Today I am wrapped in layers of warm clothing, as I seek to counter the cold bleak early winter's day. The fire in the wood burning stove, burning heavy pieces of river red gum, is faithfully spreading warmth. Occasionally the sun breaks through the clouds, adding bright light and a little additional warmth through the large North-facing windows.
One of the advantages, from our perspective at least, that the 'covid-19' pandemic has brought, is that we stay at home unless we have somewhere important to go. This self-imposed restriction has led to a new, or renewed, enjoyment of reading. Out loud, that is. Noel usually reads, and I listen. My eyes have not stood the test of time as well as his have, so I enjoy listening. Most mornings, after breakfast and shower, we read a couple of Bible passages, a devotional message, and commit our day, and all that is precious to us, to our loving Father. Most afternoons, after lunch, we have 'story time'.
I haven't kept a tally of the books we have read in story time. Some have been recently published; some quite old. We have old books that we inherited mainly from Noel's father, who frequented second-hand book shops and who over-flowed his book shelves.
Our current old book is Charles Dickens' novel, David Copperfield, with illustrations by W.H.C. Groome, and published by Collins Clear Type Press London & Glasgow (no date given), and has 876 pages of rather small print. I had forgotten how wordy Charles Dickens is, or perhaps how very brief is the literature I have become used to. This copy is tattered, with a blotchy water damaged front cover that has been repaired to keep the cover attached.
There is little, on the surface at least, in David Copperfield that I have had any connection to, in all my life. Yet I find the story telling, the use of the English language, excellent. It draws me into the story. It makes me look forward to the next chapter, and the next. I know I will feel sad when the story ends.
I don't know how to end this post. I have no message to share. Rather, I have chosen to share a brief glimpse of our lives as we are today.
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