Confusion Room

[coquetwhispers]

Tyldesley, nr Manchester
Thursday 3rd June a beautiful sunny afternoon with a gentle breeze.
My copy of the Confusion Room has arrived and with a liberal supply of sun cream I've read up to VII.
Friday & it looks like being another glorious day hazy blue skies & sun sun sun, plans for the day ?
Deck chair & the remaining chapters of the Confusion Room.
What a lovely way to spend a lovely day
Rob

[jane jackson]

Sounds very good to me! Glorious sunshine here in Penzance too. I only read in the garden for an hour yesterday afternoon but it was lovely especially using the wooden swingseat that we constructed last summer which has a roof to it so partially protected from the full sun (I'm not good at sunbathing).

Have fun enjoying todays read.

[Kath Mulligan]

Lounger in the garden for me too, but with A Cornish Summer rather than the Confusion Room.

Putting our new patio to good use later and dining al fresco with cold meats and salad, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and cream, + chilled lagers. The girls can't wait to get out of their hot stuffy offices and into the garden.

Kath

[gloria townsin]

All these sound good to me....... I have some food shopping to do, ironing and bathing a dog......not so attractive huh?

[coquetwhispers]

Clouding over now but a lovely breeze blowing my washing dry !
Just having a brew and then back out to enjoy Chapter X
As for the ironing,.....there is always tomorrow

[coquetwhispers]

Oh inbetween chapters I am checking on my washing !
So not all lazing in the sun lol
Ironing can wait till tomorrow
Just starting chapter X with a nice brew by my side

[jane jackson]

I've done Tescos Gloria but leaving the ironing until it's cooler. Bathing your dog may be quite a cool operation as I imagine they are well used to being bathed so wouldn't cause you to get hot and bothered.

Kath, I'm sure your girls will be only too glad to leave their offices for an evening meal al fresco. It was always so frustrating being kept inside by work with the sun shining outside ~ long live retirement and holidays.

Are you on chapter XI now Rob?

[coquetwhispers]

Am just saving XIV for this evening - so that I can finish the book off by the chiminea and reward my efforts with a glass of malt.
It has been a lovely days reading & watching the washing dry

[Kath Mulligan]

Did you manage XIV out in the garden this evening? We had our meal outside but the clouds were really building up and looking very threatening, so we retreated inside expecting the heavens to open any minute. In the event, all we had was a few spits and spots of rain, but I suspect someone around us had quite a storm.

I've had washing on the line too today and it was lovely to smell that fresh air scent on the clothes when I brought them inside.

Kath

[jane jackson]

Really hot here this evening and a cloudless sky although talking to a friend in Minehead it had clouded over there about 5pm. We've sat in the lounge with the double glass doors wide open and Rosie and Jessie laid out on the carpet with their heads on the step. My neighbour and I plan to go to Porthcurno beach tomorrow mid morning to sit and read and people watch and wave watch ~ that is as long as the sun stays out and we don't have sea fog which is threatened. The sunshine has been so wonderful but you're always expecting it to change again so we try to pack everything in while we can!

Hope everyone has a great weekend with lots of sunshine especially those of you who've had to work inside this week when the sun has been shining.

[Mary Young]

Its been lovely here in Kent tonight. We decided to go to the coast and have dinner courtesy of a fish and chip shop tonight! We sat on a bench overlooking the sea eating our chips and watched the sun go down. It was lovely. A bit chilly by the time we left there though.

[tricia2ws]

I wish i was back by the sea, just returned from a lovely week in minehead, eating chips by the sea, you just can'y beat it, the weather was just lovely, the moors looked fabulous, seeing the ponies and sheep roaming free. How pretty is Dunster, what a lovely place. The seagulls were nesting, the chicks were just appearing before we left. The sea air is so much fresher than back home, we always know we are near to home when you can see the smog appearing and the planes from heathrow. Hopefully one day i can have my dream and live by the sea. x tricia :girl_cray3:

[adesmith]

Glad that you had a good time in Minehead, Tricia. You certainly had the weather for it

It was beautiful day in South Wales yesterday and so we decided to have a trip out in the afternoon. We drove up to Tidenham, on the edge of the Forest of Dean and just in England and decided to do a little walk that we have been meaning to do for years, up to Offas Dyke. It was a beautiful walk high above the estuary (which did look blue!) with the Somerset hills in the distance. We had to walk over several fields which were full of wild flowers and it was so peaceful with only bird song (and Rupert!!!) breaking the silence. Anyway we got to Offas Dyke and to our surprise it brought us out at the Devil's Pulpit, a strange rock formation in the forest high above Tintern Abbey and the River Wye. It is a stunning view and you can see why Turner painted it and Wordsworth wrote his poem. On the way back we had to cross a patch of heathland and they have Exmoor ponies on there to manage it. As we got to the far gate we were suddenly surrounded by them which Rupert loved. We were tired and hot but contented as we walked back to the car.

