To ask for another drenched in scent Jillly Cooper thread

[Polkadotpjs]

I've just re read Riders after the recent thread on here but couldn't find it to re read. Also wondered what on earth I made of it last time I read it 20+ years ago I was horrified at a lot of it and annoyed at a lot of the characters. Still loved it though and really enjoyed being immersed in another world - choosing it even over my phone to dip into for another delicious spell of escape. Reading has really helped in lockdown and I really didn't remember much of the plot - characters yes. I'd be bulky polka who are too much porridge but tried to make an effort by splashing on a bit of scent
Talk to me about the others and the best Jilly-isms. Or link me to the other thread and I'll be quiet! Thank you!!

@DressesWithPocketsRockMyWorld I agree. Read rivals ;)

I saw something in the sky tonight- a big red J. Someone set off the Jillysignal !!

@Gindrinker43 have you read the bit in Case Histories where 'Caroline' meets her future husband at the agricultural fair, he is in jodhpurs and she thinks how Jilly Cooper he is and then he takes her back to his house and shags her over the sink. Actually that whole section is very Jilly-like.

Jilly would describe me as having a sneaky nose and predatory mouth, plus she would write my accent thus:

"'Allo everyone," panted Balloonslayer, "It's gone seven firty, 'ave you 'ad your tea yet?"

That should be beaky nose. Autocorrect is no friend of Jilly.

First of May, first of May
Outdoor fucking starts today
But as usual it does rain
So we fuck off indoors again

Not sure which Chronicle it is but I love this. I race to send it to my Jilly loving best mate on 1st May.

My people! Love a Jilly thread. Wonderful escapism with curly tailed mongrels, beautiful snakey ringlet haired women, handsome men and stunning Cotswold country piles!
So much naughty sex! Just let me at Luke, Dino and Rupert!

I read and re-read them, even though she gets so repetitive in the later ones.

"Rupert stormed up the drive in his dark blue and emerald green Porsche, grimaced at the clashing tulips planted in serried rows along the drive and rocked up into the drawing room.
'Rupe!' excaimed Freddie, ''ow are you? Fancy a whisky, mite?'.
'Ee-oh nee-oh!' shrilled Valerie, Freddie's ghastly wife, "Rupert would laike a tea and a delaytful piece of gateau. Ay won't 'ave Frederick drinkin' spirits in the afternoon'.
Rupert wondered why nouveau riche men were always splendid rough diamonds but their wives were inevitably frightful snobs and had elocution lessons from stereotypical, 1950s, aspirational Blackpool land ladies.
Noticing Rannaldini glancing over at Taggie (probably wondering why she was always standing in the doorway shifting from leg to leg: did she have cramp?), Rupert immediately went over and hit him across the room..."

LaMarschallin

@LaMarschallin That’s brilliant, and so accurate

Rivals was my favourite but TMWMHJ was a very close second. Must admit that I stopped reading new ones after Wicked! because they were a bit

You're very kind.

Despite the fact that her later books got very formulaic (and the incredibly archaic attitudes to things like sexuality and race all through them, even when she's trying to be less judgemental later on), Jilly remains a firm stalwart of my comfort reading.

To paraphrase one of her own a quotes:
"Reading a Jilly Cooper romantic novel is like eating a whole box of chocolates or going to bed with a rotter: you can't stop while you're doing it because it's so nice, but you regret it the next day".

I obviously don't regret it enough to stop - my copy of TMWMHJ fell apart recently.

Right, I'm off to pick some wild garlic to add to the most delicious and complicated chicken dish (which has an extremely perilous last-minute sauce ).
I'll just scrape a flannel under my armpits and between my legs (you never know...) and throw on an old jersey that I found in the dogs' basket.
I'll probably get transfixed by the beauty of a rainbow on my way out and rescue a few butterflies from the pantry first.

IRL, I'm just bloody fed up that I can't even trim my fringe with the bacon-rind-y kitchen scissors as it's growing past my nose.
I miss my eyebrow- and forehead-wrinkle covering, JC-style fringe.
Still (brightens), it'll be an amazing transformation scene at the hairdresser when they cut and "streak" it.
Then I'll get a fantastic tan by sunbathing topless for an afternoon and a lovely Irish journalist will know exactly (despite being all macho) what clothes to buy me and in which colours to take the last hint of red out of my suntan

(Oops! I don't think we're in Kans... erm... Rutshire anymore, Gertrude)

Going to bed with a rotter!! Did that a bit when I was younger! Eating boxes of chocolates...that too! Never shared then with either my horses or my dog - my vet wouldn't approve!
You're right, it's comfort reading.

I'll probably get transfixed by the beauty of a rainbow on my way out and rescue a few butterflies from the pantry first.

I hope you'll be throwing in some quotes from literature as you do so.

I hope you'll be throwing in some quotes from literature as you do so

Well, I might note that Wandering Aengus and Claudius got into the larder earlier and have devoured the creamiest chocolate mousse and the most divine bacon and egg tart that I'd made for a buffet I'm catering.

WA has a tin of salmon in his dish and Claudius has freshly cooked chicken in his, but I suppose that
Stolen sweets are always sweeter,*
Stolen quiches much completer...

*Obviously, I'd never normally call "pudding" "a sweet"

I’m going to empty the dregs of a bottle of Fracas over my head, get mildly tight after losing a stone from a crash diet and shag some divine rotter on the wild garlic in the woods

Love a bit of Jilly. The first woman in any book who has forgotten to shave her legs and/or wash hair tends to be the heroine destined to end up with a hero with strong thighs and eyes as blue as periwinkles or some such nonsense. Only downside is how often they have to all laugh at the most godawful puns

I think the things I love about Jilly heroines is that they:

• think they are too fat

• forget to wash and then suddenly remember they ought to have done

• forget to shave legs and then remember they ought to have done

• get drunk

• have disastrous haircuts

• wear clothes that they are too big for/don't suit them/other women sneer at

• think no one will ever love or fancy them

• are frequently a bit disgusting (eg Janey pissing in a sink)

. . . in other words they are like normal women. Except a bit (ok a LOT) posh.

Let's all go out to the "cunt"rucide