What's The Big Idea?

I'm fresh out of episodes of MadMen and Prime Suspect so I might as well post. It's funny: I get irritated with "professional" bloggers who go a couple of days without posting. "This is your JOB. Gah." I mutter at my screen, refreshing, refreshing, refreshing for a new post that isn't there. And here I am, going WEEKS without posting. I'll try to do better.

Fall is finally falling here. The air is getting a little crisper, the leaves are collecting on the driveway and we have pumpkins on our doorstep waiting to be carved or painted. There's even a real deal pie pumpkin on my kitchen counter top waiting to have done to it whatever you do to make a real deal pumpkin pie. Me and my big ideas.

I have a lot of big ideas. Not much comes of them, but they are big. I have an idea for curtains I want to sew for the girls' room. But I don't own a sewing machine. And I can't sew. So.....heh. You see the problem there.

I have an idea for a new landscape design for our yard. I drew it out on graph paper with colored pencils and measurements and everything. That was five years ago. The plan is sitting in a folder somewhere, relegated to the "one day when we have money and time" pile.

I had a big idea for a blog. I was going to write fascinating, funny, heart-string tugging, insightful, thoughtful posts about parenting and children, work and marriage. Turns out: with an infant, a toddler and a full-time job on the graveyard shift, I don't have a whole lotta time to post. Imagine that!

I'm also at a loss for what to write. I don't want to exploit my family for post-fodder. But some of the things we experience on a daily basis are funny or wonderful or challenging and maybe whatever happens make someone else laugh or boost their spirits or just let them know they're not alone. That's ok, right?

What do you want to know? Remember, I'm not talking about my sex life. There are a bajillion bloggers who talk about theirs. I'm sure they don't mind if you wander over for a look-see. I don't talk about politics because, frankly? Who the hell cares what I think and haven't we heard enough already? Religion? See previous.

I have big ideas. What are some of yours

There is a Season

Fall comes late to the southeast. Up until two weeks ago, we were still experiencing afternoons with 90 degree weather and tank tops and flip flops still seemed perfectly reasonable. Last week, it didn't get above 80 and natives started breaking out the sweaters and turtlenecks. Transplanted Yankees are still wearing tank tops and boasting, "It gets WAY colder than this in Buffalo!" I'm sure it does, my friend. That's why you moved here.



Now, the leaves are changing in earnest and there's a chill in the morning air. Friday night, we ran the air conditioner for what will probably be the last time until April or so. Saturday, we ran the heat for the first time. Now, it's just cool enough to do without either for a few weeks.



I love fall. I love fall festivals, candy apples, caramel corn, marching bands and high school football games. I love hearing leaves crackle under my feet. I love the smell of fires in the fireplace. Hot soup and crunchy, cold, fresh apples. Thin sweaters with denim jackets and wearing my hair down. Halloween and Thanksgiving. I love all these things about fall and I want them to last as long as possible. Please, oh, please, 30 degree weather: you can wait 'til December, can't you?



These are the things I love about fall. And here's how we welcomed our first taste of it:


Here's hoping your autumn days are filled with homemade soup, crisp, beautiful days and cozy nights.