Booking Through Thursday: Springing, Friday Fill Ins & 123 Meme

Do your reading habits change in the spring? Do you read gardening books? Even if you don’t have a garden? More light fiction than during the winter? Less? Travel books? Light paperbacks you can stick in a knapsack?

Or do you pretty much read the same kinds of things in the spring as you do the rest of the year?

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of spring is allergies. Although I have year round allergies, they seem to act up even more so during the spring. Sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes and killer sinus headaches . . . You would think this would cause me to dread the coming of spring each year, however, far from it. I love the longer days, seeing the flowers in bloom, leisurely walks, pleasant weather, and the general buzz of excitement that spring always seems to carry with it. I am sure spring is one of my dog's favorite times of year as he wants to spend much more time outdoors, lounging on the grass and taking in the rays. My cat hates the spring, however, because he's stuck inside staring longingly out the window, wishing he could be rolling in the grass next to the dog.

Despite what many people say, there are signs of a season's change in Southern California, however slight. Having lived in the state most of my life and being a natural observer, there is a definite change in the air and in the life cycle around us. Unless you live in the mountains, the changes are not nearly as extreme here as they are in other parts of the country, certainly. That is fine by me. This literary feline is not a snowbird. I am quite content with a less dramatic climate.

Perhaps that plays a part in my reading as well. The less distinctive seasons, the less change in reading habits to coincide with them. I am not a seasonal reader. Going from winter into the spring does not inspire me to read any particular type of book nor draw me to any one topic. My reading patterns change now and then as my interests ebb and flow, but they cannot be set by the calendar.

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1. When I fell in love, I knew it would be forever.
2. It's time to break out the spring clothing when the flowers bloom and it heats up outside!
3. Oh no! The internet connection is down, what a perfect opportunity jump back into that book I was reading!
4. Lost is the craziest television show ever. (and I love it!)
5. Cheese and macaroni make a great meal!
6. I would love to have a garden, but I have a brown thumb.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to getting a good night's sleep in preparation for the weekend; tomorrow my plans include spending the day at the L.A. Times Festival of Books; and Sunday, I want to go back for more fun!

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Clea Simon was kind enough to tag me for the 123 meme.

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

Well, the nearest book happens to be Cecilia Samartin's Tarnished Beauty and I am afraid that page 123 only has two and a half sentences. A catalog of summer fashions does not quite fit the bill, does it?

An excerpt from the novella, "The Hundred and Ninety-Nine Steps," from Michel Faber's The Courage Consort:

He was carrying a large plastic bag, but apart from that he looked like a young doctor who'd answered his beeper at a London brasserie and been persuaded to make a house call. Sian had trouble accepting he could look like this; she'd imagined him (she realised now) permanently dressed in shorts and T-shirt, running around Whitby in endless circles. She laughed at the thought, her inhibitions loosened by the excesses she was indulging in with Hadrian.

This is one of those memes that goes round and round, but each time can result in a different answer. I will not tag anyone in particular, but feel free to play along!