Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Confesssions (and now for the bad news) :-(

I wasn't feeling well, and I'd had no breakfast because I'd forgotten to take my pill, and then(after some serious sorting), I'd gotten involved in packing that box (my one accomplishment of the day so far) and then in trying to find a few things to top it off, and then taking the silly picture, all happy because at last, I'd accomplished something with that heap of junk, and then finally, I made myself some oatmeal and sat down to eat.  That's when I made my first mistake.  I opened the book I'd started yesterday at Burdick Dodge, the book I bought to read while waiting for the work to be done on my car.  I'd read some more of it last night before bed.  The Memory Keeper's Daughter, by Kim Edwards.   Well, I couldn't put the book down once I picked it up.  I got sucked in and I sat there and read it all the rest of the way through.  This would be OK if I were on vacation or on retreat, but I'm not.  I'm trying to work seriously and diligently with the house.  So, now I feel bad, and guilty and upset with myself.  The book was excellent.  I cried so much my eyes hurt.  But I am still in my pajamas at 5:30 PM and accomplished nothing of any kind.  I apologize to everyone.  I'm going to try not to pick up any books until I get moved.  I have no will power about setting them down again if they're good.  If I need to read, I will read a magazine or I will write instead.  AK!

I want to say again, as I already said once, my favorite thing about this book is the way Kim Edwards, like Amy Tan in Saving Fish from Drowning, humanizes every character.  While we my not agree with the choices people make, we understand why they made them.  We ache with the pain of it all, of the hurt that comes from those choices, but we understand.  I have to recommend this book to people who love these books, books on relationships, families, choices.

My own failings are a lot less understandable.

5 comments:

LDahl said...

Mary... so much has happened since I visited you last! Are you moving to a good place?

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

I am. Yes and no. I am moving to live with my new HUSBAND Keith and my new SON, Graham, who live in suburban Detroit. The good part is them--I love them dearly--the bad part is Detroit and the moving and selling of my house.

Thank you for asking! :-D

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

the blogger doesn't seem to be working and I cannot click on yoru link and get to your blog.

AscenderRisesAbove said...

Getting lost in a book instead of packing seems like a great idea to me; totally excusable!

Detroit; seems like a big move; it sounds like it might be much colder then where you are now.,..

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

thanks for your comment, Ascender!

Actually it is colder and snowier in Syracuse than in Detroit, but there is lots of lovely nature here.