books — Page 118

Happy New Year

January 2, 2019 at 9:17 am by Claudia

Happy 2019!

Tomorrow, the Democrats take over the House. I can’t wait!

We had a quiet New Year’s Eve, no surprise there. We went out for a late breakfast, walked to a vintage record shop, bought some cheese from our local cheese shop, shopped a bit at the antiques barn, had a veggie hot dog, and headed home. Late in the afternoon, we poured a glass of sparkling cider, had some cheese and crackers, and had an early toast to the New Year.

Those are my grandmother’s wine glasses. I was fond of them as a child because they had flowers etched into the glass.

Then we organized our records and watched four episodes of the Twilight Zone Marathon. We were in bed by 11:00.

From the antique barn:

A sheep and an egg cup. Is the egg cup Pyrex, Westmoreland, something else? I’m not sure. Glass egg cups have not been a part of the collection until now. But I loved the white and orange combination. Cheery. It’s tall and it won’t fit in the cubby cabinet, so it’s on the little shelves in the den.

I spent an hour or so yesterday making a backdrop for my mantel sheep. During a trip to Michael’s a couple of weeks ago, I found some interesting scrapbook paper that I thought might work. So I measured the width of the shelf and cut pieces of cardboard (which I found easily because I had just reorganized my pink cabinet!), taped them together, then I cut corresponding pieces of scrapbook paper and taped them on the cardboard with painter’s tape. That way I can change them out when I want to.

The paper has clouds and little airplanes. Keep in mind that the background is only 3½ inches high because the wall begins its slant at that point.

The ornament that is hanging on the right is made from a real egg and has two doves inside. Don gave it to me for Christmas because they’re turtle doves and because I love doves. It’s really beautiful. I’ll share a closeup sometime soon.

A closeup of the paper.

I finished the Louise Penny book this morning. I really liked it – Penny can’t write a bad book. The storylines were compelling. But, it’s not my favorite. Normally – and I’m not kidding about this – I am in tears at the end of one of her novels because she has woven everything together in a way that is life-affirming and transcendent. I didn’t cry this time and I knew I wouldn’t cry when I was reading in bed last night. Now, I realize that is no way to judge a novel. It’s just an indicator that, though I was engaged in the writing, it didn’t take me where it has taken me in the past. Something was missing for me.

All that being said, she is a wonderful writer and I love the characters and the setting of Three Pines and everything about that community and the people who live in it. And I can’t wait for next year’s book to come out.

Today? Christmas comes down. I’m ready for a change. I asked Don if he wanted me to keep the tree up for New Year’s Day and he said yes. So today it is. I’m also going to drop my book donations off at the library.

Happy Wednesday.

It’s That Time

December 27, 2018 at 10:07 am by Claudia

After an incredibly lethargic day yesterday, we are back to normal. The sun is out, it’s very cold, Don is going off to run some errands, and I am going to start – well, really continue – to purge. The other day, I sorted through a section of the bookshelves in our bedroom and I already have stacks of books to donate to the library. There’s more sorting to do.

Then I’ll start in on our office, which has become way too crowded. And tackle the ever problematic craft closet which really needs a purge. I need to be in a ruthless mood and I am.

It all started with the vintage dollhouse, dang it. I brought it in the house and the sheer amount of stuff we have (most of which I love and would never get rid of) overwhelmed me. Where do I put the dollhouse? There are two choices: on top of the china cabinet in the den, or next to the armoire in the living room. Currently, it’s next to the armoire but it needs a sturdier table if I’m going to keep it there. That led me to think about what I can get rid of.

Anyway, I’m running out of space on the den bookshelves and I want to transfer some of those books upstairs, so that I have room for more in the den. Make sense?

And, of course, we currently have no room on the kitchen table because that big old fern is there and the table is truly the only place for it.

I’m holding off on taking down Christmas until January 1st, but I must admit, I have the urge to take it all down now – a first. I think it’s because I’m in a ‘cleaning mode.’

What else? We watched Smokey and the Bandit last night in honor of Burt Reynolds and the experience confirmed why I never had any interest in watching it before. Pretty bad.

And I just finished a murder mystery by a well known author who has a series that takes place in Paris. It was fine, but I had just finished a James Lee Burke right before I started this one and it paled in comparison. That’s not entirely fair, of course, because Burke is such a superb writer that almost everything else seems a bit clunky. My reward? I’m starting Louise Penny’s latest later today.

I hope you’re enjoying your holidays.

Happy Thursday.

On Tap for Sunday

December 9, 2018 at 10:14 am by Claudia

Sunday morning. And, as I write this, I see the sun has just come out. It’s a fickle thing, the sun. It emerges for a couple of hours, tricking us into thinking the entire day will be sunny, and then it hides behind clouds for the rest of the day, leaving us feeling betrayed somehow. So I hope it remains sunny, but I’m not counting on it.

I just finished another James Lee Burke – this one was Glass Rainbow. There was a time when I read every new book in the Dave Robicheaux series and then I didn’t. I’m not sure why, though I suspect it had to do with that period when I was reviewing books right and left and had very little time to read for pleasure. I read his newest and was blown away once again by his writing. So I went back to pick up the four or five books that I missed and I’m almost caught up. Burke is a poet, a man of the South whose writing is achingly beautiful even as he is writing about murder and detectives and brutality. I put Burke and Louise Penny at the top of my Favorite Writers List. That’s another reason I haven’t started Penny’s newest, though it’s sitting here on my coffee table. I usually delay that pleasure, knowing that I have it ready and waiting for the perfect time to dig in, but I’m also in Burke mode and I don’t want to leave that world yet.

I’m starting Creole Belle today. He writes about Louisiana and the bayou and New Orleans and I must admit, his work resonates even more with me now that I’ve spent time in New Orleans. Heavens, he is good.

What else? There’s a new theater company in a neighboring town. They’ve built a small black box theater and their second show is in previews right now. Don has been supportive of them since the beginning because the little theater is very near to where he often takes photos and he knows the owner and the artistic director. Theaters need audiences to thrive and a theater that is just starting out struggles with building an audience. So we’re going to a matinee of their newest production – a new play by a young playwright. Don went to their opening production and was very impressed by their work.

We’re going to head out a little early and stop by the bookstore and maybe grab a bite to eat in our favorite vegan restaurant.

Happy Sunday.

Happy New Year

It’s That Time

On Tap for Sunday

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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