Monday Malarkey

Recent arrivals:

• The Hilarious World of Depression by John Moe (from St. Martin's Press for review)

I think I signed up for this book via Shelf Awareness and I'm looking forward to it. Note that the author blurb on the cover is by Jenny Lawson. I tried to read one of her books and thought it was depressing, not funny, although I loved her hilarious blog posts and she has amazing Twitter game. Maybe one of her other books would work for me. The one I disliked had the raccoon on the cover.

Books finished since last Malarkey:

• The Love Story of Missy Carmichael by Beth Morrey
• The Secret Lives of People in Love by Simon Van Booy
• Sailing Alone Around the Room by Billy Collins

The latter two are rereads, which I pulled off the shelf to read when the isolation finally got to me this week and I needed some comfort reading. I've done pretty well with this pandemic thing, for the most part, but this was the week I cracked. I think if I had the option I'd completely do without ARC reading while we're stuck at home and just read to my mood but I have about 5 or 6 books scheduled for review in the next 2 1/2 months so I'll just shovel in some reads off my shelf when I can. So far, this is starting to be a much better month than March for quantity. Of course, that's partly because the two old favorites I read this weekend are slim. 

Currently reading:

• The Big Finish by Brooke Fossey

Funny that after finishing a book about a lonely elderly woman finding friends and recalling the love of her life, the next book on my agenda is about . . . elderly men. Ha. It's completely different, though, and I'm enjoying it in a very different way. 

Last week's posts:

• The Love Story of Missy Carmichael by Beth Morrey (book review)
• Flamebringer (Heartstone #3) by Elle Katharine White (book review)
• Fiona Friday - She heard something (cat photo)

In other news: 

So, mentally not my best week but it improved after I spent a day or two with a pile of pillows and some old favorite books (and one day doing fierce cleaning, which is always cheering). TV-wise, we've been avoiding news and only occasionally turn it on for a short time, then turn it off in horror. I am glad Boris Johnson survived. I'm sad that we've topped 20,000 dead in the U.S.

We watched the National Theatre's production of Jane Eyre (free streaming; a fascinating modern take on the classic), a little of Jesus Christ, Superstar (I am officially impressed with John Legend and was happy to see an old favorite, Norm Lewis), and Andrea Bocelli's concert at the Duomo in Milan (breathtaking). In everyday TV, we watched an episode of Chicago Fire. And, when I say "we" I am surprised to be able to say that with honesty. Huzzybuns is not big on my favorite TV shows, apart from NCIS, so I was surprised when he sat through an entire episode of Chicago Fire. Usually, he doesn't last the full hour if he sits down with me at all. I watched the second episode of World on Fire on PBS alone (no interest at all from the spouse; he sat on the porch). I'm finding it painfully realistic. People tell me they have more trouble reading about war than watching it in movies and on TV. I'm the opposite. While reading, I can distance myself enough to tolerate reading about suffering in a way I can't when it's portrayed on screen. But, I think the fact that it's so hard to watch also means it's well done.

Easter was quiet. I hope everyone tolerated Easter or Passover without visitors. I miss having weekly (and now holiday) dinners with Kiddo and daughter-in-law but at least I got to shout at them from the porch to the driveway when they came to pick up a farm box, this week. We do talk on the phone, too, of course.

The best news of all is that we have a lot of very pretty things growing on our deck. We were only able to do one run to our favorite nursery and then pick up a tomato, some lettuce, and herbs in one go from Home Depot before it was time to stay at home, a month ago. Fortunately, that run to the nursery was a productive one and almost everything is growing brilliantly. And, we managed to keep the autumn mums going. Well, here, I'll just show you a little.

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