What I've been reading

Alexandria
by Lindsey Davis

narrated by Christian Rodska

"It's AD 77. Egypt was the destination of choice for Roman tourists, being home to not one but two Wonders of the Ancient World. Unfortunately, when Marcus Didius Falco pays a visit, he discovers it's also a hotbed of schemers and murderers."

The trouble with murder mysteries in audio form is the difficulty in remembering who is who, which means the revelation of the murderer can be quite the anti-climax. Especially when all the names are Roman or Greek, there are five deaths (poison, crocodile, strangulation, falling from a tower, fire), and none is particularly straightforward. But it wasn't bad really.

Anthills of the Savannah
by Chinua Achebe

"Chris, Ikem and Beatrice are like-minded friends working under the military regime of His Excellency, the Sandhurst-educated President of Kangan. In the pressurized atmosphere of oppression and intimidation they are simply trying to live and love - and remain friends."

I can't say that I enjoyed this book, partly because it describes a violent revolution in an African nation and partly because I didn't really understand the roles or motivation of the characters. And there was some local dialect that I couldn't make out. Another ticked off the 'Classics' list, but not liked.

Can You Forgive Her?
by Anthony Trollope

narrated by Timothy West

"Alice is torn between marrying her ambitious but violent cousin George or the bland but gentlemanly John Grey, ending up both accepting and rejecting each of them in turn and thus transgressing from the Victorian moral code. In contrast, her friend Lady Glencora is forced to marry the rising politician Plantagenet Palliser to prevent the worthless Burgo Fitzgerald from wasting her vast fortune."

The first of the Palliser series and free with my Audible subscription, which is useful because I've only one book credit left before June. I think it's clear that the nineteenth is my favourite century when it comes to literature, and this example doesn't disappoint. The usual social history is there - what happens when an independently wealthy woman agrees to marry a man, and then changes her mind? How is she influenced by the women around her, and how is she manipulated by the men? I forgive her - in fact there were many people to forgive here.

Girl, Woman, Other
by Bernardine Evaristo

"We follow a cast of twelve characters on their personal journeys through this country and the last hundred years. They're each looking for something - a shared past, an unexpected future, a place to call home, somewhere to fit in, a lover, a missed mother, a lost father, even just a touch of hope."

At last, a modern novel that interested me and didn't put me off with its subject, content, attitude or poor plotting. Not to say this was a conventional read, but I enjoyed the way that sentences were laid out, sometimes without punctuation, more like consecutive thoughts than narrative. And the women take centre stage, and I hadn't realised how that place is normally reserved for the men, and how refreshing when they aren't there.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
by J. K. Rowling

"Harry has been burdened with a dark, dangerous and seemingly impossible task. Never has he felt so alone, or faced a future so full of shadows. But Harry must somehow find within himself the strength to complete the task he has been given."

Well, it's over at last and I doubt I'll read the series again. This last book attempted to draw together all the strands into a coherent conclusion, and managed to succeed at least partly, but it could have done with tighter editing to focus on the important stuff and lose some unnecessary padding, which would have clarified the key parts of the plot leading to the climax. But I can't take away the glorious popularity of the series, which I believe has got young people interested in reading again, and that's got to be a good thing.

Weekend not in Manchester

Me and Reggie, March 2022

I'm going to assume that all the details are going to be needed for this post, seeing as I spent the weekend with Lola II and Mr M and they are sticklers for this sort of thing. And they took all the photos, and even gave me some notes to remind me. But I shall not yield to their pressure; some details are still too uninteresting to mention. Like the Cambozola cheese that Lola II bought in my honour. Cambozola is certainly my favourite cheese and I was very glad for it to have been bought, but this fact really has no inherent interest for any reader. 

The weekend was planned to be one of our classic weekends to mark Lola II's birthday, and we had decided to go to Manchester before we decided not to after all, and stayed in London. The first thing to admit is that I was late. There were several reasons, including badminton the night before making it more difficult to get out of bed early, the time it took to load up the car, the fact that someone had again obstructed my garage so I nearly couldn't get the car out, the local roadworks adding 10 minutes to every journey south, and the need to fill up with fuel. Considering all of this, an hour late wasn't too bad.

