Billy No Mates Part Deux

And so it goes.  Turned up early at Abode to find the bar grill closed for refurbishment - no phone call to alert me.  Hotel receptionist reluctantly admitted that possibly,, just possibly, some bookings had been made for the bar grill and possibly, just possibly, they could squeeze us into their fabulous restaurant.  Many manic texts to everyone to meet downstairs and lo, there I sat in solitary splendour once again.  Well, it might have been in splendour, I really couldn't tell for the low level of lighting.  Talk about stygian gloom.  Was worried they hadn't paid their bill.

The fabulous restaurant is small and squashed and ineffably dreay - give me the bar grill any time.  I only hope they are not refurbing it to the same dreariness that is the restaurant proper.  And the food!  Nothing like the choice, and some of the combinations seemed a bit offputting.  Eventually dear Erica arrived, flustered and windswept, followed some time later by Batey and Kerry - they had been delayed by lack of trams or some such excuse.  Poor Julia simply couldn't make after two straight nights in A&E at Macclesfield with a bleeding husband - no, profusely bleeding nose which is still not sorted out, I understand.  Plus the bad tootsies getting a hammering from trying to drive in hiking boots - Julia, not Richard.  Hope things are soon back on an even keel.

But Katie and Lisa - do you not have a personal organiser, my dears????

We four ploughed through what I considered to be a lacklustre menu and discussed THE BOOK which Erica had not read - so what's new?  All of Julia's previous comments are apt.  Pratchett has an idiosyncratic view of life, a mordant sense of humour and the imagination of a three year old on speed.  Maskerade gently mocked the pretentiousness of some opera aficionados - Young Batey excepted naturally - and the ardour of those who act and sing in operas and musicals - 'the show must go on'. 

The backbiting, bad-tempered righteousness of two elderly witches determined to rescue a putative witch from herself is well delineated, as is the drunken madness of Nanny Ogg who has enjoyed a late flowering career as a cookery/sex book author.  In the true tradition of the theatre, all ends happily although we leave Agnes Nitt (or 'Perditax') still fighting against the inevitability of becoming Witch No 3 on the blasted heath.  Most enjoyable.

Scores: Penny 9, Kerry 9, Batey 8.  I believe Julia will post her score if she can use the blog now.

Now that Julia is no longer tied to Mondays to be able to attend book group, we thought - for Erica's sake - that we might now occasionally change to a Tuesday or Wednesday and on this note, I shall toddle back to Abode next week, check that the damned place is open and cancel our date for the next book (ROOM, if anyone is interested) which was 7th November and try to change it for Tuesday 8 November.  We will keep Monday 5 December for the Christmas edition though - and again I must check with Abode that they do have the booking.

So, you will remember that THE WARDEN is the December book and Erica suggested for the January book NOTES ON A SCANDAL.  Much discussion of other interesting books being read at the moment so I shall expect to see some of those suggestions on the blog.  I know you can all blog, except possibly Erica who will let me know???????????????