I wasn't feeling up to going to church this morning. Although I am feeling
better, I am still coughing and a quiet church is a guarantee that coughing
will begin. So I stayed home while David threw his golf clubs in the back
of the Jeep and took off for eighteen holes with his friends.
I happily stayed home, and after brewing a cup of tea, headed back to
bed, with Bentley by my side of course, and opened up the book I
have been reading.
It's A Fine Romance by Susan Branch. I am a big fan of hers and have
been particularly looking forward to this book because it's about her
trip across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary II with her husband to spend
glorious days in England. Although all of the charming little English
villages, tea shops and gardens just carry one away to a happy place,
the high point, especially for me, is her trip to visit Jane Austen's house
and Beatrix Potter's Hill Top Farm.
I am a huge fan of both Jane and Beatrix, but it is Beatrix who holds
the most special place in my heart.
So much so that I have a little vintage shelf just devoted to her!
Susan Branch tells some fun tidbits about renting a car and driving on
the wrong side of the road and through tight little cottage lanes lined
with stone walls and hedgerows. I particularly enjoyed those
passages because of my own experience driving on roads such
as those in England. It can be quite unnerving to say the least.
The last time I did it I was with my Mom and Daddy. I was the
one driving the rental car through the English countryside while
Daddy navigated and Mom sat in the back seat periodically
yelling ~
Susan, slow down! We are going to die before we
even get to Oxford!
Having been to England several times before, I knew about
the little narrow lanes and the chaotic roundabouts, and I
had driven on the wrong side of the road in other
countries before. Daddy was fine with me driving,
Mom ~ not so much ;-)
I highly recommend this book. It is a delight!
Bentley wants to know when we are going ~ he
loves to travel. I am explaining to him that he would
have to go into quarantine and he would not like that.
How about Paris instead Bentley? We can both go
there and the French just adore petit chiens!!
Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
Well, we know Bentley gets the final vote. Glad you had a nice cozy day at home.
ReplyDeleteBrenda
Yes, Bentley often gets the final vote around here.
DeleteI have that book on my wish list, it looks charming and as you did I would buy the paper version (not ebook), to savor her paintings. Good idea to rest and yet to travel via the book.
ReplyDeleteI checked out my copy from the library, but I love it so much that I planning on purchasing my own copy. Susan Branch is so entertaining. I read her blog all the time and always feel so happy after a visit. This book is full of wonderful details, photos, drawings and recipes too. What a talented gal!
DeleteI loved Susan Branches book too. She is so gifted. I'm waiting for the next one to come out soon. I can't wait to read that one too. Glad you are feeling a little better. Good idea to stay home and rest.
ReplyDeleteI thought about getting up and going to church, but I get these coughing spells and can't really control them even with cough drops. And frankly, I don't really want to pass this on to anyone.
Deleteyour so right about the coughing fit happening at church LOL when I go it is always my growling stomach lol its weird it never growls at home LOL ! at home is where I chose to be Sunday myself I could not seem to wake up ! I wanted to tell that I lived in Texas for years my Daddy still lives there I lived in Irving and Dallas both of my children were born at Parkland hospital since I'm a new subscriber I thought I would tell you a little bout myself! ad its true when they say DONT MESS WITH TEXAS!!! LOL I loved Texas I miss it!................Melissa
DeleteI loved Susan Branches book too. She is so gifted. I'm waiting for the next one to come out soon. I can't wait to read that one too. Glad you are feeling a little better. Good idea to stay home and rest.
ReplyDeleteI love Mary Branch books and illustrations! I have to check this book out. Thank you for the recommendation and I hope Bentley makes it to Paris!
ReplyDeleteYour mother sounds so much like mine. Mine went into hysterics when I was learning to drive...crazy!!!
I{ love anything that is Susan Branch and must read her book. So sorry that you are still not up to par. I am sure that Bentley enjoys snuggling with you.
ReplyDeleteYour trip to England with your parents sounds like a lot of fun.
Have a good week and hope you are feeling better soon.
Mary
Our trip to England and Scotland was a lot of fun. We spent three full weeks together touring and I also got to spend time with a very dear old friend who lives in Henley-on-Thames.
DeleteFeel better, I love Susan Branch just discovered her last year. I have her calenders and I have lots of Beatrix Potter books.
ReplyDeleteHave you read her blog yet? It is wonderful too. She is just a darling!
DeleteOh Susan, I do love Susan Branch! She inspired my husband and I to take our dream trip aboard the QM2 to England this past May. I have been blogging about our journey. I do hope you are feeling much better by now. Get plenty of rest and drink lots of liquids.
ReplyDeleteI wish me and hubby could travel but we have too many doggys to go away I'm talking we have 15 little babies inside and the big babies live out side in our fenced in large yard we have 7 of the very large dogs , my sweet hubby brought them after fiding the litter in the woods while hunting! we had a lot of tornadoes bow here and a lot of animals got lost so he thought he was doing a good thing by finding what he thought were lost dogs at one time we had 40 dogs and 1 cat ! no one not one person claimed one animal that hubby found!!! then the animals started mating and the puppies started comeing in faster than I could find homes we could not get them fixed fast enough LOL! SO NO MORE TRIPS !!! I get depressed sometimes being stranded here! but I always get over it !!! lolo...............................Melissa
DeleteI also love and adore Susan Branch Beatrix Potter and a couple months ago found a whole collection at the thrift town. I had been looking and i had bidded on lone several time and it got to high i got these for 59 cents each.. And i finally found a cute Ceramic Peter for cheaper as well.. This book I havent purchased yet but will soon it sounds so exciting. Im waiting for her new book to come in. I hope you feel better real soon, with love Janice
ReplyDeleteThe book sounds wonderful! I hope you are feeling much better soon!
ReplyDeleteHope you feel better soon - the cough always seems to linger, doesn't it? Thanks for the book review. I have a friend with a birthday coming up and I just know it will be perfect for her. Jane
ReplyDeleteSusan, I hope you are feeling much better after a rest at home. Your book recommendation sounds like one I would enjoy. I love travel and just returned from the British Isles recently! Blessings, Pam (everydayliving.me)
ReplyDelete