The teeny sofa is living temporarily on the cubby. I placed it there to take some photos and Don likes looking at it.
But I’ll move it soon. My husband, though wonderful in every way, is a big guy and has a tendency to knock into things and then those things break or fall out of their pots (an incident with potted plants a couple of days ago.) So I think I’ll move it to a more protected area. He is 6′ 4½” after all.
This will be rather short as we have some errands to run this morning and activities are often put on hold because I have a blog post to write, which always takes priority in the mornings. Nothing exciting; grocery shopping, etc., but Don woke up very, very early this morning and wants to get things done so he can home and crash. I don’t blame him.
I also cannot wait until I have some free time to finish The Night Circus. I reluctantly put it down to write this and make more coffee (Don is off doing the recycling at the moment) so we can have a cup together before we take off on our errands.
It took me a while to get into the book. I suspect that had everything to do with my state of mind, rather than the book itself, which is magical and wondrous and gut-wrenching. I’m enchanted by it. I care for the characters. Erin Morgenstern, the author, is stunningly talented. For the last two or three days, I’ve been reading it in great chunks and, if I had my druthers at the moment, would read non-stop until I finished. But that will be my afternoon treat.
I have to remember to run over to Rick and Doug’s and water their plants, as they are away for a couple of weeks. And then I have to remember to water mine!
Happy Saturday.
Hi Claudia,
Enjoy your day! The Night Circus is my next fiction book. I just finished The Marriage of Opposites, by Alice Hoffman: it has its minor problems, but I very much enjoyed it. If you haven’t read it, I think you’d like it. It’s the mostly imagined story of Camille Pissaro’s mother, as well as his own. It’s set in St. Thomas, but also in Paris and includes magical realism.
Thanks for discussing your reading on here because I’m happy to get your recommendations as well as those of other readers!
Sounds like a lovely read, Cara. Thank you!
Cherish the good stuff as much as possible. Good day to you both.
Oh, we do! Thank you, Martha!
Pity you have to move the sofa — it’s charming right where it is, but I can see where you’d want to put it in a more protected spot, considering the possibility of mishap! It looks lovely in your living room this beautiful morning! Well, we’re gray but your light is looking pretty good!
Too much traffic in that area, Jeanie. I’m asking for trouble.
We’re also gray! I lightened the photo.
That lamp!
Found at the Country Living Fair several years ago, Kelly. Thanks!
Who’s taking care of Rick & Doug’s dog?
He goes to a kennel.
I would have trouble doing that, in fact, I DID have trouble doing that. But Sam seems to be fine with it.
I was thinking that whenever they were gone, that you and Don were going to have him at your house; thought I’d remembered you’d brought the dog over to sort of acquaint him with your surroundings inside & out. I can see if/when your friends are gone for longer periods, you’d run into the same thing as what happened with Scout, though (I can relate, I’ve always had dogs), that it would confine you and Don too much, especially when you have a quick change of plans for a gig/freelance job; that sort of thing. So, yes, you’ll obviously help out for short sprints but sometimes a kennel in other circumstances just can’t be avoided.
I have a friend right now who’s swimming in money, more than she knows what to do with. She’s almost age 70 and no longer has any responsibility toward an aging parent, etc., and she’ll soon be fully retired this year (she really doesn’t need to work for money anyway), free as a bird and healthy enough for travel, but she feels she can’t go anywhere due to her dog; doesn’t want to leave the dog to go on a vacation like a cruise or whatever.
My husband and I were just talking today in the car (went out to the beach; TONS of people on the sand; TONS of boats on the water; we’re in the 80s temps with hot sunshine in SoCalif., so it was a fairly glorious Saturday, first of February) about how much we love our pets but also how much they keep us from doing what we want to do, i.e. travel. Even yesterday, we were north of Santa Barbara a bit (I had yet another medical appointment out of my area) , got hung up in Friday-getaway traffic on the 101 highway late in the day (we knew better!) and were worried we’d left the dog alone for too long back home, i.e. potty break.
All of our pets are elderly with issues; I couldn’t feel comfortable just leaving them with one of those dog workers you can hire thru an app (although I know people who do!); and, frankly, my dog particularly would die, I have no doubt, if we put her in a kennel for two weeks as she’s much too old and sensitive, was never successfully socialized (part our prob/part hers, just her nervous nature) and is a poor eater (can’t take that kind of abrupt change in environment, much like what your sister went thru when trying to decide to leave or not in a hurricane, and if the dog [now passed on] would be separated from them and in what circumstances). I’ve just never had a situation with a neighbor or relative who could house-sit, just stay in place while we’re gone, be there for the home and pets, not since my brother died anyway, and that was a long time ago. I trusted him implicitly; he loved the pets; and he was very, very responsible with my house and car.
