sometimes a book (or 4) just calls out to be owned in itself as a book. One of them is a new publication called Creation, The Origin of Life the Future of Life by Adam Rutherford, an excellent book and not at all grim. I also bough 4 kindle books as well...

Zig said...

What I meant to say is how jolly impressed I am with the budding Olga and what a quite splendid trophy!

nick said...

Books do indeed furnish a room. We have hundreds of books all over the place and they make the house very cosy. I can't imagine having a house with nothing but a Kindle and no books. It would be quite soul-less.

Z said...

Absolutely, Nick - not that I don't read on my Kindle app sometimes, but it's no substitute for a proper book.