Today it is stormy and snowing again--it is very cold (20°F/-7°) and we're expecting up to a foot of new snow --, but yesterday was one of those perfect, bright winter days, so after Mass the kids and I took the opportunity to visit the book shop in Winchester center for a browse. It is one of those lovely, old shops that has been around for decades and offers an impressive assortment of books, stationery and trinkets. I had a gift certificate in my pocket from my birthday and happily came home with a handful of postcards (I am obsessed with postcrossing), a couple of cat bookmarks, and a new novel--it's the one Karen has been reading: Blue Asylum.  Amy also bought a couple of books: These Shallow Graves and Moonlight Over Paris.

After shopping, we took a stroll down Main Street and enjoyed the gorgeous view from the bridge overlooking the Mill Pond as it flows into the Aberjona River, the same river that flows near our house.

Right now I am reading the Russian novel Laurus by Evgenij Vodolazkin. I really like it so far. It contains the sense of a fairy tale or saint story--the very sense that is missing from our experience of modern life. It is a different book, one that is hard to describe. However, I think this short review does an admirable job.

The other day I was thinking about how much I dislike talking (which is weird, I know). It makes friendship difficult because people expect a steady stream of chatter from each other. I don't like saying a bunch of useless crap that I later regret. I prefer to be quiet with nature and with my own thoughts. Why is that so wrong?