Our household is usually such a peaceful and cozy one and never so much than late at night, dishes done and the house tided, the kids (usually) on their laptops or one of the other computers in the house – or like now, playing with clay and reading quietly. Ralph is asleep and so are all the cats; Hamilton in bed up around his neck, Harris under the kids’ easel, Josie on our phonograph, and Mable in a cardboard box Phoenix found today and brought home to fit with towels for this very purpose.
The family is happy and healthy. I am feeling better and drinking (booze) less (yay!). The kids are joyful and content. Ralph suffers a bit as at night he typically stays awake longer than he should (for his sleep’s sake), because he wants to have time with us. As for the kids and I, our night-owlery is something we can afford to do with no ill effects; without a school schedule we are free to pursue the sleep and rest and activity we need. I am quite surprised to see how different our winter rhythms are than summer was. One of the principal joys of having seasons is appreciating the one you’re in and looking forward to ones to come.
That said, the children don’t seem to mind the gloom and cold, yet this year I do. I wonder why?
A Bath With My Young Son
(Small Stone #5*)
Your skin like velvet
Even in the cold pale of winter,
Rich like coffee and cream.
The rhythms of the season are lovely. I was just dreaming about puttering around in my garden until 9 p.m. at night this coming summer. And in the winter, all puttering stops at 6.