Fall

This weekend has been one of the quietest we've had in at least 6 months.  Lots of cooking, resting and cribbage-playing.  I am on a several game winning streak against Michael at this point.  This morning, mid-way through my streak, Michael and I got up to fold some laundry and Ayla ate our Queen of Spades.  This caused us to have to search for another deck of cards, which we found in the top desk drawer in the office.  The cards had never been used, probably because they are in French.  Neither Michael nor myself speak French, despite the fact that we live in a city two hours south of Quebec, that is also home to a sizable portion of French-speaking Congolese refugees.  (Needless to say, it might behoove me to crack open a French dictionary once in a while.)  Anyway, what is particularly funny about these cards is that in lieu of aces, there are 1s; Jacks are "V", Queens are "D" and Kings are "R".  We ended up adapting quite well.

In addition to schooling Michael at cribbage, I have also been making a lot of soup lately.  It all started a few weeks ago with a batch of Kale, Kielbasa & Kidney Bean Soup.  Last week, I had a bunch of leeks and red bliss potatoes in my CSA and turned them into Potato Leek Soup.  Last night, per Michael's request, I made Butternut Squash Soup and then threw in a sweet potato for good measure!  It was delicious, (and a very beautiful color, I must say!)  The New York Times has a great recipe that is very similar to the one I made last night: Recipes for Health - Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Soup.  I still need to come up with something to do with my kohlrabi and celeriac.  That's the one problem I have with the farm share: trying to use up all the yummy veggies before they start to wilt!

On Tuesday I begin transitioning into my new position at work.  I had been holding out for new clothes for about six months, reasoning that I didn't really need them working in the shelter, promising myself that I would buy new clothes when I found a new job.  I have been incredibly lucky to be able to move departments within the same organization, the downside being that I can't cash out any unused vacation time for a new wardrobe.  This weekend, I decided that it was high time to treat myself to at least one new outfit, as well as a pair of clogs!  Ever since I was a waitress, I have been wanting to buy another pair of Danskos.  Last year, I bought a similar, and less expensive, pair of stapled clogs from LL Bean, but they did not hold up the way that I had hoped.  Two pairs of LL Bean clogs later (thank goodness for their return policy!) I found myself back in the market for shoes.  Yesterday, after two trips to the Danforth store on Shelburne Road, I ended up with a pair of Sanita "professional clogs" in cordovan.  They are beautiful.

[Photo Love]