This was another thrift store find. The story bounces between a couple of timelines but features the same characters in each.
Roy Murphy is from the Park (as in trailer park) and Emma Herrick is the daughter of wealthy parents. During the summer before they enter high school Roy and Emma form a bond which Emma’s mother sees a dangerous and sets out to break. After that summer they each go their own way until the night of the Senior Prom when Roy makes an unexpected appearance and sweeps Emma off her feet. But it is just a summer romance as Roy joins the Army and Emma heads to college. When Roy comes home from Afghanistan he walks back into his home town causing much speculation about his motives.
There is a sinister undercurrent running through the story that isn’t revealed until the very end.
A visit to a favourite thrift store in Courtenay always provides me with reading material. I’d heard of the author’s award-winning The Englishman’s Boy but I’d never read anything by him. Guy Vanderhaeghe was born in Esterhazy, SK and, according to the book cover, currently lives in Saskatoon.
Alec Monkman is estranged from his daughter Vera when, after the death of his wife, he forces her to quit school to take care of his younger son. Vera resents her father for this and, after a stint in the Army, she settles in the East. But when her son, about to become a teenager, seems to be getting out of hand she returns to her home town to live with her father. You just know that things aren’t going to go well.
It was a little cooler today with a good breeze so I got a load of laundry out on the line first thing. I was able to bring it in and put a second load out before I left for sewing.
Pat got the all-clear from the doctor today so I didn’t have to go out to Lund this afternoon as his roadie. I was back at sewing and working on my Betsy Bag. I mainly worked on the lining today; I think the next step is putting the pieces together, although I still have some straps and the cording that haven’t yet found a spot on the bag. Gail helped me add an extra inside pocket so now it is a new and improved bag. Jessie wasn’t with us today and I will miss the next couple of weeks. No doubt they will be done by the time I get back to it.
I did some grocery shopping this afternoon, I’m making up beds tonight and we’re ready for company tomorrow!
I’ve been working at it for a few days, but I finally finished cleaning up my sewing areas. I’ve hidden away a few things (Emma doesn’t like dolls in her room) but I’m going to be VERY selective about putting things back in that second room. Every time I clean I am reminded of all the projects I’ve got started and several that need to have a quick finish (like three quilts sandwiched and waiting and another half-dozen waiting to be sandwiched). I wish there was some hope that I could keep it this tidy when I’m working. Aside from my group sewing tomorrow, I don’t expect to be back at my machine for about three weeks so at least I have awhile to enjoy it.
I need to get at those shelves still
At some point soon I hope to eliminate one of my book cases. I have several quilting magazines that I need to go through, scan the patterns I really want, and then pass the magazines on. As I’ve cleaned I’ve collected a bag of stuff for the thrift shop. I recently read a blog online about seriously going through your projects to see if they still “speak” to you. I know I have several calling from bins that are hidden under a table but I only had two (that were within easy reach) that were shouting to be let loose – an iPad cover and a coiled coaster (or two) to match the coil bowl I made in a Guild class several years ago.
But I started my day in the complaint department. I sent a parcel to Stacia for her birthday in plenty of time for it to arrive before her big day. Because I thought they might be at the lake I paid to have it delivered with a signature. When I checked with Stacia this morning the package was (fortunately) sitting on her step minus any sort of signature. So I called Canada Post to complain. After waiting ten minutes in the queue it took half an hour to lodge my complaint and now it will be up to a week before anyone gets back to me. I questioned why they didn’t ask me for the address the parcel was going to but apparently that is somewhere in the next step. So annoying!
And then Canadian Tire sent me an e-mail asking about my recent experience with a purchase. We ordered a blow up mattress online and said we would pick it up at the store; it was on sale and we didn’t want to miss out on the price. I stopped in after quilting yesterday afternoon and waited and waited and finally gave up. When we went back later in the evening it was all ready and sitting behind the counter. So I let Canadian Tire know I wasn’t pleased.
I’m pretty much ready for company now. I have to do some clean up in the basement but that will go quickly and, with the heat of the day and the coolness of the basement, that is a job I almost look forward to.
