~ Today's Books ~
~ Today's Statistics ~
Books I've read from: A Book Addict's Treasury by Julie Rugg and Lynda Murphy, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Pages read
today: 62
Books finished today: None
Running
total: 0 books; 128 pages
Non-reading
progress: I visited 35 of the Day 2 posts from the linky, plus a few others via Twitter.
Today #insixwords: Reading, blogging, Tweeting... AAAARGH WISDOM TOOTH!
~ Reading Notes ~
10:45am
Goooooood mornin' Bout of Books-ers! It's a frosty morning here in Derbyshireland, which makes it the perfect day for some more cracking reading, I reckon. Admittedly I've not done a whole lot thus far - I had ANOTHER lie-in (the cold side of the pillow was ALWAYS COMFY, okay!) and I've eaten a delicious choc chip muffin, had two huge mugs of coffee, and started my day with another little dose of A Book Addict's Treasury. Opening with a reminder of why I love books so much - what could be better than that?!
1:45pm
Okay, so I've read a chapter or two of Jane Eyre, I've visited ten Day 2 posts from the Bout of Books linky, and I've just made it back from Sainsbury's where I have cheerfully bought ALL THE SNACKS and my own copy of Jane Eyre on DVD (shut up, it was a fiver, shit happens). I have banoffee cheesecake and more rocky road fridge cake stuff. I have strawberry and banana smoothie and some yummy poppy seed rolls. And right NOW, I have a chicken and stuffing sandwich, some little tomatoes and a big mug of coffee. Time to get this mother-chuffin' show on the mother-chuffin' road!
3:45pm
Aaaaah, so the relentless-headache thing is explained! My wisdom teeth - one in particular - are buggering about again and the left side of my face feels like I've somehow become part-hamster since lunchtime. Good stuff. Not only that, but the cat managed to swipe me at a funny angle when we were playing and sliced down the side of my finger, AND Mum just made me go down to feed the hens. On the one hand, there was a little wren and a robin in the buddleia bush behind the hen house, which was very cute; on the OTHER hand, it was only when I turned around after some minutes talking/squawking/clucking/chirruping LOUDLY at the chickens that I realised there were two quite hot builders on the roof watching me.
In less humiliating news, I am also pressing on with Jane Eyre, attempting to ignore my throbbing cheek and the headache that always invariably follows. She's settled at Lowood now, she's met Helen Burns (aka my first traumatic loss as a child) and Charlotte Brontë is making me seriously sad with all her talk of frozen children and burnt porridge and unjust punishments. Still, I appreciate the kindly Miss Temple even more this time as a result. And I loved this moment, when Jane first talks to Helen in the garden:
"'Is your book interesting?... What is it about?'... I hardly know where I found the hardihood thus to open a conversation with a stranger. The step was contrary to my nature and habits; but I think her occupation touched a chord of sympathy somewhere, for I, too, liked reading."
After all, what are we all doing throughout this Bout of Books week if not striking up conversation with strangers and bonding through our love of books?
9.30pm
My plan of finishing reading early to watch a DVD kind of fell through for various reasons - phone calls, the arrival of my grandparents, chatting downstairs - but I've had a bunch of mini Indian snacks for tea (vegetable samosas are so yummy!), and I've carried on reading Jane Eyre studiously. I think I've read through most of Jane's time at Lowood today, culminating in weeping over poor Helen Burns just now. I'm perversely glad to find that the terrible poignance of her final scene with Jane - and the quiet horror of the way it ends - is just as gut-wrenching now as it was the very first time I read it as a little girl. Here's hoping the rest of the book retains the same kind of power! As an example, one of my overarching memories of this book is the terror that struck me every time Grace Poole was glimpsed meandering drunkenly down the corridors of Thornfield; it'll be interesting to see whether I still get the same cold thrill of dread this time around... *shudders*
Soooo, now what? Painkillers for my tooth, I think, maybe a drink and a bite to eat... I might just leave Jane Eyre there for today and find something short to watch on DVD tonight, maybe an episode of something fun rather than a movie. I'll report back! :)
11:00pm
Yup, Family Guy it was to be. I'll try and make way for a proper movie tomorrow night, get this baby back on track again!
Night for now readers - and happy reading for Day 4!
9.30pm
My plan of finishing reading early to watch a DVD kind of fell through for various reasons - phone calls, the arrival of my grandparents, chatting downstairs - but I've had a bunch of mini Indian snacks for tea (vegetable samosas are so yummy!), and I've carried on reading Jane Eyre studiously. I think I've read through most of Jane's time at Lowood today, culminating in weeping over poor Helen Burns just now. I'm perversely glad to find that the terrible poignance of her final scene with Jane - and the quiet horror of the way it ends - is just as gut-wrenching now as it was the very first time I read it as a little girl. Here's hoping the rest of the book retains the same kind of power! As an example, one of my overarching memories of this book is the terror that struck me every time Grace Poole was glimpsed meandering drunkenly down the corridors of Thornfield; it'll be interesting to see whether I still get the same cold thrill of dread this time around... *shudders*
Soooo, now what? Painkillers for my tooth, I think, maybe a drink and a bite to eat... I might just leave Jane Eyre there for today and find something short to watch on DVD tonight, maybe an episode of something fun rather than a movie. I'll report back! :)
11:00pm
Yup, Family Guy it was to be. I'll try and make way for a proper movie tomorrow night, get this baby back on track again!
Night for now readers - and happy reading for Day 4!
(shut up, it was a fiver, shit happens).
ReplyDeleteThis made me snort. In the library.
