A kind of hush

If wishes were made of snow, I'd be a very lucky woman. It snowed yesterday and this time it's not going to burn away so quickly since the sun has decided not to make an appearance this morning. Even when it does fight its way through the thick white clouds it's probably going to be so fagged it won't have the strength to singe the soft hush of white mounded on every tree, lawn and roof. The streets are clear; I heard the plow go through at four this morning. What's so amazing is the pastel golden peach of the sky between the tangled branches heaped with their heavy white burdens. It's a beautiful and quiet morning that reminds me of the first big snow that greeted me after I arrived in Colorado five years ago. That snow shut down the airport and businesses for nearly a week and was awe inspiring. This time the weather does not so much grip the city as slow it down to a more sedate pace -- at least here in our little neighborhood. That's really nice. It's a busy week for me but this silence reminds me to stop and take a deep breath and just enjoy the world around me.

I finished two of the three books I have to review and will finish another one tonight. That's three for the books this week and only one left. I'm half tempted to take a break for a couple weeks just to read something for myself and not for work. That doesn't mean I haven't enjoyed most of the books I've had to review, but I wouldn't have picked them off the shelf to read, which is a good thing because I am exposed to a wider range of styles and authors that I would have gotten around to on my own. I didn't realize until I finished reading last night that one of the books is by an author I had reviewed before and liked. She has a wonderful way with characters, making even the most minor character as memorable and real as the main characters. Little flaws and delightful touches that can be chilling as much as endearing make each book a revelation.

There are some books I need to box up and send to my uncle and his wife and more books to take next door to the Lon Chaney house where Michelle is confined to bed with her third child. Hannah is nearly two years ago and Michelle was pregnant in the fall and lost the baby -- a boy -- nearly four months into her pregnancy. She got pregnant right away and is four months into this pregnancy and having trouble again, this time with placenta previa. The placenta grows in the lower part of the uterus and covers the cervix. The placenta usually moves upward during pregnancy until it is near the top of the uterus and with placenta previa it may not, that's why the bed rest, to give the body time to adjust and the baby to grow sufficiently to be delivered by C-section. Michelle is so intent on having another child before Mike turns 40. I don't know why 40 is the scary age, but it's their choice. Anyway, I thought since she's going to have to be in bed anyway, she should have something to read, and I have all these books just waiting for a new home, and shelves waiting for new books, that I thought it was a good idea to give some of mine away.

I usually send them to friends or donate them to the library, but I also have a lot of ARCs (Advance Review Copies) and those cannot be sold. Marcia Preston's book, the one I finished last night, was autographed to me so I don't think I'll part with it. I didn't notice the signature before I read the book but when I laid it down it fell open to that page and I read it. It's nice that she thought enough of me to inscribe the book to me, even though it was fairly awkward to read since it is spiral bound and fairly thick, but into each life a little rain...

The house on the other side where the college age boys with the revolving door girlfriends used to live is vacant again and we probably won't get a new neighbor until August or later. At least it will be quiet from that side. No more Lacey barking at every errant breeze or the horse-riding man eater screaming at poor Art all the time. It will be quiet. We can take a deep breath and hope for nice new neighbors, maybe a girlfriend for Nel or some eye candy for the landlady and me. You just never know. There are a kaleidoscope of possibilities.

That is all. Disperse.