Notes from the infirmary:

At least that’s what it feels like here. Poor Don! He’s really miserable. I feel so badly for him.

I’m still coughing and blowing my nose, but I’m definitely on the mend. It’s taking a bit too long for my taste, but it is what it is.

The soundtrack here at the cottage is the sound of coughs and sneezes and blowing noses and the occasional moan. And then, sick of that particular soundtrack, we put on some Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.

Much better.

I should finish up Lee Child’s latest today. I love the Jack Reacher series but this one doesn’t seem quite as compelling to me. I can see the plot twists way before they happen. Usually that isn’t the case. There’s been a wee bit of disappointment this winter in the newest releases from Lee Child, Louise Penny, and Susan Hill.

I’m going to be reviewing the occasional book on the blog. Nothing like it was in the past, but here and there. When I had both the book blog and this blog and I was reviewing books right and left (hundreds of them) I reached burnout. One day, I simply deleted the book blog. And I stopped reviewing. I wanted to read for pleasure once again. And I have. It makes an enormous difference in the reading experience.

I contacted TLC Book Tours a month or so ago and asked to be put back on their list of reviewers. Right now, it looks like I’ll review one book in March and one in April, which is perfectly doable.

Oh, by the way, I also deleted my Mockingbird Hill Cottage Facebook page. I never post there. It’s just taking up virtual space. I doubt whether you’re looking for it, but if you are…it’s gone or just about to be gone. I think it stays up for 30 days after you delete it.

Cleaning house. I’m also just about done with cleaning out the office. I need to throw a few things in a trash bag and we’ll be good to go. Just haven’t had the energy to lug the trash bag outside!

I still plan to write about the movies we’ve seen, however, that takes a kind of mental energy that I’ve been lacking during this illness. But soon!

Happy Thursday.

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.