Possessed?

I checked the Booker prize-winning Possession out of the library - I'd enjoyed The Children's Book, but this had been billed as AS Byatt's best. I found it pretty heavy going, and after reading a few reviews on Amazon, decided to give up around the 100 page mark. People seemed to either love it or hate it, and as I was well along the "hate it" route, it's gone back to the library. No hard feelings. Both the lovers and the haters singled out as impressive the fact that Byatt has managed the spectacular feat of inventing 2 complete bodies of work for 2 fictional poets. Well, that's lovely, and very clever and whiz-bang, but for Pete's sake, give me a good story while you're showing me how spectacularly brilliant you are. Harumph.

Before I started my long, hard slog through the first hundred pages of Possession, I read the final Magic Thief book: Found. It was a good ending to the trilogy, and I'd definitely recommend it to the What Do I Read After Harry Potter set.

Bell-ringing news has been rather thin on the ground around here. I've been marching along through the methods, and we rang a Quarter Peal of Plain Bob Minor last weekend. I'd been having trouble remembering the work at a "single," and when I looked back at my Method Ringer's Companion, I found a tip from Steve Coleman that not only made me remember it, but made me giggle a little each time. He said to think of the single as a "thrilling handbrake turn," which cracked me up when I read it. And then, of course, the composition that Lesley called had me making said handbrake turn every time it was called. John thinks I've lost my marbles. Thrilling!

The quilt picture? It's a sneak-peek. It's been washed and is now drying but it's rainy and miserable outside, so no pictures today!