This is going to be me today -- reading and relaxing. I am not going to French. I'm seizing the day and taking it easy, because it's almost my 50th birthday and I deserve it! I want to lie around the house and catch up on all my reading and some other small tasks. At the moment I'm still in bed with Olga, who also shows no sign of wanting to go anywhere.
I've got some New Yorkers to finish, as well as "Swamplandia!" I like that book, but it's weighing on me because I've been carrying it around so long. I want to move on to something else. Thus the sustained push to finish it. Sometimes even a good book can become a burden, you know?
Yesterday morning I discovered that some squirrel had excavated a strip mine in my newly potted fig tree. Seriously, I don't know what this animal was trying to do, but it seemed to want to go to China. I replaced all the dirt and the stone chips I'd (fruitlessly) put on top to discourage digging. Then I put some large shards of pottery on top of the stone chips. Get through that, you little bastard!
Remember my colleague with the wandering ballot? He happily reported yesterday that his ballot, after lingering in Kentucky for a while, made it to its destination in New Hampshire. I'm sure he's voting for Hills, so that's a good thing.
I spent yesterday weeding more library books. I almost finished the entire fiction section, and filled up a whole cart. I should clarify that I am not throwing all these books away -- I'm just taking stock of which ones need a little push, with a special display or something. I've already got a bunch of them on shelves near the front entrance, to give them more visibility. Only a minority -- many old, yellowed trade paperbacks that were donated years and years ago -- will be immediately given to charity or recycled, depending on their condition.
(Photo: Hampstead Heath, last weekend.)
Your attitude to the squirrel community is worrying to say the least. "Get through that you little bastard!" If you can feel that way towards a harmless squirrel following its natural instincts how do you really feel about the elderly, the disabled, Welsh people etcetera? Very concerning.
ReplyDeleteI've gotten used to Yorkshire Pudding's humor otherwise I might have felt tempted to jump to your defense and tell him you are one of the kindest and most considerate people in this world. But a fig tree has a right to live too, right! And Hills--is that what they call her across the pond? In my head I hear it in an Eghlish accent.
ReplyDeleteI cast my vote for Hills yesterday. You know- it really is something to have grown up in a time when we got to vote for the first African-American president (twice!) and now the first woman. Plus- the Beatles and Rolling Stones. Not that we voted for them but you know what I mean.
ReplyDeleteI think it's excellent that you're taking a day off. I did that yesterday and it was restorative.
I would gladly stay home today after yesterday (upcoming post) but unfortunately, I have to work at the antique store.
ReplyDeleteYour day sounds great. I had a couple of days like that when I got back from my trip and they felt good! I'm glad that guy's ballot finally made it to it's destination.
ReplyDeleteStaying home is good, especially with a wonderful book and a bottle of red wine, or white. There is a book that I have never been able to finish. It's called 'The Pope's Rhinoceros' I got it out of the library several times because I was determined it wouldn't beat me, but it did, and according to the Librarian I wasn't the only one, a few other people had taken it out on several occasions, determined to finish it, but none of us did. Do you know this book, if so can you explain it to us who still wander in the darkness?
ReplyDeleteHope you had a lovely day. The French will forgive you. I could not finish Swamplandia, but then I've never been to Florida.
ReplyDeleteEverybody needs an extra day off now and then!
ReplyDelete50? Man I was dangerous at that age!!! We should all take a day to relax. the world would be a better place.
ReplyDeleteThat's how I felt about the Goldfinch! Well, except I didn't actually enjoy it either...
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