Costwold Canal Trust bookshop, Brimscombe

Today was GG's birthday but she was with family or playing bridge or something. As the weather was forecast to be rotten, I had a couple of friends round to watch the very long version of Hamlet, the 1996 film directed by, and starring, Kenneth Branagh. We're reading the book for a course.

We were all very good and did CoVid lateral flow tests first. Half way through the film we stopped and had a shared lunch. Steve joined us and showed some of his recent photos. Then back to Hamlet. In the filthy weather, I'd turned on the heating. Later I turned on my electric throw and, before I knew it, I was dozing off... must be my age!

The film was a visual delight, with some superb acting. We agreed we must watch it again, but maybe not straight away. When the guests had left, I cleared up and booked some tickets online for an actual event we are going to, along with GG, in June. It's a garden festival in Herefordshire. Can't believe we'll be allowed to leave the county and actually mingle with other people!

I've just stumbled across one of the crime books I bought the other day at the Cotswold Canals Trust second hand bookshop. A very murderous Christmas is the name: ten short stories by crime writers from the classic to the contemporary. The first story, the Man with the Sack, is by Margery Allingham, who wrote about the English upper classes in their country houses. My verdict: entertaining and not in the least demanding. Perfect after watching Hamlet!

To cut a long story short, I'm blipping the new premises of the bookshop, the one I actually visited on Saturday. The weather today was not conducive to taking photos, and I've blipped enough screens or jigsaws lately. Besides, the bookshop could probably do with the publicity. It's only open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, which is a pity, but I guess there aren't enough volunteers to staff it five or six days per week. I shall return.