After the rain

Finally some much needed rain as the garden was gasping but around 4.30 the sun came out, not a cloud in the sky and it was warm. I retreated to the bench in the garden and read my book - Conquered by Eleanor Parker. This is my downstairs book, usually non-fiction, and the upstairs book is fiction. Conquered is a riveting book about the fates of the children and grandchildren of the Anglo-Saxon/English aristocracy after the Battle of Hastings. Really it's fascinating - the young boys were in severe danger from power hungry uncles and others and the young girls either married (willingly or otherwise) or swiftly retreated to nunneries. I have a particular interest in this period as many moons ago I was commissioned to write a book about the Battle of Hastings, for Middle school/young secondary kids.  It was a particularly rigorous brief as the book was entitled The Battle of Hastings: A Day in the Life. Having studied this period at uni I knew a bit about but not that much. It is such a multi-layered and complex tale and I emerged seriously on the side of Harold who remains a bit of a hero of mine. I was also doing my own picture research and had a limited budget so engaged Himself to come with me down to the battle site and take the necessary photos - he also did the drawing and maps. I don't think it was a best seller but I always got decent royalties from it for a good few years and have remained firmly anti-Norman.

Other thank that, I had my booster booster, hence I needed to rest down by the pond. Oh dear, said Chris, doing the business, I've made you bleed. I've done 30 people so far today and you're the first one that's bled. There's always one Chris. 

And who could resist this perky post rain daisy. The clematis enjoyed it too. PS tomorrow is World Naked Gardening Day, just saying.