I'll have to work backwards through the summer, with many things that made the season interesting: people, books, travel. This last Sunday night and Monday we were with our friends the Steebers at the home they are building in Leavenworth. It was a beautiful evening, with a lovely meal with other old Holden friends Ron and Nancy Vignec, Barb Rossing and Lauren Johnson, and Barb's youngest sister Mary, who is the mayor of Northfield, Minnesota! We sat out on the deck over a terrific dinner of lamb done on the grill, and had wonderful conversation about life and faith and church. Here's a picture from our time together:
On Monday Greg and Mary and I went tubing on the river, which was really fun! We got a bit wet, but it was well worth it. Here's a photo from our expotition:
The red and green paddles are frisbees. Works pretty well.
Larry had been to Holden to do some museum work. He went up last Wednesday. Pat went with him and they did a little hiking for a couple days. So the complicated car exchange went like this:
Pat brought the Checker to our house and rode over with Larry. Pat came out of Holden on Friday in time for his 20th high school reunion and for Nico's 4th birthday on Saturday. He drove the green van back to our house and took his car. On Sunday I drove over to Field's Point to pick up Larry, and we went to Leavenworth. We finally both arrived home on Monday evening. It was an action-packed and eventful few days!
I am currently reading the fourth novel in Phil Rickman's Merrily Watkins series. Merrily is an Anglican priest who is also the diocesan exorcist! The first novel, Wine of Angels, didn't really impress me very much, and I thought the Rev. Watkins was a bit "wet" as the English say. But the second volume, Midwinter of the Spirit hooked me, and I find the whole series quite engrossing. Although they are big books, they are quick reads with fast-paced story lines. The ecclesiastical stuff makes a lot of sense. It all takes place in Hereford near the Welsh border, and he uses real places and real stories of those places, which I like a lot. So I'd recommend these novels. The third is A Crown of Lights and the one I am currently reading is The Cure of Souls. Merrily also has a 16 year-old daughter, Jane, who is a very good character. After The Cure of Souls there are six more. They are not very easily available, although they are recent. Not many printings, I guess. I had hoped to pick up a few when we were in England in May, but even at Foyles they didn't have any, and the few they had had been ordered from America even though they were printed in England! The weird anomalies of book publishing. Rumor has it they are all about to be reprinted.
Speaking of England, I did pick a great new author there. The name is Nicola Upson, and her three mysteries are An Expert in Murder, Angel with Two Faces, and Two for Sorrow. These take place in the 1930's in England, and the protagonist is Josephine Tey (pen name of Elizabeth Mackintosh), most famous for her mystery The Daughter of Time. They are well done, although a touch pedantic at times. They are also based on real cases of the era, and the historical setting is excellent. I have always been interested in the women of that time (Dorothy L. Sayers being one), and these novels give another perspective in that context.
More coming up on the adventures of the summer! Happy September.
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