Good morning from chilly, cloudy, rainy central New York. We haven't seen the sun since we pulled in our driveway, and snow is in forecast later today and tomorrow. Maybe next year we'll stay in Florida until Memorial Day!
Our road trip home was shorter and more direct than usual (traveling with a greyhound limits options), but we did spend an extra day in Charlottesville, VA. We visited Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and took the scenic route (Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park) out of town the next morning. We'll definitely be back.
The books//
As you'd expect, there wasn't much progress on the reading front this week. I'm 75% done with The Vegetarian by Han Kang... a very strange book, yet so compelling. I plan to finish it today and will probably end up recommending with caution.
On audio, I started Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay, a recent audible daily deal. This is my first experience with Gay and her essays seem to be a nice mix of serious and lighter topics. (Who knew competitive scrabble was a thing?) Plus, it's always a treat to listen to Bahni Turpin.
The week ahead//
I've missed Sunday dinners with my family and look forward to celebrating my brother-in-law's birthday later today. It will be a busy week... so many appointments and lots of catching up around the house, inside and out, after a long winter away.
On the blogging front, it's time to get back to some sort of routine. I have a backlog of books to talk about, so let's see if I can make some progress there... and hopefully squeeze in some reading time, too!
How was your week? What are you reading today?
I think you should definitely stay in Florida until Memorial Day! It must be awful going back to snow....I mean, it's May! Nice selection of books you highlighted, I have not gotten to The Vegetarian yet.
ReplyDeleteTina - Snow in May is pretty bad... one year we even had a couple inches on Mother's Day! Memorial Day in FL is sounding better and better ;-)
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed Charlottesville. Also glad you missed the torrential rain we've had here lately.
ReplyDeleteI'm just starting Scoop by Evelyn Waugh. It should be a fun read.
Patience_Crabstick - We drove in during the torrential rain on Monday, but Tuesday was just gorgeous! Are the interesting sculptures around the city permanent did we just catch it at the right time?
DeleteBrideshead Revisited is the only one of Waugh's novels I've read. Scoop does sound like fun.
Isn't Cville gorgeous?! It's where I went to college :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I loved Gay's Scrabble essay...my favorite of the book.
Sarah - I was pleasantly surprised by Charlottesville. Beautiful campus, scenery, history, and it seems like there's a lot to do, too... we'll be back! The Scrabble essay is my favorite so far, too, but I've still got quite a bit more to go.
DeleteI'm with you...stay in Florida as long as you can. I never understand how people live with so much snow.
ReplyDeleteI've heard so many interesting things about The Vegetarian. Something about it makes me flinch, so I doubt if it will really be a read for me.
Deb - I finished The Vegetarian today. Can't really recommend it, but am glad I read it... definitely outside my comfort zone.
DeleteWelcome home! We thought the warm weather was here to stay but we've had a little cold snap too. Our neighborhood pool opened yesterday but I doubt anyone got in it.
ReplyDeleteKathy - We've always known May is a gamble here, but we definitely lost this year! It's snowing this afternoon :(
DeleteGlad you are back! I hope you are happy to be home despite the weather. Neat you made the detour in VA, beautiful places! I'm in the midst of the novel Beartown. We will see
ReplyDeleteSusan - So much history and beauty in Virginia... and so much more to explore! Will be curious to hear what you think of Beartown.
DeleteI was thinking we were having an early summer, as we usually do, but woke up to rain today! Just when I was finally going to do some outdoor work. I have mixed feelings. LOL.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy catching up on reading and blogging...and those Sunday dinners. Thanks for visiting my blog.
Laurel-Rain Snow - I was hoping for a normal spring here, but I guess the unpredictability IS normal around here! Just hope the snow doesn't stick around too long...
DeleteWelcome home.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that the weather is finally getting nice in The Northeast.
I also never get much reading done while traveling. Oddly enough, some people seem to.
Brian - Thanks. It's good to be back, despite the weather. All this cold and rain will give me an excuse to stay inside and read in the evening though!
