I decided to make an already long weekend longer by taking today off from work. I've been completely lazy so far. I slept in. I read in bed. Mostly I've just puttered around. I have the slightest twinge of guilt (surely I should be vacuuming or washing something?), but that hasn't prompted me to become industrious all of a sudden.
Since I usually read Kristin Lavransdatter on my morning bus ride, I pulled it out and read it for a while this morning. If you are hesitant to read it due to the size of it, please don't be. Keep in mind it is three novels in one (and you can always buy them separately--the first book only has about 320 pages!). I have been reading a chapter a day, but today I couldn't stop at one and read three before I realized it. I've finished the first section (there are three) of the first book, and I wanted to keep going. Since I plan on posting about KL on Sundays, I'll save my other comments until then.
Part of my puttering included looking at books in the stack by my bed. I have several piles, but the largest stacks have about 70 books total. So many of them I wish I could start now. If I planned on not buying a single book in 2008 and not checking out any books from the library, I could read those stacks and probably not even finish them by the end of the year. And I am pretty sure I would not be bored with them either. I don't think I could do it, but it is nice to consider it.
Now the problem is which books (already on the night stand and partially read that is) do I work on this weekend? I really should try and finish some books that have been languishing. Katherine Mansfield's Journal is the prime languisher at the moment. It doesn't seem to be the sort of book you just read straight through, but I am at the halfway mark and would like to move on (her biography is waiting, as well as her short stories--did I ever mention that I finally read "Prelude"? I have been meaning to read "At the Bay" as it involves the same characters, but I haven't gotten around to it yet). I am also halfway through my other Persephone book, Hostages to Fortune by Elizabeth Cambridge (which I have been reading in snippets). It's been very enjoyable. It has short chapters, which makes it easy to pick up and read a bit and then set down. Two other possible candidates are Tricia Wastvedt's The River (which I am reading for a book group--really liked it at first, now I am not sure, need to read more, but don't feel as compelled to pick it up...), and Kate Morton's The House at Riverton (which is actually very good, but I am rationing it--it's nearly 600 pages--maybe I just need to dive right in as I would have no problems becoming distracted with this one).
I'm happy to see the end of summer (technically it isn't quite the end, but with school in session now it feels like it). I finally was able to turn the air conditioner off a couple of days ago. The sun is out, but there is a nice breeze blowing in my windows even as I type this. I am looking forward to a nice quiet weekend. I have my books, several good (I hope anyway) movies set aside (including A Midsummer Night's Dream that I finally hope to watch). I might even work on one of my needlework projects (that I have ignored all week in favor of reading). I might not accomplish much (in the way of cleaning that is), but sometimes that's the best sort of weekend to have! What will you be doing over the long weekend?