The Road to York through Sledmere (1997) by David Hockney
:: Have a cup of tea and read the newspaper in bed and enjoy the sun before everyone else is up and before it mysteriously disappears at 8am never to reappear for the rest of the day.
:: Sit on the settee in your dressing-gown reading a crime novel while eating toast and Marmite. I read a gory murder only once in a while and A Small Death in Lisbon not only meets the requirements of 'gory' and 'murder', it also delivers on interesting Portuguese background detail. I really don't know how I can read such stuff and eat quite tranquilly.
:: Watch the most wonderful programme about David Hockney while knitting with a very bright pink wool. A Bigger Picture is brilliant - beautifully filmed and edited, and the artist and his work are both fantastically colourful and larger than life. Very definitely worth catching before the watch-by date expires.
:: Progress to watching the cricket while eating the best yogurt in the whole world (admittedly a more likely pairing than crime and breakfast). Rachel's Greek Style Coconut Yogurt is thick and coconutty and the colour of cricketers' whites so the two go perfectly.
:: Decide that your hair desperately needs cutting (it does - you can't see clearly beacuse your fringe is covering your eyes like a Scottish long haired cow)/you want to read a few magazines in peace. Come back able to see the mess in the room where three teenagers have apparently been camping for the last few days. Decide to pull the (bright pink) wool over your eyes this time because it's a lazy day.
:: And now the lazy day is changing into a lazy evening. My plans include finding out what goes with well with Thai green curry, but there's no rush...
Funny, isn't it? Our ability to read gory murder mysteries while relaxing? I, too, read "A Small Death in Lisbon"--last summer, on my screened-in porch, sipping wine, and lazing the evenings by. Your post is inspiring, by the way. Most of us don't allow ourselves to relax like this!
Posted by: Eva | July 10, 2009 at 17:56
That really does sound like a lovely day to me! I'm very taken with the Greek yoghurt, although my market has never offered the coconut flavor.
Posted by: Ruth | July 10, 2009 at 18:16
Have relaxed all day by gardening madly before the rain descended. I am really, really, no good at sitting down. However, I have recently instigated a policy of sitting down for fifteen minutes with a cup of tea BEFORE the afternoon school run, and am vastly more patient parent as a result.
At our wine club last night we tasted a rose which would be stupendous with TGCC. Found at my Somerset wine merchant, and online at:
http://www.farehamwinecellar.co.uk/0/c419b48149e9111f802574a300404adc.html?anniv2007
Posted by: Elaine | July 10, 2009 at 18:32
I love that both you and Attic 24 have included David Hockney in your most recent posts.
Posted by: Red | July 10, 2009 at 18:37
I spotted the David Hockney double too.
It has got to be Peroni or Cobra with Thai Curry.
And a little tip from my cricket loving husband - watch cricket on TV with the sound down whilst listening to the commentary on the radio. And still being non-the-wiser x
Posted by: lucy@theantidote | July 10, 2009 at 18:58
We need to encourage each other to give ourselves great grace so we can enjoy just "being" and receive the restoration of our spirits that accompanies sweet, lazy days.
Posted by: Pom Pom | July 10, 2009 at 19:23
We (my husband and I) read ASmall Death in Lisbon while travelling in Portugal and visiting Lisbon last summer -- a fun way to get a sense of the country and its history. Your day sounds perfect -- you're very wise to ignore that mess!
Posted by: materfamilias | July 10, 2009 at 19:25
Jane, still in work at 8pm but just wrapped everything up for a week's holiday - at home! I'm looking forward to lots of days like yours over the next 10 days. Cant' wait! Thanks for the bright ideas (tea, reading in bed, knitting, magazines, books - heaven!).
x
Posted by: mendozy | July 10, 2009 at 19:50
Sounds like a sublime day! I don't know what it is, but I like to have a crusty baguette with butter when I'm reading crime novels :)
Posted by: Laura | July 10, 2009 at 22:23
We've just had two weeks of winter school holidays. Throw in a bit of quilting and you could almost have been describing my days. (Except for the cricket.)
Posted by: Frogdancer | July 10, 2009 at 23:41
Naan bread and a cucumber salad. BTW, love, love, love you blog. Your photos are an inspiration in finding beauty in the day. Thank you!
