Bit of a grey one this morning. OH is happy, of course: ‘Oh, it’s wonderful in the North!’ (We’re not in the North, we’re in the East Midlands but to someone from Kent even Berkshire is the North – incidentally have you noticed that no matter how far North you drive there are always signs saying ‘To The North’? I wonder when they run out?) OH enthuses about the grey dull weather, so much better than all that horrible sunshine and dryness down South. But not me: I’m a sun person. I don’t like it too hot but if it’s sunny and warm I will be out in it. This weather depresses me, especially days when it rains and rains without a let-up. But hey ho, here we are and we’ll just have to get on with it. It’s not raining too hard; I’ve been out already and only got a light soaking, not enough for a change of trouser (I have waterproof overtrousers but they’re a faff to put on so unless I’m going for a long walk I don’t bother.) All the more reason to wear my bright orange gear today; I’m putting pockets in the front as they don’t have any, just that annoying detail which makes it look as if they have. Fortunately if you unpick the seam you can insert a rectangle of fabric and make your own pockets, so that’s what I’m doing. I’m lost without pockets – I don’t know where to put my hands. I was going to go swimming today but I’m too tired; I assume it’s still the thyroxine kicking in – apparently it’s normal for energy and appetite levels (and weight) to go up and down while the system adjusts. I hope it sorts itself out soon. Mind you, I don’t know what I’d do without thyroxine. What did people with underactive thyroids do? I’d just grind to a halt.
I’m still reading Hilary Mantel’s The Mirror and the Light, the third volume in the Thomas Cromwell trilogy, and Sally Rooney’s Normal People. I also have several samples on the go – if I’m not sure whether I want to read a book I’ll see if a sample is available on my phone app; some of these samples can be quite long, so you get a really good idea of what the book is like. Then if I want to read the rest I’ll see if it’s at the library; if not I may try to buy it from Alibris or Abe books which are nationwide second-hand booksellers.
These sites are really useful and I’ve got a lot of books that way, some in pretty good condition. Non-fiction wise I read political books and some biographies; I’m keeping a record of what I read (when I remember to fill it in) along with short reviews, which is interesting to look back on. As is this blog – if I ever forget what I’ve been doing I can just scroll down…
Hopefully more of you will be able to comment now that I’ve unchecked whatever box it was that was blocking it.
Kirk out
Sarada Gray 