Back to Gloucestershire again today, to visit my sister in Gloucester. She has promised a trip to the cathedral, which I love. So full of history! It was misty here when I first woke up but it is lifting now and there is blue sky trying to break through. Enjoy your time at Portcurno, Jane and everyone else enjoy the sunshine whatever you are doing.

PS Back to the original thread. I have a photocopied list of Minack Chronicles pinned up near my desk which I use to track down and order the books as I get to them. Anyway I think it must be from a book before The Confusion Room was published as its not on there - an extra Minack book to read!

[gloria townsin]

A good holiday does you so much - well - Good!! Hope you do live by the sea one day Tricia.

Offa's Dkye sounds beautiful and what wonderful weather to enjoy it with Adrian. Hope your trip to Gloucester is as nice.

[coquetwhispers]

It is an excellent read, no surprise there though.
It's now slotted into my Tangye shelf on the bookcase, but Im sure it wont be long before its out again !

[Sybille Weber]

Its been lovely here in Kent tonight. We decided to go to the coast and have dinner courtesy of a fish and chip shop tonight! We sat on a bench overlooking the sea eating our chips and watched the sun go down. It was lovely. A bit chilly by the time we left there though.

Lovely to hear you had such a nice evening. Which coastal place did you go to? We spent so many nice holidays in Kent, and usually stayed with our friends at Folkestone who have a house on the cliffs overlooking the harbour and the sea. So that was beautiful.

It seems everyone else has had a nice time, too, going out and about in this beautiful weather.
Over here it is has been just like summer since Thursday, just in time for the long holiday weekend. As Thursday was a holiday over here many people took Friday off as well or companies closed completely for the day, so that everyone could enjoy a long weekend.
We went for walks by the lake and in the country yesterday and on Thursday and are off to Gruga Gardens later today, although it's almost too hot to go for walks at present. The gardens are huge though, and I'm sure we will find a few paths in the shade. It's lovely outside now as nature is at its best with the fresh green on all the trees and everything in bloom. Yet, it is not quite the same as the English countryside, and I do miss the sea, too. I think everyone who lives within easy reach of the sea is so very lucky. For us the nearest seaside place is either the Dutch or the German Northsea coast, and it takes us three hours to get there, if there's not too much traffic. We thought of going there for these four days, but my health is not too good at the moment, and my parents couldn't have gone out at all then this weekend. They rely on us to take them somewhere as they are both not too well, and my father is going to have a heart pacemaker operation this coming Tuesday. I think everyone who has booked a room by the sea for the long weekend is extremely lucky as the weather turned summery just in time.

[adesmith]

Sorry to hear that your health is not so good at the moment, Sybille and that you werent able to get up to the coast. Maybe later in the summer? It looks like our sunny spell is coming to an end but I guess I cant complain because we have some lovely days in the school holidays.

I am going to write The Confusion Room on the bottom of my list. I have The Cherry Tree and Jeannie ready to read but as I have said before I dot them in when I need a taste of Minack and amongst other reading. That means that after those two I now have 5 more to look forward to!

[Mary Young]

Sorry to hear you are not well at the moment Sybille. Hope you are soon feeling better and hope your fathers operation goes well on Tuesday. What a worry for you.

We went to a small coastal place called Tankerton that evening. Its just along from Whitstable which is probably better known. Especially for the oysters! They have an oyster festival there every year. I have never tried oysters though - just don't fancy them.

Mary

[gloria townsin]

Hope all goes well for your Dad on Tuesday Sybille and take care of yourself as well. I do wish your health could improve so that you can do the things you really enjoy.

It's raining here now but as you can see it is very late, Jeff, Nina and Matt have just left after spending the evening, it is always good to have them together for a catch up. I do miss having chats with Nina now she no longer lives here - I got used to her being here especially as she had been visiting for a couple of years before living with us. It is now over three years they have been together, how quickly the time has gone.

I enjoy the Falthmouth Oyster Festival but only for the stalls and the ambiance.......definitely not the oysters.

[Kath Mulligan]

The very best of luck to your father for his operation on Tuesday, Sybille, hope everything goes well, and that your own health will improve again.

After several lovely hot days, this morning we awoke to rain, much needed by my plants but a nuisance for me since I had left some washing out on the line overnight and have just had to put it back in the washer for another spin since it was literally dripping! The girls and I spent all day yesterday relaxing in the garden with our books, and all of us throughly enjoyed it. It was lovely for them to be able to unwind like that since both are extremely busy and a bit stressed out at work at the moment. We had hoped to do something similar today, but that has gone by the board now.