Posted by: Amber Clark | July 11, 2009 at 00:55
Oh, that yogurt sounds amazing.
Posted by: Luisa Perkins | July 11, 2009 at 01:14
Lovely day, except for the Marmite. Nutella, please.
Posted by: willow | July 11, 2009 at 03:23
My sister laughs at me because whenever I knit or embroider, I watch movies like Rambo or Dirty Harry with my husband. I find it relaxing on a Sunday afternoon. Also advisable with a glass of iced tea or a cold cocktail.
Posted by: Melissa | July 11, 2009 at 05:47
That sounds like a great day. I'm trying to teach myself to relax properly again (the way one did as a teenager...) without my brain constantly whirring with sensible things I ought to do instead. I'm slowly getting there!
Love that Hockney picture!
Posted by: mathea | July 11, 2009 at 10:18
What a perfect day! I ordered your book yesterday, and found out it will be delivered today!!! Yeah, can't wait to enjoy it with my children (I have 9 to practice your games with)
Posted by: kathryn | July 11, 2009 at 13:29
Your day sounds like heaven! Thanks for sharing it with us.
Posted by: Karen | July 11, 2009 at 15:07
As children we used to walk several miles from my Gran's farm on the Wolds to Sledmere and back after Sunday lunch. That filled the afternoon and got us back in time for tea, love the painting, love David H.
Posted by: Jennyff | July 11, 2009 at 15:31
Oh yes Rachel's Coconut yogurt!!! I had to stop myself buying it every week because I was afraid it wouldn't taste so special if I had it all the time. I love the colour of the carton and yes I can eat a whole one in one go.
Posted by: Ruth | July 11, 2009 at 17:40
I forgot to say that pastel de nata is one of my family's favorite. We all love it and are blessed with some wonderful bakeries here in the Northeast that make them. But it would be so much nicer to be enjoying one sitting at a cafe in Lisbon.
Ruth
Posted by: Ruth | July 11, 2009 at 19:17
Somehow my first comment got lost in cyber space and I am trying it again.
I am new to both your blog and your book and I just absolutely love them both. My favorite posts are the ones about Lisbon. Both of my parents are from areas around Lisbon. I came to the US when I was 3 and don't remember anything about it. It is so wonderful to see these beautiful pictures of Lisbon. The hotel looks spectacular. I hope to someday return there with my husband and children.
Ruth
Posted by: Ruth | July 11, 2009 at 19:20
Sounds like a perfect day, have you seen the paintings by David Utting? They are similar I think.
Posted by: Milly Story | July 12, 2009 at 01:44
Just spotted your cards both in Eton post office and at the shop at Savill Garden!
Posted by: Daisy | July 12, 2009 at 18:35
What a lovely day. Completely agree about the coconut yogurt. I'm wondering if it might make nice ice cream in my new machine. Will try to catch the Hockney programme. Thanks for the recommendation. BTW many of my comments to you disappear. I was a bit worried but think it may be just one of those things.
Posted by: Lucille | July 13, 2009 at 11:06
Have you read any CJ Sansom yet? A few weeks ago I stumbled across the 3rd in his series about Matthew Shardlake, a lawyer turned reluctant sleuth in the reign of Henry VIII. I was so impressed I immediately reserved the 2 preceding and 1 following titles from the library. They're gripping reads and SO well written and researched!
Posted by: mindfulbeader | July 13, 2009 at 15:14
Just wanted to thank you for drawing my attention to the Hockney programme, which I really enjoyed. But it made me look at the painting at the top of your blog differently. I first saw it as a colourful, joyful picture which cheered me up, but Hockney's explanation that it was the road he travelled to visit a dying friend made me see it with sadness.
I've only recently found your site (thanks to The Lady magazine) and I love it. I am a quilter, embroiderer, knitter & dressmaker so I feel i have come home!
Posted by: terrystred | July 14, 2009 at 19:25
Sounds like a lovely day! I adore this Hockney picture. I have the postcard. Reminds me of 'home'.
Posted by: Lisa | July 15, 2009 at 09:46
I'm getting quite perplexed. My comment on 'rain or shine' has disappeared now. Is this a regular random event with Typepad or have I broken some unspoken rule of blog etiquette? It doesn't happen anywhere else.
Posted by: Lucille | July 16, 2009 at 19:04