The Living Room Book Group

Everyone in the world seems to be writing a blog or twittering – except me.  And after long, hard think about why blogging holds as many charms for me as yesterday’s washing-up I think I’ve identified the reason.  I’d rather be reading. At this time of year when the evenings are long, and the shed – for that’s where I do the majority of my reading – is warm enough to just sit with the window open the hour or two spent with books are my favourite of the day.  Hopefully you’ll find time to balance Roger Deakin’s ‘Waterlog’ on your knee this Summer for our September book group (Tuesday September 1st).  Not that I want to influence you in any way at all, but it is one of my absolute favourite books and is about so much more than swimming.  I swam across Ullswater last Summer inspired by Deakin’s prose and if the rain continues let me recommend open-water swimming as a way to beat the blues and get the most out of the terrible weather.  God knows you couldn’t be any wetter in the water.  This weekend I’m going to the Lakes (English not Italian, sadly) for a week where I intend to both swim and read.  I’ve got a pile of good books to savour and a bottle of Irish whiskey to drink – as for the rain, bring it on.