The past several months have been complicated for me, as I’m sure they have been for almost every human being on the planet. Life is like that. Really good things are mixed in with the rotten. It can be so easy to give into the negative parts and lose track of all the goodness and blessings that come our way every single day. For a long time now, I’ve tried to pay attention to the experiences that bring my heart joy in the midst of living this messy life. Because I’m trying to be intentional about enjoying the Christmas experience this year, my list today focuses mostly on that theme.
Small Pleasures: First Half of December 2021
Working through John Piper’s advent devotional An Indestructible Joy with Jay and Aaron. We are finding some of Mr. Piper’s writings to be over the top, which has generated a fair amount of laughter and silliness. With my twenty year old son, I’ll take it where I can get it, even if it means being disrespectful to a beloved theologian.
Sipping Starbuck’s hot chocolate and listening to Chris Botti’s Christmas album on the way to work. Talk about feeling mellow. I was so relaxed when I got to campus, I practically melted out of the car.
Stumbling across Nora Jones’s live concert at the top of the Empire State Building on Youtube.(I mentioned this yesterday).
Learning to crochet. There is something about the focus, the feel of the yarn, and the repetition of stitches that I find soothing. It’s both mindful and mindless at the same time, which seems to be a good combination for me.
Watching Christmas movies with Jay. So far we’ve watched Holiday Inn and The Polar Express. White Christmas, A Muppet Christmas Carol and Christmas Vacation are still on the docket along with any other movies that catch our fancy.
Seeing Santa riding a fire truck. Every year our local fire department decorates all their trucks and drives through the neighborhood, sounding the sirens and blasting Christmas music. Santa is always waving from one of the rigs, too. The kids (and dogs) in the neighborhood love it and so do I!
Pisco-jitos at El Serrano. El Serrano is a wonderful Peruvian restaurant in Lancaster. The mojitos there are made with Peruvian brandy called Pisco. Who knew Pisco makes mojitos the best I’ve ever had.
Now that I’ve started thinking about it, I feel like I could go on and on with small pleasures. No matter how much hard stuff I have to wade through in this life, it doesn’t take me very long to find the good stuff if I make the effort to look. Do you have any small pleasures you’d like to share? Please do!
For me, recognizing the fun, the beauty, the pleasure and the delight in my everyday life has always been a small way to acknowledge the goodness of God and to give thanks for all of it. G.K. Chesterton had a very positive opinion regarding thankfulness. He said:
“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”
Who knew I’d be thinking some lofty thoughts as I list the little pleasures that tickled my fancy in March? Maybe my list will spark some noble thoughts of your own.
Small Pleasures: March 2021
Watching the world wake up to spring. Winter was long, cold and snowy here in my neck of the woods. Watching the world turn fifty shades of green and flower into pink, yellow and white has been a delight.
Strawberry mango smoothies. For most of March, Jay and I participated in a Whole 30 “detox”, a very rigid temporary diet which, in a nutshell, allows only fruits, vegetables, non-grain unprocessed protein sources and most nuts and seeds. Yes, it was a grim 30 days. A concoction of frozen strawberries and mango, a few tablespoons of orange juice, ice and water saved me from ruin numerous times. These smoothies were refreshing, naturally sweet and delicious. Along with uncured bacon and roasted pepitas, strawberry mango smoothies brought sunshine to the dark corners of my Whole 30 experience.
Bridal showers. Love is in the air and weddings are right around the corner. My son is getting married in May and my nephew’s wedding is in June. March was filled with bridal showers in anticipation of the big events. Gathering with loved ones and friends, eating good food, and honoring my future daughter-in-law and niece-in-law were wonderful ways to spend two weekend afternoons in March. Even bigger fun is ahead!
Time away. At the end of March, Jay and I spent a few days in Bethany Beach, Delaware. The trip was filled with small pleasures: delicious food, a long walk on the beach and poking around a delightful independent book store. After being stuck at home for several months, to be somewhere different – and in a hotel, no less! – was a joy beyond reason.
