A very amusing book and more socks




The Hot Pink sock yarn arrived just in time, Dylan's red socks are complete and he is very pleased with them, I have already cast on the Hot Pink for Tilly and am beginning to find it difficult to concentrate on anything else in my knitting basket! This is inspite of the fact that I have some baby knitting which is normally all absorbing, hmmm, this sock thing could be a worry.



Thank you for all the wonderful book suggestions, I am still weighing them up but will probably choose quite soon as I think I am ready to make the move from plain to patterned socks.



To accompany my current sock knitting I have just begun this rather wonderful book, The Diary of a Provincial Lady by E M Delafield. I listened to a serialisation of this book on Radio 4 some time ago and really enjoyed it so I snapped this copy up when I came across it recently in a Charity shop. Our provincial heroine and her witty observations make for splendid reading. The characters are brought brilliantly to life, from grumpy cook and her complaints about the stove to the frustrating Robert asleep behind his Times - "Robert startles me at breakfast by asking if my cold - which he has hitherto ignored - is better. I reply that it has gone. Then why, he asks, do I look like that?" Then there is the awful Lady B with all her well meaning condescensions. One such conversation with Lady B gives our heroine cause to consider a suitable subject for debate at the next WI meeting, "That Imagination is incompatible with Inherited Wealth." Our long suffering heroine must deal with the day to day management of her household, difficult servants include the Madmoiselle who is "very French". The Provincial Lady manages her budget with difficulty and has a close relationship with the rather facetious Plymouth pawnbroker.



However, I am waffling, suffice to say, it is a really super read, very, very funny and I am enjoying it immensely. Inspite of the very different times in which we live I am sure many of us can identify with aspects of the Provinical Lady's life, one moment which rings particularly true with me is her trip to the hairdressers from which she emerges with a mahogany coloured head which will wear off in time, "very angry but all to no purpose". Ok, morning coffee time, might manage another couple of rounds of this sock if I can keep Tilly amused at the same time. Oh the addiction of it....

Comments

SueJ said…
love the pink! .....want some!
Anonymous said…
lovely shade of pink!

Your book snippets sound very interesting.
Arianwen said…
The book sound hilarious. The comment about the cold sounds like something my dad would have said. I shall have to look out for it.
Anonymous said…
The sock yarn looks yummy the way you've photographed it Rebecca. The book sounds very interesting as well.
Anonymous said…
Ooh, that pink yarn looks yummy. I'm sure Tilly will love her socks. Thanks for the book recommendation as well.
Twelfthknit said…
Think I'll keep an eye out for that novel, sounds like a good read.
Love that pink sock yarn - you are a very devoted mum, I'd probably end up keeping it for myself!
India
Charity said…
I know what you mean about having trouble putting the socks down... I have a sweater otn that I'm loving, but I can't stay away from the socks I'm knitting! :0)
picperfic said…
that yarn looks delicious! I have bookmarked the site, thanks...I wish I could finish a book let alone a sock! My concentration is all over the place right now! Love the bit about the hairdressers...you sound happy!
Anonymous said…
Lots of good yarn going on at your place. There's nothing like a good summer read. The sock addiction of course needs no explanation.
Anonymous said…
Thanks for the words of encouragement regarding the knitting. I am currently sitting up very late knitting a scarf, I've only dropped on stitch so far. Hmmmm! I have not read that book yet but I did purchase her daughter's book about a month ago and it was just as funny. I'm hoping I will be knitting socks in less than a month.
Artis-Anne said…
Great shade of pink for Miss Tilly :) Isn't it amazing how sock knitting can become addictive although now I am reverting from multi coloured yarn to plain to show lacy patterns up BUT not until I get through my mountain of multi yarns !!
That novel sounds like an amusing read , just what I am in need of Thank you :)
willow said…
I've read that book several times after hearing it on Woman's Hour years ago. You're right some of the observations are just brilliant.
Anonymous said…
I love the Diaries - one of my favourite books.

I found a copy of "Provincial Daughter" by R.M.Dashwood recently, which is another diary-form novel in a similar vein but based in the fifties, written by E.M.Delafield's real-life daughter.

Also have you come across the sequels to the Provincial Diaries as well? Can't get too much of a good thing!
Krawuggl said…
How I wish that my english would be better, so I could really understand this kind of books. You know, this certain kind of humour and hidden innuendos that only a native speaker is able to. I am so much tempted to read a bit more books in english, maybe I better start with some of my old Agatha Christies first. I read them all also in German, so to find the murder would not be a surprise to me, but a very good exercise.

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