It’s starting to snow here in our visit to Fall River. This is the view from outside my parents’ door, looking out on to a quiet neighborhood and an abundance of trees.
Here’s what I’m eating and reading this week:
It’s the first week in February, and it’s the first time this year I’m taking a brief break from some of the uplifting, thought-provoking mental balm of feminist narratives. This week, I read This is Your Life, Harriet Chance! , a novel that I first learned about several months ago in the pages of the New York Times book review section. I’m also taking a break from my usual routine of excerpting favorite passages. This book didn’t lend itself well to that kind of reading, but it was still a worthwhile book. The narrative rolls back and forth between the life of an aging widow and window-like glimpses into her (at times somewhat predictable) past. The pieces come together to form a more well-rounded picture of her life, her choices, and circumstances outside her control. The book bounces along, no chapter dragging on too long, important details hinted at early, evidence growing, until significant life events are spelled out in the final pages. It’s narrated whimsically, detailing her history as if Harriet herself is the reader and the narrator is some entertainment announcer. A light, rather casual read. I was impressed, though, that the inner life and feelings of Harriet were captured and illustrated as well as they were in the hands of Evison (something that doesn’t always go over well with male authors imagining the inner selves of women). It probably won’t make my top 10 list this year, but it’s served as a pleasant break when I’ve had down time.
Here’s what I’ve been cooking this week (in case you need inspiration):
Monday: Pork chops and soup leftovers (a late night at work)
Tuesday: Baked lemon-parmesan cod with roasted winter veggies (carrots, parsnip, beets) – the cod, unfortunately, was underwhelming
Wednesday: Thai-style pasta (a riff on banh-mi sandwiches)… recipe to come
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Creamy corn farfalle with basil and Parmesan
Saturday: Leftovers
