Monday 18 October 2010

Racing Hither & Thither

This past week has been hectic to say the least. Last Sunday, Rob and I travelled (plane, train, coach) to see my son who has just started his second year at uni. We met for lunch and he was thrilled to tell us that he'd just been given a job (Sundays), then we went with him to see the house he's sharing with four friends. I shan't comment on their living room (the only spotless thing in there was the new tv they've clubbed together to buy), or the kitchen (um, enough said), but there was a new carpet on the stairs(!) and their rooms are lovely. Then it was time to take a coach and train to Southampton, where R & I stayed the night.

On Monday we donned our finery and were thoroughly spoilt when we attended the celebrations for Cunard's new liner the Queen Elizabeth. We enjoyed tours around the ship, drinks reception, lunch, Naming Ceremony with the Queen. Robert Powell (he of the beautiful voice, Holby & Jesus of Nazareth fame) announced the protocol for all attending; Sir Ben Kingsley gave a speech, then I nearly ran into him as the poor man was making his way to the Gents and I was thundering from the Ladies to find Rob. He's Rob said, "I'll bet you never thought you'd ever be in the same place as the Queen, Gandhi and Jesus all at the same time." Then it was coach, train, plane back to Jersey where we eventually arrived home (having collected the dog) at 9pm.

Tuesday - I was up at 4.50am for the red-eye to Gatwick, a 1.5hr taxi ride and an all day meeting. Then it was taxi, plane and home, again for around 9pm.

Wednesday - I was rather tired and couldn't wait to finish work and go home, but being a bit of a fool, I'd stupidly eaten a chewy sweet at the meeting the day before and managed to pull out a crown, so it was off to the dentist as soon as I'd left work.

However, today, Novelicious is back after the summer hiatus. You'll find interviews, my review of Victoria Connelly's fab book, A Weekend With Mr Darcy and so much more.

Helen at Bookersatz has posted my review of The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society. This is a timeless book and I can't think why it took me so long to read it, so if you haven't read this yet, please go and read the review.

Right, I'm off to light a fire and start reading Margaret James's, The Silver Locket. Can't wait.

15 comments:

Melissa Amateis said...

Oh my goodness! You WERE busy. I'm exhausted just reading about it.

I'm so glad you read The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society. I knew you'd love it!!!

DAB said...

What a busy little bee, enjoy the roaring fire :) TFx

Melissa Amateis said...

I just watched the video - oh my. The ship is gorgeous! And I loved the Queen's hat. ;-)

Chris Stovell said...

wow! How fabulous to have been at the naming ceremony - you do find some good gigs, Debs! What a busy week too. Loved GL&PPS - found it a real 'grower'.

Faye said...

Wow! I'm tired for you, Debs. But how exciting all around with visits to the uni guy house--how considerate the parents were to stay in a hotel and not bunk with them. Or self preservation?

Glad you got to experience all that pomp and ceremony and meet all the celebrities. I must see if Amazon U.S. has Tapestry--it has such an intriguing storyline. And I agree with you about GPPPS, especially use of correspondence to tell the story.

Jenny Beattie said...

Crumbs, what a week...

I'm just waiting for the YouTube to buffer... but in the meantime... I couldn't get into the GL&PPS. I should give it another go I think.

I hope you get to rest a bit now...

Queenie said...

Sun and Mon sound like great fun; Tues and Weds less so. Hope your fireside reading provided rest and rejuvenation.

Lane Mathias said...

That was some week!

Hope you manage to recharge your batteries this week. And stay off the chewies:-) x

Flowerpot said...

I'm exhausted just reading that Debs but what a great week! And love the cover of Margaret's book.

Cathy said...

Sounds like an amazing week, but yes, I feel exhausted too!

Anna Scott Graham said...

Oh my what a weekend!! Very very cool... :)))

Potato Peel Pie Society was a great read! Sorry about that crown though...

Suzanne Ross Jones said...

Goodness. What a week. I'm exhausted just reading about it.

XX

Jan Jones said...

Gosh, busy and exciting or what!

Jen said...

Blimey Debs, check you out with your famous new friends - shame you didn't run into the Queen in the loo, you could have borrowed her lippy!

Your life sounds fabulously exciting, excluding student digs of course. Can't wait to read Potato Peel - it's been in my pile for nearly 2 years!

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

melissa - It was wonderful, thanks so much for recommending it in the first place.

tf - thanks, will do.

melissa - it was so luxurious and wonderful to see the Queen close up (well, fairly close up).

chris - me too, I'd sort of looked at it before, but then when I read a few pages, I loved it more and more.

faye - self-preservation definitely.

I'll have to look up Tapestry.

jenny - I'm slowly catching up with everything.

queenie - I'm feeling a little livelier after a bit of a rest.

lane - very exhausting, and certainly banned from the chewies.

flowerpot - it was great fun, but tiring. I'm loving the book, it's so good.

cathy - fun, but exhausting too.

anna - the crown was a bit of a pain, but it's glued back in now and I'll have to behave myself with the sweets to keep it there.

suzanne - busy, but fun.

jan - very exciting, I had a great time.

spiralskies - I wonder if we wear the same shade?

It's a great book, I'll read it again at some point too.