🫖 Preparing for a Cozy Weekend Visit ☕️ | Slow Living Story for Relaxation & Sleep

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Welcome to The Slow Life.
I'm Jennifer Vino and I create,

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00:00:07,620 --> 00:00:12,030
narrate and design the
soundscape of this village of

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00:00:12,040 --> 00:00:15,790
cosy stories to relax and
unwind.

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Each week I share an original
story.

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Read 2 times so you can relax
even more during the second

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reading.
I also create micro experiences

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inspired by the stories you
hear.

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These are short, gentle reading
moments designed to help you

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slow down and rest in the
village for as long as you like.

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They're available now to enjoy
on screen or on paper,

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individually or in small bundles
through the slow life.ca under

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the Shop tab.
Let's settle in with some easy

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breathing at your own pace.
With each inhale, let fresh air

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fill the space around your
heart.

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With each exhale, feel the calm
air spread through your body and

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flow out through your arms and
legs, gently in through your

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heart.
Gently out through your body, in

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through your heart, out through
your body.

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And now let's begin.
This story is called Preparing

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for a Cozy Weekend Visit, and
it's about a welcomed guest, tea

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cups rinsed and ready, and
simple ingredients for a

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wonderful visit.
I enjoy preparing for her

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00:02:12,270 --> 00:02:17,420
arrival because part of the
pleasure of her visits is the

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00:02:17,430 --> 00:02:22,310
slow, thoughtful way the host
comes together beforehand.

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My great aunt is coming for two
nights and when she's here we

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00:02:29,410 --> 00:02:34,170
like the time to feel full but
unhurried, said.

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00:02:34,180 --> 00:02:37,520
Apart from the usual rhythm of
the week.

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00:02:39,150 --> 00:02:42,060
I make space for our time
together.

29
00:02:43,250 --> 00:02:48,540
I clear the small corners of the
house that tend to gather stray

30
00:02:48,550 --> 00:02:53,620
things, and I move through each
room with the awareness that

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00:02:53,630 --> 00:02:59,610
soon she'll be here too.
I stir with the guest room.

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00:03:00,730 --> 00:03:06,090
The bed is already made, but I
pull the duvet back and smoothed

33
00:03:06,100 --> 00:03:11,420
the sheets again, running my
palms over the surface until the

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00:03:11,430 --> 00:03:17,930
fabric lies perfectly flat.
Fresh pillow cases replace the

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00:03:17,940 --> 00:03:22,170
ones that were here before.
Crisp and clean.

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I fluff the pillows and settle
them against the headboard with

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00:03:29,180 --> 00:03:32,650
a smile.
I slipped back downstairs for

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00:03:32,660 --> 00:03:36,430
something I picked up especially
for this weekend.

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Back in the guest room, I placed
the lavender sachet on the

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00:03:42,530 --> 00:03:47,240
pillow on the side of the bed
where I know she usually sleeps.

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Sometimes it's fun to pretend
I'm the host of a bed and

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00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:57,560
breakfast.
At the foot of the bed I fold an

43
00:03:57,570 --> 00:04:01,900
extra blanket and place it
carefully across the width of

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00:04:01,910 --> 00:04:06,400
the duvet.
I check that the small bedside

45
00:04:06,410 --> 00:04:11,200
lamp is working, but still soft
enough for evening reading.

46
00:04:12,810 --> 00:04:17,779
Beside it, I said a few
magazines and a bookmark tucked

47
00:04:17,790 --> 00:04:22,220
inside a novel that feels like
the kind of thing she might

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00:04:22,230 --> 00:04:27,070
enjoy.
The Bureau is empty and waiting,

49
00:04:27,500 --> 00:04:30,510
though I know she'll only use
one drawer.

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00:04:31,340 --> 00:04:36,550
Still, they opened and closed
each one once just to be sure

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00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:42,050
they slide smoothly.
I make sure there are empty

52
00:04:42,060 --> 00:04:49,430
hangers in the closet and take
one more look around when I step

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00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:53,360
back into the hallway.
The guest room feels ready.

