Tuesday 11 June 2019

A Postcard A Day - Tuesday 11 June 2019 - T for books in a t_cup, with my mother

 Good morning lovely people,
It's Monday night and I am preparing to join the T-Party hosted by Elizabeth and Bleubeard. For that I need a beverage reference. So I have added an image of a girl reading in a large tea or coffee cup with a book and a drink. That could be me. I love reading. I read loads. Some books are better than others. But today I would like to reccommend the four best books I have read for a long time.

But first some postcards. This is a card I bought a while ago and I think I gave it to my hubby at Valentine's day. (Must have been a few years back).

 And this card I found in a pile of old stuff. It's a postcard with Audrey hepburn. One of my favorite photos of her. It was sent from Austria about two years ago.


I'm very busy but very happy at the moment as my mother is staying with me at the moment. What a privilege it is to still have my mum in my retirement days. Mum has just celebrated her 95th birthday. Here she is with me outside our house (yesterday).
 She stayed with my sister in Marbella (also in Spain) for a few days and yesterday my sister drove her here. 
I love having her stay with us. She is good company, is mentally very alert and knows a lot about what is going on in the world (more than me). We do crosswords together  and sit chatting on our little patio. Lovely.

Here are the books I really liked. The Elephant Keeper's Daughter is a historical novel (translated from German) set in Kanda on Sri Lanka in the 19th century. Julia Drosten  brings to life this chapter in history when Kanda was finally captured and the whole Sri Lankan island taken over by the British. The plot is masterfully constructed with a young and aggressive female heroine; a kind-hearted British doctor as the protagonist; and his evil brother, the villain.  And the elephants play a major role in the whole story too. It appears well researched and there is a good love story flowing through it.



The Incredible Life of Jonathan Doe I enjoyed immensely:
Forced into completing his community service, Brendan meets Jonathan Doe, an
intriguing man living in a local homeless shelter whose amazing stories of a happy childhood in the Appalachian Mountains captivate him. Within weeks of his arrival in Dover, Brendan loses himself in the strange man’s incredible stories.

Fascinated by the fact that Jonathan Doe can no longer remember exactly where he is from, Brendan becomes obsessed with helping his new friend find his way back to the kind of home he himself has always dreamed of.

But is Jonathan’s past real or are his memories the product of a deeply troubled mind? The closer Brendan gets to the truth, the more he realises that all is not what it seems with Jonathan Doe.
 I liked it so much that I immediately went and bought another book by Carol Coffey:
 Broken Hill Nursing Home is a house laden down with secrets, its residents now settled in Australia but living out their troubled lives trapped in the past. Thirteen-year-old Christopher, whose parents run the home, is its self-appointed guardian. Deaf since childhood, his foot severed in a horrific accident, he notices what others miss. Isolated and ignored, he is obsessed with helping these damaged souls find the peace they crave. He befriends the beautiful young Maria whose strange sadness puzzles him, then gains an ally when a mysterious young man arrives to record the extraordinary lives of the aging immigrants. Christopher eagerly awaits the transformations he expects will result from these 'confessions'. But will delving into the past disturb the residents fragile mental state and open up a Pandora's box that was best left closed? 

The next book is a must for all cat lovers, but can also be enjoyed by people who have never had a cat.
Nana is on a road trip, but he is not sure where he is going. All that matters is that he can sit beside his beloved owner Satoru in the front seat of his silver van. Satoru is keen to visit three old friends from his youth, though Nana doesn’t know why and Satoru won’t say. 

Set against the backdrop of Japan’s changing seasons and narrated with a rare gentleness and humour, Nana’s story explores the wonder and thrill of life’s unexpected detours. It is about the value of friendship and solitude, and knowing when to give and when to take. TRAVELLING CAT has already demonstrated its power to move thousands of readers with a message of kindness and truth. It shows, above all, how acts of love, both great and small, can transform our lives.


That's it from me this morning. 
Happy T-Day,
Hugs,
Lisca

14 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday to your mom! She looks so happy to be with you!
    Happy T day!

