Here is a list on Bookshop.org with all the Maeve Binchy books I’ve read / am reading all year.
Monday, January 6
- Book: A Week In Winter
- Chapters: Orla
- Location: front room (it’s 26 degrees out and very windy)
- Smoking: mishmash
What I’m listening to:
Did I cry?
nop
Thoughts while reading (could be about the book, could not):
Mickey is at his first full day at the new gig… At his permanent location. I am looking forward to hearing how it’s going for him. I’m sure I’ll get a whole debrief when he arrives. You know you’ll get a little update yourselves next time I read.
There aren’t many Jacki updates. I think I would like to try my hand at art direction for, like, a movie or tv show or something. IDK how to do that exactly, so I’m just throwing it out there into the ether.
Now, though, I’m reading.
Okay, wait one thing.
I am mad at a book that doesn’t exist. After I saw Babygirl, I was, like, instantly on Babygirl TikTok. One of the comment threads I fell down was about what the final scene of the movie meant in the book. Like, how it was different from the movie and what the scene was supposed to be. So I got hype. Hell yeah, I’ll read a Babygirl book. GIVE IT TO ME NOW.
Except… there isn’t one? So idk what those bots (I’m now assuming) were talking about.
Okay, now I am reading.
I think this is gonna be a lovely book to end this journey on. It’s modern, it’s about building something long-lasting from something that has already lasted long.
And most importantly to me, romance isn’t the center of the story. I always love that.
New birds heard:
None, I was inside
Tuesday, January 7
- Book: A Week In Winter
- Chapters: Winnie and John, Anders, The Walls
- Location: Front room – it’s still so windy outside (and 27 degrees)
- Smoking: whatever I didn’t finish yesterday
What I’m listening to:
Did I cry?
Nope
Thoughts while reading (could be about the book, could not):
Mickey’s first day at the permanent location seemed to go well! We had a cozy evening with rice bowls, The Simpsons and more.
I have ceramics tomorrow, and I am very excited about it. I am working on something new for my friend Woozy!!!!
I do feel kind of uneasy about it because before, I was Jacki-powered going to class. I would either walk, ride my tricycle, or take the car, depending on the weather. Obviously, I have been in the car since, like, October.
Well, Mickey doesn’t work the third shift anymore, and we are a one-car household, so that means I am no longer Jacki-powered. When he was in Ohio for training, my classmate Debbie took me to and from class.
I texted her to see if she could do that this week as well. At least until we get another car, you know? She said yes and I am grateful, but I feel bad adding a bump to someone else’s day. And, guiltily, I feel bad that I am at the mercy of someone else’s schedule. Normally, I’m not a lingerer, but I will become one over the next few weeks.
Mostly, I will miss my Wednesday tradition of Qazzaz for a carafe of coffee to bring to class, then hitting up Moschek’s to see what tickled my fancy in the hot case (lunch) and meat counter (dinner). I was really enjoying feeling a part of my tiny community.
I did get some Qazzaz coffee to make at home, though! I’ll bring it to class with their favorite French Vanilla creamer.
Okay, now I’m reading.
Not much to say here. It’s a good book. You should read it.
I feel like I went through so much growth this year doing this. I learned a lot about myself, and more importantly, I let a lot of stuff go. I feel like I got what I needed out of this project, and now this book is just gravy.
I am having a delicious snack of hazelnuts from LaMancha Ranch & Orchard in Oregon. D sent some to me last mont,h and they are the silkiest nuts I’ve ever eaten.
Anders was probably my favorite chapter so far. One of the things I love most about Maeve Binchy is the way things just come together in the end. I think the end of this book is going to be lovely.
New birds heard:
None
Thursday, January 9 / Friday January 10
- Book: A Week In Winter
- Chapters: Henry and Nicola, Miss Nell Howe
- Location: Front room
- Smoking: Leftovers
What I’m listening to:
Did I cry?
no?
Thoughts while reading (could be about the book, could not):
I am reading early today because I have a meeting during my normal reading time.
The meeting feels surreal. It is about the opportunity for one of my clients to be part of an Academy Awards gifting suite that I would get to be a part of, manning the table and schmoozing and whatnot.
Wanna know something even more surreal? I am 99% sure I will turn the opportunity down.
But Jacki, you say, the Oscars are your favorite holiday! You would be correct!
But Jacki, I say, your secret goal was to see what it takes to be part of the gift bag at the Indie Spirit Awards or similar. This is the Oscars! This is the biggest one! And I would be correct.
However…
Once I was presented with it, I did a bunch of deep dives on the previous events and the organizer. I reached out to my network of brilliant friends and picked their brains. They seemed to agree with my gut, so I’m gonna listen to it in the meeting today.
We’re a tiny business, you know? Something like this would take our entire marketing budget for the year! And is that the best way to spend it? I don’t think so. Plus, it’s so soon. I feel like if we had 6 months to pull this together, it might be a different story. I know I *could* do it, but it would be hell for my mental health, and it took me a LONG time to crawl out of that hole, you know?
So, it doesn’t feel like the right time, but who knows? This call might turn things around completely! We shall see.
For now, I’m gonna read.
January 10
I am too lazy to start a new entry. I just want to read.
So that’s what I’m gonna do.
I am an official CMO, after all. (still feels fake)
This book ended beautifully and it’s a great way to end this year-long project. I can’t believe I did it with only limited times of it feeling like a demand.
I have made such progress on my brain, y’all.
Thanks for hanging out with me during this weird reading project!
If you want to read all of it, here is where they live: My Year of Binchy.
New birds heard:
There are no birds inside, yo.
