"Every house where love abides
And friendship is a guest,
Is surely home, and home sweet home
For there the heart can rest."
~ Henry Van Dyke

Friday, July 24, 2009

Summer reading and cleaning up

This year, I am reading more than ever. I just love to start my day with a good book while I relax in a hot bath. The bath is necessary for my muscles to warm up and start to unstiffen but the book is necessary for my soul.


My mother and I share books and both love reading cozy mysteries. One of our favorite authors is Nancy Atherton who writes the Aunt Dimity series. I have so enjoyed this series but this one "Aunt Dimity and The Next of Kin" was different than the others. It was so uplifting and restores the idea of a kind and caring world. I won't go into the plot too much in case you would want to read it for yourself. I will only say, please do. I would recommend you start with this series from the beginning in order to really get to know the characters in this little Cotwolds village. But the books are able to be read individually if you would rather not do the entire series. Do read book one no matter what as you are introduced to Lori, Aunt Dimity and Bill.


I am also decluttering and cleaning my bookshelves literally a shelf at a time. I have been doing about two shelves a week and going through books. We are trying to get rid of things as our home becomes too full. We have a very large stack of books to hopefully be sold to a secondhand bookshop. I also have a couple of books and magazines to pass along to a friend who loves reading books written in English as does her daughter. Then there is a bag of handwork related mysteries to pass along to the ladies of the Sip 'N Stitch group when I see them next week. At first, I hated parting with books but have learned the only way I have space to buy more books is to pass along ones I probably won't read again. Sharing things I am not using is a good feeling.

18 comments:

Nancy said...

Hi
I agree, I have decided I cannot keep books forever. Some of them, when I give them to my friends to read, I tell them to just pass them on. I see you are reading Aunt Dimity. Hope you are having a good day. I am feeling lots better today and stopped the pain meds.
Love you, Mom

Anonymous said...

Hi Heidi,

This is what I love about reading blogs ~ I discover books that I had not previously discovered. I will look out for these at the library.

Take care and enjoy your weekend.

Marie x

Linda said...

Good morning Heidi...this is a nice way to start the day, I also enjoy a bit of stitching in the early morning.

I love a cozy mystery...I have never read anything by Nancy Atherton..this looks like a great series and I'm going to look for the first book, I like getting to know the characters too,...hugs, Linda

p.s.I'm so happy to see your Mom's comment, I have been thinking of her and so glad she is feeing better today....L

Tammy said...

Hi Heidi,
I put Aunt Dimity on my Amazon wish list, thank you for sharing, I haven't heard of this series before.
I love books and also have a hard time parting with them but as you said there comes a time when more room is needed. Fortunately I can donate books to the library....now if I could only do this with my quilting and stitching books ;)
I too was glad to see your Mom's comment.
Hugs2u and your Mom

Susan in SC said...

Reading is food for the soul. I have to read something in the mornings to get my mind going! I am glad to read the post from your mom. She has been on my mind this week. Hope you are continuing to do well!

Caroline said...

Heidi,

What a lovely post. I was wondering about both you and your mother, and I am glad to read ( in your mother's comment) that she is feeling a bit better. How are you coping?
I love discovering new books to read, and can always rely on you for good suggestions. I will definitely start reading that series, as apart from anything else, I adore the Cotswolds.
I am not quite as good as you about moving books on. I will have to soon though, as I might otherwise start having trouble entering my house. I have started to give away books that I know I will not read again too, it is good to know that they are going to a good home!
I have just received a few more Persephone books, even though I have not finished the ones I ordered earlier yet. You might call it an obsession!
But... on the other hand my "to be read" pile is so huge anyway, that one or two more do not really make any difference. Well, that is my excuse anyway...

Hugs, and have a lovely weekend,

Caroline

Teresa @ Grammy Girlfriend said...

I am such a bookoholic.....came home with 4 today from a 30 minute errand run....They are magnets to me....

Anonymous said...

I was checking over the blogs at the end of my list and did not realize that the old one was you and I was about to delete from my list. So glad I found you again. I am a book lover too, but I like to pass mine on. We have a little store near us that we donate to and they in turn sell them for little and it goes to the literacy council in our county. I have taken some in and usually end up buying some back. Blessings
QMM

Anonymous said...

Heidi, I lost my sister 37 years ago and I talk about it like it was yesterday. Thanks for your comments. I am a nurse, in fact I was her nurse, and I truly believe your Mom has better chances than she did. We had only one drug back then and being so young is a hindrance to curing breast cancer. The hormone situation in young women is the culprit. Your Mom has a great chance to recover.

DonnaTN said...

I have noticed before that we have similar taste in books. This is a new author and series to me. With your recommendation, I will definitely be on the look out for these books!

Judy said...

I'm trying to get rid of some of my books and things too. I have way too much. I have not read Aunt Dimity but I will definitely check them out.

Sonja said...

Your decluttering is going wel! Wat een klus he, om alles door te spitten. Niet te gauw de lege plekken in de boekenkast opvullen met nieuwe boeken hoor! Anders blijf je aan het opruimen...LOL

Lynne said...

Hi Heidi,
I love reading too. Only yesterday I went to visit the library to get some new books out. I am nearing the end of my current one. Fortunately they have a good selection of novels written in English. Sometimes I get Swedish quilt books out too.
I havent read any Aunt Dimity books. I will look out for them. Have you read The number one detective agency by Alexander McCall Smith. You probably have, but if not I find them enjoyable, you might too.

Terri Pollhein said...

I like your new blog, Heidi!

Tracy said...

Oh, yes...a day without reading would not be a day for me either! Enjoy your summer reading, my friend :O) ((HUGS))

Tone said...

Hi my friend!
Back again from the cottage - we had about 4 degrees....lucky me I store a lot of winter clothes, woolen sweaters etc - its so useful...Norway, the country for special interested people, hehe...
I have read some of your blogs here - and poor you having the visitors, the slimy suckers - eating all your flowers??
I have bougth very expensive stuff - and once a week, I make a "fence" of it around my garden.
Here where I live, we have the National University of Agriculture, - and they are so pleased to announce that there are fewer snails this summer.
We have had a big campain going on - everyone have picked and killed snails for the last years.

Tonight its raining an rainging again - thunder and lightening.
For four weeks we have had bad holiday weather....makes me grumpy!
But, better days might come - and I hope my roses do well even after this summer...

How is your health? - have been thinking of you !
all the best!
Tone

Rhondi said...

I am always on the look out for a new author and love ones that write series, so I am going to see if our library has them. Thanks for the tip!

Anonymous said...

hoi heidi, leuk blog heb je ik ga je zeker volgen. vraagje hoe is de titel van het eerste dimity boek?
groet lavender