Sunday, March 26, 2006

More Virginia Woolf

How's this for a description of reading? From Virginia Woolf's diary:

But what I like most about Asheham is that I read books there; so divine it is, coming in from a walk to have tea by the fire & then read & read -- say Othello -- say anything. It doesn't seem to matter what. But one's faculties are so oddly clarified that the page detaches itself in its true meaning & lies as if illumined, before one's eyes; seen whole & truly not in jerks & spasms as so often in London.

I like that she notes she is coming back from a walk -- reading strikes me as that much more enjoyable after some exercise. I'm not one of those people who can happily sit around and read ALL DAY, at least not regularly. Once in a while is fine, but if I try to spend too many hours at once reading, my mind gets sluggish. I prefer to go back and forth -- a little bit of exercise, and little bit of reading.

Unfortunately I didn't race this morning, although I'd wanted to. But it was sleeting when I woke up, and the roads were slick. I did, however, go on a bike ride once it warmed up, and then on a walk with husband and the dog, and so now I'm happy to be inside reading and writing.