entertainment weekly

Eating with friends and family is such a joy for me, and a pretty table for a special occasion makes it even more of a pleasure. Unfortunately, I’ll never even approach the Queen of Home-making in this respect, though I can certainly try. I just need to remember the little tricks and tips that I see, like lighting up an outdoor table with named candles. Oh, and then be that much ahead of my cooking schedule that I actually have time to make them…

the return of john mcnab

Sometimes the best books just fall into your lap, literally. When I was laid low for a couple of days last month, Special K delivered this personally and it was just what I needed then. A romping read, The Return of John McNab is about three friends who revive the challenge of poaching on three different Highland estates originally set in John Buchan’s 1925 original.

I would never have picked it up myself at a bookshop or in a library but I enjoyed the read thoroughly. The easy banter between three old friends flows easily, and the self-appointment of a fourth, female member of the team adds a dash of spice to this slightly aging boys’ club. The heists are artfully planned and executed, at a roaring pace. And surprisingly for an adventure book, the way it deals with love and romance is both touching and funny. I read it almost in one go, barely putting it down.