We’re just over a week into the new year and I feel like it’s a good time to take stock of how things are going so far. It’s been so cold and dark and a little gloomy lately which has honestly made it easy to crush my reading goal of 25 minutes in 25. The only thing I want to do lately is immerse myself in a hot bubble bath, under a pile of covers in bed or somewhere warm and cozy, all with a book in hand. I’m writing this right now in the sweet little local wine shop,  Wine Collective, in Shelby. I’m sitting in a room made festive with white lights around the window and a view of our historic court square sipping a glass of rose. 

My book club chose God of the Woods for our latest read and I ended up devouring it in a matter of days. Liz Moore is a master storyteller and wordsmith and I found myself staying up late more than once, caught up in the twists and turns of the tale. Set in the Adirondacks at a summer camp for the wealthy, it tells the story of a banker family whose beloved young son mysteriously disappears one afternoon after an annual decadent summer party. He is never found and the event casts a shadow over the family, nearby town and the camp and nature 

preserve where the boy went missing. Then, about 13 years later, his sister also vanishes. It’s a story of family secrets, betrayals, heartache and hope. It’s also about women’s rights (or lack therof), the gap between the privileged and those who serve them and the lengths we’ll go to protect the ones we love. 

I learned a few new words too. For me, her writing is everything I want in a book. 

After I finished it, I felt a little lost and bereft and had to cast around in my stacks for a bit to find something I could lose myself in again. I ended up picking up Abigail Thomas’ newest book, “Still Life at Eighty” and as usual, it’s like sitting down with an old friend and catching up. Her words are a balm, a piece of good chocolate you savor slowly and I’ve been taking my time reading it. There are so many gems it’s hard to pick one, but one of my favorite quotes so far is “Always take a cookie when the plate is being passed.” If there is an opportunity, a chance to do something new, fun or beneficial, take the cookie. Life is finite and there are a limited number of cookies you will be offered, so even if it’s not the “right time” just take it.

Another motto my sister and I have adopted this year is “It’s not that serious,” because let’s be real, it rarely is. I keep thinking about how temporary all this is and how much we waste. Time, energy, let’s live and be stunned by it. I’ve tried to write a book many times over and I keep getting stumped. Maybe this year I actually do it. 

In other news, my friend and I have planned our first book swap party, set to take place next month, and I’ve got some big hiking goals for this year (the Lord willing and creek don’t rise) and I want to travel. I’ve been stationary too long and it makes me feel a little crazy.

Hope your 2025 is off to a fulfilling and gentle start.