Messages of Condolence

Thank you FB friends for all your messages of condolence. They really do help. You are all special people to me. You are the best reason to be on Facebook. Over 40 years of sharing our lives with cats Ros and I have said goodbye to many. Jemima, Jennie, Squidgy, Budda, Merry, Whisky...

Bertie, though, was very special. He suffered a RTA seven years ago when we thought we would lose him. 72 hours in intensive care, jaw broken in two places, a severe bang to the head, tail broken - had to be amputated. But he pulled through.

He had no fear. Shortly after this major incident he was seen atop roofs chasing seagulls. He was always so vocal. He had such a presence. He captured the hearts of everyone who knew him.

We found him in a pet-shop window, looking lost and forlorn. 10 weeks old, we took him away from that place. As a kitten he had very large ears, that he eventually 'grew into'. More than any cat I have known, he 'told' you what was going on. More than any he became my number one lap cat. Loved a cuddle, purred his head off, and let you know who was boss.

I retired 2½ years ago and Bertie became my constant companion during that time. I knew his every mood. Can a cat become a best friend? Bertie did. He would wake me in the morning with a dab on the nose. Every morning. Weekends included. No nonsense. 'Time to get up, Dad'. Oliver was his constant companion. Oliver is now - lost. He wanders around the house and garden, looking for Bertie. Have you ever seen tears in the eyes of a cat? I have. And they mirror my own. I have not experienced such profound grief before over the loss of a beloved pet. Bertie fills my waking hours. I loved you so much and I miss you. I will always miss you....

Bertie

Bertie
25/3/2000 - 28/8/2015
Our beloved Bertie was gently put to sleep yesterday morning. He was suffering with chronic renal failure and was very weak come the end. Duncan and Alec of Coastway Vets came to our home to avoid a stressful journey to the practice. Ros and I are heartbroken over the loss of our wonderful boy who gave us so much joy over the last 15 years. Forever in our hearts...

Disclaimer

Disclaimer by Renée Knight
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Seriously, I could not put this down and finished 'Disclaimer' in a day, most unusual for me. A plot with a real twist, never saw that coming, relentless, breathless pace, the tension crackles from page to page. I'm saying nothing about the plot - don't want to give anything away. For me this is better than 'The Girl On The Train'. If you like a good thriller then this is it. I am sure you will love it as much as I did.

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Scorper by Rob Magnuson Smith

Scorper by Rob Magnuson Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Scorper, noun, a tool used to scoop out broad areas when engraving wood or metal.

I didn’t know that either until I read this strange book. I was attracted to it in Waterstones bookshop by the dust jacket, which contains an etching of a village I know well: Ditchling, located to the north of Brighton and the South Downs. And the first line of the book: “You are on your way to Ditchling”. What’s not to like I thought.

Scorper is an uncanny and sinister tale of an eccentric American visitor to this small Sussex village, searching for stories about his grandfather. A tale of twitching curtains, severed hands and peculiar sexual practices. A book about Eric Gill's artistic legacy, his despicable behaviour and enduring influence. Strangely comic, often sinister, often incomprehensible, but nevertheless compelling reading.

Is it a ghost story, is it Gothic? It is certainly dark and uncomfortable. I am edging towards awarding four stars....

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N or M?

N or M? by Agatha Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this quickly in anticipation of the next episodes of Partners In Crime airing on BBC TV starting on Sunday. Mind you, the first three episodes covered The Secret Adversary, which bore little resemblance to the book, save perhaps the names of the characters. N or M is another delightful romp through the thrills of espionage during the 2nd World War. Tommy and Tuppence Beresford are appointed by the Intelligence Service as two unlikely spies to seek out a man and a woman among the guests at a seaside hotel, suspected of being Fifth Columnists. It's fun, it's fast paced and full of quaint language as one would expect being first published in 1941. And it has a nice surprise finish. A gem from the pen of Agatha Christie.

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When Giants Walked The Earth

When Giants Walked the Earth: A Biography of Led Zeppelin by Mick Wall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Written by Mick Wall, "When Giants Walked The Earth: A Biography Of Led Zeppelin" is the culmination of several years of research, and is written by someone who has known guitarist Jimmy Page for over two decades. Its material is based on interviews the journalist has conducted with every member of the band over the years, as well as those who knew and worked alongside them. I have been a fan of Led Zeppelin for 45 years and I thoroughly enjoyed this momentous opus, running to 534 pages. It is therefore beyond my comprehension how anyone on Goodreads could rate this with One Star having read just 30 pages and giving up on the book. Rather like rating a movie after watching just the opening credits. I would qualify my Five Star rating by stating that this is for fans of Led Zeppelin. I doubt that you would enjoy it so much if you weren’t.

Mick Wall said in 2009 that he just felt there had never been a really serious book written about Zeppelin. Hammer Of The Gods is great but its 25 years old and not really built on any genuine research or interviews with the band. He thought it was time for something seriously heavyweight. And heavyweight it is, requiring considerable stamina to complete. It has taken me a couple of weeks to read, giving myself time to reflect on the content of each comprehensive chapter.

From 1969 to 1975, Led Zeppelin were arguably at the peak of their powers. The book covers all that in detail. But Zep 'II' (1969) and 'IV' (1971) would be the peak of their success. Many, like me, still love 'Houses of the Holy' (1973), and many parts of the others. Following the release of 1975's critically acclaimed 'Physical Graffiti', Led Zeppelin arguably went into a creative decline, attributed to drugs, alcohol abuse and self-immolation. And without drummer John ‘Bonzo’ Bonham, who was the best rock drummer ever, who died at a shocking young age, choked on his own vomit, Led Zeppelin were no more. Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones developed solo careers - Plant the most successful.

There is much more to this book that my brief resumé covers. Wall said: "My book came about because Jimmy simply refused to do a book of his own." I for one am glad that it did. Highly recommended for fans.

The song remains the same....


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