It’s been nearly a year since I last posted and I feel like nothing has changed yet so much has changed. Days after that post in August a building next door to my library exploded (due to a gas leak) and damaged the foundation, roof and walls of the library. We closed to the public for the next six months and I was sent to work at our main branch – to where I was permanently reassigned so I never returned to my old library. And now I’m working on the collection development team, selecting most of our new print and digital items. It’s a wonderful change and I love what I’m doing, but it hasn’t been without stress, conflict and sadness.
The past six months have also brought the death of two friends from cancer, one of whom I was visiting in Manchester when she went into the hospital. I’m so incredibly grateful that I was able to spend a couple of good weeks with her before she became so ill, but I’m devastated by her death and will miss her terribly.
Reading has not been a priority lately and I’ve read less in the first half of this year than in probably my entire adult life. I have the desire, I just do not have the concentration. I’m hopeful the next six months will see a return to my usual joyful reading life but I’m taking it slowly and am not forcing it.
Hoping anyone reading this is having a better book journey than I am this year and that this finds you healthy, happy and flourishing.
A Certain Fondness 
It sounds like you have had quite a tough time over the past year. I hope you find your reading groove again.
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Thank you. 🙂
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It’s so lovely to hear from you again after so long. What a difficult time you’ve been having, but your new job sounds very interesting. I’m so sorry to hear about your friends, but glad that you did manage to get to Manchester to see her, she will really have appreciated that.
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I hope she did. We had some lovely last times together.
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Please be kind to yourself
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Oh thank you, I do try. 🙂
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It’s lovely to see a new post from you – I’ve missed your blog! I’m so sorry to hear about your two friends. I’m sure your joy in reading will come back soon, but it’s understandable that it hasn’t been your priority recently.
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Thank you! It’s so nice to connect with old friends.
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I am so sorry to hear about your two friends deaths. It is hard settling into a book or even any activity when somewhere inside you are coping with grief. I have just read Bee Wilson’s book The Way we Eat Now, which is all about food, the history of it, and how multi nationals have changed the food that we eat, not for the better with obesity and poor health. It’s a book to read a few pages of at a time, and I found it good, she has a nice writing style. I just reread Enchanted April a favourite, and a book by John Banville, April in Spain, I admired his writing. Good wishes. Jean
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