Hello dear readers,

I write to you from my office, my basil and pear candle burning next to me. I’ve just spent a wonderful, busy day with my family, touring heritage homes in a nearby city before sitting down for sushi in our backyard.

I’ve been enamoured with old houses, especially their floor plans, since I was a little kid. Starting at around seven, my sister and I would sit down at the family computer and build houses in The Sims, either using floor plans we found online, or by creating our own fantastical homes¹. I blame my mom and grandmother for this, who took us to see a row of newly-built houses on a nearby mountain when I was a kid.

Anyway, the houses we saw today were all on the older side, and were preserved to the time periods they were built—one house was from 1910! We only toured about four, but we walked leisurely through the streets, pointing out exterior features we liked along the way. I used to walk this city all the time², and it was so nice to return and visit the homes I enjoyed looking at years ago.

Back at home, I planted a few sunflowers I’ve been sprouting on a windowsill, and pulled up all my daikon radishes—they were overshadowing the cucumbers! They have now been washed, dried, and placed in the fridge for whenever I want to eat something spicy³. I’m still sprouting sunflowers for another corner of the yard, too, but those ones have taken much longer to get going.

Now, I’m not sure what to do with myself. I know I’ll write another installment of The Reverie, but aside from that, my evening is wide open, and I’m highly caffeinated⁴. I might finish up a shrug I’m knitting, or I might replace the buttons on a flannel shirt I thrifted not too long ago. Or I might just sit in the back yard among the flowers and read. 

I’ll keep it short today, because I can hear my many projects calling my name. I hope the week has been treating you well, and that you find some time to relax this week.

Until next time,

—Catherine

FOOTNOTES

¹ I remember themed rooms, including a magician’s room, and always there were strange secret passages. My imagination has always fired at full speed!

² My previous partner lived there, and we would often take long walks to look at the houses, or visit the rose garden down the road.

³ Unfortunately, this isn’t very often, and I’m wondering if I shouldn’t have planted fewer of them.. They may need to be donated to someone else.

⁴ I do work tomorrow, but I had a migraine both yesterday and today, and needed it to be gone already! Though I’m sure I’ll fall asleep tonight just fine.

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