TSS - First Sunday of 2010

It is a melancholy kind of day today as it marks the end of the holiday vacation and tomorrow starts another semester. I am not ready. I have enjoyed being home -- sleeping in late, going to bed late, doing what I want to do when I want to do it. But I suppose a steady diet of that kind of lifestyle would soon become unproductive.

I look outside and am still amazed at the amount of snow we have on the ground. It snowed about 9 inches over the course of December 24-27, and last night it snowed another 2 inches, with the forecast predicting yet another snow storm on Wednesday. This is the most snow we have seen in Kansas - at one time - since we moved here in 1990. I LOVE snow! I don't necessarily take part in the winter sports - but I love the transforming quality of snow. Snow can turn a muddy backyard into a winter wonderland; snow can wash away the winter blues and replace them with a sparkling white slate; snow can quiet the landscape and foster a serene, meditative environment. There is nothing more beautiful than watching feathery snowflakes fall in the soft glow of the street lights, and then snuggling up next to the glow of the fire with a good book to read and cup of hot tea. I LOVE snow!

My most favorite Christmas gift of all arrived yesterday - or at least it started to take shape. My husband gave me brackets and shelving for Christmas to line my Cozy Book Nook walls! In addition, he devised a way to redesign the space so that it will also include my other hobbies, like scrapbooking and card making (this picture shows the view from the door to the room - with craft tables already set up). I will now have my own room devoted to my personal interests, decorated in my own way, playing my own iTunes library of music, and tucked away upstairs in its own little corner of the house. I am an introvert by nature, and the older I get the more hermit-like I become. This small room will allow me to escape the hustle and bustle of every day life - at least for a few hours at a time - and rejuvenate! I am giddy with excitement!

Of course, there is a little bitter with this sweet. The only reason why I have such a nook is because my "little boy" -- who turned 21 in December -- has left home. Actually, he left home two years ago to pursue his dream of audio engineering in Nashville, TN, but I kept his room the way he left it so he could return home anytime. Well, now that his girlfriend is also living in Nashville, and now that his recording career is taking off, he comes home less and less. We still have a bed waiting for him anytime he needs or wants one -- but that bed has now been moved to a different room, and his dormer room is slowly being transformed into a nook.

Yesterday was spent moving beds and dressers out of this room, moving craft supplies and tables into the room, and reconfiguring all stuff into an efficient, well-organized space. Today we will put up shelves (which will cover entire length of this wall and devoted solely to books -- *squeal* -- and then there will also be shelves hung over the craft table for rubber stamp sets), and I will begin setting up shop. After all shelving is in place I plan to frequent Hobby Lobby to find some fun, decorative prints to hang on the walls. I would love to find some European inspired prints - such as those reminiscent of Paris and London - to give the nook that well-traveled look. I anticipate many hours spent in this cozy corner of the world reading exotic novels, writing detailed journals, and crafting fond memories. I will try to post final pictures when the job is complete.

I put the nook to use last night by finishing the book, Sixpence House: Lost in a Town of Books by Paul Collins. The book is about his pursuit of living the bookish life in Hay-on-Wye in Wales -- probably the ideal dream of any bibliophile. I haven't quite decided what I think of this book - in some ways it offers brilliant writing, in other ways I found myself getting bored and quickly skimming the material. I hope to sort out these conflicting thoughts over the next few days and hopefully write a review soon. In any case....this will certainly count as one book read for the Bibliophilic Book Challenge, which makes me feel as though I am starting off the New Year on the right foot.

I decided to continue this books about books trend and began reading, The Case of the Missing Books, by Ian Sansom. A good friend of mine brought this back for me after going to the Tattered Cover in Denver. It is a dream of mine to visit this two-story booklovers' retreat, and she was kind enough to remember me. She selected the book because she liked the cover --- and so do I -- but I have to tell you that I am really enjoying this comical little mystery. I hope to finish the book this evening, before I tackle lesson plans, and then write a review later in the week.

I hope that all of you are enjoying this final holiday Sunday with lots of warmth, relaxation, and literary pursuits. I look forward to reading your blog posts in 2010, and adding many more books to these shelves as a result of your glowing reviews!