January Medieval Summary

Where did I go?  Has anybody seen me?  I'm sure I was here just a second ago!

No, seriously, I've been a bit absent this week, and a little less active in blogging for a while now than I had been before the New Year.  There's a reason for that, which I now feel prepared to divulge.  I've been taking on a new challenge--over a year after being diagnosed with diabetes, I'm attending diabetic education classes and beginning the long slog toward getting my disease tightly under control, in order to live as long and healthily as I can. 

International Diabetes Federation

What with frequent blood testing, constant thought about what and when to eat, counting carbs until I see grams and ounces in my sleep, and generally dealing with the emotional repercussions of a serious diagnosis that I've been denying to myself for months, spare mental and emotional resources have been running a bit low.  Even some of my favorite weekly memes have slipped through the cracks recently, and I have decided that something has to give. 

Though it saddens me, I've decided to suspend my monthly "Read Your OWN Library!" Challenge for the time being, so that I can focus on other blogging commitments for a while.  I want to reconnect with friends at some memes, definitely wish to concentrate on my Medieval Reading Challenge for this year, and have a couple of upcoming guest posts I am very excited about.  I want to make sure I don't spread myself too thinly, so that I can keep being fully engaged in everything I am doing.  For all those of you who have been doing the RYOL Challenge with me, thank you so much, and hopefully we will be back in the future.  You're a small group, and people I've come to count as genuine blogging friends.  Thanks for your understanding and support.

Moving on to the Challenge at hand--can you believe that January is over already?!  Those who are joining me in the Medieval Reading Challenge this year, how has the effort gone for you so far? Did you dive in as soon as 2012 began, eager to bring Medieval tomes to life again?  I must admit, with everything that has been happening, my reading life generally got off to a sluggish start this month, and though I'm back in fine form now, the Middle Ages haven't worked their way in yet.  I hope for much better things in February; after all, I've got 12 of them to get through!  I'd better get a move on.  Whether you're reporting triumph or disgrace, however, we still want to hear from each of you.  Give us a post summarizing your first month's efforts, and link here with the linky below.  Good luck to us all as we begin the month of February!