Laid Down Woman, Sleeping by Felix Vallotton
After a twelve hour day at work (and the promise of a ten hour one tomorrow), my enthusiasm for writing a review tonight has disappeared entirely. Best to quote someone who I know would understand my current sentiments:
I reviewed a book the other day. It is not often I do this, because before one can review a book one has to, or is supposed to, read it, which wastes a good deal of time. – A.A. Milne, The Sunny Side
Because my weekdays are so busy, my weekends have been crammed full of reading lately. Despite devoting the daylight hours to other activities, I try to devour several books between Friday and Sunday nights. On one recent Sunday, I read the last six hundred pages of The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye (a bit of a disappointment, if I’m honest, after years of looking forward to it), one of Loretta Chase’s romance novels, and Hilary Boyd’s not awful but also not recognizably good Tangled Lives. A good day’s work. Last weekend I tried to balance my books across the days but lost some efficiency in doing so, only finishing two short novels and getting a third of the way through Claudia Renton’s Those Wild Wyndhams (which I can’t wait to jump back into this weekend). This binge-purge cycle isn’t ideal but it’s all I have right now so I will take it!
I do try to read some during my commute, but that only seems to work in the mornings, when I’m able to get a seat on my bus. I’ve been keeping to very, very light books, which are cheering in a way and certainly an undemanding start to the day but they do make me long for more substantial fare. Still, hard to face footnotes that early in the morning. The most dangerous side effect of my morning reading this week is that I finished a Paris-set novel feeling entirely bitter that I have not been there in almost eight years and, worse, have no plans (as yet) to visit soon. I really love my work and my city but I do sometimes envy my friends who live in Europe for the ease with which they can access such places. If I lived in London or Amsterdam, you can bet where I would be headed tomorrow night.
The retail world seems to be signalling that Christmas is approaching, so at some point I should also look into that. My baking is partly done at least (2 Christmas cakes and 400 cookies down, about 250 cookies to go), but I suspect my family might also appreciate some presents. Christmas at our house is very low-key (aside from the handing out of outrageous numbers of tiny cookies to all and sundry) so, though I’m dreading what shopping I need to do, I am very much looking forward to the holidays – and to having a couple of days off!
The Captive Reader 
Poor you having to work so hard. And brilliant you for reading so much at the weekends. Hope you are going to have a really good Christmas break.
Work has been fun but, between lots of meetings and staff turnover, very demanding the last month or two. I only have the 25th, 26th, and Jan. 1 off of work but any kind of break is sounding good to me right now!
I also have trouble juggling it all something. The main thing is that reading doesn’t become a chore!
Never that! I’m in a blogging mood lately though, so it’s been frustrating not to have the time to do that. Hoping to catch up and pre-schedule some posts this weekend.
Oh dear. Perhaps you are taking the “captive” a bit too literally. Have fun, and do whatever you like. We’ll wait for you. Totally empathize with your European longings. I loved living in London, both for, well, London, and for the easy, cheap access to Paris, Amsterdam, and Dublin. Travellers’ heaven.
Ha! No worries there. It’s fun to be so busy and challenged all the time, even though it is occasionally exhausting.
I’m a little jealous. I’m the official cookie baker in my family too and I have two measly batches in the freezer, and only Sundays in which to remedy that shortage. I think we will be celebrating Ukrainian Christimas instead. 🙂 Now, if only I could bake on the bus…
Sounds like you have quite the Sunday ahead of you. Good luck!
Living away from my family, I forget that it’s even Christmas time. I have a baby Charlie Brown tree now to give my temporary place a little XMAS cheer. I’m jealous you get to bake for some many people. Enjoy it. (I don’t miss the shopping though. hehehe)
I think the key to being a happy baker is finding people outside your family to give to. I have an incredibly tiny immediate family in my hometown (maximum 8 people – including partners – if we manage to get everyone in town for the holidays) so embrace the wider neighbourhood and my workplace. I fall short of giving cookies to my bus driver, but the mailman and office building maintenance team are fair game. It wouldn’t be Christmas without excessive giving!
Having so many baked goods at home keeps me from baking sometimes. That’s great that you give to so many people.
Aw, my dear Far Pavilions. Why have you been looking forward to it so long? I’m terribly fond of it, but I came to it without any expectations to be disappointed. You should read the other one, Shadow of the Moon. I am fond of them both.