With most of us housebound, I think more and more people are taking the time to read. We need to escape a bit from the current climate and Netflix can only do so much. I used to read a lot. I mean, I used to pick up a book and completely forget about the world around me. I don’t think I’ve done that in years. Honestly, raising a family makes it nearly impossible (for me) to sit and read a book for hours on end and I don’t do audio books because I undoubtedly fall asleep. The only time I sit and generously read is when I’m at the beach after picking up a few good reads to get me through the summer.
With that said, the only book I continually read is the Bible and I usually read it before bed. It takes a lot of discipline to do so because it’s unlike any other book, in form and in meaning, but it’s also the most fulfilling. Reading the Bible soothes away any anxiety I may be feeling. It makes me a better wife, a better mom, a better daughter, a better sister, a better friend.
If I want to pick up a new book I tend to limit my interests to literally just a few, mainly food, decor and fictional history. I’ll grab a book chock full of visually enticing recipes and rifle through it in no time, plus it helps my culinary skills. The same can be said for books with traditional/vintage decorating. I love looking at beautiful decor to help inspire my own living quarters. Historical fiction dramas or era romance are by far my all time favorite genre. I can easily immerse myself into anything Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë or Louisa May Alcott or I’ll grab a classic by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway and Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Aside from my renewed commitment to making time for a workout I’m also indulging in more reading. I encourage Glor to do the same since we have so many great books around the house. Lots from when the boys were younger and she’s currently enjoying finding new themes.
For me, this stay home time is very much like my summer recess except for the fact that I don’t leave the house but for the occasional grocery run/gasoline stop. We’re not in quarantine since we’re all healthy thus far. So yes, my husband is still working, (our Governor declared Real Estate an essential business to remain open) and since we’re self-employed he’s still going to the office and meeting with the occasional client (minimal) even if that means at a 6 foot distance, lots of sanitizers and no hand shaking. Pretty much all else is done over text messaging and scanning, thank goodness for technology!
I hope you’re all hanging in there. Here are some more of my personal favorites if you need a little break from your home scene:
