I don’t know that anything in the book was new to me, and I have already forgotten quite a bit of what I read, but I thought it had some thought-provoking reminders about living in the moment, gratefulness and acceptance. As with so many of this author’s novels, there are some familiar characters as well as some new ones. I’m not sure I learned anything new, but there were several good reminders about different principles, or explorations into the lives of characters whom I hadn’t thought about much.

However she’s quite startled to encounter a young man walking out of the mist; she doesn’t have a good first impression of him, but then again she can’t quite forget him. It’s supposedly for horse-riding enthusiasm, so they want Peter (Petronella) to take a look at the three horses they have already, and maybe look at advising them on getting some more.

Of course it doesn’t have to be read as I did - it’s a book to dip into, to explore different topics, perhaps, or to find something appropriate or seasonal. He really should not expect to be able to rush around like a two year old now, but it’s good that he isn’t just sitting in a chair all day long like a lot of old chaps of 86-almost-87. I hope you like having a new fridge, but I hated parting with our old one which lasted for many, many years, from when we arrived here in 1985 until about 9 years ago.

You really do care about these people, who seem to be like real people, in these novels and what is going to happen to each and every character. After recently having well needed cataract surgery at 75 now, I have discovered The Summer House, devoured it and just finished the Sea Garden. It is indeed very mild, we are only using heating late afternoon and evening and even then it’s on low. There’s also an estate agent, though she doesn’t feature all that much (other than with her annoying tagline that was cleverly translated), and - though we don’t meet him at first - a guy dressed as a rabbit.

Eleanor - El - is the main character, or at least the one I most related to in this warm, character-driven novel. Again, the author manages to feel very balanced in her casual advice: forget about spending an hour at the gym every day being coerced, but maybe go for a half hour walk. I’ve not seen alstromeria growing in pots, but that sounds strange, pulling out the stems and then others growing in their place. There are usually people of faith, in a low-key way, or who are exploring spirituality in her books.

Currently, her and her husband live in South Devon and welcome visits from their son and his family. Roddy and I contributed the historical chapters for a book on his home town of Dartmouth, and I occasionally provided Marcia with local lore. The church, too often, has introduced rules and regulations that turn people away, or - at the other extreme - has tried much too hard to use evangelistic methods and techniques, which are often more harmful than helpful.

Her step-brother Will has offered sympathy and assistance, and although they haven’t really had much in common, he lost his mother more than a decade earlier, so he can empathise fully. The plot is fairly minimal, which is fine - I like character-based stories, and Marcia Willett has quite a gift of characterisation.