Read-a-Thon Day One

Yesterday didn't go quite as I had planned it but I was still able to start The Tenant of Wildfell Hall and get about halfway through. 

The morning started out really well. I was able to read for about an hour before getting lunch ready for Madeline and taking her to Kindergarten. 

I had some errands to run whilst she was in school (it is only half day so she is there for a little over two hours) so I was doing that. 

My phone died while I was out. 

As soon as I was about done with everything I needed to do and going to take the last of her time at school to read, I checked my phone and saw that I had missed calls from the school and my parents. 

Madeline had become sick while at school and was in the office waiting to get picked up. 

I felt so bad. My parents were about to drive the 45 minutes up here to get her (They are SO wonderful.) but luckily I got to the messages in time to save them the drive. I was so sorry that the one day my phone died, it was the day I was needed.

I checked out both girls so that I wouldn't have to take Maddy out again... it was close enough to Abi getting out that this made sense. 

Anyway, what should have been a really relaxing afternoon of reading was unfortunately filled with all of this and then making sure she was well. 

Thank goodness she did not become sick again and has been improving steadily.

As soon as she was settled into a restful spot in her room, quietly playing and Abigail was doing her homework, I got dinner in the crock pot and settled down to read again. 

I was able to get in at least an hour. 

After dinner we got Madeline to sleep and then Abigail hung out in my with me and we each read (she is re-reading the Harry Potter series to herself now)  and that is when I got the bulk of my reading done. 

I am really enjoying this book so far. Like I said, I am about halfway in. 

There was one passage so far that I really related to. 

As an introvert, I am not good at and do not enjoy small talk. It is so hard for me to keep it going so I am always worried I come across as aloof or snobbish. But if someone gets me talking about something I am interested in it is hard to shut me up. In the chapter "A Snake In The Grass", Helen says, " I was wearied to death with small-talk- nothing wears me out like that. I cannot imagine how they can go on as they do."

And in her next sentence, "Is it that they think it a duty to be continually talking and so never pause to think, but fill up with aimless trifles and vain repetitions, when subjects of real interest fail to present themselves?- or do they really take pleasure in such discourse?"

I loved this because it is how I feel a lot. Large gatherings of people I don't know well or don't share many interests with wear me out.

I love silence. I love being alone. And so far that has made it very easy to relate to the character of Helen, as she seems this way too. 

I also really like Anne's writing. Classics are not always a quick read for me and I don't always get into them nor connected to the characters as quickly as I have with this one so I am hoping that this continues. 

 

Today I won't be leaving the house. With Madeline recuperating I may end up having more time to read today than I thought I would. So my goal is to finish this book today!

 

*What are you reading? 

*Were you able to read yesterday?