Tuesday, April 6, 2010






      We had a lovely Easter.

The earth is greening up nicely and the trees are budding out. The warm temperatures broke the records from a hundred years back. Nieces got sunburnt swaying in rocking chairs on Grandma's porch (her house is just up the hill from ours).

The pond was shimmering and had been completely ice free for 2 days already. Daddy and our 3 sons and 1 nephew went rowing and canoeing. I think that 1 good natured nephew was stranded on the small island there. He has since become the "coolest" thing to walk the face of this good earth in the eyes of my young guys!

     This was the first celebration at Grandma's beautiful new colonial style house. It was full of subtle and fresh, very softly natural and neutral spring colors. Since Grandma now lives next door, this was the first Easter that we didn't have to pack up the car and travel 2 hrs for dinner and then drive home again. It felt like we had 5 more hours in our Easter day, which, we actually did!

All the while, my good friend, the pleasant breeze, whispered and whispered around us.

     The church service was wonderful. Pastor Tom (my husband) gave a wonderful, logical, challenging and touching sermon. Worship was joyful and true. (Yes, Madelief, that is my husband in the palm sunday photos with the children. I am always noticing and putting together little facts like that, too.)


Monday, I was tired!


     I realized, after being awake for half an hour, that this was a day that I must listen to my body and do nothing. Sometimes this can get sort of boring. I pass the time with magazines or  the computer or, if I am too tired to do either of those, I watch movies.

     Yesterday, we watched one disc of the world of Beatrix Potter stories - The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny, Two Bad Mice and Johnny Town Mouse, Mrs. Tiggy Winkle and Jeremy Fisher, one very disagreeable Mr. Tod and (for a strange Christmas twist) The Tailor of Gloucester.

     We don't receive any channels on our t.v. up here in the hills; so, we watch videos or DVDs occasionally. There are certain ones that we watch at certain times of the year. Besides the Beatrix Potter stories and a few others, I usually watch Sense and Sensibility in the spring. Yesterday was the perfect opportunity for that and, today, I thought that I would share a humorous story of when Tom and I went to see it for the first time in the movie theatre.


For the 10% of you who haven't seen it - I am sure that you will be able to catch on.


Well, the story goes like this ....


     My husband, being a very kind soul, and knowing how much I love Jane Austen (and knowing how reading Sense and Sensibility - oddly enough - was the "feather that pushed me over" in my decision to marry him), consented to take me to the movies to see Emma Thompson's adaptation of  the same title. (Are you with me so far?) Living in the country, there weren't many people at the theatre. There were maybe 20 others, sprinkled here and there in that large, dark cavern. I think that, at least, half of us were die-hard Jane Austen fans. The other half were husbands.

The scene is set.

Now ....


     Do you remember the part when the romantically minded Marianne trips and sprains her ankle whilst attempting to chase some blue sky during a tremendous rain storm? She "falls" for her dark, handsome and mysterious rescuer. The next day, he brings her a bouquet (somehow magically knowing that she would prefer wildflowers). He inadvertently sits on a book - a copy of Shakespeare's sonnets. He begins to quote his favorite, inviting Marianne to join in and recite it with him. When they come to the word "tempests" and he says "storms", there is confusion ...

... and he says,


"Isn't that funny that you are reading them, for, I always carry around a copy in my pocket,"

thereby producing said tiny book!


     Now, I know the story but my husband does not. It was at this point, (being wrapped up in the cinematic performance) that I slowly realized, out of the corner of my mind, what was happening. When the shady Willoughby pulled out his copy of the book and uttered his utterly simpering line, my husband gave a very, very loud and disdainful snort. I didn't notice this at first. What I did notice was that my husband, a few seconds later was sinking way down into his seat. I was turning, curious, towards him. It was then, that the rolling chuckling from the audience began to break into my awareness and I realized that they were laughing at him.


That's it!

That's the story!

AH! What a good memory.

I'm still laughing.


Well, I hope that I didn't bore you to tears with a "you-had-to-be-there" kind of story.


Happy fresh, new week after Easter!


Love,

Katy Noelle


P.S.


 




I should tell you that this "picture" was a wedding gift from a very thrifty and creative neighbor. She found this beautiful vintage pillow but the bulk of it was very damaged. She salvaged the lovely lady on it, added some trim and a bit of quilt stuffing behind it and framed it. Not only is it pretty and perfect, but, the thoughtfulness and effort behind this gift really touches me.  It was made with love and care! Best of all, it reminds me of one of my first friends when I moved back east. We would sit in the sunny breakfast nook and sip tea and eat the lemon tarts that were made from her great grandmother's recipe from England and we would laugh and chuckle at so many silly, simple things in life. Such a very pleasant lady and even more good memories!





