This weekend was a long one in this part of Scotland, for schools anyway, and there are just four weeks left of this term and then it’s the summer holidays.

I made the mistake of walking into town on Friday and I couldn’t manage to get past the Salvation Army shop without going in to scrutinise their bookshelves. The result of that was that I ended up with three more books added to my TBR pile. I only chose two to begin with but when I took them to the counter the chap there said It’s three for £1 so I just had to go and find another one. The chap obviously thought he was helping me but I think he is what is nowadays called an addiction enabler.

The books are:

Stormy Petrel by Mary Stewart, it was first published in 1991 but this is a brand new Hodder and Stoughton and I know that I haven’t read this one yet.

Doorways in Drumorty by Lorna Moon which is a collection of short stories which are set in the author’s home village of Strichen in Aberdeenshire at the turn of the century. It’s a reprint and the book was first published in 1926. It looks unread but spookily when I got it home I noticed that a man had written his name on the inside cover and it was the same name as my late father-in-law, and his name wasn’t a common one.

The third one which I had my arm twisted to choose is The Passion of New Eve by Angela Carter. I haven’t read anything by her yet and frankly it sounds a wee bit weird but it’s a Virago and I usually really like them so I’m ever hopeful. Again the book looks unread but then all of my books are still in pristine condition after I’ve finished with them too, even the paperbacks.

So Friday was bad enough book purchase-wise but on Saturday we went to Abernyte which is an antique centre near Dundee, not with the intention of buying things, more with a view to get rid of some of what will be excess furniture when we downsize. But of course there are a couple of booksellers there and I just couldn’t resist the temptation to scan their shelves, the result of which is that I found an old Angela Thirkell hardback, The Duke’s Daughter. I’m really chuffed with that one because I have just started Peace Breaks Out by the same author and I didn’t have any others by her after that. It’s nice to have one waiting to be read as I count them as comfort books.

Back to the decorating tomorrow. What an exciting life I lead!