“Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark.” — Rabindranath Tagore
READING:
The Philosophy of Snoopy: Peanuts Guide to Life by Charles M. Schulz — “The world's most beloved beagle shares his philosophy on life in this beautifully produced gift book for all generations. In his inimitable style, Snoopy spends his days extolling the virtues of dancing, hanging out with his best bird friend Woodstock, pursuing a full supper dish and giving his owner - our favourite lovable loser, Charlie Brown - the run-around” (Goodreads).
The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict — “The remarkable, little-known story of Belle da Costa Greene, J. P. Morgan's personal librarian—who became one of the most powerful women in New York despite the dangerous secret she kept in order to make her dreams come true” (Goodreads).
The Summer of ‘69 by Elin Hilderbrand — “ It's 1969, and for the Levin family, the times they are a-changing. Every year the children have looked forward to spending the summer with their grandmother in Nantucket: but this year Blair, the oldest sister, is marooned in Boston, pregnant with twins and unable to travel. Middle sister Kirby, a nursing student, is caught up in the thrilling vortex of civil rights protests, a passion which takes her to Martha's Vineyard with her friend, Mary Jo Kopechne. Only son Tiger is an infantry soldier, recently deployed to Vietnam. Thirteen-year-old Jessie suddenly feels like an only child, marooned in the house with her out-of-touch grandmother who is hiding some secrets of her own. As the summer heats up, Teddy Kennedy sinks a car in Chappaquiddick, a man flies to the moon, and Jessie experiences some sinking and flying herself, as she grows into her own body and mind” (Goodreads).
The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis — “Eight months since losing her mother in the Spanish flu outbreak of 1919, twenty-one-year-old Lillian Carter’s life has completely fallen apart. For the past six years, under the moniker Angelica, Lillian was one of the most sought-after artists’ models in New York City, with statues based on her figure gracing landmarks from the Plaza Hotel to the Brooklyn Bridge. But with her mother gone, a grieving Lillian is rudderless …So when she stumbles upon an employment opportunity at the Frick mansion—a building that, ironically, bears her own visage—Lillian jumps at the chance. But the longer she works as a private secretary to the imperious and demanding Helen Frick, the daughter and heiress of industrialist and art patron Henry Clay Frick, the more deeply her life gets intertwined with that of the family—pulling her into a tangled web of romantic trysts, stolen jewels, and family drama that runs so deep, the stakes just may be life or death.
Nearly fifty years later, mod English model Veronica Weber has her own chance to make her career—and with it, earn the money she needs to support her family back home—within the walls of the former Frick residence, now converted into one of New York City’s most impressive museums. But when she—along with a charming intern/budding art curator named Joshua—is dismissed from the Vogue shoot taking place at the Frick Collection, she chances upon a series of hidden messages in the museum: messages that will lead her and Joshua on a hunt that could not only solve Veronica’s financial woes, but could finally reveal the truth behind a decades-old murder in the infamous Frick family” (Goodreads).
WATCHING:
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts on HBO Max — “Cast members from all "Harry Potter" films reunite in a retrospective special to celebrate the anniversary of the first film, including interviews and cast conversations” (IMDb).
All of the Harry Potter movies on HBO Max — I read all of the books and saw all of the movies years ago, but it was great to rewatch them in order to get the full experience.
LISTENING TO: Nothing special. Any podcast recommendations?
ENJOYING:
Some special birthdays — My nephew turned 18 (How is that even possible?) and Miss Piper turned 7. Time goes too fast.
The bright, Scandi minimalism that is our home after all the holiday decorations are put away, the carpets and windows are cleaned, and everything is "back to normal.”
Yoga — While I have been very motivated to row over 1,000,000 meters, after rowing everyday for months, I have begun to have chronic pain and stiffness in my left hip. I read a lot about it and am hopeful that I have simply been overworking it and not giving the ligaments time to heal between workouts. So, rather than rowing everyday, I started doing yoga a couple days a week. It is energizing and relaxing while also revealing how stiff I really am. So, if 2021 was the year to build a consistent exercise routine, 2022 will be about adding strength, balance, and mobility.
