It’s the weekend!

Arctic temperatures blew into the area this week, increasing my anticipation of our raclette dinner with friends this weekend. Temperatures may be back on the rise, but I’m still in the mood for melted cheese.

Have a terrific weekend!

We went from tee shirt temperatures to puffer coat and mittens weather. During a midweek storm I heard thunder, usually a sign of warm temperatures. By morning, there was frost on the ground and ice on puddles. So goes winter in New England.

While it was impossible to stay inside on the “tee shirt” day, the cold days were perfect for indoor reading and television watching in the evenings. During these activities I stumbled across a couple of wonderful quotes to share with you.

From the book What You are Looking for is in the Library (Thriftbooks) by Michiko Aoyama: “Life is one revelation after another. Things don’t always go to plan, no matter what your circumstances. But the flip side is all the unexpected, wonderful things that you could never have imagined happening. Ultimately it’s all for the best that many things don’t turn out the way we hoped.”

From the Netflix series One Day, which we binged, is this quote from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens: “That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me. But it is the same with any life. “Imagine one selected day struck out of it and think how different its course would have been. Pause you who read this and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day.”

One could argue that that’s enough sharing for the week, but no. I have more.

• Here are the books that I’ve been reading and listening to recently.
  • What She Ate: Six Remarkable Women and the Food That Tells Their Stories — Very well researched short biographies of some very famous women, with a focus on their relationship with food. Some enjoyed it, others manically steered clear of it, and one apparently enjoyed good food, but seldom served it. I don’t understand the selection of these six women as there didn’t seem to be anything that connected them, but I enjoyed each biography. (Thriftbooks)
  • What You Are Looking for Is in the Library — A charming set of stories of people who are at a crossroads or looking for more in their lives. Each character ends up in a library where the librarian, who has an uncanny sense of what they need, recommends a book that isn’t on the list of books they asked for. Those books somehow help each person explore their hopes and dreams. This is a magical book that I want to share with others. (Thriftbooks)
  • The Lioness of Boston — This historical fiction piece about Isabella Stewart Gardner captivated me and makes me want to delve into a biography of her life. The novel captures her initial rejection by the Boston Brahmins, her personal tragedies, relationships with famous writers and painters, extensive travels, and how she eventually made a way for herself in Boston society. It was a captivating read and I enjoyed the escape into the story of one of Boston’s great personalities. (Audible)
  • The Burning Witch, Book 1 and Book 2 — I grabbed the first book in an Audible sale and binge-listened to it. I immediately listened to the second book, but need to wait until June for the third installment. I didn’t realize that this was an add-on to a previous series and wish that I’d read the earlier books first. However, these books stand on their own as a new story line. I was intrigued and entertained by the characters. Kat is a young, strong female character trying to figure out her powers and has a steamy romance with a childhood friend. There are more strong female characters and an adorable kitten who is Kat’s familiar. (Audible)
• Veg Au Vin Stew — Make a batch of this hearty vegetarian stew to share with friends. (Sea Salt and Sailor Stripes)
• Goodness: $1 Billion Donation Will Provide Free Tuition at a Bronx Medical School — A professor’s remarkable donation will change so many future doctors’ lives. (The New York Times)

About the photo: Witch hazel in bloom at the Arlington Reservoir park in Arlington, MA.