The Queen’s Man murder mysteries by Sharon Kay Penman. As part of the Western Europe category for the Book Voyage Reading Challenge I’m doing this year, I went backlist and way back in British history. Sharon Kay Penman wrote four murder mysteries set in the 1190s during the capture of Richard the Lionheart on his return from the Crusades. These books were such a pleasure to read! Delightful characters, interesting plots, and a peek into the Middles Ages during the reign of the Plantagenets. The only sad thing about this experience is that Penman didn’t return to the series after the 4th book. I could have spent many more hours sleuthing with Eleanor of Aquitaine’s spy.
So, what small pleasures have you been enjoying lately?
The entertainment industry uses the term to describe a movie that becomes a big hit despite a small financial investment, little promotion and/or slow opening success. I use the term to describe a book I expect to be good (or even great) but ends up exceeding all my expectations. Sleeper Hits aren’t always 5 star books. They do garner at least a solid 4 star rating and are always a happy surprise when it comes to my personal enjoyment of them.
My reading life in 2020 was no differet than the rest of my life in 2020 – weird. I alternated between binge reading comfort genres and long dry spells of no reading at all. Even with all the reading weirdness, I still managed to consume 71 books. This amazes me, because I’m currently experiencing one of those long dry spells and feel like I haven’t picked up a book in weeks. A Sleeper Hits of 2020 post almost didn’t materialize because I wasn’t sure I’d have enough books to write about. As I looked through my stats on Goodreads, though, I was reminded of several books that were wonderful surprises and I’m happy to share them with you. Hopefully, you’ll be inspired to try a book or two from the selection below or make a list of your own Sleeper Hits.
Stephany’s Sleeper Hits of 2020
What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld and Will Damron. A time travel tale set in 1920s Ireland during the struggle for independence from England, What the Wind Knows is surprisingly informative and suspenseful.
My Goodreads note:A great time travel book with a fascinating peek at 1920s Irish history. I was engaged from the beginning and fell in love with the setting, storyline and characters. I can’t help myself – I love a bit of fantasy, especially when it’s mingled with believable real world stuff. 4.5 stars.
Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare. Shortly after the COVID – 19 quarantine began in March, I went on a Regency romance reading rampage. This is not a genre I typically turn to but it kept me reading during a difficult time so I’m going to honor it here. Romancing the Duke is a fun riff on Beauty and the Beast that absolutely doesn’t take itself seriously. (Warning – this is an open door romance, meaning intimate activities are described in detail. If that’s not your jam, just skip those parts or skip the book.)
My Goodreads note: A surprisingly smart, enjoyable and engaging Regency romance with a very open door (which I can skip, truthfully, because the writing is just corny). I liked the incongruence of modern sensibilities set in the early 1800s. It feels very tongue in cheek; the author is definitely trying this and I appreciate the absurdity. A palate cleanser/recovery read with very likable characters, propulsive storyline and happy ending (of course).4 stars.
Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier, narrated by Michael Page. Welcome to middle grade fiction with a Charles Dickons vibe and loads of magic and mayhem. If you are looking for an escape from the the current reality we find oursleves facing, give Peter Nimble (or any of Jonathan Auxier’s other books) a try.
My Goodreads note:Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes was fantastic. This quest/hero myth is filled with lovable characters, hidden kingdoms, evil villians, talking animals and MAGIC. Action-packed means no lags in the story. There is death, abuse and other difficult topics in this book BUT there is also a very satisfying happily ever after. Love Jonathan Auxier! I will continue to seek out his dark but hopeful stories. 5 stars.
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, narrated by Philip Franklin. I read Into Thin Air shortly after both of my sons came home from college to quarantine in March and talked about it so much that my entire family went into an Everest deep dive. This book is a chilling (no pun intended) account of survival and death in a very inhospitable place.
My Goodreads note:I thought this was an excellent book as an eye-witness account by a journalist hiking Everest in 1996 during a deadly storm. It was gripping, touching, and (I felt) as honest as could be given the writer was a participant who survived and was still dealing with the guilt and shock of the experience. I learned so much. I talked about the book so much with my family. I continue to Google information about the tragedy and about Everest. It’s nonfiction that reads like a thriller. Aside: I will not be climbing Everest. 5 stars.
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. I am not even sure how to describe this mindbender of a book which was recommended to me by my daughter. It’s a complicated mystery that requires complete concentration from its reader. I experienced one of the worst book hangovers in years after reading this one.
