I don’t know about you, but lately I’ve been looking for distractions. How is it possible to follow the daily news and not need them? So here are a few of my current distractions, ones that help pleasantly while away a few shutdown hours.
The Tony Hillerman Navajo tribal police series. I’m halfway through the first book, The Blessing Way, and I’m really enjoying it. I get a kick out of recognizing some of the places where the story is set, and I like the dialogue of the Navajo characters – it is full of respect between generations, even when there is disagreement. The details about ceremony and song are a plus. I think there are quite a few books in this series, so I’m looking forward to spending more time down in the desert Southwest.
The Adrian McKinty series about a Northern Irish Catholic policeman, Sean Duffy, serving in the RUC during the 1980s. I think I’ve now read all the books so far, and given I remember many of the events used as a backdrop for the crime stories, it’s like a strange trip down teenage memory lane. McKinty uses musical references from the time pretty frequently – I often have to follow up a musical lead after reading, see if the tunes were as good, or bad, as the musical snob policeman thinks. It’s a matter of (poor?!) taste. The dialogue is often witty, black humour in dark times, and the frenemy relationships across the divide are interesting.
Alright, away from the book reports. How about my exercise regime? That’s a scary distraction! I’ve been doing some very heavy lifting in the garden, or what is better described as my orchard. Yes, I have an orchard. I was eating an apple and one of the seeds fell on the floor. I picked it up before Scout could snag it, and decided I’d plant the seed. This is what boredom does. I planted it in an empty egg container. Daily watering and conversations worked, as I now have an apple tree. See picture below. Yes it is a tree. Let’s not argue.
It’s important to have long term and realistic plans, to think beyond the crisis, and the plan here is to make an apple pie using my home grown apples. If you’re free that day, it’ll be baked on 15 September 2030. Please do drop by for a slice of pie. Oh, c’mon, that’s realistic. I have an orchard now. Let’s not argue.
I get the sense that these distractions aren’t really holding your attention? Are you looking for a distraction to get away from here? I get it. I’ll stop now – I have to tend to the orchard anyway, you understand how it takes quite a chunk of my time and physical energy – and perhaps I’ll post some more handy distractions next week? I have dozens…
Thanks for reading, stay safe, and enjoy your weekend!
OldPlaidCamper 
That mug rug is a beauty that incorporates time in many ways. Although I’ve not read Hillerman’s work, I’m reminded of a Navajo mystery series by R. Allen Chappell that my wife enjoyed a lot. And speaking of song and ceremony, I’m also reminded of an excellent book I did read: CEREMONY, by Leslie Marmon Silko that is Navajo dark but ultimately cathartic & refreshing. Great distractions from the mess we’re in… I hope your apple tree grows & prospers. I predict that your future holds some excellent pie to complement those golden western brews you sample.
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Thanks, Walt! I’ll be following up the two recommendations, I appreciate the information. I’m told there is no Navajo word for time, so to me, if I let the sense of a self imposed schedule fall off my mental to do list, I’ll feel somewhat free. I don’t mind seasonal markers, that’s all good, along with craft brewers producing beers that reflect what is in season.
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I look forward to having a piece of that apple pie in 2030. 🙂
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Your place at the table is reserved!
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I have made note of the “Hillerman” series and must say I like the “mug rug”. Great idea!
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Thanks, Jane! We brought back two little rug souvenirs from our Four Corners trip a few years back, and they remind us of sunnier days and a different way of thinking. I’m on the second Hillerman book, and enjoying it immensely.
Take care!
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I do love fruit when it’s served in a pie, so you can expect a crowd in 2030!! Enjoyed catching up on a few of your distractions and Adrian McKinty has been added to my library, but I’ve been distracted by about twenty other books and too many TV series to get back to that series. For some reason while I’m trying to read those other twenty books, I’ve been distracted by the TV adaptations of the books Little Fires Everywhere (Celeste Ng), Defending Jacob (William Landay), Wire In The Blood (Val McDermid) and, of course, the great Bosch series by Michael Connelly. I’m going for the ultimate distraction during these shutdown times of losing myself in books while watching any book series on TV that I can find!! Loved the desert and distancing photos! Thanks for the laugh over the beginning of your apple orchard, I was almost beginning to wonder after a few bad attitude days if I may need to relocate to Port Moody!!
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Your place at the pie table has been reserved! As for Port Moody, we’re doing our best to avoid it, but some days the mental boat is blown ashore there, running aground and adding to the wreckage caused by neglectful leadership. Shocking…
I’ve found that I’m mostly enjoying series on Netflix set in different cultures and in another language – it reflects a desperate need to escape! Enjoying “Fauda” from Israel, “The Kingdom” from South Korea, and “Money Heist” from Spain. Sadly, my Arabic, Hebrew, Korean and Spanish haven’t improved, aside from various cuss words!
Next week, slight shutdown easing permitting, we’re visiting friends in Canmore, just for an hour or two, to enjoy a physically distant beer on their deck. Their local has produced a Stir Crazy pale ale, and a Shutdown brown. Seeing them (our friends, not the beer) will literally be the most exciting thing we’ve done in months, and we’re so looking forward to it. Something we took for granted not so long ago.
Have a good week, hope the flowers aren’t killed off by a late frost!
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Those distractions sound pretty good PC. I’ve been losing myself in a few good books lately myself. And apple pie sounds delish. It’ll be a vintage era but save me a seat! 😁
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Your seat is saved, Miriam!
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Awesome 😁
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