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Showing posts from September, 2024
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No, the photograph is not the senior partner at home.  Nor the junior partner, either, in case you're wondering (cheek!). The gorgeous model library above can be seen in the model village at Bourton-on-the-Water in Gloucestershire.  We visited the UK earlier in the year for various family events, and found time to visit Bourton and model Bourton. It struck me that home libraries are becoming increasingly rare.  I live happily surrounded by books both professionally and personally.  However, people I visit seem increasingly to be divesting themselves of their book collection.  To me that's like throwing away old friends.  As I type this (not in a posh library like the one above, but in an office full of mis-matched furniture) I have books on shelves behind my desk, just like the red-faced gentleman above.  Most of them are of use to me in my work, but I'm strangely reassured by their presence. At home I've still got books which I've owned since childhoo...
I hate rudeness. Yesterday we had a business meeting in Ramsey so thought we'd take the opportunity to have lunch out.  We went to Gopher's; nice place with excellent freshly-prepared food.  The only problem, if it is one, is that customers often have to share tables.  Gopher's is rightly popular. So there we were eating our baguettes (warm, with gooey cheese and salad - delicious) and a couple of scruffy-ish men asked if they could join us.  No problem with that and we'd nearly finished anyway.  Then they started to talk to us. Now I like a good skeet (Manx = chat/gossip) as much as anyone, but I've rarely come across anybody as rude as one of these two men.  He gave his order to the waitress in a bored voice while playing with his phone and without  having the courtesy to look at her.  He quizzed us loudly about Loaghtan Books, didn't listen to our answers, and seemed to think that we were second-hand book sellers, remarking that he'd have to ge...