My Goodreads note:What did I just read?! A dark, propulsive mindbender of a book which would weirdly pair well with Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter. I’m exhausted from all the time-travel, sustained urgency, and abundance of facts and people to keep straight. There are several mysteries going on, not just Evelyn Hardcastle’s death, but I wasn’t really trying to figure them out. I just wanted to enjoy the ride. And what a crazy ride it was! I’m not sure I’ll be able to sleep; my brain is too agitated… 4.5 stars.
The Night Tiger written and narrated Yangze Choo. This book, filled with myth and magical realism, transported me to the Malay penninsula in the 1930s, which was colonized by the British. The audiobook, narrated by the author, was a joy to listen to and enhanced the reading experience for me.
My Goodreads note:Thoroughly enjoyed this book, even though it was a slow start for me. The peek into Malaysia, the myths and legends of the area (especially weretigers), all the superstitions, the 1930s timeframe, the mysteries that propelled the storyline – quite fascinating and so different from my experience of the world. The stories of Ren and Ji are beautifully and expertly entwined. There is a lot going on, gilded with the fantastical. A long, langorous ride with a few rapids. Audiobook superb for pronunciation and accent. Def in my lane. 5 stars.
Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon, narrated by Barrie Kreinik and Peter Ganim. I need to thank Anne Bogel from Modern Mrs. Darcy for putting Code Name Helene on her 2020 MMD Summer Reading Guide. I’m weary of WWII stories so I don’t think I would have given this book a second thought without her praise of it. Ariel Lawhon bases her fictional story on the real, larger than life Australian, Nancy Wake, and I was blown away by it and by her.
My Goodreads note:Excellent! Loved the structure of two timelines converging. Loved the characters. Loved the fact that this was based on a real woman who had a tremendous impact on the outcome of WWII in France. Fantastic storytelling. Loved Henri and his relationship with Nancy. Not an easy book to read but I’m so glad I did. Audiobook narrator was superb. Highly recommend! 5 stars.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. Sherman Alexie has a gift for infusing difficult situations with humor and hope. And make no mistake – this book is full of difficult and heartbreaking situations experienced by a Native American teen in Spokane, Washington. Still, the beautiful writing, the realistically portrayed experiences, the clever illustrations and the undercurrent of quirky familial love and respect make The Absolutely True Diary a pleasure to read.
My Goodreads note:From the very first sentence I was hooked. How can a story that covers such incredibly difficult topics be funny and ultimately hopeful? I don’t know, but Sherman Alexie is a master magician doing exactly that. Why did I wait so long to read this? Fiction really works for me when I want to learn about someone’s life experience, especially when it is so different from my own. And Arnold “Junior” Spirit’s freshman year is light years away from my own high school experience. Wow, what a book!! I highly recommend it.5 stars.
The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow. I’ll admit that The Other Bennet Sister will probably only be appreciated by Pride and Prejudice lovers. However, if you are someone who knows and loves that classic well, then Other Bennet Sister will be right up your alley. Janice Hadlow skillfully imagines the life of Mary Bennet, the plain, prim and intense middle sister in the Bennet family and in the process creates a believable and interesting story. This book was a treat!
My Goodreads note:Absolutely loved this book. Mary is given a personality, an inner life and believable experiences that mold her into the unhappy character of Jane Austen’s P & P. What made this so enjoyable was the growth of Mary post P & P – her maturity and self-awareness. Well written, with a similar tone to P & P, I found myself getting grouchy when I didn’t have time to indulge in the story when I wanted to. Of course, there is a happy, believable ending and for this story, that was what I wanted.4.5 stars.
The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson. This book came out of nowhere. I never heard of it or the author until I came across it in an e-book sale. It’s a coming of age story that reads like a memoir. I honestly love books like this – weird books with unusual and often sad or dark surprises, yet which are ultimately hopeful and uplifting. I don’t want to say too much; this book should be approached with no preconceived notions.
My Goodreads note:Just wonderful! Everything I love – coming of age story in a short timeframe, beautiful writing, strong sense of place, unexpected story arc. Wistful, bittersweet, nostalgic. Tragedy juxtaposed with hope. Reads very much like a memoir. Loved it.4.5 stars.
