Lethargic Friday

Friday, all day, I was lethargic after the long dog walk. 

The day was gloomy, but I didn’t at all care because I am fine indoors being lazy and reading. I’ve started Circe, by Madeline Miller. It’s a much-feted book about the famous daughter of Helios—siren and sorceress. 

When I was young, my cousin, Ann, married a Canadian Trade Commissioner and they were stationed in Athens. I was studying Latin and reading about Greeks as part of my education, and everything Greek interested me because Ann was there. I became fascinated with Greek columnar artistry, the pass at Thermopylae, everything about the Acropolis and I read a lot of Greek myths (but I couldn’t keep the names and lineage of all the gods, nymphs, demi-gods and all the other characters straight, in my head).

Circe, is a contemporary novel structured as the memoire of Circe, that gives us her take on a lifetime and style that made her famous for her libido and sorcery. 

•

I was so chuffed to discover that every plant, whose name I’ve searched out has turned out to be n Orchid. My unlearned capacity to notice rare plants is a blessing I value. It feels like finding friends in the forest. That grove in the photo I posted yesterday, will be a place I return to often this year and in future years. 

I’m going to ask Eoin to take me along when he goes hunting for mushrooms. I’d really like to harvest some with him and eat them—just a few. It’s something we can safely do together.

•

I’ve written here about my fondness for Gunther. I also described him as likely being in his mid-eighties. I was wrong! He’s actually younger than me—just by a few months.

He has hands very deformed by Rheumatoid Arthritis; the disease also makes it difficult for him to walk or to remain standing for long. He has COPD that makes him cough, few teeth, a very, very wrinkled face and thick, luxurious looking, white, white hair.

I look much younger … and fatter. (Pie awaits me as I type.)

•

I awoke this morning to the unmistakable sound of rain, so I got up and lit a fire, fed the pets and went back to bed. The second time I rose, was to take Her Highness for a walk and not the sky is almost clear and so I’ll be able to do some things in the garden today as well as read. And this afternoon in the park with Anna and Gunther should be lovely.