54
00:04:54,980 --> 00:04:59,950
Next, I turn my attention to the
small shelf in the living room

55
00:05:00,100 --> 00:05:05,540
where the games are kept.
Some of them haven't been used

56
00:05:05,550 --> 00:05:10,460
in months, but when she visits,
they're one of the first things

57
00:05:10,470 --> 00:05:16,750
we think of.
I pull the boxes out one by one

58
00:05:16,840 --> 00:05:22,110
and check inside them, making
sure the pieces are all there

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00:05:22,180 --> 00:05:27,420
and organized.
The board games go back into

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00:05:27,430 --> 00:05:32,110
place, stacked neatly with the
titles facing outward.

61
00:05:34,090 --> 00:05:39,420
Beside them, I placed a deck of
cards in its worn cardboard box,

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00:05:39,870 --> 00:05:43,420
the corners of the cards
softened from years of

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00:05:43,430 --> 00:05:47,790
shuffling.
The cribbage board has been

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00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:54,170
sitting near the back, its box
also worn soft and opens easily.

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00:05:55,290 --> 00:05:59,540
I place it beside the cards so
it will be easy to reach.

66
00:06:01,150 --> 00:06:04,900
I haven't rearranged much, but
it looks complete.

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00:06:04,980 --> 00:06:09,890
When I finish from here, I move
into the kitchen.

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00:06:11,450 --> 00:06:16,180
The cupboards hold more teacups
than I usually need, but her

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00:06:16,190 --> 00:06:19,070
visits are one of the reasons I
keep them.

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00:06:20,420 --> 00:06:25,180
I take down several of the
prettiest ones, the ones with

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00:06:25,190 --> 00:06:30,300
thin rims and delicate patterns,
and rinse them carefully at the

72
00:06:30,310 --> 00:06:34,690
sink.
The water runs over the cool

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00:06:34,700 --> 00:06:39,530
surface with a quiet sound as I
turn each cup beneath the

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00:06:39,540 --> 00:06:44,550
stream.
I dry them, set them upside down

75
00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:49,100
on their saucers and arrange
them neatly within easy reach.

76
00:06:50,750 --> 00:06:55,900
Some of them will be used for
tea in the afternoon, others

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00:06:55,910 --> 00:07:00,900
might appear later in the
evening, refilled many times

78
00:07:00,970 --> 00:07:04,870
while we sit at the table with a
deck of cards between us.

79
00:07:06,740 --> 00:07:11,530
The next part of my preparation
happens mostly in my mind.

80
00:07:13,070 --> 00:07:16,890
Her time here always includes
cooking together.

81
00:07:18,020 --> 00:07:21,770
It has become one of the
traditions of the weekends we

82
00:07:21,780 --> 00:07:26,620
spend like this.
Instead of planning a

83
00:07:26,630 --> 00:07:31,600
complicated menu ahead of time,
I like to imagine a few

84
00:07:31,610 --> 00:07:36,400
possibilities and make sure the
pantry holds the ingredients

85
00:07:36,590 --> 00:07:38,870
that will let us bring them
together.

86
00:07:40,820 --> 00:07:45,230
I stand in front of the open
refrigerator and think through

87
00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:49,950
the meals.
We might make something simple

88
00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:54,560
for the first evening, a meal
that can be prepared without

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00:07:54,570 --> 00:08:00,730
much effort after she arrives
and settles in, something a

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00:08:00,740 --> 00:08:05,080
little more thoughtful for the
next day, when we'll have the

91
00:08:05,090 --> 00:08:10,750
whole afternoon to move around
the kitchen together, measuring,

92
00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:17,040
stirring, and tasting as we go.
I take a notebook from the

93
00:08:17,050 --> 00:08:23,870
drawer and jot down a few ideas.
Nothing elaborate, just the

94
00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:27,760
outline of meals that leave room
for improvisation.

