Actually, no, I don't need the pity. But the patience, yes. I have embarked on the Russian novelists, namely Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. It's going to be weeks before I can say, "I've finished this great book and I actually know what I'm talking about when I bandy the name Tolstoy about." But, just as the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, a book of 800 pages begins with 1 page.
And what a page it was. A household in disarray, a guilty conscience. I thought the great Russian novels were supposed to be boring and difficult. But, except for the character names, which are a mouthful, I'm enjoying the ride--all the ice-skating, the oyster-eating, the blushing and the insulting going on with the Oblonskys and the Shcherbatskys and the rest of the gang.
Since I won't have anything to talk about in the near future besides Karenina, are you interested in books I have read in the past? I've done a few posts like that recently and my vague impression is that reader interest plummets when I do it.
So speak up. Cast your vote.
Meanwhile, we all have to eat, so I'll keep the recipes coming.
We needed a quick dessert today.
My dessert story starts on Thursday, when I went to the music store. Very dangerous place for a woman like me. I told myself I was only going to ask about one book. Once that was done, my next lie-to-myself was I'm just going to look through these bins and see if anything interesting catches my eye. Before I knew it, a spirit of greed gripped my soul and I was surrounded by a half-dozen books, wanting all of them. I didn't lose all my self-control, but then, anybody can say that when they want the whole cake but only eat three fat pieces.
Anyway, I own some new music books.
And I couldn't play through them because I had to leave town the next day. They kept playing through my head while I was gone. Not that I wasn't having a good time. But while walking through some tres chic neighborhoods and eating at a cute breakfast place with my husband and changing clothes in the temple, I couldn't quit thinking about the Bach and the "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" and the Christmas tunes and the . . . . Ay-yi! The noise in my head!
Back at home, I lusted for them all the more. Every time I walked by, I would take a peek, maybe pet the pages lovingly. But we needed groceries. And the laundry? Situation Critical there.
Finally, around nine o'clock I was free. I took one book to the church to play through it on the organ. I stayed until nearly midnight.
It's nothing unusual for me to skid through church short on sleep. Usually, I stay up too late Saturday nights making Sunday desserts. But today, I was short on sleep and dessertless to boot.
So, Crispy Pretzel Bars to the rescue!
See? Quick dish. Shouldn't steal too much time from your Sunday nap.
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