It's Monday what are you reading...The Forgotten Seamstress, Liz Trenow

 It's Monday What are you reading is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey

from the back cover:
She kept her secret for a lifetime...
A shy girl with no family, Maria knows she's lucky to have landed in the sewing room of the royal household.  Before World War I casts it's shadow, she catches the eye of the Prince of Wales, a glamorous and intense gentleman (not sure about that statement).  but her life takes a far darker turn, and soon all she has left is a fantastical story about her time at Buckingham Palace. 

Decades later, Caroline Meadows discovers a beautiful quilt in her mother's attic.  When she can't figure out the meaning...


It's Monday already.  I finished reading The Forgotten Seamstress ,Liz Trenow.  It's a neat little story,I found the historical facts quite interesting.  I also loved learning about the different fabrics used in Royal garments, not sure that still happens.  I was also heartbroken at the treatment of Maria, what a sad turn of events.    I didn't continue in the back of the book with book club questions for discussion.  I think the only thing that ticked me off and is still ticking me off is the "jumping into bed" with men you've just met, and after the recent medical issue.  I found that part not only in poor taste, but very unnecessary, it added nothing to the storyline, and if I were the editor... relationships aren't built in bedrooms, as we should have learned from Maria and the King.

A great little read for those of us who love a  little Royal  mystery

What's next... Alzheimer's 911, Frena Gray-Davidson.  I'm reading this book to decide if it should be on the shelf for the caregivers of the residents, in who's library I volunteer.  I sure could have used more available resources when my Mom was changing.  This is a MYSTERY that is ever evolving.


Photo of the book I own.

I read this book to tie off my War Through the Generations Challenge WWI and WWII combined. 

Sunday Salon...A Change of Climate

Sunday Salon finds me frustrated.  My lap top has had issues, so I'm forced to wait till one of the guys is not using their computers to do "anything" .  My husband has some weird program on that keeps asking me if I'm him.  Way too much security, wait till he sees I've "fixed that".  It's been an unusual week, other than I'm still waiting for workmen to get to me and do things they have been paid for.  I told my husband that it was his job to wait, but then again I can't exactly have him staying home from work to wait.  So it's me... that means I'll be missing my watercolour workshop tomorrow.  DANG! The inside job is very SLOW! and there are no inside fairies at work.  A dear friend is not doing well, and I suspect she'll give up.  SAD, all around story.  Why do some people just have it so hard? 

The rest of the week I imagine will be a bit of this and a bit of that.  It is suppose to cool down, so I'm hoping to use "pesticides" on my lillies, imagine a bug eating my beautiful lillies, one day they were there and then they weren't. 

I try really hard not to use pesticides, but this did it, between the red spider bite, and no I'm not radioactive, but I still have a hard unhealed spot in the area where I was bitten, so pesticides it is.  We here in the GTA are not permitted to use harsh chemicals so I'm not sure what I bought will be very effective, but dish liquid just didn't do it.

On the reading front,  I finished Change of Climate, Hilary Mantel,  a good story, which I enjoyed reading, even if it left me very sad.  I can't remember who reviewed it, but thank you for suggesting it.  It was well worth the trip to the library. 
from amazon.ca

Ralph and Anna Eldred are an exemplary couple, devoting themselves to doing good. Thirty years ago as missionaries in Africa, the worst that could happen did. Shattered by their encounter with inexplicable evil, they returned to England, never to speak of it again. But when Ralph falls into an affair, Anna finds no forgiveness in her heart, and thirty years of repressed rage and grief explode, destroying not only a marriage but also their love, their faith, and everything they thought they were.

My young niece is a missionary, and we worry. 

up next,  The Wives of Los Alamos, Tarashea Nesbit.  I'm not quite half way through, but so far all I can say is "we've come a long way baby..." or have we?

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Sunday Salon...

