Happy weekend! It feels like the heatwave here will never end, and let me tell you, I have largely forgotten to water my garden. But I might be going punting for the first time since 2007 this weekend, so at least I’ll be interacting with water in some way. (What I am definitely not doing is going on my church camp. One year… I will at least find an airbnb nearby.) Here is the usual miscellany to get your weekend off to a good start.
1.) The blog post – I loved Jacqui’s take on The Spring House by Cynthia Asquith so much.
2.) The book – I spontaneously bought Opening Night by Sara Baume while in an independent bookshop in Clapham, following my oh-so-hard rule that I have to buy a book in an independent bookshop. To help the community! You’re welcome, everyone. I didn’t know anything about this book, but it was the one that most appealed – anybody got any thoughts?
3.) The link – this is only relevant if you’re in the UK and work for the NHS, a charity or are a teacher. Are you aware of Tickets for Good? Free or discounted tickets for all manner of concerts, plays and other things – you have to move fast for the most popular things, but a lovely idea that a friend recently told me about.
I would love to read Opening Night so I’m very curious to know what you’ll make of it. And thank you for the fabulous link. I’ve sent it to my son who works for a homeless youth charity and is very fond of a discounted ticket!
Oo excellent, hope he finds good things!
I’ve enjoyed Sara Baume in the past so I reckon it was a good choice!
I didn’t know about tickets for good – thank you!
Ah good to know she has approval – I think I’ll aim to get to it quickly.
I want to read a Sara Baume too so I think you made a good choice. I like that cover too; I would have been drawn to it on that basis alone. I regularly justify a book purchase with the excuse I’m ‘supporting an independent book shop and ,if we don’t use them, we’ll lose them. I am blessed with two excellent ones in my two local market towns, with lots of tempting books and stationery and helpful staff who love talking books!
Happy punting, and I am with you with wanting a bed rather than sleeping on the earth. The last time I camped was only just this century!
We are just doing our civic duty!!
Thanks so much for linking to my review, Simon. As you know, I was hugely impressed with the character development in this novel and would love to see more people reading it. A wonderful addition to the BL’s Women Writers series, which seems to be going from strength to strength!
How was the punting? I hope you had fun!
Thanks Jacqui! And yes, punting was really fun – it came back to me better than I anticipated.