Wednesday, August 08, 2007

A Time of Finishing and Small Tasks

Stephen King's greatest (if you define great by both 'really amazing' as well as 'really long') book series The Dark Tower is coming to an end for me. There are only 200 pages left of the seventh and final novel. I have been spending my summer with these books. Harry and a few others have crept in, but Roland and his ka-tet have truly been my constant companions this hot season. It is no less saddening for me to come to the end of this series than was Rowling's series.

Yet I look forward to the finishing of the tale. The knowing of the end. The freedom of beginning something new. I still have a shelf and a half full of unread books. Not to mention the two buck-a-bag sales coming up next month and what that will do to my shelves.

When I'm immersed so fully in a text, it is rather difficult to complete other daily tasks like the gardening and dishes and such. Fortunately, I have no work duties this evening and can remind myself to do my chores before settling down to tread through another hundred pages or so before crashing into the pillows.

The weeds have been pulled (at least most of them) and the tomatoes have been tied up. Every year I am amazed at how large my tomato plants grow and how much work it is to keep them from overtaking the rest of the garden. They are starting to be ripe enough to pick and I am excited for the soon-to-be-made fresh salsa! I haven't yet found the best canning recipe. I think part of that is because it is so perfect fresh that I'm afraid it won't compare if it's canned.

I still have to finish the dishes, tidy the house and then water the flowers before I can consider my day done. But I doan wannnaaa....I wanna just sit and read!! Boo hiss on housework. Why can't I just afford a housekeeper?

Nuts. I just remembered that I need to walk on my treadmill tonight too. At least I can read while I do that! Woo! Off to exercise! Goodnight interweb friends!

11 comments:

Hillary said...

So how fast after I left did Andy pull down the treadmill and start haranguing (sp???) you about it?

I agree about the chores. I've got laundry to put away, and a house full of papers and end-of-year school stuff to put away and deal with.

I doan waannaaaa either! Maybe we can go on strike? :)

sarah cool said...

hey Anne......... is the Dark Tower series creepy like normal s.king books? is it... dark (haha) and weird?

I've heard good things about the series, but I don't like most of his books. He's a great writer, but they are too AHHHHHHH for me.

Unknown said...

He actually hasn't give me any crap about it thankfully! :) I am giving it to myself this time. But good use of the word harangue!!

Sarah, it's not a creepy series at all. The only other book of his that I have read (actually listened to) is Carrie, and it's nothing like that. It's a fantasy series. He started it when he was 19 and still mostly influenced by Tolkien and Lewis! In a few of the books, he kind of pays homage to JK Rowling and references Harry Potter quite a bit! It's pretty funny.

Talena said...

I've been reading rather a lot this summer, myself. My family started complaining this week about such things as "no clean pants" and "I've already worn this pair of underwear three days in a row."

Sissies.

Unknown said...

I get the "no clean underwear" comment a lot around here too...geez dude, you need more underwear.

Jean said...

Clean shmean. It's so over-rated.

Anonymous said...

Anne, I was wondering about the $2 a bag for books? Where is this amazing deal and when does it take place?
Thanks,
Amanda Hoeksema (Cheri Rogers' Daughter)

Unknown said...

Here, here, Jean!!

Amanda, 9-9 is the Plainfield Library $1/bag sale and 9-29 is Krause Memorial Library (you'd have to look up the address for that one, I just know it's Rockford) from 3-4 pm. You just can't pass up a buck a bag!! :) See you there!

Buffy said...

I always have three or four books on the go at one time.

It's not exactly the most efficient way to do it..

But I just get so impatient to finish and start again...

Anonymous said...

Really? So I should read Uncle Stevie's Dark Tower series? Maybe I should wait until after school's out, though. sigh. But I'm VERY happy to have a recommendation for a new long-term series.

Annoo, I also LOVE Shaun of the Dead. I didn't feel quite the same about Hot Fuzz, because - unlike you - I can't stand shoot-em-up copper movies, but those guys are fantastic, and I'll wait for their next film with as much anticipation as ever.

Unknown said...

Kells Bells, you totally have to read this series. I think you would really love it. It will keep you busy for a long time...you can pace yourself!!

See!? You should just come up for our Halloween SOTD showing!! :)