I'm starting the year off with a big bad cold. It's certainly survivable, but the hacking cough is getting to me. All sorts of unpleasantness have settled in my lungs for the long-haul, it seems. Yes, I'm ingesting vast quantities of orange juice, hot tea, chicken soup, and Musinex - all the non-prescription remedies the law'll allow - but to no avail.
This darn cough is driving me crazy. Worse at night, or course. My head aches from all the coughing. I haven't blown out an eardrum yet (oh, yeah, I did that some years back during a cough-attack), but I've come close. Wonder if an afternoon in an old-fashioned steam room would help?
There is a good side to this, however. Although I'm not able to sleep, I am able to read, and I got a load of new books for Christmas that have kept me in relatively good-humor throughout my cough-a-thon. Friend Carey gave me The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Satterfield which I tore through at a rapid pace. Good story. I'm a sucker for anything that involves an antiquarian bookstore.
After Tale, I decided to stay in England with Charles Todd's A Long Shadow, featuring the post-WWI sleuth, Inspector Ian Rutledge. The Todd mysteries are easy reads for me, WWI aficionado that I am. Todd is actual the nom-de-plume of a mother-son writing team. Can't imagine how that works. Oh, well. It does.
Now I've moved back to this side of the pond with The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud. Just got into it last night, so I can't make much of judgment yet. It's a different kettle of fish from the two cozy English mysteries. Interesting writing and story threads. And a good old Anne Tyler is waiting after that. (Thanks for the Borders gift card, Nephew!)
So, even though I'm starting the year with a bad cold, I have some good books to help me make it through the - cough! cough! - night.
This darn cough is driving me crazy. Worse at night, or course. My head aches from all the coughing. I haven't blown out an eardrum yet (oh, yeah, I did that some years back during a cough-attack), but I've come close. Wonder if an afternoon in an old-fashioned steam room would help?
There is a good side to this, however. Although I'm not able to sleep, I am able to read, and I got a load of new books for Christmas that have kept me in relatively good-humor throughout my cough-a-thon. Friend Carey gave me The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Satterfield which I tore through at a rapid pace. Good story. I'm a sucker for anything that involves an antiquarian bookstore.
After Tale, I decided to stay in England with Charles Todd's A Long Shadow, featuring the post-WWI sleuth, Inspector Ian Rutledge. The Todd mysteries are easy reads for me, WWI aficionado that I am. Todd is actual the nom-de-plume of a mother-son writing team. Can't imagine how that works. Oh, well. It does.
Now I've moved back to this side of the pond with The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud. Just got into it last night, so I can't make much of judgment yet. It's a different kettle of fish from the two cozy English mysteries. Interesting writing and story threads. And a good old Anne Tyler is waiting after that. (Thanks for the Borders gift card, Nephew!)
So, even though I'm starting the year with a bad cold, I have some good books to help me make it through the - cough! cough! - night.
6 comments:
Poor you! But what a great excuse to curl up with the books!
The Thirteenth tale looks good. What an amazing website!
I know you'll have read 22 Charing Cross Road. (Was it 22?)
Get well soon, Mary.
Oh...our poor sick Mary. I can only tell you what works for me. I came home from the Christmas holiday with signs of a cold that I must have gotten from my granddaughter, Bella. I very rarely get a cold; but when I think one is coming.....I start sucking on zinc lozengers....especially in the first 24 hours of symptoms. It may sound crazy...but...it always works for me. Either the cold never materializes...or it is very short lived with minor symptoms. I swear by Cold Eze.
Fell better soon sweetie...healing hugs coming your way.
Try sleeping naked with the Bible under your head. And if you haven't read The Glass Castle, shame on you.
Love,
Moosehead
You OK, Mary? Has the cold got the better of you or are you deep into all of those books? I sincerely hope that it's the latter!
Dear all - I'm doing OK, though this cough is driving me bonkers. Thanks for the good wishes!
Liz - It's 84 Charing Cross Road, and yes, I read it years ago. Great book! Let me know if you read Thirteenth Tale.
Yeah, Joy - I should have gone into full prevention mode before I boarded the plane from Atlanta. I'm paying for it now.
Moosehead Cuz - I went straight online and ordered The Glass Castle. Can't wait to read it!
Chris and Jo - I'm coughing and reading. (Every cloud has a . . . )
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