🍕❤️ Pizza and Pillow Forts: A Cozy Evening Story of Love, Comfort, and Connection

1
00:00:01,980 --> 00:00:07,510
Welcome to The Slow Life.
I'm Jennifer Vino and I create,

2
00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:11,970
narrate and design the
soundscape of this village of

3
00:00:11,980 --> 00:00:15,730
cosy stories to relax and
unwind.

4
00:00:16,770 --> 00:00:20,120
Each week I share an original
story.

5
00:00:20,250 --> 00:00:25,280
Read 2 times so you can relax
even more during the second

6
00:00:25,290 --> 00:00:28,960
reading.
I'm happy to announce my

7
00:00:28,970 --> 00:00:36,180
website, theslowlife.ca.
It provides a space where we can

8
00:00:36,190 --> 00:00:40,560
connect and I can bring you all
things cozy.

9
00:00:42,970 --> 00:00:47,600
Let's settle in with some easy
breathing at your own pace.

10
00:00:48,700 --> 00:00:53,770
With each inhale, let fresh air
fill the space around your

11
00:00:53,780 --> 00:00:58,760
heart.
With each exhale, feel the calm

12
00:00:58,770 --> 00:01:04,360
air spread through your body and
flow out through your arms and

13
00:01:04,370 --> 00:01:08,980
legs, gently in through your
heart.

14
00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:21,460
Gently out through your body, in
through your heart, out through

15
00:01:21,470 --> 00:01:27,220
your body.
And now let's begin.

16
00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:35,370
This story is called Pizza and
Pillow Forts, and it's about a

17
00:01:35,380 --> 00:01:41,670
cozy surprise, everything soft I
can find, and a mourning with

18
00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:48,590
kittens.
An idea came to me this morning

19
00:01:48,660 --> 00:01:53,590
while I was making my bed.
Such a task is always more

20
00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:56,580
interesting when kittens are
involved.

21
00:01:58,350 --> 00:02:02,920
I had swept the top sheet over
the two of them, and while the

22
00:02:02,930 --> 00:02:08,160
air held it floating slowly
down, I'd stuck my head under

23
00:02:08,169 --> 00:02:14,770
the temporary tent it had
created for no reason other than

24
00:02:14,780 --> 00:02:18,650
the fun of it.
I imagined building a Fort in

25
00:02:18,660 --> 00:02:24,540
the living room with cushions
and sheets, a cozy surprise for

26
00:02:24,550 --> 00:02:27,610
when my love arrives home this
evening.

27
00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:34,490
I am empty the upstairs closet
of every soft thing I can find.

28
00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:41,710
In preparation for the build.
I move the chairs first for from

29
00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:46,910
the dining table, placing them
in the rough shape of a circle

30
00:02:47,100 --> 00:02:52,900
with the big arm chair in the
corner of the living room, the

31
00:02:52,910 --> 00:02:56,500
area rug already where it needs
to be.

32
00:02:56,570 --> 00:02:59,590
We'll keep the chairs from
sliding around.

33
00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:06,170
I lift a bed sheet from the pile
on the Chesterfield, shake it

34
00:03:06,180 --> 00:03:10,610
out until it billows like a
sail, and spread it across the

35
00:03:10,620 --> 00:03:14,580
chairs.
I dig some clamps out of the

36
00:03:14,590 --> 00:03:19,010
junk drawer to secure it, which
will be the roof of the Fort.

37
00:03:20,620 --> 00:03:25,800
Three more sheets go around the
outside, the edges spilling to

38
00:03:25,810 --> 00:03:31,350
the floor, and I smooth them out
with my hands to cover any gaps

39
00:03:31,410 --> 00:03:36,930
in the walls.
The final one is red, making it

40
00:03:36,940 --> 00:03:41,060
that much warmer when the lamp
light shines through it from the

41
00:03:41,070 --> 00:03:45,630
corner.
Just as I had with the sheet and

42
00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:50,230
the kittens this morning, I peek
my head in to assess my

43
00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:54,990
progress.
I stand back up with purpose,

44
00:03:55,050 --> 00:04:01,000
knowing what it needs next,
thankful that boxes and bins are

45
00:04:01,010 --> 00:04:04,180
labeled.
In the attic, I easily find a

46
00:04:04,190 --> 00:04:09,450
string of mini lights.
They've also been wound neatly

47
00:04:09,460 --> 00:04:13,880
around a wooden spool, keeping
the tangles to a minimum.