There you have it – my happy reading surprises of 2020! Although I am not hopeful in the least that 2021 will, in general, be an upgrade from 2020, I am hopeful that I will encounter more Sleeper Hits in this new year. I’m certainly off to a good start and it’s only the second week in January.
How about you? Do any of these books sound good to you? Or, do you have Sleeper Hits you want to share? Please do in the comments below.
I’m frittering away a perfectly good Saturday and I’m a little disgusted with myself for doing it. There are so many productive things I could and should be doing but I keep circling back to the computer and its Internet temptations. My corner of the office, where the evil tempter is parked, is a black hole I just can’t seem to escape today. So, I’m not going to fight it anymore. Because I want to feel a little better about myself and redeem at least part of this day, I’m reviving a favorite blogging practice of reflecting on the little niceties that have sweetened my life lately. If I complete this activity I can at least say I used some creativity and practiced my writing skills today.
January was mostly dark, bitterly cold, and a little snowy. I felt like I spent the majority of my waking hours trying to escape the frigid temperatures. My small pleasures for the month are directly related to staying warm or creating a cozy environment at home. And they certainly brought (and are still bringing) pleasure and lightness into my life.
January’s Small Pleasures
Contigo travel mug. Before Christmas my trusty plastic travel mug broke. I loved that mug, mostly because it was a gift from my son, but it didn’t keep my tea hot for very long. Jay came to my rescue and gave me a new Contigo mug for Christmas to replace my broken one. It holds about 14 ounces of liquid, is a matte teal green color and keeps my tea steaming hot for hours. With all this cold weather, I’ve been drinking gallons of hot tea thanks to my cool new mug.
Banana Republic coat with faux fur collar. There are several reasons why this coat made my Small Pleasures list. 1) Its color reminds me of a fir forest at dusk. 2) The collar feels so luxurious. 3) It fits perfectly. 4) I feel so stylish and pulled together when I wear it. 5) It looks good dressed up or down. For these reasons alone I would have loved this coat. The fact that I found it at the Banana Republic outlet for 80% off the original price increases my pleasure a thousandfold every single time I button it up. It’s one of my favorite purchases of the winter.
The Winter candle (from Eleventh Candle Co.). My daughter has a thing for candles so we gifted her a Vellabox subscription for Christmas. When I placed the order, I also purchased a single month subscription for myself. Does anyone else do this when they are Christmas shopping? You know, one for you, one for me? Anyway, the candle that arrived for me was a soy candle from Eleventh Candle Co. called Winter. The company’s website describes the scent as “a peaceful, winter blend, filled with the crispness of snow-covered, evergreen trees and the spirited warmth of cinnamon and clove, surrounded by sweet vanilla”. It is the perfect seasonal scent and I immediately bought two candles of the largest size they sell. Of note, Eleventh Candle Co. is a business that works globally to help people who are vulnerable to human trafficking and exploitation. The candles are a true win-win in my book; my house smells delicious and my money is going to a very good cause.
Slippers. We keep our house on the chilly side and my feet are always cold. As a remedy, I asked for a pair of slippers for Christmas. Jay came through in a big way with a pair of UGG Scuffette II beauties. They are warm and cushy and feel like little hugs for my feet. I’ve never considered myself a slipper person but these toasty scuffs have converted me. I feel very spoiled when I wear them.
Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett and narrated by Katie Schorr (in audiobook format). This book was a delight to listen to. The story follows eighteen months in the lives of eleven year old Elvis Babbit and her family after her mother is found dead from an unusual drowning incident. It’s weird, funny, poignant and hopeful and extremely difficult to summarize in just a few words. Elvis is the narrator of the story and Katie Schorr does an excellent job portraying her. I loved spending time with Elvis and quirky her family as they worked through their tumultuous grieving process. I still think about them often which, for me, is always a sign of a really good book.
We are halfway through the winter here in the northern hemisphere and the groundhog saw his shadow yesterday so there are definitely six more weeks to go. February is usually my toughest month, an endless slog of cold and dark. But, I’m hopeful the small pleasures I’ve mentioned above and the new ones that will undoubtedly pop up in the next month will help to keep my spirits up and my heart grateful for the blessed, abundant life I enjoy.
Do you have any small pleasures you’d like to share? Please do.
Whimsey Pie 