I probably have a thousand books. Some of my shelves are “double-stacked,” books in front and behind. You should treat yourself to a copy of “Tokyo on Foot” or a new art book. Love the felt project on your website. There’s something comforting about working with felt shapes. Must remind me of the flannel board in Vacation Bible School in the summer. I always wanted to own one. Take care, Melissa.

Actually I miss shopping too. I would give anything to be back in London at Cath Kidston’s (bags, totes, cute sweaters and dresses to match!), museum gift shops, and Waterstone’s bookstore, where you can spend all day. I know my sister misses shopping–TJ Maxx is her home planet.

I’ve been taking Jazzercise online, our old classes with our familiar instructors, which has been a lifesaver for me. And I too work out in my home office. I find myself staring at the framed 1931 Nature and 1940 Child Life magazines on the wall, and then at my classic and vintage children’s books. We need our yoga and aerobics, definitely, but we also need to walk back through the books we loved, or haven’t yet read but have anyway. I’m hoping when this Situation is over (probably not for a long time), my restless brain won’t clamor for “more, more, more” and I’ll be satisfied with what I have.

I didn’t know there was a Black Swan bookstore in Staunton. Is it vintage and antique books? I’ve been to the Black Swan in Richmond, where I’ve dropped substantial sums. You are one of the lucky ones who has been able to concentrate and read as before. Many, many of us have lost that ability. I’m slowly coming back and part of the problem is realizing the stores, library, Amazon, etc. kept me in a restless state. We can only read so much at a time and there are too many books, like everything else, to choose from. Maybe we’ll become used to not having so many possessions, or at least think twice before we pick up things we “must” have.