In Pride and Prejudice Lady Catherine made quite the to-do about all the Bennet sisters being out at once. What did it mean to come out and why, if it was such a good thing, should it be limited to only one sister at a time? Coming Out in Society When a girl was deemed ready by her family–sufficiently accomplished in all the skills she needed to be a social asset to her husband–she would make … Continue reading →
So, yeah things have been pretty intense the last few months. Chatting with a friend the other day I realized that since mid-May my middle son graduated university, we attended my brother-in-law’s wedding, I seriously sprained my ankle, our grandson was born, son #2 moved to another city to attend graduate school, my other brother-in-law’s partner died and we flew out for the funeral, and my youngest started his senior year of high school. Oh, … Continue reading →
What to the Wickhams leave in their wake when the depart for Newcastle? September 10, 1812 Elizabeth stood with the rest of the family on Longbourn’s front steps. The sun hung high in the sky as Lydia waved her final goodbyes. She edged back to allow Mama and Kitty better vantage. The ten days of their visit could not have gone more slowly, and the final three had been the longest of all. Especially this … Continue reading →
Jane and Elizabeth learn how Meryton feels about Lydia’s departure from Brighton. August 16, 1812 The narrow vestibule was far too quiet for comfort. An eerie hush had settled over Longbourn since the initial news of Lydia had arrived, punctuated only by moments of Mama’s nervous episodes. How nice it would be to be able to hide in her room, away from the work of the house, and indulge in unconstrained sensibility. But someone had … Continue reading →
My youngest turned eighteen this week and my grandbaby turned one month old. Time for a family celebration! My youngest is a low-key kind of kid, so we settled on doing a family luncheon for his birthday. All told that should have been easy—right? No wild party or loud music to disturb the neighbors. The family knows what the house looks like, so I don’t have to clean it within an inch of its life. … Continue reading →