95
00:08:29,460 --> 00:08:33,429
Part of the pleasure of cooking
with her is that the plan never

96
00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:40,450
stays exactly as it begins.
One ingredient leads to another,

97
00:08:40,620 --> 00:08:44,360
a small change here, a different
flavor there.

98
00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:50,420
I check the pantry shelves and
make a short list of the things

99
00:08:50,430 --> 00:08:53,270
I'll need to pick up before she
arrives.

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00:08:54,560 --> 00:08:58,440
Flour, butter and a few fresh
vegetables.

101
00:09:00,150 --> 00:09:04,280
When the list is finished, I
place it on the counter and look

102
00:09:04,290 --> 00:09:08,720
around the kitchen.
Everything in here feels ready.

103
00:09:10,330 --> 00:09:15,500
The afternoon passes slowly as I
finish the last small tasks.

104
00:09:16,910 --> 00:09:21,580
A stack of clean towels and face
clothes is folded and placed

105
00:09:21,590 --> 00:09:27,770
beside the washroom sink.
An extra blanket is draped over

106
00:09:27,780 --> 00:09:31,320
the Chesterfield for curling up
in the evenings.

107
00:09:33,330 --> 00:09:37,770
I walk once more through the
rooms, pausing in each one.

108
00:09:39,370 --> 00:09:44,100
The guest room waits with its
freshly smoothed bed and folded

109
00:09:44,110 --> 00:09:48,210
blanket.
The living room shelf holds the

110
00:09:48,220 --> 00:09:51,980
games that will fill the easy
hours of the weekend.

111
00:09:53,670 --> 00:09:58,640
The kitchen stands ready for the
tasty unfolding of meals made

112
00:09:58,650 --> 00:10:04,260
side by side.
All of it together creates the

113
00:10:04,270 --> 00:10:09,410
feeling I always hope for when
she visits that the house has

114
00:10:09,420 --> 00:10:14,070
made room for the two of us to
spend our time here without

115
00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:18,840
hurry.
Soon she will arrive and set her

116
00:10:18,850 --> 00:10:24,300
bag down in the guest room.
The preparations will be noticed

117
00:10:24,310 --> 00:10:29,510
and appreciated.
We'll share conversations over

118
00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:36,210
cups of tea, games spread across
the table, simple ingredients

119
00:10:36,220 --> 00:10:40,040
appearing on the counter as we
decide what to make.

120
00:10:41,810 --> 00:10:46,540
I sit now in the quiet of the
house, knowing everything is

121
00:10:46,550 --> 00:10:57,210
ready and the weekend waits
quietly ahead, preparing for a

122
00:10:57,220 --> 00:11:04,880
cozy weekend visit.
I enjoy preparing for her

123
00:11:04,890 --> 00:11:10,060
arrival because part of the
pleasure of her visits is the

124
00:11:10,070 --> 00:11:14,940
slow, thoughtful way the host
comes together beforehand.

125
00:11:16,670 --> 00:11:22,040
My great aunt is coming for two
nights and when she's here we

126
00:11:22,050 --> 00:11:26,800
like the time to feel full but
unhurried, said.

127
00:11:26,810 --> 00:11:30,150
Apart from the usual rhythm of
the week.

128
00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:34,690
I make space for our time
together.

129
00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:41,170
I clear the small corners of the
house that tend to gather stray

130
00:11:41,180 --> 00:11:46,250
things, and I move through each
room with the awareness that

131
00:11:46,260 --> 00:11:52,250
soon she'll be here too.
I stir with the guest room.

132
00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:58,150
The bed is already made, but I
pulled the duvet back and

133
00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:02,410
smoothed the sheets again,
running my palms over the

134
00:12:02,420 --> 00:12:06,420
surface until the fabric lies
perfectly flat.

135
00:12:08,130 --> 00:12:12,870
Fresh pillow cases replace the
ones that were here before.

136
00:12:13,130 --> 00:12:18,810
Crisp and clean.
I fluff the pillows and settle

137
00:12:18,820 --> 00:12:22,620
them against the headboard with
a smile.

