Pillow Talk

We had a good break. I’m not going to say I’m tired, or so busy, or that it went by to quickly. It was just good. We hid under blankets and made forts and read and played games and ate really good food. The kids skated for the first time in years and loved it. We let them stay up this year for New Years and they were disappointed in how boring their parents can be. The two weeks were good to us and we were happy to be reminded that we are able to have those great times. They aren’t always easy to come by for us, I’m not complaining, just a fact. But it’s so good to know they’re out there, waiting for us.

I read Sputnik’s Children by Terri Favro and I loved it! It was the perfect book to end the year with about a strong female narrator, albeit unreliable, who must jump between time lines to keep the world from being destroyed. I love unreliable narrators and she was one of the best. I finished another Louise Penny, Dead Cold. The more familiar I get with these characters the more I understand the world’s fascination with everything Gamache. I started the holiday with the second one and it got me in the mood to just be. Be happy and content with twinkly lights and food and my people. It was good. My youngest son Rory gave me Angie Thomas’ The Hate You Give and I devoured it in two days. I’ve been thinking so much about how I would review this book and I just feel like I can’t without sounding over privileged and naive. The book is amazing, as everyone knows or has heard, and heartbreaking and all those things but I want to say more. Saying how hard it was for me the read it doesn’t help the people who live it. But reading is to create empathy and make goodness. And this book did all those things. William, my oldest, gave me a pillow. The best pillow. Me snuggling with it all holiday made him happy to let me read – win, win. I ended the week by getting halfway through Jennifer Egan’s newest novel Manhattan Beach and I’m loving it.

My head is full today and excuse the following ramblings. It’s my first day home without kids or work, with time to write. But I’m full of worries we have that are particular to our kids but that are very much their own stories to tell. They don’t have it easy though and that’s why I can’t let myself slump today (although, it’s oh so tempting) with my pillow. I will write – get back to this blog and work on a non-fiction piece I am thinking of submitting. Oh! And swimming!

So. My class got cancelled because no one else signed up but I got the best bathing cap for Christmas that can’t go to waste. So my husband is wonderful and came up with the idea to meet me at the same time my class would have been to swim together once a week. This to me is even better, time with him and exercise for us both. It’s a pretty great deal he’s come up with especially when it’s possible that the next few months could be tough. So yes, writing and swimming and sometimes slumping if that builds me up to give my boys what they need when they come home. That, and writing and swimming and hanging our with Scott are also just a lot of fun.