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| Map, Putney Common, Source : http://www.wpcc.org.uk/ |
Life has been a bit dull.The sickness (flu) made me sleep through 2 days! no work , which means I dont make much money either.The holiday not planned - The valley of flowers trek next month. disoriented, don't know where to start, need to get back into schedule.Hoping to do so with this post.
To add to the misfortunes the beautiful wall cabinet I planned to buy on sale from a lady moving out of Delhi grabbed by a faster somebody else.
The good part is re-read Jilly Cooper's 'The common years'. Picked it up a few years back from a roadside vendor for 30-50 rupees (less than a dollar) in Bombay.Did not even know the lady then. But I should say has been an amazing buy.I have a feeling it is better than her novels too.
The Common Years is based on Cooper's diary entries for about a period of about 10 years starting 1972!. In those ten years she walked her
dogs in the Barnes & Putney common at least 2 or 3 times a day, looking at trees & plants, making friends & admirers, an occassional foe, trying to mind her dogs basically living life.
Her accounts are wittily detailed with literary alludes now & then (surprisingly never sounding pompous) writing funny & genuine and her love for her dogs extremely touching.
The flair to feel & describe nature excellent - you almost smell the mushrooms under the wet wood when she describes it.A lovely book, rich in details & rambling. Pick up if you have time for a slow read, even better if it is raining!
Looked for pics while I was at it.Also found an excellent website on Wimbledon & Putney Commons take a look