Well it's Sunday, and winter has reared it's very white head, here in the GTA, not sure how cold it is, but it's white again, or more white I should say.  I've done fairly well with my reading this week, finished How the Light Gets In, Louise Penny.  In my effort to read more Canadian authors, I chose this book on the recommendation of Shonna of the Canadian Book Worm.  Thanks Shonna.  I read at the bottom of the book description this is the ninth Inspector Gamache mystery, where have I been?  I love Armand.  I know I have read Louise Penny before, not sure which one though, I enjoyed it obviously as much as this one.  This was a murder mystery, with historical implications, all tightly woven in a thriller.  I was trying to cast the part of Armand (Hollywood style) and could only come up with my all time fav  Gregory Peck, now that says a lot, because I normally would cast Tom Sellick or Aidan Quinn, but they don't have that wonderful Peck quality.  It would have to be a young Peck. Like the time of Atticus Finch.  Now of course I have to go and read Pierre Berton's the Dionne Years, I remember having this on our reading list in highschool, but it never arrived in time for us to complete it, quite a lot of controversy about this one.  As a matter of fact, I've now searched 3 different cities in their libraries and had no luck,  is it a "forbidden read"? The mystery continues... I'll be calling the library board in the a.m.  A five star read.

“There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” —Leonard Cohen. ( Love Leonard Cohen even if he is a bit weird.)

The next reading adventure was all Trish's fault.  I'm not big on graphic novels and Jenners almost had me convinced, but when Trish said she enjoyed this one, I thought "o.k. time to stop being so old, and venture into a new reading experience".   So I chose to read Maus,1: A survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History.

I was not disappointed, and I can see the purpose for graphic novels, they offer an avenue to tell a story in a format perhaps more appealing to a younger reader. I'm not a younger reader, but found the book easy enough to read.  Love the language used, even if it was a little stereotypical. Now I suppose I'll have to read the second part.

A four star read.



Beyond my reading adventures, I'm well on my way to finishing and oak desk for my son, to replace the one he lost in our flood.  wish I could get new arms, that sanding really does shake things up on an old babe, like me.  Needless to say pictures will follow.  AND, I'm almost done with a little painted sign for a friends business, for her ladies room.  It's coming out pretty cool.

My sister Donna is coming along very slowly, (she thinks she's fine) THANK YOU LORD.  We did a small road trip with her on Friday.

It was a good news week here on other fronts as well, so once again, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow, if good news is coming our way we can handle the shoveling

Up next in reading, hmm...Five Little Pigs, Agatha Christie (thanks Margaret Books Please)  

It's Monday What are you Reading... For Your Tomorrow...

It high time I let you know what one of the best books I've read this year was all about.  For Your Tomorrow, is a beautifully written Non fiction account of a young man who gave his life for his country and humanity.

The story line jumps between Canada, and Afghanistan. A beautifully written account of a young man who struggles with his decisions of career until he finds his "calling".  Feeling his duty to humanity so strongly that he gives his life.  This is the story of before and the after of that wonderful life.

The only problem I found reading this book was the constant need for tissues.  As I tend to read on public transit, this is a difficult thing to do, I found other passengers deeply affected by my weeping, some would write down the title, others would change seats.  I finished this book many weeks ago, but just couldn't write the review.  I don't like to read non-fiction.  Lets face it I like to pretend, but this was outstanding.  I ordered this book when it was first released, and then my son joined the army.  You can understand why it sat on my bookshelf.  My son has now moved on into another area.  I cannot imagine the feelings of those left behind.

Product description:

What compels a young, affluent Canadian to put on a uniform and risk his life for the controversial mission in Afghanistan? And how does his family cope with his loss when he is killed there? Jeff Francis was a thirty-year-old doctoral candidate and student of Buddhism when he decided that joining the armed forces was the best way to make a difference in the world. In elegant, spare prose that captures both the hardness of war and the nuances of a grieving family, Melanie Murray - Captain Francis's aunt - uses the lens of his life and death to give Canada's war in Afghanistan the perceptive, literary treatment its soldiers, families and citizens deserve.

I read this book as part of my War Through the Generations Challenge.  While this is not the Iraqi War/Gulf Wars, I felt I needed to be true to my Canadian self and my countries involvement in these wars.

 Rated - Excellent