Last night at supper we lit the first candle. It was lovely to have our youngest children home for the start of a season we've observed with such gladness together over the years. Here's the kitchen table dressed for that first supper:
This tablecloth, as I've probably mentioned before, is a shower curtain. I found it years ago at the thrift shop down the street, and we've used it for Advent and Lent ever since. The plates are my grandmother's everyday china, from her wedding in 1925: Mason's English Ironstone, in a pattern called Croysdale, with purple detail around the rim. Napkins are cheap bandanas I bought at Walmart some years back. Silverware all thrifted.
My Advent wreath this year is, as usual, not a wreath. It's four tall votives from Dollar Tree in a container that something came in a year or so ago at Christmas, some food gift-package item. I found the ribbon in the cabinet to finish it off. It lacks much of the symbolism of the wreath, though I don't see why an oval couldn't suggest eternity as much as a circle, and at least there's some greenery represented on the ribbon.
I usually take kitchen pictures from the kitchen table, but here's a long shot toward that end of the kitchen for a change, when I'd started to set the table but hadn't finished:
Today it's raining, not cold, I don't think, but wet and dark all the same. I'm hoping it slackens up some before I have to go out with Dora. Mass this morning with the progeny, then back here for a late breakfast before time to take them to the airport. The time has gone all too quickly, but then it'll go quickly between now and when I have to leave to make yet another drive to fetch them home again for Christmas.
I've begun a new . . . challenge . . . I guess, which I'm going to track here for accountability's sake. Having been attracted to various read-the-Bible-in-a-year programs, but knowing that a) I won't listen to a podcast, and b) I will set a book down and lose it, I went searching in the Kindle store and found a little book containing both the Bible (author: The Holy Spirit) and The Imitation of Christ (author: Thomas a Kempis), broken down into 365 daily readings. The first Sunday in Advent, the start of the Church's new year, seems an appropriate time to begin such a project.
I figure I won't lose my Kindle --- in two years, I haven't yet. I figure that at the very least, I'll read in bed, which I do most nights, though I prefer to start the day with a reading in scripture.
At any rate, starting that today as an Advent discipline, but one that will, I hope, take me through all the liturgical year until it renews itself again. Today's reading (done!): Genesis 1-2, Psalm 1, Matthew 1, Book 1 of Imitation.
Wearing today:
Fiona with my thrifted, mended 25-cent purple cardigan, plus a little scarf my older daughter made me many years ago, plus Snag merino navy tights, plus my high camel boots, because it's WET OUT THERE. Going to wear my biggest coat, not because it's cold, but because it's WET. The temperature will be in the 60s Farenheit, but right now it's 49F, and did I mention that it's WET? Not really excited about the morning dog walk at this moment, but at least I'm dressed and can stay, I hope, reasonably dry.
A blessed First Sunday in Advent!