Yes, I am counting down to the start of winter. We had a surprise snow here on Thursday (good thing the weather guessers are so good at their jobs, right?). I went out to feed the cats in the carport as usual before I had my first cup of tea prior to work, and while I was outside, snow flurries started drifting down. I was happy, but the forecast I'd seen the night before had no snow in it, so when I came back inside, I pulled up the local TV station's weather forecast from an hour and a half earlier, where the guy swore the quick brush of snow would stay north of us. It snowed all morning.
I was excited to see it (as was one of my teammates, because we think it was as much snow as we had all last winter, even though it melted later in the day), but I was also glad it happened Thursday and not Wednesday when we drove down to Longwood Gardens for the afternoon and early evening to see their holiday displays (I posted a few pics over on my Facebook page if you'd like to check them out). Those two things were the highlight of the week here. We had a death in the family the prior week and I'd finally decided I couldn't make the long drive (7-8 hours one way depending on traffic and construction) there and back for the funeral Thursday, partly because of our prior ticket purchase to Longwood for Wednesday, partly because of work, and partly because I wasn't sure my car was up to the trek. Then somewhere in the last few weeks, I picked up a nail in one of my tires and discovered it yesterday (glad I didn't make the long drive and have my tire go flat somewhere on the PA or OH turnpike). Of course it was in a spot that couldn't be patched and required replacing the tire (I just put four new tires on the car over the summer, so this was not in the budget plans for this month, haha).
If I'd had chocolate in the house yesterday, I would have devoured it all. Today, as if by magic, beautiful chocolates arrived from one of the sales reps I work with at my day-job. Since I wasn't feeling as sorry for myself today as yesterday, I've managed to eat only one piece, but depending on how the week ahead goes, we'll see how long the rest lasts.
Right now, we're in the midst of the big rain for our region, though now the forecast says it's going to change to snow overnight for a while. I'd be okay with that. Honestly, I'd prefer the rain was snow, but it's too warm for that. So I'll cross my fingers it gets cold enough overnight to change over and have some accumulation by the time I get up in the morning. Since it's so ugly today, I put a big casserole of cheesy pasta in the oven a little while ago. Between that and the tomato soup I made on Thursday, we're set with comfort food for a couple more days.
Before I go back to some revisions, I have a quick snippet for you this week from Light the Way Home.
================
Lucie had been on Mac’s Light Island for almost three weeks, but the view from the back door of her temporary home still took her breath away. Right now, she realized she’d been standing there staring, slack-jawed, at the sunlight glinting off the grey-blue ocean waves for a good five minutes. Shaking her head, she pulled the door shut and stepped down onto the sidewalk, feeling in her purse for her car keys.
She closed her fingers on the fob as a giggle reached her ears. She turned to the white picket fence that bordered the property next door as a big multi-colored ball sailed over it, toward her. “Oh!” She caught it before it hit her in the face, then started across the grass, balancing the ball on her hand.
Another giggle sounded as she neared the fence, so she adjusted her direction a tiny bit and came to a stop looking directly down onto a tousled blond head.
“I think you lost something,” she said.
The little boy’s face tipped up quickly, his blue eyes wide with surprise–as if he couldn’t believe she’d found him already.
Lucie grinned and held the ball higher.
He smiled as he got to his feet, brushing off his jeans-clad knees.
From seeing him playing outside several times already, she’d guessed he might be four, but now at close range, she scaled that back to three.
“Hi, I’m Hayden,” he said, holding out his right hand.
It was her turn to be surprised. She shook his hand, bemused. “Hi, Hayden, I’m Lucie.” Not too many three-year-olds had such good manners. Aside from the ball toss at her face, that is. “Nice to meet you.”
He glanced up at his ball. “Me an’ my dad are your neighbors.”
“I see that.” She noted he hadn’t mentioned his mom. “Who were you playing with?” She gave the ball a little bounce.
“Maybe you wanna play with me.” Guileless blue eyes locked on her face.
Ah. She squelched the pang in her chest. “I wish I could, but I’m on my way to town. Maybe we can play another time?” she added when his grin vanished.
“Like this afternoon?”
“Hayden!”
The deep voice got her attention–and the boy’s–just before a tall, sandy-haired man rounded the back corner of the next-door house.
Lucie’s mouth went dry. Wowza!
================
Since we're doing comfort food here today, I'd love to hear what your go-to comfort food is for a messy almost-winter day. Something with hot melty cheese? Soup? Something else?