Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Winter Already?

Pac-Man Pumpkin Pie......

Another winter is upon us. I know, it’s only recently officially become ‘autumn”, but here in NW Ohio, the leaves have for the most part changed color and many are already on the ground. This week is cold, grey, and rainy, and last week we even had a short snow flurry. So, because I’ve had to run the heater, it feels like winter. And I think this has triggered some latent domesticity in me. I still find this an interesting process and reflect upon it as an observer, even as I find myself experiencing it.

You’d think, after finding a 125 year-old house that needed some work, the domesticity bug had already bitten. It had not – that was purely a financial decision made easier by the rentals available in my new town. The needed work posed for me a new challenge. Could I re-do two bathrooms? Would I want to? Could I get someone to help me? Can I learn enough about grout repair online to effectively employ it without hosing up my home’s value? These seemed like fun little distractions.

But now, the majority of my Home Projects are complete. I went project-happy earlier this year and probably, in hind sight, should have spread them out a bit. But, at the time, part of me just wanted Everything Perfect so the only thing I would HAVE to do at home was enjoy it instead of continuously working on little projects, which would inevitably, and quickly, remove the attraction I have for This Old House.

But, I think, with the onset of the Cold and the Grey, I’ve taken a subconsciously different turn on the home life. Take this weekend. I had some plans for around the house, so opted not to go out of town. My plans took a tangent on Saturday – which started by not being able to operate my new chainsaw. Fortunately, a friend called with Something Else to Do, so I eagerly left the work behind. Enjoyed cooking a meal for a friend later that night, and somehow, I think that triggered a massive cooking itch.

I decided, for some reason, to cook a jambalaya on Sunday. I’ve not cooked one in years, and don’t really know how to prepare a good jambalaya in volumes small enough for one person. I think my version could literally feed 12. Fortunately, I had some help in putting a dent in the volume of food, but there’s still a lot left over. (And, yes, it’s even better now!). Also, for reasons unknown to me (but still entertaining), I wanted to make a low-fat pumpkin/spice pie. So I did. And an Indian twist on a salad. Did that too. I even finished up all sorts of lingering laundry and other chores of the domestic ilk. Except dusting. I had to leave something to do for Some Other Time.

So, for now, I’m hoping I got all that out of my system. This weekend promises to be sunny. I promise to explore it, beyond the bounds of my home and yard. A girl’s got to keep things things at bay, after all……

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