Life goes on

 

Yesterday I had my annual Wellness Check-Up.  And we did it on-line - Yay!

I will still have to mask myself up, be brave and go to my doctor's office for blood work.  Ugh.

But, she assures me they're doing all the right things and well, it needs to be done, so I'll just pull up my big girl panties and get it done.  (Sadly, those big girl panties are a bit bigger than they were just a few months ago . . .  but that's a different story for a different day.  Or not.)

One of the questions that came up was concerning how I'm handling the level of isolation we're experiencing due to COVID.

And I answered truthfully that yes, I am experiencing some periods of anxiety, and some days when I feel depressed.  

And some days I cry.

But I'll be honest with you.  

People who are merrily living life as though nothing has changed?  

During a pandemic?!  

With a corrupt crazy man in our White House? ! 

THOSE are the people we should all be worried about.

If you're not depressed, you oughta be!  JMO.

Any normal person is going to feel effects of what we're living through right now.

We just all have to find our own way to get through it.

And vote.

(Teeshirt from The Bitter Southerner)

One of the things I'm doing is reading.  Of course.  It's what I do.  

But I've found that my concentration isn't what it usually is, so it's taking me longer to read a book than it normally does.

And, it's got to be a darn good book for me to stick with it.

I'm not one to continue with a book that's not holding my interest during the best of times, and right now I'm finding this to be especially true.

So I'm re-reading books I especially love.  

It's like a visit with an old friend that you know you can count on.  

I just finished re-reading a book I wish everyone in the whole world would read.  

Amor Towles' A Gentleman in Moscow.  

I hesitated about reading this when it first came out because, truly, I have no interest in Russia - now or ever.  

But I remember that I also resisted reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society for a number of reasons.  Big mistake.  It quickly became one of my favorites, and one I recommend often, even to complete strangers.

Anyway . . .

NPR said this about A Gentleman in Moscow:   " . . . new novel stars a Russian aristocrat, sentenced by the Soviets to permanent house arrest in a luxury hotel. It's a frothy romp that tends to overlook the reality of life under Stalin."  While I agree that there is some froth, there is also much in the way of philosophical thinking and introspection.  And gentle humor.

It's lovely.  The ultimate elegant, smart, beautiful book.  Each time I read it I'm hesitant to finish it and have to leave the world of Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov; my book boyfriend.

The Count's supporting characters are as deeply drawn as he is.  One of my favorites is Nina.  "His boredom is alleviated a little when he befriends a young girl named Nina (Think Eloise in the Plaza), who is precocious, stubborn, and most importantly, adventurous. Her single father is temporarily posted to Moscow on state business, but as he did not enroll her in school, she spends most of her time exploring the hotel. Nina has acquired a passkey for all of the hotel’s doors, and she shows the Count its various rooms and passageways."

So now I've finished.  And I'm bereft.

I have a house, and a Kindle, full of books.

New books and old books.

But right now, there's not one that could soothe my soul the way Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov and his friends have.

So.

I think I'll go fix myself a cup of coffee, a bowl of ice cream and pout for a little while before trying to decide just what book might be able to step up and do its job.

Maybe a Louise Penny . . .