Home > Work > A Week in Winter
1 " It’s a funny old world. Once you realize that, you’re halfway there. "
― Maeve Binchy , A Week in Winter
2 " How will I explain it all … to everybody?” “You know, people don’t have to explain things nearly as much as you think they do. "
3 " Problems don’t solve themselves neatly like that, due to a set of coincidences. Problems are solved by making decisions. Erika had always said that, and he had thought she was being doctrinaire. But it was true. Deciding not to change anything was a decision in itself. He hadn’t fully understood this before. "
4 " Her life was like her house—a colorful fantasy where anything was possible if you wanted it badly enough. "
5 " Most people had nobody to share excitements and to celebrate with. "
6 " people don’t have to explain things nearly as much as you think they do. "
7 " A silence. "
8 " She told them to read a poem every day and think about it, and whenever they went to a new place, to find out about its history and what had made it the place it had become. "
9 " a piper from the area called John Paul. Of course he did. Everyone knew "
10 " Winnie’s silver-and-black jacket might be too dressy. She wore a "
11 " Out by that ocean, you feel smaller, less important, somehow; it puts things into proportion "
12 " There were women who fussed about their homes as if they thought life were a permanent examination where they would be found wanting. "
13 " Do you set out to avoid it, the love thing?” “No, but I do set out not to be made a fool of and not to compromise. I’ve seen too much of that. "
14 " She was still vaguely hopeful that there was love out there somewhere—just a little less sure that she might actually find it. "
15 " They are just thoughts, like anyone has thoughts, that’s all. "
16 " It’s not what I thought my life would be either, but somewhere along the line we have to pick things up and run with them. "
17 " It matters that you care enough about yourself and about the people you meet to present yourself well, "
18 " if your heart is elsewhere, would you not want to follow your destiny? "
19 " She was so eager and enthusiastic that Freda and Lane felt dull and slow in comparison. If Eva had been running the library, there might be fairy lights around it, and music blaring from inside. She could have set up a cocktail bar in the foyer. Her life was like her house—a colorful fantasy where anything was possible if you wanted it badly enough. "
20 " read a poem every day and think about it, "