Craving Fall

The weather around here has been really crazy and inconsistent lately. One day I'll be wearing a sweater and a jacket to school, the next day I'm shedding layers until I'm in a short-sleeved shirt. Today, for instance, is going to be near 80 degrees. But the nights have been relatively consistent with cool temperatures, great for getting cozy under the covers.

You all know that I don't mind fall, but I hate winter. So while I've been craving fall, I hesitate to truly enjoy it knowing that old man winter is right around the corner. I think mostly I'm craving change. A change of pace.

When it's summer, I feel the need to be outside at every moment I can. Since summer seems to go the fastest, I feel like I need to squeeze every possible moment I can out of it. Eating outside on the patio, eating outside at restaurants, going for walks, reading outside, etc.

But with fall, we suddenly don't feel the need to be outside as much. We start wanting to be inside, hunkering down, slowing down. Eating inside, reading inside. I feel like the crazy weather lately hasn't let me completely give in to the season yet.

Yesterday was a beautiful fall day. One that had a bright blue sky, a shining sun, and cool breezes. It was a great day to open the windows and air the house out, while snuggling under a blanket on the couch. Even though the sun was out and the day seemed somewhat like summer, I gave into it like a fall day. I needed to. I needed to slow down.

Stein has been sick most of the week, so I decided to make some of his favorite comfort foods. For lunch I made the sandwiches that his mom used to make for his brothers and him to bring to Michigan football games (when food was allowed to be brought into the stadium). On an onion roll, you pile on turkey, ham, salami, cheese, and mustard, and bake it in tin foil for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees. The cheese melts, and the sandwich becomes a bit crispy on the edges. We had to have ours with chips and a pickle. It hit the spot, and was just what I needed before a long nap that afternoon.

After we ate our sandwiches, I made the bean soup/stew that Stein's mom makes. It has Italian sausage, smoked sausage, two kinds of beans, onions, and stewed tomatoes. It is really easy to make and it tastes really good on a cool day. (If you want the recipe, email me.) We had the soup for dinner while we watched college football on TV (U-M was away yesterday). It felt so good to just slow down, at least for a day.

Today, with the warmer temperatures, I think I'm going to be in a faster mode and try to get some things done around the house/yard. I also need to do some work for school too. But that's okay. I know that change is right around the corner. The change I need to remind me to slow down.