So, you know, like in many things, CHOICES.
My husband today in the car just shrugged his shoulders, like there’s no answer but the one; the pets are a noose, but we’ll take the noose. We wouldn’t trade our big ‘ol precious, aged, dear girl-dog for gold (or freedom from pet ‘ownership’). I don’t think we’ll have her much beyond 2-3 more years but she could live longer, and we’re (the humans) not getting any younger. But, til then, we’ll just keep on home-improving our house, concentrate on the day-to-day living closer to home, enjoy her to the max as we do every single day, and maybe there’ll be travel in our future if we’re just still healthy enough and can save up enough money, but it also means we’ll no longer have her anymore, and the day she’s gone is a day I don’t want to think about, because it will be an unbearable loss…as you can well understand, considering the vital place Scout (and your other dogs) had in Don’s and your life.
We did the same thing for years. We hadn’t been a vacation together through our entire marriage until right after Scoutie died. We don’t regret it for one minute. xo
I was so delighted to see that you were going to read The Night Circus. That is one of the best stories and I fell in love with the people, the story, and the author. I have The Starless Sea on order and am looking forward to Erin Morgensterns special story style as I suspect it will hold me in it’s grasp the same as The Night Circus. It took me a few pages to get into this book as well, but once I did, I did not want to put it down. I’d look up at the clock and it would be well after midnight, and I would think – just one more page and then one more and well, you know how that can go. It was a book, that, even when it was finished, it stuck with me for awhile and that doesn’t always happen. I have an eclectic taste in decor and I am inclined to say, I have an eclectic taste with regard to what I read, as well. Enjoy!
I do, too!
It is one of the best things I’ve read in a long time. Thanks, Ranee!
I’m really interested when you can review it for us after you’ve finished, because some of the reviews on Amazon aren’t so positive. On either of her books. I really rely on your reviews, Claudia! I tend to snap up a lot of the books you recommend so was ready to place my order but decided to wait to hear more from you. One commenter said to check it out at the library first; then decide if you still want to buy it. Kind of a red flag for me.
If you want some advice, don’t read reviews on Amazon. I NEVER do. Anyone can leave a review there and I’ve seen some in the past that were completely off-base, and, of course, it’s all subjective. I wish they didn’t publish them. It’s unfair to the author and the publisher and it can impact a book negatively when the review is purely based on someone’s particular taste.
I made a decision long ago to not read reviews, whether they’re of a play, a series, a movie, or a book. Book blurbs on the jacket? Yes. But that’s it.
Wow, I’ll take that advice; I usually DO read Amazon reviews, on any purchase, not just books. I’ve left several buyer comments myself but usually only when I’m pretty happy with something and feel I need to give it a shout-out. I do know that in their secondhand marketplace, where sellers’ ratings are completely dependent upon how a buyer reviews their product, a buyer’s comment can take down the seller’s rating VERY unfairly (which means they lose potential business of course); all the same I guess. It can be a cold, cruel world out there in the land of opinions. And everybody seems to have one they don’t mind vocalizing these days.
My husband and I got into a long discussion with a woman our age on Friday; really bright, witty, articulate and deeply-thoughtful (with humor) person. She had just read Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari; said it’s the best book she’s ever read, and she’s a massive reader; said she read it twice. Then, you go into Amazon about it…several negative reviews. So, there ya go…
I’m glad you enjoyed The Night Circus. It’s such a ‘fat’, big, wide, huge, SATISFYING, full-to-the-brim feeling to have spent time watching a movie or reading a book, seeing a play, going to a concert…and feel transformed; enriched. I love it when days later, I’m still thinking about a plot line and characters or theme. That it still ‘lives’ in me. That it has that kind of power and punch to further fuel my imagination; make me use my brain.
I read reviews about products. That’s an entirely different thing. Either something works well, or it doesn’t, so it’s helpful to know that. But books, music? Entirely subjective. This book is quite magical, it deals with magic and the bending of time and place, and that’s not everyone’s cup of tea. I find it’s mine, however. Thanks, Vicki.
Have a nice week end and enjoy your books.
Marilyn
Thank you, Marilyn! You too!
hope you got your wish of a big swath of time to just sit and read a good book!
kathy in iowa
I did. I finished it. Thank you, Kathy.