Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Sleepy.


The extra medication made me very sleepy yesterday and I struggled to stay awake past 8 PM. I barely stayed awake for the eight o'clock news and then gave in and went to bed, where I attempted to read 'Dubliners' by James Joyce. Needless to say, I didn't get very far into it and had to put it down and go to sleep.

I don't think novels are written in that style anymore and it is a little bit hard to get into. It's not all that straight forward, but goes about its subject in a roundabout way. It's a novel I have had on my bookshelves for a long time, but never finished, although I started to read it 17 years ago. I am reading it until another book I ordered on line arrives, called 'Eat, Pray, Love.' I got that one on sale for 9 Euros. I got it at that on line bookstore I talked about earlier and while there, put some other books on my wish list, so when I have the money, I can go ahead and order one of them.

I can check up on what's new also by looking at the list of new acquisitions of the library. If there are any books that interest me, I can look them up on line and put them on my wish list. As I said before, I like to own books better than borrowing them and that's why I don't think I would like Book Mooch, because you have to give up your books and I am not at the stage yet where I want to do that. Maybe when my bookcase is filled to overflowing, but even then I would consider getting another bookcase first. I do reread books after a certain amount of time has passed and they have become favorites of mine.

'In a Dry Season' by Peter Robinson is a thriller that I will read again every couple of years and the thrillers by Arnaldur Indridason are also always worth rereading, as are the ones by Henning Mankell who can write pretty gruesome thrillers.

I reread 'Pride and Prejudice' every so often because of the formal language that is so understated and the suspense of the love affair, even though I know the outcome, and 'Sense and Sensibility' is equally good, if you can just stop picturing Hugh Grant as the leading man. Novels by Penelope Lively are also always good to reread. She's a treasure and so English.

Someone suggested to me that I sit somewhere different to read my books other than the sofa and I think I will try that today. I have a nice comfortable armchair with a little table beside it where I can put my coffee and ashtray and probably comfortably read my book without falling asleep. There is no danger of me laying down like there is on the sofa anyway, where I always very comfortably lean onto the armrest and pull my legs up under me. So, that will be my experiment for today and I will make this chair my new perch. It will give me a whole new point of view of the living room also and that will be interesting and maybe give me some new ideas.

The Exfactor was here yesterday, so we've got it down to 2 days a week now. He comes on Tuesday and Friday afternoons and this is his own idea and I am comfortable with the situation. As far as I'm concerned, we can just keep doing this forever. It's just enough exposure to each other without it becoming too suffocating and we still have something to talk about, albeit that not every conversation is of great importance. But that's okay too. We'll slowly work up to that and not be so stifled.

Today I have ergo therapy and in the afternoon I have to go grocery shopping. I am looking forward to ergo therapy, because I am very fond of the therapist and think that just about anything she does and thinks of is just great. The woman has the patience and the wisdom of a saint. You always feel like you are in good hands and the group is for the most part a good group also, even with the new people in it. The disturbing factor has been removed and will not be coming back. That's a big relief to me and others as well.

The grocery shopping is not that exciting, it's just getting the same old staples that I always get. Milk and dog food and oatmeal and hairspray and those sorts of things. I will get one liter of chocolate milk, because that has been my treat for myself lately and I drink it cold from the refrigerator, one glass a day. That's better than buying cookies or chocolates which I always want to eat all at once. I can't put the brakes on when faced with a pack of cookies or a box of chocolates. Woe is me.

Well, that was my ramble for this morning. As you can see, I am a bit calmer now. A bit more levelheaded. The medication works quickly, thank goodness for that.

It's snowing here, but it will turn to slush later, because the temperatures will be above zero degrees Celsius. That should make for a nice mess.

Ciao...

10 comments:

Maggie May said...

Glad you feel more stable today, Irene. Also pleased to hear that the Exfactor will be there to check twice a week. I expect he gets concerned about you and the the present arrangement seems very good.

Chocolate milk sounds good!

Just looked out of the window. It is very slippery by the look of it .... ice over a thin layer of snow/ Hope I don't break my neck going to work.

Hope you stay warm and have a good day whatever you might do. X

Lane Mathias said...

Glad you're feeling more 'even' Irene.
your Ergo therapist sounds a wonderful woman.

lebanesa said...

Glad to hear you noticed the hypermania arriving and nipped it in the bud before you did yourself any disservice. I have been very busy recently and not really visiting blogs so I missed on your high this time. Maybe just a bit of an overbalance to the really down time you were having around Christmas?
Anyway - you caught it in time and are sounding good. I agree with Maggie May. Exfactor visiting twice is good. For both of you. I still feel sad that things went a bit wrong for the two of you, but this arrangement seems good and it prevents you from entangling yourself and slipping into dangerous dependency again.
You are a marvellous woman, Irene.

Glad the anti-therapist has left the group. Some people are just toxic, sort of negative catalysts in certain situations. Not good for them to be allowed to continue - and I mean for them. I know it is bad for everyone else, but they have to live with a toxic personality and I think it can be hard to change and they need to be controlled if possible so as not to damage other vulnerable people.

Babaloo said...

Mmmm, chocolate milk! Delicious. Which reminds me, I might make myself a really good hot chocolate later. I bought 99% solid chocolate a long time ago and it's really great for making your own hot chocolate. Just dissolve one or two pieces in hot milk, add a bit of sugar (because this chocolate is really bitter) and, voila, delicious hot chocolate!

Your new reading perch sounds nice! I think I will spend today in bed reading, accompanied by the dogs and the cat. That'll be cosy!

John M. Mora said...

I love James Joyce but have not read him in a while. Read last chapter of Ulysees a train of thought ramble that is beyond exquisite.

I just love today's header. A room ful of me clapping wildly.

My best.

Tessa said...

Just caught up on your posts - been busy trying to finish a commission painting (commissions make me very nervous and I become too obsessive about getting it just right!) I'm so please to read that you 'caught' the old demon in time and that you're feeling happier, if a bit sleepy!

I struggled with James Joyce - so pedantic - but I will try again one day. Love the sound of your new perch and look forward to hearing about your new view of the living room....you write so well and the artist in me can immediately 'see' what you describe.

Milo said...

oh Irene, i soooo love chocolate milk. i think it is the yummiest treat too. but i never liked anti psychotics... all my love, Milo and sorry i havent been around much lately. a GIANT hug to Uberhund toooxxxoooooo!

Bev said...

I find Joyce very difficult to understand, and I think 'The Portrait of The Artist as A Young Man' the most accessible. I did it for Eng Lit.

Mmm. I think the the bit John is referring is Molly Bloom's soliloquy. Let's just say the earth obviously didn't move for her :)

Bev said...

I have just been thnking about that last bit of Ulysses, or whatever, which I have never read, but have heard about.

I have been on Wikpedia and some of it lovely, or the sentence I read is. But why is she having a thought ramble when she is with a lover. It is surely a bit insulting to be thinking so much, or perhaps that's what everyone does all the time, have this thought chatter. I may have to read the book to find out what it's all about LOL

Maureen said...

We had a few days of nice weather, which turned the roads into slush, but we still have many many feet of snow on the yards. Snowbanks everywhere, bt they have shruken a bit. The weather has been up and down; from terrible freezing to moderate sunny days. Ah, well, it makes for an interesting life. Be well and enjoy your books!