It’s been a long time since I’ve written here. For many years, I decided that it was best to keep my blog hidden. Perhaps because blogging wasn’t in fashion anymore? Or more likely, life just got way too overwhelming to add to the pile of things to do. I’m still not sure what to do with these documented years. Maybe time will reveal their purpose. Maybe these posts have no purpose other than to just be, and I guess that’s okay with me.
Instead of trying to catch you up on life since my last post, I’m just going to pick up from now. Perhaps a good way to catch you up will present itself at some point but that dog doesn’t feel like hunting today. The irony of this post is that it travels back thirty years in my past, back to Delhi, NY 1996. But let’s not go there just yet…
On September 27th, I had a few more days left before I had to vacate the place where my heart called home these last two years: my shop, The Whimsy Mercantile. I still had so much to do before the place changed hands: cleaning, painting, moving. I found myself physically, mentally, and emotionally overwhelmed and I was nearing complete breakdown. So instead of pushing through, like I normally would, I was winding through the Catskills. Yup, I ran from all of my duties and took a break amongst the chaos of it all. The opportunity presented to me was one last gift from a shop that had already given me so much.
My shop hosted two book clubs and I’ve developed quite a passion for reading because of them. One of the club regulars, the uber talented author and creativity coach LA Bourgeois, was hosting a reading retreat in Delhi, NY. I originally brushed it off as being almost too decadent of an affair for me. We lounge around and just read? Who does that? Is lounging okay? I don’t know how to do that. Well, a few shop/book club regulars decided to take part and I found myself coveting their acceptance of this reading and lounging assignment. I was a last minute hold-out because of the move but I figured that I’d be a fool to miss this opportunity. I wanted to see what this was all about. It even worked out that I didn’t have to drive. There was door-to-door chauffeuring and a pay-what-you-can mentality so I knew that I’d be a fool to resist. Plus, I was at my previously mentioned breaking point.
So I found myself back in Delhi, after 30 long years. Delhi was my first college experience out of high school and it was by far my best. I just loved everything about that time and I made friends that I cherish to this day. I’ve driven through the quaint little town many times since graduating in 1996, so I stayed semi up-to-date with the place. However, I hadn’t been back since Covid. Apparently, that’s when people mass-migrated out of the big city and into the country. Delhi now has cute little shops and cafes that were never there before. I honestly fell in love with the town all over again. It felt like I was in a Hallmark movie and I was just waiting for my very own Fall meet-cute at the local pumpkin patch.
The three of us stayed at a residence, called Birdy’s House. To my absolute delight, I could see the apartment that I rented in my second year of college from the porch. Birdy’s House is run by an author (Kay) who splits her time between Berkeley, CA and Delhi, of all places. For four wonderful days (three for me), Kay, cooked for us, cleaned for us, and provided the most soul-nourishing atmosphere to rest, relax, read, and discuss everything about books, which of course led to discussing everything about life. Books have a way of doing that, so I’ve learned. They open doors.
Between stretches of reading, we walked down the block to the harvest festival and perused the new shops along Main Street. I spent an absurd amount of money on natural watercolor paints, fabric swatches, handmade decorations…all the stuff that I love and can’t resist, much to my financial peril. One day, we took a trip to the nearby town of Hobart, which is honest to god, where books go to die. It’s called a Book Village and with good reason. It’s a small town full of bookshops. I mean, more bookshops than residents (I may or may not be embellishing there). It’s truly a book lovers dream! If you love books, especially older ones, it’s worth the trip.
Now for the brass tax, what did I read at this reading retreat, you ask? Well, I finished Brandon Sanderson’s Wind and Truth, which is the fifth in his Stormlight Archive series. I’ve been reading this series for fourteen years so these characters feel like family at this point. Needless to say, I’m invested. This particular book gripped me in the same way as the first book, The Way of Kings, did. I literally skipped work to finish it because I wasn’t able to put it down and I was equally enthralled this time around. Luckily, I had reading retreat time to devote to it otherwise I’d be calling in again. Once I finished that, it was on to Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. It was an easy, enjoyable read that I highly recommend to the cozy book lover. I’m pretty sure that I finished that one in two days.
Overall, I can’t think of a better experience. When comparing this retreat to all of the other vacations that I’ve taken, this was by far the most relaxing. You know how you need a vacation right after you return from your vacation because you were running around trying to see and do everything? I’ve decided, thanks to this experience, that way of relaxing and “vacationing” isn’t for me. This is for me. No clock to punch. Nowhere I have to be. Just knowing when breakfast, lunch, and dinner will appear and that’s it. It’s perfection!
The experience nourished my soul: revising my roots, with all of those good memories flooding back, and knowing that I still have so many wonderful experiences left ahead of me. I had to give up the store that I had worked so damn hard to create for the past two years, but it gave me so much in return, including this experience. Right when I needed it the most. It was an unplanned gift from the Whimsy and all I had to do was say “yes.” Life really does take care of you sometimes.
For another perspective of this retreat, read Kira’s substack. And yes, LA will be doing this again next year so make sure to follow her on her socials to find out when.
The Unmaker 