Two weeks ago we had frost. A week ago it was a pleasant 65. This weekend it is hot (currently 87F) and humid (53% relative humidity – uncomfortable but not as bad as 70% which is not uncommon). Currently we are under a severe thunderstorm watch which means conditions are right for severe weather. Watches just mean pay attention to the weather especially if you are out and about. It’s the warnings that are bad. Warnings mean severe weather is happening and if the sirens go off in your neighborhood you need to take cover immediately. Only in Minnesota can you go from frost to hot and humid with the possibility of severe weather within the span of two weeks. Who says the Midwest isn’t exciting!
There was just rain Friday night and a regular thunderstorm Saturday morning followed by the humidity creeping up to the soupiness it is today. All this to say that even with schoolwork I have managed to have some lounging time with reading.
Perhaps it is a sign that I don’t get enough lounging and reading that I suffered from reader’s ADD. Friday night I climbed into bed around 7:30 planning only to stay up until about 9:30 when my Bookman would be returning home and he would need assistance with his MS injection. I read a little Carlyle. I started reading the introduction to Philoctetes by Sophocles. I read Hermione Lee’s Edith Wharton bio (yes I am still working my way through this chunkster). And I wrapped up the evening with some Rumi poetry.
Saturday there was a a bit more Carlyle. Then I had an entire hour reclining on my chaise with the cats and reading Oblomov. I’ve been enjoying it from an upright position on the train and while having lunch, but reading it while reclining is even more fun. I got the due date for it – June 21st – so I have a little less than a month to read it. During that month, however, I have a few vacation days scheduled.
Today I have read the rest of the introduction to Philoctetes and the beginning of the play. Like Ajax, this one also takes place during the Trojan War and has Odysseus in it. I know I am supposed to admire the guy and his cunning and strength but the more stories he shows up in the more I find him morally reprehensible. In addition to that I’ve been reading the Edith Wharton bio today.
It all feels a bit frantic when I look back on it, but in the midst of reading it has been marvelous. Not exactly rejuvenating, but there has been some definite restorativeness happening.
Where am I? I get behind in my blog reading for a week and look what happens, you redecorate! I love your new header–everything is so clean and crisp! Okay, now that I’ve gotten over my surprise, can I chime in about the weather. It is 90 here today. Ugh. That’s all I have to say about nasty midwest weather. I swear someday I am going to live somewhere temperate, where it isn’t one extreme or the other. I’m determined not to turn on air conditioning until June, but we’ll see how long I last. I hate being sticky all day, but May is just too soon to be beholden to air conditioning. Glad to hear you got in all sorts of reading this weekend–that’s my kind of weekend!!
You’re definitely not supposed to admire Odysseus! The Odysseus of Sophocles is not the Odysseus of Homer. And Sophocles is mild – Euripides positively despises Odysseus.
It’s sweltering hot over here, too! I had to visit a friend and go to the garden centre so I didn’t get much loungeing and reading in this weekend – boo hoo! But yours sounds lovely and I couldn’t agree more – the more pages I read, the better I feel.
I have never read any of the classical Greek stories, I think I should!
& I am amazed by your weather switches. We don’t get warning for “severe weather” much that include having to take cover immediately, so maybe that’s why I think it’d be very scary.
Danielle, glad you like the new look. It’s nice to change things up a bit sometimes. I hate 90 and humid but I don’t mind the changeable weather at all. I grew up where there weren’t really any seasons other than hot and a little chilly with the occasional rain. The grass is always greener, eh?
Amateur Reader, well that’s good to know! But even in Homer I didn’t like Odysseus much. He doesn’t really care about anyone but himself and he is rather pompous and egotistic. I suppose though that it is those very qualities that got him into all the trouble on the way home from Troy.
Litlove, let’s hope you me and Danielle all get cooler weather soon! Sorry you didn’t get to read much over the weekend. Gardening is fun too though
Iris, the classical Greek plays are a lot of fun! We get more threat of severe weather than actual severe weather. We have a saying here though, don’t like the weather? Wait ten minutes. Keeps us on our toes and we never get bored
I’m glad you got some time to read Oblomov whilst reclining. Sounds perfect!
You have ‘I want to read everything now’ syndrome (very common amongst readers everywhere). I read something ages ago about how people who love reading idealy want to read in hour long periods, but will snatch reading wherever they can – because the MUST. It made it sound a little over drammatic, like reading is a drug, but then I see you reading both in the preferred way and in quick bursts and I think maybe they’re on to something.
Oh you’re reading the poems of Rumi? I’ve been reading them more than 4 years now and I’m so in love with his words and wisdom… Even went to Konya to see his house! If you enjoy his work, there is this novel about him, “The forty rules of love” by Elis Shafak. It’s quiet good, I believe you’ll enjoy it!
Rebecca, indeed, it was perfect. Thanks!
Bookgazing, yes, it is a syndrome I suffer from on a regular basis. I would totally love to be able to read in one-hour chunks or more, but when time is at a premium I have to take what I can get! So yeah, I think that article you read was onto something
Lua, I love Rumi! This is the third book of his poems I have read. The first was a big book translated by Coleman Barks. He did a marvelous job and I fell in love. I read a small second book by him that I also enjoyed. This current one is not translated by Barks and while it is good it is not as good I don’t think. Nonetheless Rumi’s genius manages to shine through. That is really cool that you went to Konya! I have heard of Shafak’s book and have it on my list of to-reads. I am glad to hear from someone who loves Rumi that it is good!