Hello lovely peeps,
Today I have another postcard, and something about my life here in Spain, and also some more book reviews. Then at the end there will be some funnies. So, a very full blogpost today.
My postcard today comes from Finland:
It is illustrated by Inge Löök and features the famous 'Aunties'. It was sent by Tiina.
As today is about smiles, I hope this made you smile.
The stamp is cute:
It was released as part of a series of Friendship stamps in 2022 for Valentine's Day:
This postcard came to me through Postcrossing and Tiina writes this:
Another thing that made me smile is this:
It is my lovely Ronnie sleeping in a most awkward position. Upright against the back of the settee. It looks very uncomfortable, but he slept like that for a long while.
So here as promised three more book reviews:
The tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris.
I started reading this because I will be visiting Auschwitz later this month. I enjoyed it very much. It wasn't until later I saw that the reviews are not so good.They say it was simplistically written or that it was historically incorrect. I didn't think it was simplistically written and Heather Morris spent three years talking to the protagonist, whose story it is, so I suppose she just wrote about his memories rather than a historically correct account. He (the protagonist) is called Lale and he is a prisoner. He has been assigned the job of tattooist in the concentration camp. He has to tattoo every newcomer with a number. With his job come a few perks, which he uses to help other people. He meets the love of his life Gita there and they promise each other that they will survive this. At the end of the book there is an author's note which tells me they did survive and get married.
I loved it, although the circumstances are sad. Lale is such a positive soul and I was rooting for him.
I gave it 5 stars.
Then I have just finished Caro Ramsey's Absolution. I really struggled with that one. It is a Scottish police procedural thriller. But the DCI wasn't very likeable. He was a barely functioning alcoholic with a psychological obsession which surfaced every now and then. Then there seemed to be two convoluted plots going on at the same time and I 'lost the plot' many times. I was glad I finished the book as I didn't enjoy it.
I gave it two stars.
The third book, simply called Frankie, is by Graham Norton. The Brits among you will know Graham Norton as a camp Irish talk show host, presenter (Euro songfestival), columnist, author and what not else. I had never read any of his books but I came across this and thought I'd give it a go. It was a very pleasant surprised.
Frankie is an elderly, but very independent, Irish lady who broke her ankle. Her best friend Nor hires a young male carer called Damian. Frankie doesn't want his help but when she finds out they both come from the same area in Ireland she relents and she eventually tells him her life story. She has had an interesting life and moved in the 'art scene' in Ireland, New York and London.(The more intimate episodes from her life are shared with her friend Nor.) The story was witty but also profound and it moved me.(you might need a tissue) Once I had started this book, I didn't want to stop reading. In hindsight I would have loved the audio version of this book as I saw it is narrated by Graham Norton himself (with his Irish lilt).
Again a 5 star rating.
Another thing that makes me smile is the fact that it is raining here! It hasn't rained for months! And it is pouring with rain. Heavy drops making a lot of noise on my patio. Flashes of lightning too as it is a thunder storm.
There are faces for Face Off on the postcard and on the stamps. And there are funnies for Friday Smiles at the end.
Happy days!
That is all from me today,
Enjoy your weekend,
Lisca
And this one is not a funny but I liked what the restaurant owner wrote (and it made me smile):
11 comments:
Love that postcard! Thanks for tge smiles!-Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
That last funny is so true with my dogs. They certainly do get to know all your clothes. And Hurrah for rain. That Graham Norton book sounds good. I have read one of his a few years back, and I like his show which I occasionally see if it gets on any of our channels. Too bad the detective was so unlikable, and I;ve seen the Tattoo Artist book but I always worry those books are sad. When I was a kid one of my friend's mothers was in a concentration camp in Poland because she worked for the Polish resistance and was caught. Whenever I think of tattoos from this time I think of her. She had her number on her arm, never to be able to let it go. I hope you have a super weekend ahead. See you for T next week. hugs-Erika
Iris Flavia: Ronnie! LOL. The tatooist I´ve read, too. Moving book.vAnd I love the funnies, have a great Friday!
We too have been enjoying the rain, an American couple when we were away were complaining about it, but I said we were happy to see it after months of dry weather. Ronnie looks very happy in his position so I'm assuming he was comfortable. Have a lovely weekend. Hugs
Your book reviews are very interesting and Frankie sounds like a book I would enjoy. If I read a book and I don't enjoy it, I usually don't finish it. Life is too short for bad books.
Enjoy the rain! It must be so wonderful to hear it platter down. I'm eagerly waiting for our first rain as well.
I love this weeks card and the stamps too. It always amazing me how animals choose to sleep, my Alfie loves to have his head hanging off the sofa. I'm loving the funnies as usual too. I know Graham Norton but had no idea that he was a writer. Thanks for your visit to mine too xXx
Forgotten to say, yes I did notice the ladie's age on the plaque, I believe she had been living in the care home which looks onto the park. Some of her family attached it to the tree trunk after she died which was a nice thought. Have a good weekend, hugs Angela xXx
I giggled out loud and several of the items on your post. That card is one of them. I love the aunties. That is a lot of saunas.
Ronnie also cracked me up as well as the hospital sign. As for that first book. From what you described I think it would be a fascinating book. Auschwitz from the view of a prisoner. Just his experiences, how life was. I'm thrilled that he and Gita survived. I know that visiting this place will be very emotional but something that should never be forgotten. Thank you for sharing all of this with FFO and have a very nice day.
I know how much you love The Aunties, so that was the perfect card. I also enjoyed the stamps.
I never realized there were so many saunas in Finland. The number is staggering.
Cats seem to find the most unique positions in which to sleep. Mine are the same way. I has to do with their bones.
Of the three stories you reviewed, the only one that sounded good to me was Caro Ramsey's Absolution, which you obviously didn't care for. Many detectives NOT in cozy mysteries have some form of psychological or drinking problem. Not sure why, but many authors give them those characteristics.
I laughed hard at the first two and the predictive text is dismantled on my computer. However, it's still funny. Happy FFO.
I was also pleasantly surprised by Norton's books and read all of them.
Those funnies are really good, I love the Fiji one.
I added Caro Ramsey to my list of new authors. Absolution is not at our library but we do have many of her other books.
That artist was one busy lady. You have so many 'Aunties' cards now and still different ones keep coming.
Your book reviews are interesting. I reada lot of crime dramas but some are a much more satisfying read than others.
I think cats have rubber bones. No position seems uncomfortable for them. Ronnie is obviously quite happy in his. Kate xx
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