a book, some tea, and a movie

By now, there’s a thin layer of snow and ice coating the ground. Driving home from work the day before was a bit surreal. With the grey skies and thick flurry of snow falling and parting as they hit the windshield, my mind immediately went to The Shining by Stephen King and I had the most insane desire to watch the 1980 Stanley Kubrick movie inspired by the book.  Instead, after finishing the small tasks that keeps the household in working shape (taking out the garbage, washing the dishes, etc.), I curled up on the couch and finished reading Doctor Sleep, also by Stephen King. The sequel follows an adult Dan Torrance as a recovering alcoholic and how his uncanny ability “to shine” crosses the paths of many, most notably a young girl named Abra. I won’t dedicate a full blog post to this book but it’s enough to say that while this story doesn’t have the suspense and terror of the first, Doctor Sleep makes for an excellent distraction. Easy to read but there’s enough to keep your interest moving forward. Alarming in short segments so if the genre of suspense and horror is not in your repertoire, I would skip this one.
 
You can find a copy on Amazon or at your local lending library.
 
In the meantime, a few smaller recommendations one of which is Salted Caramel tea by Bigelow. This tea is what keeps me motivated to move in the morning when the floorboards are so chilly, the cold makes my toes curl. It’s a pleasantly sweet tea with a nice earthy note. Simple but not too fancy, which makes it a practical breakfast tea in my book. Highly recommend a steaming hot mug with a spill of milk for a morning treat or an afternoon pick-me-up.
 
Purchase the tea online or in your local grocery store.
 
The picture below was taken on a walk over the weekend.  But the last recommendation reminds me of this past weekend and it works at the moment for my state of mind: “Why? Why?” The animated 2013 film The Missing Scarf by Eoin Duffy is a pleasant reminder to look at the alternative side even when one has fears, of any kind. It’s also a reminder that even the best of intentions and approaches to life do end inevitably in some minor or spectacular way.
 
Watch the trailer and purchase the film on YouTube.

All opinions are my own and are not endorsed by any external party.