What it did mean was that I spent less time with Reggie in the park. Reggie is the dog that Lola II borrows, and is a bundle of energy who scavenges anything that he can get in his mouth - old Doritos, plum stones, face masks... He had a run around the park before I arrived but never sat still for a moment when he came back with us. Nevertheless, he's very cute.

After taking Reggie home we set off to our first assignment of the weekend, which was Pillars restaurant. This is a teaching location where the public can book for table service by college students studying catering, so there can be interesting situations, like the one Lola II and Mr M described where all the cutlery on the table was taken away after the starter, only to be brought back in time for the main course. The only unusual feature of our meals was when we were offered bread between the main course and the dessert, and Mr M even took some.

The starters were really outstanding (mine was watercress and mint soup) and I was optimistic for the rest of the meal, which unfortunately fell well below that standard. The vegetarian main course was spiced Quorn on herbed bulghar wheat with something else sauce (I forget what) and, although tasty, it had the appearance and consistency of school dinner slop. My pudding of rhubarb trifle was surprisingly flavourless. But thanks to Lola II and her allium intolerance we had a good time educating the students - teacher came over to help for that one. And the wine was very cheap.

We relaxed for the rest of that day before work began in earnest the next day. Two of the scheduled duties for the weekend were to tidy up Lola II's home office, and to sell or give away more accumulated possessions. The office was first, and I stood guard as Lola II sweated over paperwork and filing and deciding what to take back to the office at work. At one point I allowed her out into the exercise yard, but she made a break for it and tried to get Mr M to hide her. She claimed it was a conjugal visit but I hauled her back to the isolation wing pretty quickly.

Sister D came for lunch and stayed for the afternoon, when she helped enormously with the listing of my old possessions on Facebook marketplace while Lola II grappled with eBay. Unlike last time, I haven't had much interest in my goods, but Lola II has fared a great deal better with her childhood collection of erasers. Who knew a load of old rubbers would fetch more than £25?

Lola II cooked a delicious lunch in the kitchen wing of the prison, but we treated ourselves to a Thai delivery in the evening where I overdid the ordering of fried goods, given that I don't allow myself any at home. Next day started by me being put to work on replacing light bulbs, as Lola II isn't great with ladders and Mr M has struggled with the fittings in the past. I performed my God-like powers (Let There Be Light) despite one of the fittings showering me with small shards of black plastic.

Lola II managed to finish the tidy up of her office revealing the carpet below, which may be replaced some time soon. There were carpet samples to consider, and she and Mr M managed to reach agreement but may need more support and encouragement from the prison guards to see this through to completion.

We went out to the local pub at the end of the weekend, and were served by the most clueless barmaid I've met for a long time. Coming home, we somehow managed to be talking about different types of Irish cream, and Mr M revealed that he had three types in the cupboard - original Baileys as well as supermarket versions from Sainsburys and Aldi. So, of course, we had to perform a taste test. I guessed all three correctly, and preferred the Baileys, then Sainsburys, then Aldi. Which brought the weekend to a lovely fuzzy alcoholic end.

High Table

Lovely capital decoration at the gate of a restaurant, Cambridge, February 2022

Thanks to Lola II having another birthday, I was invited to attend 'High Table' at Christ's College, Cambridge. Lola II and Mr M had been holidaying in Cambridge for a couple of days before I turned up and had been royally entertained while lodging in The Bursar's Rooms in College. 

I had to give some consideration to my outfit, given that I no longer even have to be smart enough to go to work. I fished out the Lady Shoes, tried on the last smart thing I wore (for my nephew's wedding) but I felt it clashed with my slightly purple hair, found something else that would do, along with earrings and everything. As it turned out the Lady Shoes just had a weekend away without having to do any work as I wore ordinary shoes in the end.

The evening proper started with sherry in The Bursar's rooms. I discovered that we were going to Do Things Properly, even though it turned out that The Bursar had forgotten that students don't have the option to attend a formal dinner on a Saturday. So rather than actually being at the High Table in front of a load of undergrads and postgrads the six of us (The Bursar, Lola II, Mr M, me, JW and JD*) were dining very exclusively in the Senior Combination Room (just a fancy name for a wood panelled room with a dining table in it).

