Monday morning things

* Still feeling better today. This is the first Monday in the semester I didn't drag in to work with something like dread. Maybe I am getting better, or at least, the various emotional wounds are finally scabbing over.

* I also feel more like reading again. Part of this is that I cleaned up my room and re-arranged my TBR pile, and found that I have a couple nice folklore/geography books (one about a shepherd's life in the UK, the one I started but didn't get far into yet called "The Marches...") that might be pleasant reading for fall. Part of it is it's cooler again, so getting into bed with a book seems a more pleasant thing - in the summer I often kind of fight bed, because it gets too warm too fast (even with just a sheet) and I don't sleep well when too warm.

Perhaps rearranging my book-hoard from time to time is a good thing; I re-find things I bought and want to read. I did pull a few books that either I know I'll never read again, or that I've changed my mind on. I may go through and pull a few more, and then see if I can find an easy place to donate them (not having to send off a big expensive box, for example). The offer of the Thoreau box set still stands, though, if anyone happens to want it. I'd rather give it to a "known" person than donate it somewhere. An alternate thought: if there's a Little Free Library anywhere in town, I could stick it in there; I think Dorothy might have liked that idea.

(No, there are none in town as it turns out, and I lack the energy to start one, and also am not super comfortable with the idea of random people walking into my yard. And also, there are a few neighbors who might not cotton to the idea.

There IS one at the Unitarian church in Denison and I suppose if I go antiquing there sometime soon, I could run a couple books by there and leave them, I don't know. I admit I like the idea of leaving "nice" books that I just no longer want - all too often the LFLs seem to have not-very-choice selections)

* I also ordered a couple more folklorey/geography sort of books - Tom Cox, whom I follow on Twitter (I used to follow his My Sad Cat account back in the day, but was too sad when I heard Bear had died, and either muted or unfollowed, one or the other) has a new book out and he was offering to send out autographed copies. And even though it's a bit of money to order from the UK, the idea of a personally-signed copy was appealing. (And for 10 pounds - about 12 dollars American - more I was able to order a signed copy of one of his earlier books). So a copy of "Ring the Hill" and "Twenty-First Century Yokel" will be on their way to me soon.

So maybe my reading theme for this fall will be "UK-based folklore/country life"

I have a friend on Twitter who tweets from time to time about the Countryfile show that is on the BBC and I admit I am a little jealous; it sounds like a nice, restful show. I wish we had more access to educational and restful programming. Most of the "educational" stuff we have is aimed at children or is so sad ("raising awareness" about some horrible thing) that watching it isn't fun.

I remember when TLC was called The Learning Channel and genuinely showed educational stuff, a lot of it older (I *think* they showed the old Julia Child shows from the 60s and 70s for a while) but now it's become by and large a modern freakshow, and I can't watch it. (And I used to like Discovery Health, but after the various medical tragedies involving people I care about....I can't watch any ER show any more. Vet shows are as far as I can go with that, and even then I often turn away if an animal will need to be euthanized)

*And anyway it's nice to have things coming in the mail, and oddly, it's nice to have to *wait* a bit. Amazon and all are very good when you need something NOW but some of the slower-to-ship places (like: things coming from the UK) means that when they arrive, it's been long enough since you ordered that you've *almost* forgotten about it (or if you're me, with a life that moves too fast, you HAVE forgotten it) and it's a lovely surprise of "oh yes, this was that book I wanted"

* I also have felt more like cooking again and there's always the chicken-and-egg question whether I feel better when I am eating more healthful and home-cooked food because I am getting more of the nutrients I need, or if I am cooking more-healthful food BECAUSE I already feel better and have more energy (and time to do it).

I want to make baked beans later this week (maybe Thursday; I don't have piano lesson so I have some time) with the rest of the bacon, and I have half a plan sometime to make bean soup; on a quick trip out yesterday to Green Spray I saw they had acini de pepe which are good in soup but which you can't find anywhere, so I bought a bag. And I'm thinking: maybe a nice, multi-bean soup, with a tomato base and some onion, and the acini de pepe cooked separately* and then put in at the end

(*I never have good luck with cooking pasta in broth or tomato sauce in a soup; they don't seem to soften up as much).

Yes, I eat a lot of beans, especially in the fall and winter. They're inexpensive, and nutritious, and probably the most environmentally-friendly protein source out there. And there is something about cooking with them that make you think of log cabins or Hobbit-holes or other nice, cozy places away from the madding crowd, and I feel like I need that right now.

* Bell choir starts up again tonight and I am ready for it. I think my concentration has gotten back to a better level, and it will just be nice to be out and around people I like. 

*As it turns out, the wedding Laura is playing in is on the 19th, not the 12th, but that's fine; as long as I carefully arrange my schedule of writing the upcoming exams I can take the better part of a day. Sulphur Springs is apparently only about 2 hours from me, and I'm guessing she will have to leave around 1:30 or so to get to the wedding....so I should be able to get home in good time, EVEN WITH a stop for groceries in Sherman.

I will need to figure out the potluck dish ahead of time; that is the minister's last Sunday. I might make a dessert or something that could be done ahead, like on Friday evening. (Perhaps even a crockpot thing that could be reheated). And spending Saturday with a friend will help ease the pain of that a little bit I suppose.

And that leaves this weekend. I will have to consider. I see in my "informed daily digest" of mail that Jackson-Hewett DID send a check, so I've got some funds....it would be tempting just to cash out most of it and go antiquing or whatever this weekend. Though also - it's supposed to be chilly, and that makes the idea of staying home even more appealing, I could stay home and watch some of the accumulated movies (I have both Paddington 2 and Into the Spiderverse on dvd....bought them before my life done blowed up and never got around to watching them) and maybe it's good to take an old-fashioned weekend-on-the-couch-with-my-knitting for a change. I don't know.