Reading outside

It is lovely to be able to sit outside reading in the sunshine, although this afternoon has been really windy. Gordon set off up into the fells, but had to turn round because of the wind. 

This pile is my shortlist for the Women's Prize, the official one of which will be announced tomorrow. I have read 11 of the 16 books on the longlist and these are the ones I think are the best ones. I doubt my list will bear any resemblance to the one to be announced, especially as there is one notable omission - The Mirror and the Light.

Today I started an Oxford University short online course - Fiction by Victorian Women. Coming to books like The Mill on the Floss after the contemporary books is very strange. It's like watching an old film after seeing a number of new ones - so slow and laborious! Nevertheless I am enjoying the experience. And it will be interesting looking at the issues women were writing about then and comparing that with what they are writing about today. I have read The Mill on the Floss a few times over the years and am currently using a 1990s paperback. But I found on the shelf a little old hardback edition which was given to my mother in 1937 whilst she was in school - a prize for Mathematics!

Family Quiz
The family quiz via Zoom was a success, great fun. We had the Goth Team of mother and daughter all dressed in black and appropriate make up. The youngest dressed up as a fairy princess and was part of the Toy Team. The White Stripes from Cornwall could only think to wear their dark glasses - well they only arrived there what is now weeks ago with clothes for a few days!. The reluctant 13 year old pretended she wasn't part of it at all, but when she found she could answer some of the questions things changed!! Grandad was an amusing question master and I kept the score. A different host and game next week.