Despite being within that room, Doing Things Properly meant that we didn't sit down at the table until Tim the Deputy Butler came in and announced that Dinner Is Served. Also, The Bursar insisted on standing to read the Grace Before Meals, which in the main Dining Hall is quite long but with our small party was shortened to just two words. The table setting always includes a piece of College silverware, which in our case was something known as the FA Cup due to looking a bit like that trophy. On discussion with Tim it was replaced with a sculpture of a Yale** - a mythical creature similar to a goat with two horns pointing in different directions which features on the Lady Margaret's coat of arms, she being the college's Foundress.

We were served with three courses with wine and then, on a different table in front of the fireplace, with cheese and a different wine (after we had stood to receive The Bursar's Grace After Meals). In a further college tradition Lola II was presented with a bottle of wine by JW which was recorded in the latest of a series of books dating back many years. Entries other than the presentation of wine and port include various bets between college members and also fines awarded - in 1836 Mr Darwin (Charles, for he is a Christ's alumnus) was fined a bottle of wine for being 'too late in hall'. It was a lovely evening full of ancient tradition.

On Sunday Lola II and Mr M went to visit mum and dad, JD and JW went out for a cycle ride while I met another friend for a pub lunch and jigsaw exchange, and more friends for supper. The theme of Cambridge friends was extended to Monday when CERNoise (blog reader extraordinaire) came to visit me to survey the famed Lola Towers which she had previously only read about. "It really exists!" she exclaimed. We had lunch in my favourite Indian restaurant (Indian food being hard to find on the French/Swiss border) and had a short tour of Leamington, which sadly didn't put on its best weather for the visitor.

* JW and JD = new names for family JJL&J since L&J have grown up and moved out.

** Note from Mr M: The mythical Yale has no connection to the US university, which was named after an Irish benefactor whose name sounded like Yale. They do use a Yale (the animal) in places at Yale (the university), but only because it shares a name with the gentleman.

A lot of Buddhism

From Sangharakshita's collection, Adhisthana

I've been doing a lot of Buddhism recently. Our local group meets every Tuesday evening, my study group with people from Birmingham is every Monday evening, and I've joined another local study group on a provisional basis, which takes place fortnightly on Thursdays. There have been a couple of occasions when I've gone to the Birmingham Buddhist Centre on other days, and we've also been running an introductory course on meditation and Buddhism for newcomers, and a weekend retreat in Herefordshire. And I do most of the admin for the group - things like emails about Tuesday meetings and who is going to bring the milk and planning future meetings.

Thanks to the miracle that is Zoom, we held the introductory course in person while the regulars met at the same time on Zoom, then at the end of the course the newcomers were invited to carry on attending and the regulars joined us in the village hall. I wasn't supposed to be involved with the introductory course, but one of the teachers had to drop out because of illness in her family, so I was asked to stand in. Thirteen people had signed up to attend, and most stayed for all four weeks and expressed an interest in carrying on. It was the first time we'd had to run a course ourselves - previously an ordained Buddhist had always helped us out - but I think it went pretty well.

The retreat was quite a significant event. Retreats can be just a day, or a weekend, or a week, or much longer. During lockdown the idea of online retreats appeared, which are still taking place but don't appeal to me as much as attending in person, because one of the main aspects of a retreat is to take a break from ordinary life and focus on Buddhist practice. Not so easy to do at home, when you can't even turn the computer off because that's how the content is delivered.

This retreat was specifically aimed at three small groups, each of which would not be able to supply enough people to warrant their own event. The significance was also that for three of our group it was their first retreat experience and for two more it was only their second.

We travelled to the retreat centre through Storm Eunice, but the journey was completely uneventful apart from it being rather windy. We even managed a walk on Saturday with brief periods of sunshine and no rain. The rest of the time there were talks, meditation, a communication exercise, ritual, reflection, and discussion in groups. I had been asked to facilitate a group, which put me on the organising team as well as wanting to make the first timers as comfortable as possible. Usually I return refreshed and energised, but I got a bit worn out with the responsibility. It was still a great experience which I think helped to bring the group together and make it stronger.

So after a rest on Monday I welcomed Glf back to do the pointing on the front wall of the house, which I hope will prevent damp coming through to the Auditorium. I have given up on finding a roofer for two reasons - one is the stormy weather that means many people need a roofer more than I do, and the other is that the leak is so small and intermittent that I doubt we'll find its source until it becomes worse. So I'm prepared to wait until it does get worse. The LTRP isn't over, though - the lawn needs mowing again and it may be time to do something about the garden next.

