The end of a journey

Yesterday evening, about 10 minutes before Mrs Ottawacker served dinner, Ottawacker Jr. and I said farewell to Bilbo and Frodo as they left the Gray Havens to head out west. 

It was a long journey. We started it when I got back from Spain at the very beginning of the pandemic. And 1,065 pages later, we finished it. There were small breaks, some moments of hiding behind cushions, a lot of laughter and, hopefully, the beginning of a lifelong love of books. Now, if I can teach my wife the value of an autofocus, my work here will be complete (see extra).

I'm in two minds about what to do next. Two choices, I think: the CS Lewis stories and Harry Potter. I think it has to be Narnia first, because it'll appear incredibly dated after HP. 

And talking of dated, I did a quick kids lit purchase at Awesome Books a while ago - great company, all second hand and post worldwide for £2.69 - and have been skim reading some of the books I read as an 8-year-old. I have to say, it is astounding I finished junior school, as I couldn't believe how turgid and dull the Famous Five, Arthur Ransome, Willard Price and the Hardy Boys all appeared. I had them in my mind as great stories that would send his mind wandering into all sorts of different places. Not so sure now... if anyone has other suggestions, would be delighted to hear them.