Last night was Halloween. The wind howled all day, the power flickered all afternoon, and finally just went out. How fitting! The girls liked the eerily atmospheric candlelight, but the feeling faded quickly with the realization that no electricity means no heat and no water. To make matters worse, the cable was out - no internet connection even if your laptop does have battery remaining. Our area is also being hit hard by H1N1 flu. Friday's Halloween dance was cancelled, the party Twin B was scheduled to attend last night was postponed (the host's sister has the flu), and yesterday morning Twin A fell ill with 'the swine'.
No power, no internet, no parties, no trick-or -treaters, a sick daughter...what's left to do? I turned to Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle. The combination of that book under those conditions produced a reading experience I will remember for years to come! Look for a review later this week.. maybe by then I'll come up with the words to describe it.Luckily, the efforts of National Grid (combined with a rain delay in Philly) had power restored before the opening pitch of Game 3 of the World Series. Go Yankees!
Today, Twin A is feeling slightly better and I'll be starting a book for the Japanese Literature 3 Challenge. My choices at hand are Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto and After Dark by Haruki Murakami. What will you be reading?
oh my! No power AND sick children - hope everything recovers fast. I want to read both of those books you mention.
ReplyDeleteWell, let's just take the good away from the night - one great reading experience and the game on in time. Hope everyone is or stays well. We just went through the flu in our house too, and tons of kids are out at my kids' schools right now. Sounds like you have two great reads in front of you today so... Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteI just finished The Haunting of Hill House...I think We Have Always Lived in the Castle was MUCH better.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a Hallowe'en to remember! Hope Twin A recovers swiftly.
ReplyDeleteI loved We Have Always Lived in the Castle and agree with Jill that it is better that The Haunting of Hill House (although I enjoyed that too).
I have read both Kitchen and After Dark and preferred After dark; both are very good books from great Japanese authors so go with your gut instinct.
OH my goodness -- you could almost write your own halloween thriller with all of last night's experiences!
ReplyDeleteI am a die hard Yankees fan myself - and thrilled that they won the third game :)
Hope Twin A recovers quickly from the flu.
I try not to say the word Yankees...my husband is still trying to recover from the Angels' loss. I am glad your daughter is feeling better (even if a bit) and that the electricity is back...so grateful for electricity. Happy Sunday reading!
ReplyDeleteWhat a day! Hope today is better. I loved We Have Always Lived in the Castle - what a good choice for Halloween.
ReplyDeleteMy reading is on my Sunday Salon post - see here.
I'll be looking forward to your review of We Have Always Lived in the castle. Glad your daughter is feeling better!
ReplyDeleteWhat a spooky Halloween! What a fabulous night to read We Have Always Lived In a Castle.
ReplyDeleteWe have lots of illness at school, I sent several children home with fevers, and all the adults are fighting it off. No one has confirmed that it is H1N1, the doctors aren't saying.
Try and stay healthy!
I'm very sorry to hear about the storm and H1N1, but that does sound like an amazing reading experience!
ReplyDeleteI too liked Castle better than Hill House, but I was a fan of both.
For a minute there I was going to say I was jealous of such a "perfect" Halloween (our temps were in the 80's even after the sun went down!), but I guess I wouldn't want to lose power or get the flu! I am putting a whole list of Shirley Jackson stuff for my 2010 spooky reads. I've gone too long in my life without them!
ReplyDeleteWe had perfect Halloween weather too! It was warm but really dark all day, like it was going to pour.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear about H1N1 wrecking your plans.
so glad that Twin A is feeling better!! Sorry about the power going out but it did add that extra something to your reading experience!! I have to read this one someday!!
ReplyDeleteCare - I ended up starting Kitchen today - it's wonderful!
ReplyDeleteFrances - I can safely say that will be a reading experience I'll remember for the rest of my life - lol!
Softdrink - That seems to be most people's preference. I'll probably read The Haunting of Hill House next year ... hopefully the atmosphere won't be quite so memorable!
Paperback Reader - I decided to start with Kitchen since it has to go back to the library soon. This was certainly a Halloween to remember!
Molly - The timing for the power coming back on couldn't have been better. Here's to another win tonight!
Book Psmith - O, your poor husband! This must be painful for him... My daughter seemed to be better this morning, but then faded fast. We may be in for long week.
Just another echo: so so glad Twin A is feeling better; hope Twin B does not succumb(or anyone else!).
ReplyDeleteWasn't that a GREAT game?
BooksPlease - It certainly was a memorable day! I'll be reading more of Shirley Jackson...maybe next Halloween!
ReplyDeleteReviewsbylola - I'll try to have the review up Thursday or Friday.
Gavin - It's strange because she was the only one to get a flu shot before the pediatricians ran out. Most of the cases they are assuming to be H1N1 at this point.
Nymeth - This was a reading experience that I doubt can be duplicated!
Sandy - I found out today that several downed trees caused the power outage. The weather can do almost anything here on Halloween - I have taken the kids out when it was 70 degrees and in snowstorms!
E.L. Fay - This is going to be a Halloween we'll talk about for years. You know the weather around here can do anything, but this is the first power outage/flu outbreak ever!
Staci - A truly 'unique' Halloween experience, for sure! We Have Always Lived in the Castle is definitely worth the read...it's very unusual.
DS - She was much better this morning, then started to fade again. We may be in for a long week. I really hope nobody else gets it! Looking forward to tonight's game...
ReplyDeleteHere's what I've been eating and drinking and reading: Sunday Salon
ReplyDeleteI have been wanting to read that Jackson book--she was one creepy author and I am sure perfect for a dark Halloween night., I have had one son down since last Thursday with H1N1, and son #2 has come down with it today. Just took his temperature and then he informed me he had the chills again. It is a nasty bug, and from what I have been hearing it can drag on for 5-7 days with that fever bouncing around. Ugh!
ReplyDeleteHope you all feel better soon--
*smiles*
Kim - Oh, no! H1N1 at your house, too? We're on day 3...here's hoping the rest of us can avoid it. Jackson was the perfect Halloween read.
ReplyDelete