It was a Dickens kind of week but we’re gonna focus on the positives. My book is out and early feedback has been wonderful. I managed to push my self-doubt aside just enough to make room for some writing – early work on a new gothic-flavored supernatural mystery. I’m in discovery mode with this project, so I have no idea where it’s going, if anywhere. But, frankly, any distraction from everything going on in the world these days is very, very welcome.
Stay positive, dammit!
Big breath.
Positive: it … only snowed once this week? *head desk*
Work was extra busy for me this week, but I managed to keep my phone screen time under control in the evenings and decompress in better ways. With books and scrapbooking. I finished EF Benson’s Secret Lives and read Michiko Aoyama’s What You Are Looking For Is In the Library. The latter was a recc from a friend, and a nice companion to a book I read last week, Hika Harada’s Dinner at the Midnight Library. I’ve been getting into Japanese fiction lately, and these are two cozy, slice-of-life stories that both feature libraries. Would def recommend if you’re looking for something sweet, warm, and low stress.
I’ve been getting back into scrapbooking and collage-making with a vengeance and this week I found the perfect evening relaxation activity combo: scrapbooking + reruns of Midsomer Murders. Episodes are the perfect length (about 1.5 hours) to unwind and do a couple of pages in my commonplace book. A friend sent me a little care package of scrapbooking ephemera (I love that word!), which was so fun to sort through and add to my growing pile of materials. I am probably going to write a separate post about my scrapbooking adventures because I think it’s a fun, accessible hobby to try – and no, you don’t need a ton of expensive supplies to get started.
The kids were on Spring Break this week, but everything conspired against us/them having too many fun adventures. The weather was crappy (did I mention the snow?) and my son came down with a bad cold, so they mostly hunkered down at home. Not ideal, but I have to admit that I do love having everyone close by and low-key hanging out. I did some math this week and realized that in five years, both of my kids are going to be technically adults. FIVE YEARS! That’s wild to me because (a) part of my brain still thinks of them as babies, and (b) that’s such a short time. We gotta make the most of it … not because I’m worried that they’re going to flee the nest at the earliest opportunity, but because I know they’re going to have their own lives to lead, even if they’ll still share the same roof with us.
Ugh, I think I have something in my eye …
*sniff*
Anyone got a time machine handy?
Have a great weekend — and Happy Easter to everyone celebrating!
Thank you for the recommendations! I could definitely use some sweet, warm, and lower stress reading right now.
Same, same! Hope you enjoy these if you try them 🙂