48
00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:19,430
They flicker once when I test
them, but keep their warm,

49
00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:24,380
steady glow.
Soon enough I feed them under

50
00:04:24,390 --> 00:04:29,140
the sheet and crawl inside.
It's fast work to hook them

51
00:04:29,150 --> 00:04:33,960
around the tops of the chairs,
making a full circle with the

52
00:04:33,970 --> 00:04:39,240
long strand.
I sit for a minute in awe of the

53
00:04:39,250 --> 00:04:42,550
instant beauty their golden
colour creates.

54
00:04:44,310 --> 00:04:49,920
Back outside the Fort, the room
looks softer too with the glow

55
00:04:49,930 --> 00:04:53,780
from within.
Now for the floor.

56
00:04:54,210 --> 00:04:59,410
The rug itself makes a good soft
base, but it still needs more.

57
00:05:00,330 --> 00:05:05,590
I start layering as many
blankets as I can find, some

58
00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:10,530
heavy and thick, others small
and used more for their gentle

59
00:05:10,540 --> 00:05:17,580
pattern and soft feel.
Then cushions also every kind I

60
00:05:17,590 --> 00:05:21,760
can find.
Square ones from the couch,

61
00:05:21,970 --> 00:05:27,160
round ones from the window seat,
a long one that fits perfectly

62
00:05:27,210 --> 00:05:33,090
on one whole side.
I shimmy things around, pressing

63
00:05:33,100 --> 00:05:37,770
my palms against the fabric,
shaping hollows to sit in.

64
00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:44,000
The shadows in the folds add a
pleasing texture to the space.

65
00:05:45,700 --> 00:05:50,310
By the time everything is
arranged just right, the fading

66
00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:54,330
light through the windows
reminds me that supper should be

67
00:05:54,340 --> 00:05:59,610
next on my list.
I'd spent most of the afternoon

68
00:05:59,620 --> 00:06:04,810
on this project and now my
stomach offers a low growl of

69
00:06:04,820 --> 00:06:10,850
suggestion in the kitchen.
I begin to think through what I

70
00:06:10,860 --> 00:06:15,630
might make.
Something simple, maybe soup or

71
00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:20,970
whatever is left in the fridge
before I decide.

72
00:06:21,020 --> 00:06:25,230
The sound of tires on the
driveway draws my attention.

73
00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:31,430
Moments later, the creak of the
door and the familiar sound of

74
00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:35,710
wiping boots on the doormat
signaled the beginning of an

75
00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:41,090
evening together.
The scent of pizza drifts in

76
00:06:41,100 --> 00:06:44,630
before I even see my love in the
entryway.

77
00:06:45,990 --> 00:06:50,050
It's fitting for tonight, and
the timing couldn't be more

78
00:06:50,060 --> 00:06:55,050
perfect.
After a greeting of snuggles, I

79
00:06:55,060 --> 00:07:00,030
moved to the counter to take out
plates, and while they settle in

80
00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:05,250
and change out of the day's
clothes, I slice up an apple, a

81
00:07:05,260 --> 00:07:10,610
few carrots and some cucumber.
Something crisp and light to go

82
00:07:10,620 --> 00:07:15,210
with the comfort food.
When I glanced towards the

83
00:07:15,220 --> 00:07:19,220
living room, I see them pause at
the edge of the Fort.

84
00:07:20,260 --> 00:07:24,650
This surprise lands quietly,
like the first night time

85
00:07:24,660 --> 00:07:28,230
snowfall.
I can tell from the way they

86
00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:34,570
take it in the glow from within
the smooth shadows of blankets

87
00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:40,640
and pillows that it has worked
just as I'd hoped, our shoulders

88
00:07:40,650 --> 00:07:44,260
softening as the rest of the day
falls away.