DeleteI think staying in Florida to Memorial Day sounds like the way to go. Coming back to snow sounds awful! A visit to Monticello sounds lovely. We went years ago and I'd love to go back as I've heard they've opened a number of different things since then. Enjoy getting caught up! Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteKatherine - This cold has been quite a shock... I had to put on socks and shoes for the first time since we left! There was so much to see at Monticello. Enough for another visit, for sure!
DeleteWelcome home! I can't believe you're getting snow! (that's good reading weather I hope though). I just started a history of Bellevue... I'm enjoying it so far -- fascinating, but very long. But I have the audiobook on reserve and have a feeling I might do a JoAnn-style switchover. :)
ReplyDeleteAudrey - The Bellevue book is pretty high on my list. The FL library didn't have a copy, but there are plenty here. I was thinking it should be a read/listen combo, too!
DeleteVicki - I doubt The Vegetarian is a book you'd enjoy. In fact, I'm wondering if anybody could say they really 'enjoyed' it...
ReplyDeleteWelcome back to "normal" - whatever that may be. We toured Monticello a few years back. My favorite part of the estate was the vegetable gardens. It was summer and in full bloom. They had it planted with the same plants as during Jefferson's time. Evidently, he was also quite the gardener. I bought his book while there and think of him a bit differently now.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely week as you settle back in.
Margot - I loved the gardens, too! They're well into spring at Monticello now, so it was coming along nicely. Would love to see it in full bloom though. I wanted to buy a biography in the museum shop, but there were so many and I couldn't decide which to choose. Purchased a book about food/gardening history instead -The American Plate.
DeleteIt's so much fun to be away...especially where it's warm...but challenging to play catch up! Can't wait to read your book thoughts!
ReplyDeletePatty - Have a feeling I'll be playing catch up for a couple of weeks, at least.
DeleteSnow! I hope it warms up. It's cool in VA, but comfotable. It sounds like you had a nice trip home.
ReplyDeletePat - We may hit 50 by Wednesday, but they're already talking about the coldest Mays on record. Not a good sign...
DeleteI have The Vegetarian but haven't gotten to it yet. A member of my book club was going to pitch it to the group but then decided not to. I sure wish she had. Then I know I'd read it for sure.
ReplyDeleteMy week was alright. Nothing horrible to report. I'm falling behind on my review copies so I have to finish one book before starting Nesbo's The Thirst but that should be a quick read.
Ti - The Vegetarian is so short, you could really read it in a day if you had time. Can't say I enjoyed it, but I would be curious to hear what you think.
DeleteWelcome home, glad you made it home safely. Looks like a nice side trip to Charlottesville, too. It is a bummer though to leave the good weather and come back to rain. Hope your skies improve soon! And snow? that's just not right. :)
ReplyDeleteGreg - Charlottesville was great... can't imagine why we've never visited before. They're already comparing this to the coldest Mays on record, but I'm hoping things turn around soon.
DeleteI'm sure it's nice to be home, but a little sunshine would make it even better.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to hearing about some of your backlog books.
Susie - May have the first review ready to go tomorrow :)
DeleteSnow?! That's not good. Looks like you had a great road trip back though so that's a plus :)
ReplyDeleteStacy - Luckily, the snow didn't stick, but it's been SO cold! Fingers crossed it warms up soon.
DeleteI may read Bad Feminist, a great title.
ReplyDeleteTerra - Essays are a nice change of pace. I really enjoy them now and then :)
DeleteYour "long way home" sounds fantastic! I'm a presidential history geek with a goal of visiting a site linked to every president, and I've not yet visited Monticello. Sounds like a beautiful drive to get there!
ReplyDeleteUnruly Reader - What an amazing goal... and so much fun, too! Monticello was gorgeous and the tour was full of interesting information. They even have a slave tour now. Hope you get to visit one day.
DeleteWe had to turn the heater back on when we got home from an evening out last night and realized that it was only 65 degrees in our house. This on a day when it had rained, literally, all day. I was sort of wishing I were in Florida myself. Hope you are finally getting good enough weather to be happy you're home!
ReplyDelete