I hadn’t realized quite how forcefully I’d been holding my breath until I got home yesterday and the exhalation finally happened. A bit of space with Reading Break, although there will be meetings and marking and reading and lecture-writing.
Partway through this week a wave of fatigue threatened to pull me under. Thursday morrning’s class was all but abandoned in favour of a nap, although we had a good time once I got there (how could we not? We’re working our way through Thomas King’s Green Grass, Running Water, a delightful, if challenging, romp of a book that instructs while entertaining). Silly me, I found myself wondering why I was so tired, and then remembered — Duh, what about that 30kilometre run last Saturday? . . .
So once Paul and I got back from yoga this morning, I devoted myself pretty intently to relaxation. I did wander out in the garden, to pull together these various examples of its embarkation on Spring . . . Lorrie’s inspiration and I hope she doesn’t mind the copy-catting. We’ll just call it a meme, shall we? Her composition and her photography is far superior to mine, but I love the casual beauty of these garden findings.
Does it seem I’m often ending my posts lately by claiming to retire to my armchair? That’s where I’m off to now, for an hour or so, with Claire Messud’s The Woman Upstairs. I’m riveted by her character study, the plot tautly establishing itself, so many bang-on observations about social phenomena, and some rich settings, satisfying allusions, etc. Just the thing for the start of a weekend. . .
And then my good friend is coming over for a glass of wine. I’ve let my Friday afternoon gatherings lapse rather, but Alison and I have been managing an hour or two over a glass of red one or two Fridays a month. Such a good way to catch up and to let go, a relaxed move into the weekend.
If you’re just getting ready to settle into yours with a cup of tea or a glass of white or red or Scotch or whatever helps you feel expansive and well-treated, know that I’m raising mine in your direction. . . A votre santé! Cheers! Slainte!
Lovely flowers! I'm thinking there's a "wee whisky" in my evening plans… for a short week (Monday was a holiday) it felt VERY long and very full.
Hope you enjoyed that "wee whisky" — I'm sure it was well deserved after your week.
…and a lovely chat and glass of wine it was! So good to have you just a few doors away.
Wasn't it a pleasant way to start the weekend?!
I copied the idea from another blog and love seeing your interpretation. I hope your weekend and reading break are relaxing and restorative.
Thanks, Lorrie — I hope you're finding restoration this weekend too.
To your health my dear, physical, mental, spiritual, and any other sort that matters.:)
Thank you. . . and the same back to you as we tip our glasses. . .
Funny, my goal for my small group this week was to spend time looking for and photographing signs of spring. I had my friend, Janet over for some wine as we were going over our forthcoming trip. In two weeks we will be in London!
Will you get a chance to post some of those photographs?
London! I'm envious! I just read that there's a David Hockney exhibition on now that I'd love to see.
I had tea at my walking partners yesterday afternoon. She was exhausted after helping her daughter pack up her apartment for her move to Vancouver. I brought a delicious bar of chocolate and we got caught up in chatter until we both looked at the time and realized that we'd been talking for nearly 3 hours! Love having a free Friday afternoon to relax and connect with friends. The armchair that you curl up in sounds like a cozy spot to cocoon….hope you manage to catch up on your rest.
Your hellebore is charming!
Sounds like the best kind of visit! Enjoy the rest of your weekend — I'm sure you have some charming hellebores to admire in your garden . . .
The bits of color showing in your garden are heartening to see – we still have about 6 inches of snow cover. Glad to hear of the good start to your weekend.
The colour's been covered by snow here as well, although I suspect it will be rained away by later in the week. . .
Oh, PLEASE tell us what you think about the book when you've finished it. It's one of those that stuck with me for weeks after I read it. Quite devastating.
I'm nearing the end, now, and holding my breath, I must say. . .
Just finished it this past weekend. My first of her novels. I must say, I love her writing. Let us know what you think of it!
I've finished it as well — and I, too, was new to her writing and like it very much. I'll have to find time to say a few things about it, but I agree with Tiffany — devastating!