89
00:07:45,850 --> 00:07:51,000
Now, comfortably in pajamas, we
set everything up inside the

90
00:07:51,010 --> 00:07:55,150
hideaway.
Candles are lit and placed

91
00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:59,950
carefully on a tray between us,
their flicker deepening and

92
00:07:59,960 --> 00:08:03,950
softening the folds of the
blankets and sheets with each

93
00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:08,480
movement.
We opened the pizza box, which

94
00:08:08,490 --> 00:08:12,920
sits beside the bowl of fruit
and veggies, and the small

95
00:08:12,930 --> 00:08:17,870
plates look somehow elegant in
this light, lying atop the

96
00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:24,060
layers of fabric beneath them.
Music plays in the background,

97
00:08:24,170 --> 00:08:29,570
muffled just enough to allow our
voices to stay hushed, although

98
00:08:29,580 --> 00:08:33,280
crescendos of laughter fill in
here and there.

99
00:08:34,990 --> 00:08:39,720
The evening's rhythm is slow
with the sharing of food, the

100
00:08:39,730 --> 00:08:45,380
exchange of glances, the ease of
being together in our own world

101
00:08:45,460 --> 00:08:50,220
for a while.
My loves expression tells me the

102
00:08:50,230 --> 00:08:56,580
Fort with its dim light, faint
scent of candles and warmth was

103
00:08:56,590 --> 00:08:59,260
the perfect surprise to come
home to.

104
00:09:00,940 --> 00:09:05,620
When the last of the food is
gone, we clear out the remnants

105
00:09:05,680 --> 00:09:08,570
and stretch out on the blanket
covered floor.

106
00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:14,890
The many lights form
constellations above us, tiny

107
00:09:14,900 --> 00:09:21,070
stars close enough to touch.
It hadn't been the plan, but

108
00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:26,030
after lying here for a while, we
decide to stay for the night.

109
00:09:27,690 --> 00:09:32,760
The tent was a playful idea from
a morning with kittens, who have

110
00:09:32,770 --> 00:09:36,820
since found their way in and
made themselves quite

111
00:09:36,830 --> 00:09:38,430
comfortable.
Indeed.

112
00:09:40,020 --> 00:09:45,230
Thinking we should do this more
often, we giggle and talk long

113
00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:50,500
into the night.
We seem to forget the rest of

114
00:09:50,510 --> 00:09:55,730
the hosts exists inside this
nest of calm made from the

115
00:09:55,740 --> 00:10:02,510
simplest things, a bundle of
sheets, a scattering of lights

116
00:10:02,870 --> 00:10:07,720
and the closeness of two people
who have found, for now, the

117
00:10:07,730 --> 00:10:16,780
coziest corner of the world.
Pizza and pillow forts.

118
00:10:20,300 --> 00:10:24,860
An idea came to me this morning
while I was making my bed.

119
00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:30,210
Such a task is always more
interesting when kittens are

120
00:10:30,220 --> 00:10:35,040
involved.
I had swept the top sheet over

121
00:10:35,050 --> 00:10:39,610
the two of them, and while the
air held it floating slowly

122
00:10:39,620 --> 00:10:44,640
down, I'd stuck my head under
the temporary tent it had

123
00:10:44,650 --> 00:10:50,170
created for no reason other than
the fun of it.

124
00:10:50,620 --> 00:10:55,130
I imagined building a Fort in
the living room with cushions

125
00:10:55,140 --> 00:11:01,320
and sheets, a cozy surprise for
when my love arrives home this

126
00:11:01,330 --> 00:11:06,190
evening.
I empty the upstairs closet of

127
00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:11,330
every soft thing I can find in
preparation for the build.

