Slow Saturday

I intentionally slowed down a fair bit today.  Really my main accomplishment was reading quite a number of R.K. Narayan short stories (just trying to untangle which books to read to avoid too much duplication is itself a bit of an effort) and also another small slice of Chatterjee's English, August: An Indian Story (it's an odd book and I wish it had a different title, as this one makes no sense even after the connection to the main character is established).  I had set out (over a year ago) to draw up a post on Narayan, and I think I am finally about ready to do so, though I want to wait until I read The Guide, which I should get to either in Dec. or Jan.  That will basically take me to the midway point in his oeuvre.

However, I did drop my daughter off at her friend's birthday party.  Then I went to the gym.  This is the first time I've gone since I got sick.  There were a few other times I had considered it, but actually I have managed to keep biking a little longer than anticipated (twice last week and probably twice next week), and I don't go to the gym on days that I bike.  The other time I was going to go, the TTC subway had a total meltdown and I ended up taking the College/Gerrard streetcar, stopping off at the mall and then going over the bridge.  So I wasn't really in the mood to go back over the bridge to go back to the gym.  It wasn't too bad, getting back into the swing of things, but it is clear I will have to make it more of a priority to go in Dec. when I expect to stop cycling to work.

I had contemplated heading up to the library, but I decided I didn't really need to go.  There is a chance I might stop in on the way back from downtown tomorrow.  Tomorrow will be a bit busier.  We're going to take a look at the holiday windows at the Bay (but not shop there, as I am still boycotting them).  We'll probably have lunch at the Eaton Centre, then walk over to Mackenzie House and check it out.  Then I'll bring everyone home, try to get a bit more done (probably finish up my second abstract for the TRB Innovations conference) and then go off to Toronto Cold Reads, since they are doing my 3Fest pieces.  Finally!  And that will take care of Sunday.

There are a few other outstanding tasks (like dealing with insurance and asking the bank to fix something about my on-line profile), but these can wait for next week.  I should probably double-check that no bills are due this weekend.  Also, I did buy a piece of lumber to try to fix the gate.  If it gets too cold to do it next weekend (as this one is probably a write-off), it will have to wait until the spring.  My biggest disappointment is that I didn't do too much writing this weekend, though I did a fair bit earlier in the week, so I shouldn't be too hard on myself.  No point in getting a complex over it...