Multi-tasking on Sundays

It's Sunday, and that means baseball, needlecraft and books. We go to church on Saturday evenings, so Sunday is my one totally free day. Many times friends say "I saw your blog--I don't understand how you can read more than one book at a time!" I respond by explaining that

• At least one book in my currently reading is always an audio book. I listen in the car (I have an hour round trip to the pool everyday to work out)--this week it's Dinner at Mr Jefferson's. This one hopefully will get finished today.
• One is usually a non-fiction work that requires some time and thought--today that's American Lion, the biography of Andrew Jackson, by Jon Meacham. Very good, a Pulitzer, and emminently readable for such a meaty subject.
• One is usually something else that can be done in short bursts, such as poetry, or short stories, or books written as Letters. Today it's The Food of Portugal, a cook book I'm leisurely going through for my "Things Portuguese" category in the 999 read on LT.
• The last is a novel or some fictional work. Today it's Sacred Hearts which I got as an Advanced Reading copy. (The Jackson bio is also an Early Review copy from LT).

On Sundays, I usually read the 'heavy' book in the morning or finish up one that I'm within 50 pages of completing (in this case the cookbook). Then in the afternoons, while the REDSOX are playing, I settle down with my cross-stitch in front of the TV, put the MP3 player in my pocket, plug in the earphones and listen, watch and sew. I don't need the bloviating play by play of the announcers to see what's going on, and I'm at a point in my sewing where not much counting is needed, so I can easily keep three balls in the air. On this particular Sunday, I'm really happy the SOX are out of town, because here in New England our weather has me googling to find out how to build an ARK! (and trying to figure how I'd explain to our mother turkey who comes to feed everyday why she'd only be allowed to take two of her 9 babies!) I think as long as the books you are reading are not too similar --I try not to read 2 biographies set in the same period, or two mysteries, or two books of poetry at the same time-- it's an easy and relaxing hobby. It keeps the brain sharp, and means, no matter what room I'm in, there's an adventure in words waiting for me. Off to enjoy my Sunday. Enjoy yours too!