The ride to school this morning was chilly. I grabbed my gray Columbia fleece before we headed out on the golf cart. Soon I will need to wear a cozy beanie, and then a fleece blanket will be added. We will keep up our morning golf cart ride as long as weather permits, and then I will resign myself to a vehicle.
I added a small white lamp to my kitchen counter yesterday. It was in my son’s room, and he never uses it, and I miss having a lamp on the counters. It has added a cozy glow to the room, and I can’t believe I haven’t done it sooner. It sits next to a pile of fall-ish cookbooks, and the warmth of the light feels like an invitation to bake or chop or contemplate. I woke up before 6 today because of weird dreams, so I crept downstairs and put together baked oatmeal and slid it into the oven to be ready at 6:45. That’s when our boys stumble down the back stairs, hair standing on end, eyes squinting. I have been streaming the same playlist since school started, and that soft worship music calms the room. I light a beeswax taper, and the morning begins.
Yesterday and today, I make it point to tackle the laundry queue first thing. I fold everything right there by the dryer. For so many years, I simply needed the laundry to keep moving, so freshly dried clothes got tossed in an empty basket by a child and taken to our bedroom. Baskets would pile up and it would be challenging to stay on top of it all. These days, the laundry is folded easily and never enters my bedroom. What a beautiful change! Some time this year I began using Tide Original as my detergent again. In part due to the fact that GoCleanCo teaches to use teaspoons of it in hot water to clean walls, surfaces, and floors. It works so well. The main reason I began using it (besides the fact that it also cleans clothes SO well) is that the scent brings me back to childhood. My mother always used Tide, and I had forgotten that its scent would bring me back to 7th grade Esprit t-shirts, OP shorts, and deeply loved Benetton anything. Isn’t it amazing how scents can trigger a host of memories? I am happy that basic Tide brings up good ones.
I have a pork tenderloin marinating to be grilled tonight. My sister gave me her air fryer since she upgraded to a air fryer/pressure cooker/crockpot combo. We cooked kielbasa in it last night to dump into a stir-fry, and I heated up frozen chicken strips today for my high schooler’s lunch box. Tonight I plan on trying to roast vegetables in it and see how they turn out! I am not a fan of extraneous appliances, but I am enjoying playing with this. How do you like to use your air fryer?
I am grabbing lunch today with a few neighborhood friends at a local place that serves the best shrimp po boys. The chef is from Louisiana and has nailed the ratios and elements of this sandwich. I hope the afternoon will include a short nap before I grab Henry and Luke from school (golf cart again!), and then I take Henry to his swim practice and Luke has his swim practice here in the neighborhood! The high school swim team has 7th-12th graders, and they use our pool here in Quail Valley as their practice space and home meets. Very convenient for us!
I hope your Tuesday has space to breathe, moments of tangible joy, and a heart that finds gratitude in the small things.
Grace + peace.
I'm enjoying your fall diary entries, Aimee! You always inspire me in gentle ways. If you care to share, I would like to see a photo of the fall-ish cookbooks on your counter. I should have bought one of those lamps at that yard sale Saturday! 🙂 I love to see porches with lamps. There is a small farm near us that has the coziest-looking home. They have a porch light turned on when we drive past in the evenings. It looks so warm and inviting! I don't have a front porch, but I would like that feel to our home. I hope you have a wonderful day!
Hi Aimee,
So nice to hear from you two days in a row! I love reading your observations on your own soul and family and the world around you...Just wanted you to know your writing is truly encouraging and life giving.