fall preview

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We were treated to an absolutely gorgeous chilly weekend here in Central Illinois. So gorgeous, in fact, that I actually allowed myself to indulge in the delusion that true fall weather was actually here. Naturally, after a beautiful few days, we're returning to the 90 degree range this weekend. 

Basically every area of the US has their own version of this meme (hence the noticeable edit on the top text), but it feels apropos now. I was so happy to have False Fall after a particularly rough Hell's Front Porch. Here's to hoping that Second Summer is a short one. 

I at least didn't waste the False Fall we got! We opened the windows to let in the chilly air, wrapped ourselves in cozy blankets, drank lots of tea, and got some much-needed cat snuggles. I even got to make some of my favorite fall recipes. Last night, we had creamy garlic chicken over orecchiette pasta, and tonight I'm making an italian sausage and vegetable soup. It's still not quite time for the pot roasts, but we're getting there. I even got some long overdue tidying done in my home office, and swapped out some of my blankets for warmer options. Next step is to replace my air freshener with a more fall-friendly option. 

Maybe it's because I've always been on an academic schedule, but there's something about the early fall months that really makes me want to get shit done. The itch that most people feel in March to take care of projects, deep-clean the house, and overall just get more productive is always more of a September thing for me. Luckily, I have no shortage of things to do this fall, between defending my dissertation, teaching an overload while I sub for a graduate student on maternity leave, and wedding planning (oh yeah, remember that?). So this is shaping up to be one of my most productive fall seasons. 

I'm trying to stay sane, though, so I have some more low-key and fun plans for the next few months. A lot of this might end up being aspirational more than anything, but maybe it'll be good to just get it out there:

  • Return to 10-mile bike rides at least twice a week.
  • Replace and upgrade our spice rack.
  • Cook two brand new recipes a month.
  • Finish crocheting my first wearable (a hexagon cardigan!)

Here's to hoping I can actually stick to some of these, but for now, I'll keep waiting for Actual Fall to arrive. 

 

 

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