Jessie: In New Hampshire enjoying some of life’s simple pleasures.
This week wraps up our series of Wednesdays on the unexpected and I wanted to leave it on a particularly high note. So, Wickeds, what is an unexpected pleasure you have discovered in your life? If there is more than one I’d love to hear about them all!
Julie: I find that as I get older I don’t judge myself as much as I did when I was younger. I still enjoy challenging myself through art, for instance. But I’m also, somewhat unexpectedly, a huge Marvel movie fan. In fact, I have them going in the background when I write. I’m not sure why that works for me, but it does.
Liz: When I was younger I never understood the value of being still. I always thought things like yoga and meditation were not for me – that I didn’t have the mental ability to do them. But during some particularly rough times, those things because my lifelines. I meditate every day. I’ve also noticed such a difference not being able to go to an in-person yoga class the past few months and I can’t wait to go back.
Edith: Not self-judging is so important, Julie. As is meditating, Liz. As for me, when I started writing the Quaker Midwife Mysteries, I was surprised by how much I loved (and still do) the historical research. Examining old maps, looking up how people dressed, checking the history of words to see if they were in use at the time, discovering old letters and diaries, and so much more. Right now I – a person who rarely reads non-fiction – am reading The Remedy: Robert Koch, Arthur Conan Doyle, and the Quest to Cure Tuberculosis by Thomas Goetz. Yes, it’s research for a book, and it’s fascinating. Go figure!
Barb: Edith, I love narrative non-fiction and try to pick subjects for my books I want to learn more about. I’ve had some tremendous reads while researching the Maine Clambake mysteries. My unexpected pleasure is my grandchildren. Everyone wants to be a grandparent, right? And I did in an abstract sort of way in that I wanted my children to be happy, and if that happiness included children I wanted that for them. But I was unprepared for the full-on, fast-motion falling in love that flooded me the first time I held each of them in my arms. Just like with my own children. (Which I was also unprepared for.) It has stayed right along for seven years now.
Sherry: I always loved being around large groups of people and being on the go. I still enjoy both of those things, but I also love small groups of two or three. Also the value of staying home — a good thing I learned that one, right?
Jessie: I think you found out just in time, Sherry! I love everyone’s answers to this question! I love learning new things about each of you! I think an unexpected pleasure for me has been the addition of a dog to my life. To be honest, throughout my life I have had a ferocious dog allergy and also a few terrifying and injurious incidents involving dogs that belonged to other families. But in September of 2018, I ended up with a puppy in a roundabout and unexpected way. In a stunning turn of events, Sampson, the poodle, has added so much pleasure to my days. As my children are leaving the nest, he is providing such a lovely, childlike energy and a level of faithful companionship that I did not realize I would value. He helps to give structure to my schedule and aids and abets me in reaching my 10,000 steps each day. All in all, he had been a hypoallergenic miracle for which I am humbly grateful!
My unexpected pleasure is teleworking. I always liked the separation between home and work. My jobs have often required me to lock the office door and leave all the work behind me. I have been teleworking a bit during this plague, and it is quite delightful to take 10 steps and be outside, observing a very busy yard. Birdsongs are a better accompaniment to thinking than loud air circulation noises.
How delightful! I love hearing the birds at my house too!
Hubby has been fascinated with photography for several years. I was more of a point and shoot person because all the knobs and controls looked intimidating. A little over a year ago with getting frustrating at not getting what I thought was decent shots and an upcoming vacation where I wanted to get some great shots, I decided enough was enough. After many one on one instructions from patient hubby (because getting something understood by this old brain of mine isn’t always easy), imagine my surprise when I actually took photos that I was proud of and that using more than a point and shoot was actually FUN. I continue to improve and learn more about not only my new camera but also one of his bigger ones. Now with the stay at home, we spend many hours out on our porch taking photos of our daily critter visitors. Talk about teach an old dog new tricks!
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What a lovely story! I love hearing about how others are adding wonderful facets to their lives! You make photography​ sound like such fun!
For decades, I have been a voracious reader, both physical books and now more ebooks. I had never really enjoyed listening to audiobooks, until recently.
Since the lockdown, I had not been able to concentrate normally and sit down and read a book for hours. I normally read 3 -4 books a week but was averaging that many books a month in March and April. But I was able to listen to several audiobooks in April to the present, and really enjoyed them. These were also all NON-fiction audiobooks, which is quite different from what I usually read. I was multitasking while listening…doing laundry, cooking, washing dishes, or walking to the meetup point (40-minute walk from home) for my walk with a set of brisk group walkers.
What a ringing endorsement for audiobooks, Grace! I rarely listen to them but I understand the appeal as I have become quite devoted to podcasts and listen to them whilst doing many of the same activities you describe for your audiobook listening.
Jessie, yes I have also found some great podcasts in the past few months.
I’ve tried to enjoy each stage of my kids’ lives, no matter how trying. I knew I’d enjoy this one – when they were in, or ready to go to, college and I wasn’t needed for so much of their daily lives. I just didn’t realize how much!
I have done the same with my own kids’ ages and stages! I hope I enjoy the first foray into them all being away from home much of the time!
I am enjoying the pleasure of working from home. Frustration at times, and it feels harder to leave it behind some days even when the computer is turned off. But overall, I like it. It’s especially nice when you leave your book at home (aka the bedroom) one day. It’s easy to get it at lunch time.
But the first thing that popped into my mind is running. Growing up, I hated to exercise. So if you’d told me as an adult, I’d enjoy going for a run, especially when it is hot, and playing ultimate Frisbee (which is a lot of running), I’d have thought you were crazy.
I love that you have had a change of heart about running! I have started giving it a try myself and look forward to a day when I can say I enjoy doing it instead of having done it!
I seem to have lost that ability to say it is fun. It’s become a struggle again each time I go out. But I do feel better having run. Especially the way it clears my mind.
Like Sherry, I always wanted to be around a lot of people. As I’ve gotten older, I realize how nice it is to be with just hubby and kitty. I still like people, but don’t care for large crowds at all. Having a warm, comfortable home, with lots of wild critters all around to entertain me, is real bliss.
Isn’t it interesting how we change things that feel so fundamental every now and again!