The House at Tyneford... Part one

Welcome to our first read-along discussion of The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons. If you’re following our schedule, you should have read the first ten chapters. If you’re still considering joining us, it’s not too late – you can see the read-along schedule here.
Let’s start with our first impressions. You can leave your thoughts, answers to my questions, or a link to your own post in the comments section.

What do you think of the writing?
I've  not read this authors previous works, but I'm enjoying her descriptions and easy flow style.

Have you learned anything surprising?
I'm always surprised to learn of the pecking order of servants in upper class homes. I think this probably why I am so stunned by the "tell all" biographies we read about the royals today.  Does this mean that loyalty and confidentiality to ones Mistress/Master is no longer the demand  among the serving class. (if there is such a thing?) I have watched Downton Abbey, finally caught up, and am surprised at the levels authority involved.

What are your first impressions of Elise?
I agrre, that the author has made her likeable, but just for me.  I do think she is a rather spoiled brat, for lack of a better word.  She is certainly suffering from culture shock.  I even think the staff a Tyneford are kind enough, considering she is a foreigner, I'm not sure that is all that truthful.  I've heard real stories quite to the contrary.  But, I believe she thinks she is there only temporarily, and I understand why she doesn't think she needs to read that book on how to.  She thinks she will never need to know.

Do you think Elise will ever see her parents or her sister, Margot, again?

I’m not sure.  I'm having a hard time believing her parents will get out of Vienna.

Want to make any predictions?
I think it’s fairly obvious that we’re headed for a romantic storyline involving Elise and ? not sure if it might not be Mr. Rivers.  I don't know about Kit.

Thanks to Carrie of Books and Movies for hosting this read a long.

Happy Anniversary

Well as you've probably assumed June is a full month, we have Grads and Dads, birthdays and anniversaries. I know my sister Alice will call and say "What were you doing 29 years ago today? Well in the morning I'm sure I was assembling my hat and veil, and as I was having real forget me not's on the crown of it, I'm sure I was picking them in Mrs. Sagan's garden. Then of course was the hair, my friend Mary was so nervous, that her mother ended up doing my hair. We had a horse and buggy drive us to the church, the day was quite hot, so our friend Jerry Ostrowski was giving the carriage drivers beer, they were QUITE refreshed. We didn't expect people to come to the house, but there they were, tons of people. The driveway was packed. Andy the groom had had a late night,and a lot of refreshments, and arrived, by car, a little late. Alice and I were frying chicken wings, and making center pieces the day before so the house smelt of grease. So before the I do's we had quite an interesting morning. After the church we took pictures in front of the old Nugent House, my niece Jennifer, who was a flower girl, decided it was too hot to look cute in her dress, so she stripped and wanted to run through the sprinklers, which my mother had on to water her flowers. Priorities eh! We ran out of beer before dinner started. Oh what else can I say. When Andy carried me over the threshold, he ran into the door frame and I had a bruise on my arm the size of Montreal. So what was I doing? Obviously I was having a blast. And it's been that way for 29 years. So Happy Anniversary HONEY.
Photo of the house next door.
I'd like to play Happy Anniversary, by Charles Aznovar, but I can't seem to be able to figure out the download. Maybe next year. P.S. the tree on the left is the one under which we layed to watch Ruth go to church. (blog, lady in yellow dress)