This time last year I should have been looking forward to going to Sennen next Saturday, now someone else will be enjoying "our" cottage instead. I'm very sad, but at least I have got November in Cornwall to look forward to, although doubt I shall be coming home with a suntan from that one!

Kath

[Kath Mulligan]

I re-read The Confusion Room not long ago, recently managed to get to the end of The Evening Gull for the first time since Vin died, and am now well on through A Cornish Summer. Haven't yet decided which one will be next, probably Sun On The Lintel since that is one I tend to go back to over and over again. One day I really must read them all in chronological order!

Kath

[Linda]

Ditto from me Sybille, hope all goes well for your Dad. He will I am sure be up and around and feeeling much better afterwards.
Wishes too for you...as you know... :hug:

[pauline]

Sybille, I send all good wishes to you and your Dad. :grouphug!:

[gloria townsin]

I have read the Chronicles through from first to last and I'm glad I did but now I pick up at random........sometimes I read parts of a book and they seem to work whichever way I read them.......so for anyone who hasn't got them all, don't worry about reading them out of order as in a way there is no 'order' as such. The later ones I suppose do get into some sort of storyline following Jeannie's passing but even then Derek goes back over remembered times so Jeannie lives through all the books.
I started the Confusion Room and am half way through but it's been a bit pick it up and put it down........love taking them to Bryher with me as I kind of feel they are going home even though my copies are often old library ones and one of them, I think it might be The Confusion Room, is from Newcastle Library.

No rain here as yet but in a way I wish it would as it's so thundery and for the second day running I have woken up with a rotten headache, the kind that doesn't really respond to painkillers. Just want the storm over with and back to some sunshine.........sorry you won't be in the West this time of year Kath, we could have met up with Jane and others for a little FOMS reunion.....still there will be another time.

[Kath Mulligan]

The girls have already suggested another Lamorna Pottery Sunday lunch FOMS get together when we are down in November, so if you are up for it, put 7 November in your diary. Jane has already said she is up for this, hope Patricia, Gerald and Jenny will be too, and any other FOMS members who may be in the area at the time.

Kath

[jane jackson]

Very best wishes to your father Sybille for his operation on tuesday. I join with the others in hoping your health improves soon too so that you may enjoy all the things you'd like to be doing.

Kath you may go home rusty instead of tanned in November but I'm certain you'll love the holiday whatever the weather does ~ think of all those crashing waves!

My neighbour Caroline and I went to Porthcurno beach yesterday mid morning even though it wasn't as hot and sunny as friday and previous days had been ~ it would possibly have been a little too hot on friday. We enjoyed just sitting watching the waves crash on the rocks the opposite side to the theatre. It was high water when we got there and far too rough for any swimming but as the tide turned the waves quietened and people started to go in. Lots of children in wet suits ~ aren't they great for children when it's a bit chilly in the water and the sun not always out? It wasn't too crowded as we'd hoped with saturday being change over day. We stayed for about 3 hours reading, chatting and looking out to sea. The Scillonian went by on its way back to PZ about 12 ish which reminded me of Dorminack and all the references to it when in those days I'd never seen The Scillonian and now I see it practically every day. She must have been doing a double runner like last saturday due to half term so would have left PZ around 6am. When we were packing our stuff up to leave at 2.15pm she was on the horizon on her way back to The Scillies again.

We'd walked the dogs at Sennen at 7am yesterday morning where a couple of surfers were trying to find some waves. The Lifeboat was launched and went in the direction of Lands End. On the drive home Radio Cornwall News said the Lifeboat had gone to the aid of 2 people in a yacht which had become becalmed and was drfting towards rocks.

Today has been similar weatherwise to yesterday, warm but with the sun coming and going. Have spent the morning gardening and the afternoon on the swingseat reading ~ lovely!

[jane jackson]

Must have missed out the final page when reading the posts! Yes, I'm up for a mini FOMS reunion at The Pottery Kath.

[tricia2ws]

sending best wishes to you and your dad Sybille, lots of love to you both. x tricia

[Sybille Weber]

Thanks so much to all of you for your good wishes both for me and my Dad.
The operation went well and Dad is already home again, although he will have to go back for follow-up treatment during the next few days.
My health could be a little better. Hope at least the headache will go once the weather changes for the better. The long weekend was hot with temperatures of 30 degr. followed by thunderstorms and heavy downpours on Sunday evening and a temperature drop of 15 degr. Now it's mild but very changeable and humid. More thunderstorms forecast for later in the week.

[adesmith]

Glad that your Dad is well, Sybille. Hope that you feel a bit better soon.

[tricia2ws]

Am pleased your dad's op went well, I hope he has a speedy recovery, I hope also that you feel better soon, sending you both love. x tricia

[pauline]

Sybille, same good wishes from me too!:I_agree: