Spring Market

The annual Spring Market in my town is back to its usual crowded crazy self this year, after the restraint of the "corona years" behind us... And with sunny weather on top!

 

 

There are basically three things I often buy at the spring and autumn markets: Cheap postcards, socks and handbags... 

This time, I skipped the postcards.  I did seek out that market stall and had a look; but since the cost of stamps has kept going up a lot in the last few years, I have cut down on Postcrossing (with random strangers); and I know have more than enough cards in stock at home to meet my needs for a while. (Besides, I did not see any really interesting ones this time...)

I did stock up half a dozen pairs of socks from my favourite stall, of the kind I prefer (not too tight but still staying up). 

One or two readers may remember that just over a week ago, I bought a red handbag at a second hand shop. I was really happy with that purchase for about a week... Until one day I suddenly noticed that two items of clothing I'd been wearing that week (one denim jacket and one thinner denim shirt) each had got the same odd reddish-brown stains or 'scuff marks' on the back of one shoulder... A closer inspection of the shoulder strap of that bag confirmed my suspicions. Even though that bag looked "like new" when I bought it, the surface of the material it was made of obviously had not aged well... Ah well. I guess I'll just have to consider the money I paid for that one an extra donation to the Salvation Army. (I was able to pretty much remove the stains by scrubbing them with washing-up liquid. Hopefully a spin in the washing machine next week for both items will finish the job.)

Sooo... I ended up looking at handbags at the spring market, too. And at the second stall of bags I found another red one of similar size and that I don't think will leave any stains... However, I kind of suspect already that this one too may have a weak spot that I didn't think of immediately (a magnetic lock unnecessarily strong, so likely to cause some damage to its immediate surroundings in the long run). 

Ah well. Qué será, será... Maybe it's my Fate to eternally keep looking for The Perfect Bag...! ;-)

* Qué será, será
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Qué será, será
What will be, will be

Linking to Weekend Street/Reflection #12

More Spring Beauty

 

Went for another walk downtown today, and found the cherry blossom trees still in their prime...

And so are the tulips in various flower beds!

Linking to

The Last Remains - Book Review

 Ruth Galloway series #15

 

The Last Remains
#15 in the Ruth Galloway series
by Elly Griffiths (2023)

The author has been forewarning readers (on Facebook) that this, the 15th book about forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway in Norfolk (and DCI Nelson and his team, and their friends and families), is meant to be the last in the series - at least for now. (She's not closing the door entirely for the possibility of returning to them again at some point in the future, though.)

The intention of the book serving as a sort of closure can be felt throughout, though. A lot of things in the lives of the main characters seem to have come to a sort of balance point. At the same time, their past is also catching up with them, either in the form of memories, or by people from past cases turning up (or both). And I find that the author manages all this very well - if this should indeed turn out to be the last book in the series, it makes a good sum-up. But at the same time I'd say that enough doors are still left open to make a continuation possible.

The mystery at the heart of this story is the discovery of a human skeleton behind a wall in a local café, in connection with a renovation. Ruth Galloway is called in as forensic archaeologist, but the bones turn out to be modern, and DCI Nelson and his team take over the investigation. However, the remains are identified as a young female archaeology student who went missing in 2002 - and may have been murdered. This still leaves Ruth sort of connected to the case, as she is head of the Archaeology department of the university, and knows several people who in turn knew that girl back in the past - including Ruth's and Nelson's mutual druid friend Cathbad (who is in a long-term relationship with one of Nelson's team members, Judy). On top of that, in the background there is talk of closing the Archaeology department of the university for good, which means Ruth has to give some serious thought to her future career. And Nelson's boss has long been trying to persuade him to retire...

Meanwhile, Ruth's and Nelson's personal relationship - "on and off" for many years - still continues to be in the balance. He's the father of Ruth's daughter, but he also has two grown-up daughters + a much younger son with his wife Michelle. Nelson and Michelle have split up and are now living apart - but a Father's Day celebration brings to light how many complications there still are to the tangled web of relationships. And sorting it out is not made any easier by Ruth and Nelson again being involved in a case together...

In the midst of everything else, their friend Cathbad (in recovery from a severe case of Covid) is behaving a bit weirdly ("even for him") - and one day simply goes missing, causing worry and distress for everyone.

If you have read the previous books in the series, you definitely should not miss this one. On the other hand, if you haven't yet read any of them - I'd recommend that you to start from the beginning, with The Crossing Places. (Link to my review of the first two books, back in March 2015.) For my own part, I'm considering going back and re-read them all...

Walking a mile or two, in my new shoe

The summery weather continues, and nature keeps turning greener every day now - and showing off  other colours as well... I know I shared photos of the cherry blossom trees in the park downtown only a couple of days ago, but I could not resist going back again today. I'm still exploring the camera in  my new phone, learning what it can do (and not). 

 I'm far from the only one this week walking around in the park holding up my phone to the trees...

It was also a good day for reflections!

 

 

Ooops... In this part of the park things were not what I expected! (Cf. the photo below, from last year.) I think they've got started on one part of a long term project, which is to create a Long Park stretching all the way through the city - basically following the river where that's possible, and some parts of it built on bridges across both river and roads. The idea is that when it's finished, you'll be able to walk or cycle in park environment, away from traffic, for around 5 km (~3 miles). I guess we'll have to hold on to the dream vision while they're still working on it, though...

Photo from 28 May, 2022

 (I wonder where the rabbit went? Down a hole until the project is finished? Or will he turn up somewhere totally different in between?)

I still got a long enough "testrun" (well, walk) for a new pair of shoes I bought at the beginning of the week, though. They have the advantage of an "airy" top for summer weather, but are still proper shoes supporting the whole foot, and with a thick sole made for walking.

 
Linking to: Weekend Street/Reflections #120

Pretty In Pink

 

The park in the city centre is at its very prettiest just now, with its cherry blossom trees in their full glory. The trees here are of kind that blooms bit later than many others around town.