It’s windy and colder today. A front is moving through, bringing with it temps in the 40s. It’s all relative, of course. The 40s are perfectly fine for this time of year, and to be truthful, the 60s, though nice, seemed a bit too warm for March.

I am definitely eyeing my porch. The path to the glider is blocked by chairs from the Funky Patio and the Secret Garden. The snowblower is out there, covered by a tarp. Also covered with a tarp, the former kitchen island. It’s not habitable at the moment, but I’m counting the days until I can do some cleanup out there.

I got waylaid a bit in the midst of reading Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk – stopping for some magazines, a book I am to review, a gorgeous book about Paris interiors –  but I read a big chunk of it this morning and hope to finish later today. It’s a lovely story.

On one of the pages, there is a quote which captured what I often say about life with my husband:  “I relaxed better beside him than I ever did alone.”

Amen. I often say – yesterday was one such occasion – that I can’t wait to sit next to him on the sofa when the evening comes and we’re settling in for the evening. Or that I feel better after we’ve exchanged a big hug. I feel my shoulders drop. But mostly, it’s just being here with him, something I don’t take for granted.

I read it out loud to Don and he smiled.

We watched a wonderful movie the other evening: Quartet. Don had seen it before but I hadn’t. Have you seen it? It stars Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Pauline Collins, and Billy Connelly and centers on a home for aging musicians. It’s utterly charming and moving and funny. It’s directed by Dustin Hoffman. Lovely performances by all, including the supporting cast, many of who are retired performers, musicians and actors. It’s on Netflix.

I am especially fond of Tom Courtenay, who never gives anything but an honest, real, and moving performance, and Maggie Smith. I saw her years ago at the Stratford Festival in Canada – I must have been in my late teens or early twenties. Stratford was about four hours away from my home in Michigan. She was part of the company that season and watching her work onstage was so powerful that I remember it vividly all these years later. She has the most graceful and elegant hands! She often played opposite the late, great Brian Bedford and watching the two of them together was the equivalent of watching a virtuoso musical performance.

I’m not sure what I’m going to do today. Read, of course, and the usual vacuuming and laundry. Maybe a trip to the bookstore for some magazines? I need some craft paint from Michael’s, as well, but Michael’s on a Saturday tries my patience. My particular Michael’s never has enough people working at the registers, so the wait is endless.

We’re in that middle time, the straddling of the seasons. Way too soon to do any work outside, but it’s warmer and the sun is shining so one could almost be tricked into doing something…anything.

Ah, well.

Happy Saturday.