Also, we need to reevaluate your idea of a lie-in. 9:30am ain't no freakin' lie in! :)
YOU HAVE HENS!? I've just falled in love with you a little bit more. As evidenced by the fact that I clearly cannot wait for the end of the day to comment and instead comment at periodic intervals throughout the day. Oh well! :)
DeleteI genuinely think the builders thought you were adorable by clucking at the chickens. Bless them. And you.
Hanna, I squawked at the chickens. Squawked. Like, a proper "I have laid an egg" hen cluck. I barely ever go down to the chickens, there is NEVER a hunky man on the roof, and this time... I squawked. I nearly went all 'Flame On', my face was so red.
DeleteYou just fell out of love again didn't you? It's okay, I understand.
Ellie, I will never, EVER fall out of love with you. I swear this on my entire Pride and Prejudice edition, including but not limited to, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies AND Death Comes to Pemberley.
DeleteAlthough I would VERY MUCH have liked to see the squawk.
Slip me an illicit drink sometime and I might be persuaded to give a private performance. THEN WE SHALL NEVER SPEAK OF IT AGAIN. ;)
DeleteOh, and 9:30 is TOTALLY a lie-in! My 13 year-old self would be disgusted, but for my 25 year-old self it IS. I'm usually up three hours before that, making coffee and generally enjoying some quiet book-time before I have to go be pleasant to the public. It feels weird being able to turn over and go back to sleep for hours! Best not get used to it, I suppose, but OH THE LUXURY! :D
ReplyDeleteStill following, still cheerleading! Sometimes it is nice *not* to take part so I can browse through everyone's updates without feeling guilty that I should be reading ;). Your week off is shaping up to be pretty good Ellie what with the readathon, yummy food AND DVDs. Enjoy the rest of it hun you totally deserve it!
ReplyDeleteHaha, yes, I do feel like I've done more tweeting and blog hopping than I've done reading! Still nearly a week to go of my 'week off' actually - we're not going back til Thursday. ALL THE READING! :D
DeleteWisdom teeth are the devil's invention. Mine can be considered through but they do decide move at random and inconvenient times. Hope they stop buggering about and leave you to read in peace soon.
ReplyDeleteAlso I agree with 9:30 being a lie-in. I have a hair appointment Saturday at 9:15 and I consider that a lie-n these days!
Hooray! I'm not the only one with a sad idea of what 'lie-in' means! (*pokes tongue out at Hanna*) I don't think I could pull off a proper student-style lie-in these days if I tried. Not while I'm living with my parents, anyway! :)
DeleteThese teeth are definitely a pain in the... well, mouth... but I think there's a sharp corner trying to stab through at the moment that's making it worse. Little bastard.
Ouuuch, I hope your teeth feel better soon! Nice work with making it so far with Ms Eyre! And, that choc chip muffin just made me sooo hungry!
ReplyDeleteOoops, sorry... *waves box of muffins gleefully* :P
DeleteThe tooth is slightly less painful today, so fingers crossed it won't kick up again this afternoon!
Paha - that hen story is hilarious! If it makes you feel any better, the other day I was in the stationery room at work and was randomly singing - you know how you do when you're a bit bored, "Oh envelopes - I love your windows and your glue. Don't worry biros, I love you too...doo doo doo". That kind of thing. Anyway, I was singing to myself and turned around to find one of our pretty senior managers staring at me...I mean, he's not hot (eww!) and I've worked there a couple of years now so my occasional weirdness isn't wholly a surprised but STILL. Embarrassing.
ReplyDeleteCan I also just say that I love your update posts? This weekend, I am definitely being a copy cat!
And speaking of Grace Poole, have you ever read Wide Sargasso Sea? I meant to ask you the other day but forgot. I read it a few years ago but it had been even longer since I'd read Jane Eyre and I didn't really enjoy it. It wasn't that I thought it was a bad book, as such, but by trying to stand with Jane Eyre, I think it just paled in comparison.
Anywho, hope Thursday goes wonderfully for you and your wisdom teeth stop interfering! :)
Oh my... I take everything back, being caught singing a song to envelopes and biros in a confined space is MUCH WORSE than squawking at a chicken. *Hands over the 'nerd humiliation' trophy with great respect and awe* It's SO NICE to know I'm not the only one who does these things. :D
DeleteCopy cat away, I love reading quirky update posts! I have NOT read WSS yet - though I think I saw bits of it on telly, when my STUPID BOYFRIEND of the time would actually shut the hell up and let me watch it - but it's been waiting on my shelves for... oh, about ten years now. I don't think I'll adore it, but I might read it soon after JE because I'm intrigued to see how Rhys will work the back story!
The wisdom tooth thing? Yeah, I'll drink to that. *clinks mugs*
Wisdom teeth pain sucks :( I hope the painkillers beat it. Kinda jealous of your muffin as it looks v. yummy.
ReplyDeleteIt's simmered down a bit today so I'm hopeful! And I am the MUFFIN QUEEN! Seriously, I have a cupboard full, it's a running family joke, and even the grocery delivery guy keeps remarking that he ought to confiscate them for my own good. JUST LET ME HIM TRY. :P
DeleteOh Ellie I love your entire day, except for the toothache of course! I hope you're feeling tons better today! I wish my day was more entertaining! I've never read Jane Eyre before, whereas my non-reading sister has and likes to rub it in my face once in a while! And all those delicious snacks and vegetable samosas, my stomach's rumbling just reading this post! :)
ReplyDeleteHaha, sorry about that - I get that a lot! If I'm not talking about books or our cats I'm usually talking about food! (And leaving a trail of rumbling stomachs across the world...)
DeleteYou should definitely pick up Jane Eyre sometime, it's just GORGEOUS. Beautifully written and romantic and exciting and emotional... Can you tell it's one of my favourites? :)