Of Movies and Recuperation

So twice a year my job entails a couple of weeks of semi-madness: loooonnngg days of fast-thinking, never being quite prepared enough, the frustration of knowing some things could have been done better, disappointments and successes, the determination to do it all better the next time, and even the satisfaction of a job well done. Yesterday wrapped up the January version of that time of year, but I wasn't there for it.  Midweek a nasty cold wormed its way in, setting off bronchitis and asthma and wearing me out totally before I could quite make it to the finish line.  Deep sigh.  So I stayed home yesterday, trusting my very capable staff--without whom I would be lost--to see it to the final hours while I stayed home glued to the couch, too weary and sick to even knit. 


Today I feel a little better, and since Linda is off at a beekeeping class (yes, beekeeping!!), I treated myself to a repeat showing of a wonderful movie we saw this past Summer--Julie & Julia.  It's one of those films you wish could just keep on going; the acting is marvelous, the story simple but magnificently done. If you don't know the plot, it recounts, side-by-side, the story of how Julia Child 'became' the Julia Child we all 'know', and the tale of Julie Powell, who decided to cook and blog her way through Childs' Mastering the Art of French Cooking....I loved every second of this truly charming juxtaposition.  I confess it was that movie that made me seriously contemplate blogging.  I began a private blog a couple of years ago, intended to serve as a journal of sorts for us to record things we did in the garden, discoveries we'd made, a calendar to track when things bloom, and so on, but since blogging felt--and feels--a tad narcissistic, I'd been reluctant to publicly dip my toes into that particular literary pool.  Julie & Julia didn't dispel that notion, but it did nudge me into deciding that maybe a teeny bit of narcissism could be good for the soul, a good workout for tackling some major writing down the road, and if we're honest, writing is a somewhat self-involved pursuit anyway--and that too can be good for the soul, if seasoned with a dash of balance!  If you haven't seen the movie, it's light fare that makes you go back for seconds, and well worth the viewing.


Besides that indulgence, I finally picked up my knitting again....hadn't touched it since last Sunday because I came home too tired at nght to do more than shower and crawl into bed, but this morning it was soul-nourishing to feel the softness of the alpaca against my skin, hear the comforting click of the bamboo needles against each other, and see the dark green rows grow before my eyes.  And, laying on the seat of gorgeous gold and burgundy  $25 flea market 1940s swan-arm chair that my beloved had reupholstered for me for my birthday last year, is the Winter issue of SpinOff!!!  I've been longing to read it and subscribe ever since seeing it last Fall.  It's sort of like understanding one or two words of Spanish and subscribing to El Diario, but as I learn the language and culture of wooliness, I trust it'll make more sense.  In the meantime, just looking at the pictures and gleaning what bits of information I can understand will be a true delight!!  In fact, if you'll please excuse me, being an instant-gratification kind of womon, I can't wait any longer....