Happy Pastimes

Tonight after prayer meeting we sat and relaxed for a few minutes with a bowl of popcorn and hot cocoa while we read to each other. Its an old and happy past time of ours - John and I have read to each other ever since we married.

The other day I wrote to my niece:

For entertainment, Mary, Uncle John and I are reading Jane Austen's "Mansfield Park" together. That's one of Mary's favorite books.

John reading to us

She wrote back immediately:

I must say very briefly that I REALLY like "Mansfield Park" - read it in July and it's probably my favorite of the Austen novels I've read thus far. It seems even a bit deeper than some of her other novels. (Just finished "Persuasion.") Austen's characters have a depth of character. In spite of what Sarah Anne says about "Emma," I really liked it if only for the character of Mr. Knightly.

( I confess, that's exactly what I like about "Emma.")