Another Sunday morning, and it's still snowing! We usually average 120" per winter, but the 100" mark is already a memory and expectations of a record-breaking season continue to mount. The weather cancelled quite a few activities this week (but not school), so there were a couple of unexpected evenings at home.
As a result, the TBR Dare is going well. I finished Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, and have been reading from two short story collections. However, that's just three books from my shelves, and fifteen have been added to my wish list in the meantime.
On the blog last week:
- my thoughts on "Afterwards" by Edith Wharton
- a review of The Doctor's Wife by Sawako Ariyoshi
Today, I'll be choosing a new novel from my shelves. The top contenders are The Optimist's Daughter by Eudora Welty and Excellent Women by Barbara Pym. The other option is to continue with Pevear and Volokhonsky's new translation of Tolstoy's short stories ... which seems to fit best with the view from my window.
We are supposed to attend a birthday dinner for my sister later this afternoon, so hopefully the snow will let up. The driveway was plowed at 8:30 AM and now, just two hours later, it needs to be done again.
How many days until spring?
Now that all our snow has melted from last week I'm a little tiny bit envious. But only a little tiny bit. ;)
ReplyDeleteBe safe! And stay warm!
All that snow. OMG. We have none at all. I am jealous.
ReplyDeleteI often wonder what it would be like living in snowy places...but then I hear about the inconveniences, and I'm glad we don't have snow. Except for those weird times (a couple of times since I've lived here!), when we did have snow. But not enough to really leave much behind.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!
Here's my salon:
(click on my name)
Go for Excellent Women!
ReplyDeleteI am not jealous at all of your snow after it caused chaos here last month. I guess you are better set up for it than us. Quite mild here but raining.
The Optimist's Daughter is great, but so sad. And I've been dying to read Excellent Women myself. Not a very helpful comment, I know :P
ReplyDeleteYour two choices sound interesting. My hats off to your neck-of-the-woods..you really get some snow there!! Have a great snowy Sunday!
ReplyDeleteWe had a lot of snow before Christmas (I even got a day off work!) but none after it so far. It's been unseasonably mild, which no one is complaining about.
ReplyDeleteI'm mainly reading off my shelves too, but like you my wishlist is getting longer and longer!
I vote for Excellent Women too:) Hope your trip is safe and sound...and fun.
ReplyDeleteHoly crap that is a crazy amount of snow! I am so sick of snow and winter in general.
ReplyDeleteThis is going to be one white winter it seems. I guess your learn to take that in stride when you live in the Northeast.
ReplyDeleteI'll be curious to read your thoughts on Major Petigrew, as I just got that one last week.
Have a great week JoAnn.
Trish - I don't really mind winter, but this year the snow is a bit much... even for us!
ReplyDeleteVivienne - I wish I could send some snow your way :-)
Laurel-Rain Snow - I love having four distinct seasons, but sometimes winter gets a little long...
Verity - I've just pulled Excellent Women down from the shelf!
Nymeth - I think it'll be Excellent Women today... not in the mood for sad.
Staci - We do get a lot of snow, but it seems to have come all at once this year! We still have all of February and March to go.
Sam - I may have to go on a little book buying spree when this is all over :-)
Stacy - Excellent Women is my choice... will start shortly!
Reviewsbylola - We got so much snow in December, I'm ahead of schedule in wishing for spring. It's usually February before I get this sick of it all...
Diane - I enjoyed Major Pettigrew, especially the character. Will wait until after my book club meeting to write the review.
Past the 100" mark? Already?! Zowie! We got a "mere" twelve inches, but it closed the schools...I think I'd go with The Optimist's Daughter because I have Welty (a different one) on my pile,too--selfish, selfish. Although Ms. Pym is a nice afternoon's read...
ReplyDeleteThat picture of the snow is beautiful! I hope you are able to go out this afternoon! It sounds like you have a wonderful selection of books on your shelves. It's hard not to add to our TBR piles, isn't it?!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your reading and good luck getting out!
~ Amy
Is it 16 degrees there too?
ReplyDelete(On the upside, I just got brand-new snow boots from TJMax for $30. Original price? $125!!! And I have plenty of opportunity to wear them!)
I imagine that weather like that IS doing wonders for the tbr pile. How could it not? Didn't you have weather like this last winter too?
ReplyDeleteSome Welty re-reads are on my to-read list for this year, and Barbara Pym I have never met but am beginning to feel the blogging influence pushing me in that direction. Happy reading!
Lord, I can't even FREAKING believe the amount of snow you get. My toes get cold just thinking about it. I'm loving the TBR Dare. I might just keep doing it. Good excuse not to accept ARCs, and good excuse for me not to go shopping...
ReplyDeleteI am a big Barbara Pym fan -- so I vote for that. Enjoy the snow (what else can you do?)
ReplyDeleteI've read Excellent Women! I recall the light tone and humor but not so much positive story. but I could be wrong... ENJOY!
ReplyDeleteDS - I ended up starting Pym last night, but will go for Welty next... just love this tbr dare!
ReplyDeleteAmy - The wind picked up last night and visibility was a problem, so we ended up staying home. It's bright and sunny today though. Have a great week!
E.L. Fay - Yes, it was single digits yesterday and 10 below this morning. Great deal on the boots!!
Frances - It was bad for a while last winter, but spring came early... I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a repeat. My tbr pile loves this weather!
Sandy - The best thing the TBR Dare has done for me is provide an excuse NOT to sign up for the Ulysses readalong! I'm all for keeping it going!
Beth F - I started Excellent Women last night... an excellent choice so far!
Care - Just started Excellent Women and love the light tone... we'll see where the story goes though.
That sounds like a lot of snow! I hope you were able to make it to your sister's birthday dinner.
ReplyDeleteI've been enjoying all the snow pics. It was 85 degrees in So Cal this weekend. It was nice but not typical...even for us!
ReplyDeleteVasilly - No, we didn't get to my sister's party... hopefully can see her this weekend instead.
ReplyDeleteTi - I'm so jealous!! Would love an 85 degree day right about now.
Oh, my! And here I thought my hometown in MT with 64" was alot -- You know it really is so lovely to be outside here in the sunshine planting flower bulbs, no jacket. :)
ReplyDeleteKim - It's in the single digits here today... can't tell you how jealous I am ;-)
ReplyDelete