In the High Peaks
















Sunday, August 26, 2018

A Little Nothing of a Post and a New Book

On the days I'm home, I work at least 3-4 hours a day on the upstairs rooms' overhaul--my projects room, my bedroom, the laundry room, and the upstairs loft so far. It has been absolutely grueling, and this is because I have not done a thorough weeding of STUFF (including books) in years.

I am determined, so very gung ho, to get the upstairs whipped into shape. Of course, this renovation all came to pass because I tried to do some projects and was completely thwarted by my CLUTTER.  I know I don't have that hoarding syndrome, which has been so explicitly detailed in amusing memoirs written by those afflicted. But still...

I do have trouble weeding books, magazines, and arts and crafts materials from the upstairs rooms. And clothes.

So new books: I helped one of Ken's clients yesterday to unravel the mysteries of her Nook e-reader, the Samsung tablet. When I asked her which book she wanted to download first, she said that she was dying to read Salman Rushdie's The Golden House, which is set in Manhattan, where Rusdie now makes his home. This client once spent nearly her entire adult life living and working in Manhattan, and now makes her home in the Adirondacks. 

It just so happens that I've been longing to read the same novel, and have it on my bookshelf in the bedroom. So we've each decided to read it and then discuss it together. Such fun. I don't often have this sort of opportunity in my neck of the woods.



10 comments:

  1. I culled books when we moved in 2009 and Over a 3 year period I went from over 1,000 physical books to just over 200. Since I retired I've gotten rid of so many things; I do like more of a minimalist look these days. Good luck with the projects.

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    1. Hi Diane,
      Gosh! That means that over three years, you sent 800 books to other places. Eighty percent downsizing! I'm very impressed by the effort that must have taken.

      As of today, the projects room is now at the point where things can begin to happen in there.

      And more to do--even downstairs.

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  2. I've never read Rushdie, but The Golden House has been calling to me. Can't wait to hear what you both think of it... enjoy the discussion!

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    1. Hi JoAnn,
      I've never read Rushdie either, but I was intrigued by what I read about The Golden House last November when it was published. I will enjoy writing about it, I think.

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  3. I've read Rushdie's older books - Midnight's Children and such but nothing for ages. I got rid of a lot of 'stuff' when we moved four years ago but my sewing/project room is full of fabric and books and I need to declutter again. Our garage is a nightmare - it seems to be breeding chairs!

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    1. Katrina,
      Did you like what you read by Rushdie?
      I'm so glad to hear you have a sewing/project room filled with fabric and books! I've been managing to send fiction and some nonfiction to the library book sale, but not knitting books, embroidery books, sewing books, painting books, etc. I'm not ready to do that just yet. That's why I'm getting rid of clutter, so I'll have room to use the project books.
      Our garage is in a similar condition.

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    2. I did like what little of Rushdie I've read , although as I recall it is a bit odd. Most of my embroidery, knitting, sewing, painting books are in the guest bedroom bedside cabinets, otherwise they would just have been empty.

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    3. Hi Katrina,
      It seems I should have replied yesterday--don't know what happened.
      Yes, Rushdie's writing is definitely a bit odd, but I am curious about Midnight's Children, which you and Cath of readwarbler have read. I just don't know if he is too wild at this moment for me. But I am interested in him as a writer.

      It's great you have a good space for your embroidery, knitting, sewing, and painting books.
      I can't believe the treasures I have, and many of them were purchased at a huge discount or were purchased at library book sales. But they are wonderful. My knitting and quilting magazines, too. I just love to browse through them.
      Any projects ongoing at the moment?

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  4. I have trouble weeding just about anything and especially books. I do give away books that I have read now if I do not plan to reread them, so that helps. We have a very small place so I really need to clear out old things, but then I would get no reading or blogging done. I have said that I will wait until I retire (about 1.5 years) but I hope I really don't wait that long.

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    1. Hi Tracy,
      Do I ever have trouble weeding books of all sorts, and craft items, too, and magazines. And you're so right, this process surely does cut into that precious reading (and crafting) time.
      I have tried to do some each day since early August, but sometimes I just go all out and do it all day long, and then I'm really unhappy because I've had no reading or leisure time.
      Tomorrow I hope to find more of a balance.
      Isn't that great that your retirement date is getting closer!

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