Life keeps on cookin’ along. Was travellin’ this week for free — gotta love work travel for that reason! Flew over the Alps and down along the length of Lago Maggiore from Geneva to Lugano Wednesday morning at 8:40. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen and someone else paid. I love that.
Now Stefan and I are both home for a while before he’s off to London again, I’m off to Amy’s again and Mufasa’s off to his new favorite kennel again. He runs free with other dogs there and is so much happier for it. Tonight, too, we encountered a big yellow lab on our walk and let the two of them off-leash to run and play. Fun.
Here are some of the things we’ll do to enjoy the Fall:
1. Bake. I love to bake. It used to be a slightly out-of-control habit, now it’s just something I love to do. Tonight I made hazelnut dark chocolate scones based very loosely on this wonderful, simple recipe. I used plain probiotic yogurt instead of sour cream and added lots of toasted hazelnuts and crushed dark chocolate — no raisins. Soooo easy, and soooooooooooo good!
2. Watch the season premieres. I can’t get Private Practice on iTunes and am bummed about it. I was so disgusted with the wackiness of Grey’s Anatomy last season I thought I wouldn’t subscribe to it, either, but maybe that’s what the summer hiatus is for. The break made me want it like a drug. Plus, Stefan is watching from the beginning of Season 1 and I, of course, am watching with him. It is interesting to see the Season 2 characters and the Season 4 characters all at once. I liked the GA season premiere. I forgive them last year’s silliness — for now. We’ll see…
3. Go to the fall festivals. Last night we went out for pizza in the main piazza and noticed men setting up big tables, tents and market stands all through downtown. Tomorrow or Sunday we’ll hit the fall festival. This is sure to be great fun.
4. Check out the fall foliage. We’ll probably take a funicular up Monte Genroso Sunday. Mufasa would love that. I imagine lots of yellow leaves and Stefan snapping hundreds of photos.
5. Plan the holidays. We want different things out of the holidays, Stefan and I. For him, it’s about that day with his family. The 24th, because that’s when they celebrate in Germany. For me, Christmas is about the kitchen all steamed up and overflowing with the smell of turkey and stuffing and pies and all kinds of goodness, about stockings and Christmas cookies and dress-up parties and carolling with friends. When I told him this he said, “But someone would have to be in the kitchen cooking all day!” In my family, especially when I was younger, it was sometimes a team of women, but mostly my Mom and I just said to him, “Exactly!” I am having a turkey either Thanksgiving or Christmas this year. I will not go another year without a turkey. That is just not right.
I really miss my people throughout December. It’s the only time I regret not having kids, because I loved playing Santa almost as much as anything I’ve ever done. I’ll never forget the year Zach came to my side of the bed and woke me up first on Christmas morning. Or Wayne, our neighbor across the street, taking skis and making “sleigh tracks” in the front yard. Maybe that was my ex-husband’s idea. I can’t remember, but it was so much fun!
Sooooo, Stefan and I have decided we can have it all. December will be a smorgasbord of Christmas markets for us — we’ll hit them in Zurich, Germany, Austria… all over, all month. I also want to find a family or kid or charity I can shop for. Somewhere to make a difference. Christmas we’ll spend two days with his immediate family. Then New Year’s Eve we’ll get together with a great, fun bunch of friends up in a mountain chalet to ring out the old year and ring in the new. Sounds like a wonderful holiday season to me…
What will you do this Fall? What do you want out of this holiday season?
