Happy 100th, Barbara Pym!

Today is the centenary of Barbara Pym's birth, certainly a wonderful time to celebrate her literary legacy! I was fortunate enough to awaken this morning to a feature on Barbara Pym on the CBC's Sunday Edition, hosted by Bill Richardson (a former librarian and very amusing writer) which I hadn't known about beforehand. It didn't uncover anything new for the Pym fan, but was a wonderful appreciation of her work and her life.

And then I lazed about with my morning tea, finishing off A Few Green Leaves, which I very much enjoyed. The more Pym I read, the more able I am to recognize recurring characters, a particular pleasure, I think.

But the highlight of the day had to be our tea to celebrate the centenary. I joined in on the Virtual Tea Party which heavenali was hosting on Facebook, and had a small at-home tea just for the two of us here. A great reason to get out the wedding china, and use the linen napkins that I picked up at a jumble sale at the nearby Anglican church a while ago -- appropriately Pymian, I believe.

The sandwiches and salads I made myself, but my lovely husband dashed out early this morning to pick up some fresh scones from our favourite local supplier, they are always so tasty and so substantial! Of course we finished off with tea and a biscuit, and the tea seems to taste so much nicer in these delicate cups. I keep telling myself I must use them more often.

The tea table awaiting our attention

Lunch is ready, with cucumber sandwiches, potato salad
and a citrusy lentil salad: scones and tea up next!

Our teatime conversation also reflected a few Pym preoccupations, as we are both librarians and second-hand book dealers as well, though no anthropologists or curates here. I was able to share some of the library humour in An Unsuitable Attachment, which I am finding very amusing indeed. Perhaps the humour in this particular book will be most amusing to librarians, as it is so spot on -- but I would be glad to hear from any non-librarians who have an opinion on this book ;)

Thanks again to all the hosts of Pym Reading Week for the inspiration to celebrate Pym this week!