It's Monday! (10/26/15)

It's Monday! is sponsored by Sheila at Book Journey.

 

Well, we're nearing the end of October already. I've been making a lot of slow-cooker meals (slow cooker turkey breast and gravy this weekend), raking a lot of leaves, folding a lot of sweaters, and just generally getting ready for winter in the north--which one can never really do.

 

This week, we're having our roof replaced. It will be nice to have this done, finally. So, home is looking like a snug little place to burrow into for the winter.

 

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Last week I finished three books. Anne Lamott did it again with Small Victories. I recognized a couple of the essays in this collection from past collections. There was a lot of Republican-bashing (one of her trademarks), and she seems to have an inordinate amount of friends who are dying of cancer, but overall, this was a pretty good book.

 

Eats Shoots & Leaves was, I'll say it again, an odd little book. Quirky and informative and kind of weird. But I was happy to learn that I use punctuation correctly and have the same pet peeves about other people abusing it as other writers and readers do.

 

Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic was a breath of fresh air. I know a lot of folks have a lot of opinions about Gilbert, and I've seen her a bit flaky for my tastes at times, but, in my opinion, she writes a mean book. And she's passionate about what she does. I recommend Big Magic to anyone wanting to reconnect with or deepen their creative instincts. (It's not just for writers.)

 

 

 

With the end of Big Magic, I am down to one more book on my October reading list: The Reading Promise. This is a re-read, and I'm looking forward to a nice, light, comforting little book right about now. I've felt a little overwhelmed and maybe overstimulated lately. Re-reads might help. 

 

 

This week I started a book from my November book list; The Art of Losing is a poetry collection by Kevin Young who edited the wonderful The Hungry Ear. Poetry is the best way I know to heal (next to prayer). It's a returning to my deepest self. And if I find just a couple poems that resonate with this season of my life, it will be worth it.

 

 

And I've really gotten into my audiobook of A Light in the Window, the second novel in the Mitford series. Love is in the air, and it makes me smile each time I listen to it.

 

 

I have a feeling I'll need to start another book this week from the November reading list this week. Good thing, I created it early!