{Important Nothings}

Where shall I begin? Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?

(Jane Austen, in a letter to her sister, 1808)

So many important nothings to share. Really, they are nothing. But for amusement's sake I shall list them for you, chapter by (very brief) chapter. And maybe they'll be something after all.

Chapter 1: The Joke

Aidan made me laugh today. (Really, though, he makes me laugh every day.) So this morning it was this: Maizy was trying to peek through the blinds that cover the school room sliding door. Aidan looked outside to see if perhaps a cat or squirrel was teasing her by trespassing. He didn't see anything but the fog resting quietly on the tree tops. His assessment? "She must have been MIST-ified by the fog!" Silly boy.

Chapter 2: The Book

About this time every year, I have the desire to read Little Women. Sometimes I read the whole thing, and other times I hit a few chapters, just to get the flavor. It's like visiting with an old friend. Do you have a book you enjoy revisiting? Speaking of books, I recently discovered a new website, What Should I Read Next? Just enter the name of a favorite book or author and it generates a list of similar titles that you might enjoy. Snazzy, huh?

Chapter 3: The Wood

My children have grown accustomed to my embarrassing detours. Recently, my Wednesday afternoon detour involves wood. You see, for the first time in many years we have a wood-burning fireplace. This means that it's nice to have wood. It's even nicer to have free wood. (I'm fond of a bargain.) Well. Just down the road from our church is a business that has a huge bin out front marked, "Free Wood." So every Wednesday, as we pass from Hockinson back into the 'Couv after piano and biology, I veer ever so slightly to the right. The children hop out and load up the broken two-by-fours and a few fence pieces and voila! We have ourselves a wood pile. We're so classy that way.  

Chapter 4: The Drama

Jamie and I just finished season two of Downton Abbey. Are you as in love as I am? So now we wait. In the mean time we're enjoying Call the Midwife and Bleak House. And when I say "we" I mean that my dear husband is kind enough to let me choose. And I almost always choose a British drama. Why wouldn't I?

Chapter 5: The Pancakes

Lately I've been picking up canned pumpkin whenever I go to Trader Joe's. One of my favorite ways to use it is in pancakes. So yummy! This morning I added a twist: shredded apple and pumpkin. Oh, my. Happy, happy tastebuds. Drizzled in maple syrup. Happy, happy. I also found a recipe for pumpkin snickerdoodles. Doesn't that sound fun? Maybe I'll try them this weekend.

Chapter 6: The Decor

I am very s.l.o.w. when it comes to decorating. Some of that is because I'm a very indecisive person. I think. Well, maybe not. No, I think I am. It also has something to do with the fact that I don't really know what I'm doing. Pinterest has been helpful in that department. If I can get an idea of something, I can run with it. But I can't make it up out of thin air. Currently I've been playing around with the space above my kitchen cabinets. The walls really need some color, but for now I'm playing around with the decor. I'm thinking I'll add something to the black coffee pot on the left. Maybe something branchy or leafy. Any suggestions? 

Chapter 7: The Show

Next week is Thanksgiving. Which means that next week we get to put on our annual shadow puppet show. The kids and I have put it on for my family for several years now, and it's become quite a fun tradition. The show is performed behind a white sheet which has one of Jamie's studio lights projected onto it. We've made several cardboard figures to represent different characters in whichever story we happen to be telling. So far the "stories" have included the poems "Over the River and Through the Woods," and "First Thanksgiving of All." We rotate through or repeat them every year, and it's always a lot of fun (with much giggling). Can't wait to do it again. 

Epilogue

Thus concludes this week's record of Important Nothings. May you delight in the variety of both the "nothings" and "somethings" that come your way. For there is joy to be found in it all.