Solace

I'm a baby when I'm sick. I'm an even bigger baby when I'm away from home. Maybe it's because I'm a spoiled only child, but all I want to do is curl up in my own bed (which is a water bed, extra special), under my blankets with my pillow (because no matter how long I stay in another place, my bedding never smells right), talk to my mom once or twice through the day, and sleep with a stack of DVDs on one side of the bed with a nice pile of familiar books on the other. I want to know what medicines I'm taking, how long I have to wait before I see results, and how I will react to them. When I'm away from home, I don't have any of these things. I'm suck with a standard issue mattress, rough sheets, pillows that are too flat, and a funky smelling blanket. I have to guess that I'm taking the correct meds at the right time in the right manner, and hope that they work. Will I feel better by the next day? Or will it take a week?

Yes, I'm whining.

The one constant I've had the last few days have been my books. I recently started re-reading Madelyn Alt's Where there's a Witch (Bewitching Mysteries #5). I started reading this series a few months ago out of curiosity sake. I was looking for a good mystery and I thought, "Paganism? And Mysteries? Perfect!"

I wouldn't call these books great literature. But they're fantastic "popcorn" reads, as I call them. They aren't too serious, often funny, and I really like all of the characters. I love the way Ms. Alt has blended the world of the metaphysical into the here and now, in a way that is easily grasped. These don't feel like fantasy novels. The way magic is described makes the reader feel like they could follow in Maggie's footsteps, see what she sees, feel what she feels. And really, isn't that what magic is all about? Blending it into the everyday?

There's a little romance, lost of mystery, and a touch of fantasy. The perfect read for a day when I'm not feeling well. So, if you want something to read, check out the first book, The Trouble with Magic
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I realized I haven't posted a picture in a while, so here's one from the garden inside the cloister of Santa Maria Novella. We've had two tours there this week for different classes, and I really like the garden, despite the fact that it is small. The important thing is that it has trees! Three of them! I miss growing things. There aren't any flowers here that aren't in pots, no trees by the side of the road, not even grass growing along the sidewalk. The only animals I've seen have been a few dogs on short leashes, and hoards and hoards of pigeons.

I miss Hermes, and also my parents' dogs. So, if you have someone furry in your life, give them a little love from me, 'kay?