Mystery Books

Thought I would mention more about authors I enjoy... in no particular order:

1. Diane Mott Davidson. I was introduced to her writing through the book Simple Abundance back in the early 2000's. Her latest book was published this year and I have requested it from my local public library. Her popularity is clear from the fact that I am the 80th person in the request line. Her novels star Goldy Schulz, a caterer in Colorado married to a handsome cop named Tom Schulz. Lot of drama, cooking and mystery is always mixed in with the pleasures of being wed to her good looking Cop.

2. Katherine Hall Page. Her mysteries also involve catering; Faith Fairchild is the cater and her company is called Have Faith. Faith is a New Yorker living in a small New England town in Massachusetts. I have enjoyed revisiting New England through her books. I recently re-read The Body in the Basement which is set in Maine and is very evocative in its portrayal of summer island life.

Both Diane and Katherine went to prestigious Ivy League schools and have the ability to capture the local locale of the character's home.

3. PD James. I recently wrote a review of her latest book. James is a life long peer in the House of Lords and has many awards and distinctions. Her books are literate, have excellent characterization, deal with the deviance and divergences in English life that lead to misery and murder. Her knowledge of literature, the Anglican church and love of London are very apparent. Her writing, however, is not for the faint of heart.

In the interest of brevity, I will save other mystery authors I read for another post.

What authors do you enjoy? Do you read mysteries? What genres appeal to you?

Reading Therapy

So... to relax in the quiet of the evening, flat out IGNORING the rest of my boxes in my living room...

I am re-reading Agatha Christie's 4.5o From Paddington. I love Miss Jane Marple.

Just thought I'd mention my love of mystery books. I have a lovely narrow bookshelf half full of mysteries. I find them relaxing, calming and give a sense of stability; I like the predictability, humour and the othernes about them.

Would love to hear what you read to relax, for comfort or for a challenge...

The hard, good and um, funny...

The funny first. I was having a good day at work - when I realized that I was wearing one brown shoe and one black. Sigh. Good thing I find this funny...

The good Fr. Lawrence's podcasts have begun! It is wonderful to hear his voice and listen to him explain the Scriptures. He was there at the beginning of my journey into the Orthodox Church and I thank God for him.

Also I found a copy of Madeleine L' Engle's book A Wind in the Door today at public library book sale! I am not sure if I have read this one or not - I probably have but it has been a long time. I also found a copy of Dragons in the Waters which I am giving to a friend.

I am reading a lot of books right now - Kathleen Norris's book, an Amanda Cross mystery (No word from Winifred), Ulysses by Joyce (wanted to be more in the know as one of my friends is reading it for class; I know it is long and at times said to be unreadable), and I recently obtained, from 8th day books, St. Ephriam's Spiritual Psalter. Ancient Faith Radio reads some of these prayers throughout the day; I am grateful to have a copy. I am reading this book very slowly.

New and old books - L' Engle I have been reading more or less avidly for the last 12 years - Amanda Cross is great for thinking about the academic world, esp. English departments. One gets a real sense of the time period through reading popular mysteries and she deals with a lot of questions, including about the self, feminism, youth, and the current states in culture.

I picked up her book on Winifred when I was in Halifax, at the most overwhelming, real, wood floor and shelves with books that seem to almost cascade down tottering piles bookstore. I would go back, I think, almost solely to see this store again! It was lovely. Their mystery section had classics, they had a small wall of orange Penguins and a small corner with lots of editions of the Bible. I am hunting for a good edition of The Jerusalem Bible as I find that translation of the Psalms very tender. (Through another wonderful translation, which I do own, from 8th day books, is the Psalter of the Seventy).

Okay, the hard. As in hard to know how to process - I am going to have a panihida soon (if all goes as I hope) for my spiritual mother who died ten years ago last week. This is hard to know how to process as grief and as a prayer and not as any form of self-pity, which will hinder real growth, grief and prayer.

A lot is going on for me - preparing for a move, learning my new job - and figuring out how to live and not let go of the reader/bookish/writer side. God is good and I am thankful; He has given me so much.

ps: still working on downloading the Halifax pictures. Soon, I hope!

Orange Toblerone Gelato

So the Dormition Fast for me starts this Thursday. Meanwhile I really liked my Gelato O-T cone I had tonight.

It is a lot of work to learn to run a small library. As long as I am not expected to work overtime I think I may be a happy camper, I hope. There is potential, at any rate.

I am really loving the lunch hour that I can be home for (I live and work downtown) and I love that I do not have to leave my house until 8.30 am. this is incredibly wonderful, after having to leave at 7 am or so for the last year.

Am reading Jane Langton's _Emily Dickinson is Dead_. She is an interesting (mystery) writer. I met her when I was 19. Her books always start with a theme of something triggering something that goes and builds throughout the book.

Gave Josephine Tey's _Franchise Affair_ to a friend to read. J. Tey is a great past British mystery writer.

We are having lots and lots of rain here - sunny then humid then raining by late afternoon. Today it even hailed; hail was jumping off my small wooden balcony.

I am aware of the tenuousness of this life; am praying for various people who are seriously ill. Lord have mercy.

A Beautiful Morning

The weather this morning is perfect! Sunny, cool and green. I went to liturgy for St. Herman's day and then went to the natural foods store downtown and to my other grocery store.

The first week of my job (3 days since Monday was a holiday here in Ontario) was a bit overwhelming. I am feeling better about it now, but still have a lot to learn and figure out. It is wonderful to have a job that I have Friday off! Such a relief. This Friday I cleaned and made it (albeit late) to vespers for the eve of St. Herman's day. Yesterday was the 4 year anniversary of my chrismation, so it was good to be in Church. I did not even realize that I was chrismated on the Eve of St. Herman's day! I am not surprised though, since I started my journey in his church in Langley. And a wonderful beginning it was there - it has been over 4 years since I was there now, but it is hard to get back. As I already live miles and miles from my family, it is hard to get to other places. Hopefully someday, if God wills.

I am gearing up to move - have not given (2 months) notice yet, but am really anxious to move. My place is a two room (not two bedroom) apartment plus bathroom; what may be called a jr. 1 bedroom or a glorified bachelor. One of my closest friends calls it a glorified dorm room! I only have one narrow closet in the whole place, etc. So now that I have a permanent job, I am quite eager to find a nice one bedroom apartment downtown. I am dreaming of sunlight, wood floors, a living room and big closets.

I am on the old calendar at my home church (I go to the OCA Cathedral a lot too) and so we are not in the Dormition fast quite yet. So today I bought chicken to make "Ranch Chicken Bites" - a slightly unhealthy but yummy dish of chicken baked with ranch dressing and crushed sour cream and onion potato chips. YUM.

I am reading a bunch of mystery books for relaxation/de-stress time. For the fast I hope to read some Church Father's homilies on the Dormition.

Having a three day weekend makes a huge difference! I feel like I am able to put away the stress of my new job and immerse myself in the rest of my life - cleaning, cooking, church, friends. I am hopeful about my future and feel happy on this beautiful sunny day.

today was good

Work went okay today.
I need to search Google for MEDLINE/Pubmed searching (my interview on Wens is medical related, I am a librarian and use databases).
I had ICE CREAM today.

This weekend the bedroom side of my two room apartment got vacuumed! And laundry was done. And my closet was tackled and I won. I have been waiting a long while to have the time to do just that.

I have begun reading the man in the brown suit. Agatha Christie. I have read it before.

The kitchen side of my apartment is still messy, but I have hope about it.

Okay. Time to make dinner, before all that sugar I ate lets me down...