128
00:11:12,820 --> 00:11:18,850
I move the chairs first for from
the dining table, placing them

129
00:11:18,860 --> 00:11:23,490
in the rough shape of a circle
with the big arm chair in the

130
00:11:23,500 --> 00:11:29,960
corner of the living room, the
area rug already where it needs

131
00:11:29,970 --> 00:11:32,620
to be.
We'll keep the chairs from

132
00:11:32,630 --> 00:11:38,090
sliding around.
I lift a bed sheet from the pile

133
00:11:38,100 --> 00:11:42,340
on the Chesterfield, shake it
out until it billows like a

134
00:11:42,350 --> 00:11:45,600
sail, and spread it across the
chairs.

135
00:11:46,990 --> 00:11:51,340
I dig some clamps out of the
junk drawer to secure it, which

136
00:11:51,350 --> 00:11:57,130
will be the roof of the Fort.
Three more sheets go around the

137
00:11:57,140 --> 00:12:02,990
outside, the edges spilling to
the floor, and I smooth them out

138
00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:06,600
with my hands to cover any gaps
in the walls.

139
00:12:08,210 --> 00:12:13,380
The final one is red, making it
that much warmer when the lamp

140
00:12:13,390 --> 00:12:15,960
light shines through it from the
corner.

141
00:12:17,710 --> 00:12:22,100
Just as I had with this sheet
and the kittens this morning, I

142
00:12:22,110 --> 00:12:25,320
peek my head in to assess my
progress.

143
00:12:26,870 --> 00:12:31,380
I stand back up with purpose,
knowing what it needs next,

144
00:12:32,860 --> 00:12:35,970
thankful that boxes and bins are
labeled.

145
00:12:35,980 --> 00:12:40,090
In the attic, I easily find a
string of mini lights.

146
00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:46,340
They've also been wound neatly
around a wooden spool, keeping

147
00:12:46,350 --> 00:12:51,700
the tangles to a minimum.
They flicker once when I test

148
00:12:51,710 --> 00:12:54,880
them, but keep their warm,
steady glow.

149
00:12:54,890 --> 00:13:01,230
Soon enough I feed them under
the sheet and crawl inside.

150
00:13:01,380 --> 00:13:05,770
It's fast work to hook them
around the tops of the chairs,

151
00:13:06,180 --> 00:13:09,490
making a full circle with the
long strand.

152
00:13:10,810 --> 00:13:15,540
I sit for a minute in awe of the
instant beauty their golden

153
00:13:15,550 --> 00:13:21,380
colour creates.
Back outside the Fort, the room

154
00:13:21,390 --> 00:13:25,280
looks softer too with the glow
from within.

155
00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:31,150
Now for the floor.
The rug itself makes a good soft

156
00:13:31,160 --> 00:13:36,550
base, but it still needs more.
I start layering as many

157
00:13:36,560 --> 00:13:42,890
blankets as I can find, some
heavy and thick, others small

158
00:13:42,900 --> 00:13:46,910
and used more for their gentle
pattern and soft feel.

159
00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:52,660
Then cushions also every kind I
can find.

160
00:13:53,670 --> 00:13:58,600
Square ones from the couch,
round ones from the window seat,

161
00:13:59,150 --> 00:14:03,050
a long one that fits perfectly
on one whole side.

162
00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:09,690
I shimmy things around, pressing
my palms against the fabric,

163
00:14:09,740 --> 00:14:15,950
shaping hollows to sit in.
The shadows in the folds add a

164
00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:21,790
pleasing texture to the space.
By the time everything is

165
00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:26,310
arranged just right, the fading
light through the windows

166
00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:30,070
reminds me that supper should be
next on my list.

167
00:14:31,570 --> 00:14:36,320
I'd spent most of the afternoon
on this project and now my

168
00:14:36,330 --> 00:14:42,930
stomach offers a low growl of
suggestion in the kitchen.

169
00:14:42,980 --> 00:14:46,370
I begin to think through what I
might make.

170
00:14:46,740 --> 00:14:52,030
Something simple, maybe soup or
whatever is left in the fridge

171
00:14:53,470 --> 00:14:57,150
before I decide.
The sound of tires on the

172
00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:03,110
driveway draws my attention.
Moments later, the creak of the

173
00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:07,920
door and the familiar sound of
wiping boots on the doormat

174
00:15:08,170 --> 00:15:11,430
signaled the beginning of an
evening together.