Glf pointing, February 2022

What I've been reading

My Ántonia
by Willa Cather

narrated by Jeff Cummings

"Through Jim Burden's voice we revisit the remarkable struggles of immigrant life in the Nebraska heartland, with the Russian brothers plagued by memories of a fateful sleigh ride, Antonia's desperately homesick father and self-indulgent mother, and the coy Lena Lingard."

I really enjoyed this one from the classics list, though I'd never heard of the author before. The pronunciation of the eponymous character's name is An-to-NEE-ya, because she and her family are immigrants from Bohemia, and one of the joys of an audiobook is that the narrator can convey the accents and voices much more clearly than if I were reading from print. It's an interesting story in an unfamiliar setting (to me) with well-defined relatable characters, and plenty of action, tragedy and suspense. There are three other books by the same author on the list, so I might come back to those.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
by J. K. Rowling

"As Voldemort's sinister forces amass and a spirit of gloom and fear sweeps the land, it becomes more and more clear to Harry that he will soon have to confront his destiny."

I liked this one more than most in the series, probably because there's less interaction between Harry and the bad guys to endure - but that's replaced by having to put up with teenage hormones. I even understand the plot with the Horcruxes a bit better this time, and that's saying something because it's still stupidly complicated.

The Midnight Library
by Matt Haig

"Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life."

This was lent to me by a Buddhist friend after I had expressed regret at a decision I had made earlier in my life. He challenged my statement, and insisted that I would find the book interesting and relevant, and he was right. It is well written and thought-provoking and its message has stayed with me ever since I finished it - if I had acted differently in that decision there is no knowing whether the outcome would have been better - the person I am now is predicated upon all my past decisions, good or bad. There is much to be thankful for and little point in dwelling on regrets.

I Hear Her Words: An Introduction to Women in Buddhism
by Alice Collett

"Is there gender equality in Buddhist traditions? What do Buddhist texts say about women? Do Buddhist ethics support prejudice against women? Are there Buddhist doctrines that imply that women are inferior to men?"

This is a new publication from the Buddhist catalogue, and I saw it advertised and decided it wasn't really for me, but then I was given it as a present. So I've read it, and it contains lots of information about women in Buddhism. Sometimes there was misogyny and sometimes there wasn't, and should I ever need to refer to it, it will be on my shelf. And that's about it.

The Assistant
by Bernard Melamud

narrated by Richard Davidson

"Morris Bober, a grocer in postwar Brooklyn, 'wants better' for himself and his family. First two robbers appear and hold him up; then things take a turn for the better when broken-nosed Frank Alpine becomes his assistant."

I discovered that there are a number of books in the Audible catalogue that are free as long as you listen to them by streaming rather than downloading, and as I was running out of my yearly credits I thought I'd give it a try, using my phone rather than my very old iPod. The streaming works well, and the book (another one from my classics list) is a little strange but not too bad. The narrator also does a great job of representing an immigrant Jew in Brooklyn.

The Story of Tracy Beaker
by Jacqueline Wilson

"Tracy Beaker's not exactly sure what her mother does, because Tracy has been in foster care for as long as she can remember. And maybe one day Tracy's mother will show up and reclaim her long-lost daughter, and together they'll have fabulous adventures. Then again, maybe she won't."

Double Act
by Jacqueline Wilson

"Ruby and Garnet are ten-year-old twins. Bossy, bouncy, funny Ruby loves to take charge, and is desperate to be a famous actress, while quiet, sensitive, academic Garnet loves nothing more than to curl up with one of her favourite books."

I was staying with family LLJ&L (although J&L have now left home so I'm going to have to think of new names) and had a bit of spare time. I was allocated to L's bedroom and found her collection of Jacqueline Wilson books, some of which are on my classic lists. So I read a couple - they aren't long, and are easy to read given that they are aimed at youngsters. But they tackle difficult topics - foster care, adoption, parental death, family disruption. I wasn't going to be buying or borrowing them, although it would only have taken me an hour or so to read them in a library, so I'm glad I now know what sort of books they are.