From My Burrow

I am like an old groundhog in the winter. I just retire into my cozy burrow and wait for spring! I'll admit to being a bit of hermit by nature, which is a good thing considering that going out in the cold and wind sets off my asthma. Even on a calm day I have a problem with the smoke from the neighbor's woodburning stove and the dust and snow melting chemicals residue that are thrown into the air by auto traffic when the snow is gone.

This is me at about age seven. That
year I was introduced to the Oz books
by my second grade teacher in the
read-aloud time in school.

Now that I don't have a family to care for or a job to go to, my natural burrowing instincts have taken over. So, what have I been doing in my burrow? Unlike the groundhog I really can't sleep all that much. But, boy, can I read! I also watch TV, listen to books on Audible (still working on the big biography of George Washington), and do basic household chores. But I'm in no hurry. I just finished putting away the Christmas tree and other seasonal decorations yesterday. I rather miss them. The living room seems so bare and plain without the Christmas tree and other ornaments. I have known people who leave the tree (artificial, of course) up all year, but that makes it less special when Christmas really rolls around.

I have several new books waiting for me to be in the right mood to read them, but right now the only book I am working on that I haven't read before is a book titled Nightpool that my granddaughter and I are reading together. It is a fantasy novel set in a world where certain species of animals are sentient and speaking. Of course, there is the classic good vs. evil situation, where the young heir to the throne is being hidden and sheltered by sentient animals after the murder of his father, the king. When he grows up the good/evil contest is bound to get more intense.

When I'm doing something that requires hands but not much mental attention, or when my eyes are tired, I listen to one of my Audible books. The ones I have are very well read. It reminds me of when I was in elementary school and for fifteen minutes every day the teacher would read aloud to us. I always loved that.

I am also rereading the Mary Russell series by Laurie R. King. These books are a reimagining of the the life and times of Sherlock Holmes, as seen through the memoirs of his young wife, Mary Russell. Many writers have taken Arthur Conan Doyle's characters from his Sherlock Holmes tales and given Holmes new adventures. Of the ones I have read, these books by Laurie King are my favorites. She does not rewrite the characteristics of Holmes, Watson, Mycroft, etc., she just moves them on a few years, and expands on them. I think what got me started on this reread was watching a few episodes of a couple of modern day TV shows that put Holmes into our time, plus the big screen movies that have come out in the past few years. I've enjoyed these reimaginings of Holmes, but my favorite remains the Mary Russell series. I'm enjoying revisiting her world and adventures.

So, that's it from my burrow today!

A Sweet and Simple Sunday

Yesterday I did not go to church (gasp). I have not missed church attendance very often throughout my life, and I do feel a bit guilty about not going yesterday. The reason I didn't go is not relevant. The day did, nonetheless, turn out very nicely.

My granddaughter was spending the night. She was exhausted when she went to bed, and I decided not to wake her Sunday morning. So the house was quiet and I tried to keep it quiet and peaceful.

I was up early. I dressed and went to the living room with my morning orange juice. I settled into the sofa with my Bible and journal and had a time of personal Bible Study. I am currently in the book of Lamentations. It is a heart-wrenching collection of poems mourning the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians and recounting the horrors and suffering of the 18 months of siege before the city walls were broken through. It is emotionally hard to read, but gives a person a lot to think about.

I did nothing in a hurry, but opted for a slow, relaxed morning. Eventually, my stomach demanded attention and I brewed a pot of coffee and cooked my bowl of oatmeal with blueberries and honey (my favorite breakfast). Yum.

About 10:15 Megan woke up and wandered out. I heard sounds in the back yard and went out on the deck to talk to my son-in-law. He was moving very slowly and stiffly, having run a half-marathon in a cold rain the day before. His way of dealing with pain is to work. He was running the weed trimmer in preparation for mowing. When Megan realized what her dad was doing, she hopped up, dressed, and ran out to help.

My quiet and simple day continued. I worked on a photo book for a while.

After the mowing was completed, Megan and I went to the Village Inn for a late lunch. We had a lovely, relaxed time, visiting while we waited for our food, taking our time eating. We returned home, where I skimmed the Sunday paper and worked the puzzles while Megan played chess on the computer.

Then it was time for our weekly Bible Study. We were on Deuteronomy in my Introduction to the Bible course that I call Bible 101. An hour later we felt the need of some fresh air and exercise, so out the door we went for a quick walk around the neighborhood. I wish I had taken my camera, for we passed so many lilacs in full bloom in various shades of purple and also in white.

Back home we settled down to read aloud from the book we are currently sharing. At 8:30 my daughter called to tell Megan it was time to come home and get ready for bed.

A lovely day. Nothing special to anyone else, but I deeply appreciated it.