Friday, September 24, 2010

What am I reading - What am I listening to.....


While looking for something entirely different I came across a small leather bound Bible that belonged to my Mother, - so finely scripted on delicate gold edged paper and inscribed 'To my dear wife, Easter 1931'.


As you can imagine it is a book I treasure, and  am concerned about the condition of the cover, which is badly worn.  It came to me that on the bookshelves beside our bed there was a small handmade cloth case to hold such a book, and so I went to find it.

I was surprised to open it and find within Muriel Spark's first novel, The Comforters, published in 1957 (the year my mother died).  I cannot remember ever having the book, or reading it - but then that is not unusual.  When Charles and I were first married he had his uniforms and the clothes he left behind when he joined the Airforce, - I had my trousseau and some other old clothes, and we had our wedding presents!

Today!!  Oh, today we have accumulated so much STUFF.  With six children and 65 years of marriage it is no wonder I come across things that are a total surprise to me, - things that I can never remember having seen before, and have no idea how they were acquired or spirited into the place where they were deposited, found comfort and settled down to stay for the duration.

I like the Muriel Spark novels I have read, and The Comforters is a small book, a paperback, easily handled in bed (not like John Fowles Wormholes) and so I tucked my Mother's bible in the cloth case and have just started The Comforters.



And what am I listening to?

I have had to take myself in hand, so to speak, regarding the socks I am knitting for Christmas presents - thirteen pair!  The summer was so desultary, - I was not in the least inspired to knit, and told myself that I could soon catch up my knitting schedule in the fall, and easily be finished by Christmas.  However, my old nemesis, procrastination, has sprung unbidden into September and I find myself sitting with idle hands in any number of places where I could be clicking the needles and getting on with the job.



I hit upon the clever (I thought) idea of multi-tasking in the evenings, and listening to an absorbing e-book while my hands unconsciously turned heels and cast off toes.  I downloaded Wallace Stegner, whose writing I am enamoured of but whose book "All the little live ones" I have somehow missed reading.


And just as soon as I am finished in the kitchen tonight I am going to put it to the test.  Unfortunately I have been known to fall asleep while listening to e-books, but I am hoping the combination of gripping the knitting needles, and finding the book gripping my imagination, will be enough to make the venture successful.

Do think of me now and then and send encouraging thoughts this way....

6 comments:

Penny said...

It happens to us all. I do hope you get the socks finished and the e reading goes well.
We seem to be re reading older books in the bookcase, some were my fathers, some Johns fathers and some we picked up in 2nd hand shops. I am about to start on Charles Kingley's Hereward the Wake, which I think was one of my fathers and i probably read at least 55 years ago.

Jay said...

I know that feeling so well!! And you do get more done when you're feeling keen, somehow, but yes, if you clicked and clacked in all those places where you sit with empty hands, I bet you'd have another two pairs done by now!

I'm as bad with my Italian lessons. I find myself procrastinating .. listening to music instead of verb drills in my car, or playing silly games on my computer instead of picking up the next lesson.

I'm going to look at those two books! They may become another 'I'll do the Italian later' excuse. LOL!

Wanda..... said...

What a warm cozy sight you have created in my mind. I have a house full of memories, in bibles, books and items from loved ones no longer here also. Enjoy your knitting and listening, Hildred!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Please do let us know how your evening went! When I was secretary to our Board of Education, one of the Board members used to knit away during the whole (looooong) meetings...she knew what was going on and added pertinent comments and questions, but her needles never stopped. I envied her talent! As I do yours !

Strawberry Jam Anne said...

I think we all come across items long forgotten but possibly put carefully away for a very good reason. Hope you enjoy the Muriel Spark anyway. Your socks look so cosy and it is a great idea to listen to a story being read to you whilst you are knitting. That does appeal to me. A x

Rowan said...

Procrastination is my middle name at the moment - it must be the time of year! I can think of plenty of things to do but am having trouble actually getting started on any of them! I'm reading Edwin Way Teale's book Springtime in Britain at the moment, old books appeal to me much more than modern ones on the whole.