Some mornings when I was young, I would wake to hear the tell-tale noises of bread making.

I would pad out to the kitchen table in my pajamas and watch my mom knead out the bread dough.  The flour  formed little clouds, the old table creaked as she pulled and pushed the dough, folded, then pulled and pushed the dough again. I would gather the excess flour and push it together to create a hill. If I pushed it together really tall, I created what I called a “B.C. Ferry.” (A boat, not a fairy.) It was a special time in the morning with my mom.

This morning, after I finished my Power Squadron homework (a boating course I’m taking), I decided today was a cozy day to make bread. I took out my favourite bread book; Williams-Sonoma “Bread.” To me, a really good cookbook is one that has really nice pictures. The delicious photographs entice you to try whatever it is that they suggest. This is a really good cookbook.

My favourite bread out of this book is “Challah,” A Jewish braided egg bread. Alas, I am out of eggs. So I decided upon Old-Fashioned White Bread.

I decide what type of bread I’m making a few different ways. This one was chosen by what I had in the cupboard. I know, making white bread is as unfashionable as toe-socks these days. But I still wear toe-socks and I still bake white bread every now and then. And, Marc just made whole-wheat sourdough so we needed some variety on our counter.

Let me paint you this picture properly.

It is raining torrentially outside. It has been raining for two days. The raindrops are fat and falling thickly. The cats didn’t even last long outside.

Tracy Chapman is crooning.

The wood stove is bellying a healthy heat.

I’m in my coziest clothes and the dishes are done.

The bread is now rising on the counter.

Could I get much happier?

Happy Rainy Monday!