An occasional series
Reading: I finished 2022 with a total of 45 books, my third highest total since I started doing the Goodreads Challenge back in 2011. I noted some of my favourite books of the year in my 2022: A Tally post here. My reading in the last few months has tailed off, but this morning I enjoyed a coffee and a few pages of a new book by one of last year’s favourite authors, Amor Towles. (The book I’m reading is The Lincoln Highway.) I’m hoping to find more time to read both fiction and non-fiction this year, as I know I’m reading too much rubbish online, and the lack of detailed, and unbiased analysis in so many articles frustrates me enormously. Not to mention what it has done to my attention span! Blogs excepted, of course!
Watching: So much! It is also frustrating that we can become completely involved in a series, watching an episode or two every evening, and in a week it is over, and in two or three weeks I’ve almost forgotten something that had me completely in its grip there for a while. So I both love binge-watching, and find it very disappointing. I watch a lot of mystery and crime, so every so often need something different. I fell in love with the Extraordinary Attorney Woo last year. It was such a feelgood programme, even though there were hard moments and cruelties, that I cannot wait for the next season. There are so many good (if all too brief) British series that I enjoy. We just started the Kim Philby story, A Spy Among Friends, with one of my favourite actors (Guy Pearce) as well as Damian Lewis and the fabulous Anna Maxwell Martin. I love the combination of drama, intrigue, a bit of mystery, great writing, and great acting.
Listening: I just finished an audiobook that was, unusually for me, fiction. I’ve tended to keep to non-fiction on audiobooks, as it gives me a different focus, and I can often hear it in the actia; author’s voice too. But Celeste Ng’s Everything I Never Told You kept me listening. So I might have to venture out into more fiction audiobooks. I’m listening to a Spotify classical playlist right now – Grieg is one of my favourites, and a piece of his is playing as I write this. Radio NZ changes its line-up over the summer break, and my favourite wacky afternoon show, that always makes me laugh, only ran for two weeks this year, as they were – I think – trying to attract a younger audience with a replacement programme. The presenters lacked the humour and sheer professionalism of the more established programme, although the music was interesting. I didn’t listen as much this year because, well, Celeste Ng, and streaming. Sigh.
Following: Trying to avoid following too much, but it’s hard to miss the coverage of Prince Harry’s book, Spare. I haven’t read it, but I think I will have to, as the coverage is extraordinary. People/commenters/journalists etc either take one side or another, happily take things out of context, get outraged at things that are out of context, and of course, become completely polarised one way or another. It’s a classic example of the hostility and volatility of public debate these days. Not to mention the lack of journalistic integrity or analytical thinking.
Drinking: We haven’t been drinking a lot this year. Less tea than usual, because the summer weather is finally here. More champagne than usual because … well … Christmas, New Year, and summer. I noticed at the supermarket this morning that I haven’t been drinking rose, a classic summer wine, so far this year. And I did not pick up a bottle either.
Cooking and Eating: More than usual, because … well … see above! Christmas and New Year, and a traditional degustation seven-course menu with friends, as well as a few days away before Christmas. With a visitor from overseas in November/December, we dug into a lot of traditional New Zealand dishes – cheese scones, roast lamb, and pavlova (the latter was good practice for our Christmas Day meal). We have a blogging visitor coming in a few weeks, so I’m hoping to produce a decent pavlova for them too. Mince pies, Christmas baclava, the inevitable chocolate from our neighbour, and gingerbread men from my friend, didn’t help the weight loss! In the meantime, I’m keen on trying out some new salads, and some more barbecue-friendly (grill-friendly?) recipes too. Lamb sliders (mini lamb burgers with romesco sauce and a harissa mayonnaise) with bubbles was a great success on degustation night last week.
Wearing: Finally, summer clothes! I’ve had several occasions to wear a summery floaty dress, which is not always possible in Wellington. Sunfrocks at home, T-shirts and capris, and a nice new flowery frilly (but not too frilly) top have all made their appearances when out and about.
Trying: To get enthusiastic about exercise and weight loss again. I was doing great a few months ago, but visitors and travel got in the way, and I’m trying to get back into it. UV rays and the fear of sunburn puts me off working out in the middle of the day, but I thoroughly enjoyed a walk yesterday (with a good sunscreen) along the coast, so I’m going to try and do more of that.
Hoping: That our travel plans this year will all work out, and that covid variants won’t run rampant and mess up all our very expensive plans. Though we do now have travel insurance, so that helps! Hoping I won’t have lost my travel mojo when I get to do it again. This has been the longest gap in international trips for me since I started travelling the world with my husband back in the … wait for it … 1980s.
Planning: To actually spend more time with my friends this year. I’ve started the year well, but I need to keep it up. It’s so easy to hunker down and focus on myself and the Husband, but that isn’t healthy for either of us. Getting involved with new groups is an option to expand my social network, but it will be harder this year, as I can’t make a commitment if the travel we’ve been contemplating is actually going to happen.
Anticipating: The year to come, and I’m looking forward to it! It actually seems that we might be able to travel, the plans are now largely (though not entirely) in place, and further plans for travel later in the year are under discussion. And I get to meet another Friend-Not-Yet-Met soon.
Loving: Summer. It’s come at the right time. It isn’t killing me with the heat. I’m loving the summer foods, the freedom that warmth brings, the joy in everyone’s faces. And the prospect of everyone being back at work (mostly this week and next) and school (in a couple of weeks) and we will get all our favourite spaces back!
Still unashamedly copying Loribeth’s regular series every few months here on A Separate Life.
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