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  2. I love seeing these photos of you and your Mom. My mom is 89 and I am retiring in a year, and I hope she will be still be around so I can spend more time with her. She isn't that mentally alert (she has some weird kind of dementia) but she is clear about life before 2013, and she suddenly has a great sense of humor. And thanks for the book reviews. They all look good, but that traveling cat one is one I really want to check out. Happy T day Lisca. Hugs-Erika

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  3. I love that you also used books and a drink today. Great minds and all. The postcards are brilliant and the one with the tea bag is gorgeous and adorable.

    It's so good to see your mom in Spain for a change. So glad to read she is still sharp and has all her faculties still. It's wonderful that you two can share time together and enjoy each other still. I hope her birthday was great and you had a chance to lavish a birthday party on her.

    Nice book reviews, but the one with the cat would be my favorite if I were going to read one right now.

    Thanks for sharing your postcards, your mom, your book choices, and your various drinks with us for T this Tuesday.

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  4. Wonderful books and postcards today, always good, but the star of the show has to be your mother. You are very lucky that she is still with you and can come and visit you. Love the image of the girl reading in the coffee cup, just great. Happy T Day, hugs, Valerie

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  5. The photos of your mum look lovely, you must be happy to have her staying with you, days to treasure indeed.
    The post cards looked super, I liked the Audrey Hepburn one and the image you found of the woman reading in her teacup. I can relate to that one.
    Happy T day wishes Lisca.
    Yvonne xx

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  6. wonderful post with your mom - i´m sure you are lucky to have her genes to celebrate that age one day, too! i love reading also, but i turned to e-books some years ago. a question of space actually... and if i fall asleep it can´t close so i won´t find the right page again;)
    happy t-day, lisca!

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  7. Beautiful postcards! How lovely to have your mum come to stay, it sounds like you had a wonderful time 😀. Thanks for the book recommendations too! Wishing you a very happy T Day! Jo x

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  8. What a perfect image! The woman immersed in books and a hot cuppa pictures me to a t lol! I know you're enjoying your time with your mom. It's nice that she's willing to do a bit of travelling to stay with you for a bit :) I'll check into your book recommendations. Thanks for the suggestions :) Happy T Tuesday!

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  9. I love the image of the woman in the giant teacup reading. I like your recommendations for what to read while lounging in the teacup. What a pleasant way that would be to spend a day. So nice that your mother is still able to get around and to visit. Enjoy your time with her. Happy T Day.

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  10. Wonderful postcards Lisca. You're lucky to have your Mom visiting with you. All of those books sound interesting. Happy T-Day!

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  11. I waved back at your mom and wished her a happy birthday, Lisca. love the girl in the coffee cup image. Thank you for the great book reviews. I downloaded The Penance Room. I wanted The Elephant Keeper's Daughter most but it cost more. Maybe another time.

    Happy T-Day! Eileen xx

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  12. First, I am so happy for you to still have your mom at 95. I had mine till 88, but still wasn't long enough. We always want our mothers! Wonderful, she can visit you and your sister. Thank you for the book reviews and recommendations. I am an avid reader. Recently, I have read Stranded by Don and Stephanie Prichard and liked it so well, like you , went to the next one, Forgotten. Delightful girl in a cup image and perfect for T Day! Enjoy your Mom!

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  13. That is so wonderful to have your Mum there with for a bit-very special-enjoy.
    I appreciate the book reviews-I picked up the one with the cat-you had suggested it awhile back when I had asked what were you all reading-I loved that book very much. the elephant keepers daughter sounds interesting-thanks Kathy

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  14. Those postcards are great Lisca! I like them very much. Happy belated T-day! And your mother seems to be fantastic with 95 years! Blessed old age! Many Congratulations on her birthday ♥ I am very happy that you enjoy her company. My mother is younger, but she is also very healthy. My father died unfortunately three years ago in August.
    Thank you very much for sharing your favorite books with us, I have not read them, but they seem very interesting.
    I wish you a very happy Thursday, big hugs, Caty

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