Winter Break Blues

My family in our Hanukkah shirts before COVID hit home.

When I was a kid, I remember my winter break flying by. Before I knew it, I was back in school, hitting the books. Now that I’m an empty nester, the kids’ winter break from college goes by even faster. It seems like yesterday that they walked through the front door with all of their dirty clothes. But that was already a few weeks ago, and now everything is cleaned up, packed up, and moved out again.

It has been so nice to stay up and talk to them in person instead of over FaceTime. And I have had the perfect excuse to clean up the clutter and make more room at the kitchen table so we can have dinner for four. Our dog, Chloe, loves having all of her people home to play with while the grown-ups are working. And I love having four drivers in the house—all able and willing to make a Trader Joe’s or CVS run at any hour of the day.

I know that coming home for them is a chance to rest after a long semester of labs, papers, and tests. But I found this hilarious video on Instagram the other day that is probably an accurate look at what life is like with me when they come home. (Enjoy! And, sorry kids!)

Other empty nesters have told me that it’s even harder when they come home and leave again. They are right, but I know in my heart this is the way it’s supposed to be. And I’m probably a little sadder because we’ve all been under the weather for the last ten days. I had big plans to go out for dinner at some of our favorite restaurants and spend an evening at Longwood Gardens to see the holiday lights. All of that had to be canceled. Our family time soon turned back to FaceTime because everyone had to hide out in their bedrooms.

Oh look, Andrew did leave something behind for me to remember him by—10 bath towels to throw into the washer. That kid uses so many towels!
At least he cleaned up his room before he left!  Thanks, sweetie. See you soon!

Rules for Reading

“So many books, so little time.” – Frank Zappa

Six days into 2023, and my reading year isn’t off to the best start. I was hoping to finish a 2022 bestseller on New Year’s Eve, but it isn’t holding my attention. I haven’t DNF’d* it, but I also haven’t picked up anything new. I’m already breaking one of my rules which is to stop reading a book if I don’t like it. However, I’m already halfway through the book, so I will see it through. Most of the time, I decide to DNF after the first 50-75 pages, so there must be something about this novel that I like.

Anyway, this got me thinking about other rules I have when it comes to reading. Here are a few of them.

  1. Book Covers – I never buy a physical copy of a book if the cover promotes the movie version. I prefer to lift up the author and the original cover design instead. We all know the book is usually better than the movie anyway, so why would I want to be a walking advertisement?
  2. Don’t leave home without a book. – Whenever I go out, I always bring something to read. it could be the New York Times on my phone or a novel I downloaded on Audible. I’ve also been known to travel with a pile of magazines I haven’t read yet or my fully-charged Kindle. Nothing bothers me more than waiting somewhere and having nothing with me to read.
  3. Support independent bookstores. – Whenever possible, I purchase books from an indie bookstore. There are several in my area that I love to explore. If I’m looking for a recommendation, there is always someone there I can talk to who will happily oblige. Spending an afternoon and my money in an indie bookstore is never a waste of an afternoon. I always discover something new or come away with a fun bookish accessory – like a cute bookmark or a reading log. The last time I visited my favorite bookstore, I received a free ARC (advanced readers copy) of a new book and a $10 coupon off my next purchase. Even Costco’s paperback section can’t offer me that kind of deal.
  4. Use the library often. – We have a beautiful brand-new library in my hometown, and I don’t use it as often as I should. And they have all the books I could ever want, or they know where to get them. Sometimes I don’t have the patience to wait when more than 50 faceless people are in the digital queue waiting to read the book I want next. However, I’m so happy when I know about a book early enough and can be the first or second in line. And, if I don’t like the book, I return it knowing I didn’t spend my hard-earned money to buy it.
  5. Shop my bookshelves. – This is a new rule for me this year. I have a bad habit of buying the shiny new title that everyone is talking about instead of shopping my bookshelves. Every book I own is one that I REALLY wanted at some point but never read. It’s time to rediscover those gems and remember why I bought them in the first place. One of my favorite books is one that sat on my shelf for over a year. It’s called “Beneath a Marble Sky” by John Shors. It’s a historical fiction story about the building of the Taj Mahal. Why I left it on my shelf unattended for so long is beyond me. And I know there are many more books like that in my possession. I can’t wait to dive into my past purchases to find my next great read.

How about you? Do you have any rules that you read by? I mean, live by… 🙂

The COVID-19 Post

“Wear a mask.” – Dr. Anthony Fauci

Sadly, I have been sidelined by COVID-19. Three out of four of my family members have tested positive. The fourth one is chasing me around the house with a can of Lysol.

Thankfully, I’m fully vaccinated and boosted. This is my 3rd time around, and it is not nearly as bad as before. Thank you, Dr. Fauci!

But I’m going to get some much-needed rest tonight, so I’ll be brief.

Tonight’s post is brought to you by:

  • COVID at-home test kits
  • N95 facemasks and the Be Kind mask I’m wearing in this photo
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Kleenex tissues
  • Whole Foods chicken and rice soup (yum!)
  • Throat Coat tea with honey
  • Gatorade
  • Clorox wipes
  • Lysol spray
  • Tylenol
  • and Vaccines!

Stay healthy, everybody!

XO,

Elisa

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