So I am almost back. I arrived home from vacation very late on Sunday night, but have been trying to catch up with so many things. One thing I’ve noticed since I became a book blogger is that when I go on vacation I no longer read the number of books that I used to read (around six or seven down to ¾?). In fact, I read a good portion of a book that was at the rental property called “Necessary Losses” by Judith Viorst because shouldn’t a person read something dismal (yet semi-enlightening) while on a great holiday?! ha. However, I didn’t read much of any of the books I was supposed to read. Ketchup time!
Evidently going on holiday now means that I don’t read.
I am late again for Friday Fictioneers, but wrote the story. Since it’s late, I added a few words, which I normally wouldn’t do. I hope to be back to regularly scheduled programming later today or on Thursday with the book review I need to get done. ARGH!
Also, Louie the Loaner Dog is back for a stay so I’ll have some pics of him as well as pics from my vacation and road trip. Anyway, here’s my late contribution for Friday Fictioneers.
And thanks to all of you who have just followed my blog. I will be by to visit yours. Many thanks!
Regression
Us: six siblings drinking and smoking on the oceanfront deck, voices rising with the incoming tide.
It began well. Some joke. Some childhood reminiscence. Some allusion to our screwed-up parents.
Then shit got real.
An accident, a “surprise” my mother called me, I watched drama unfold: Rivalry. Bitterness. Seething anger.
“Why are you here? Think you’ll get money when one of us croaks?”
“They bailed you out every time.”
“You live in a dream-world.”
“You both failed and went back home.”
The more the alcohol flows, the more the years melt away until fifty- and sixty-year olds are teens again, angry at the world and each other. Unforgiving for things they know, sober, no longer matter. Reduced in thought and behavior. Tomorrow maybe there will be shame and a headache, abashed chuckles, before they return to their real lives, and forget each other again.
end
Sascha Darlington
Yikes. Have you been listening in on my family??? Actually, we’re not that bad, but we all have issues. Welcome back.
🙂 I think most large families are dysfunctional…small ones too. All families are probably dysfunctional.
Thanks. I hope to really be back. 🙂
welcome back! it will be good to read your reviews again! yes i fell behind on reading too, holidays got in the way too!
Thank you!
I suppose it’s good to let everything go. Although I used to love to read on vacation. Funny how it changes when reading becomes the thing you most do. 🙂
Hope you’ve been well!
I have been very good and am enjoying blogging again, though as you say when it is something we must do is seems a chore. good to hear from you Sascha!
Thanks, Gina. Because I sign up to do reviews, I find the catch up process after vacation (when I expect to read but don’t) to be intimidating, not to mention even thinking about writing my own stuff.
Hope you’ve been well!
i have been good thank you. I understand the vexation of trying to catch up on something we love doing but feeling the constraints of time. I really enjoy writing my own style of book reviews but find I don’t spend enough time there, I am distracted by a zillion things. I am like you too, want to focus on my won writing which takes a back seat to all the “fun” things I am caught up with. keep up the good work on your reviews Sascha, I will catching up with you on the weekend!
I think I once wrote your style of book review, long and thoughtful, but now I think I’m in a constant game of catch up, offer something semi-insightful but not as long or as in-depth as I once would have. The only good thing is that I get to read more? I don’t know. 🙂
It can be so unbalancing, I want to read a book a week but there’s just too much going on i get off track. and yes I like the longer detailed reviews but sometimes you just have to adapt with time constraints and do what you can. Not that the shorter condensed version aren’t of lesser value, they sometimes pack a punch when you need to write the best or really worst parts of a book.
I’m sure I could use my time more wisely…I’m just trying to figure out how. 🙂
Alcohol and families, is like port, you can have too much