1.08.2011

Confession Saturday: The You Had Me At 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife' Edition

"The Gentleman offered his services,
took her up in his arms,
and carried her down the hill."

I confess, January gets me down.

I confess, the first stanza of In the Bleak Midwinter by Christina Rossetti is playing on 'loop' in my mind.

I confess, I feel I ought to be more forbearing about winter considering where I live.  However, instead of pulling myself up by my bootstraps, I cope through escapism.

I confess, last night when Husband asked what I was reading all I said was, "Guess."  "Mr. Darcy?" he said, laughing.

I confess, it's true.  January always sends me straight to Jane Austen and also to Masterpiece Classic.  Also to hot tea and lots of dark chocolate.

I confess, I want to be the young maiden sitting in a window seat with a prospect of the gah-den, opening the wax seal of a hand-written letter, calling to the servant for tea.  (However, I always remind myself, they didn't have central heat or flush toilets back then.  There is that.)

I confess, I was glad to see on Facebook yesterday that another friend is escaping with Jane Austen, too.  It's nice to know I'm not alone.

I confess, I have an "I heart Mr. Darcy" bumper sticker on my mini-van.  It's true.

I confess, Reader, on the next four Sunday evenings you will find me glued to the TV watching Downton Abbey (which is set much later than Austen's novels, but alas, Masterpiece has no Austen on the schedule this year from what I can tell).  At night, I will be in bed early reading Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense & Sensibility, and Persuasion.  Next I will move on the Bronte Sisters.  Next maybe A Room With a View.  After that perhaps I will stoop to Austen fan lit.  I confess, I'm not above it.  By then it will be, I hope, March, and I might imagine that winter will end after all.

I confess, I'd love to know if you have favorite books/movies that you escape into during the bleak midwinter.


P.S. Image above is public domain via Liam's Pictures From Old Books.  I'm quite sure the scene is from Sense & Sensibility, when Marianne falls on the downs and Willoughby finds her and carries her to safety, sparking their romance (oh, the drama!).  And my long and rambling title comes from the first line of Pride and Prejudice.

7 comments:

Gerry said...

In January I read things that make me laugh. They're harder to find than you might think.

sarah said...

hey, i just re-started sense and sensibility. and i just finished the jane austen book club (decent). i want to read persuasion and northanger abbey, as i havent read them yet....but i'm sure i'll get there by way of pride and prejudice first. i HEART mr darcy :)

and i totally hear you on the winter ughs (i'm in WI). but this season has its beauty, too....even if its only in our coping mechanism.

ljchicago said...

Gerry, have you read the latest David Sedaris? I am hurrying to finish my other book so I can read that one. Just got it from the library the other day. Sure to make me laugh!

Sandy Longhorn said...

I absolutely love the title of this post! I confess that I love Jane Austen more on screen (BBC productions, usually). I heart Mr. Darcy, too! :)

Molly said...

Gerry, that's because you have such a sharp wit yourself. We'll all have to try to find some really funny reading for you (I'm going through my memory files even now... click, click, click).

I agree, ljchicago, that David Sedaris is hilarious & a good choice for January.

sarah@theunwrapping -- ah, yes, Persuasion: "You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope." That line alone is worth the whole book. Hope you enjoy it!

Sandy, thanks -- too bad titling poems isn't half so easy as titling blog posts, huh? I also love the BBC productions best, and found that I enjoyed the books even more after watching the films.

Thanks for reading and writing, everyone!

Ms. WK said...

I confess that I feel too guilty to re-read! Agh! I have committed to reading a new classic per semester (to become the well-read teacher I pretend to be!). I also am trying to keep up with new YA lit for my kids.
I am, however, settled and completely peaceful in your passion for Jane A. and your escapism in the winter doldrums. Mr. Darcy... ahhh. Maybe I can find that peace. :-)

Molly said...

Ms W-K, I'm tempted to tell you to let go of the guilt. But I admire your commitment to your profession and understand your push to read more and more. Let me know when you come across good YA reads....... I will have YA readers fairly soon. Sigh...... hard to believe.