Thread by @lainasparetime

I do believe it is time for a #LainaReadsAnne thread. Shall we do Chapter 18?

#LainaReadsAnne This is a really fun chapter despite opening on Davy asking Anne where sleep is.

Actually, I even like this conversation. We do say people "go" to sleep so where IS it?

#LainaReadsAnne It's a cute question and I like that when Anne quotes some poetry at him, he's six and doesn't understand wtf she's talking about, and gets a bit upset that she didn't answer his question.

#LainaReadsAnne She says he's "too little too understand" and immediately feels guilty about being dismissive of him. I like this, honestly. I like Anne not being perfect, and then being like, "Oh, no, I don't like acting like that."

#LainaReadsAnne Davy says he's grow faster if "Marilla wasn't so stingy with her jam" and they have a little conversation about the difference between "stingy" and "economical"

He also says he's much happier to be living with them than the neighbours or his uncle, which is sweet

#LainaReadsAnne Diana starts frantically signalling for Anne to come over, and when she does, tells Anne "the old Copp girls on the Tory Road have a willowware platter".

#LainaReadsAnne Even better, she thinks Anne can probably buy it as Martha Copp will basically sell anything not nailed down.

If not, there's one in Spencerville but it might not be the same as Aunt Jo's platter like the Copp's seems to be.

Small towns, man. I love this XD

#LainaReadsAnne Anne says she'll go to Spencervale tomorrow and invites Diana along

We also get a callback to the spare room bed incident and a note that, "if any of my readers are ignorant and curious, I must refer them to Anne’s earlier history".

Cute.

#LainaReadsAnne Spencervale is about 10 miles away and it's hot, dry, and there's no wind. It's been quite a dry summer, apparently, and they need rain.

Especially the farmers, which... I could literally be describing Saskatchewan this summer. It's very dry this year here, too.

#LainaReadsAnne They reach Spencervale and go down the "Tory Road" and Anne asks about the name.

Apparently, “Mr. Allan says it is on the principle of calling a place a grove because there are no trees in it" according to Diana.

#LainaReadsAnne She says that "nobody lives along the road except the Copp girls and old Martin Bovyer at the further end, who is a Liberal. The Tory government ran the road through when they were in power just to show they were doing something."

#LainaReadsAnne Diana's father is a Liberal, so the book assumes we'll assume this means Diana is too, while everyone at Green Gables is a Conservative. The girls, therefore, don't really discuss politics.

I honestly don't know a lot about politics in the 1890s, ngl.

#LainaReadsAnne Suffrage in Canada is also a bit complicated for a tweet, but neither of them can likely vote as they don't own property and aren't widows, which I think was the criteria for white women in this time period.

#LainaReadsAnne They reach the Copp homestead... and no one is home. Anne doesn't mind waiting if it's the right kind, but if it's not, it'll get too late to go to the other place. And since she's going to town the next day, she's on a deadline.

#LainaReadsAnne Diana points out the pantry window has a "little house" under it they could climb on the roof of to look in and see the platter.

I want to emphasize this was DIANA'S idea. You'll see why.

#LainaReadsAnne Anne decides that would be okay, since it wouldn't just be because they were snooping, it would be because it was for a REASON.

Uh huh. That's how it works, huh?

#LainaReadsAnne The "little house" is an old duck house that is now only occasionally used for broody hens, as the Copps found ducks too messy and no longer keep them.

#LainaReadsAnne Anne is nervous about how shaky it is, but Diana says to lean on the windowsil, which enables Anne to see there IS a willowware platter just like she needs in the pantry.

#LainaReadsAnne Buuuut she gets a little too excited, does a little happy hop, and... falls through the roof and gets stuck hanging by her armpits.

Because of course she does.

#LainaReadsAnne Diana tries to pull her free, but Anne has like big chunks of wood gouging into her and all they can do is have Diana get a keg for her to stand on to take the pressure off.

She can't be pulled up either - it hurts to much to move, basically.

#LainaReadsAnne The only solution is to chop her out... but Diana can't find the axe.

Diana offers to go for help, but Anne says absolutely not as she refuses to have this story spread around - she'd never live it down.

#LainaReadsAnne All that's left to do is wait til the Copps get home.

(Writing that name is so weird.)

Then as Anne is lamenting how unromantic her misfortunes are... it starts to thunder.

Yup, the much needed rain is about to start.

#LainaReadsAnne One thing I've noticed - as much as Anne can get into trouble, she has a cool head in emergencies, or any real kind of trouble.

#LainaReadsAnne Diana panics a bit and doesn't know what to do, but Anne instructs her to drive the horse and buggy into a nearby shed and stay there while Anne shields herself with the parasol she luckily brought that day.

#LainaReadsAnne Also, don't stand outside on(/in) a shed holding an umbrella in a thunderstorm if you can help it.

You will get hit by lightning and probably die.

#LainaReadsAnne Luckily, Anne doesn't, as that would be a bit dark for this book, and even manages to be grateful for the rain as her garden needs it, and to think of a short story.

#LainaReadsAnne While still stuck in the roof, she even writes it down with a pencil Diana happens to have and a spare piece of wrapping paper from the buggy.

Diana thinks she should send it to a magazine, but Anna says it's not suitable for publication.

This is REALLY cute tbh

#LainaReadsAnne It's such an Anne thing to get into XD

Finally, Miss Sarah Copp gets home and Diana manages to explain the whole situation. Sarah is sympathetic and quickly gets an axe from inside the house and chops Anne free.

#LainaReadsAnne Anne is fine, if a bit stiff and tired, and apologizes for peeking in their windows and breaking the duck house.

Sarah is glad to see it go as she's sick of whitewashing it every spring and hopes this will convince her sister Martha to have it pulled down.

#LainaReadsAnne She invites the girls in for tea but says they shouldn't "expect anything but bread and butter and some cowcumbers".

Which is apparently as the book quotes it a bit later. That's a little mean, book.

#LainaReadsAnne Apparently Martha locks up "all the cake and cheese and preserves" as Sarah is too generous with them when people visit.

Um.

That's weird.

#LainaReadsAnne They talk business and Anne immediately offers her full 20 bucks - she's not made for bartering.

Sarah counters with 25, and Diana tries to silently urge Anne to argue her down, but Anne just agrees.

#LainaReadsAnne Apparently Sarah is going to be married so she needs all the money she can get her hands on.

She says about why she didn't marry sooner, "I didn't know men were so skurse." Which honestly is kind of hilarious XD

#LainaReadsAnne Honestly, good for you, Sarah. I hope you settle down in a nice little happy life where you can give all the cheese and cake you want to guests.

#LainaReadsAnne The girls eventually head home, laughing over the whole thing.

Diana says, "You're such a girl to have adventure, Anne."

And how true is that!

#LainaReadsAnne And that brings us to the end of today's thread! If you liked this thread, pls RT part of it that you think other people might like, and my tip jar is open if you can afford it. I really appreciate it <3 ko-fi.com/A0602GN