Listening
My dad has been busy ripping his vinyl to mP3s, which has meant that I have been gifted lots of good albums as of late: The Band, Lightening Hopkins, Hot Tuna, David Bromberg. These slow, boring winter days have left him with plenty of time to transfer his music, which has been great for our collection. Tomorrow could very well be another boring snow day: I'm hoping he decides to rip all his Tom Waits.
If dad didn't want me stealing his music, he should have never tried to indoctrinate me at such a young age.
Watching
Tom and I bought Olive Kitteridge on iTunes as soon as it came out. I read the novel years ago, and for some reason only remembered the prevalence of donuts (which is a definite plus in my book). Like everyone else I know, I loved it. I love well done unlikable protagonists, and that series did it perfectly. At the library, I grabbed another one of Elizabeth Stout's novels because I'm hoping that maybe she recreates that kind of perfection in other characters.
We're also indulging in Broad City. I watched the first episode a while back and didn't really get excited about it. However, I gave it another try and now I'm hooked. I like that the episodes are only 25 minutes, so sometimes Tom and I can sneak one in if the kids are off entertaining themselves, though we usually have to turn it off very quickly if one of them wanders into the living room. It's the perfect reward after being productive for a little while. Vacuum the downstairs...
Reading
My friend Jenn sent me a great list of book recommendations. Ever since we were in high school, she has always known exactly what to be reading. Her book summaries are spot on and completely inciting. I sent off for a few of them from the library so far. I'm in the middle of A Tale
I also really excited to read The Luminaries by Eleanor Catten, which Jenn described as a "sprawling epic." I love long novels that let you stay with characters for days and weeks. I also have a penchant for Western's: Gus was, after all, named after Augustus McCray from Lonesome Dove. So when she explained that this novel takes place during New Zealand's Gold Rush, this novel shot to the top of my reading list. I ordered it from the library, but because it's so long and Tom wants to read it too, I might break down and buy it.
Kitchen
Food and cooking feel like they have taken up most of my mental space for the past two months or so. Well, at least that mental space not preoccupied with the excitement/ impatience over the impending arrival of a new person. I've been really excited about fermented food, so I've tried my hand at yogurt, Kombucha, and kraut. I've also been making bone broths at least once a week.
Since the beginning of the year I have been really watching what I buy and what I put on my body. It has made a huge difference in how I feel. I have never, ever felt this good, maybe ever, but certainly not at the end of a pregnancy.
One thing I have definitely learned is that although I really love sugar, it does not love me back. Almost every time I indulge in anything with processed sugar, I find myself sad and weepy the next day. I'm actually grateful for the reinforcement. It makes it so mush easier to abstain when I know that I am going to have emotional repercussions.
I think I mentioned it at some point, but I reread Real Food for Mother and Baby by Nina Planck, and I love her approach to food and eating. I've also been doing a lot of reading / researching on the Weston A. Price Diet and Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions.
Things
Tom bought me Dharma Bum perfume from Sweet Tea Apothecary for Valentine's Day. I might have not so subtly suggested the idea after reading Anne's recommendation a few weeks back. The smell is perfect, except for the fact that it's unisex so Tom keeps trying to wear it. But it won't be special if we both smell like it all the time. He needs to find his own smell.