138
00:12:22,630 --> 00:12:27,780
I slipped back downstairs for
something I picked up especially

139
00:12:27,790 --> 00:12:33,150
for this weekend.
Back in the guest room, I place

140
00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:37,950
a lavender sachet on the pillow
on the side of the bed where I

141
00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:43,680
know she usually sleeps.
Sometimes it's fun to pretend

142
00:12:43,690 --> 00:12:46,130
I'm the host of a bed and
breakfast.

143
00:12:47,620 --> 00:12:52,270
At the foot of the bed I fold an
extra blanket and place it

144
00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:55,320
carefully across the width of
the duvet.

145
00:12:56,840 --> 00:13:02,010
I check that the small bedside
lamp is working, but still soft

146
00:13:02,020 --> 00:13:07,510
enough for evening reading.
Beside it, I said a few

147
00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:13,080
magazines and a bookmark tucked
inside a novel that feels like

148
00:13:13,090 --> 00:13:15,530
the kind of thing she might
enjoy.

149
00:13:17,050 --> 00:13:22,260
The Bureau is empty and waiting,
though I know she'll only use

150
00:13:22,270 --> 00:13:26,420
one drawer.
Still, they open and close each

151
00:13:26,430 --> 00:13:30,720
one once just to be sure they
slide smoothly.

152
00:13:32,950 --> 00:13:37,480
I make sure there are empty
hangers in the closet and take

153
00:13:37,490 --> 00:13:43,950
one more look around when I step
back into the hallway.

154
00:13:44,030 --> 00:13:50,180
The guest room feels ready.
Next, I turn my attention to the

155
00:13:50,190 --> 00:13:54,330
small shelf in the living room
where the games are kept.

156
00:13:55,920 --> 00:14:00,990
Some of them haven't been used
in months, but when she visits,

157
00:14:01,220 --> 00:14:04,000
they're one of the first things
we think of.

158
00:14:06,290 --> 00:14:12,300
I pull the boxes out one by one
and check inside them, making

159
00:14:12,310 --> 00:14:15,880
sure the pieces are all there
and organized.

160
00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:22,870
The board games go back into
place, stacked neatly with the

161
00:14:22,880 --> 00:14:28,950
titles facing outward.
Beside them, I placed a deck of

162
00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:34,270
cards in its worn cardboard box,
the corners of the cards

163
00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:36,760
softened from years of
shuffling.

164
00:14:38,670 --> 00:14:43,420
The cribbage board has been
sitting near the back, its box

165
00:14:43,430 --> 00:14:50,490
also worn soft and opens easily.
I place it beside the cards so

166
00:14:50,500 --> 00:14:56,200
it will be easy to reach.
I haven't rearranged much, but

167
00:14:56,210 --> 00:15:01,350
it looks complete.
When I finish from here, I move

168
00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:06,370
into the kitchen.
The cupboards hold more tea cups

169
00:15:06,380 --> 00:15:10,970
than I usually need, but her
visits are one of the reasons I

170
00:15:10,980 --> 00:15:15,050
keep them.
I take down several of the

171
00:15:15,060 --> 00:15:20,770
prettiest ones, the ones with
thin rims and delicate patterns,

172
00:15:20,940 --> 00:15:23,300
and rinse them carefully at the
sink.

173
00:15:25,110 --> 00:15:30,300
The water runs over the cool
surface with a quiet sound as I

174
00:15:30,310 --> 00:15:32,780
turn each cup beneath the
stream.

175
00:15:34,350 --> 00:15:39,380
I dry them, set them upside down
on their saucers and arrange

176
00:15:39,390 --> 00:15:45,450
them neatly within easy reach.
Some of them will be used for

177
00:15:45,460 --> 00:15:50,240
tea in the afternoon, others
might appear later in the

178
00:15:50,250 --> 00:15:55,500
evening, refilled many times
while we sit at the table with a

179
00:15:55,510 --> 00:16:01,860
deck of cards between us.
The next part of my preparation

180
00:16:01,930 --> 00:16:08,260
happens mostly in my mind.
Her time here always includes

181
00:16:08,270 --> 00:16:12,350
cooking together.
It has become one of the

182
00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:15,700
traditions of the weekends we
spend like this.

