Sunday, January 22, 2012

Happiness

Last night I decided to start a book I have been planning to read for years, A Tale Of Two Cities.
I did not make it very far, Mr Lorry had not yet made it off the mail coach before I fell asleep. I woke this morning and resumed reading over a cup of Earl Grey and toast with jam. There is a lot to say for the restorative powers of literature. I climbed out of bed turned on a alt music station and was overcome with a desire to dance. Dance I did. I am here in my house with my children and happy. What more can girl ask for? Oh, as a bonus I have won $4 dollars on a powerball ticket. I rarely buy lottery tickets, on an impulse yesterday I picked one up, and am officially a winner.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Two weeks seems to be the amount of time it takes me to get over a man. It doesn't matter if it is a husband of many years of a boyfriend of a few months, two weeks will do it every time.
I broke up with the Cuban last Monday. Today I woke up early did some reading, and had tea with a bagel before I took stock of myself at the one week point. I am right on track. My first weekend single again was nice. It was beautiful outside. I replaced some weak boards on my porch, I burned tumble weeds, read my book for book club. The whole thing left me feeling energized and alert. On a short walk yesterday evening I ran into him. We had a pleasant conversation, you know the whole' como estas?' and  'como es Anna?'*. No riveting conversation and afterwards I had no regrets.
It was an amicable break-up. I knew going in to the relationship we were at different points in our life. I would have felt guilty beginning something I was sure was going to end if I had thought he truly loved me, but I suspected a love that started that fast would cool off quickly too. It ended before it cooled enough to cause fights and pain. In fact the only problem with the whole thing is that after having him around for three months, and I mean constantly around, I became used to him being here. I am a bit addicted to him.The first three days were rough, but I am getting better every day.
We never were in love. What we had was great chemistry. As a matter of fact after this two week period I am going to give serious thought to presenting the friends with benefits package.

*My neighbor and great friend Anna has been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. We are starting some serious wine therapy.

Books in 2011

  • Selpuchre
  • The Big Over Easy
  • The Glass Castle
  • The Art Of Racing In The Rain
  • One Of Our Thursdays is Missing
  • The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
  • Light A Penny Candle
  • *Winter Solstice
  • The Unexpected Mrs. Polliflax
  • Tender Is The Night
  • What Is The What
  • The Blind Assasin
  • Fool's Puzzle
  • The Lord Of The Flies
  • Lost In Translation
  • Of Mice and Men
  • To Kill A Mockingbird
  • The Boy Who Loved Ann Frank
  • Number The Stars
  • Spoken From The Heart
  • The Stormy Night
  • Sarah's Key
  • Fool
  • Flowers In The Rain
  • The Secret Life Of Bees
  • *The Secret Garden
  • *Me Talk Pretty Some Day
  • The Shack
  • *Dreams from my father
  • September
* Re-reads

These are the 30 books I read in 2011. Not a big reading year for me. I started well, but life kept getting in the way.