Much Ado About Very Little

It's the calm before the storm around here at the moment. Hubby and I are treading water, not quite twiddling our thumbs, finishing up tasks on our list that need to be done before we leave for Italy, and generally trying NOT to get too excited too soon. 

I shopped last week. I found a great new travel purse, and a black Madewell tee that will round out my warm weather travel choices. I may have purchased a gorgeous pair of burgundy Paul Green loafers for fall. But you'll have to wait until we return from Italy to hear about those. I'm thinking they will lessen the post trip let down, when I know I'll be thinking, "Manotick is lovely, but it ain't Rome." Nothing like planning a new outfit to lift one's spirits, eh? 

This week, I'll be finalizing my packing lists, and then, well, packing. And trying to maintain my equanimity. I've been listening to books on my Audible ap on my phone. If outfit planning can lift one's spirits, there's nothing like a little gentle reading, or listening, to calm them. 

I'd never listened to Jane Austen books on Audible before. Rosamund Pike narrating Pride and Prejudice is sublime. Eleven hours and thirty-five minutes of heaven. That's her on the left below, playing Jane Bennet in the 2005 movie version of the novel. Not my favourite film version, I will say. 

The Bennet sisters in the 2005 movie version.

I've been well spoiled by the 1995 mini-series with Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet, and Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. That's the definitive version in my books. No one can touch Colin Firth's Darcy, and Alison Steadman is annoyingly wonderful as Mrs. Bennet. I've seen the series so many times that I can quote a whole wack of it off by heart. But, it's been a few years since I've read the book, and I was pleasantly surprised to hear how much of the dialogue of the mini-series was in Austen's original words. 

The Bennet sisters from the 1995 mini-series.

My hours of happy listening made me recall my visit to the Jane Austen Center when I was in Bath last year. And chatting with this gentleman outside who was done up to look like Mr. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice.

Me and Mr. Bennet in Bath,  October, 2017

I told him all about the incident at my Mum's one evening years ago, when Hubby was upstairs reading, and Mum and I were in the living room drinking tea and watching Pride and Prejudice for the umpteenth time. And as we watched the scene where Alison Steadman shrieks, "Oh, Mr. Bennet my poor nerves," Hubby descended the stairs. Mum paused the tape, jumped up from her chair, and in a perfect imitation of Mrs. Bennet, shrieked, "Oh, Stuart, shall we have some tea?" She then looked quizzically at me, as if she were thinking, "What the hell did I just say?" And then she and I fell over laughing. Hubby rolled his eyes and headed for the safety of the kitchen and some normal conversation with my stepfather. Ha. 

We love that story. Even more now I can add that in front of the Jane Austen Centre that day last fall, Mr. Bennet drawled in what I soon learned was a wonderful Somerset accent, "And di-id yourrrr husband, say 'Silly women?'" 

"He did indeed," I replied. And we chuckled.  Then I headed inside for tea. Besides my chat with Mr. Bennet, I loved the apricot cake, the fact that I was not the only solitary reader taking tea, and that glimpse of Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy photo-bombing my shot. It's often the small moments on a trip leave the most indelible memories, I think. 

Taking tea in the Regency Tea Room in the Jane Austen Centre in Bath. 

Yep, Hubby and I are in pre-trip limbo this week. I'm kind of enjoying the calm before the storm. Most of our preparations are complete. Hubby wants to have the garden cleaned up before we go, so he won't face a frost-riddled, soggy mess when we return in mid-October. So we've picked, and pickled, and simmered whatever we can. Our freezer is chock full of tomato sauce, apple sauce, pesto, and peppers. I'm sure the neighbours, my walking buddies, and Hubby's golfing and hockey mates, are right royally sick of the bags of garden produce we've been pressing upon them. 

We simply cannot keep ahead of the apples.

In fact, I see Hubby out the window at this very moment picking apples from our still-laden tree. I might open the window and in my best Mrs. Bennet imitation shout, "Oh, Stuart, shall we make a pie?" Or I could try to NOT be annoying and simply help him pick. Yeah. That might be better. 

You know, I'm not the only one who enjoys this kind of limbo. Pop on over to No Hat No Gloves and see how much more eloquently Annie writes about much the same thing. You can find her post here. I think you have to love a woman who loves good books and colourful footwear, don't you?



Now, what are you up to these days folks? Speaking of calm and storms, I know that many of you are probably hunkered down what with all the big weather events this week. Hope you stay dry and safe. 




Linking up this week with Thursday Favourite Things and Saturday Share Link-up.