175
00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:18,050
The scent of pizza drifts in
before I even see my love in the

176
00:15:18,060 --> 00:15:22,600
entryway.
It's fitting for tonight, and

177
00:15:22,610 --> 00:15:25,110
the timing couldn't be more
perfect.

178
00:15:26,460 --> 00:15:31,570
After a greeting of snuggles, I
moved to the counter to take out

179
00:15:31,580 --> 00:15:36,090
plates, and while they settle in
and change out of the day's

180
00:15:36,100 --> 00:15:42,230
clothes, I slice up an apple, a
few carrots and some cucumber.

181
00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:46,380
Something crisp and light to go
with the comfort food.

182
00:15:47,870 --> 00:15:52,210
When I glanced towards the
living room, I see them pause at

183
00:15:52,220 --> 00:15:57,180
the edge of the Fort.
This surprise lands quietly,

184
00:15:57,290 --> 00:15:59,810
like the first night time
snowfall.

185
00:16:00,820 --> 00:16:05,770
I can tell from the way they
take it in the glow from within

186
00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:11,630
the smooth shadows of blankets
and pillows that it has worked

187
00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:17,590
just as I'd hoped, our shoulders
softening as the rest of the day

188
00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:23,360
falls away.
Now, comfortably in pajamas, we

189
00:16:23,370 --> 00:16:26,090
set everything up inside the
hideaway.

190
00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:31,850
Candles are lit and placed
carefully on a tray between us,

191
00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:36,150
their flicker deepening and
softening the folds of the

192
00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:38,940
blankets and sheets with each
movement.

193
00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:45,070
We opened the pizza box, which
sits beside the bowl of fruit

194
00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:49,750
and veggies, and the small
plates look somehow elegant in

195
00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:54,480
this light, lying atop the
layers of fabric beneath them.

196
00:16:55,750 --> 00:17:01,100
Music plays in the background,
muffled just enough to allow our

197
00:17:01,110 --> 00:17:06,440
voices to stay hushed, although
crescendos of laughter fill in

198
00:17:06,450 --> 00:17:11,599
here and there.
The evening's rhythm is slow

199
00:17:11,730 --> 00:17:17,119
with the sharing of food, the
exchange of glances, the ease of

200
00:17:17,130 --> 00:17:20,690
being together in our own world
for a while.

201
00:17:22,030 --> 00:17:27,700
My loves expression tells me the
Fort with its dim light, faint

202
00:17:27,710 --> 00:17:32,800
scent of candles and warmth was
the perfect surprise to come

203
00:17:32,810 --> 00:17:37,100
home to.
When the last of the food is

204
00:17:37,110 --> 00:17:41,820
gone, we clear out the remnants
and stretch out on the blanket

205
00:17:41,830 --> 00:17:46,090
covered floor.
The many lights form

206
00:17:46,100 --> 00:17:51,710
constellations above us, tiny
stars close enough to touch.

207
00:17:53,300 --> 00:17:58,330
It hadn't been the plan, but
after lying here for a while, we

208
00:17:58,340 --> 00:18:04,620
decide to stay for the night.
The tent was a playful idea from

209
00:18:04,630 --> 00:18:09,720
a morning with kittens, who have
since found their way in and

210
00:18:09,730 --> 00:18:12,040
made themselves quite
comfortable.

211
00:18:12,050 --> 00:18:16,470
Indeed.
Thinking we should do this more

212
00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:20,680
often, we giggle and talk long
into the night.

213
00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:27,550
We seem to forget the rest of
the hosts exists inside this

214
00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:33,830
nest of calm made from the
simplest things, a bundle of

215
00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:39,590
sheets, a scattering of lights
and the closeness of two people

216
00:18:39,650 --> 00:18:44,530
who have found, for now, the
coziest corner of the world.

217
00:18:46,950 --> 00:18:49,290
I wish you sweet dreams.