12 comments:

  1. My dear Katy Noelle-

    I couldn´t understand all- but I always feel the deep love to your husband- that´s wonderful. I love it, too, to be a wife and mother, like you!

    That´s great, that your grandmom lives now near to you! I love my mother so much- we visited her and my dad at Easter Monday- a wonderful day for us all!

    I like old things like that pillow ! So beautiful- and a wonderful idea, to frame it!

    Love and kisses to you - Ines!

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  2. Dear Katy Noelle, The love of family and shared times together shines through this posting and surely would melt the coldest of hearts. I am so pleased that your Easter, if a little hectic, was so very enjoyable.

    As a child I loved all of the Beatrix Potter books and although I have not seen them as films I am quite sure that they must be delightful. My favourite was Samuel Whiskers in, I think, 'The Tailor of Gloucester' [but memory may be failing me].

    As I have not had a television for the past thirty or so years I am a devotee of the cinema and much enjoyed Emma Thompson's performance in 'Sense and Sensibility'. However, Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy does take the biscuit for me. But you have your own Mr. Darcy although from what you write of his behaviour during S and S, I should avoid taking him to P and P.

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  3. Dear Katy Noelle,

    Thank your for satisfying my curiosity! I am glad to know that Pastor Tom is your husband :-). He looks like a very friendly and loving man. Your story about Sense and Sensibility made me LOL! I went to see that movie with my husband as well. We both liked the movie very much. Emma Thompson captured the spirit/feeling of the novel perfectly. Some scenes go straight to your heart; like the scene in which Marianne 'really" sees col. Brandon for the first time and thanks him for his help fetching her mother or the emotion in Elinor when Edward finally tells her that he is all hers. It's not only that it's the fun in the movie as well. The girls up in the tree spying at Edward proposing to their sister etc....Such a good movie! I could go on and on...., but I have to go to choir now.....I am already late!!

    Have a lovely evening!

    Lieve groet, Madelief

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  4. Me again. I am glad to hear you had a happy Easter!! It can be tiring indeed.

    Take care,

    Lieve groet, madelief

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  5. Hi Katy,

    I'm so glad you had a good Easter and it is tiring isn't it? I had to go to work yesterday and I would have preferred to sit out on the deck in the sun and read...LOL! I'm going to have to watch "Sense and Sensibility" again...it's been a LONG time. Your story was delightful.

    Have a great day,

    Jackie

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  6. Dear Katy

    So glad your Easter was wonderful, though busy too! It's wonderful that grandma is so close-by now.

    I loved the story of you and your husband in the cinema watching Sense and Sensibility - a fun story! What a great film and one that I never tire of watching. I agree with Edith, Mr Darcy as played by Colin Firth, was very handsome in his breeches and wet shirt (you just have to get the DVD to understand this reference!)

    Have a lovely day.

    Jeanne x

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  7. Sense and Sensibility is one of my all time favorites. I went to see the movie by myself because I did not want anything or anyone to distract me.
    As usual, you made me smile with your stories and your great never ending energy. You're the best! xx

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  8. Dear Katy Noelle. Thank you so so much for your lovely comments in my blog. You really have a way with words that touches ones soul. I am so sorry for you having experienced unpleasantness in Blogland. I do at times find this whole business a bit scary... I have had an unpleasant time myself, but then again I feel that all the kindness outweighs the less pleasant stuff, as I have come to experience that there are just so many lovely people about too. I do hope that you feel the same way.

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  9. Oh! My darling, your eloquently written comments on my blog and your posts simply melt my heart. I find myself reading both your comments and your posts multiple times. I love the way you braid the words with a touch of humour and tie a colourful ending to your story. I am always captivated by your posts and find that I am now addicted to them.
    Love & Hugs
    Duchess

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  10. Understand: I did not snort out of disdain for Shakespeare (far from it) but because I knew at that precise moment that this fellow Willoughby had dark motives and was clearly not to be trusted. Any guy could have told you the same. Really. Ask them... (:

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  11. I'm glad it's Friday because I now want to go find a copy of Sense and Sensibility and watch it tonight!

    I enjoyed your story completely!

    How wonderful to have Grandma next door! I bet your boys love that!

    Thanks for visiting my blog.

    Nancy

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  12. p/s I forgot to say how lovely I thought the framed pillow cover was. It actually had caught my eye and I intended to scroll down through your post to find out what it was...I then was so interested in your whole story I forgot about it until you'd brought it up at the end. What a thoughtful gift...and so pretty too!
    Also saw that you left another comment and referred to dishes...enter my giveaway...it's for a $100 gift certificate to my Etsy shop. I sell vintage English transferware (a type of china)!

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