183
00:16:17,590 --> 00:16:22,200
Instead of planning a
complicated menu ahead of time,

184
00:16:22,330 --> 00:16:26,720
I like to imagine a few
possibilities and make sure the

185
00:16:26,730 --> 00:16:30,880
pantry holds the ingredients
that will let us bring them

186
00:16:30,890 --> 00:16:35,620
together.
I stand in front of the open

187
00:16:35,630 --> 00:16:38,560
refrigerator and think through
the meals.

188
00:16:38,570 --> 00:16:45,230
We might make something simple
for the first evening, a meal

189
00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:49,890
that can be prepared without
much effort after she arrives

190
00:16:49,900 --> 00:16:55,260
and settles in, something a
little more thoughtful for the

191
00:16:55,270 --> 00:17:00,420
next day, when we'll have the
whole afternoon to move around

192
00:17:00,430 --> 00:17:06,240
the kitchen together, measuring,
stirring, and tasting as we go.

193
00:17:07,940 --> 00:17:12,640
I take a notebook from the
drawer and jot down a few ideas.

194
00:17:14,050 --> 00:17:18,880
Nothing elaborate, just the
outline of meals that leave room

195
00:17:18,890 --> 00:17:23,950
for improvisation.
Part of the pleasure of cooking

196
00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:28,630
with her is that the plan never
stays exactly as it begins.

197
00:17:30,290 --> 00:17:35,880
One ingredient leads to another,
a small change here, a different

198
00:17:35,890 --> 00:17:40,860
flavor there.
I check the pantry shelves and

199
00:17:40,870 --> 00:17:45,140
make a short list of the things
I'll need to pick up before she

200
00:17:45,150 --> 00:17:50,140
arrives.
Flower, butter and a few fresh

201
00:17:50,150 --> 00:17:54,710
vegetables.
When the list is finished, I

202
00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:58,160
place it on the counter and look
around the kitchen.

203
00:17:59,120 --> 00:18:05,820
Everything in here feels ready.
The afternoon passes slowly as I

204
00:18:05,830 --> 00:18:12,100
finish the last small tasks.
A stack of clean towels and face

205
00:18:12,110 --> 00:18:16,050
clothes is folded and placed
beside the washroom sink.

206
00:18:17,730 --> 00:18:22,800
An extra blanket is draped over
the Chesterfield for curling up

207
00:18:22,850 --> 00:18:27,810
in the evenings.
I walk once more through the

208
00:18:27,820 --> 00:18:33,950
rooms, pausing in each one.
The guest room waits with its

209
00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:37,410
freshly smoothed bed and folded
blanket.

210
00:18:38,650 --> 00:18:42,880
The living room shelf holds the
games that will fill the easy

211
00:18:42,890 --> 00:18:48,550
hours of the weekend.
The kitchen stands ready for the

212
00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:52,600
tasty unfolding of meals made
side by side.

213
00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:59,180
All of it together creates the
feeling I always hope for when

214
00:18:59,190 --> 00:19:04,360
she visits that the house has
made room for the two of us to

215
00:19:04,370 --> 00:19:07,220
spend our time here without
hurry.

216
00:19:09,010 --> 00:19:13,530
Soon she will arrive and set her
bag down in the guest room.

217
00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:18,200
The preparations will be noticed
and appreciated.

218
00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:25,810
We'll share conversations over
cups of tea, games spread across

219
00:19:25,820 --> 00:19:31,090
the table, simple ingredients
appearing on the counter as we

220
00:19:31,100 --> 00:19:36,930
decide what to make.
I sit now in the quiet of the

221
00:19:36,940 --> 00:19:42,530
house, knowing everything is
ready and the weekend waits

222
00:19:42,540 --> 00:19:49,360
quietly ahead.
I wish you sweet dreams.