Katherine Nicolai

I'm still looking for those little places to tuck into. Maybe less a clubhouse and more a nest. Today was a day like the one that had turned our ice house into slush. rain coming down over the crunchy drifts of snow that were slowly shrinking. Water ran off the roof, drumming in the gutters and rushing in rivulets down the sidewalk and into the storm drains. I'd wanted to get out for a walk,

I'm still looking for those little places to tuck into. Maybe less a clubhouse and more a nest. Today was a day like the one that had turned our ice house into slush. rain coming down over the crunchy drifts of snow that were slowly shrinking. Water ran off the roof, drumming in the gutters and rushing in rivulets down the sidewalk and into the storm drains. I'd wanted to get out for a walk,

but it would be a chilly, muddy mess. And so I'd reframed my thoughts a bit. If I couldn't go out, could I make staying in even more tempting? Was I too old to make a pillow fort? It turned out I was not. I chuckled to myself as I took the cushions off the couch and spread a tartan blanket over the living room rug. It took a few tries, and I had fun along the way. But soon...

but it would be a chilly, muddy mess. And so I'd reframed my thoughts a bit. If I couldn't go out, could I make staying in even more tempting? Was I too old to make a pillow fort? It turned out I was not. I chuckled to myself as I took the cushions off the couch and spread a tartan blanket over the living room rug. It took a few tries, and I had fun along the way. But soon...

but it would be a chilly, muddy mess. And so I'd reframed my thoughts a bit. If I couldn't go out, could I make staying in even more tempting? Was I too old to make a pillow fort? It turned out I was not. I chuckled to myself as I took the cushions off the couch and spread a tartan blanket over the living room rug. It took a few tries, and I had fun along the way. But soon...

I had a little structure with cushions as walls. I got creative and wedged a broom between two chairs so it stood upright. Through the hole at the end of the broomstick, I threaded a strand of dental floss, which is sturdy stuff, by the way. When you need to hang something heavy, get thee to the medicine cabinet.

I had a little structure with cushions as walls. I got creative and wedged a broom between two chairs so it stood upright. Through the hole at the end of the broomstick, I threaded a strand of dental floss, which is sturdy stuff, by the way. When you need to hang something heavy, get thee to the medicine cabinet.

I had a little structure with cushions as walls. I got creative and wedged a broom between two chairs so it stood upright. Through the hole at the end of the broomstick, I threaded a strand of dental floss, which is sturdy stuff, by the way. When you need to hang something heavy, get thee to the medicine cabinet.

And stretched it from the broom to a nail that usually held a painting behind the couch. Then I crossed my fingers and flung a top sheet over the floss. It made a draping cover, a tent to my little nest. I took the comforter from my bed and crawled inside with it, added more pillows and laid back and looked up at the tented ceiling. I let out a slow sigh.

And stretched it from the broom to a nail that usually held a painting behind the couch. Then I crossed my fingers and flung a top sheet over the floss. It made a draping cover, a tent to my little nest. I took the comforter from my bed and crawled inside with it, added more pillows and laid back and looked up at the tented ceiling. I let out a slow sigh.

And stretched it from the broom to a nail that usually held a painting behind the couch. Then I crossed my fingers and flung a top sheet over the floss. It made a draping cover, a tent to my little nest. I took the comforter from my bed and crawled inside with it, added more pillows and laid back and looked up at the tented ceiling. I let out a slow sigh.

I felt a little giddy, so glad now to not be going out. I could stay in here all afternoon, but first, snacks. I wriggled back out, and padded to the kitchen, where the rain was thrumming against the window over the sink. The snow was shrinking fast. At this rate, we'd wake up tomorrow to bare lawns on clear roofs. My neighbor still had a few reindeer and a light-up snowman in his yard,

I felt a little giddy, so glad now to not be going out. I could stay in here all afternoon, but first, snacks. I wriggled back out, and padded to the kitchen, where the rain was thrumming against the window over the sink. The snow was shrinking fast. At this rate, we'd wake up tomorrow to bare lawns on clear roofs. My neighbor still had a few reindeer and a light-up snowman in his yard,

I felt a little giddy, so glad now to not be going out. I could stay in here all afternoon, but first, snacks. I wriggled back out, and padded to the kitchen, where the rain was thrumming against the window over the sink. The snow was shrinking fast. At this rate, we'd wake up tomorrow to bare lawns on clear roofs. My neighbor still had a few reindeer and a light-up snowman in his yard,

And I had a feeling this weekend would be the one that saw a lot of us taking down our decorations and twinkle lights. I made myself a tray of treats. Apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon. A glass of grapefruit soda. and a bowl of those little peanut butter-filled pretzels. I slid my tray into my hideaway along with my book. I could watch movies, listen to music, read and nap.

And I had a feeling this weekend would be the one that saw a lot of us taking down our decorations and twinkle lights. I made myself a tray of treats. Apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon. A glass of grapefruit soda. and a bowl of those little peanut butter-filled pretzels. I slid my tray into my hideaway along with my book. I could watch movies, listen to music, read and nap.

And I had a feeling this weekend would be the one that saw a lot of us taking down our decorations and twinkle lights. I made myself a tray of treats. Apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon. A glass of grapefruit soda. and a bowl of those little peanut butter-filled pretzels. I slid my tray into my hideaway along with my book. I could watch movies, listen to music, read and nap.

or just watch the light change through the walls of my fort. We would come out of hibernation soon, but not quite yet. Pillow forts and tree houses. When I was a kid, playing with my friends. It seemed like our constant ambition to build a fort, to make a clubhouse, somehow to create a space for ourselves.

or just watch the light change through the walls of my fort. We would come out of hibernation soon, but not quite yet. Pillow forts and tree houses. When I was a kid, playing with my friends. It seemed like our constant ambition to build a fort, to make a clubhouse, somehow to create a space for ourselves.

or just watch the light change through the walls of my fort. We would come out of hibernation soon, but not quite yet. Pillow forts and tree houses. When I was a kid, playing with my friends. It seemed like our constant ambition to build a fort, to make a clubhouse, somehow to create a space for ourselves.