Trying

My daughter has re-started her blog and so must I.  However, nothing really seems worth writing about which probably means there is too much to write about. If you know me (and you do if you read this) you know that I am not one for reaching out for help.  It's a Turmes (maiden name) trait.  We just plow through things, making our own way.  In this case, I would be so happy to reach out for help but I fear there is none to be had.  Grief is something you have to go through alone, or with those who are also grieving.

The death of Martha has created a schism in the family as well, which I won't discuss here.  Suffice it to say that this week has been another difficult one.

So, let me try and write about something else.  Two things:  one is "Canada" by Richard Ford.  He is a celebrated writer, has won many awards including the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.  His language is, to me, a dichotomy.  It is spare and simple and yet vast and intricate.  He has this way of taking a situation that is pretty much off the wall and making you, the reader, at first shake your head and just a little later, start nodding your head.  It seems preposterous but then it seems quite understandable.  "Canada" is a strange book, almost a couple of stories in one, but I really liked it.  Check it out.

Second thing is that in the last three weeks I find my attention span to be greatly shortened.  I usually read two or three books a week but lately I either can sit and read for two hours or two minutes.  It's odd. So I have been watching stuff on my TV, streaming things via Netflix through my tiny Roku player since I don't have broadcast TV.  My current fave is "Arrested Development."  I don't know why I didn't dive into this when it first came out because it is  hysterically funny and my kind of sarcastic, dark humor.  What a dysfunctional family!  The mother, talk about an evil, self-centered bitch, but the kids (all grown up, of course) do whatever she tells them to do.  Mostly.  The episodes are only a half hour long, so streamed without commercials they are even shorter.  It's a great way to waste some time when it is too early to go to bed and too late to open another bottle of wine.

Thanks to you all for hanging in there while I took my time getting back to you.


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