Field Notes, vol 7

It’s been ages since I’ve done one of these posts! Nothing momentous has occurred in the past two months, with the exception of getting to visit Debi and her wonderful family again thanks to a particularly good airfare sale. Aside from that, my life has been full of little things: rediscovering knitting and making my first sock (I’ve just begun the toe on the second: knitting with arthritis requires the tortoise approach), teaching Thistle new tricks, daydreaming about travelling plans, adjusting my cooking to a new season, and of course books. I must admit I’ve been neglecting the book blogosphere: I suspect my arthritis has worsened a bit, and I’m still discovering the best approach. But in the back of my mind, as I go about daily life, I’ve been mulling over bigger ideas: purposes and dreams and how to give back to the world despite my homebound state. I suspect that, for me, book blogging is an integral part of living a good life, so I’m making more room for it.

I’ve also been reading up a veritable storm! Last weekend, with my arthritis flaring, I found myself a bit frustrated at my inability to knit or cook or go for a long walk (it’s surprising just how many joints are involved in walking). Luckily for me, I suddenly remembered that reading is much easier on the hands, and that if I can’t always fill up my days with the variety of activities I’d like to, I can always turn to the variety that books provide. And I’ve been doing just that ever since: in fact, I’ve finished fifteen books in the last week. More importantly, I feel so satisfied, mind and soul, while my body has gained the breathing space it needs to recover. Reading truly is a blessing, and books ensure that my trusty armchair will never feel like a prison, even when I have to spend hours ensconced there.

My hands are feeling tired, and I’ve promised myself to follow a moderate blogging path rather than my usual all-or-nothing approach, so unfortunately I can’t tell you in detail about those books yet. But I will. And I look forward to catching up on what everyone else has been reading. For now, though, I’m going to back to the marvelous book I’m currently in the middle of: Diana Eck’s Encountering God.