Homeland

Spring arrived, quite suddenly and we went on a Pilgrimage to the countryside I loved best. This is where I explored as a child and it was nice to be Big now so that I could walk further. Most important was getting to see wild daffodils, just as lovely as I remember. I seem to be spending much too much time on the computer these days, almost as much as HoF. I am researching a family tree for a friend, enjoying the detective work. And not enjoying the books I've read lately. Here are my recommendations of what NOT to read.
The Coral Strand by Ravinder Randhawa
In the Country of Men by Hisham Matar (except for the titbits of info about the horrors of the Ghadaffi regime)
Their Eyes were Watching God by Zara Hurston
Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes
I don't know what it is about modern books; they start off so well and then disappoint. Last year I read 77 books but the rate I'm going this year I won't be doing that again. Still I've ordered three Christian books from Amazon and am hoping for something better for the holidays to come.

March

We had a treat one day last week and took ourselves off in the sunshine to the Welsh lakes, with a pub lunch, and some short walks. I was cosy wrapped up in my duvet coat but HoF found the sunshine rather short on warmth. Much as we like our home it was good to get away for the day. I had a walk this week too, on a Monday morning, when I said 'hang housework' and reminded myself that retirement is not supposed to be non-stop chores. I left straight after breakfast, not even stopping to make the bed, scandalous, and walked about three and a half miles before ending up at the local pub to join Ladies Who Coffee. I saw a reed warbler too.

Our revamped village hall was opened this month and is being well used in spite of grumbles about the money spent on it. Last Sunday was the Parish Lunch, yet another fund-raiser (they sometimes seem to be end-to-end) at which I was asked to help. Not possessing any white or black clothes as befitted a waitress I was relegated to the kitchen and after dishing carrots on to plates, stood at the sink and washed a hundred dinner plates. HoF and I felt definitely short of stamina as we collapsed at the end of the day.

We are back there tomorrow night for a dinner and quiz evening. Once I was good at general knowledge but somehow don't think I've kept pace with the times. Oh, well.