How do you make the time pass when you aren't really supposed to be doing anything at all? Well, crochet and read, of course! You watch Pride and Prejudice. Over and over and over again. And peruse catalogs.  

For a woman who hates to shop in town, I really enjoy having a handy stack of catalogs available. There are a few clothing catalogs around here, but there's also a steady supply of book catalogs, craft supply vendors, garden seed publications, and home decorating brochures. My husband has referred to them as my stack of wasted trees--joking of course, but he marvels at the amount of catalogs we get when we don't buy anything!  

And let's not forget the magazines. Some I've bought, others have been gifts from friends. Old copies of Victoria, Southern Living, Cooking Light, Tea Time, Southern Lady, Country Sampler, Country Woman, Grit, Ideals, and Skeet Savage's Home School Digest are in a basket that I keep handy for myself, my oldest daughter, and friends.  If that weren't enough, I'm thinking about getting a subscription for The Girlhood Home Companion for Thelma Lou.

My aunt--who is an avid gardener, cook, crafter, and all around fun gal to be around-- and I hit upon the idea to trade our old magazines.  We've learned new crochet patterns, recipes, garden hints, and decorating ideas.  Magazines in good condition are often available at used book stores or even Goodwill.  Since  they are so expensive on the newstand [sometimes $4 or $5 or more], buying them used makes sense.

Besides, when I'm sick, my marvelous fabulous husband pitches in to help with laundry. It's better for me to bury my head in a catalog than interject, "Gee, hon, the towels stack better if you fold them this way."  Yep, it's just much better to read, clip coupons, and pretend that I'm not going to refold the whole stack as soon as I get better or he goes to work.  LOL!